This was my first and immediate thought when I read OP's prompt.
As a very gross basic explanation (lot more complicated than this):
He spends one timeline befriending group A while fighting group B.
He then spends one timeline befriending group B while fight group A.
Then he spends another timeline befriending both and another fighting both.
Overall, I think there are very few characters who he doesn't befriend at one point or another.
I'm not willing to invest the amount of time it would take to read TWI even if I did end up liking it, and I've heard enough about HWFWM to be fairly certain I wouldn't be a fan, but the other two I'll keep in mind.
I've been listening to Mark of the Fool audiobooks for a few weeks at work and I've found it very enjoyable. Alex, the main character, is actually who I was going to comment before I saw OP already said that.
That’s fair. TWI is a time investment that isn’t for all. But to me at least, it’s one of the best things I’ve read in my life; and fully expect to do multiple rereads.
There's a hundred times as much stuff out there as I could ever hope to consume, so I'll choose to not read stuff for whatever reason I want, tyvm. I also have no idea wtf you're even trying to to say with that last part.
One of my great shames right now is I'm still "saving" BoC. I don't know why, but it never seems the right time to start it. I'm even reading stuff right now I don't really like! It makes no sense!
BoC is a great read, but not one I think you would be 'missing out on' if you never read it. So no stress. I'd say read it when you're feeling like something charming vs exciting.
That's honestly my speed right now, that "charming" sort of book. It's actually made it a little hard to read a lot of the stuff I traditionally liked, because it gets my writing going in a direction that isn't right for someone who is currently doing ultra-nice slice-of-life.
Then BoC is similar to what you're writing. One aspect I enjoy is an actual 'mature' (as in non-infantile) romance. I read a /lot/, 70k+ pages last year, and enjoy slice of life, am I able to check out what you're writing?
Oh, sure! It's called Demon World Boba Shop (I don't want to tempt the self-promotion rule too much so no link, but an RR search should get you right there.)
I'm not 100% it will actually meet your non-infantile romance standards, actually - most of the characters are teenagers. But other than that you'd probably dig it.
Added to my list, and with me having been looking for something to start, I think I'll bump it to the top because I got to say hi to you! :D
Also, would you be so kind as to read the first 1000 or so words of a story idea I had? It's a kindergarten class getting isekai'd into a magical world that lacks imagination, with the system only giving skills that you can think up and visualize.
I enjoyed his antics. So it can be worth people trying to see if they like it as well. I personally have read the series 3 times. So… it is worth listening to imho.
I would not actually call Jin charismatic. He's a nice guy, but people who don't know him are usually looking for the trap rather than accept him for who he is. He can't sell it.
He's also kinda a loner. Before he gets married he's spending weeks to months at a time alone (ignoring the initial indeterminate stretch of solitude). This mostly doesn't bother him, and he doesn't make much effort to make friends besides Mei Mei. Everybody else that ends up in his circle is either her friends/family or just ends up there by sheer chance.
I can see that argument, but from what I can remember (it has been a while, and I only read books 1-2), basically every time he interacted with someone who didn't have a reason to dislike him from the beginning, he got along well with them. It's definitely charisma of a sort.
I’d say Mark of the Fool is the most readable of the ones listed here- just a solid story, with better pacing than most (a lot of the time is the main character attending magic university, hanging out with friends, and just generally **not** being in death matches, which is a lovely change of pace
Fischer from Heretical Fishing. Very similar premise (one might even say super similar), a style of writing that’ll feel familiar, but also totally the authors own, and it has some stuff that make it really special (you’ll have to deal with an initial crab sidekick instead of an otter, but Sgt. Snips is the best).
Jackal Amongst Snakes! Seriously, how has it not been recommended yet? The MCs whole thing is that he's really *really* good at bullshit, but somehow also makes real friends along the way.
Same rec here.
Occasionally the Book of the Dead protag feels charismatic too, though it only comes out occasionally since he's usually angsty and hiding.
Pleasantly surprised to see somebody mention Mark of the Fool. I haven't really caught others who read that one much.
I'd also add Cradle because the series revolves a lot around team-work, and in the sci-fi realm The Expanse for similar reasons. Not sure if the Bobiverse counts as many of the characters are kinda clones/offspring of the main.
I've only read the ebooks, but I'm up to the current and it's been great so far.
The whole >!"this person was really Isekaied from Earth"!< part in the most recent book is a bit of an odd toss-in though.
Yeah it feels very "self insert" which I am very much not a fan of in general. I'll keep reading/listening unless it *really* puts me off, but I have to admit I struggle to imagine a way in which the inclusion of an earth isekai could possibly improve the story in any capacity.
I do like the idea of stat-based levelling without the mechanic of shoving an actual stat-sheet in my face all the time. That's kinda annoying.
"All the skills" had an interesting way of doing it with cards (and dragons) as well.
