There are several ways you can use this guide. For creating new characters (what this class is about.) Or to fix "All my characters are the same!" (Hawk) You can also use it to differentiate your existing character from one another or for pure fun to see what your characters are.
THE SIX CHARACTER ARCHETYPES
Dominance - Submission
Dominance-Submission is the "How" of a Character's Personality.
Moralistic Realistic Hedonistic
Dominant D-M D-R D-H
Submissive S-M S-R S-H
Although the idea of dominance and submission has sexual meanings, that's NOT the type we're talking about here.
Dominance and submission governs the way that a character interacts with its environment and with others.
A Dominant character responds to stressors in its environment by trying to control them. Faced with a challenge, a dominant character exerts its power over it in an attempt to overcome or remove the obstacle. Sometimes this is referred to as a "Type A" personality: someone who engages in their environment and is prone to high stress because of it.
"Good" dominant characters interact with others in nurturing ways. This is similar to a parent. Nurturing involves making decisions for individuals that are in their own best interest and reinforcing those decisions (either by rewarding the individuals for following them or punishing them for not following them.Nurturing is the difference between a 'good' dominant character and an 'evil' dominant character. A dominant character that does not nurture others simply makes demands and imposes their will on them. If the decisions are not in the best interest of other individuals, imposing them is a characteristic 'evil' behavior.
A Submissive character responds to environmental stress by trying to escape or hide from it. Most people accomplish this by regressing. Regressing refers to adapting more childish or infantile behaviors. For example, crawling into a corner or hiding under a table. Play behaviors are also a form of regressing, whether that play takes the form of games, hobbies, or other. People avoid or ignore stress are sometimes referred to as "Type B" personalities.
Submissive characters are happiest interacting with others in a serving role. Serving involves accepting direction from individuals and helping them accomplish their objectives. Unlike nurturing, serving does not involve judging the best interests of others. For individuals with a submissive personality, giving up control is relaxing and relieving, for individuals with dominant personalities, it is more stressful.
Serving Facilitates> Controlling
Regressing <Facilitates Nurturing
Serving makes controlling much easier, and nurturing makes regressing much easier. This means that relationships between dominant and submissive characters are usually complimentary, they are less likely to find themselves with opposing desires.
Drive
Drive is the "Why" of a characters personality. It provides the explanation for the choices a character makes.
Moralistic drive occurs in characters who use moral principals to guide their actions. These could be explicit tenets of a religion or a law, or they could be personal beliefs and convictions; an honor code. Moralistic drive is characterized by self-restraint and dedication to a cause (although that cause could be both good or evil). A moralistic character believes that there is something more important than the mundane details of a situation and seeks to exemplify a particular code of conduct. They could be thought of as listening to their 'shoulder angels.'
Moralistic characters make decisions with their hearts.
Realistic drive occurs in characters who make decisions based on logical reasoning and factual data. They are usually good at seeing a situation from both sides but may not place much emphasis on feelings or emotions. Realistic characters are usually very practical and pragmatic. They may also have trouble with social nuances. Realistic characters make decisions with their minds.
Hedonistic drive occurs in characters who make decisions based on short-term satisfaction. They are usually impulsive and animalistic. They are motivated by their baser instincts, they want good food, lots of sleep, comfortable surroundings, to do little work as possible, and usually sex. They are spontaneous and fun-loving, rarely planning very far in advance. They could be thought of as listening to their 'shoulder devils'. Hedonistic characters make decisions with their bodies.
Example Archetype Combinations
DOMINANT-MORALISTIC
A dominant-moralistic character works hard to make the world fit their ideals. They could be dedicated to a higher cause, or simply trying to live their lives to the very highest standard that they can. At their best, dominant-moralistic characters are crusaders for justice, peace, hope, and virtue. At their worst they can be demanding tyrants who enforce a strict regime on as much of the world as they can.
Positive Traits: virtues, hopeful, optimistic, nurturing, protective, hard working, selfless, ambitious, generous, tireless, ethical, just, honest, trustworthy, loyal, dedicated
Negative Traits: demanding, vindictive, overbearing, self-righteous, critical, imposing, controlling, aggressive, dictatorial
Specific Character Types:
Knight Protector: This character may be a knight in shining armor, an officer of the law, a bodyguard, a warden, the kid who sticks up for you at school, the captain of a patrol ship... The knight protector fiercely defends the physical safety of its charges.
Crusading Paladin: This character has dedicated itself to furthering a cause, often very aggressively. It could be a ronin, a prophet, a terrorist, a peace activist, a cultist, or social worker...
Martyr: This character is physically suffering in order to maintain goodness in the world or prevent evil. They could be a cursed warrior, the ghost of a loved one, a stigmatic healer, a double agent, or an average person with a demon sealed away...
