We’re all familiar with the edge-lord, the tall-dark-and-handsome, the my-family-was-violently-murdered-in-front-of-me-and-all-I-got was-this-emotional-trauma characters.
They are an appealing way to express the darkness within us.
*Hastily applies black eyeshadow*
And this kind of character can even be realistic, especially if you’re playing in a magic grimdark world with oh-so-many wonderful ways to break people (I’m an author, don’t judge me).
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In all seriousness though, these characters can be really annoying to play with. They can monopolize moments, and often don’t connect well with other characters. I’m not saying that it’s bad for a character to have a one-on-one conversation with a villain from their past, or to have trust issues- but it is so hard to bond with a character who simply won’t reciprocate. In D&D as in life, friendships go both ways.
So, I’ve come up with a list of funny and/or serious ways that you can make your edgelord easier to play with.
They are actually trying to get over themselves
Maybe they are going through a “5-step-plan to not being an emotionless hunk of muscle.” or trying hard to learn an instrument so they can finally express their emotions.
They are trying too hard
Their hard exterior slips sometimes, revealing that they are less dark on the inside- or maybe just not the melodramatic loner as they first appear to be. Fig Faeth (from Dimension 20’s “Fantasy High”) is a great- and hilarious- example of this. She pretends that she’s a lot darker than she is, saying things like, “I know it’s hard to read me… I don’t ever show my emotions…” to which the other characters can gleefully respond, “No, we literally can tell exactly what you’re thinking.” #emilyaxford, everyone. She’s the best.
They have strong bonds to something solidly in the present
Whether it’s a sword, a person, or a pet cat, they have something that they really care about— proving that they can form attachments. Ideally, they will eventually be connected to the party in the same way.
They have something that makes them less serious than they like to think
Maybe they are short, or insecure, or have bad hair, or something that makes them relatable to everyone else. They need to be a breathing person, not a statue- or, gods forbid, a YA love interest.
In conclusion…
Really, that edgelord character just need motivation, something that proves that they can have a future apart from their past.
And you might want to check with your party before making one of these characters, because angsty characters play best with excited, loving characters that just make them want to feel better (and you might want to double-check that everyone else is not also making an angsty character, because unless specified, your campaign is NOT a Twilight fanfiction.)