RPGs vs. Psychology: character sheets

[fireinthedust]

I know RPG night is fun at my place, and I have a good time role-playing in general. I have noticed, however, that there is a temptation in RPGs for people to complain that their PC sheet looks just like everyone else's. 4e builds are like this, such as the Orbizard build folks complain about.

My worry is that people who want unique character sheets think for some reason that it's some sort of projective psyche evaluation, or that having a unique PC will provide them with a better personality.

((imaginary dialogue))
Player: Aww, my sheet looks just like everyone else's.
Me: Um, everyone's does: they're square sheets of paper with numbers on them.
Player: but they're all the same! My dwarf looks the same as that guy's dwarf.
Me: Not really. Yours has red hair. His has blond hair. Yours is fatter than his, and he character never ate six pounds of horse meat last session.

I mean, yeah there are specific optimal builds that get repeated. But that's not what makes the game special, or the players "unique".

 

[Particle_Man]

I suppose one could design personalized character sheets, emphasizing what a person wanted emphasizing, using a special font, putting in a picture that looks like the character or a symbol that represents him, etc.

But it is true that a Warlock will look like a Fighter will look like a Rogue and an Elf will look like a Dwarf will look like a Halfing.

They all get X Daily Powers, Y Encounter Powers (including the Racial one) and Z At-Will Powers (usually Z is 2). I don't see a way around that in 4e, as I don't think they will release a character class that breaks this mold.

Wizard, at least, has more room to change up the Daily Powers a bit.

 

[Crothian]

This is a new one to me. What are people looking at other people's character sheets for anyway?

 

[am181d]

I think the problem is more that the builds themselves are the same. Because of the way 4e is structured, it's more likely that any two Eladrin Swordmages are going to have the exact same set of powers. Two dwarven fighters will have the exact same "distinctive finishing move". Etc.

I don't think good roleplaying does much to solve this problem. ("We're completely different people, but we fight the EXACT same way.")

 

[Ariosto]

If all that "character building" gimcrackery really is not building character, then one option would be to switch to game in which you roll for stats, pick a class, and get right to adventuring.

There is probably a tendency toward "optimized" game-stat similarity in some games. When it was "play what you roll", the numbers served as inspiration for characterization. Oddly "mismatched" scores could be especially suggestive.

On the other hand, I don't usually get "character sheets" at all for the cast of a book, play, movie or TV show. Shouldn't they all look the same?

Maybe if one looks first at what really characterizes characters, the numbers on the paper can then be seen in their particular contexts as expressions of personal traits. The same composite rating ("effect") might reflect notably different mixes of aptitudes and attitudes ("causes").

 

[Crothian]

I don't think good roleplaying does much to solve this problem. ("We're completely different people, but we fight the EXACT same way.")

It depends on the people. I've played in one shots where more then one player was playing the exact same character for whatever reason. Sometimes it worked when the players were able and willing to roleplay it differently, other times it was like they were blaming boring clones.

 

[Nifft]

Maybe try different fonts? I dunno.

The "sheet" issue is new to me, too.

Cheers, -- N

 

[jmucchiello]

If all that "character building" gimcrackery really is not building character, then one option would be to switch to game in which you roll for stats, pick a class, and get right to adventuring.

There you go dice for powers. Roll a d4 (d6 whatever works) twice for you first level at-wills. Repeat once for encounter and daily powers. Then you can make up characters much faster and there are no "builds".

Seriously, what is funny about Ariosto's comment is people use complain all the time about how one OD&D fighter looks like any other fighter on paper since ability scores have very little impact on character ability in OD&D. You differentiated yourself by equipment and personality. Same issue really.

 

[Ariosto]

I'm all lost in the supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
a guaranteed personality.

 

[Ariosto]

You could give 'em some points to distribute among such stuff as:
Existential Angst +4
Lost Love Reincarnated +3
Vow of Vengeance +2
Black Lotus Addict +1
-- or --
Raised By Wolves +3
Lost Heir +3
Mother's Locket +2
Eternal Optimist +1
Not Really Left Handed +1
... or whatever!