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The Danger of One-Gag Characters: Why Your Penguin Safecracker Needs More Than a Waddle

Let’s be honest — a penguin safecracker is funny. The moment you describe them shuffling into the room in a pinstripe vest, muttering about “the big score” in a gravelly voice, your table’s going to chuckle. Maybe they pull a tiny crowbar out of their tuxedo jacket. Maybe they dramatically slide across the floor on their belly to crack a vault. The first scene? Comedy gold.

But here’s the catch — if all your character is can be summed up in one punchline, they’ll run out of steam faster than a raccoon with a stolen cigarette boat.

In Zoo Mafia (or any RPG), the joke needs legs… even if your character doesn’t have knees.

The Short Shelf Life of the One-Gag Wonder

One-gag characters start out strong, but by session three, you’ve done the waddle. You’ve made the fish joke. You’ve complained about the heat. Again. And again. The humor begins to feel less like a character and more like a sketch you can’t turn off.

It’s like watching a stand-up comic who never changes their set — you laugh at first, but then you’re just waiting for something new.

Desires, Regrets, and Codes

To keep your penguin (or lemur grifter, or giraffe driver) fresh and interesting, you need to give them depth. Even the silliest concept can have dramatic weight. Ask yourself:

• What do they want? Is your penguin safecracker doing jobs to buy a tropical island retirement? Or maybe they’re saving up to open a legitimate ice cream shop — ironically, in the desert.

• What do they regret? Did they leave their partner behind in a botched job? Are they haunted by the sound of a safe that wouldn’t open in time?

• What’s their code? Even crooks have lines they won’t cross. Maybe your penguin never steals from anyone who works for a living — just from the “big fish.” Or maybe their code is broken and they’re on a slippery slope.

These answers give you new angles to play, letting humor arise naturally out of the situations instead of you forcing it.

Broken Codes Make Great Drama

One of the best tricks for turning a comedy character into someone unforgettable is to let them bend or break their own rules.
Imagine the scene:

• Your penguin swore they’d never betray their crew… but the mob has their little sibling in a freezer.

• They promised they’d never crack a safe holding personal mementos… but inside is the key to their freedom.

Suddenly, the waddle’s not the focus — the decision is. And when the table leans in, you know you’ve hooked them.

Prompts to add more depth to your character

Personality & Inner Life

1. Secret Ambition – What does your character really want, deep down, even if they don’t admit it?

2. Moral Code – What rule will they never break, even in the underworld?

3. Personal Taboo – What action, object, or phrase makes them instantly shut down or lose control?

4. Source of Pride – What single achievement do they brag about (even if others think it’s unimpressive)?

5. Guilty Pleasure – What indulgence would embarrass them if the crew found out?

Past & Regrets

6. Biggest Mistake – What’s one bad choice they still think about at night?

7. Burned Bridge – Who in their past refuses to work with them ever again? Why?

8. Lost Connection – Who did they care about that they can’t (or won’t) see anymore?

9. Debt of Honor – Who do they owe, and what for?

10. First Crime – What was the job that pulled them into “the life”?

Relationships & Crew Dynamics

11. Unspoken Rivalry – Which crew member do they constantly try to one-up?

12. Hidden Loyalty – Which member of the crew would they protect at all costs, even over the mission?

13. Love/Hate Contact – Who outside the crew keeps dragging them into trouble?

14. Influencer in the Crew – Who’s the one person whose opinion they can’t ignore?

15. The One They Fear – Which NPC or PC truly intimidates them, and why?

Habits & Quirks

16. Tell Under Pressure – What nervous tic gives them away when they’re lying?

17. Ritual Before a Job – What weird superstition or prep step do they always do?

18. Signature Move – What’s the flourish they add to every crime scene?

19. Collectible Obsession – What strange item do they hoard?

20. Smell, Sound, or Taste Trigger – What sensory detail instantly floods them with memories?

Conflict & Growth

21. The Big Lie – What are they pretending to be that they’re not?

22. The Line They’ll Cross… Eventually – What’s one limit they keep telling themselves they won’t break—until the right temptation comes along?

23. The Unreachable Goal – What dream do they know is impossible but keep chasing anyway?

24. The Temptation – What could make them betray the crew?

25. The Redemption Arc – If they got out, what would they do instead?

Advice for Any RPG, Not Just Zoo Mafia

Even if you’re not playing a game full of talking animals and speakeasies, the principle stands:
A character can start with a joke, but they shouldn’t end as a joke. Give them wants, regrets, and a code, and the humor will become richer, the drama will hit harder, and your table will remember them long after the campaign’s over.

If you are a fan of Zoo Mafia and want to be notified when we go live on Kickstarter make sure you head over to the follow page to get notified. If you want to be on the newsletter to get all the details as we release them you can sign up here.

In short: Let your penguin safecracker waddle, sure — but also let them dream, falter, and fight for something. A character with layers will always outlast a character with just one punchline.

Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!!