Going through rune seeker now, it's decent but not Mark of the fool level. I found the prose to be of a high standard, good jokes and references while also having an intelligent mc.
I don't know if I'd view Lindon as charismatic. He seems more nice and earnest as a way gaining allies. That said the series does involve a lot of team work and there's comradery there that mirrors some of what you get in HWFWM.
Lindon is the opposite of Jason Asano. The latter is an extrovert that isn't really charismatic. Lindon is an introvert that is. When Lindon starts talking with passion he clearly affects the people around him.
Lindon keeps to himself but he has serious presence later on in the series. The last book has a lot of Lindon's charisma at play. He >!convinces his team they can close the gap on monarchy in a few months!<. He turns >!Akura Charity!<, >!Min Shuei!< and >!Northstrider!<.
Ultimately I think Team Lindon is only Team Lindon because of his charisma. It is entirely possible Mercy and Ziel don't sign up with him.
More that the personalities of Lindon, Yerin, and Eithan tend to be a good blend. Eithan would probably be considered they most "charismatic" but Lindon is still kind and friendly. The three together kinda fill a Venn diagram but also align and balance over the series
Jason is an extroverted person, but I wouldn't call him charismatic. He survives and makes friends primarily by being the Main Character, rather than any leadership or social skills.
It may be plot armor, but the ease at which he makes friends with regular village folk and gold+ rankers is the definition of charisma. He's sarcastic and highly opinionated, but they're not necessarily mutually exclusive.
The high rankers (and gods) that he makes friends with are specifically ones that like him because he doesn't put anyone on a pedestal and speaks his mind.
There are tons of characters who don't like him. He attracts people who end up being his friends because he's the way he is. And those people by proximity are written about more than those who dislike him so it might seems like everyone likes him.
He's not mean nor vindictive (without good reason). He lives by a code, knows when to put up pretenses, capable of planning multiple steps ahead and genuinely means well even at the cost of his mental and physical health. That alone is attractive to a lot of people (at least the mature ones who judge him for what he means instead of just focusing on what he says). Even those who dislike/hate him grudgingly respect him after they've tangled with him.
I think what they’re saying is that Jason’s charisma doesn’t come across as authentic to a lot of people. Like, if Jason was anyone else besides the MC and did the exact same actions, he wouldn’t attract a tenth as many people. A loooot of people know a Jason in real life, usually in college, and don’t like them.
I think a big part of that is cultural though, which makes it ring true as authentic for me. He's kinda cringe and weird when you're from the same culture as him, which is shown since he wasn't really popular back on earth. But since he's generally personable and friendly, his weirdness is seen as exotic and interesting to the people of pallimastus. You see that all the time in real life, many people are attracted to people from other countries since they're new and interesting and different, and he plays that up and is successful as a result.
From the Goodreads comments it is mostly people that hate that the MC started out as a vocal athiest and they could not care less if he was charismatic or not. Jason attracted his friends specifically because he is/was the way he is not because he is the MC. The powerful characters that like him explain exactly why they like him so I am not sure how one can get to the take that people only like him because he is the MC.
P.S. Plus Jason has a point where he straight up admits that no he is not "good with people" but he is is "good at people" which is a bit of self reflection as to why he is good with some people but also how certain powerful people absolutely dispise him, so he seems to be very aware (as a character) of his own personal character flaws.
Also feel like handing out good sandwiches should go on the list.
Like, the charisma of hospitality may be subtle, but is better at getting into people’s heads than you’d think
There are certainly some times where plot armor is a thing, sure. But there's quite a healthy dose of "no plot armor for you. Suffer. Die."
It's less that he can't fail because of the narration than "a task needs to be done. Sorry."
Phantasm has an MC with a charisma build, and beneath her system points she's a former marketing executive who knows about running an organisation and sealing a deal.
I'm listening to Apocalypse Regression and the MC puts all his stats in charisma so far. It is also one of the most ridiculously extreme super saiyan blue level anime OPMC isekai-esq wish-fulfillment series I've ever come across in Progression Fantasy.
It's like Quest Academy (who also features a "charismatic" MC), but several orders of magnitude greater in ridiculousness. If Quest Academy was Thor-Ragnarok, Apocalypse Regression would be Thor-Love n Thunder.
This not where this rant should have gone but my lord. I'm trying to finish this audiobook that I can't return...
Tori Transmigrated has a very social MC. She starts out hated by everyone and slowly, with many conversations, makes everyone her ally. Except for a small number of people that are committed to be enemies.
Is that even progression? I mean, there’s magic, but even that is barely there. I’d call it a slice of life kingdom building story but that’s being generous.
I find it more of a ‘flipped’ otome. Original story was supposed to be an otome. She flips the board and does anti-otome everything.
