Hobbits
Level 10
A guide on Villainy, Antagonism and Gangs on SchoolRP
By: Hobbits
Proofread: Mythweavers
Whenever you hear the word, Antagonist - what comes to mind? Is it a complex and well-driven character helping generate a story from a different perspective, or is it perhaps a series of other things, far more negative? Gruesome murder, cookie-cutter characters, toxicity, and overall low-quality role-play and writing that has plagued SchoolRP since its founding due to the popular preconception that an antagonist must embody key negative traits. While many of us would rant about such characters to others, antagonism on SchoolRP has devolved into a topic-focused more on character and player differences rather than how a character is constructed.
This thread has been created to offer a solution; To allow players a grasp and glimpse into how to successfully play an antagonistic character. In this guide, we will be highlighting various aspects of playing and creating an antagonist:
- What to expect when being an antagonist.
- The dos and don'ts of antagonism.
- Different forms of storytelling from being a villain.
EXPECTATION
Before creating your villainous character you will need to understand what you'll be getting into. Sadly on SchoolRP, most players have a rather low expectation when dealing with antagonistic behavior, however, a majority of players should know what to expect when creating a character who is on the other side of the moral compass. Here is what you, the actor, should expect when creating your corrupted character.
Losing and PK's
When creating your villainous character, with everything in your power - please for the love of SchoolRP, Do not kill and always lose! Crazy, right? But why should I let my character not kill anyone and lose? Simple. Gangs or any form of villainous Roleplay it's not about you, it's about creating a story for the player(s) you are committing to whilst having fun in the process. If the only reason you play these types of characters is that you want to win, increase your kill count or you want to keep your character permanently, then stop playing these types of characters. Honestly, make a new character, as Antagonism is not for you; this is the reason why gangs or any form of villainy gets a bad rep on SchoolRP. If you as the antagonist do not have the emotional maturity to accept defeat or losing your character, then simple, don't antagonize!
The Backstory
When creating the backstory of your antagonist character, please understand the typical cliches that come into play. Back in 2016, the issue with SchoolRP was the unrealistic expectations of players' skins and names. Now, 4 years later, SchoolRP's new issue is the 'gang backstory'. We heard it all before we know your character is a psychopath/sociopath, we know your character has either a muscular build or hourglass figure, we know your dashingly handsome or so beautiful everyone wants to be your friend, we get the tragic backstory of you having to defend for yourself and both your family died, so now your family is the streets! Sadly, these cliches have destroyed the storytelling of any type of villain on SchoolRP for the longest time. Your character did not just become evil out of the gate! The process should be natural. Walter White did not become Heisenberg in one episode, it took time! When developing your backstory, what you should be asking yourself is: What led to your character having such a moral decay, it doesn't have to be something tragic but a simple motivator or breaking point would do. Here's an example:
'A female character stalked a male character over an obsession, a fantasy of both of them being together. This could've started from the female character not receiving enough attention from her parents early on in her life. It began with her watching him from afar, developing a crush, possible rejection turn obsession leading to then full-on stalking him. Now, the female character tries to justify this immoral act by saying she's doing it because they were meant to be and she is doing it to protect him from bad people.'
A backstory like this goes wonders as we understand the natural process as to why the female character is doing this immoral act and the justification for it. While we can disagree with the immoral action in and of itself, the most important thing as the actor is that you are your character's attorney. You will need to defend the position as to why your character is doing what they're doing. As horrible as it sounds there's a saying that goes: "You know who didn't think Hitler was evil? Hitler." To apply the same logic to your character, understand why your character is doing what they're doing, and what you would say to justify their actions besides appealing to personality disorders or cliches.
Audience
Excellent! Now that you have a backstory in mind it’s time to speak about the people you are going to be antagonizing, your audience! Please understand that SchoolRP’s player base is mostly below the age of 18. This means that excessive details of writing: gore, abuse, or dismemberment of any kind could make players uncomfortable. If this is the case, please use proper etiquette - skip past the roleplay through the use of fading to black or warning the player beforehand of the type of roleplay you might be engaging with.
