#i enjoy the deception and manipulation and persuasion too <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[vanishintoyou]

i thought i would have Even More Fun when astarion started to like me. now he wont stop saying things like "my dear" or even worse. "lover". help

[idreamtofmanderleyagain]

It is my post specifically you are talking about in the intro so I'm gonna go ahead and briefly respond. I don't want to debate too in depth about it I just want to point out a few things I feel about this.

1) none of these interpretations are lost on me, and in fact when I compared him to the player I was directly speaking about how someone on the opposite end of interaction with the player would be having a very similar experience, and that some of these dynamics are automatically inherent in the power differential of player to character, and to me that was an interesting meta exploration.

2) most people who enjoy this character aren't like, unaware of the manipulation and deception, aren't unaware of the background info...we just don't come to the most intensely negative conclusions about what we learn from those discoveries. A lot of it requires closer examination and a willingness to be open minded about what those details truly mean. And if you are prone to filling in the blanks with the most bad faith suspicions, you always come out with the most horrific conclusions. What makes him interesting is the fact that he will lean directly into your emotional biases, and how that entangles with the complex puzzle of what the unbiased truth actually is. If you take your emotional knee jerk responses (sympathy or suspicion alike) at face value, you never truly dig deep enough.

3) I am just so uninterested in debating about this being relationship abuse therefore checkmate uwu. He's an alien monster in a video game manipulating you, with his own survival as his primary motive. He's far from the only character who does this, and he is far from the only character who uses sex and seduction for his own ends (everyone's fave Astarion, who will be very very mean about it. Emperor barely does anything and you can easily say no.) And when he gets upset when you reject him, it's because you literally chose to call him a disgusting freak first. Yes he gets scary after that...because he is leaning into the fact that you basically hatefully admitted to being scared of him. He is regaining the upper hand in his longterm goal, and saving himself from the intimate humiliation.

4) regarding the "isolation and total control" thing...he doesn't even fight you if you betray him, he just leaves. You are free to disagree with him constantly, he will just always argue his case back. Furthermore, there are multiple endings where you can literally just go your separate ways, including if you choose to become mindflayer. There is one ending where he enthralls you and takes over the elderbrain...and it happens because you asked him and roll a high persuasion check to get him to do it.

5) the soul debate often loses me because A) the concept of a soul is so huge and full of unknowns, who knows if we even have souls as we describe them? And B) what characters in-game believe are facts about illithids may not even be facts. History is written by the interpreter and so is DnD, and C) even if it's true there is just as much lore evidence to suggest he is a special case, including a prophecy about one like him.

He is not a good guy at all. But the character is just much, more than he is at first glance, whether you choose a path to totally trust him or totally hate him. Neither version is the whole truth. That's why people find him compelling.

So many have interpreted The Emperor Balduran as a meta commentary on the how the player interacts with game characters and acts as a mirror of how you’re character acts to others. Which is super interesting and props to the writers for it.

But I always see The Emperor, “The Character”, which is its own can of juicy worms.

I should start off by saying this. The Emperor is NOT Balduran.

Ceremorphosis in its final stages destroys the soul of the host and replaces them with a mind flayer that has some of the memories and experiences of the host. They are not a transformed version of the original. (So sorry to pull out the rug on those who want to save Karlach with ceremorphosis, but that’s not Karlach anymore, it’s an ilithid based on Karlach.) They cannot be resurrected, they cannot be recovered. Their fundamental nature has changed from whatever they were, into a new mind flayer.

With this in mind, we can examine The Emperor from the start of your first meeting. The Emperor lies to you. He comes to you in a form of a dream guardian, someone who appeals to whatever you or your characters ideal is. He is everything you would want from the start and promises to protect you if you help them.

When The Emperor does reveal himself as a Mind Flayer, he doesn’t do it willingly, when you have grown to trust him and he you, it’s when he was forced to, when all options of hiding are gone. IIRC he never says anything about revealing it to you, if he could he would have kept lying to you for as long as he needed. He plays off his deceit by saying that he needed you to trust him, that you weren’t ready for the truth, shrouding you in wool of “forces beyond your understanding”.

He catfished you.

Then next you talk he tries to relate, tell you of his exploits as a human. A noble act yes, but again, shrouded in mystery as to who he was. He says he only killed criminals to feed off of, but never what kind of criminals. Were they murderers? Petty thieves? Gang members? Someone who stole bread to feed a starving sister and their son? He never says, just “criminals”. He worked with someone to make the place better, only to have it turn out he mentally controlled her to the point of making her brain dead.

His best friend, most likely lover, saw he was sick and went from heaven to hell to try and get him better, while he said he was fine with how he was, until the point where his lover was unable to accept him being gone and he killed him in self defense. Only, as it turns out, his lover may have actually been trying to stop him from doing something evil.

He says he has a troubled, but understandable past that you should sympathize with.

He then comes to you shirtless, ‘vulnerable’. He says there is a connection between you two that has driven you closer, that you understand him and he you. He gets you, and thinks you should “get to know him”. He seduces you, and he’s happy if you go along, but if you refuse he sounds miffed, like he was banking on it happening. And he says he knows everything about you and what you want.

He uses sex and a perceived attraction as a means of gaining trust, started with a false sense of vulnerability.

When you do as he says, follow his lead and “trust” him, he acts happy, overjoyed that you trust him and that you are following your best chance at salvation. That you see Balduran, not a mind flayer.

When you don’t do as he says, not necessarily distrust and go against him, even just thinking “maybe there’s a better option” he calls you a fool, and idiot, an incompetent who will damn themselves and everyone else because they don’t follow his vision. Even in the end, when you say you trust him but killing s bound and helpless man who he’s enslaved and exploited to get this far is wrong and that freeing him is best. He immediately cuts all ties and goes to a higher form of authority to get back at you. He exploits your desires about you, using the dream guardians as fodder. All your desires are nothing but tools to break you down. He knows you, but since you defied him, he will break you for daring tho think against him at all.

Really, The Emperor is an abusive/manipulative partner. He breaks down natural barriers of trust with his words and charisma of “trying to help you” and that you are the only hope (“I love you so much, you are so much better than me”). But only in so much as you follow his word. (Why are you doing this? Aren’t we partners? Don’t you love me? I’m the only one who can help/love you!) He isolates you from the others by talking to you alone, wraps you in six different kinds of lies to protect your sweet precious mind. (DW, it’s fine you don’t need to think that hard about it baby. I will take care of everything you just listen to me) And the moment you decide any other way than his way may be better, he goes against everything he has ever said to you and joins with the thing that enslaved him before just to get back at you, using everything you gave him against you. (Why don’t you love me!? We shared so much together?! Fine! Hope you love getting harassed and swatted bitch!)

The Emperor never cared about like he said. He’s a mind flayer, you are just, a really important thrall to him. That’s all you ever will be. A mind flayer mind is so alien to the thought of “other races are ok” that the closest they can get is “my favorite slave”.

He cares about you only in so much as you ensure his freedom. Becoming a mind flayer, is his way of gaining total control, as you are now HIS ideal, alone from anyone else that may care about you.