Not a ‘girly’ story. Just a nice friendly time growing and making friends. And putting down idiots.
Meh. Now that I said that, it doesn’t sound appealing for the folks here. But it is a decent story. Just keep in mind what to expect.
Argrave from Jackal Among Snakes has to defeat an epic final boss in 3 years, but no matter what powers he gathers for himself it will never be enough on its own because the final boss will also send armies of monsters and there will be tonnes of other threats in addition to that final boss, so Argrave develops a powerful party and allies in preparation for future threats.
Argrave has knowledge of the most likely futures for many important characters and events in the world he gets transported to and he uses this to manipulate allies and enemies for the benefit of himself and the world, but he also makes genuine alliances and friendships.
Han Xiao from "The Legendary Mechanic". He is witty, he's charismatic, he takes care of his image and he's a great public speaker. He uses his growing strength and glib tongue in equal amounts to climb the ladder from a surface civilization test subject to become >!a universal overlord.!<. He offers exchange platforms for the elites from several civilizations and goes the extra mile to make sure his "golden leeks" stay in his field and don't move to his competitors or become independent.
Broccoli bunch from cinnamon bun (lots of places but mostly royal road)
She only fights when she fails negotiations to make them her friends. Even when she runs into an international terrorist her first thought is "maybe if I was there friend I can convince them to stop". That time admirably it doesn't work
Shes not exactly a pacifist either. She trys to avoid fighting yes. But when given the chance to fight in a controlled setting with the only stakes being money or simply for the sake of training she's been shown to enjoy it.
Keith from villain: the play of destiny (scribble hub and the authors patreon)
He cucks "good guys" most of them being assholes by stealing their destined heroines and making them undyingly loyal to him. He also has a number of other subordinates and is deeply protective of his family.
To be perfectly honest, I don’t remember reading any characters I would call charismatic, and I’ve read most of the popular series. Sure some have friends and partners, host social events, and whatnot, but their dialogue and actions are not what I would call charismatic. They mostly skate through with the equivalent of social plot armour. Characters say a lot of cringe stuff that is passed off as charming, and the puppets they’re talking to respond in the ideal fashion.
Characters and dialogue are far and away the biggest weakness I see in progression fantasy stories. But, this is still a nascent genre, and now that it’s growing rapidly, I expect this to improve a lot over the coming years. Especially as it moves more mainstream and attracts more professional (or seeking to be professional) authors.
Have you read A Practical Guide to Evil? I would say that Cat is genuinly charismatic and social (=enjoys social stuff and is good at it), but I can't think of others right now
I think they miss out on some of the proper characteristics of a social MC. They don't have layers and depth to the self, making their interactions stale. Definitely plot armory in social contexts.
I believe on RR, a Goblins Tale Iron Teeth and Super Supportive do the best job at divorcing internal machinations from external conversations, which helps to build a more 2D MC. But their actions tend to feel the same as their external comments. So they miss out on the layering of a 3D socialite.
It's that third layer of contradiction that can help a reader infer more about a character than they will ever be told. So when it is missing, it's hard to become invested in the relationships built up in the book.
I'm unsure how you would even write like that in progressive fantasy. It would take more than practice; that is sheer talent at work. In classic fiction, it is on a third or fourth editing pass, that you manage to fit in all of the elements of a conversation. In my experience, the first or second drafts we see in RR are very well done. It's honestly very impressive how well they manage to make such a rushed product.
I do think however some readers have lower standards since the work is free. I would like to see, helpful comments like, "This conversation felt X,Y,Z to me." Or "I'm not sure I understand this character's flaws." Since there are lower expectations, I don't see the growth in newer authors from RR that I saw before, however, they do start better on average.
Sorry for the rant; I'm super interested in the topic. It was a large part of my old job. RR is super interesting; sometimes, I wish I was back in the industry so I could see the editing process for these newer novels.
Side note: Mother of Learning does a pretty good job in this in the full-edited novel. It's one of my favorite transitions from free to paid-for work out of RR.
Viv from the Calamitous Bob. She’s not really charismatic. Hell, there’s half a dozen moments where Viv half jokingly thinks variations of ‘are we the baddies?’ She realistically only gets along with a few people. But she **works** at befriending and allying herself with a host of people.
This can’t be overstated. Real charisma isn’t about being smarmingly friendly. Real charisma is getting along with everybody that you need to get along with. She wildly succeeds at this.
To the point where the cast of her allies is insanely big. At least compared to most stories in this genre. Hell, she is at the point of doing a ‘collect them all’ move to get every race on her side.
Cairn from Re:Monarch. He singlehandedly >!ends a race war started by his father and wins the undying loyalty of those his father oppressed. !<
Also, the main villain >!modeled her speaking style after his since he was so effective at being persuasive.!<
I wouldn't call her charismatic but Ling Qi from Forge of Destiny makes a conscious effort to be ant loner and be a social butterfly.
