World of Warcraft®

Bump!

Bump.

Bump.

Bump, again.

"Everyone is the hero of their own story."

Bumpage.

08/24/2011 11:22 AMPosted by Plaguehéart

Bumpage.

Bump.

08/26/2011 11:20 AMPosted by Plaguehéart

Bump.

Valthur's antagonists are all the Dark Irons.

And the dragons.

And the orcs.

And the trolls.

And stuffy priests(Although it could be said that he's the antagonist there).

08/26/2011 10:20 PMPosted by Cythe

Hey Plagueheart, what makes for a good antagonist in roleplay? How do you deal with consequences? I'm curious because I'd like to do more in that capacity but am usually more a reluctant good guy.

What makes for a good antagonist? In novels and books, the antagonists and/or the protagonists are specifically tailored for each other; they're created with the idea that they will be interacting with one another at some time, so their traits and qualities are created to best reflect that combination. They're created to mutually compliment one another.

Take for instance, the Dark Knight. Now, I can't really get into the creator's heads or anything with this one, but I'm gonna take a leap here and say that the Joker was created to be Batman's opposite. I think the idea is best encapsulated with what the Joker said when he was hanging upside-down: "This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object."

Now, our characters in role-play are a bit different -- they weren't created with another's character in mind. Maybe he or she was, who knows? But, for the most part, our characters weren't created in a vacuum, specially tailored to interact with another person specifically, so we have to make due.

We as antagonists need to find a way to connect with our protagonists, so that the conflict we generate with them is on a very deep and personal level, so that it develops and brings characterization to them. You don't need to forsake what makes your character what they, just to please the protagonist, you just need to be adaptive within your charcter's reasonable range -- this is where creativity comes in. The best antagonists are the ones who are creative.

And, as far as dealing with consequences, I believe there needs to be a give-and-take relationship between the antagonists and the protagonists -- one that's grounded in an OOC communication. There needs to be consequence though, for everything. If we don't have it, nothing really matters -- our characters never learn, never grow.

Chiefly, for the antagonists, there needs to come a time where you have to lose -- where you either die or concede to the protagonists and flee with your tail between your legs. They need to feel a sense of accomplishment. However, the same applies to protagonists, they need to have the OOC patience to see where the story may go if this time they aren't stubborn by refusing to lose a fight.

Edit: If none of this made any sense, and I was just rambling, ask for me to clarify any and all points that don't come off clearly.

Bump!

Bump.

08/27/2011 07:47 PMPosted by Plaguehéart

Bump.

08/27/2011 11:17 PMPosted by Cythe

Ah, thank you Plagueheart! Wise words. It feels so daunting to be the villain, the idea that I probably have to be beaten. But still seem like a threat. Can that be done without actually hurting anyone?

Certainly. Like someone said earlier, an antagonist doesn't necessarily need to be an agent of the Cult of the Damned or the Twilight's Hammer or any number of other malign organization -- or inherently evil at all, for that matter -- to provide quality, character-building conflict. Nor do they have to hurt people to supply that.

Take, for instance, you have a goblin and a gnome -- the goblin is always vying for dominance in the field of engineering and desires that position of greatness so much that he'll do whatever it takes to secure it. That leads him to conflict with his gnome counterpart on a number of occasions, which will invariably characterize both.

Bump!

In-Game Name:
Flend

In-Game Faction: Alliance

Race: Worgen

Affiliation, if any, with a short explanation:
Twilight's Hammer, Old Gods

Alignment, with a short explanation:
Evil. No particular leaning towards lawful or chaotic.

Additional Notes: Eyes of Old researcher. Flend has a multitude of disguises and goes by many different names. In terms of combat ability, what sets him apart from most others is his focus on the command of bugs.

Also has a strong interest in archaeology and other intellectual pursuits.