Ever play a PC of the opposite gender?
- Thread starter Zogg
- Start date
My current character is a female half-elf bard. I choose female because it made for a more interesting back-story for the character in this particular campaign. Being a Bard she knows something of the world and how to get what she wants without being slutty. Being the charismatic socially skilled one, she is also the leader of the party - in our campaign fighting isn't always the best option.
I've mostly played male PCs, with two notable exceptions. The first was in a game with an approximately 50-50 player gender ratio and a female DM who would put me on the spot on a regular basis. Very interesting experience. 
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The second was just two weeks ago in a one-shot. I played an Old (stat modifiers and all!) hobgoblin Witch (the modified Sorceror class from the DMG). Very high Cha, very low comeliness. Of course, she did wind up using Change Self and Charm Person to make the Int4 Wis5 orc Fighter PC her own personal cohort.
When the Change Self ran out, she managed to convince him that she was going to "disguise" herself from this gorgeous orc maiden into a horrid, wrinkly old hobgoblin. 
. The second was just two weeks ago in a one-shot. I played an Old (stat modifiers and all!) hobgoblin Witch (the modified Sorceror class from the DMG). Very high Cha, very low comeliness. Of course, she did wind up using Change Self and Charm Person to make the Int4 Wis5 orc Fighter PC her own personal cohort.
When the Change Self ran out, she managed to convince him that she was going to "disguise" herself from this gorgeous orc maiden into a horrid, wrinkly old hobgoblin. 
Viktyr Gehrig
First Post
I mostly stay within my own gender, though my characters aren't generally very sexual in the first place. I play female characters occasionally, but I don't find it all that special as opposed to playing male characters.
I play my share of characters who either don't have sexual biology, or who normal, mammalian characters can't tell the differences between. I'm the go-to guy for Lizardfolk, Thri-Kreen, and Illithids, because I'm pretty good at wrapping my brain around an alien mindset.
The only character I've ever played who really played around with gender distinctions was a Doppelganger. They're naturally androgynous, but capable of taking male and female forms... and my character found this aspect of human biology and psychology interesting. It took a variety of male and female forms and tried interacting with different NPCs, and was romantically attached to a whole hell of a lot of different people of varying species, gender, and inclinations.
I play my share of characters who either don't have sexual biology, or who normal, mammalian characters can't tell the differences between. I'm the go-to guy for Lizardfolk, Thri-Kreen, and Illithids, because I'm pretty good at wrapping my brain around an alien mindset.
The only character I've ever played who really played around with gender distinctions was a Doppelganger. They're naturally androgynous, but capable of taking male and female forms... and my character found this aspect of human biology and psychology interesting. It took a variety of male and female forms and tried interacting with different NPCs, and was romantically attached to a whole hell of a lot of different people of varying species, gender, and inclinations.
Delemental
First Post
Sadly, every time I've attempted to play a female character, the campaign has ended shortly thereafter. I think I may give it another shot the next time I need a new character. I've really liked the female characters I have made.As far as playing different orientations, I'd have to admit I haven't tried it yet.
About the best time I had with playing a woman was unintentional - our group had been cursed by a trickster god and had all of our genders reversed for about a year. There wasn't too much made of it in game, but I'd written up a short story about how my character initially tried to adjust to his new-found womanhood (he was well on his way to becoming a stereotypical floozy until a female NPC chewed him out and set him straight).
About half the players in our group have played oposite-gender characters at one point or another. I'd like to think we avoided the common cliches.
About the best time I had with playing a woman was unintentional - our group had been cursed by a trickster god and had all of our genders reversed for about a year. There wasn't too much made of it in game, but I'd written up a short story about how my character initially tried to adjust to his new-found womanhood (he was well on his way to becoming a stereotypical floozy until a female NPC chewed him out and set him straight).
About half the players in our group have played oposite-gender characters at one point or another. I'd like to think we avoided the common cliches.
hunter1828
Butte Hole Surfer
Kahuna Burger said:
Kahuna Burger, so what you are saying is you would rather go with a myth that is so badly sexist in nature but has become popular than let someone suggest that the myth could be wrong? And then you have the gall to suggest someone else might be sexist?
I've known "larger chested" women who practice archery and they all thought the story of amazons removing a breast was absurd.
When examined, the myth of removing a breast is a clear example of Greeks trying to lessen the Scythian women by making them less than a woman and by having them resort to self-mutilation, which is even more bestial in nature. That's pretty dang sexist.
Oh yeah...to keep this on topic...I have played the occasional female character but almost always play male characters. As a DM, my major NPCs are split about 50-50 female-male.
And none of the females remove their breasts...
hunter1828
First of all, thank you for your words of extreme silliness, D12. I laughed until I stopped.
I'm always amazed by how many positive experiences people have with this. I have played a female character exactly once but I was never really able to get the hang of it. And I appear to move in a circle of men who are not good at it either. Fortunately, almost all of us seem to recognize this lack of proficiency.
The character I played, I played because of a rule in third edition Runequest which permitted female characters to start with Rune Magic if they joined a specific cult (Voria). The mechanical advantage under the rules was just too good to pass up. (Kind of like the way 3E gives male and female drow the same ECL -- who would ever play a male drow!?).
Paradoxically, it does appear that the circle I move in is more effective at recruiting female players than most are. I wonder if some of our belief in our own inability to play women is that we get to see real female players playing real female characters every week and have to compare our own attempts to that.
Anyway, I'm interested in hearing from men who post to this discussion about how many female players there are in their groups and how they feel in comparing their play of female characters to that of their female fellow players.
By the way, I also must observe that I have never seen a woman do a bad job of playing a male character.
I'm always amazed by how many positive experiences people have with this. I have played a female character exactly once but I was never really able to get the hang of it. And I appear to move in a circle of men who are not good at it either. Fortunately, almost all of us seem to recognize this lack of proficiency.
The character I played, I played because of a rule in third edition Runequest which permitted female characters to start with Rune Magic if they joined a specific cult (Voria). The mechanical advantage under the rules was just too good to pass up. (Kind of like the way 3E gives male and female drow the same ECL -- who would ever play a male drow!?).
Paradoxically, it does appear that the circle I move in is more effective at recruiting female players than most are. I wonder if some of our belief in our own inability to play women is that we get to see real female players playing real female characters every week and have to compare our own attempts to that.
Anyway, I'm interested in hearing from men who post to this discussion about how many female players there are in their groups and how they feel in comparing their play of female characters to that of their female fellow players.
By the way, I also must observe that I have never seen a woman do a bad job of playing a male character.
Silver Moon
Adventurer
Yes, although the majority of the players in our our group do play the same gender. Two of my ten playing characters are female; one of my wife's eight playing characters is male. Another player has four male and two female. It doesn't mean anything about the player, it is just role playing.
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