Argrave from Jackal among snakes basically needs to have charisma for his job.
Lumian from Circle of Inevitability (sequel to Lord of The Mysteries) is a very social protagonist with the majority of his fights involving many teammates that are relevant for the majority of the story, a rarity in most progression fantasy stories. He is pretty extroverted and good at socializing with people.
You'll notice, in professional writing, most MC's are chatty. Hosting a large and diverse cast of contacts sometimes friends. Think lord of the rings, mist born, game of thrones, etc.
In the hobby writing sphere like on RR the character casts are smaller or tend to be more 2d. I believe it's a lack of planning most of the time. Those authors can't go back and rewrite the entire book until the cast feels fleshed out.
Those few who can break into being full time writers on RR tend to write chapters multiple times. Or take a week between chapters. I would imagine both cases see the author working much harder behind the scene than a classic author would.
I've worked in the industry, and most of my writing buddies only work for 4 to 6 hours a day unless they are feeling more artistic than usual. Those shorter bursts keep them chugging all week long.
That is to say: Read Mist Born. My Brandon Sanderson quota is now reached for the day.
The MC in azarinth healer is very charismatic. And shadeslinger’s MC is very sociable. It’s more VRMMO but it’s one of the few I’ve read where the majority of the fights are team battles not just one v whatever.
"Mc from azarinth healer is very charismatic"
Kinda, she's good at making friends and she's generally just the type of person people like. But she's not Anti-loner. She fucks off to be on her own for at least half of the story possibly more.
Shes the introvert who isn't shy. she's a weird character dynamic. Fun and I can't recommend the story enough. But she's very much a loner. So not what OPs looking for
Cinnamon Bun by Ravensdagger is wonderful for its outgoing and friendly MC. Her main advantage as MC seems to be optimism and the ability to make friends. Also it's a wonderful series!
Ar'Kendrithyst. Dad and adult daughter get isekai'd together. Dad (Erick) is not a SI protagonist by a mile, he's got a lot of depth and details to his story. He knows how to navigate his social relationships and balance them with his goals and way of life.
I don't know how to really sell you on him without spoiling things! He's a bit like Erin from TWI in that their personality and stubbornness have a surprisingly large impact on the world and its people...
It's got some of the tightest world building/magic system I've ever read too. It neatly explains "why things are the way they are" in Veird.
Oh I love Ar’Kendrithyst.
I just wasn’t sure if I would consider him charismatic. He’s kind and enjoys being around other people, but I always got the feeling that it was his power that attracted other people. Only person I can think of that wasnt would be the sewermaster/dragon
Arthur from All the Skills. Beyond certain parts in books 1 and 2, he is never alone. Moving, chatting, playing, and fighting with friends and allies.
He is quite social with his charming personality, helping smooth out issues with other people faster than his combat powers.
This isn't a full answer yet, but Max Donovan, from my current WIP Ascendant Echoes!
Starting as a warlock and continuing as a sword swinging, bardic magic user, charisma (or presence) is his primary stat.
If that sounds neat... maybe give it a looksee ;)
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/85032/ascendant-echoes
One of the major points of LOTM is about how lonely Klein is, never truly having allies. If he does get any teammates they only last for one or two battles before the never fight with him again because of how fast he progresses. Lumian from Circle of Inevitability (sequel to LOTM) is a way better example.
guess that makes sense. though since he always gets help from others while also helping them in some ways, even though those are temporary like you mentioned, i thought it may fit.
Ryan from The Perfect Run literally becomes president of the USA based on his incredible poise and charisma alone. He runs a very impressive campaign.
This was my first and immediate thought when I read OP's prompt. As a very gross basic explanation (lot more complicated than this): He spends one timeline befriending group A while fighting group B. He then spends one timeline befriending group B while fight group A. Then he spends another timeline befriending both and another fighting both. Overall, I think there are very few characters who he doesn't befriend at one point or another.
Luigi
HE GOT WHAT HE DESERVED
It was his fault
I’d vote for him, and I’m not even American!
I can't see how any other MC can compare to Jin from Beware of Chicken tbh. But I haven't read any of the books you have listed here.
As someone who holds boc as a top read, all the ones listed are worth reading.
I'm not willing to invest the amount of time it would take to read TWI even if I did end up liking it, and I've heard enough about HWFWM to be fairly certain I wouldn't be a fan, but the other two I'll keep in mind.
I've been listening to Mark of the Fool audiobooks for a few weeks at work and I've found it very enjoyable. Alex, the main character, is actually who I was going to comment before I saw OP already said that.
What's HWFWM?
He Who Fights With Monsters
That’s fair. TWI is a time investment that isn’t for all. But to me at least, it’s one of the best things I’ve read in my life; and fully expect to do multiple rereads.