[danzinora-switch]

Typing the Turtles (ROTTMNT) Part 3 - Leonardo

This started out as an investigation into the turtles’ insecurities, because one thing the show does so well is demonstrate that they are still teenagers. And being a teenager is a confusing experience - there’s angst, drama, exploring one’s identity, a lot of growth, and overall figuring out who you are. That’s a messy process, too! And we see this mess in our turtles: they mess up, they’re learning, they self-doubt, they have fears and insecurities, but they’re also discovering their strengths and how to overcome their inner obstacles.

So after thinking about all this way too long, here’s my psychological breakdown of each turtle (I’ll be referencing MBTI and the Enneagram a ton, but will include links for more general information on those if you don’t know what I’m talking about). 

Parts One and Two found on the links for Raph and Don.

Leo: ESTP, 3w2

The Achiever, the Entrepreneur, the Charmer, the Explorer

I’ve wanted to say this for a long time: Leo is such a 3, he is such a 3 it hurts, oh my goodness. Read this: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-3 and tell me that isn’t Leo to a T.

It took me a little longer to figure out the MBTI for him, but he has a lot of similarities with the ESTP. This does mean we need to step away from the ‘frat bro’ stereotype of ESTPs, though. They are a lot more keen than convention would suggest.

Really, a big thing with Leo is his need to be The Best. What that means, to him, is normally something physically-related. He needs to be the best at sports or performing certain moves, which we see in episodes like The Longest Fight where he bets he can pull off the impossible skateboard move, or Shell in a Cell where he asserts he can out-perform Ghostbear. Additionally, episodes like Air Turtle really showcase the ugly side of his competitiveness. But he also desires physical perfection. He is rather image-conscious, fretting about his body in Stuck on You, and routinely referring to himself as the team’s Faceman. The biggest example of this was his idea for a disguise in Hidden City Job: the Turtle Adonis. An adonis is considered the peak physical ideal, handsome and attractive to boot. If this drive doesn’t scream Enneagram Three I don’t know what does.

Leo at his worst: Leo’s competitive side can certainly get the best of him. We see this in episodes like Air Turtle, where his ‘win at all costs’ attitude starts to alienate him from the group. Raph has also described him as a ‘poor winner’ which refers to his tendency to gloat when he does beat out the competition, or was proven right (Bug Busters, The Gumbus, You Got Served, LAIR GAMES). He’s smug, gloating, and when he does lose tries to wiggle out of it through technicalities. The one time he says something isn’t a competition is after Mikey beats him at Skateball (You Got Served). And when he ‘loses’ the Lair Games, Donnie’s win comes with a catch that Leo built in.

Threes do this for approval and validation, though, and we see that underlying his need to be the team’s Champion in Minotaur Maze and Portal Jacked! “I’m nothing without them!” he cries to Hueso. “What good is a team with just a Faceman?” Threes have a need to distinguish themselves from others, to be admired, to have attention, so that they then feel valuable and worthwhile. Other people, then, are necessary. When Leo wants to get on the Wall of Champions in Minotaur Maze, his brothers factor in to his unmet needs. “...because what good is being a Champion if you can’t rub it in your brothers’ faces?” Leo doesn’t just need to be The Best… he needs others to acknowledge it, as well.

Average Leo: He’s got a practical eye for situations and the quickness to adapt and act as needed. The ESTP is known for being bold as well as perceptive. We see this in fight scenes such as Battle Nexus: New York when he is quick to determine that physical comedy is the key to making the sprite laugh and immediately changing his approach.

He also displays a remarkable amount of common sense when making decisions. In Origami Tsunami, as the guys discuss becoming heroes, he’s the one who shoots down ideas until they reach a more achievable goal: taking on paper thieves. And he’s got a point, can you imagine the turtles taking on a spine-breaker or mangler at that point in time? When everyone else is blinded by ideals concerning fixing the Mutant Menace, he’s the only one who asks “anybody down for staying home during the anti-mutant panic?” Of course, he still goes along with their adventure, because ESTP’s live in The Moment, so why not?

Something else that I want to mention is Leo’s appreciation for the Machiavellian. He has an incredibly intuitive grasp on it, and actively appreciates twists, turns, betrayals and deceptions. His love for magic probably stems from this (The Clothes Don’t Make the Turtle) and he is the only one enjoying the series of betrayals in Warren & Hypno Sitting in a Tree. Hidden City Job also expands on the fact that Leo doesn’t have a problem with betrayal, as he revels about brotherly betrayal happening all the time. He’s cool with being betrayed… just know that he can betray you back. It’s all fair game.

This can have upsides and downsides. On the upside, his understanding of trickery can lead to brilliant plans and solutions such as what we saw in Many Unhappy Returns, where he was able to outsmart Big Mama herself. On the downside, this kind of behavior is not always the best move - his family does not appreciate being left out of the loop of his schemes, or actively being manipulated as part of them (Leo’s plan in Many Unhappy Returns worked, but he still left his brothers alone and exhausted, and did not consider the emotional effect it would have on Splinter being sent back into the arena). At that point it’s no wonder he asks “why does no one trust me?” Because you tend to have an angle, ‘Nardo. Be careful how you use that.

He is also incredibly persuasive. This is partly why I feel he is a 3 wing 2, ‘The Charmer’ because he knows how to communicate to get what he wants. When used for the right reasons, we see him settle discord such as cooling the mobs in You Got Served or apologize when he knows an apology is needed (Todd Scouts, Air Turtle, Hidden City Job). We see it used neutrally (and a bit skeptically) in Many Unhappy Returns when he declares he’ll just go to see Big Mama and “turn up the Leo”. It can also be used deceptively, however. Todd Scouts shows this when Leo is the one who convinces Todd that they’re ready to kick things up a notch by going out alone… when really they just want to get away from him. He’ll also use words to get under people’s skins: dismissing Warren Stone in Stuck on You, but also pointing out Donnie’s beach ball fear in Mind Meld. He knows which words will get the responses he wants, for better or for worse.

Leo at his Best: Leo is the team’s motivator. He’s the one giving the others the pep-talks and encouragement they need to continue (Origami Tsunami, Finale: Rise). Donnie said it best after Leo’s redemption in Air Turtle: “your confidence is giving me confidence!”

Because that’s the healthy thing about Threes: they strive to reach their own full potential, which also inspires others to reach theirs. Leo doesn’t like to fail/lose, but he won’t let anyone else succumb, either. He has the most confidence in each Mad Dog’s ability. “I knew you guys could handle it!” he says in Many Unhappy Returns, and points out with amazing accuracy just what his brothers are capable of. He not only believes in himself, he believes in those around him. And he’s able to inspire them when they’re feeling down about their own abilities or not enthused about the task (see his speech about standing up for the paper men in Origami Tsunami).

This also includes encouragement and compliments in other areas. Regarding the Shell Hogs: “Donnie, these are amazing! And I know everything I say sounds sarcastic, but I’m being completely genuine this time” (Stuck on You). When Mikey isn’t sure Hypno will like him: “What? Of course he will, you’re adorable!” (Newsworthy). To Raph, “Does this place have smoke detectors? Because you’re on fire, Big Daddy!” (The Clothes Don’t Make the Turtle).

