Character vs Plot

[Exoskeleton]

I saw this topic on another RP forum and I thought it'd make a very interesting discussion here. Most of us RPers have been in many RPs are super plot driven and some that are character driven. My question is, do you all think it's okay to change your character's morals, personality, and actions for the sake of the plot of an RP? Or should plot have a total priority over the characters in it.

I personally like to achieve a good balance of character and plot but the balance can tip every so often with either characters taking more priority over the plot or the plot becoming more important than characters at the moment. What do you guys think?

 

[Captain Squee]

Personally I like to balance it. I basically have an armada of characters at my disposal o I try to fit in a character that would contradict the plot too much. I have, however, had a few unfortunate scenarios where my character ended up going against the plot, but I put a lot of importance on not breaking character, so I do as my character would do in the situation. I haven been known to tweak a few things here and there mid RP though because it was a trivial thing to make my character stray for.

when the plot calls for it, I will also kill characters if I need to. I have multiple characters that would die before giving up, and the RP would lead to a position where we are meant to run, but my character simply would not do that, so they end up dying. Kind of the backfall of never breaking character.

 

[Paddy McGee]

I think that, while characters should definitely be given the room and time to develop, an overarching and tightly knit plot is necessary to keep things on track. I've been a part of many a Roleplay where in those involved would devote most of their time and energy into making their characters strength and techniques perfect set of masterpieces, Mary Sue'ing to hell and generally avoiding taking any sort of point with the plot. Their characters would do whatever they want, not follow any archetypes they attempted to instill at the start... And the RP would be a convoluted mess(I guess like this post).

By this, I believe that characters should be allowed to develop but not so much as to sidetrack and put the plot off. Character development is always going to be important to a roleplay which I would make, but plot development would take priority if it needed to do so. If a character needs to bend to the will of a plot, I will do so in the way which suits said character AND plot- killing them off, taking them as a POW and so on.

So, all in all, a good and steady mix of the two is an optimal situation for me.

 

[Captain Squee]

I think that, while characters should definitely be given the room and time to develop, an overarching and tightly knit plot is necessary to keep things on track. I've been a part of many a Roleplay where in those involved would devote most of their time and energy into making their characters strength and techniques perfect set of masterpieces, Mary Sue'ing to hell and generally avoiding taking any sort of point with the plot. Their characters would do whatever they want, not follow any archetypes they attempted to instill at the start... And the RP would be a convoluted mess(I guess like this post).

By this, I believe that characters should be allowed to develop but not so much as to sidetrack and put the plot off. Character development is always going to be important to a roleplay which I would make, but plot development would take priority if it needed to do so. If a character needs to bend to the will of a plot, I will do so in the way which suits said character AND plot- killing them off, taking them as a POW and so on.

So, all in all, a good and steady mix of the two is an optimal situation for me.

Pretty much my feelings as well. It's why I like to make older characters, everyone else seems to be obsessed with the 16-25 year old prodigy, which usually means when their character is fully developed by the story they're completely different. I prefer over 30's for my characters, that way their changes are subtle, but not so small as to inconvenient the plot with the personality given.

 

[Mikasa]

I have seen some role-plays with a really generic plot do extremely well because they had characters with so much depth and personality. It was pretty verbose, but demonstrated the individuality of each and every character in a manner that distinguishes them from the other. That is why I would think that the character is way more important than the plot.

If the characters were terrible, I don't think they can do much with an excellent plot.