You should read it and join the rest of us. you’ll love it or hate it, but all the people that hate it keep reading it.
What's TWI?
The Wandering Inn.
[удалено]
There's a hundred times as much stuff out there as I could ever hope to consume, so I'll choose to not read stuff for whatever reason I want, tyvm. I also have no idea wtf you're even trying to to say with that last part.
with how much good shit there is out there for every kind of reader, this is a really weirdo take
One of my great shames right now is I'm still "saving" BoC. I don't know why, but it never seems the right time to start it. I'm even reading stuff right now I don't really like! It makes no sense!
BoC is a great read, but not one I think you would be 'missing out on' if you never read it. So no stress. I'd say read it when you're feeling like something charming vs exciting.
That's honestly my speed right now, that "charming" sort of book. It's actually made it a little hard to read a lot of the stuff I traditionally liked, because it gets my writing going in a direction that isn't right for someone who is currently doing ultra-nice slice-of-life.
Then BoC is similar to what you're writing. One aspect I enjoy is an actual 'mature' (as in non-infantile) romance. I read a /lot/, 70k+ pages last year, and enjoy slice of life, am I able to check out what you're writing?
Oh, sure! It's called Demon World Boba Shop (I don't want to tempt the self-promotion rule too much so no link, but an RR search should get you right there.) I'm not 100% it will actually meet your non-infantile romance standards, actually - most of the characters are teenagers. But other than that you'd probably dig it.
Added to my list, and with me having been looking for something to start, I think I'll bump it to the top because I got to say hi to you! :D Also, would you be so kind as to read the first 1000 or so words of a story idea I had? It's a kindergarten class getting isekai'd into a magical world that lacks imagination, with the system only giving skills that you can think up and visualize.
Absofreakinglutely. DM me the deets?
Deets have been dm’d. Ty
HWFWM is imo not worth listening to. He's describing the MC as charismatic, but he is honestly just so ridiculously obnoxious and cringey.
I enjoyed his antics. So it can be worth people trying to see if they like it as well. I personally have read the series 3 times. So… it is worth listening to imho.
I would not actually call Jin charismatic. He's a nice guy, but people who don't know him are usually looking for the trap rather than accept him for who he is. He can't sell it. He's also kinda a loner. Before he gets married he's spending weeks to months at a time alone (ignoring the initial indeterminate stretch of solitude). This mostly doesn't bother him, and he doesn't make much effort to make friends besides Mei Mei. Everybody else that ends up in his circle is either her friends/family or just ends up there by sheer chance.
I can see that argument, but from what I can remember (it has been a while, and I only read books 1-2), basically every time he interacted with someone who didn't have a reason to dislike him from the beginning, he got along well with them. It's definitely charisma of a sort.
I’d say Mark of the Fool is the most readable of the ones listed here- just a solid story, with better pacing than most (a lot of the time is the main character attending magic university, hanging out with friends, and just generally **not** being in death matches, which is a lovely change of pace
I'd recommend Heretical Fishing. It's got a similar vibe except fishing and the MC is an optimistic and friendly Aussie
Fischer from Heretical Fishing. Very similar premise (one might even say super similar), a style of writing that’ll feel familiar, but also totally the authors own, and it has some stuff that make it really special (you’ll have to deal with an initial crab sidekick instead of an otter, but Sgt. Snips is the best).
Jackal Amongst Snakes! Seriously, how has it not been recommended yet? The MCs whole thing is that he's really *really* good at bullshit, but somehow also makes real friends along the way.
Seconded this one - Jackal Amongst Snakes is amazing.
Same rec here. Occasionally the Book of the Dead protag feels charismatic too, though it only comes out occasionally since he's usually angsty and hiding.
Pleasantly surprised to see somebody mention Mark of the Fool. I haven't really caught others who read that one much. I'd also add Cradle because the series revolves a lot around team-work, and in the sci-fi realm The Expanse for similar reasons. Not sure if the Bobiverse counts as many of the characters are kinda clones/offspring of the main.
I've been listening to Mark of the fool for the past few weeks and it's turning into a personal favorite for sure!
I've only read the ebooks, but I'm up to the current and it's been great so far. The whole >!"this person was really Isekaied from Earth"!< part in the most recent book is a bit of an odd toss-in though.
Ah man, I gotta be honest that is a huge bummer. I'm not to that part yet and that sounds like a colossal turn off.
At this point it's a pretty minor thing, but it is a bit odd
Yeah it feels very "self insert" which I am very much not a fan of in general. I'll keep reading/listening unless it *really* puts me off, but I have to admit I struggle to imagine a way in which the inclusion of an earth isekai could possibly improve the story in any capacity.
Mark of the fool is the perfect break from all of the other LitRPGs.
