How do I make a character who's defining trait is "bland"

Gotta milk it for all it's worth in the meta

If something bland becomes interesting it ceases to be bland.

>>44199660
You can't. That's like asking "How do I make n ocean dry?" You can hypothetically, but if you do so, then it ceases to be an ocean.

His blandness hides the fact that hes an assassin. His nondescriptitudity allows him to operate. "Oh john is going for his nightly walk to the same restaurant to have the same thing" meanwhile hes killing people for money.

>>44199660
If he's bland, you make the situation or setting he's in interesting or contrasting. With a character like that, you have to work around him

Currently playing a completely mundane and boring character in a setting that is pretty strange and supernatural. By being the "normal" one he stands out for some reason.

>>44199697
Yes but wants to know how to do that conversion

>>44199991
Dark Sun has the Silt Sea. It's pretty dry for an ocean.

>>44200205
/thread

>>44199660

Make him bland for a reason. Is he a spy? A mutant? Is he naturally bland or do they have to work at it? How does he use his blandness? As a disguise? As armour? As a weapon?

>>44199660

Heh, CRABoloading.

>>44200343
When doing his stats I noticed he had 1 Presence and 2 in all three Physical stats. So I decided he was naturally bland/average. Been a few sessions and I haven't pinned down his personality yet.

>>44200429

Ah, so his defining trait isn't "Bland" - you just haven't developed the character yet.

>>44200369
7/10 kekkle sheckles.

>>44200205
Why do I just vision this character running away from ensuing bullshit, and having him say in his head "I wish I was at home defragmenting my hard drive."

>>44200462
Mage the Awakening
He was a scientist before he awakened so I was thinking he was a bit jaded before he changed but now the existence of the supernatural made him interested in life again so now he's all curious and idealistic. Also because it's a mixed splat game he quickly learnt that he isn't special and there's so much more that he never knew so he tends to second guess himself.

>>44199660
Obviously make them finish any fight in one punch.

>>44199660
What i did once and was interesting for a while was: always tell some story that sounds epic but in reality the outcome was the most boring thing possible.

>>44200574

So you do have a character developed. He doesn't sound bland. He sounds idealistic and exploratory. He's learning more about the bigger picture.

Do you intend to have him be bland, or do you just not know how to use this to form an interesting character?

If you want him to be bland, stick with either Fate or Mind. Subtle workings. Have him not use magic as his first response. Have him approach the supernatural like a dictionary author. Just collating data and collecting it.

Treat him like an office administrator. Just collecting data, moving numbers around.

>>44199660
Make him bland MOST of the time. Then have him make an occasional outburst when he's mostly by himself and not around very many people who would notice.

>>44200494
That's more or less exactly the character. He's a low-level grocery store employee, and when pretty much anything happens, dangerous or not, he always just runs away and complains about it. Unfortunately the party finds him to be useful because of this, and keeps dragging him along into the shit they get into, and he always wishes he was just back at his job bagging groceries or collecting carts.

Even when dangerous or action stuff isn't happening, he generally keeps to himself because he doesn't know or understand anything of what's going on, and is busy trying to do the math in his head if he can make this month's rent.

Apetheticism

By writing his blandness in a way that creates an uncertainty in the mind of your reader.

Writing is basically an exercise on how to lie and tell tall tales. Imply, misdirect, and conceal.

>>44199660
Be surrounded be special snowflakes

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>>44199660

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>>44199660
You just described Saitam perfectly.

>>44199660
Straight Man/Foil to everyone else

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>>44199660
Play 5e as intended

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>>44202754
>>44199660

>>44202754
Damn, beat me to it.

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>>44202834

Only drinks milk.
Does not eat food with salt or pepper.
Doesn't spend gold at all - saves every copper piece.
Dresses in the same clothes no matter what.
Somehow has hair in the same style every day.

>>44199660

By having him make comments about the situation the party is in in a super bland, monotone, bored tone of voice.

