Do you care what your friends play?

[Frosty]

Ha ha! Great stuff Katerek!

First I tought you were just pulling my leg but then I realised what a genius you are...

I'm not sure my group would buy it but I for one would love to pick an actor for my characters. I'm certainly going to bring it up. Thanks.

 

[Katerek]

It really works great. I even use actors for major NPC's. I have found that type casting is a wonderful tool as well.

When I needed an evil and crafty despot who was somewhat aged, I chose Peter Cushing to play him. (Peter Cushing played Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars)

The party has a rather wealthy landowner who inherited most of her holdings from her father. She supports the arts and adventures in her off time. She is of course played by Anjelina Jolie, but her name is not Lara.

One of my players is a wizard and he also has four wives, insert the cast of The Craft.

Whenever I need a powerful introduction I use the actor's name as an instant source of recognition. For instance, once they were travelling in an oriental setting and they ran across this guy who needed to be a bad-a$$ monk. So here is how I described it:

You walk up the beach, and standing at the top of the hill, you see Bolo Yeung (the bad guy from Blood Sport, that really poopy Jean Claude Van Dame movie). He has a length of rope with a spike on the end wrapped curiously about his fore-arm. He is standing in a combat stance. He looks at you and says "This is MY island! Leave now!"

The PC's never fought him. They had all seen enough kung-faux movies that they "knew" if I was using Bolo Yeung that he would be a bad MF'er. Is it realistic? No. But he was supposed to be intimidating, and they were definately intimidated. No dice needed to be rolled, and it was FAR more memorable a scene.

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

Frosty---
Do you care what your friends play?

Yeah, I get pissed when my friends play checkers.




Oh wait, that's not what you were asking, was it...?
.
.
Seriously, I hate it when somebody plays "THE LONER FROM HELL!" You know the type: the rogue who hates people and always manages to leave the group for extended amounts of time while the rest of the players are bored out of their minds.

Anytime somebody says, "I want to play a character who hates group interaction, is really stealthy, and is CN," I smack them upside the head.

 

[Hikaru]

Working a description in with every move one makes is something storytellers and method-actors tend to do but it can be pretty far-fetched for butt-kickers and power gamers. I don't think that it's something that comes easy. Moreover if I am the only one that is doing it I am in effect hogging the spotlight. Something I try to avoid.

The DM can help by "translating" what the players say into something more cinematic. As in:
Player - I attack with my axe, I roll a 16. Do I hit?
DM - With a roar, the mighty Bjölnar swings his axe at the sissy elf, who didn't seem to expect such a mountain of muscles to move so fast. It's a hit! Roll for damage.

It also hints at how Bjölnar perceives his environment (he is mighty, elves are sissy). Of course, the DM must know how the player perceives his character, first, even if this perception is nebulous.

 

[Frosty]

Of course, the DM must know how the player perceives his character, first, even if this perception is nebulous.

Perhaps he doesn't. I mean if the description is off in the mind of the player then he will have to speak up, no?

 

[Hikaru]

Perhaps he doesn't. I mean if the description is off in the mind of the player then he will have to speak up, no?

True. There was such an example given on those boards, that I can only improperly remember: after the player had succeeded with a very lucky roll to kill an orc chief, the DM describes the scene in a very impressive fashion, but the player corrects: no, I just kill him nonchalently. The DM finally agrees, and describes how scared the other orcs now are, to see their leader killed seemingly without effort.

 

[LostSoul]

I think you can help other players create memorable PCs by interacting with those PCs. Push their buttons, put them in situations where they shine, ask them questions in character that you know out of character, etc.

I played a mercenary Ranger/Psi-Warrior in a one shot game once; I had the Talons power, so I was a great bare-knuckle boxer. I challenged my brother's PC (a boring monk who didn't make much of an impression, as far as I was concerned) to a fight. I lost bad, just like I knew I would. But it gave his character a moment to shine. I think it worked out pretty good.