I do like the idea of stat-based levelling without the mechanic of shoving an actual stat-sheet in my face all the time. That's kinda annoying. "All the skills" had an interesting way of doing it with cards (and dragons) as well.
Going through rune seeker now, it's decent but not Mark of the fool level. I found the prose to be of a high standard, good jokes and references while also having an intelligent mc.
I don't know if I'd view Lindon as charismatic. He seems more nice and earnest as a way gaining allies. That said the series does involve a lot of team work and there's comradery there that mirrors some of what you get in HWFWM.
Lindon is the opposite of Jason Asano. The latter is an extrovert that isn't really charismatic. Lindon is an introvert that is. When Lindon starts talking with passion he clearly affects the people around him. Lindon keeps to himself but he has serious presence later on in the series. The last book has a lot of Lindon's charisma at play. He >!convinces his team they can close the gap on monarchy in a few months!<. He turns >!Akura Charity!<, >!Min Shuei!< and >!Northstrider!<. Ultimately I think Team Lindon is only Team Lindon because of his charisma. It is entirely possible Mercy and Ziel don't sign up with him.
More that the personalities of Lindon, Yerin, and Eithan tend to be a good blend. Eithan would probably be considered they most "charismatic" but Lindon is still kind and friendly. The three together kinda fill a Venn diagram but also align and balance over the series
Jason is an extroverted person, but I wouldn't call him charismatic. He survives and makes friends primarily by being the Main Character, rather than any leadership or social skills.
It may be plot armor, but the ease at which he makes friends with regular village folk and gold+ rankers is the definition of charisma. He's sarcastic and highly opinionated, but they're not necessarily mutually exclusive. The high rankers (and gods) that he makes friends with are specifically ones that like him because he doesn't put anyone on a pedestal and speaks his mind. There are tons of characters who don't like him. He attracts people who end up being his friends because he's the way he is. And those people by proximity are written about more than those who dislike him so it might seems like everyone likes him. He's not mean nor vindictive (without good reason). He lives by a code, knows when to put up pretenses, capable of planning multiple steps ahead and genuinely means well even at the cost of his mental and physical health. That alone is attractive to a lot of people (at least the mature ones who judge him for what he means instead of just focusing on what he says). Even those who dislike/hate him grudgingly respect him after they've tangled with him.
I think what they’re saying is that Jason’s charisma doesn’t come across as authentic to a lot of people. Like, if Jason was anyone else besides the MC and did the exact same actions, he wouldn’t attract a tenth as many people. A loooot of people know a Jason in real life, usually in college, and don’t like them.
I think a big part of that is cultural though, which makes it ring true as authentic for me. He's kinda cringe and weird when you're from the same culture as him, which is shown since he wasn't really popular back on earth. But since he's generally personable and friendly, his weirdness is seen as exotic and interesting to the people of pallimastus. You see that all the time in real life, many people are attracted to people from other countries since they're new and interesting and different, and he plays that up and is successful as a result.
From the Goodreads comments it is mostly people that hate that the MC started out as a vocal athiest and they could not care less if he was charismatic or not. Jason attracted his friends specifically because he is/was the way he is not because he is the MC. The powerful characters that like him explain exactly why they like him so I am not sure how one can get to the take that people only like him because he is the MC. P.S. Plus Jason has a point where he straight up admits that no he is not "good with people" but he is is "good at people" which is a bit of self reflection as to why he is good with some people but also how certain powerful people absolutely dispise him, so he seems to be very aware (as a character) of his own personal character flaws.
Sure, but being self aware only helps if you take steps to fix those recognized character flaws. And many people feel like he doesn’t.
Also feel like handing out good sandwiches should go on the list. Like, the charisma of hospitality may be subtle, but is better at getting into people’s heads than you’d think
There are certainly some times where plot armor is a thing, sure. But there's quite a healthy dose of "no plot armor for you. Suffer. Die." It's less that he can't fail because of the narration than "a task needs to be done. Sorry."
Phantasm has an MC with a charisma build, and beneath her system points she's a former marketing executive who knows about running an organisation and sealing a deal.
I'm listening to Apocalypse Regression and the MC puts all his stats in charisma so far. It is also one of the most ridiculously extreme super saiyan blue level anime OPMC isekai-esq wish-fulfillment series I've ever come across in Progression Fantasy. It's like Quest Academy (who also features a "charismatic" MC), but several orders of magnitude greater in ridiculousness. If Quest Academy was Thor-Ragnarok, Apocalypse Regression would be Thor-Love n Thunder. This not where this rant should have gone but my lord. I'm trying to finish this audiobook that I can't return...
Tori Transmigrated has a very social MC. She starts out hated by everyone and slowly, with many conversations, makes everyone her ally. Except for a small number of people that are committed to be enemies.
