04-08-2020, 07:08 PM
After a few DMs about this guide I thought I'd further elaborate on the use of the character hook, mainly because it's so dang important, and it takes practice to get right. I can't even count over the years how many character ideas I've gone through. I mean, literally, the number is probably astronomical.
Bullet point format GO:
A good character hook:
* Includes strong motivation for your character's behavior. Having an interesting trait means nothing if it doesn't encourage you to go out and do things. It's particularly important for first initiating RP with strangers, as it gives a solid first impression of what your character is about and gives you something to talk about.
* Isn't the be-all and end-all of your character. They should have more (but lesser) traits and attributes and goals; this is how you have a well-rounded character instead of a caricature or a one-trick pony. Everyone has feelings and emotions and can always judge their situation accordingly.
* Isn't used as a crutch. Sort of the same as the above -- it's something to fall back on for easy RP and character depth but it shouldn't be the only thing your character is about. That's boring and eventually even the most interesting concept gets old. This is where the Naruto von Goku syndrome comes from; people who aren't creative enough to think of more than one goal. Getting stronger for a reason is fine. The more interesting the reason, the better.
* Is mostly independent from game mechanics.. but a little bit is fine. A hook can (and should!) tie in with your spells the same as your background and dev, but not necessarily be beholden to it. Sometimes the best RP is grown organically from a few roots; the hook should be your root to grow into something better than you originally started with. To do that you need to envision a clear path to an end goal, and one that's not dependent on anything but your own drive to get there.
This is especially important for if you base your hook on something like blacksmithing or alchemy. It's boring for your hook to be "alchemist", even if it's "the best alchemist!". Better and more interesting to go a tier more complex than that, even if, mechanically speaking, there's nothing that exists to prove it. Here's what I mean--- a blacksmith is a mechanical job you can acquire, whereas a "weaponsmith", "armorsmith", "mad scientist", "forgemaster", "prosthetic designer", none of those exist in game. But using them as a hook allows you clear progress through specific and interesting dev, most of which you can make up on the spot thanks to not needing to care about mechanics.
"Alchemist" == "witchdoctor", "herbalist", "mad scientist", and so on. Way more interesting.
"Holy mage" == "Paladin", "star shaman", etc.
These are great 'secondary' hooks that basically take very little work to get good results from.
* Should involve other people. A hook works the best the more people it's able to easily involve. A busker or high-energy bardic character (jesters are popular these days) makes a great hook to allow you to get in the face of people right away, even if it annoys them. People that just straight ignore you (as in, not even any kind of reply to a redtext) if you play an obnoxious character.. well, those are probably shitty people to begin with and aren't worth your time anyway. Learn to separate IC and OOC, you bums.
A good hook can be used to flavor your character, to attract eyes, to give yourself motivation, but most importantly, it's the best tool to hook people in like a fishing rod. Sometimes in public you hook people you really don't like, well. Them's the breaks. Gracefully detach yourself and move on until you find people who you mesh with, don't just sit there like a lump waiting for RP to fall into your lap.
And finally,
* Should be easy to discard if you need to. Sometimes a hook has run its course. Sometimes it's just not fun anymore, but you're still having a good time with the character. How and when to drop a hook are not easy decisions; sometimes it's jarring if a major character attribute disappears overnight. The easiest solution is the fun factor -- if using the hook isn't having the results you expect or you're just not enjoying it, don't do it. Transition it to something else, or if you have some far better idea, wind down the story and try something new. A lot of the time, instead that initial hook morphs and evolves over time into something great and leads to RP that otherwise never would have happened. It's moments like that that make the frustrating RP deserts more worth it.
Bullet point format GO:
A good character hook:
* Includes strong motivation for your character's behavior. Having an interesting trait means nothing if it doesn't encourage you to go out and do things. It's particularly important for first initiating RP with strangers, as it gives a solid first impression of what your character is about and gives you something to talk about.
* Isn't the be-all and end-all of your character. They should have more (but lesser) traits and attributes and goals; this is how you have a well-rounded character instead of a caricature or a one-trick pony. Everyone has feelings and emotions and can always judge their situation accordingly.
* Isn't used as a crutch. Sort of the same as the above -- it's something to fall back on for easy RP and character depth but it shouldn't be the only thing your character is about. That's boring and eventually even the most interesting concept gets old. This is where the Naruto von Goku syndrome comes from; people who aren't creative enough to think of more than one goal. Getting stronger for a reason is fine. The more interesting the reason, the better.
* Is mostly independent from game mechanics.. but a little bit is fine. A hook can (and should!) tie in with your spells the same as your background and dev, but not necessarily be beholden to it. Sometimes the best RP is grown organically from a few roots; the hook should be your root to grow into something better than you originally started with. To do that you need to envision a clear path to an end goal, and one that's not dependent on anything but your own drive to get there.
This is especially important for if you base your hook on something like blacksmithing or alchemy. It's boring for your hook to be "alchemist", even if it's "the best alchemist!". Better and more interesting to go a tier more complex than that, even if, mechanically speaking, there's nothing that exists to prove it. Here's what I mean--- a blacksmith is a mechanical job you can acquire, whereas a "weaponsmith", "armorsmith", "mad scientist", "forgemaster", "prosthetic designer", none of those exist in game. But using them as a hook allows you clear progress through specific and interesting dev, most of which you can make up on the spot thanks to not needing to care about mechanics.
"Alchemist" == "witchdoctor", "herbalist", "mad scientist", and so on. Way more interesting.
"Holy mage" == "Paladin", "star shaman", etc.
These are great 'secondary' hooks that basically take very little work to get good results from.
* Should involve other people. A hook works the best the more people it's able to easily involve. A busker or high-energy bardic character (jesters are popular these days) makes a great hook to allow you to get in the face of people right away, even if it annoys them. People that just straight ignore you (as in, not even any kind of reply to a redtext) if you play an obnoxious character.. well, those are probably shitty people to begin with and aren't worth your time anyway. Learn to separate IC and OOC, you bums.
A good hook can be used to flavor your character, to attract eyes, to give yourself motivation, but most importantly, it's the best tool to hook people in like a fishing rod. Sometimes in public you hook people you really don't like, well. Them's the breaks. Gracefully detach yourself and move on until you find people who you mesh with, don't just sit there like a lump waiting for RP to fall into your lap.
And finally,
* Should be easy to discard if you need to. Sometimes a hook has run its course. Sometimes it's just not fun anymore, but you're still having a good time with the character. How and when to drop a hook are not easy decisions; sometimes it's jarring if a major character attribute disappears overnight. The easiest solution is the fun factor -- if using the hook isn't having the results you expect or you're just not enjoying it, don't do it. Transition it to something else, or if you have some far better idea, wind down the story and try something new. A lot of the time, instead that initial hook morphs and evolves over time into something great and leads to RP that otherwise never would have happened. It's moments like that that make the frustrating RP deserts more worth it.