Tropes and trope categories about setting up, fleshing out, and tearing down characters.

Compare Characters and Characters and Casting (how characters are affected by being played by actors).
Contrast Characters as Device (roles that characters can be shoved into for plot reasons).

For lists of tropes as they apply to specific fictional characters, see Character Sheets.

Tropes:

• Abstract Apotheosis: Character becomes an abstract concept, often done after their death.
• Adaptational Abomination: Characters are made into Eldritch Abominations in-adaptation.
• Adaptational Badass: Character who was a wimp in the source material is made much more competent in an adaptation.
• Adaptational Dumbass: Characters who was of average intelligence at the very least in the source material is made much dumber in an adaptation.
• Adaptational Heroism: Character who was evil or at least morally gray in the source material is made more heroic in an adaptation.
• Adaptational Intelligence: Character who was previously not the brightest bulb in the source material is made much smarter in an adaptation.
• Adaptational Jerkass: Character who was nice becomes more of a jerk in an adaptation.
• Adaptational Nice Guy: Character who was a Jerkass becomes nicer in an adaptation.

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• Adaptational Nonsapience: Character who was smart enough to talk isn't in the adaptation.
• Adaptational Villainy: Character who was heroic or at least morally gray in the source material is made more villainous in an adaptation.
• Adaptational Wimp: Character who was a competent fighter in the source material is made weaker in an adaptation.
• Adaptation Personality Change: Character has a different personality in an adaptation than they do in the source material.
• Addiction Displacement: Character uses a safer addiction in place of a destructive one.
• Admiring the Abomination: Character is fascinated by Eldritch Abominations rather than scared by them.
• Age-Stereotypical Food: A character is implied to be immature or mature depending on their food of choice.
• AM/FM Characterization: Character's personality is introduced through their taste in music.