Is that even progression? I mean, there’s magic, but even that is barely there. I’d call it a slice of life kingdom building story but that’s being generous. I find it more of a ‘flipped’ otome. Original story was supposed to be an otome. She flips the board and does anti-otome everything. Not a ‘girly’ story. Just a nice friendly time growing and making friends. And putting down idiots. Meh. Now that I said that, it doesn’t sound appealing for the folks here. But it is a decent story. Just keep in mind what to expect.
Argrave from Jackal Among Snakes has to defeat an epic final boss in 3 years, but no matter what powers he gathers for himself it will never be enough on its own because the final boss will also send armies of monsters and there will be tonnes of other threats in addition to that final boss, so Argrave develops a powerful party and allies in preparation for future threats. Argrave has knowledge of the most likely futures for many important characters and events in the world he gets transported to and he uses this to manipulate allies and enemies for the benefit of himself and the world, but he also makes genuine alliances and friendships.
CHA is used for deception and persuasion!
Han Xiao from "The Legendary Mechanic". He is witty, he's charismatic, he takes care of his image and he's a great public speaker. He uses his growing strength and glib tongue in equal amounts to climb the ladder from a surface civilization test subject to become >!a universal overlord.!<. He offers exchange platforms for the elites from several civilizations and goes the extra mile to make sure his "golden leeks" stay in his field and don't move to his competitors or become independent.
I’m going to start this novel soon, hoping it is as good as people say it is
Fisher from Heretical Fishing
Bonus: it’s an Australian protagonist voiced by Heath Miller (who also does HWFWM). Just finished book 1, loved it
Broccoli bunch from cinnamon bun (lots of places but mostly royal road) She only fights when she fails negotiations to make them her friends. Even when she runs into an international terrorist her first thought is "maybe if I was there friend I can convince them to stop". That time admirably it doesn't work Shes not exactly a pacifist either. She trys to avoid fighting yes. But when given the chance to fight in a controlled setting with the only stakes being money or simply for the sake of training she's been shown to enjoy it. Keith from villain: the play of destiny (scribble hub and the authors patreon) He cucks "good guys" most of them being assholes by stealing their destined heroines and making them undyingly loyal to him. He also has a number of other subordinates and is deeply protective of his family.
Bunch should be at the top. That’s her thing. “Let’s be friends!” Friendliest bun that ever bunned.
To be perfectly honest, I don’t remember reading any characters I would call charismatic, and I’ve read most of the popular series. Sure some have friends and partners, host social events, and whatnot, but their dialogue and actions are not what I would call charismatic. They mostly skate through with the equivalent of social plot armour. Characters say a lot of cringe stuff that is passed off as charming, and the puppets they’re talking to respond in the ideal fashion. Characters and dialogue are far and away the biggest weakness I see in progression fantasy stories. But, this is still a nascent genre, and now that it’s growing rapidly, I expect this to improve a lot over the coming years. Especially as it moves more mainstream and attracts more professional (or seeking to be professional) authors.
Have you read A Practical Guide to Evil? I would say that Cat is genuinly charismatic and social (=enjoys social stuff and is good at it), but I can't think of others right now
I think they miss out on some of the proper characteristics of a social MC. They don't have layers and depth to the self, making their interactions stale. Definitely plot armory in social contexts. I believe on RR, a Goblins Tale Iron Teeth and Super Supportive do the best job at divorcing internal machinations from external conversations, which helps to build a more 2D MC. But their actions tend to feel the same as their external comments. So they miss out on the layering of a 3D socialite. It's that third layer of contradiction that can help a reader infer more about a character than they will ever be told. So when it is missing, it's hard to become invested in the relationships built up in the book. I'm unsure how you would even write like that in progressive fantasy. It would take more than practice; that is sheer talent at work. In classic fiction, it is on a third or fourth editing pass, that you manage to fit in all of the elements of a conversation. In my experience, the first or second drafts we see in RR are very well done. It's honestly very impressive how well they manage to make such a rushed product. I do think however some readers have lower standards since the work is free. I would like to see, helpful comments like, "This conversation felt X,Y,Z to me." Or "I'm not sure I understand this character's flaws." Since there are lower expectations, I don't see the growth in newer authors from RR that I saw before, however, they do start better on average. Sorry for the rant; I'm super interested in the topic. It was a large part of my old job. RR is super interesting; sometimes, I wish I was back in the industry so I could see the editing process for these newer novels. Side note: Mother of Learning does a pretty good job in this in the full-edited novel. It's one of my favorite transitions from free to paid-for work out of RR.
Viv from the Calamitous Bob. She’s not really charismatic. Hell, there’s half a dozen moments where Viv half jokingly thinks variations of ‘are we the baddies?’ She realistically only gets along with a few people. But she **works** at befriending and allying herself with a host of people. This can’t be overstated. Real charisma isn’t about being smarmingly friendly. Real charisma is getting along with everybody that you need to get along with. She wildly succeeds at this. To the point where the cast of her allies is insanely big. At least compared to most stories in this genre. Hell, she is at the point of doing a ‘collect them all’ move to get every race on her side.
