What do YOU like to see in a FORCED main character?

[Meiscool]

Topic Title.

When playing a rpg where you MUST use your main character in combat what do you like to see in your main character? Customization options like Persona and Digital Devil Saga?
What about games where you cannot customize your characters, but still must use the main one (majority of Chrono Trigger, some Fire Emblems) regardless. Should they be the best DD and leave support to other characters (Chrono, Ike)? Should they be jack of all trades so they can fill any gap when required (Sora, MC, Lenneth) ? Should they be the main healer so that they feel even more 'required' (Micaiah... ummm... others) ? Would you find a game absolutely revolting if you couldn't customize your main character?

Let's here those opinions!

[Archem]

Highly customizable "blank slate" characters that give you options for everything. This kind of thing is common in western RPGs, and include multiple dialogue options and stat points that let you decide how to build you character. If there's no choice in whether or not you get to use the character, at least let me decide what kind of character they are. Of course, not getting any voice in the matter isn't killer, but if the character, story, and gameplay aren't balanced well, it can make an otherwise good game feel boring.

"Whaa, I'm a mopey dork with a clingy personality and a grating voice, watch as I get involved in everything you do!"

-GOTY

[Prpl_Mage]

Damage. That's really all I care about when it comes to a locked character. In most cases the creators realize that this guy will be in the party at all time. Hell the guy is the protagonist and will probably realise that he's a clone or whatnot halfway through the story and unlock super powers. And so they make this character useful. You'll always need damage in games.

Also there's nothing I hate more than being given a character that's so and so in everything. Weak healing, lame support buffs, some magical damage, some physical attacks. I'd rather swap that one out for one of my other characters who's actually good at what it does. Because everyone else is better at everything that character can deliver.

Playing a healer or support role gets kinda boring in the games where you in that case leave all the damage to a stupid AI that makes horrible decisions. Just look at FFXIII2 for example. Whever I'm a sentinel or medic the other two people are derping around letting the stagger gauge reach 0 or attacking the wrong target ect.
Dealing damage is kinda essential in these games and therefore that's the role I want to play if I can only pick one role.

If the character in control does it while looking cool - bonus points. If the character in question is doing while looking sexy (but not vulgar) - more bonus points. If the character's cool moves actually deal damage compared to simple and lame looking attacks - great.

If we're just talking about usual rpg's where it's just mandatory that the character is present in the party but you control all characters - anything goes as long as it isn't a swiss army knife. If the protagonist is the healer, I won't have another healer. If he's the supporter - won't need a supporter then. Dealing damage? Great, might use another with damage though. Got tons of hp, def and dual wields shields - awesome traits but not awfully useful.

[Meiscool]

So basically; if you are playing a game with only one character (skyrim), then grant full customization elements. This is kind of self explanatory.

If playing in an older style rpg with one main and the rest subcharacters (controllable or not), make the main character the ''obviously'' best battler who specializes in damage and 'maybe' is able to do another odd job here and there, but leave other characters to specialize in the support/healing/defending roles.

[Archem]

I like customizable characters, even through games with multiple characters. See: Final Fantasy games that use the job system.

[Meiscool]

What about games like xenoblade that use set archetypes for each character, but you can select their passives and active skills to customize them in whatever 'limited' way you can?

If no one can tell, I am trying to get opinions here not only as a topic for conversation, but for inspiration as well. I am having a great deal of difficulty deciding exactly what "class" or customization options I should make for my main character. I don't want to do the typical "swordsman that is better than all other characters" that general rpgs do, but I also simply can't make a game that is extensive enough to warrant customizing every option your characters have. I also do not want to allow every character to become whatever job class they want (FF12, FFT, etc) because that just results in people picking a set number of characters and never needing to swap them out for others.

[daoman89]

I think you should create him how you feel a main character should be and not by other's opinion.  Guaranteed not everyone will like the same thing, so if you're happy with how your main character turns out to be then awesome!  But I do see what you're doing.  You're asking for other peoples opinions so you have more options to make the perfect character you believe he or she can be.  So yeah, examine all the options and make the character you believe is best.  Pretend your a random person that didn't make your game.  If you're unhappy, chances are others won't be either.  I hope that helps   or I just said what you were thinking haha oopsies!

[Prpl_Mage]

What about games like xenoblade that use set archetypes for each character, but you can select their passives and active skills to customize them in whatever 'limited' way you can?

Well, The AI and yourself played those characters very differently unfortunately. A Reyn with tons of tanking skills barely tanked at all.

Passives are great, usually a bit hard to make but great additions. When you can change some stat bonuses to make your characters efficient at what you want them to do. If the main character is the jack of all trade but some passives can make him just as good at auto attacking as my strong char - not a problem. If some passive grants me powerful enough heals to compete with my healer - awesome.
Also, getting to pick a class for your character at the start is pretty nice, but only if it has some sort of deeper impact than if your wearing a robe or not and your skills are flashy.

I also do not want to allow every character to become whatever job class they want (FF12, FFT, etc) because that just results in people picking a set number of characters and never needing to swap them out for others.

This is very true. In FFTA ect I could have a clan of 18 people, But I only used the same 6 in battle over and over. In FFXII I simply used the trio I started out with (more or less) since there was no difference in the characters and what they could learn. In FFX it was almost the same thing, towards the postgame.
I did like the system in FFXIII when it came to that. People could be these roles, but some were better than others at some roles. But then I disliked it in FFXIII2 when I really didn't see the point in giving medic and synenergist to Serah who sucked big asses with those two roles. So I ended up using just one character with their optimal role.