He’s also able to step in and take charge when Raph falls because he can see what action needs to be taken (that practical and observant, yet bold ESTP side coming in). When Raph gets separated in the sewers, Leo’s the one who doesn’t treat it casually and gets the others moving to find him (Man vs Sewer). When his older brother is hypnotized by Hypno in Stuck on You, he quickly reacts and tells Mikey and Donnie what the plan is and enacts it. We see this leader potential grow bit by bit, and his awareness of each individual’s role on the team allows him to step back from areas that he knows aren’t his forte: Raph can handle the ‘teamwork’ stuff, Donnie has got the technical know-how, and Mikey takes care of positive outlook for any situation. Leo can keep things fun and inspire confidence. His puns help lighten the mood, his jokes break the ice of tense situations, and he never stops believing in their own abilities, which keeps them all going (Donnie’s Gifts, Many Unhappy Returns).

Leo Relationships:

(While Leo has a competitive episode with each of his brothers: Shell in a Cell, Lair Games, and You Got Served, there is more going on than just that).

Raph: Both Leo and Raph have strong gut feelings that can be blindsided. Leo picks up immediately that Big Mama is not trustworthy while Raph is more than happy to believe her, but Leo is blinded by his fan-love for Jupiter Jim to realize that Marcus Montcrief is a crazy and suspicious adult, which Raph becomes aware of early on (Bug Busters, Jupiter Jim Ahoy!). They both can be a little too head-first when diving into plans, such as checking out the creepy bus in One Man’s Junk or doing their best to help April in Hypno: Part Deux. But they do trust each other to have each other’s backs, and there’s (thankfully!) no Leo vs Angst in this version of their characters. It really allows them to be comfortable with each other (and egg each other on with more than just missions: see the pizza pigeon in Mind Meld).

Donnie: In some ways Leo acts like a foil for Donnie. His own natural confidence counterbalances a lot of his twin’s insecurities. They butt heads over it, sure, with Donnie perhaps taking things too seriously and Leo seemingly not taking them seriously enough, but I like I said in Donnie’s typing: one’s chill and one’s uptight. There’s a ton of back and forth between them: they are the epitome of siblings fighting one minute and getting up to no good together the next (Example from The Mystic Library: Leo grooves out with Donnie’s rap one moment and tries to get him kicked off the team in the next scene). They may antagonize each other in Lair Games, Smart Lair, the beginning of Snow Day and Hidden City Job, and so much more, but also demonstrate brotherly love (and antics) in Operation: Normal, the end of Hidden City Job and Smart Lair, and, of course, Battle Nexus: New York. “For Donnie’s honor!”

Mikey: Leo sticks up for Mikey a fair amount, especially to Raph. He supports Mikey trying to open the portal in Mystic Mayhem, and going out on his first solo mission in Hot Soup: The Game. We actually need more Leo and Mikey episodes; of the two we have one is a competition episode (You Got Served), and The Gumbus has Leo tag along intent on proving Mikey wrong. It seems they like to hang out during the down time a lot, as they play in the arcade and skateboard off-screen in episodes such as Mrs. Cuddles, You Got Served, Mind Games, and Sparring Partner. And of course, we have the gripping image of Leo protecting Mikey’s shell with his own in Battle Nexus: New York. I’d really like to see them get up to more shenanigans, though. (hint, hint @nickelodeon​, @netflix​).

Ultimately, Leo is a confident, competitive turtle striving to reach his full potential. He is normally great at encouraging his brothers to do the same, and devising grand strategies, but tends to forget the emotional effects his actions can have on them, especially if he gets carried away on his quest to be The Best. He’s still learning, and these traits will likely flesh out as he grows into a more leader-like role.

For more information on the ESTP and Enneagram 3 personality types, click here:

https://www.16personalities.com/estp-personality

https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-3

https://www.crystalknows.com/enneagram/type-3-wing-2

https://ih0.redbubble.net/image.155775924.2701/flat,800x800,070,f.u5.jpg

[agentnorthdakota]

It's A Lot so you don't have to do all of them obviously but all odd numbers for Lark and all even for Cauterize

Collin I’m love you <3 I may not get through them all and I’m gonna skip the less relevant ones but you bet I’m gonna answer a lot of them. Under a readmore because this is gonna be a Lot lol.

1. Lark - Why did they choose their class(es)? their subclass(es) When they were a teenager they went to see a powerful, retired bard named Marsha who offered magical fantasy transition to anyone who desired it. While there, they were inspired by how welcoming she was, and by her masterful piano playing. They learned the basics of music from her and continued that path after they left. (College of Lore bards just get the real good perks imo lol)

2. Cauterize - Before they met their party, what was their main goal? We haven’t played yet so he hasn’t met his future party members, but his goal is basically to earn a living and go unnoticed. And the past he left behind finds him, to burn it out and finish it off once and for all.

4. Cauterize - If they could learn one spell that isn’t available to them at present, which spell would it be? Well he’s a monk so he has very limited magical abilities. Fireball would be sick but very attention-grabbing. He would enjoy Vicious Mockery, but Disguise Self would prove the most beneficial (for low-level spells considering he’s level 3).

5. Lark -Do they follow a higher power? what are their thoughts on divinity? Hard no. They don’t put much faith in the gods, even though they know they exist. In Lark’s mind, the life they have is theirs to live however they damn well please, and they’re going to make the most of it, because nothing is waiting for them afterwards

8. Cauterize - What are three songs that suit them? He has a playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3FzJakPSGPq9KL4snLcqW6?si=a53d2c47077a4d5d But the three of my favourites for him are: Just One Yesterday (Fall Out Boy, Foxes), Prodigal Son (Rationale), and Sunrise (High Dive Heart)

9. Lark - Do they care about their appearance? how much effort do they put into presentation? OH BOY do they ever. Lark is absolutely the type to spend an hour getting ready every morning, even when adventuring. They're very particular about their fashion and overall appearance, and a majority of the time they're putting on some kind of performance to be more attractive/charming. They only really let their guard down around their party, and particularly around their partner. Sidenote that they don't like getting dirty ex. going into the sewers, but they will if they have to. It also took them some time to become okay with the prominent scars on their face, and the other nasty scars they've picked up during their adventuring.

10. Cauterize - How often do they lie? what situations cause them to be dishonest? HA! Like, all the time. He has his fair share of secrets to keep, which means lying and deflecting when anything personal comes up. He's also a criminal, so he has to be careful about what he says and to who.

11. Lark - What skills are they proficient in? why? As a College of Lore Bard, just like. So Many. Sleight of Hand (+7), stealth (+7), investigation (+6), insight (+11), perception (+11), deception (+15), intimidation (+10), and persuasion (+15). Most of them are skills they picked up from their time as a honeytrap, deceiving, seducing, and stealing from nobles. Perception they honed during their journey because the party needed someone with an eye for danger.

12. Cauterize - Have they ever been in love? Once. Or at least, the closest thing to love he's ever felt, he didn't get much of a chance to explore it.

13. Lark - What do they dislike about themself? why? Oooh this is a hard one for them, because they have a Bit of an ego. But I'd say their tendency to push people away, and how they worry they're always too close to having their bad habits slide into addiction.

14. Cauterize - What is something they love about themself? Oh see now this one's equally difficult! Because Aut does not have much of an ego, he's always careful to stay humble and is fairly pessimistic. Love is a strong word, but he's proud that he takes control of his own life and future.

