This week’s #newbieTuesday post is all about your character’s flaws. A lot of time and attention is spent on what makes your character special, smart, strong, capable etc. But well-rounded characters most oftentimes aren’t perfect. They have flaws, they struggle, and they make mistakes.
Being imperfect often is what makes your character feel real, three-dimensional, and relatable. When you’re creating their character, new tabletop role playing game players should understand that flaws aren’t the intrinsic disadvantage that they appear to be on the surface. Instead, they’re opportunities for your character to grow and evolve throughout the story.
When a character who seeks revenge all their life – their flaw – realizes and outgrows the hollowness that comes with such a goal, it’s a big deal. When a character who finally finds love after a life of being jaded, it’s a big deal. And when a character realizes they’ve been poisoning their relationships because of their own insecurities as a method of self-defense allows themselves to be vulnerable, that’s a big deal.
So new players: if you’re playing a TTRPG system that asks you to list your character’s flaw(s), don’t recoil. Think of that step as setting the stage for your character’s growth and evolution. It’s a wonderful process!
