The Protagonist is a Jerk

[Eschaton]

So, I'm working on my first real project.

It's development is more of a stream of consciousness than anything else, but the protagonist appears to be kind of a douche-bag.   He's a pompous, snobbish, alcoholic, womanizing, and bad-tempered jerk.  He's only moving forward with the plot because a) he's a world-class mercenary and it's his job, and he does it for the jet-setting life of women and booze.

In the opening sequence, he's being admonished by his Guildmaster (who is also his mother) for getting drunk and hitting on the Regent's fifteen-year-old daughter.  His argument is that she had a fake ID and she should go to jail.

On the other hand, he's actually quite smart and charming.

Anyway, the question at hand is, would anyone play a game with such a jerk as their avatar?

 

[Zalerinian]

If he's a well-written jerk, why not?

 

[AcosmicDevi]

I agree with Zalerinian. If the character is well written, I'm sure people would enjoy playing him. Personally, I like anti-heroes and villains, and I read on a writing tips website that many people do because it allows them to be complete douchebags too albeit vicariously through that character. The trick is that even though he's a jerk, if you want the player to like him, he has to have some redeeming qualities like he's a total softy for cats or he has a wicked sense of humor, etc.

 

[Archeia]

As long as he's not irritating...like Tidus's voice or Vaan.

 

[Espon]

The main thing is whether or not he's likeable.  I don't want to be stuck playing as some irritable prick that I just want to punch in the face repeatedly.  He needs to have some redeeming qualities and reasons for being such a jerk that's not just "I kick puppies I can."

 

[Milennin]

The main thing is whether or not he's likeable.  I don't want to be stuck playing as some irritable prick that I just want to punch in the face repeatedly.  He needs to have some redeeming qualities and reasons for being such a jerk that's not just "I kick puppies I can."

Yeah, this. I don't mind playing a jerk (the character in my game sometimes is, lol), but not if he's a jerk for just the sake of it and if there isn't anything more to him than just that.

 

[Lord Valdyr]

A lot of characters are seen as the bad boy type and they are generally well liked. There is usually a moment in which a lighter side of the character is shown.

Like Imagine if game of thrones were a game. I imagine a lot of people would want to play the Hound Sandor Clegane but people would hate to be forced to play Joffrey.

 

[monkeynohito]

Honestly, selfish pricks as protagonists is kinda the norm in all sorts of media these days. I've always loved roguish scoundrels and anti-heroes like Han Solo, Indy, , Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser or Elric but even I'm starting to get tired of all the anti-heroes. That or they're heroes so aware of their motivations that any pretense of altruism is completely nullified. It's getting to the point where seeing generally decent people is kinda refreshing.

I'm not saying don't do scoundrels, I love em. You just have to keep in mind that it's something that gets done a lot these days. Turns out Han Solo was actually everybody's favorite and you need to make an anti-hero at least as likeable to be worth any attention these days.

The character you describe is a good 75% of every D&D PC ever created. Put a little thought into how you can make him a little more unique and charming. Conversely, you could play off how that personality has been done before in a satirical way. In that case. make sure he's funny.

 

[Cozzer]

As long as other people treat him realistically, forcing him to either grow out of it or be disliked by everyone that knows him for more than ten minutes, I think it's ok. 

If it's a "look at me, I treat people badly but they still like me because I'm charming and skilled!" type of character, it would feel like watching ego *********ion, which usually is not very interesting at all.

 

[Paladin-Cleric of Awesome]

He sound like archer. Lol. If you aren't familiar it's a sort of spy adult cartoon my brother watches that can be sort of funny sometimes. He's pretty like how you've described your character and his mother is is boss who berate him for doing stupid things fairly similar to what you described.

It's apparently well liked, so I shouldn't see why your character should be any different as long as he's written well.

 

[Eschaton]

Oh, the character is absolutely repellant, and everyone around him reminds him of this.

 

[Matseb2611]

I'd agree with what most others said. He's got to be likeable in some way or form, but also one of the key things to consider is that him being a jerk has to have an effect on the world and people around him. If NPCs still treat him nicely and look up to him as some kind of hero and saviour despite him being a jerk, then that is unrealistic and could annoy the player (it will annoy me for sure), but if people respond to his jerkish manners in an appropriate manner, like punish him, get angry with him, send him to jail, etc, then it will be good. So basically, as a narrator of the story, you have to be objective, and if any character is a jerk or acts in inhumane ways, then he/she shouldn't be getting any special treatments.   

 

[monkeynohito]

You can hedge your bets with the NPCs too. The mother character sounds interesting if you don't just turn her into a one-dimensional nag. Even if someone dislikes the MC, maybe they could still like some of the other characters enough to enjoy their interactions. You can also really go for those humor combos with conflicting character banter. Characters who just flatly support the MC or constantly go off on their own random tangents really hang a lot of weight on the MC, himself, to be funny.

 

[Redeye]

Many JRPGs did this. Luke from Tales of the Abyss and Yuri from Tales of Vesperia are complete *******s sometimes.

 

[Sailerius]

It can work if done well. For example, Kouichi in Linebarrels of Iron starts off a totally unlikeable, arrogant douchebag and he's so over the top that it's highly entertaining to watch (for me). Then they made him "grow up" and he became another boring shounen hero.

 

[numfanklewhat]

If the characters are well written I think it doesn't matter if he's a jerk or a complete rear end in a top hat. On the other hand, there's a character who is not a jerk or even a mary sue-ish character that's completely hate inducing because of bad writing or poor characterization.

 

[zacheatscrackers]

If he has a reason for his attitude (traumatized, taught disagreeable methods at a young age, or was unfavorably raised), and is written well, then a jerk protagonist is perfectly alright. Though you'd have to make it realistic, as a generic 'badass doesn't give a **** about anything' main character has been done to death, to be honest.

 

[Clord]

If he has a reason for his attitude (traumatized, taught disagreeable methods at a young age, or was unfavorably raised), and is written well, then a jerk protagonist is perfectly alright. Though you'd have to make it realistic, as a generic 'badass doesn't give a **** about anything' main character has been done to death, to be honest.

You mean characters like Squall? Even he started to care however and that is some character development right there.

 

[zacheatscrackers]

Yeah, Squall is an example done fairly well, I'd say.

 

[Chrome]

I love jerk mains. House is one of my favorite characters. Squall sucked tho.