15. Lark - do they trust their party? why or why not? At the beginning Lark (Virus) didn't trust anyone (except Rancor their familiar). Trust was foolish, and letting people in on your secrets gave them power over you. But they've slowly learned to trust their party member with their life and their secrets. Mostly thanks to Kairos' stubborn persistence and affection lol.

16. Cauterize - What are their feelings on the people who raised them? Ooh this one's too spoiler-heavy to really answer, but Not Good.

17. Lark - What do they dream about, when their dreams are their own? Hmm this is a tough one, I haven't given much thought to their dreams. Their nightmares definitely consist of the times they've had to kill people, and maybe the rare nightmare of their upbringing. In terms of good dreams, probably memories of past lovers tbh, and of music. Dreams of a quieter, retired life with their partner.

18. Cauterize - Do they see themself as a leader or a follower? Another tough one! Aut would hate to be forced into the role of a leader, but he's also to stubborn and opinionated to be a well-behaved follower. He's kind of a lone wolf rn. This would be an interesting one to see how things play out and where he falls on this spectrum.

19. Lark - What haunts them? what doesn’t? Definitely the people they've had to kill. They never used to kill, and don't want to kill unless that person is "irredeemable" or is too great a threat to them and their loved ones. They harbour no guilt over their thieving and honeytrapping tendencies though, especially because they use it as a way to steal from and blackmail the rich nobles who deserve it.

20. Cauterize - Which of the five senses do they rely the most on? Sight and sound. His monk training would have taught him not to rely too heavily on any one scent, but these two are the best suited for sensing danger and incoming attacks in combat.

21. Lark - Do they follow their head, their heart, or their body? Pffft. I mean... defs their body more than they should. But they're not a fool, and typically have enough sense to think things through first and weight the risks. They rarely follow their heart - almost never did until recently.

22. (Lark) - What is a promise they’ve broken? I don't think Aut has made many promises, and the one I can think of is a major spoiler lol. This is actually a really interesting question for Lark tho, because they have a strict moral of not making promises unless they truly mean them. They'll lie through their teeth and manipulate people without a shred of guilt, but as soon as they use the word "promise," that means they're dead set on keeping their word.

23. Lark - How do they feel about nicknames, titles, or labels that have been given to them? how do they feel about their name? Lark never really got any nicknames or the like tbh. They're proud of the reputation they've built (whether that's for being a clever fuck or a skilled bard), so anything related to that they'd get a bit of satisfaction out of. They chose the name Lark Freesia for themself, as it embodies them and is truly their name, and they'd never trade it for anything (though they would add to it when they get married lol).

24. Cauterize - Which of the four elements speaks to them the most? Okay this one's plain and simple - fire. I mean, he is a fire genasi. But also he hates being associated with the sun (for ~reasons~), and so he really leans into his association with fire, as... almost an act of rebellion against that.

25. Lark - What stories do they like to tell? what stories do they like to hear? As a bard, I think they'd have a talent for remembering grand tales they've heard from other bards, and like to add their own twist and dramatic flair to them. They're more of a musician, but I think their songs would tell stories, and their favourite would be of triumph, of freedom, and of found family - though subtly. They like to hear stories from those they love about their own lives, anecdotes that open a window into their history and happiness.

26. Cauterize - Who do they miss? Without getting into specific spoilers, the only family he ever had, and the man he loved.

(I’m gonna keep adding to this lol)

[rebelcourtesan]

My D&D 5e Build for Catra

Catra, possibly the most complex and endearing character of any reboot I’ve ever seen.  She wants to be loved, but because of an abusive mother figure, she doesn’t know how to open herself up to love others.  Been thinking about this for a while and decided to try my hand at recreating her as a DnD character.

Long Post Below

                                                  ***Stats****

Dexterity:  This must be Catra’s highest score as being a cat girl, she is very dexterous and quick on her feet.  She has to be when confront power bound She-Ra.  

Wisdom: Second highest, as Catra has a penchant for reading a person’s emotion.  It’s how she gets under Adora’s skin, can sense discomfort in the people she manipulates such as Entrapta and Hordak.

Charisma:  “Hi, Adora”, seductive, manipulative, and able to convince others to go along with her wishes.

Intelligence: Growing up among the Horde with its technology and basic education, Catra is no tech wiz, but is no dummy either.

Constitution: This is a touch low on the list as Catra’s best defense is not to get hit in the first place.  Once an insane She-Ra was able to grab hold of her and slam her down in White Out, she was almost out for the count.

Strength:  Dump stat.  Catra does not rely on strength so put your lowest score here.

                                                      ***Race***

This is a no brainer, Tabaxi of course!  A catlike race that comes with traits right up Catra’s alley.

Tabaxi automatically add a +2 to Dexterity and a +1 to Charisma, just perfect for Catra.  We want her Dex maxed out as soon as possible. 

 Cat’s Claws:  Tabaxi come with claws hands (just like Catra) which they use for climbing and fighting.  Climb speed is 20 ft and the claws are considered natural weapons which means that unarmed strikes for Catra are 1d4+Str. 

Don’t worry, I know I stated the strength should be dump stat, but it’ll make sense soon.

Cat’s Talent: Catra automatically gets proficiency in Stealth and Perception skills.  Perfect for when Catra to spy on enemies.   

Darkvision: Catra gets to see in the dark for 60 ft.  

Feline Agility: On a turn, Catra can choose to move double her speed as a move action.  However, the downside is she cannot use it again until she has moved 0 ft for one turn.  Still useful as Catra has ran on all fours to evade attacks from Glimmer and Hordak.

Choose the Adopted background.  Catra was adopted by the Horde and Shadow Weaver.  This would give her proficiency in Persuasion and Deception along with Stealth she received for being Tabaxi.

We’re going to start Catra off in Monk.  She prefers hand to hand combat because of her claws and agility. 

Lv 1  Choose the skills Acrobatics and Insight as Catra is agile and about to read people.  

Unarmored Defense: Since Catra doesn’t wear any armor, then she’s going to need this.  As long as she doesn’t wear armor her Armor Class is 10 + Dex + Wisdom, both of which are her highest scores! 

Martial Arts:  As long as Catra fights unarmed (or with Monk weapons) she can add her Dexterity (her highest stat) to her unarmed strikes which makes up for her low Strength.  Also, this allows her to make a second unarmed strike as a bonus action.  

Lv 2    Ki points will allow Catra to perform abilities that will give her an advantage over slower enemies such as She-Ra and Hordak. Flurry of Blows for extra attacks, Patient Defense to take Dodge as a bonus action, and Step of the Wind to Disengage or Dash as a bonus action and it also doubles her jump distance.   

Unarmored Movement:  Adds 10 ft to her movement which brings it up to 80 ft when she uses Feline Agility!  Catra can really move across the battlefield.

Lv 3   Choose Way of the Open Palm as a Monastic Tradition.  This will allow Catra to incapacitate her enemies with a Flurry of Blows.   

Deflect Missiles isn’t something we’ve seen Catra do in the show, but it’s a nice bonus nonetheless.

Lv 4  Ability Score Improvement should be used to boost her Dex and Wisdom in that order.   However, if you want to get a feat instead, I would recommend  Alert, Athletic, Mobility, or Observant.

Slow Fall allows Catra to reduce her falling damage as a reaction as cats tend to land on their feet.

