How to play an asshole

[Harmless]

The real world is full of assholes, and Zalanthas is supposed to be harsh. In your travels through this dark/low fantasy world, you should be seeing assholes left and right.

However, does it feel that way? When your PC bumps into that cloaked figure in the bazaar, are they realistically a little concerned about these things:

Interaction A:
1.) Was that I knife I just felt?
2.) Did I just get stolen from?
3.) Shit, I hope I didn't piss them off for slowing them down.
4.) I had better apologize.. or get away.. or do something.

Conversely, in a world full of assholes, you might be PLAYING the asshole. How often has your PC had these thoughts after bumping into that mysterious cloaked stranger:

Interaction B:
1.) Wonder why they're hiding their face.
2.) He might be a smuggler... might be a chance to score a few rolls.
3.) Maybe he's hiding from someone... someone who might pay for a kill.
4.) I better get a good look at this fucker.


However, let's be honest here: how many times has this been the RPed reality?

Interaction C:
1.) Oh, good! someone I might be able to sell my crafts to.
2.) Looks like a hunter, I bet I could buy materials from this person.
3.) How interesting, they look like they come from Red Storm. Maybe we should become partners.
4.) I'm sure I could convince them to greet me and lower their hood with a smile and a friendly greeting.

Now, I'm not saying that niceness and politeness shouldn't exist in Zalanthas, but should it be pervasive? Should the norm of interactions be more from examples A and B than example C? What is the balance of pleasant and unpleasant interactions in game and where should that ratio be to feel like Zalanthas?

[musashi]

I don't know about being an asshole for the sake of being an asshole.

But I think most people in Zalanthas regard each other with a kind of callous indifference at the best of times.

[Harmless]

If I were living in 116 degree heat at all times, couldn't ever bathe, had to kill and risk my life to earn a basic living, and knew that there were hundreds of people who had it so easy they could lay back and be cleaned from head to toe, I think I would relish every opportunity to inflict suffering on another person (safely) that I could get.

I know that some of my past PCs who were assassins with multiple PKs would absolutely relish every clean opportunity to slit a throat. Would you call that being an asshole for the sake of being an asshole, or just reacting to a life of constant pain, suffering, struggle, and competition?

[musashi]

I think if you, used to the comforts of 21st century life ... had to suddenly live in their circumstance you'd probably be like you describe for ... a little while. Till your brain readjusted and your new environment became the norm.

Military training does an amazing job of introducing you to just how much your brain can adapt to.

[Narf]

Slightly tangential to the Original Post, but entirely on topic for the title of the thread:

I've always been of the opinion that playing a good asshole is a work of interactive brilliance. The trick is to play someone that is onerous as all get out in the world of the game, but is a great deal of fun to look in on from an outsider's perspective (which is more or less what we're all doing when we play characters).

If you're funny and an asshole, people will laugh even if their characters don't. If you're a witty asshole, people will appreciate it. If you're Jane Cob, people will enjoy seeing you periodically get your comeuppance/get outwitted even if it doesn't happen every time.

If you're just playing an asshole with no other interesting traits I imagine you'll spend a lot of time being ignored or avoided.

[Harmless]

I don't pretend to know the ins and outs of being an asshole, but I wanted to welcome people's opinions about how assholery fits into the game and how they play it. My OP is about my opinion of how frequently we see assholes RPed and how assholes might be RPed, but I welcome differences of opinion in where the balance "should be" and why it should be where that is. Thanks for your reply musashi.

[musashi]

I think when you're going to play an asshole, you want to follow Narf's advice.

That goes for any antagonist really. You need to be able to entertain the people you're in conflict with, otherwise people feel like they're just getting grief'ed.

[Alesan]

I think when you're going to play an asshole, you want to follow Narf's advice.

That goes for any antagonist really. You need to be able to entertain the people you're in conflict with, otherwise people feel like they're just getting grief'ed.

[RogueGunslinger]

I love Narf's post.

One thing I've found out while trying to play assholes, is that humor goes a long way. If you're unpredictable, or dangerous, you will make enemies.

[James de Monet]

Are we differentiating between "asshole" and "villain"?

I think the best villains give you both the reason and the time to be afraid.