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• Anger Is Not Enough: Character who has up until now resolved their problems through anger finds that it is no longer a viable solution.
• Animal Metaphor: Character's personality is reflected by their animal companion.
• Anti-Nepotism: Characterizes the doer as an honest authority figure intent on avoiding the appearance of political corruption, while giving the recipient a reason to dislike the doer.
• Backported Development: Character has the development they gain over the course of the story in flashbacks.
• Beetle Maniac: Character who has a fascination with bugs, mainly beetles.
• Being Personal Isn't Professional: Character behaves unsocially while on the job.
• Born in the Wrong Century: Character wishes they lived in a different period.
• Call to Agriculture: A badass/heroic character retires as a farmer.
• Caged Bird Metaphor: Character is associated with a caged bird.
• Campfire Character Exploration: Character are explored while talking around a campfire.
• Challenge Seeker: Character constantly looking for new ways to hone their skills.
• Character Check: Character who has been hit with Characterization Marches On briefly lapses back into their original characterization.
• Character Depth: A measure of how "deep" a character is.
• Character Development: A character changes and grows as they progress through the story.
• Characterisation Click Moment: A previously undeveloped character shows the starting signs of their finalised personality and role.
• Characterization Marches On: Character's personality is different in later episodes than they were in the beginning.
• Character Rerailment: Character has their original characterization restored after having previously been derailed beyond recognition.
• Chest of Medals: Character in the military whose uniform features an improbable number of medals.
• Chickification: A previously competent female character is made weaker either over time or in between adaptations.
• Collector of the Strange: Character who collects something strange, gross, or disturbing.
• Contractual Genre Blindness: A character who maintains their role because of their Genre Savviness.
• Creature of Habit: Character who likes routine.
• Crowd Pleaser: Character motivated by praise and attention.
• Cuddle Bug: Character who enjoys giving hugs.
• Cuteness Proximity: Character turns into a bowl of mush at the sight of something cute.
• Daytime Drama Queen: A Woobie character who watches soap operas.
• Deconstructed Character Archetype: A character who deconstructs the archetype they seem to embody.
• Depending on the Writer: The way a character behaves or is treated changes depending on who is writing at the moment.
• Descent into Addiction: A character's story arc evolves them becoming dependent on a substance.
• Disco Dan: A character holds into a fad that everyone else has abandoned.
• Divergent Character Evolution: Two or more identical characters are redesigned and developed so that they're better distinguished.
• Dramatica: A theory of story forming.
• Drink-Based Characterization: Characters are defined by their preferred beverages.
• Dynamic Character: A character who becomes more layered as the story progresses.
• Earthy Barefoot Character: Character who is close to nature wears no shoes.
• Elective Mute: A character who chooses not to speak.
• Elective Unintelligible: A character who chooses to be impossible to understand.
• Elemental Rivalry: Characters with contrasting Elemental Powers oppose each other.
• Establishing Character Music: A character's personality is established through music.
• Everybody Smokes: More people are smokers than not.
• Everyone Has Standards: Every character, regardless of moral alignment or clique, has at least some level of decency.
• Experienced Protagonist: The main character is already an expert when the story begins.
• Face of the Band: The lead character of a group who, as a result, is the one most recognized.
• Fiery Stoic: A character with Playing with Fire powers is calm and gentle rather than Hot-Blooded.
• Flat Character: Character who has barely if any characterization.
• Forgot Flanders Could Do That: Character that's been hit by Flanderization shows signs of their previous characterization.
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• Friend to Bugs: A character who enjoys creepy crawlies.
• Functional Addict: A character who doesn't let their addictions affect their ability to live their lives.
• Gasshole: Character has a tendency to burp and/or fart a lot.
• Genre Blindness: Character doesn't seem to know how certain genres work.
• Genre Refugee: A character who looks like they don't belong in this setting at all...yet is here nonetheless.
• Genre Savvy: Character is knowledgeable about how certain genres work.
• The Gimmick: A character that uses unconventional means to stand out from the crowd.
• Glasses Curiosity: When a character wants to try on the glasses of others.
• Grass Is Greener: A character who longs to leave their terrible life behind to go somewhere they think is better.
• Heart Trauma: A character has something physically happen to their heart, which affects their personality in drastic ways.
• Heaven Seeker: A character whose motivation is to earn a pleasant afterlife.
• Hell Seeker: A character who tries to get themselves into hell.
• I Thought Everyone Could Do That: A character has a special talent that they think everyone else is capable of doing.
• Informed Wrongness: What this character did is supposed to be seen as wrong despite there being nothing to back it up.
• In Harmony with Nature: A character who understands the resources and rhythms of nature.
• Insists on Paying: A character who, even when offered a freebie, insists on using their money to pay for it.
• Interpretative Character: A character that can be depicted in any number of ways as long as they retain a few defining traits.
• In the Original Klingon: An ethnic character who claims an invention or artwork for their own culture.
