Killing Off Characters Who Are Similar

[sixtyandaquarter]

Battle roles... hmm...
I have two tanks of similar fashion.  One's more physical than the other, but the other has a wider array of skills.  Their fairly even though, the skills offset the weaker one.

One is a temporary character, he's there for story purposes and to fill a character roll in the beginning, to show the world's bigotry.  The other fits better with the characters.  The first doesn't fit well with the party, he stands out being part animal looking.  So in the common areas, he and the party are insulted.  He does die, but that has nothing to do with having two similar characters, rather as a story purpose.

The fact that they are both tanks just worked out that way.  That they're similar didn't affect how either were set up, no changes were made.  The only thing was "this one isn't in the game a whole lot so I don't need to do a full skill set, this one is, so I'll do a full skill set", and as a result of having a full skill set his stats were watered down.  No effect on the other.

If you are making a game and you find yourself making similar characters there's something wrong there if you need to change them or kill them off simply because they're -oh no- similar.  Sometimes it's good to have two similar characters, depending on how you play.  Other times it's just coincidental.

I hate when people are like "I have one strong dude, and one healer, and I have one thief, and one jackofalltrades... I'll put in a sexpot and a redmage type deal just to even it out" because you really don't have options at all.

 

[Luminier]

I hate when people are like "I have one strong dude, and one healer, and I have one thief, and one jackofalltrades... I'll put in a sexpot and a redmage type deal just to even it out" because you really don't have options at all.

But if you have two or more characters that function exactly -or almost exactly- the same in battle, then one of them is very likely going to be neglected and used over the other. I can see where having two tank-like dudes in the party would come in handy, but why use two clones when you can have someone else who plays differently, and therefore adds more variety to combat(something that most turn-based battle systems need especially)?

(btw are sexpots the female characters with big tit's that use attacks like "charm", "kiss" and "puff puff"? :p[yes a dragon quest ref shutup])

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

Lummi yes those are the sexpots.

Suikoden has 108 characters, the stat system isn't that great that the majority aren't like modified versions of another.

Having 3 tanks could be annoying, when two are left aside just to use one, especially when at later parts in the game they became mandatory and their severely underlevel.

But what I mean to say is that if you created the average 6-9 member party, and you have 3 characters who are the same - something is wrong with your creative abilities.  You shouldn't create characters to fit a niche, but find a niche for the characters you created.  Don't make characters fit a cut, change that cut to fit the character, or all your doing is selling your potential short in a drastic fashion.

 

[Luminier]

Ohhhhh, I get it. I was afraid I'd read that bit wrong. :'(