Characters you've thought up...

[devo 0]

Before you settled on the character you're writing as, did you have a bunch of other ideas for avatars that just didn't pan out? Conversely, have you thought of a few characters while active that you'd like to use some day, if you get the chance?

 

For the former...my original character was going to be called Atmosphere and be completely based around high-flying moves. Fun-loving, adrenaline-seeking face and all that. I don't think I thought of any details beyond that. Thankfully, I realized that it was a terrible idea and thought of ELM shortly afterwards.

 

For the latter, I've got two, both dreamed up while listening to the Samurai Champloo OST. The first is a guy called "The Golden Boy" Graham Brighton, a fresh-out-of-the-wrestling-school idealistic youngster. Cocky and self-centered, but also charismatic and charming. About the size of a Randy Orton, decent strength and speed but below average vitality. Grew up in an upscale family. Comes out to Tsutchie's "sincerely".

 

The other was a fellow named Josiah Williams. Josiah is peaceful and quiet, but craves physical competition and strives to keep his well-toned body in prime condition. Those factors override his distaste for violence to bring him to pro wrestling. Tall and muscular. Not particularly experienced, but his overpowering strength and relatively good speed make up for it. Comes out to Nujabes' "aruarian dance".

 

If I ever get tired writing ELM (unlikely) but want to continue regardless, it'll probably be with one of those two.

[zyon 0]

On my time off I've been festering together a possible character idea once Zyon has run his course or I get bored. While Zyon doesn't really have a gimmick (well other than youth, Jeff Hardy in ring rip off, emotionally messed up at times) this new character I guess could kind of be categorized.

 

The new character will be a disgruntled yet arrogant Prince. Not one who brags about his riches and stuff, but one who has a strong honor and pride code. He would be heel...with a slight twist. Really I got the idea from the Frieza saga in Dragon Ball Z. The character I got the idea from (ripped off??) would be Vegeta. Basically his whole storyline in the anime (apart from getting the dragonballs) is that he is a bad person who was raised bad and was never given a chance to be anything else because of culture and his superiors.

 

His wrestling style would be balanced. He would be your basic blue chipper along the lines of Randy Orton and old school heel Rock. He could fly, but not being a spot monkey. He could use submissions, but not apply an ankle lock from 300000 different positions. He would be strong, but not roided out.

 

Still trying to piece together the rest...if there is anything else.

 

Also FYI, I'm working on new things for Zyon. Expect a new stat thing upon my return, and hopefully more promos.

[the.weej 0]

Oh boy, here's a thread for me.

 

I've had a pretty wide variety of silly gimmick character ideas, starting from when I was active to up until after I retired as head booker. They were never really meant to see the light of day. Things like a mad scientist/bond villain cross who's promos and general character were plays on the 60s/70s/80s/90s/Sci-Fi/Nerd Underworld (Dr. Kitsch), a slick high flyer named Zest who's finisher was a ropewalk hurricanrana called the "Soap on a Roap," an annoying furry fangirl who always wore cat ears and was perpetually trying to get Ebony to tag with her, and two tag team partners named Quiz and Show whose gimmick revolved around gameshow themed promos, entrances and gimmick matches.

 

Oh, wait, that one actually DID happen.

 

Anyway, I only ever seriously considered one character to make a comeback with, and I actually did get as far as writing a few test promos for, although I never followed through on them. Her name is Hoshiko Mitsurugi (Mitsurugi Hosihko?), and she is a ninja.

 

At least that's what she THINKS she is, but I don't mean that in the Naruto sense. Y'see, the entire premise of the character is she has a rather questionable grip on reality. As the daughter of a wealthy traditionalist father who never quite forgave her for not being born male, she indulges in incredible fanticies where she is some great hero or warrior able to earn her father's respect. Naturally, this leads her to the realm of wrestling, where the minor mysticism, major publicity and bombastic nature of the whole thing has her convinced it will allow her to actually make some of these dreams into reality.

 

Basically, the entire setup is an excuse for me to work "outside the box." I find that I get bored of writing wrestling matches very quickly, and so this gave me an excuse to turn a simple match into something much more interesting. For example, Hoshiko's overactive imagine could suddenly seize control during a fight and turn a match with Johnny Generic into a battle with a great demon in a feudal era setting... occasionally flipping back to reality where the commentators sat in stunned silence after one of her soliloquy's about banishing ancient evil. It would also let any promos I wrote be sublimely ridiculous. Based on Kurosawa movies? Noir film? Space opera? It was a license to complete, insane creative freedom.

 

I played around with her character for a long time, and it went through a lot of alterations, but this is the one I did any work with. Ultimately, though, I never really found the energy to make a full scale comeback. This is the kind of idea that would require me to work to my utmost; I couldn't stand to see it not pulled off right. The fact that basically all of the people I really wanted to work programs with in the SWF are long gone also has something to do with it.