Assholes, well, I think I like it better when they wear the asshole part on their sleeve.  If they're silent about it, you can't tell if it's the player or the character that's being an asshole.

[Patuk]

Zalanthans are probably less inclined to be very trustful of one another, to be altruistic or generally helpful towards the plight of others, or find the suffering of other people some kind of great tragedy to reduce them to tears.

I do think they'd be more polite than people in real life might be, though. In a world where everyone wears the jaws and teeth of goddamn dinosaurs on their belts in case some bastard tries to shank them, thinking twice before being obnoxious is probably a good thing to do.

[Desertman]

You are living in a world where at BEST the authorities are corrupt most of the time.

The only law is the law of who can stab who first and hardest for most situations.

If it sometimes feels like people are overly nice or polite to each other, it is likely because they are.

Have you ever been in the grocery store and saw some 118lb woman screaming at the top of her lungs at some 240lb man because he somehow has angered her?

You know why she does that? Because society protects her from the laws of nature. The law that says if you make the wrong person angry, or the wrong group of people angry, you face at least physical harm and at worst death.

In Zalanthas, the only societal law is a corrupt system that may or may not care about you and if they do they may not be on your side even if you are morally right.

In Zalanthas, most people (players) are very keen on the concept of not making enemies for no reason at all. Why would you? Society isn't going to protect you. You may very well be pissing off a very dangerous person or someone who knows very dangerous people and in Zalanthas they CAN and WILL kill you.

Zalanthas isn't the real world. You are working under different rules. You are working under the rules of who's the strongest with the weaker in that justice system usually being the one that dies.

If it feels like you are seeing people who are being overly nice to each other at times....it is because they care about breathing. You never know who you are screwing with. You would have to be stupid (which happens often) or suicidal/crazy (happens just as often) to randomly try and make enemies for no reason with people over simple slights that could be avoided by at least feigning basic courtesy.

[Desertman]

^

With that being said I have played some assholes who just didn't care about making people angry and it WAS fun every time....but I admit to make that role work each of them had to be somewhat nuts to explain why they would do that.

[Fujikoma]

Keep the asshole on the inside,  because as has been said, you never know just who you're fucking with until it's too late.

[whitt]

Following along with the advice already given,  here are some components to playing an asshole in an social-rpg environment.

1) Keep the asshole-ness IC.  Be aware that there is a player behind the avatar that you're being an asshole to.  It may be that they are having a hard time separating that your avatar is an asshole, but you are not.  Take some pauses in your assholery to watch how the other avatar is reacting.  If the player behind the target is shutting down, wrap up and move on.  Your effort is likely wasted.

2) Be an equal opportunity asshole. Unless you're specifically targeting one group intentionally, spread the love.  Assholes are generally more than happy to jump right down the throat of those that come to the defense of their target.  Likewise they try to get other folks around to agree with their assholery.  Anyone who doesn't agree is obviously, passively, supporting their target and is due some love too.

3) Make sure to be aware of your social standing.  Assholes are only really assholes when they think they're on top and have the advantage.  They may grump, grouse, or snipe when they're close to the edge to see if they can build support, but the true mark of an asshole is how cowardly and quiet they are when they are at a disadvantage.  How many times have you heard "Oh!  Not so tough now, are you?"  You should expect to hear that.  You should work to find yourself in situation where your victims have the opportunity to say it.  You should slink away and then just as soon as the worm turns?  You should be right back to screaming obscenities in their face all over again.

4) Have real support to back you up.  An asshole that can't bring some force to bear will quickly become a dead asshole.  For some, vNPC support is enough.  In most cases?  You need some certified badassery behind you because there's always someone that thinks they are a bigger asshole.  You need to be able to prove them wrong.  And then rub that in the faces of your targets too.

5) Don't be an asshole to everybody.  Everybody may agree that your avatar is an asshole, but that doesn't mean they all want you gone.  If they do?  You'll be out of interactions and retired or dead in days.  Having somewhere to go hang, chat, drink, and train helps you as a player re-up your batteries until its time to be an asshole again.

