Do you prefer to play a character who is special/chosen, or just an ordinary person?

[StaceyPowers]

A lot of games feature a sort of “Chosen One” style protagonist. Do you prefer playing such a character, or something more ordinary, like a regular soldier?

[Heatman]

Sometimes I like to play as an underdog because it makes me to not rely on the misguided perception that I'm making use of a choose character, so I should have an advantage. 

[Crazycrab]

I don't think it's a preference that I'm consciously drawn to, or perhaps there's just more of them, I do tend to play more games that feature a “Chosen One” style protagonist.  I guess it's easier to identify with protagonists like Aloy of Horizon Zero Dawn or the Dragonborn of Skyrim because there is something unique about them that makes them (or you) stand out. 

 

There's a YouTuber I like that discusses some of these in character analysis of Aloy.

 

 

You see this in non gaming characters too like Superman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Avatar Aang/Korra and even villains like Darth Vader.  Making them special/chosen makes them unique and interesting.  Not that "regular' characters can't be interesting either but it usually takes a deeper dive into their personality in order to make it work.

[Heatman]

16 minutes ago, Crazycrab said:

I don't think it's a preference that I'm consciously drawn to, or perhaps there's just more of them, I do tend to play more games that feature a “Chosen One” style protagonist.  I guess it's easier to identify with protagonists like Aloy of Horizon Zero Dawn or the Dragonborn of Skyrim because there is something unique about them that makes them (or you) stand out. 

 

There's a YouTuber I like that discusses some of these in character analysis of Aloy.

 

 

You see this in non gaming characters too like Superman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Avatar Aang/Korra and even villains like Darth Vader.  Making them special/chosen makes them unique and interesting.  Not that "regular' characters can't be interesting either but it usually takes a deeper dive into their personality in order to make it work.

Yeah - it's actually a fact that once they are under the dome of the chosen one, they are bound to have some uniqueness they come with with the Dragonborn in Skyrim as a typical example. 

[Withywarlock]

I think I prefer to be the chosen one, but I like to do mundane things within that setting. I get a chuckle out of the common bandit thinking that they can defeat, say, the Champion of Cyrodiil, who has felled men, mer, and ungodly creatures. That he's gonna be the guy who mugs the Grand Champion of the Imperial Arena in as close to a fair fight as those two could get.

[Heatman]

It's definitely going to be a huge satisfaction when you get to knock off a big dog character with an ordinary character with no specialty listed to his name. 

[Shagger]

Video games have to be empowering in some way to really work imo, but a protagonist doesn't have to be a "chosen one" or anything like that to empower the player. What matters most is how the character empowers the player through thier actions and how they're controlled, not necessarily through who they are. So I'd take either one as that isn't really what's most important and either one of those options can work.

[Reality vs Adventure]

I can play either, but for me being chosen impersonalizes the whole thing. If they were able to accomplish things first and find out later they had a special ability, but had to pass the test of humanity and inner strength beforehand, then I would appreciate it more than given powers right off the bat. Because, to put it simply, it just aint fair!!!

[Family sedan]

I relate to common man characters when they are metalheads like Mike and Stu from Twisted 2.  I love playing as Hammerhead because of those two guys, plus their '75ish Blazer monster truck.   It's nice to have characters you can relate to.

[Heatman]

2 hours ago, Reality vs Adventure said:

I can play either, but for me being chosen impersonalizes the whole thing. If they were able to accomplish things first and find out later they had a special ability, but had to pass the test of humanity and inner strength beforehand, then I would appreciate it more than given powers right off the bat. Because, to put it simply, it just aint fair!!!

Seriously - It's why I don't really appreciate the so called chosen one at first because it seems they are designed to have an edge which even wouldn't let you explore your skills properly.