 

-Z

Edited October 30, 2005 by realitycheck

[janusd 0]

Not quite on topic, but Ebony kind of fits this description. I initially pencilled in stats for a normal character, just borrowing from the original furry design. And then Zed commented on a no-show, I believe, and the stats went out the window and out came the low blows and illogical presence of an anthropomorphic entity within the SWF.

 

She was a smashing success.

[devo 0]

Damn, Z. I really would have liked to see that. Sounds supremely entertaining to say the least.

[Golgo 13 0]

A sterotypical goth, as outlined in the SWF Did You Know thread. I came dangerously close to applying it to Manson in 2003 before pulling back on it, thankfully, but based on the reaction and comedy potential, if I were to come back as someone else after I retire, it would probably be as that. Although, being that goth isn't the subculture to make fun of anymore, I've since thought of going full emo with it instead.

 

Obviously, I like Trigun. Another character would be a Vash ripoff, right down to the red trenchcoat, minus the ridiculous hair, though with less of a pacifist stance. He likes fun and the adulation and money that comes with wrestling. However, he doesn't necessarily like to fight and would rather have none of it, but he can take you out like that if you get on his bad side.

 

Another would be similar to the Bemani Cross Wizards in the geek factor. This one would be a bit of a delusional nerd who sees wrestling like a literal game and his opponents as end bosses, with other assorted elements of nerd culture thrown in. His moves would be named after assorted video game stuff. Like the above anime ripoff, I came up with this one after an episode of Paranoia Agent, in which all the characters were in an imagined RPG-style world.

[chirs3 0]

Since Raynor went out on a semi-serious note, I decided that if I ever would return, I'd go back to out and out humor.

 

So the idea I had for returning was an aging, washed up C-Movie actor (think two or three rungs below someone like Van Damme), who starred in all sorts of straight-to-DVD sequels to big movies (Die Hard Six). He'd have gone to the SWF in an attempt to get his name recognized again, so he could get back into movies, thinking that all his opponents would just roll over for him.

 

Unfortunately, Muzz apparently had a similar idea, and beat me to the punch.

Edited October 30, 2005 by chirs3

[Smartly Pretty 0]

I used to have a guy who was a cross between face Spike Dudley and Marcos, in "Harry". Scrapped him. I had a generic heel named "Matt Dangerous". He was generic. No really, like, he had no gimmick . . . I couldn't describe a gimmick, because there was none, other than cockey heel.

 

Then I had an ambigiously gay character named Johnny Fantana. That fed never got off the ground though, so he never debuted.

 

Other than that, JJ had a good suggestion that I scrapped, because it'd be a pain in the ass to write. I'd have Akira do heelish tactics and the like. But Mr.Kobe thinks that faces get paid more, getr more merch sales, get more booking dates etc. So he translates all of Akira's promos wrong. Seemed like it'd be hard. Glad I didn't too, because of the heel overload.

[Bruce Blank 0]

Oh lord bad ideas?? yup

 

I had an idea of an old vet travelling with his estranged 15-16 year old teen age son. THe old man was a face, a nice guy but his son was a total and utter asshole who was always starting shit and then ran to his old man and had him finish it for him.

 

My favorite that I ALMOST went with here was the son of a very high up "Legitemate businessman" *wink*wink* who just didn't have the gene for crime - he was kind of an embarrasment to dad

 

so Dad allows him to follow his dream of wrestling, but he has 2 old crusty vets on his payroll and they're ordered to help him out - he'd be a HORRIBLE wrestler in the ring, but enthusiastic and all faceish, what he doesn't know is that his trainers usually helped him win - either by threatening the opponents to take a dive or spike their drinks so they'd get sick and other underhanded tricks.

 

"Mizark Ice" A.K.A. Mark Cortizone... I was THIS close || to using him

[Toxxic 0]

I think Robzilla did that gimmick pretty close, Blank. But he did it badly.

 

And Zyon: when trying to describe the character of heel Toxxic once, I described him as Vegeta with the entire fed as Goku (and of course, he does have spiky black hair!). As in, he couldn't let ANYONE be better than him.

 

I did have one character that I thought about using. He was a giant, skull-masked monster called 'Panic' who had the legendary Vitality 10 and would no-sell a lot. I figured that'd be easier than writing the highly breakable Toxxic. I worked out a moveset and everything but in the end I just couldn't move too far away from the aerial moves. So when I came back, I did so as my high-flying heavyweight, TORU

[Bruce Blank 0]

I think Robzilla did that gimmick pretty close, Blank. But he did it badly.

Probably how I would have done it too so I chose to channel my inner redneck instead

 

I could do worse

[Justice 0]

Oh God, my original idea was for a hockey-themed stable. Poke Check, Cross Check, and Fore Check. One was Submissions (The Goalie, Poke Check), one was lucha (The Forward, Fore Check), and the last was power (Cross Check). I was very close to pitching it to a few people until Thor told me of the Judge Mental gimmick.