Justice: This character uses their knowledge and principles to negotiate peace and settle disputes. They excel at helping two forces come to a compromise. They could be a good king, an honest judge, a diplomat, an interpreter, a warlord...
Facist: This character believes that society functions best when one individual takes charge and directs its functioning. They might be the leader of a tribe, an army captain, leader of a regime, the head manager on a project, the schoolyard bully, or a gang boss...
Questions to ask: Where and when did the character acquire their beliefs? What do they cover? Are there exceptions? When? How far are they willing to go for their code? What is preventing them from reaching their idea of perfection. How would they react if they seriously broke their code?
SUBMISSIVE-MORALISTIC
A Submissive-moralistic character tries to live a 'good' life, however their society defines it. They are often the bright ray of sunshine in a group, eternally cheerful and selfless. They seem to feel the pain of everyone around them and dote on their friends and families. They may also be traditionalists. The mrfis usually portrays these characters as female, and dominant moralistic characters as male. There, are of course, exceptions to this rule. Many examples being anime in where both either gender can take both roles.
Positive Traits cheerful, bubbly, affectionate, doting, goofy, playful, easygoing, forgiving, enthusiastic, gentle, caring, unassuming, creative, sympathetic, adorable
Negative Traits insecure, fearful, sensitive, anxious, superficial, flighty, childish, obsessive, fearful, needy
Specific Character Types:
Newborn: Commin in anime and manga, this character laks practical experience in the outside world and needs help and nurturing to get along. They approach every experience for the first time and often have humorous insights to offer. They could be amnesiac, an alien, a robot, a fallen angel, a reincarnated god, a rescued abuse victim, a child...
Cheerleader: This is the undying voice of optimism in any group. They could be a teacher, a coach, a motivational speaker, a team member.. Whether cheering on from the sidelines or distributing hugs, cheerleaders like to make people feel good about themselves, the world, the bad day they had, their past hardships...
Homemaker: This character loves to provide material comforts for its loved ones. Whether cooking, building, repairing, sewing, designing, childbearing, caring for the ill or infirm, or tidying up. They take pride and comfort in their domestic accomplishments.
Fangirl This character harbors deep all-consuming love for another character and isn't afraid to show it. Most often found taped to the side of said character, or as cloes as the law permits. Could be a fan, a stalker, a supportive fmaily member, an apprentice, a minion...
Questions to ask: Why is this character always cheerful? When is this character selfish? What things upset this character? Why? What is their worst nightmare? Who is the most important person in their world? Was this character always cheerful? Do they do something that regularly upsets others?
DOMINANT-REALISTIC
Dominant-Realistic characters view their world in complex terms. They take nothing for granted and are constantly questioning the assumptions of the world around them. A dominant-realistic character tries to take the world apart, label its bits, define rules, determine laws and properties, and establish theories that allow them to explain and control their surroundings and relationships. They can be a formidable opponent in an argument, or a peculiar but valuable ally.
Positive Traits: intelligent, inquisitive, curious, logical, rational, pragmatic, functional, serious, insightful, refreshing, complex, precise, talented, analytical
Negative Traits: cold, blunt, harsh, calculating, exasperating, alien, antisocial, perfunctory, reclusive, sinister, inhuman, condescending, threatening
Specific Character Types:
Android: If this character isn't already a computer, it wishes it was. It sees the world as a series of complex laws, and often sets up elaborate experiments to test its theories. It could be a scientist, android, alien, computer program, supergenius, hacker, sociopath...
Ascetic: This character is a bit of a recluse, seemingly disconnected from the world. They may have a very few possessions as a personal choice. They are often serence and reflective. They could be a monk, sage (dictionary terms), martial artist, spartan militant, poet, starving artist, hermit...
Questions to ask: How did the character end up this way? Has the character suffered any major setbacks? What are the gaps in their knowledge? How far would they go to get an answer? What gets them to break their facade? What is their ultimate goal? When will it be satisfied?
SUBMISSIVE-REALISTIC
Submissive-Realistic characters are much warmer and friendlier than dominant-realistic characters. They are treasuretroves of knowledge, usually gained through hard study and experience. They often serve as guides and advisers to a main character. Submissive-realistic characters love to be of service and take great pride in what they are able to do.
Positive Traits: knowledgeable, helpful, hard working, studious, responsible, reliable, skilled, humble, experienced, eager to please, focused
Negative Traits: distracted, impractical, eccentric, shy, anxious, cowardly, inflexible, awkward, irritable, obtuse, hesitant, narrow, defensive
Specific Character Types:
Mad Scientist: This character never seems to do anything the easy way, and sometimes that's a good thing. Their eccentricities and quirky habits can lead to some amazing breakthroughs, or they can be infernally frustrating to their allies. This could be an inventor, a wizard, a psych patient...
