History CharacterDerailment / TabletopGames

* A rare InUniverse example for Tezzeret in ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering''. Between ''Literature/AgentsOfArtifice'' and ''Literature/TestOfMetal'', his characterization changes drastically, suddenly, and without explanation, to the point that he and the other characters [[DiscussedTrope notice it and speculate about what caused it]].

* This occurs sometimes in the shadowtalk sections of TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}} sourcebooks. It's somewhat inevitable, given the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters featured in those sections (though the number of different characters has gone down in 4th Edition). The sourcebook ''Cyberpirates'' was especially bad for this, turning the poster Dr. Bones from a dwarf computer company CEO with a ''Franchise/StarTrek''-themed handle to an actual medical doctor who made excuses and defended the racist, experimenting-on-metahumans corporation that trained him. The poster Truthseeker was also altered from an anti-meta racist who thought there was a grand metahuman conspiracy to a pro-meta conspiracy theorist. Fortunately, the derailment of those two characters seemed to begin and end with that book.

** Similarly, many people took issue with a background event in the Blood Angels codex where the Blood Angels made a temporary alliance with the Necron army they were fighting to fend off a Tyranid assault. The Blood Angels then let the Necrons go as a WorthyOpponent (an OOC moment for both), foreshadowing the massive RetCon in Necron goals and philosophy (they used to be mindless killbots, now they're [[TabletopGmae/{{Warhammer}} Tomb Kings]] InSpace, and the fanbase continues debating whether or not this is a good thing).

* TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} codex fluff has somewhat turned to this, YMMV of course.

** It might have happened because she was such a popular choice for a deity for new players to 4.0, the [=WotC=] wanted to dial back on her being too attractive to all players.

* TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} codex fluff has somewhat turned to this, YMMV of course. The most recent is in the Grey Knights 5e Codex story "The Bloodtide Returns", where the Grey Knights kill a coven of Sisters of Battle and then coating their armor in the latter's blood (something usually reserved for Khornate worshippers) to make wards to stave off daemon corruption despite their whole shtick being "they're marines literally designed to kill daemons and no sell them" and thus not even need the blood wards. This is in large part due to GW's new trend of Retconning old fluff rather than moving the plot forward. However, plotwise the fluff has already reached the literal last few minutes of the 41st millenium (the Medusa Campaign, taking place almost 5 real-life years ago, was said to have ended on the last year of the 41st millenium) and it would be hard to keep calling it "in the 41st millenium" when it's already 41,001, so it might be justified.

** Similarly, many people took issue with a background event in the Blood Angels codex where the Blood Angels made a temporary alliance with the Necron army they were fighting to fend off a Tyranid assault. The Blood Angels then let the Necrons go as a WorthyOpponent (an OOC moment for both), foreshadowing the massive RetCon in Necron goals and philosophy (they used to be mindless killbots, now they're [[TabletopGmae/{{Warhammer}} Tomb Kings InSpace, and the fanbase continues debating whether or not this is a good thing).

* TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} codex fluff has somewhat turned to this, YMMV of course. The most recent is the Grey Knights killing a coven of Sisters of Battle, then coating their armor in the latter's blood (something usually reserved for Khornate worshippers). This is in large part due to GW's new trend of Retconning old fluff rather than moving the plot forward. However, plotwise the fluff has already reached the literal last few minutes of the 41st millenium (the Medusa Campaign, taking place almost 5 real-life years ago, was said to have ended on the last year of the 41st millenium) and it would be hard to keep calling it "in the 41st millenium" when it's already 41,001, so it might be justified.
** Similarly, many people took issue with a background event in the BloodAngels codex where the BloodAngels made a temporary alliance with the Necron army they were fighting to fend off a Tyranid assault. The BloodAngels then let the Necrons go as a WorthyOpponent (an OOC moment for both), foreshadowing the massive RetCon in Necron goals and philosophy (they used to be mindless killbots, now they're Tomb Kings InSpace, and the fanbase continues debating whether or not this is a good thing).

