What were your best roleplaying characters? Did they evolve or did you have a strong idea to start with?
Actually my best "Roleplaying" character was also probably one of the best built characters I ever made as well. Mostly because I made him to navigate the setting. He however had a strong idea to start with and was basically a Jungle Survivalist.
He is actually a strong exception to the rule of "Role playing not Roll playing" because his competence (this was a setting where the world was covered in thick forests and Jungles) actually not only played a part in his characterization but also colored how he viewed others as well. It also helps that I played my favorite class (Warden) and my favorite race (Minotaur).
My second favorite "Roleplaying character" started off with a single powerful vision I wanted a sort of transforming character who turned into animals and crushed people. Yet it ended up so costly I ended up pathetically weak... so instead of catching up, which was hopeless with the midmaxers, I instead invested in contacts, personal skills, and resources... and in the end I was so extremely well connected that my character was often nicknamed "The President" because he had just about all the connections as possible. Mind you it was a setting where being much weaker then everyone else wasn't a huge detriment, I could fight our opponents and be a help... I just wasn't going to be much help against bosses.
-To put it into perspective my connections were all nearly maxed out and the factions were: The Secret service, The elemental spirits, Nature Spirits, Spirits of the Dead, The illuminati, the Wicce (the fictional version of them in the setting at least), The MIB for magic, 3 magical societies, Elves from another dimension, A research institution, and at least two deities. I had enough connections to basically pull out at least one per adventure out of my butt.
And this character being an evolving one also was roleplayed basically perfectly as I played him very diplomatically and kind.
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Yes I don't like to play incompetent characters no matter how well I roleplay them... because I actually like to have the ability to do things and direct my character's story and interactions... and "Well I could walk across the street, but I would break my ankles on the pavement" sort of destroys anything I could do with them.
My connected character was incompetent so to speak, but he found his niche that I could enjoy. (and even with the connections he couldn't solve problems entirely through it. It just means I had fun pulling connections when it called for it)