>>44199660

Easy: Change his defining trait to "interesting," then pencil in that he thinks OP is a faggot, and so pretends to be bland just to confuse the stupid cockholster.

HTH

>>44199660
>And then the most bland of men rose to the very peak of blandness to slay the most mundane creature to every threaten his fair city, the slime.

Think Eeyore.

Now Eeyore is a crazy action hero starring in Crank.

Everything in his life is on the line every fucking second and he couldn't care less.

>>44199660
Exaggerate it excessively. Put him into surreal and supernatural situations where his blandness is so powerful that it makes other people uncomfortable.

>>44200574
Here's my suggestion:

Make him look at all the crazy magic shit as a cynical and nonplussed scientist. Some enemy wizard starts throwing fire out of his hands and your character basically just looks at it like it's nothing and even quips "Oh that's interesting, how do you contain fire in small pockets like that? Come over here and do that again, I need to see that again."

Maybe a bad example, but it could be funny if everyone was constantly losing their shit but your character just looked at it like he was at a big science expo

>>44206051

>by accidentally spilling a wagonload of salt on it
>which he had to repay

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>>44202754
>>44202833
There is no better example.

>>44199660
Putting him in non bland situations.

>>44199660
http://gintama.wikia.com/wiki/Shimura_Shinpachi

>>44199660
>>44200241
>>44200494

If you're a character in an rpg, odds are that the setting and most of the other player characters are pretty strange and special.

So play up the contrast.

Be the Straght Man. The guy who reacts like a normal person and is down to earth and sensible, which makes all the other characters shine more just by virtue of being there, or who's superpower is common fucking sense and always being prepared.

>You wen't dungeoneering without extra water bottles, two hundred feet of spare rope and a collapsible pole? What are you, an idiot?

>You rented a cart and mules? When? -When you guys were hitting on that barmaid. What, were you planning on carrying all this loot yourselves? What if we have to leave in a hurry? Psssh, you guys.

>What if we just set fire to the whole building instead and block the doors with those crates I saw in the yard? Or we can go in there and try to fight them all like you suggested. Just seems a bit dangerous is all.

If you're drowning in heroic fantasy tropes, being the voice of reason can both be a way to highlight the other characters extravagances and to tackle obstacles in a no-nonsense way.

look up deadpan
work on your delivery

maintain normalcy, or an extreme desire for it when things get too abnormal for you.
like taking a lunch break in the middle of the dungeon

>>44207263
This, except don't be such a condescending cunt about it.

>>44199991
A Fall of Moondust has the Sea of Thirst, a literal sea of fine, dry dust that somehow behaves like water particles.

Final Fantasy XII has the Sandsea.

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>>44199660
Currently playing a 12th level fighter.
He uses a sword and shield, has a bow in case of emergency.
His goal in life is to one day slay a dragon and save a princess.
His name?

Sir Genric Hiro

The rest of the party is nothing but tryhards with anime-tier backstories.
Bland works when the rest is completely ridiculous.

Arthur Dent. A boring character reacting to extraordinary circumstances is funny

>>44208650
Yep. Have him be so overwhelmed by the scope of what is happening that he copes by focusing on things like making tea, or apologizing to someone he accidentally injured or stole from without realizing.

Make him slightly nervous and concerned about these things and inordinately pleased when they work out. I mean, yes, the world is ending which is terrible but you managed to fund a spot of mustard for this sandwich and that's a bit of luck to brighten your day, hardly know that you'd been reduced to using what you really hope is still rat meat.

Oh, yes, you suppose you'll have to go out and try to fight past the hordes tomorrow. But this was the last of the mustard anyways, and since everyone else is going you will have to chip in and do your part too.

Besides, now that you think on it, you're pretty sure this sandwich isn't really rat after all and if you must die you'd rather it be before you find out what it was and not after.

Just have him be a go with the flow kind of guy.