ARCHETYPES
Ah great, You now have your villainous character! Now before going out there and doing your evil deeds, you will need to understand: Not all evil deeds are the same. For instance, stealing, while wrong, is the lesser of evils than murder. In this section we will be going over some Archetypes in antagonism, how to appropriately RP them, and finally create some development with both your character, the victim, and possibly others who are involved. We would like to say, that you do not have to copy these archetypes word for word, but this section is provided to help give you some idea on how to create an antagonistic character.
Bully
A good representative of bully’s in media is Billy Hargrove from ‘Stranger Things’.
Ironically, in SchoolRP bullies are the least harmful, least recognized, and most underrated archetype in antagonism. Bullies come in many shapes and sizes, yet these characters are complicated. When writing a bully, the first thing you must understand is, well - what is a bully? Bullies are people who habitually employ cruel, hurtful, and manipulative behaviors to have their way or pleasure at the expense of others. Bullying based Roleplay in SchoolRP can come in many different forms, these can include: excessive harassment, threats of harm, physical violence, shouting, aggressive responses, criticizing people or describing them negatively in front of others.
So how do I RP a bully effectively?
One answer. Escalation! This form of bullying is very effective, and works on so many levels in how players interact with others; even a lie can go miles! 'Did you hear? Billy Grove got caught cheating! Gossip it! Nathaniel has a crush on Gloria, Ew! Time to put it on Kamige!' Gossip, extortion, or even misrepresenting things is effective in the Bully’s toolbox and can create wonderful forms of roleplay.
Sometimes the victim will (like it or not) stand up for themselves. This could be a wonderful time to create one of the most effective forms of roleplay in SchoolRP… fights! More specifically, school fights! Imagine your character, the bully, fighting someone. Not only are you creating roleplay for your victim, but you are also creating RP for the bystanders watching. Imagine a crowd forming, as the both you fight. If teachers or school staff come to stop the fight - even better! More RP was created. What you just did with a simple fight with two players turned into a roleplay opportunity for possibly over 20+ people who watched.
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Do note: fighting shouldn’t happen every day as it could lead to bland and overly-used tasks that players get used to.
Do note: fighting shouldn’t happen every day as it could lead to bland and overly-used tasks that players get used to.
Here are some tips for writing a bully:
- Motives: While you can go through all the right motions in becoming a bully; it can still feel fake and unrealistic as the motivation to why they’re doing their actions isn’t really there. Remember to give your character consistent values and beliefs. Please remember, do not create a character for the sake of bullying, but create a character who is motivated to become a bully.
- Play the part: This is important, no one likes the typical mustache-twirling villain. If the bully you are playing is in a high school environment then speak like a high schooler.
- RP & OOC Harassment: An issue coming up now and again, is the excessive use of RP Harassment. If a player expresses concerns about your Character’s harassment becoming harmful or viewed negatively OOCly then stop immediately. SchoolRP should be a place for players to feel safe and comfortable OOCly, the use of “It’s just RP bro” culture is not only childish but shows a lack of maturity.
A good representative of stalkers in media is Joe Goldberg/ “Will Bettelheim” from ‘You’.
So how do I RP a stalker effectively?
To be an effective stalker you need to have your victim believe in the illusion that they’re not in any danger (at first). You don’t have to watch them from afar, like some weirdo hiding in a bush. A stalker can be just about anyone really; they can be your friend, lover, or even a coworker. Over time, as information or even trust builds up there are many effective tools the stalker can use to create roleplay and antagonize their victim.
Excellent work! Now that you have information, time to create tension. Now you might ask, how do I do this? Simple, if you know where they live, try to trespass. Take some pictures, show it on the anonymous board Kamige! Write obsessive love poems! Give them a call, give them more calls! Tell them how much you care about them! You’re not the crazy one... you’re just protecting them! Follow them at school, or maybe follow them at dark. Know the ins and the outs of who they are and scare them with it!
