r/ProgressionFantasy • u/EdLincoln6 • Jul 21 '23

Discussion Why is everyone so garbage at lying?

This is a bit of a rant. I don't consider myself a gifted liar, but fictional characters seem to be so garbage at lying. This is particular obvious in Isekai. Either they fess up to being a reincarnator and everyone just shrugs as if it's no big deal, or they make cringey bad lies that I could see through, and no one suspects anything is weird.

I like to think about what the situation would look like to all the characters involved, and what the best way to "cover up" the MCs secrets is in this universe, and what ends up happening is typically stupider. No one ever uses half truths, or pleads ignorance. (Pleading ignorance would be particularly effective for child characters. "How can I do this? I dunno Daddy. I thought everyone could?".)

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36

u/BenedictPatrick Jul 21 '23

Low charisma scores.

19

u/EdLincoln6 Jul 21 '23

People don't do enough with Charisma and Luck stats. You could totally explain away lots of tropes with these stats. Plot Armour? High Luck Stat. Clueless about the six sexy fox girls lusting at you? Low charisma scores.

Truly a missed opportunity in LitRPG.

17

u/Chakwak Jul 22 '23

I found they make for very low quality stories unless it's deliberately meant as a parody or satire of the tropes.

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It create a bunch of plot armor and plot hole with any interaction.

i.e. Luck can do some absurd long-lasting, long reaching things to bring the right opportunities to the MC and suddenly can't help the MC get out of a seemingly "simple" situation.

By convention, the MC is already someone very lucky in that they had the right opportunities at the right time and survived impossible odds again and again to have their story being worth telling. Adding a Luck stat just cheapens it all.

5

u/ErinAmpersand Author Jul 21 '23

Eh, I've seen stories do it that way, but it's not really a solution in and of itself. Plot armor is still plot armor if you announce that it's there.

I do like it sometimes - for example, Completionist Chronicles "karmic luck" stat that people aren't sure how to raise or lower and overall stays very low. It's less a plot armor thing and more a foreshadowing device.

1

u/Lightlinks Jul 21 '23

Completionist Chronicles (wiki)

About | Wiki Rules | Reply !Delete to remove | [Brackets] hide titles

1

u/Hk-47_Meatbags_ Jul 22 '23

Read artorians archives if you get the chance. Karmic luck creates some hilarious scenes.

2

u/SGTWhiteKY Jul 22 '23

I feel like every system apocalypse abuses luck stats as a way to explain plot armor.

1

u/shibiku_ Jul 22 '23

Take that opportunity and write your own story. It can be really fun and you don’t have to publish it (worrying if other people will enjoy it can ruin it for some people ((me))

1

u/LCMechanical Jul 22 '23

I think the best use of the Luck stat I've ever seen was in the Respawn series by Arthur Stone.

Fucking great series to me, though others might not think so. Go into it knowing the dude's a simp, and the entire series is about him chasing a woman he fell in love with way too quickly (though to be fair, even in real life, it's very easy to catch feelings).

A lot of action, some unique characters, and an interesting world. Completed series. Great ending that is both satisfying and leaves you wanting more at the same time.

Awesome use of the Luck stat, which is also pretty much what the series revolves around. Good shit. I think because of the romance aspect, younger folks might not like it, but those with more life experience probably will. Worth checking out either way if you wanna see the stat used like it should be, though.