** It might have happened because she was such a popular choice for a deity for new players to 4.0, the WotC wanted to dial back on her being too attractive to all players.

* In most everything related to her, the Raven Queen from ''DungeonsAndDragons'' Fourth Edition is portrayed as a Kelemvor {{Expy}} who's TrueNeutral and represents death as a natural part of life and its inevitable end. Except for one sidebar in Divine Power, where she's suddenly a cacklingly evil madwoman who killed Nerull to take his place and was only forced into her current role by the other gods... who she wishes to overthrow so she can become a true Nerull Expy, seemingly for absolutely no other reason except that [[BadPowersBadPeople a goddess of death]] ''[[BadPowersBadPeople must]]'' [[BadPowersBadPeople be evil]].

* TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} codex fluff has somewhat turned to this, YMMV of course. The most recent is the Grey Knights killing a coven of Sisters of Battle, then coating their armor in the latter's blood (something usually reserved for Khornate worshippers). This is in large part due to GW's new trend of RetConning old fluff rather than moving the plot forward. However, plotwise the fluff has already reached the literal last few minutes of the 41st millenium (the Medusa Campaign, taking place almost 5 real-life years ago, was said to have ended on the last year of the 41st millenium) and it would be hard to keep calling it "in the 41st millenium" when it's already 41,001, so it might be justified.

** Technically not an example of the trope since the official policy makes them Retcons. This policy has been in effect since 2nd edition.
** The two examples cited are examples because they do contradict characterizations that are still considered canon.

* A rare InUniverse example for Tezzeret in ''MagicTheGathering''. Between ''MagicTheGathering/AgentsOfArtifice'' and ''MagicTheGathering/TestOfMetal'', his characterization changes drastically, suddenly, and without explanation, to the point that he and the other characters [[DiscussedTrope notice it and speculate about what caused it]].

* {{Warhammer 40000}} codex fluff has somewhat turned to this, YMMV of course. The most recent is the Grey Knights killing a coven of Sisters of Battle, then coating their armor in the latter's blood (something usually reserved for Khornate worshippers). This is in large part due to GW's new trend of RetConning old fluff rather than moving the plot forward. However, plotwise the fluff has already reached the literal last few minutes of the 41st millenium (the Medusa Campaign, taking place almost 5 real-life years ago, was said to have ended on the last year of the 41st millenium) and it would be hard to keep calling it "in the 41st millenium" when it's already 41,001, so it might be justified.

* This occurs sometimes in the shadowtalk sections of TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}} sourcebooks. It's somewhat inevitable, given the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters featured in those sections (though the number of different characters has gone down in 4th Edition). The sourcebook ''Cyberpirates'' was especially bad for this, turning the poster Dr. Bones from a dwarf computer company CEO with a StarTrek themed handle to an actual medical doctor who made excuses and defended the racist, experimenting-on-metahumans corporation that trained him. The poster Truthseeker was also altered from an anti-meta racist who thought there was a grand metahuman conspiracy to a pro-meta conspiracy theorist. Fortunately, the derailment of those two characters seemed to begin and end with that book.

* {{Warhammer 40000}} codex fluff has somewhat turned to this, YMMV of course. The most recent is the Grey Knights killing a coven of Sisters of Battle, then coating their armor in the latter's blood (something usually reserved for Khornate worshippers). This is in large part due to GW's new trend of RetConning old fluff rather than moving the plot forward. However, plotwise the fluff has already reached the literal last few minutes of the 41st millenium (the Medusa Campaign, taking place almost 5 real-life years ago, was said to have ended on the last year of the 41st millenium) and it would be hard to keep calling it "in the 41st millenium" when it's already 41,001, so it might be justified.