Here are some tips for writing a stalker:
- Know the Victim: It seems obvious, but it takes work. Who are you stalking? What does your character like (or hate) about them so much? What do they eat for breakfast? Do they even eat breakfast? Remember, to know the victim.
- Fight the Stereotype: As stated above, you do not have to be the weirdo with a hoodie on at night to be a stalker. You could be a charmer, their best friend, or possibly significant other. Whatever the case may be, avoid this cliche.
A good representative of dealers in media is Fezco from ‘Euphoria’.
Now that you’ve taken the pill, what is a dealer? A dealer is simply just someone who sells drugs for profit.
So how do I RP a dealer effectively?
You actually got a supply of drugs?! Well… that’s great! I honestly didn’t think you would get this far. Now for the juicy and most difficult part. To become an effective drug dealer it’ll be up to the victims to create that for you. What this means is that it’s up to your customers to roleplay out forms of addictions, problems, or even withdrawals. While this might take time, I highly recommend you create a relationship with your customers. Not only will you get to know them on a personal level RPly you might also help create potential stories and even friendships might form. Think about it:
Let’s say you have a best friend/family member (or customer) you care about, and you got them addicted to your product. Their addiction led them to steal, ruining friendships, skipping school, or even lashing out at others. Your one small action created a large effect for this one character but also to the others who knew your best friend as well. This also, more importantly can affect you! If your best friend overdoses, would the blood be on your hands? Or what happens once you realize that you ruined their life? Would your character change their attitudes towards your friend? What if you stopped selling to them and they lash out at you? How would this make your character feel? With that being said the dealer can be one of the most dangerous, influential, and misunderstood villain in all of SchoolRP.
Here are some tips for writing a dealer:
- Emotions: While most villains are methodical, rude, and heartless the dealer is the opposite. The most important thing about this character is the emotional effect it’ll have on your character. So don’t be afraid to cry, nor don’t be afraid to show excitement. The most important part about the dealer is the friends you’ll be making (and ruining) along the way. So have fun, and remember, it’s their choice for getting addicted… right?
- Backstory: While most antagonists are affected by an emotional backstory, generally, the dealer's backstory is usually connected around economics. Is your character poor and wanting to make it up? Or maybe they’re just trying to help their sick grandma. Whatever the case may be, remember, selling illegal substances for profit is usually tied around something with a certain motive.
A good representative of hitmen in media is Léon from ‘Léon: The Professional’.
Hitmen. Murder. This will be difficult. If you like characters who do not like to parkour, jump off buildings or pretend to be agent 47… then the Hitman is just for you. The reason I say this is because unfortunately, I do believe some hitmen in SchoolRP are horribly misrepresenting this character to the point where they’re just becoming two-dimensional villains. The goal of this guide is to create RP for these types of characters, and Hitmen are probably the most difficult to do that. Why? Well, a hitman is someone who is hired to kill for profit. The issue on SchoolRP when it comes to these villains are two factors:
- Paying Factor: The first reason why Hitmen are difficult to create Roleplay for the victim is that another player is paying you specifically to kill the victim. While this does sound okay at first the issue just boils down to Hitmen not creating any type of Roleplay but instead destroying Roleplay for the sake of profit.
- The Winning Factor: To most players on SchoolRP being a good hitman means you have to win. This can create problems for the victim because well - they don’t know who you are, but you know who they are. Do you see the problem? Hitmen on SchoolRP are bound to always create an argument due to the factor of winning.
So how do I RP a hitman effectively?
To become an effective hitman, the first thing you need to know before going into it is knowing who your target will be. Think of yourself as an animal stalking your prey and waiting for the right time to strike! When the time is right and you know enough information about them, it’s time to use the most important tool in any villain's toolbox, manipulation! Introduce yourself to them, get to know them a little more, if you have an attraction to them take ‘em out on a date.
