males playing females and the other way around, opinions?

[Charwoman Gene]

It saddens me how many people seem to take offense to the idea of working out psychological issues at the game table. As long as you are not the DM, and you are not being domineering about being the center of attention, I just don't see it. When I've had crises of faith, I've played characters with crises of faith. I've played socially forward characters to work on my own social anxiety. Just because the issue is gender related doesn't make it worse.

 

[pawsplay]

What is with the gender topic lately? I wonder what would come of spinning off a thread about playing someone of a different race/ethnicity. While there's some fun to be had about "playing into annoying dwarf stereotypes," it could definitely be an issue in a real world setting.

 

[Umbran]

It saddens me how many people seem to take offense to the idea of working out psychological issues at the game table.

I think this is a relative of the office maxim, "A lack of planning on your part does not constitute a crisis on my part." Your real-world issues may not be a fitting piece for someone else's entertainment. Working out psychological issues often (not always, but often) translates into real-world drama, and some folks don't want that brought to their table.

With a set of friends who know you have an issue, and who are okay with giving you something like a safe space to work on it, it's cool. But that's not everyone.

 

[Mallus]

It saddens me how many people seem to take offense to the idea of working out psychological issues at the game table.

Are people taking offense? My point was merely that player characters don't necessarily represent the working out of even or engaging with psychological issues. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, or an axe-wielding transgendered Goliath in a fur-trimmed cocktail dress is just a, ahem, colorful character.

When I've had crises of faith, I've played characters with crises of faith.

On a related note... even though my current paladin PC started as a parody --of both the D&D paladin acrhtype and the 4e marking mechanic-- I have to admit I feel like I've gained some insight into how unshakable faith might instill within a believer both confidence and joy. Luckily, this in no way interferes w/the parody.

 

[the Jester]

I've never understood people who find this objectionable or who get uncomfortable around it. I find it interesting that often the same folks have no problem with their buddy Joe playing a murderous psychopath dwarf, demon summoning deviants or other, er, antisocial types.

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

Doesn't bother me a bit. I play women all the time behind the DM screen, don't see why I'd need to stop on the other side.

For me, the decision on what gender my character is largely depends on what I find in the way of inspiration for the character, be it a name that really grabs me, or a picture that I like a lot, or a miniature, if I decide to buy one.

 

[Jhaelen]

I know of one case where this is untrue. There is a prestige class in a third party campaign setting where the character has to be female. Unfortunately, that's all I can say about it.

Well, okay, I think there's actually also a prestige class in the 'Book of Exalted Deeds' that is only available to females.

I guess, there are exceptions to every rule

 

[Dragonbait]

I It doesn't bother me at all.

I've seen several poor examples (super-sluts played for laughs in a serious game and a guy who tried to 'talk like a woman' by speaking in a high-pitch voice) but those came later, so I knew those were not the norm.

I just assumed PCs played characters that they would find entertaining. I get caught off guard when people assume a PC is actually the thing the player wants to be (or want to be with). According to that, I really want to be a wise space octopus? That's total nons- hmmm.... Well, I - hmmmm....

Okay, maybe that is the case.

 

[Stormonu]

One of the few characters I've played (I mostly DM) was a female witch (2E kit from Complete Wizard) and I really enjoyed the character. I'm not the only one; in the same game, another male player was playing a female fighter. I've also had several female players who have played male characters (the most recent being "The Saint" - a punch-drunk, african-american male boxer vampire from New Orleans who thought he was some kind of super-hero).

As others have said, DMs are often called on to play cross-gender roles, what's wrong with players doing so?

 

[WHW4]

We have one guy in our group who rolls to see which gender most characters will be. Can't say it really makes a huge difference in-game, other than I occasionally have to correct myself: "So you're going across town with him... er, I mean her. Damn."

I don't like to RP female characters as a PC myself simply because as a male I don't feel like I have enough of a grasp on the female mentality to accurately RP one, so I just leave it. I got no problem with others who do it as long as things stay PG-13 territory.

As a DM I have noticed I tend to gloss over female speaking parts or where a female NPC will give information. I do alot of "speaking voice" type stuff for male NPCs; I guess it really just relates back to what I am comfortable with RPing (talking about RP-skill comfort here.)

Our group is all-male, if that matters. My wife did play with us a few years ago off and on, and she never saw anything weird about it either, in case a woman's point of view would be helpful. On the flip side she has never indicated she wanted to play a male hero, so maybe she is inclined to stay in-gender for her RPing also. I'll have to ask.