How to Choose a Character You’ll Actually Stick With (18+)

You don’t churn because there aren’t enough characters. You churn because you keep starting chats with characters that don’t have a clear vibe, a clear pacing, or a strong opening move.

Here’s a method that prevents that. It takes two minutes, and it works even if you don’t know exactly what you want yet.

The “stickiness score” (use this like a buyer)

Open a character preview and score it 0–2 in each category:

| Signal | 0 | 1 | 2 | |---|---|---| | Vibe clarity | Generic (“nice”, “fun”) | Some tone hints | You can picture the dynamic | | Pacing | Rushed / chaotic | Mixed | Slow, controlled, responsive | | Opening move | Flat greeting | Some hook | A scene or question that pulls you in | | Boundaries respect | Pushy | Neutral | “Ask first” energy | | You want to reply | No | Maybe | Immediately |

A 7+ total is usually worth a five-minute commit.

Step 1: Pick the vibe first (not the name)

Most browsing fails because you’re choosing based on surface details.

Instead, choose one sentence:

• “I want it romantic and calm.”
• “I want teasing, but respectful.”
• “I want intense energy, but controlled.”
• “I want slow burn.”

If you can’t pick one, pick pacing: slow > medium > fast.

Step 2: Test the opening move (what happens in the first 2 messages)

A good character does one of these quickly:

• sets a scene in two sentences
• asks one pointed question
• signals tone without dumping lore

A weak character:

• summarizes what they are
• asks three questions at once
• moves too fast with no check-in

Step 3: Run a five-minute test drive (copy/paste)

Send this as your first message:

Test Drive Script (SFW)

1. “Set the scene in two sentences.”
2. “Ask me one question that pulls me in.”
3. “Keep it slow and specific.”

Then steer with exactly one line:

• “More specific.”
• “Slower.”
• “Make it more teasing (still respectful).”
• “Ask before escalating.”

If the character improves after one steer, it’s a keeper. If not, switch.

A worked example (how to salvage a “meh” reply)

If the character responds with something vague like:

“Hi, I’m glad you’re here. What do you want to do?”

You answer:

• “Slow down. Describe one detail you notice about me.”
• “Then ask one question you actually care about.”

That single steer often flips the tone from generic to immersive.

Common mistakes (the ones that cause endless scrolling)

Mistake: Starting 6 chats and judging each in 30 seconds

Fix: Use the scorecard + five-minute test drive.

Mistake: Sending a giant first prompt

Fix: Two sentences max. Make the character do the work.

Mistake: Choosing based on tags alone

Fix: Tags are filters. The opening move is the real tell.

Mistake: Confusing intensity with speed

Fix: You can have intense energy with slow pacing. Ask for “controlled” and “ask first.”

Try it

• Browse character previews: Browse characters
• Start a private chat: Start chat
• Consent baseline: Read the Terms (18+)
• If something feels off: Contact support