Once the vict - I mean friend… trusts you, it’s time to hunt! Tempt your friend to meet you somewhere secluded, and don’t make it obvious that you wanna kill them. If it’s a platonic friend, maybe go on a hike to Karakura’s beautiful mountains. If it’s a romantic friend take them on a wonderful date and lead them somewhere privately just between the two of you. The goal of being an effective hitman is to make your target comfortable, have them trust you, and strike for the perfect moment!
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When RPing as a hitman I highly recommend you speak with the victim OOCly if they want their character to be killed off, if not then accommodate their character and communicate.
When RPing as a hitman I highly recommend you speak with the victim OOCly if they want their character to be killed off, if not then accommodate their character and communicate.
Here are some tips for writing a hitman:
- Murder: You don’t always have to murder, get creative with it! What happens if you fall in love with the victim, would you find a way to fake their death or actually do it? Maybe you failed in the hit and the victim survived. You see what I’m doing, you don’t always have to kill to be a good hitman RPly.
- The Outfit: In SchoolRP it seems pretty obvious who is, and isn’t the hitman based upon their clothing. We get it. You have a suit and black gloves, it just screams, “HEY, HEY! LOOK AT ME I KILL PEOPLE.” Look different, we don’t want a bunch of agent 47’s roaming the school.
I decided that gangs should be separate from the Archetype section due to the history, legacy, and rules that have affected SchoolRP since it’s beginning. Gangs for the longest time have been infamous and stereotyped for being toxic players, creating poor roleplay, and having a weak philosophical understanding of what roleplay should be on SchoolRP. In this section, I don’t wanna bash, or critique gangs or any player but provide a fair summary of possibilities on how gangs can improve from a roleplay perspective. If you’d like more information on how to be less toxic or a better understanding of rules a link will be provided in the ‘Extra’ section of the guide.
With that all being said, let’s begin! So what is a gang specifically on SchoolRP, and what are their influences on the server? Gangs, from my interpretation (on SchoolRP) are a group of players who engage in illegal activities that players view as villainous or antagonistic. There are many different types of gangs on SchoolRP all with their different lore, rules, and philosophies. On SchoolRP (verified) gangs have access to the black market weapons. This allows gangs to be a little more dangerous and encourage illegal activities in Roleplay.
While there are a plethora of different kinds of gangs, I will be listing a few as followed:
- Youth Gangs: The most common type of gang. In SchoolRP Youth Gangs are generally represented in a westernized way. Loud, young, proud, and obnoxious, these groups of misfits are usually recognized under a name, symbol, identifiable leadership (Usually older then the rest), geographic location, regular meeting patterns, and actions to carry out illegal activities. Examples of youth gangs being represented in (western) media are Summerhouse Projects or Z.T from Top Boys.
- Crime Syndicates: This group is hidden amongst the world in the name of capitalism! Crime Syndicates are a group(s) of criminals with highly centralized enterprises to engage in illegal activity most commonly for profit. Crime Syndicates act like normal businesses to outsiders which makes it very difficult to spot. Examples of Crime Syndicates being represented in media is the movie Goodfellas.
- Cults: These usually aren’t seen as much due to their nature on SchoolRP. Different then the two mentioned, cultists are a social group of people who follow an unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical belief. Usually, they enforce these beliefs through ‘reform’ or brainwashing. Examples of cults being represented in media are Scientology.
Do’s
- Create development: For some archetypes change is always bound to happen. For example, a majority of people do not stay bullies forever, people learn over time as they mature. The same goes for your characters as well. Maybe your character feels bad for what they did and tries to apologize, seek counseling, or feel some sort of guilt. Change can create RP for the good but also for evil...
- Be creative: The purpose of this guide is to give you ideas on how to start antagonism, villainy, or gangs on SchoolRP. I would be a hypocrite to say that these are the correct ways of writing a good villain, so by all means be creative if there’s something that’s not in this guide or something you disagree with, and want to improve. Then by all means, get creative. I love seeing new ideas come out for villainy.
- Lose: Lose, lose, lose! People will remember your character more if you keep them alive and lose. Then kill them and win.