6) If the other player is engaged?  Don't take your foot off the IC peddle.  This may be the interaction they've been dying for.  Keep #1 in mind, but grind your opponents into the dirt if they're up for it.  That builds story that they, you, and everyone around can grow around.

7) Realize that your avatar, like all the rest, will eventually lose.  Be prepared for that and revel in the fact that you made that many other players and characters care enough to put their own time into taking you out.  Make it worth it for everyone.  Then, play something else for awhile.  If you're constantly playing assholes, well... maybe you're not playing and you could easily lose track of the rest of the rules.

[SuchDragonWow]

It is a nice reminder that we're not just here to portray realistic, living breathing people in a harsh fantasy world, but there is, indeed, a meta to consider of entertaining one another.  It's easy to forget that in the spirit and pursuit of truth in action.

[Fujikoma]

Whole-heartedly agree with everything you said, Whitt. I think it's a good idea to remind people that even the nicest folks are an asshole, as far as someone else is concerned. Being selective with your assholery makes you on the whole a better asshole, if being an asshole is an OOC motivation, and not an IC consideration, then chances are you pounce on every opportunity to be an asshole. One needn't TRY to be an asshole, one needs only to be to be an asshole. I like to think that when people think of my character, they think: "Wow, that's the most helpful, funniest asshole I've stumbled across in a while.". Zalanthans are simply assholes, no matter how you look at it. Being a good asshole is an art, there is no simple formula.

[Bast]

Be realistic with your reasons for being ass. I seriously have a hate for the cartoon villains that pop up. Why is this guy such a jackass to everyone? Just because evil and chaos? I really can't stand people trying to play 'bad guys' with no real thought or depth as to why their pc is behaving the way they do. I get the game needs villians..and I have over the years played around some pc villains I absolutely loved to hate. In some cases hesitated killing said villains in some circumstances because I enjoyed having them as rivals so much but I just can not stand players who are just playing a evil guy to be evil. I tend to just stop rping with them and leave the scene asap.

[Bast]

Also what Whitt said..don't be an asshole to everyone. Everyone no matter where you sit on the Social Hierarchy will at times need PC's allies. If you piss all everyone you will quickly find yourself very bored and unable to get anything done. This extra the case I feel with PC nobles. I have watched a ton Asshole Nobles crash burn and store because they burned all their bridges over the years.

[CodeMaster]

I liked Begbie in Trainspotting.

[edit: the book, I mean.  He's flatter in the movie, but still hilarious.]

[Dresan]

Also what Whitt said..don't be an asshole to everyone. Everyone no matter where you sit on the Social Hierarchy will at times need PC's allies. If you piss all everyone you will quickly find yourself very bored and unable to get anything done. This extra the case I feel with PC nobles. I have watched a ton Asshole Nobles crash burn and store because they burned all their bridges over the years.

QFT

Years from now I'll still remember the sdesc, name and personality of the noble was ambitious and open enough to have my character working for them as an informant.

[musashi]

Also what Whitt said..don't be an asshole to everyone. Everyone no matter where you sit on the Social Hierarchy will at times need PC's allies. If you piss all everyone you will quickly find yourself very bored and unable to get anything done. This extra the case I feel with PC nobles. I have watched a ton Asshole Nobles crash burn and store because they burned all their bridges over the years.

QFT

Years from now I'll still remember the sdesc, name and personality of the noble was ambitious and open enough to have my character working for them as an informant.

I'll go ahead and QFT this one again.

The best nobles and templar I've seen in game have been the ones who knew they were better than everyone else, so they didn't have to constantly remind everyone else about it all the time by being a dick for no reason.

I adopted that model when I played my own, and it seemed like other characters liked it. I got some good kudos about it.

[manonfire]

The best nobles and templar I've seen in game have been the ones who knew they were better than everyone else, so they didn't have to constantly remind everyone else about it all the time by being a dick for no reason.

Word.

Stressing social rank at the expense of playing an interesting, engaging character (actually suffered through this bullshit not too long ago IG) is the best way to have my character abruptly change their mind about joining your organization.

[MeTekillot]

The best way to remember you're better than everyone else is to be better than everyone else.

[musashi]

The best way to remember you're better than everyone else is to be better than everyone else.

+1