Lv 5  Now Catra’s unarmed strikes do 1d6 damage and she gets an Extra Attack.  Stunning Strike will allow her to stun enemies who fail their Con Saving Throws.  

Lv 6  Unarmored Movement bumps up from 10 ft to 15 ft and Catra’s unarmed strikes are considered magical, allowing her to overcome magical immunizes such as Princesses and Sorceresses.  

Also, she gets Wholeness of Body which allows her to regain HP three times her monk level once between long rests.  Pretty handy as her low Constitution won’t have gained her many HP to begin with. 

  Lv 7  Evasion allows Catra to evade area effects such as Princess Magic. She can use her by now high Dexterity to evade damage or not take any damage at all.  

Catra’s stubborn nature protects her with Stillness of Mind which guards again being charmed or frightened.  

Lv 8  Ability Score Improvement.  Catra be maxing out Dexterity by now.  If it’s already maxed, then bump up Wisdom and Charisma.  Or you can grab a feat instead.  Alert, Athletic, Mobility, or Observant     

Lv 9 Unarmored Movement Improvement let’s Catra run up walls and across water.  I can see her running up walls, but yet to see her run across water.  Then again, she might rather have her feet get wet than the rest of her.

Also, her Proficiency should go up by 1.  

We’re going to take a dip in Fighter class here.

Lv 1  This will allow Catra access to martial weapons.  Get her a whip as soon as possible.  It has reach and finesse, but only deals 1d4 damage.  This will become important soon.

Choose Dueling to give the whip an extra +2 to damage rolls.

Also Second Wind is a great second to Wholeness of Body when Catra is in a tough fight.  Regain 1d10 + Fighter Level in hit points.  Not much, but a lot to a character with low Constitution. 

Now we go into Rogue.  

Choose the Intimidation skill as Catra put the fear of herself in the Crimson Wastelanders.     

Lv 1   Choose two already selected skills for Expertise.  This will double her proficiency in them.  Choose Insight and Stealth.   

Rogue’s get the Sneak Attack ability which adds 1d6 damage die to any attack with advantage or an ally is within 5 ft of target.  Talk to your DM about Catra using her clawed unarmed strikes for sneak attacks.  If they okay it, great!  If not, then no worries, that’s why Catra has a whip which is a finesse weapon.  

Lv 2  Cunning Action lets Catra disengage, dash, or hide as a bonus action.  Letting her escape with ease when the fight becomes too much.

Lv 3  Choose Swashbuckler as Rogue Archetype.  

Fancy Footwork lets Catra attack with a melee weapon and disengage without provoking attack of opportunity.  

Also, Sneak Attack damage die goes up to 2d6

Lv 4 Ability Score Improvement.  By now your Dexterity should be maxed out.  Go ahead and get Wisdom and Charisma up.  Or great a feat.  Alert, Athletic, Mobility, or Observant 

Lv 5   Uncanny Dodge will allow Catra to halve damage as a reaction when struck by a target she can see.  

Her Sneak Attack damage goes up to 3d6, more than making up for the whip’s low damage yield.

 Lv 6 Expertise again.  Choose Deception and Persuasion.  Catra has a talent for manipulation.

Lv 7  Sneak Attack damage bumps up to 4d6.  Catra is already enjoying Evasion from her levels in Monk.  

Lv 8  Ability Score Improvement.  Wisdom should be maxed out by now, so put points into Charisma.  The option for feats is always open.  Alert, Athletic, Mobility, or Observant 

Lv 9    Sneak Attack is up to 5d6.  Granting excellent damage with the whip she stole from Tung Lashor.  

Also Rakish Audacity lets her add Charisma modifier to Initiative.  Also, she no longers needs an advantage or an ally within five ft of enemy to do sneak attack damage.  As long there are no other creatures within five feet of Catra and she’s not rolling with disadvantage, she can cut lose with the whip. 

Lv 10  Ability Score Improvement   Wisdom should be maxed out by now, so put points into Charisma.  The option for feats is always open.  Alert, Athletic, Mobility, or Observant

And there you have it.  Catra as a D&D character. She’s an excellent hand to hand combatant and fearsome with a whip.  Agile and light on her feet, she can cross a battle field within one movement and also heal herself with Second Wind and Wholeness of Body if she gets overpowered.  With her Wisdom and Charisma skills, she can easily trick and deceive others, using their emotional problems against them.

Downside is that Catra is now a strong fighter and is better coupled with a front line fighter such as Scorpia.  She would have low health points compared to others, but her Dexterity and abilities should prevent too much damage and she can heal herself as needed.  

Feel free to let this girl loose in the battle against the Princess Alliance.  

[robertrluc85]

10 Ways to Exploit Human Nature and Write Amazingly Appealing Headlines

Sucks, doesn’t it?

You know how important headlines are. You know the success of your blog hinges on your headlines. And you know that yours aren’t getting the job done.

Your blog posts just sit there collecting e-dust because your headlines barely get clicked.

So what are you doing wrong?

What are your headlines missing?

Well, chances are your headlines don’t exploit your audience’s human nature enough.

If you want your headlines to connect with your audience, you need to exploit their drives, their instincts, and, at the risk of sounding cynical, their utter self-absorption.

In fact, if you want to write better headlines, you should take lessons from those who exploit human nature on a daily basis — con artists, sleazy politicians, and anyone who manipulates people to further their own agenda.

You just have to be careful not to cross over to the dark side.

Let me explain…

Why You Must Write Headlines Like a Skilled Manipulator (Even If That’s Not Your Style)

Con men will say whatever you want to hear to get inside your wallet. Sleazy politicians will make any false promise and tell any half-truth if it means they’ll get your vote.

These skilled manipulators know exactly which buttons to push to get people to do what they want. They’re rotten scoundrels — and you, my friend, could stand to be more like them.

“What? I don’t want to be a scoundrel! I don’t want to manipulate anyone!”

Relax. I’m not saying you should.

As bloggers, we’re not in the market of manipulation — but we are in the market of persuasion. And there’s only the finest of lines between the two.

Think about it. The goal for both is to convince people to do what you want them to do. Con men want you to give them their money, while politicians want you to give them your vote. You want people to click your headlines and read your posts.

The only difference is that manipulation implies a degree of deception, while persuasion does not.

It’s no wonder the success of both relies on pushing the right buttons.

Want to find out what those are?

Keep reading.

How to Push the Right Buttons and Make Your Headlines Irresistibly Clickable

We all respond when certain buttons are pushed.

When we lose someone we love, we cry. When something pisses us off, we raise our voice. And when we open a bag of Cheetos, that sucker is empty ten minutes later.

It’s not exactly the same for everybody, but no matter how we respond, we will respond.

It’s in our nature.

And if you want to write headlines that appeal to your audience and get them to respond with a click, you need to know how to push the right buttons.

So let’s find out how to push those.

#1. Promise to Grant Their Wishes

Okay, this one’s familiar, right? You’ve probably heard your headline should offer the reader something they want.

But as familiar as it is, too many bloggers get this one wrong. They focus their headline on something they want their audience to want, or something they think their audience should want.

When you use this appeal in your headlines you have to ask yourself, “If I asked my audience what they wanted most right now, would anyone give this as an answer?”