* This occurs sometimes in the shadowtalk sections of {{Shadowrun}} sourcebooks. It's somewhat inevitable, given the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters featured in those sections (though the number of different characters has gone down in 4th Edition). The sourcebook ''Cyberpirates'' was especially bad for this, turning the poster Dr. Bones from a dwarf computer company CEO with a StarTrek themed handle to an actual medical doctor who made excuses and defended the racist, experimenting-on-metahumans corporation that trained him. The poster Truthseeker was also altered from an anti-meta racist who thought there was a grand metahuman conspiracy to a pro-meta conspiracy theorist. Fortunately, the derailment of those two characters seemed to begin and end with that book.

** A [[AndIMustScream Kelemvor]] Expy being evil is a derailment?
*** Alright, Kelemvor is supposed to be LawfulNeutral. This really makes no sense even in the games themselves, where he should be very Good as a mortal (but for complicated reasons has no choice but to pretend to be callous). As a God, he actually does act like an awesomely evil monster - arguably worse than the previous, nakedly evil officeholders. In fact, pretty much everyone involved in the series came off as insane, possibly because of the series changed authors and suffered character derailment on everyone interesting enough to pay attention to.
*** And given that she was a Kelemvor Expy that was not just labeled the 4e equivalent of TrueNeutral, but also actually ''portrayed'' as fitting her alignment in everything on her outside of that particular sidebar... yes, it is pretty clear character derailment. She's more a Kelemvor Expy in the sense of "Representing Death as '''not''' some horrible, awful, evil thing -- unlike most D&D death deities" than in the specifics of portrayal.
*** The Deities and Demigods article about her potrays her as neutral(unaligned, in the 4e alignment system), but selfish and powerhungry. She's not cackling evil, but she only helps the other gods with threats when they can benefit her; i.e., when she can get a new domain for her portfolio. That being said; pretty much all the info in 4e core setting is optional, especially regarding the gods. They've offered contradictory stories for most of them, and players and game masters can pick and choose what to use for their homebrewed campaigns.

*** Alright, Kelemvor is supposed to be True Neutral. This really makes no sense even in the games themselves, where he should be very Good as a mortal (but for complicated reasons has no choice but to pretend to be callous). As a God, he actually does act like an awesomely evil monster - arguably worse than the previous, nakedly evil officeholders. In fact, pretty much everyone involved in the series came off as insane, possibly because of the series changed authors and suffered character derailment on everyone interesting enough to pay attention to.

*** The Deities and Demigods article about her potrays her as neutral(unaligned, in the 4e alignment system), but selfish and powerhungry. She's not cackling evil, but she only helps the other gods with threats when they can benifit her; i.e., when she can get a new domain for her portfolio. That being said; pretty much all the info in 4e core setting is optional, especially regarding the gods. They've offered controdictory stories for most of them, and players and game masters can pick and choose what to use for their homebrewed campaigns.

* This occurs sometimes in the shadowtalk sections of [[Shadowrun]] sourcebooks. It's somewhat inevitable, given the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters featured in those sections (though the number of different characters has gone down in 4th Edition). The sourcebook ''Cyberpirates'' was especially bad for this, turning the poster Dr. Bones from a dwarf computer company CEO with a StarTrek themed handle to an actual medical doctor who made excuses and defended the racist, experimenting-on-metahumans corporation that trained him. The poster Truthseeker was also altered from an anti-meta racist who thought there was a grand metahuman conspiracy to a pro-meta conspiracy theorist. Fortunately, the derailment of those two characters seemed to begin and end with that book.

* {{Warhammer 40000}} codex fluff has somewhat turned to this, YMMV of course. The most infamous is when the Blood Angels fought with the Necrons, then leaving them peacefully, while the most recent is the Grey Knights killing a coven of Sisters of Battle, then coating their armor in the latter's blood (something usually reserved for Khornate worshippers). This is in large part due to GW's new trend of RetConning old fluff rather than moving the plot forward. However, plotwise the fluff has already reached the literal last few minutes of the 41st millenium (the Medusa Campaign, taking place almost 5 real-life years ago, was said to have ended on the last year of the 41st millenium) and it would be hard to keep calling it "in the 41st millenium" when it's already 41,001, so it might be justified.