• Jack-of-All-Trades: A character with all the basic skills and is able to do a little bit of everything.
• Jerk-to-Nice-Guy Plot: A plot where a character starts off as a Jerkass, but events change him into a Nice Guy.
• Kitsch Collection: A large collection of objects well maintained by the collector.
• Knuckle Cracking: A character shows how tough they are by cracking their knuckles.
• Like a Duck Takes to Water: A Fish out of Water who quickly adapts to the new environment.
• Literally Prized Possession: A lot can be said about a character depending on how they view a possession they won as a prize.
• Literal Transformative Experience: A character develops as a result of a physical transformation and the experiences therein.
• Loony Friends Improve Your Personality: A stiff character grows in personality from hanging around annoying and eccentric people.
• Luxurious Liquor: A wealthy character drinks alcoholic beverages just because they can.
• The Magazine Rule: A character subscribes to a weirdly specific fandom magazine that represents who they are.
• Misery Builds Character: Having a character go through absolute hell as a way to strengthen them.
• The Movie Buff: A character whose defining trait is their knowledge of film lore.
• Mutually Unequal Relation: Two or more characters have differing views of their relationships.
• Nature Lover: A character with a love of the great outdoors.
• Now, Let Me Carry You: A situation where a character who is known for supporting and helping another is suddenly in need of support, only for the person they supported to come through for them.
• #1 Dime: A mundane item with pricelessly sentimental value to a certain character.
• Office Golf: A high-powered boss plays golf in the office.
• Once Done, Never Forgotten: A character has done something in the past that no one will forget — or let them forget.
• OOC Is Serious Business: If a character is behaving outside his usual characterization, the situation must be serious.
• Oral Fixation: A character who feels the need to suck or chew on something such as a toothpick or a cigarette.
• Out-of-Character Moment: Character does something outside his usual characterization.
• Over and Under the Top: Two characters share a trait. One overplays it, the other underplays.
• Pacifist: A character who is opposed to the use of violence to resolve disputes or gain advantages.
• Pastimes Prove Personality: A character's personality can be defined based on their favorite pastime.
• Playing Catch With The Old Man: A simple game of catch establishes a parent, their child, and their relationship.
• Personal Arcade: A character has commercial pinball and/or video game machines for his own amusement.
• Personality Powers: Superpowers that align with the characters' personalities.
• Poster-Gallery Bedroom: A character's personality can be seen from the way they decorate their room.
• Power Stereotype Flip: A character's personality is different from what is expected from their superpowers.
• Putting On My Thinking Cap: A character has something they do that helps them think.
• The Quarterback: The character who is captain of the football team.
• Real Award, Fictional Character: A Non-Historical Domain Character is given a Real Life award or military decoration.
• Replacement Flat Character: After a Flat Character becomes more fleshed out, another Flat Character fills in his previous role.
• Rhymes on a Dime: A character who always speaks in rhymes.
• Ridiculously Successful Future Self: A character travels through time and finds out that they will eventually become very successful.
• Rounded Character: A detailed character, complete with depth and complexity.
• Rules Lawyer: A character who knows all the rules — backwards, forwards, sideways, and upside down — and uses that to their advantage.
• Self-Applied Nickname: A character adopts a nickname and insists that others refer to him by it.
• Signature Instrument: A musical instrument that defines a character.
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• The Silent Bob: A character who never talks, but can hold an entire conversation without saying a word.
• Smoking Is Cool: A badass character who smokes.
• Something About a Rose: A character who associates themselves with roses.
• Static Character: A character who doesn't go through Character Development.
• Stock "Yuck!": Eww! What's this? I'm not eating it!
• Survival Mantra: A reassuring phrase that a character speaks to gain confidence.
• Sweet Baker: Character with goodly qualities associated with food, such as sweet temper.
• Sweet Tooth: Character who is shown to have a love of sweet foods.
• Temporarily Exaggerated Trait: An individual character trait is highlighted for one episode.
• Thememobile: A vehicle based on a character's theme.
• Too Much Alike: Two characters don't get along because of their similarities.
• The Tragic Rose: Character who is a rose-themed Woobie.
• The Unwitting Comedian: A character who is the funniest person around even though they aren't trying to be funny.
• Vanity License Plate: A character puts a unique license plate on their vehicle to make it look cooler.
• Wake-Up Call: A character gets put through some event that forces them to grow or otherwise get their act together.
• Weapons of Their Trade: A character's choice of Improvised Weapon is a reflection on their job.
• Wimpification: A previously competent male character is made more emotional and effeminate in a fanfic, often to play as "the bottom half" of a same-sex pairing.
• Work Hard, Play Hard: A character who is serious and hard working at their job, but loves to party and have fun when at home.
• Wounded Hero, Weaker Helper: A character is injured and must be healed by a weaker or more inexperienced character.
• Write Who You Know: A character is based off a Real Life person the author knows or knew.
• Wrong Genre Savvy: Genre Savvy character doesn't realize the story they're apart of isn't in the genre they thought it was.