Compare these, for example:

10 Crucial Steps to Writing a Stellar Business Plan

How to Write a Business Plan That Makes Investors Beg to Give You Their Money

At first glance, the first one doesn’t look half bad. But if you asked an audience of entrepreneurs what they wanted most right now, would anyone answer, “I want to write a stellar business plan”?

Doubtful, right?

On the other hand, they might well answer that they want investors to fund their business.

That’s the difference.

Questions to Ask:

What does your audience want most of all right now?

Where does your audience want to be in the future?

What do they want to have? Who do they want to be? What do they want to accomplish?

What are some smaller goals your audience could achieve today/ this week / this month that would bring them closer to that future?

What are some immediate problems your audience wants to have solved?

Examples:

How to Write a Business Plan That Makes Investors Beg to Give You Their Money

How to Get Your Beach Body in Shape and Rock Your Bikini This Summer

10 Ways to Turn Unruly Kids into Well-Behaved Little Angels

#2. Give Them a Scapegoat

“It’s not your fault.”

Those are four words everybody loves to hear when they feel like they’ve failed or made a mistake.

Because let’s face it, we all hate feeling like a failure or screw-up. Our egos would much rather shift the blame elsewhere so we can keep feeling good about ourselves.

So when your headline offers readers a valid excuse for not achieving their hopes and dreams, they’ll eat that up like warm chocolate pie.

Questions to Ask:

What is your audience trying but failing at?

What are some outside forces that hold your audience back?

Who or what can your audience blame for their lack of success?

Examples:

Why Investors Are Petrified to Fund New Businesses Right Now

How Supermarkets Brainwash Us into Buying Junk Food

10 Ways Class Overcrowding Is Killing Your Kid’s Grades

#3. Point the Finger of Blame

You can also take the opposite approach. Instead of pointing the finger at someone else, you can point it at your reader. You tell them their failures are all their own fault.

This appeals to the same basic desire as before — the desire not to feel like a screw-up. We’ll do anything to avoid mistakes and get things right because we want to avoid making fools of ourselves.

If we’re doing something wrong, we want to know so we can fix it.

Questions to Ask:

What common mistakes does your audience make?

How is your audience holding itself back?

What mistakes do they already suspect they’re making?

Examples:

10 Clear Warning Signs Your Business Idea Sucks

7 Common Dieting Mistakes That Make You Gain More Weight Than You Lose

How Pushy Parenting Can Hurt Your Children’s Grades

#4. Call Upon Their Tribal Sense

We are social creatures with an instinctual drive to belong. We don’t live in tribes in the same way our ancestors did, but this drive still exists in us nonetheless. These days, we use personal attributes to define which tribes we belong to.

For example, you might be a man, 40-something, married, entrepreneur, father, and theater fan. Or you might be a woman, 20-something, single, blogger, writer, and book lover.

These are all different kinds of “tribes” you might be part of. Calling one out in your headline will get the attention of anyone who feels like they belong to it.

But that’s not all. You can also use tribes to which your audience aspires to belong — the ones they wish they were a part of but aren’t quite yet. For instance, if you aspire to be a six-figure entrepreneur or best-selling author, any headline that mentions these tribes would get your attention too.

Questions to Ask:

Which labels and attributes would your audience use to describe themselves?

To what groups does your audience aspire to belong?

Examples:

20 Startup Secrets from Top Silicon Valley Companies**

7 Shocking Facts Every Dieter Should Know

15 Everyday Things Skinny People Do Differently

7 Scary Thoughts Only Dads Will Understand

The Single Mom’s Guide to Getting Regular Me-Time

*Notice how this headline states both the tribe the audience belongs to (Startups) AND the tribe they aspire to be part of (Top Silicon Valley Companies).

#5. Scare the Living Crap Out of Them

Fear and anxiety are powerful emotions. Everyone has experienced them at some point in their lives. They’re primal instincts that can override our brains and make us forget about everything else around us.

So imagine the power of a headline that stokes your readers’ biggest fears and anxieties.

Is their worst nightmare coming true? Are they right to be afraid? They’ll have to click to find out.

Questions to Ask:

What is the worst possible future your audience can imagine?

What are they afraid will happen if they [do X]?

What do they fear is already happening?

What situation does your audience dread finding themselves in?

Examples:

10 Pitching Mistakes That Make Investors Laugh Behind Your Back

15 Exercise Routines That Will Ruin Your Feminine Curves

7 Warning Signs Your Kids Are Having Unprotected Sex

#6. Put Their Worried Mind to Rest

While scaring the daylights out of your readers is fun, it’s not the only way you can use fear in your headlines. You can also take the opposite approach.

Just like your mom used to do when you were scared as a child, tell them there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Promise they can avoid the situations that cripple them with anxiety. Promise they can keep their nightmares from coming true. Promise they can take their desired actions without the disastrous consequences.

If your headline promises to relieve their fears, they’ll want to find out more.

Questions to Ask:

What is your audience worried about that they shouldn’t be worried about?

How can your audience prevent their fears from coming true?

What situation does your audience dread that you can make less scary for them?

Examples:

How to Raise Money for Your Business (Even if You Suck at Pitching Investors)

12 Exercises That Burn Off Fat Without Ruining Your Curves

5 Cringe-Free Ways to Teach Your Kids About Safe Sex

#7. Help Them Be Lazier

Let’s face it. If given the choice, we want to get stuff done quickly and easily, so we have more time to relax and do the things we enjoy.

Unfortunately, we often get stuck with tedious or complicated tasks that take a lot of time and effort to complete.

Can you help your audience simplify or fast-forward through those tasks? Use this promise in your headline.

Questions to Ask:

What does your audience find complicated?

What’s a recurring task your audience finds tedious?

What’s a recurring task that takes up too much of your audience’s time?

What’s a recurring task that your audience wishes they could skip?

Examples:

Can’t Stand Bookkeeping? Use This App to Get it Done on Autopilot

10 Simple Paleo Hacks: A Cheat Sheet for the Overwhelmed Beginner

How to Soothe a Crying Baby in 15 Seconds Flat

#8. Confirm Their Worst Suspicions

Have you ever watched a movie where you guessed the twist before it happened? Didn’t it make you feel smart for seeing it coming way before anyone else?

That’s the emotion we want to evoke with this appeal. Everybody loves having their suspicions, theories or opinions validated with some cold, hard proof. Let’s face it, we just love being proven right. (It beats being wrong!)

So when a headline promises to give us that validation, we want to know more. Because having uninformed opinions is one thing, but having facts to back them up — that’s catnip.

Questions to Ask:

What does your audience suspect is too good to be true?

What activity does your audience suspect doesn’t actually work?

Who does your audience suspect is lying to them, and what about?

Examples:

Why the Four-Hour Work Week Is a Foolish Pipe Dream

10 Fad Diets That Never Lead to Lasting Weight Loss

7 Lies Colleges Will Tell About Their Graduate Employment

#9. Demolish Their Conventional Wisdom

Breaking with conventional wisdom is a powerful way to grab attention.

When everyone repeats a certain idea, we’re prone to accept it as true. And the more we see an idea repeated, the stronger our belief in that idea becomes. At some point, we treat these beliefs as common sense.

But we don’t always get it right, do we? And when you can point out how everyone else got it wrong, you’ll shock people out of their comatose state.

