What do you want out of an RPG protagonist?

[Skyblade]

You can have conflict while "doing good for the sake of doing good". Case in point: Marche Radiuju. He spends the entire game just wanting to do what's right. Yet he's constantly conflicted because he just wants to stay in Ivalice (let's face it: who wouldn't). He's also thrown into conflict with his friends because they want to stay as well. Personal and interpersonal conflict. All because Marche wants to do what's right for no other reason than that it is right.

Done properly, this is almost always the case. It always leads to inner conflict, because what is right is rarely what is pleasant or pleasurable. Desire conflicts with morality. For a hero, morality wins that battle. For villains, desire triumphs (or they're just insane, but that's less fun).

I don't interpret Marche's actions as "doing good for the sake of good" he does good cause he understands that Dream Ivalice is harmful to his friends, the whole point of the Lotus Earter Machine Trope/Platonic Cave allegory is that is it better to face the harsh reality than to live in an illusionary one that stunts the soul and minds ability to grow. The whole cast was running away from their problems and selfishly perpetuating a fake existence at the cost of others (the real people of St. Ivalice) from their lives to fulfill their own selfish needs. Marche is propelled to take action to save his friends from themselves... and a living magical codex.

What danger are they in? Do you think Marche could explain what was wrong with staying in Ivalice to any of them? Heck, is there anything wrong with staying in Ivalice for anyone but Mewt? It's not exactly refusing to face reality when reality itself has been completely rewritten.

The character I am actually thinking of is Isaac from Golden Sun because it is him and his parties goody-two-shoe personality that kind of killed the game for me. Dragon Quest has a similar problem but luckily the whole cast tend to lack any real characterization to make it easier to ignore it most of the time.

Yes, heaven forbid we have a character in a game who isn't just an asshole for the sake of being an asshole.

Is there anything wrong with wanting to help people out? With attempting to do a little more than just laugh at the misfortune of others as you walk by? With carrying power far beyond that of 99% of the world's population and actually suint that power to make a difference where you can?

I need characters that have needs and desires because that is human. Desire is not a trait of villainy it is a trait of humanity itself which is why villains often tend to be more complex and interesting than valiant heroes cause the storybook heroes lacks the traits that allow me to relate to them. I'm not going to save the world for the sake of it, maybe I don't give a damn about it. I'm an adherent to psychological egoism so I can't put much stock in altruism of any kind; so it is up to the writer to explain to me why my characters would care to save the world. I often find that heroes save the world more for selfish reasons, with the actual world-saving part being just a nice bonus to save their friends, get revenge, or make their desires into reality.

So just because you are a complete ass who feels no compassion for others and no reason to help when you can, that makes those who do bad characters? I'm apparently not human because I enjoy helping people. I go out of my way to assist those in trouble, to carry burdens, help people get around, etcetera. And if I was one of only dozens of people in the world capable of using magic, I'd do a hell of a lot more.

To quote a more complex hero.

Right and wrong are not what separate us and our enemies. It's our different standpoints, our perspectives that separate us. Both sides blame one another. There's no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views.

Or we could just say that there is right and wrong, but we live in a morally bankrupt society that teaches people that there are no morals and anything is ok as long as it makes you feel good.