[Meiscool]

@dao: Well, of course lol. I will, and have, made the character how I want. However, the character's stats and practicality are questionable, and it helps to get the opinions of others.

@Prpl: I totally agree. Being able to turn Seven into a tank with the near 100% critical and critical heal was a great way to make her useful, and it was all done with passives.
I agree with the job class issue as well... a lot of times job classes begin to mess at the end and lose what makes them unique (aside from stats). Ex: Dragon Age made classes unique at first, but toward the end all classes have some sort of damage dealing status effect, stunning/freezing/paralyzing, AoE attacks, etc. All that really remains different is how much damage each class can take and how quickly they can do the above listed things. Even then though, warriors can def tank, rogues can dodge tank, and mages can tank with armor/regen spells. -End Rant

I personally kinda feel that main characters SHOULD be the swiss army knife of a group. Though they typically aren't the best at everything, they eliminate the need for someone who is the best at something to stop doing what they are doing to do something else. It also allows the player to make more choices with the main character, and in a sense, become more reliant on that character's abilities. You begin to think more heavily on what that character will do when the turn comes around since his/her move is the more variable move and thus the move that is more likely to impact the tide of battle. This sense of reliance on characters is kind of nullified in games like FF12, but with the limitations placed by FFT you can still rely on characters... but never your main character. Persona 3/4 does an exquisite job of this... but in that you are able to completely customize your main character while your other characters have their "job classes". I'm not sure if that is the right way to go, since it makes the main character YOU, rather than an entity that the player has become attached to.

Of course, it will be impossible to make a "perfect" main character, but I'm asking as many people as possible their opinions so that I can generate more ideas with them... plus reading people's opinions on matters that are non-political is always fun

[Prpl_Mage]

I don't remember much from FFT, But in FFTA (and ffta2) you can pick the abilities from a different class to use with your current one. And that's great since skills actually make a difference in that game. So I could have a white mage with black magic on the side. Or I could have a paladin with the steals of a thief as well. And of course, just giving white magic to characters to keep your party alive a bit longer. And suddenly every character was useful.

A thing I kinda hate about today's games is that you seem to just control one character and if that one character dies - it's game over. To top it most games give the player character more aggro than other chars. I'm thinking about my battle with the gigantuar in FFXIII, thing does his 10.k needles and backflip kicks. Whenever I used a character that was a ravager or synenergist the cactuar would target me and kill me right there. So in the end I had to switch control to snow and spend the entire battle as a sentinel popping steelguard over and over again while waiting for the other two to kill it.

As far as swissing goes, I like when the main char got some healing. Especially when it comes to most games that doesn't heal you in-between battles.
I like varied characters but most of the time they give the main char all the options but make him "below average" which is more or less equal to "worthless". But then they make the opposite of that. Give the main char all the stuff of the other character and make him just as good or better at it. And suddenly he's the omnipotent demi god who is stronger than the seasoned war veteran and cast better spells than the gifted elf. So there's a problem with swissing. That's where passives come into play. If I can equip some sort of healing passive after losing a boss battle to make it easier - awesome. If I can swap that passive for one that increases the ATB speed for all the random encounters - great.

I kinda liked what dragon age 2 did by giving each party char a skill tree unique to them. Later on I realised that most of those skills are found on different locations in the "class" choices the hero can make. But it made a difference. Fenrir was the two handed sword guy that cleaved through enemies and Aveline (although also a warrior) spent her life with sword and shield to tank evil peoples. Yes they could get the same passives and other skills, but they still had something that made them unique. Like Anders who were the only capable healer.

[Moosetroop11]

If the main character is a damage dealer, the party's pretty customisable; you can choose basically any configuration you want for the others.  I'm probably gonna use my favourite characters no matter what they do, so if the main character's a healer and my favourite characters are all support types I might  be in trouble. Having said that...

Just look at FFXIII2 for example. Whever I'm a sentinel or medic the other two people are derping around letting the stagger gauge reach 0 or attacking the wrong target ect.

In FFXIII I was vanille the whole time, mostly as a medic. You just had to be hands on; turn into a ravager momentarily to target a specific enemy and make sure you had a commando in your party.  They do what you want them to if you work out how to command them.  Dunno about FFXIII2 yet, but I assume the system's similar.

[SOLDIER]

I actually like to see a character that can't do much and is constantly being bested by others. Kind of refreshing in our current world of MC's that are forever badasses and never die. Just my opinion of course.

[daoman89]

I dislike badasses too.  When you play as Link in Zelda, it's up to u if he's badass or not.  It's always nice to see your main character get that *** beatin lol.  Badasses rarely get put in their place.  Vegeta is badass and is cocky as hell, but he gets that *** beatin all the time, but puts up quite the fight.  Getting the **** kicked outta you and still fighting makes you a true badass.  Not when you're all powerful from the start. 

For my game, if my main character were to fight alone, he wouldn't stand a chance.  They all need to support each other to move forward, so you won't just rely on one person.  Although the antagonist is a semi-all powerful guy, but there's a legit reason haha

[A Forgotten Legend]

Persona 3.  Favorite set-up I've personally seen.  I dunno what it is, but I just love the control you get.

[Prpl_Mage]

Badasses rarely get put in their place.  [...]  Getting the **** kicked outta you and still fighting makes you a true badass.  Not when you're all powerful from the start. 

Snake.


Also, I don't mind badasses in games where things are just supposed to be stylish. Devil may cry with tidus or Edge maverick in the lead would get rather boring.