[Guest BillFillmaff]

Bill Fillmaff is not a character, for the record. I truly am a worldwide poker champion, and now I'm into merchandise! Have you seen my new commercial for poker chips? Get it? Chips?

 

Buy a bag, cretins!

[Toshiaki Koala 0]

"The Bad Senator" Byrd Clampton. A former prizefighter turned Dixiecrat junior senator with a short temper, Byrd's political career came to an abrupt end when he responded to a carpetbagger's taunts by, well, pounding him into the carpet... in the middle of the Senate chamber. The poor oaf required ninety-five stitches, reconstructive jaw surgery, and dentures... but Byrd was even worse off, as he was forced to resign the very next day.

 

But all was not lost! Far from it, because Mr. Clampton has taken his bad reputation and experience in fisticuffsmanship to the place where they are most welcome... the SWF! With an arsenal of lethal moves like the Filibuster and the Hanging Chad neckbreaker, this is one Byrd you don't want flying your way!

[devo 0]

I'm stealing that gimmick, Scott.

[JJ Johnson 0]

I'm just stealling the word "fisticuffsmanship"

[Golgo 13 0]

That's so bad it's awesome, Pretz.

 

I nearly forgot. Another character was slightly similar to the Vash one. Except he'd be an out of shape, drug addicted, grizzled old vet whose better days and stardom have long passed him by. He doesn't like to fight, having seen the ugly side of the business and is sick of it all, but he likes the spotlight and really, really needs the money.

[Angel_Grace_Blue 0]

Wrestling orangutan. I mentioned it before, where Andrea writest to Zutroy about having found, not the Masked Man, who she's been seeking, but a totally awesome fighter that's been destroying people in Thailand, and wants Zutroy to train him. Only for it turn out to be an ape. Besides, what evil person would fight an ape?

 

Also, and some of these are sorta stolen:

 

1. A guy, for whatever reason, is forced to wear face paint or a mask. Only thing is, he's really allergic to it, so he wants to finish matches very quickly so he can take the stuff off.

 

2. Enter as an aerial rookie, and, over a few years (I know, this would never happen), he slows and goes more power-based. Then, in say his forties, he gets more technical (Kinda Judge Mental-ish). Even later, he's all old and crazy and stuff.

[King Cucaracha 0]

I got bored with Landon at the start of the year and, as Toxxic and/or Cortez will attest to, I was seriously considering a swap-a-roo and using Maddix as an OAOAST character, thus bringing over Leon Rodez. Who, basically, would have been even more of a comedy character than he is, if that's at all possible. Oh, and a former pornstar. The plan would have then been to go after the Cruiserweight Title. But, that fell through.

 

At one point, I also thought about turning Maddix into a masked character. Either plain La Cucaracha. Or something lame like Lan-Tasia, who nobody would know was Maddix, except Suicide King, but he could never prove it.

 

Oh and of course there was the tentative plan to give Maddix an impressionist gimmick. I'd PM my opponent before each match with the guy I was going to be impersonating and my stats would have been the impersonated characters' signature moves + Crash Landon. And I'd think up silly names like The Ultimate Cucaracha and Lan-grel.

 

 

All terrible, terrible ideas which luckily never happened.

[Kaertos 0]

Oddly enough, I seriously considered ripping off King's character way back when and making Sean "The Gambling Man" Finnegan. Basically, take the King character (who I was already a little familiar with even though he was a year or so from being in the fed) and add a dash of the Irish. Yeah... Grand Slam was a much better idea.

 

During my first retirement, I thought about making a new character that was everything Grand Slam was not. Weak, highly agile high flyer, little charisma, very heelish. He would wear a mask and I thought it would be fun to give him an alter-ego, one of the generic "abused camera guys" that were very popular at the time. But lack of time to write killed him before I even started with him.

[Toxxic 0]

I forgot to mention the fact that I wondered about bringing in a completely green rookie and jobbing to everyone for ages, then slowly building him up into a threat.

 

I also had an idea for 'The Laughing Man' Marcus Hall, a sinister, voodoo-influenced character. Lord only knows if I'd have been able to pull that one off.

[JHawk 0]

About the only thing I toyed with was actually using the David Lister character from Red Dwarf as a wrestling character (in fact, I did for about two weeks in a fed that a friend of mine started, just to see if it would work). This was before Red Dwarf became popular enough in the States for people to know where I got it from.

 

Basically, I'd use the basic premise of the series (slobby man trapped on spaceship for three million years has been traveling through space with a hologram, a droid, and a creature that evolved from cats) as the background for the character. The caveat: Being out of chicken vindaloo and other assorted curry dishes, Lister uses his ship's time machine against the droid's wishes to travel back to the present and wrestle, thinking if he wrestles enough he can buy all the curry he wants without actually having to start a real job.

 

It made for great promos but I thought it would get boring from a wrestling sense.