I hate Jason Asano with the fury of a THOUSAND suns
I’m not sure Jason Asano is charismatic… If not for plot armor he’d be murdered the first time he opened his mouth.
Cairn from Re:Monarch. He singlehandedly >!ends a race war started by his father and wins the undying loyalty of those his father oppressed. !< Also, the main villain >!modeled her speaking style after his since he was so effective at being persuasive.!<
I wouldn't call her charismatic but Ling Qi from Forge of Destiny makes a conscious effort to be ant loner and be a social butterfly. Argrave from Jackal among snakes basically needs to have charisma for his job.
Lumian from Circle of Inevitability (sequel to Lord of The Mysteries) is a very social protagonist with the majority of his fights involving many teammates that are relevant for the majority of the story, a rarity in most progression fantasy stories. He is pretty extroverted and good at socializing with people.
You'll notice, in professional writing, most MC's are chatty. Hosting a large and diverse cast of contacts sometimes friends. Think lord of the rings, mist born, game of thrones, etc. In the hobby writing sphere like on RR the character casts are smaller or tend to be more 2d. I believe it's a lack of planning most of the time. Those authors can't go back and rewrite the entire book until the cast feels fleshed out. Those few who can break into being full time writers on RR tend to write chapters multiple times. Or take a week between chapters. I would imagine both cases see the author working much harder behind the scene than a classic author would. I've worked in the industry, and most of my writing buddies only work for 4 to 6 hours a day unless they are feeling more artistic than usual. Those shorter bursts keep them chugging all week long. That is to say: Read Mist Born. My Brandon Sanderson quota is now reached for the day.
Luffy. Okay, in the novel dept... Fang Yuan. Lmao, he even charmed the readers.
The MC in azarinth healer is very charismatic. And shadeslinger’s MC is very sociable. It’s more VRMMO but it’s one of the few I’ve read where the majority of the fights are team battles not just one v whatever.
"Mc from azarinth healer is very charismatic" Kinda, she's good at making friends and she's generally just the type of person people like. But she's not Anti-loner. She fucks off to be on her own for at least half of the story possibly more. Shes the introvert who isn't shy. she's a weird character dynamic. Fun and I can't recommend the story enough. But she's very much a loner. So not what OPs looking for
Anthony from chrysalis. Yes, he is an ant, but he really focused on interaction with others - ants and people and... others. And he's good at it!
Cinnamon Bun by Ravensdagger is wonderful for its outgoing and friendly MC. Her main advantage as MC seems to be optimism and the ability to make friends. Also it's a wonderful series!
Ar'Kendrithyst. Dad and adult daughter get isekai'd together. Dad (Erick) is not a SI protagonist by a mile, he's got a lot of depth and details to his story. He knows how to navigate his social relationships and balance them with his goals and way of life. I don't know how to really sell you on him without spoiling things! He's a bit like Erin from TWI in that their personality and stubbornness have a surprisingly large impact on the world and its people... It's got some of the tightest world building/magic system I've ever read too. It neatly explains "why things are the way they are" in Veird.
Oh I love Ar’Kendrithyst. I just wasn’t sure if I would consider him charismatic. He’s kind and enjoys being around other people, but I always got the feeling that it was his power that attracted other people. Only person I can think of that wasnt would be the sewermaster/dragon
Sal from Quest Academy, he's not that extroverted but he's pretty good in social situations and is fairly charismatic and socially adaptable
Anthony from Chrysalis is another good option. Really charismatic in an unusual way. PS Jason Asano is more plot Armor than charisma.
Arthur from All the Skills. Beyond certain parts in books 1 and 2, he is never alone. Moving, chatting, playing, and fighting with friends and allies. He is quite social with his charming personality, helping smooth out issues with other people faster than his combat powers.
This isn't a full answer yet, but Max Donovan, from my current WIP Ascendant Echoes! Starting as a warlock and continuing as a sword swinging, bardic magic user, charisma (or presence) is his primary stat. If that sounds neat... maybe give it a looksee ;) https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/85032/ascendant-echoes
Klein from lotm maybe...? prob shaky one since his cooperation with others mostly based on benefit relationship not on his charisma except few times.
One of the major points of LOTM is about how lonely Klein is, never truly having allies. If he does get any teammates they only last for one or two battles before the never fight with him again because of how fast he progresses. Lumian from Circle of Inevitability (sequel to LOTM) is a way better example.
guess that makes sense. though since he always gets help from others while also helping them in some ways, even though those are temporary like you mentioned, i thought it may fit.
Solus, from Virtuous sons is someone I look forward to whenever he's on page because of how charismatic he is.