- Respect Staff: Staff’s decisions are final. If there’s something you disagree with decision wise, have a discussion with them respectively in PM’s.
- Have fun: The most important rule of them all. Antagonists on SchoolRP can get boring at times. If you ever feel bored or not interested, then take a break or create a new character. In general, Roleplay should be something you enjoy to do and should not feel like a chore.
- Toxicity: While this is more aligned with gangs, never be toxic or rude to anyone you are Roleplaying with. SchoolRP should be a place where you should have fun and enjoy yourself, not create arguments. So if you get mad rather easily, then antagonism is not for you.
- Excessively Murder: Now, I understand that sometimes murder can be justified. I support it 100% of the way. Not only can it create storytelling for your character, but it also can create RP for the others around. While murder isn’t necessarily a problem on SchoolRP, it seems like (for the most part) the majority of issues revolving toxicity or arguments it all seems to come to link up to someone murdering someone else. So please, for all that is villainy - murder less!
Torture is a tricky subject to tackle when it comes to Roleplay on SchoolRP. At times it can be a really fun experience: creating a form of fear that can affect your victim mentally, to cutting limbs just for the sake of cutting limbs. Unfortunately, the ladder is more preferred than the former. On SchoolRP it seems like players have a fetish for excessive gore. Hopefully when reading this section I would like to introduce you to a new form of torture, psychological torture!
There are many different ways to torture someone mentally. The goal more specifically is to make both the victim (and the person OOCly) believe that they’re character is going to die when in reality, you don’t kill them. Here’s an example of psychological torture being used:
Fan Film: Tell Gordan I said Hello
On the topic of Psychopaths (and Sociopaths)
Psychopaths, just hearing that word drives me insane. Without getting into the semantics I will only be doing this section specifically for Psychopaths only, as unfortunately both sociopaths and psychopaths seem to get thrown around to the point where they sound the same. I’ll just define Psychopaths as a personality disorder with symptoms of high self-esteem, selfishness, lack of empathy, violence, manipulation, and enjoying the sounds of their alarm clock in the morning. The causes of being a psychopath could be from genetics to environmental factors in their life.
Psychopaths lack empathy and can only understand themselves and their emotions, because of this lack of empathy, psychopaths generally have a god-complex and view themselves superior to others. Psychopaths tend to have the philosophical belief of Ethical Egoism & Psychological Egoism. A Psychopath will believe that they are on the top of their priority list, which makes them horribly selfish. They do not care for others, but instead they care about what others can do for them. Lying comes easy to the Psychopath even to the point of pathological lying. In fact they are so good at lying that they’re even known to trick some trained psychiatrists.
What makes psychopaths interesting in today’s society is that they’re difficult to spot and most are quite comfortable with putting on a facade sort of like a mask if you will in a way... To the naked eye psychopaths are extremely difficult to find and require the use of inductive reasoning to recall actions where they showed a lack of empathy or strange violence. While psychopaths are unique to play, the only thing that everyone requests if you do play one is to try not to be edgy about it. Psychopathy is a personality disorder not a personality trait.
- Ethical Egoism: Claim that people ought to pursue their own self-interest exclusively.
- Psychological Egoism: The view that people are always motivated by their own self-interest and selfishness even in what seems to be like acts of altruism. Example: If you give a homeless man a dollar, you really gave it to him to make yourself feel better.
Trust me, the community will tell you that on their own.
Links & Sources
How to be a NON-TOXIC GangRPer - By Supportives
Terminology and Server Rules - By Ducks
Defense Against the Psychopath - By Stefan Verstappen
CONCLUSION
Finally, the worst villain on SchoolRP, the skimmer... yes, I'm talking about you! The person reading the end of this. You didn't fully read the thread, I know you didn't, stop reading this right now you pesky villain! Go back up and read the thread again, I taught you how to be a Villain in SchoolRP, not in real life... ;)
Thank you all for reading! And thanks again for Mythweavers for proofreading.
"College Cheerleaders are just unverified gangs"
- Hobbits
