[quote=@Crimmy] That's because he's loading on bullshit like one of Anaheim's crappy drugged-out creations. Regards, Strategic Naval Research Institute. (PS. ATMOS was a shit, stick with Psycoframes) Seriously though, if you want to play a giant robot, play a giant robot RPG. Or get an actual existing in-universe mecha and customise the shit out of it if you want to be a giant robot. If you're going to try buff your guy up and escalate, no shit you're going to get backlash, especially when you might have to fight them at some point. It's like minmaxers in a tabletop; competing with them requires you to go pull out the power buffs too and sometimes you can't be fucked. [/quote] I'll admit, making Gren good at combat and making him better when I can is something I'm interested in, but I wouldn't call myself a minmaxer. Or at least, I didn't intend to be. For the same reason I felt uncomfortable at having Gren being labeled the strongest character; I just felt like this was something Gren could have, and if others wanted something like it too, who am I to stop them? You'll certainly never hear from me if someone is too powerful. I wanted him to be able to do or fit a certain image and I tried to achieve that. He's optimized for it, certainly. I wouldn't make a fighter and then dump his strength. I'm also aware that he may suffer from certain weaknesses, and I consider options to deal with them in the event they become an issue. Gren was originally built as a slow moving but tough and powerful guy, and I know speedster types could outmaneuver him. So I wanted to take steps to deal with them. And maybe mech brings the wrong image: Power Armor is more what I was going for in terms of his durability and strength. Big, covered in steel, and you probably don't want to try and box with him. But he can die, just like everyone else. He's just aware enough of his own drawbacks that his upgrades mostly consist of dealing with those drawbacks instead of improving what he already has. Of course again, it becomes a matter of perspective. In my mind I made Gren to do a job and he is able to do it right. For others, he's an unstoppable Juggernaut because he can accomplish the purpose I've made him for. Though for me things like winning or beating others isn't the goal so much as simply being able to do what I want him to do. Sure, I could run a fragile speedster who relies on big damage but has the defense of a soggy napkin, but instead I wanted to make a tanky guy who could survive said damage, dish a bit of his own, and at some point realize that he needs to address the fact he can't hit shit because everyone is zipping around him. [quote=@HereComesTheSnow] So, would it be entirely wrong of me to say that your primary motivation for Gren is writing out combative technology and armaments and their usage? Because while that's a perfectly fair attraction (it's RWBY after all), I think if that's ALL that's there, it's just a limitation on your skills that you don't have any need for. If all your character is to you is their gear and fighting skills... You could explore a lot more with him, you know? You can keep the upgrades as an eventual goal ([s]Shoutouts to my girl Gigi[/s]), but in the meantime, why not try and look at other sides of him? There's gotta be more than just that. The love of food, for instance? You could take that and the passion for cooking somewhere, and even if it's not too far, it could easily open up doors to other, more engaging stuff. Feasts are gatherings, maybe put one on and try to invite his friends and get some solid interaction down? Those sorts of situations oftentimes go a long way towards building connections and friendships between characters and, oftentimes, players. I first met Krayzikk waaaaaay back when some seven-odd years ago, when his character and mine both ended up being on the run from the same group and had to gut it out together. Terrible example, but I hope the point's still there. Hypocritical though it is coming from me ("write more araragi, write more araragi, write more araragi"), I'd call exploring those other things a good start towards motivation. It's why I'm such a contest-whore, I get to look at different angles of Luke than the main game normally allows. It freshens up my takes on him, rounds him out and gives some supplemental info when I can sneak it in, and really helps me delve into how everything all connects back into [i]who[/i] he is. [/quote] Oh, but I do. That's also where other issues lie, such as his affiliation to the White Fang or the fact he might actually have skills outside of combat (See, makes his own tech). When I create characters I generally start with a single idea about that character I want to emphasis. For Gren, it was simply making a powered armored ork. Once I had that foundation made, then I went about expanding who he is outside of battle. I gave him his interests in cuisine and video games, a hobby for gardening, and a history that might explain how exactly he became who he today. His thoughts and beliefs about people and certain politics, and even tried my hand at romance (I knew shit when I tried though, which reflected in Gren). In a way I work backwards: I create the big picture first, and then I start filling in the details. Now yes, making Gren into the warrior I wanted him to be was the first thing I had in mind. But that doesn't mean it was the only thing. There was always going to be more to him than just his weapons and abilities. He has his history, hobbies, and even a personality that isn't very warlike for someone built like him, and ideally he'll make friends that would take him away from the battlefield and let him live like a normal dude. But just because I can have those simple things doesn't mean I can't try to get the warrior bits too. Forgive me if I seem like the type of guy who wants his cake and to eat it too. As you may tell, I've always been the type of guy who has ambitions greater than what he deserves.