They’ll either be curious to find out whether you can back up your claim, or eager to prove you wrong. But in either case, they click.

Questions to Ask:

What conventional beliefs does your audience hold that are flat out wrong?

Which established methods are holding your audience back?

What preconceptions does your audience have that hold them back?

What commonly peddled advice is misleading your audience?

Examples:

10 Reasons You Should Ship a Shitty Product

How to Lose Weight on a McDonald’s Diet

Why You Should Never Force Kids to Finish Their Plates

#10. Hate on Your Common Enemies

You may have heard this phrase before: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

And it’s true. Shared animosity is a powerful unifier.

So when your headline takes aim at someone (or something) your audience hates, they’ll feel like you’re on their side. They’ll want to find out what you have to say because, as mentioned before, people are always looking for confirmation.

It’s a powerful appeal, but try not to become an outright hate-monger. Remember, we’re trying not to cross over to the dark side!

Questions to Ask:

Who does your audience hate?

What groups of people does your audience hate?

What companies does your audience hate?

What products does your audience hate?

What activities does your audience hate?

What situations does your audience hate?

What events does your audience hate?

What else does your audience hate?

Examples:

How to Silence Those Uppity Investors Meddling with Your Business

10 Reasons Why Dieting Is Torture Worse Than Waterboarding

Parents Must Finally Unite to Destroy All Legos

Exploit Human Nature and Get Your Headlines Clicked

As a blogger, you know that understanding your audience is key to your success. But that goes deeper than understanding their unique struggles and interests. You must also understand their very nature.

You must know what makes people tick. You must know what drives them. You must know which buttons to push to make them click your headlines.

Go through the list above and answer all the questions. That will give you a list of topics to write about.

Put each one in a headline template, add a power word or two, and you’ll end up with amazingly appealing headlines.

If you push the right buttons, your audience can’t help but respond.

So go ahead and push those buttons.

About the Author: Robert van Tongeren is the former Associate Editor of Smart Blogger. He has also helped countless of our students get published on big blogs like Huffington Post, Tiny Buddha and Fast Company. Want to shape up your headline skills fast? Sign up for his free weekly headline repair.

The post 10 Ways to Exploit Human Nature and Write Amazingly Appealing Headlines appeared first on Smart Blogger.

from SEO and SM Tips https://smartblogger.com/headline-writing/

[sandranelsonuk]

10 Ways to Exploit Human Nature and Write Amazingly Appealing Headlines

Sucks, doesn’t it?

You know how important headlines are. You know the success of your blog hinges on your headlines. And you know that yours aren’t getting the job done.

Your blog posts just sit there collecting e-dust because your headlines barely get clicked.

So what are you doing wrong?

What are your headlines missing?

Well, chances are your headlines don’t exploit your audience’s human nature enough.

If you want your headlines to connect with your audience, you need to exploit their drives, their instincts, and, at the risk of sounding cynical, their utter self-absorption.

In fact, if you want to write better headlines, you should take lessons from those who exploit human nature on a daily basis — con artists, sleazy politicians, and anyone who manipulates people to further their own agenda.

You just have to be careful not to cross over to the dark side.

Let me explain…

Why You Must Write Headlines Like a Skilled Manipulator (Even If That’s Not Your Style)

Con men will say whatever you want to hear to get inside your wallet. Sleazy politicians will make any false promise and tell any half-truth if it means they’ll get your vote.

These skilled manipulators know exactly which buttons to push to get people to do what they want. They’re rotten scoundrels — and you, my friend, could stand to be more like them.

“What? I don’t want to be a scoundrel! I don’t want to manipulate anyone!”

Relax. I’m not saying you should.

As bloggers, we’re not in the market of manipulation — but we are in the market of persuasion. And there’s only the finest of lines between the two.

Think about it. The goal for both is to convince people to do what you want them to do. Con men want you to give them their money, while politicians want you to give them your vote. You want people to click your headlines and read your posts.

The only difference is that manipulation implies a degree of deception, while persuasion does not.

It’s no wonder the success of both relies on pushing the right buttons.

Want to find out what those are?

Keep reading.

How to Push the Right Buttons and Make Your Headlines Irresistibly Clickable

We all respond when certain buttons are pushed.

When we lose someone we love, we cry. When something pisses us off, we raise our voice. And when we open a bag of Cheetos, that sucker is empty ten minutes later.

It’s not exactly the same for everybody, but no matter how we respond, we will respond.

It’s in our nature.

And if you want to write headlines that appeal to your audience and get them to respond with a click, you need to know how to push the right buttons.

So let’s find out how to push those.

#1. Promise to Grant Their Wishes

Okay, this one’s familiar, right? You’ve probably heard your headline should offer the reader something they want.

But as familiar as it is, too many bloggers get this one wrong. They focus their headline on something they want their audience to want, or something they think their audience should want.

When you use this appeal in your headlines you have to ask yourself, “If I asked my audience what they wanted most right now, would anyone give this as an answer?”

Compare these, for example:

10 Crucial Steps to Writing a Stellar Business Plan

How to Write a Business Plan That Makes Investors Beg to Give You Their Money

At first glance, the first one doesn’t look half bad. But if you asked an audience of entrepreneurs what they wanted most right now, would anyone answer, “I want to write a stellar business plan”?

Doubtful, right?

On the other hand, they might well answer that they want investors to fund their business.

That’s the difference.

Questions to Ask:

What does your audience want most of all right now?

Where does your audience want to be in the future?

What do they want to have? Who do they want to be? What do they want to accomplish?

What are some smaller goals your audience could achieve today/ this week / this month that would bring them closer to that future?

What are some immediate problems your audience wants to have solved?

Examples:

How to Write a Business Plan That Makes Investors Beg to Give You Their Money

How to Get Your Beach Body in Shape and Rock Your Bikini This Summer

10 Ways to Turn Unruly Kids into Well-Behaved Little Angels

#2. Give Them a Scapegoat

“It’s not your fault.”

Those are four words everybody loves to hear when they feel like they’ve failed or made a mistake.

Because let’s face it, we all hate feeling like a failure or screw-up. Our egos would much rather shift the blame elsewhere so we can keep feeling good about ourselves.

So when your headline offers readers a valid excuse for not achieving their hopes and dreams, they’ll eat that up like warm chocolate pie.

Questions to Ask:

What is your audience trying but failing at?

What are some outside forces that hold your audience back?

Who or what can your audience blame for their lack of success?

Examples:

Why Investors Are Petrified to Fund New Businesses Right Now

How Supermarkets Brainwash Us into Buying Junk Food

10 Ways Class Overcrowding Is Killing Your Kid’s Grades

#3. Point the Finger of Blame

You can also take the opposite approach. Instead of pointing the finger at someone else, you can point it at your reader. You tell them their failures are all their own fault.

This appeals to the same basic desire as before — the desire not to feel like a screw-up. We’ll do anything to avoid mistakes and get things right because we want to avoid making fools of ourselves.

If we’re doing something wrong, we want to know so we can fix it.

Questions to Ask:

What common mistakes does your audience make?

How is your audience holding itself back?

What mistakes do they already suspect they’re making?

