D&D 3E 'Characterisation'
stefoid:
I agree with ADGBoss. Why sit down to play a game of D&D and then refuse to go along with the basic premise of the game?
If you want total freedom to explore character as your primary concern, pick a game that suits that, but most games have some sort of premise, stated or unstated, that should be used to inform about who your characters are and what they will be doing in play.
Agreeing to play D&D and then chaffing against the basic nature of the game is self defeating and annoying for other players who are on board.
If you agree that the premise of D&D is "kill monsters and take their treasure" then use that to inform your characterization at a basic level. "I am here to get treasure, and whether I like it or not, I need help". As long as that is the bedrock of your D&D character, you can mix it up any which way on top of that.
You could have other variations on D&D premise - "Im here to <achieve goal>" instead of "get treasure".
Callan S.:
Stefoid, as you can see in the account the GM brought up the notion of characterisation, not myself. Otherwise I'd just engage in alcoholic dwarf cliches and trying not to not have my ass knocked to the ground by monsters too much.
I think the player I mentioned took up your characterisation. But to me it seems empty - why am I so monomaniacle about treasure? Will I starve or will loved ones of mine starve without it? You might instantly say you can add that, but indeed it's adding that - it's not the actual premise built into the game. D&D is mostly about rich gad abouts or greedy sociopaths. And not in a way that will ever challenge any element about them (indeed, it'll reinforce and maintain those elements - which is prolly good for sim play). It reminds me of the flatness in terms of gamism as well - if we stop bullshitting ourselves that we genuinely could all die, we realise that the ending is predetermined: We will get to level 30, eventually. There is no uncertainty.
But anyway, this player I mention seems to play out an 'alive' character, despite that no premise exists. Perhaps because his character kind of generates his own premise - he seems kinda dangerous to everyone, to a degree, even to himself. How's that gunna turn out? Therefore; premise.
More reason for me to be surprised by him, I suppose!
stefoid:
The Sopranos is all greedy sociopaths, but they manage to get some other stuff in there.
There was a thread about NPCs at Story Games, and somebody mentioned as a rule of thumb giving NPCs a Foible and also a Virtue (redeeming quality) I think. OK, he might be a greedy sociopath, but he loves his family. etc..
The premise Im talking about isnt the forge version, its just like the agenda of the game maybe - what the game expects in general terms of its characters so that they will be relevant.
If you must layer that with a forge type premise in D&D, then you could set your virtue to be at odds with your foible, and explore that?
stefoid:
(cont)...
But that exploration is a sideshow, not the main event.
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