Specialist: This character has dedicated their life to the study of a subject or the perfection of a skill, and they are relentless in their pursuit. Often their relationships get sacrificed in the process. This could be a researcher, an athlete, a self-taught guru, a focused warrior, a teacher...
Encyclopedia: This character is a walking trivia machine who always seems to have an obscure fact for any situation. Whereas the specialist has depth, the Encyclopedia has breadth and plenty of it. This could be a quirky robot, a stand-up comedian, a game show host, the science officer, a know-it-all...
Questions to ask: Has the character always been this way? Why did they choose their area(s) of specialization (or why do they choose not to specialize)? Does the character have a mentor? How do they respond to being proven wrong? When do they refuse a request for help?
DOMINANT-HEDONISTIC
Dominant-Hedonistic characters are governed by their passions. They are easily moved to anger or joy, impulsive, impish, and intuitive. They let their instincts guide them in their pursuit of whatever they like best in life, which can be a good or a bad thing. Their aggressive and self-indulgent ways have them usually portrayed in the media as male. However that doesn't limit them to only being male.
Positive Traits: brave, fierce, energetic, expressive, intuitive, lucky, enthusiastic, fun-loving, carefree, passionate, active, loving, charismatic, simple
Negative Traits: self-indulgent, lecherous, viceful, aggressive, reckless, hot-tempered, spiteful, greedy, demanding, self-destructive, excessive
Specific Character Types:
Viking: This character resolves all their problems through brute force. They are direct and easily moved to action, but have a tendency to break everything and everyone that they come in contact with. They may or may not understand their problem. They could be a barbarian, a fighter, a mercenary...
Scoundrel: This character is always up to no good, and always seems to escape punishment. They could be quick on their feet, or just incredibly lucky. More often than not, they're chasing tail or one of their vices unless pressed to do something else. They could be a pirate, a pick-up-artist, a professional party guest, a gambler, a pickpocket, a rock star...
Adrenalin Junkie: This character likes to live within the law, but recklessly. Their hobbies and interests are all about getting a rush, and although they would never intentionally injure the safety or well being of others, they don't have much concern for their own lives. They could be a stunt double, a skateboarder, a daredevil, the kid who won't say no to a challenge...
Questions to ask: Why is the character so reckless? What do they have to lose? What do they get out of their vices? Have they ever seriously injured someone else in the process? Is this character ever unlucky? What makes this character cautious? What is the most important thing in their world?
SUBMISSIVE-HEDONISTIC
Submissive-Hedonistic characters love luxury and love to be pampered. They tend to be lazy and animalistic, content to curl up on their favorite couch or further their career as pillow queen. If they're lucky, they'll surround themselves with people who like spoiling them as much as they do.
Positive Traits: laid back, calm, comfortable, open, mellow, straightforward, sexy, loyal (to those who prove themselves), easy to please
Negative Traits: demanding, selfish, lazy, excessive, spoiled, fickle, self-pitying, attention whorish, pleasure seeking, irresponsible, ambivalent
Specific Character Types:
Spoiled Princess: This character has high standards, and you had better agree that they are worth it. They know exactly what they want, and aren't afraid to tell you. If you get it right, though, you'll find yourself appreciated and rewarded. This could be an aristocrat, a glamour boy/girl, a spoiled harem girl...
Sexpot: This character borders on nymphomania, usually from the bottom. They ooze sex appeal in everything they do and aren't afraid to use it to get what they want. This could be a temptress, a high class escort, the local pornstar, a mistress, a sexy supervillain...
Hippie: This character always seems to be mellow. Everything is great, man. Relax, man, it'll all work out. The hippie could be the wise person in the group or a very bad role model. They remain calm under pressure, but tend to shirk responsibilities. This could be a trendy hipster, a drug addict, a deadbeat parent, an anger management counselor, a juvenile delinquent...
Questions to ask: How did the character learn to be this way? What are their expectations? What do they have to offer those who take care of them? How do they make a living? What scares them? Are they capable of taking care of themselves? Do they form attachments?
ARCHETYPES ARE NOT STRAIGHT JACKETS!
This is but a few archetype combinations and examples. Within each archetype, there are many many different ways that an archetype can be interpreted. Archetypes are a way of explaining personalities.They are not personalities in and of themselves. Using a variety of character archetypes together will help make sure that your characters represent different mindsets. Some character are complementary, and some always seem to end up fighting it out.
However, archetypes are merely frameworks. No one character is all these things (or its a sue) But neither do they have to be just one of them.
Your character may or may not fit in any of them. But they are something to work with for when creating characters and to build on the characters personality.