Examples:

10 Clear Warning Signs Your Business Idea Sucks

7 Common Dieting Mistakes That Make You Gain More Weight Than You Lose

How Pushy Parenting Can Hurt Your Children’s Grades

#4. Call Upon Their Tribal Sense

We are social creatures with an instinctual drive to belong. We don’t live in tribes in the same way our ancestors did, but this drive still exists in us nonetheless. These days, we use personal attributes to define which tribes we belong to.

For example, you might be a man, 40-something, married, entrepreneur, father, and theater fan. Or you might be a woman, 20-something, single, blogger, writer, and book lover.

These are all different kinds of “tribes” you might be part of. Calling one out in your headline will get the attention of anyone who feels like they belong to it.

But that’s not all. You can also use tribes to which your audience aspires to belong — the ones they wish they were a part of but aren’t quite yet. For instance, if you aspire to be a six-figure entrepreneur or best-selling author, any headline that mentions these tribes would get your attention too.

Questions to Ask:

Which labels and attributes would your audience use to describe themselves?

To what groups does your audience aspire to belong?

Examples:

20 Startup Secrets from Top Silicon Valley Companies**

7 Shocking Facts Every Dieter Should Know

15 Everyday Things Skinny People Do Differently

7 Scary Thoughts Only Dads Will Understand

The Single Mom’s Guide to Getting Regular Me-Time

*Notice how this headline states both the tribe the audience belongs to (Startups) AND the tribe they aspire to be part of (Top Silicon Valley Companies).

#5. Scare the Living Crap Out of Them

Fear and anxiety are powerful emotions. Everyone has experienced them at some point in their lives. They’re primal instincts that can override our brains and make us forget about everything else around us.

So imagine the power of a headline that stokes your readers’ biggest fears and anxieties.

Is their worst nightmare coming true? Are they right to be afraid? They’ll have to click to find out.

Questions to Ask:

What is the worst possible future your audience can imagine?

What are they afraid will happen if they [do X]?

What do they fear is already happening?

What situation does your audience dread finding themselves in?

Examples:

10 Pitching Mistakes That Make Investors Laugh Behind Your Back

15 Exercise Routines That Will Ruin Your Feminine Curves

7 Warning Signs Your Kids Are Having Unprotected Sex

#6. Put Their Worried Mind to Rest

While scaring the daylights out of your readers is fun, it’s not the only way you can use fear in your headlines. You can also take the opposite approach.

Just like your mom used to do when you were scared as a child, tell them there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Promise they can avoid the situations that cripple them with anxiety. Promise they can keep their nightmares from coming true. Promise they can take their desired actions without the disastrous consequences.

If your headline promises to relieve their fears, they’ll want to find out more.

Questions to Ask:

What is your audience worried about that they shouldn’t be worried about?

How can your audience prevent their fears from coming true?

What situation does your audience dread that you can make less scary for them?

Examples:

How to Raise Money for Your Business (Even if You Suck at Pitching Investors)

12 Exercises That Burn Off Fat Without Ruining Your Curves

5 Cringe-Free Ways to Teach Your Kids About Safe Sex

#7. Help Them Be Lazier

Let’s face it. If given the choice, we want to get stuff done quickly and easily, so we have more time to relax and do the things we enjoy.

Unfortunately, we often get stuck with tedious or complicated tasks that take a lot of time and effort to complete.

Can you help your audience simplify or fast-forward through those tasks? Use this promise in your headline.

Questions to Ask:

What does your audience find complicated?

What’s a recurring task your audience finds tedious?

What’s a recurring task that takes up too much of your audience’s time?

What’s a recurring task that your audience wishes they could skip?

Examples:

Can’t Stand Bookkeeping? Use This App to Get it Done on Autopilot

10 Simple Paleo Hacks: A Cheat Sheet for the Overwhelmed Beginner

How to Soothe a Crying Baby in 15 Seconds Flat

#8. Confirm Their Worst Suspicions

Have you ever watched a movie where you guessed the twist before it happened? Didn’t it make you feel smart for seeing it coming way before anyone else?

That’s the emotion we want to evoke with this appeal. Everybody loves having their suspicions, theories or opinions validated with some cold, hard proof. Let’s face it, we just love being proven right. (It beats being wrong!)

So when a headline promises to give us that validation, we want to know more. Because having uninformed opinions is one thing, but having facts to back them up — that’s catnip.

Questions to Ask:

What does your audience suspect is too good to be true?

What activity does your audience suspect doesn’t actually work?

Who does your audience suspect is lying to them, and what about?

Examples:

Why the Four-Hour Work Week Is a Foolish Pipe Dream

10 Fad Diets That Never Lead to Lasting Weight Loss

7 Lies Colleges Will Tell About Their Graduate Employment

#9. Demolish Their Conventional Wisdom

Breaking with conventional wisdom is a powerful way to grab attention.

When everyone repeats a certain idea, we’re prone to accept it as true. And the more we see an idea repeated, the stronger our belief in that idea becomes. At some point, we treat these beliefs as common sense.

But we don’t always get it right, do we? And when you can point out how everyone else got it wrong, you’ll shock people out of their comatose state.

They’ll either be curious to find out whether you can back up your claim, or eager to prove you wrong. But in either case, they click.

Questions to Ask:

What conventional beliefs does your audience hold that are flat out wrong?

Which established methods are holding your audience back?

What preconceptions does your audience have that hold them back?

What commonly peddled advice is misleading your audience?

Examples:

10 Reasons You Should Ship a Shitty Product

How to Lose Weight on a McDonald’s Diet

Why You Should Never Force Kids to Finish Their Plates

#10. Hate on Your Common Enemies

You may have heard this phrase before: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

And it’s true. Shared animosity is a powerful unifier.

So when your headline takes aim at someone (or something) your audience hates, they’ll feel like you’re on their side. They’ll want to find out what you have to say because, as mentioned before, people are always looking for confirmation.

It’s a powerful appeal, but try not to become an outright hate-monger. Remember, we’re trying not to cross over to the dark side!

Questions to Ask:

Who does your audience hate?

What groups of people does your audience hate?

What companies does your audience hate?

What products does your audience hate?

What activities does your audience hate?

What situations does your audience hate?

What events does your audience hate?

What else does your audience hate?

Examples:

How to Silence Those Uppity Investors Meddling with Your Business

10 Reasons Why Dieting Is Torture Worse Than Waterboarding

Parents Must Finally Unite to Destroy All Legos

Exploit Human Nature and Get Your Headlines Clicked

As a blogger, you know that understanding your audience is key to your success. But that goes deeper than understanding their unique struggles and interests. You must also understand their very nature.

You must know what makes people tick. You must know what drives them. You must know which buttons to push to make them click your headlines.

Go through the list above and answer all the questions. That will give you a list of topics to write about.

Put each one in a headline template, add a power word or two, and you’ll end up with amazingly appealing headlines.

If you push the right buttons, your audience can’t help but respond.

So go ahead and push those buttons.

About the Author: Robert van Tongeren is the former Associate Editor of Smart Blogger. He has also helped countless of our students get published on big blogs like Huffington Post, Tiny Buddha and Fast Company. Want to shape up your headline skills fast? Sign up for his free weekly headline repair.

The post 10 Ways to Exploit Human Nature and Write Amazingly Appealing Headlines appeared first on Smart Blogger.

from Julia Garza Social Media Tips https://smartblogger.com/headline-writing/