D&D 5E How to model a party of cinematically charismatic heroes?

[5ekyu]

Following on the Rogue One bot example, the bot was mot liked in the verse for his social skills, but became liked for his deeds.

This i think is an important distinction.

In my games, more as a tracking tool than other, i give characters "reputation points" for various events as they hapoen. The player notes them on a running log. They are specific to an event or area. Later on the player can burn those for favors in various interactions by rolling duce based on favor blah blah. Maybe word has spread - costs more dice.

"They built a statue to Jayne?"

So, sometimes the most uncharismatic hero is the hero you need and deeds not looks can get you lai... Er... Liked.

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[GMMichael]

temper the number of checks you ask for and make sure you only ask for checks when there's a question of whether their attempt could fail or succeed and if success or failure adds to the story. Every falsehood the players tell or every attempt to persuade doesn't need to be scrutinized by the NPCs and verified via a skill check. If the player's goal is reasonable and there's no reason the NPC should be a hindrance, let it succeed and keep the plot moving.

Good advice.

One shouldn't assume that movie heroes use the standard array. From what I've seen, they pretty much run 15 in every score, minimum.

And if your CHA is 8, you are, by definition, not very Charismatic. Own your flaws.

 

[Kichwas]

It all comes down to the actors. Replace your players with all the people that were BOTH 'cool kids' in high school AND on the Drama club... and you're done.

But you might have to pay them 6-8 figures to play in your games...

Otherwise... you're never going to really get this one - make a game and setting that plays up the kinds of personalities your players are capable of bringing to the table.

After all... I'm sure most of us have seen enough Batman movies to know that the right actor can save a bad plot but the wrong actor cannot handle a dramatic character. And even when you get actors that are good in one kind of role (Ben Afflick), they can look amazingly all wrong in another...

'Charisma' is not something you're going to want to try to simulate long term on a constant basis. It's fine for a less than charismatic player to play a charismatic character if he isn't expected to go all Hollywood all session long in every session - and just has to 'fake it' a few times and then make some roles. But if you put him on the stage all the time, it's going to look like 'Batma vs Superman' and you're gong to want to throw Rotten Tomatoes at your own game...

 

[iserith]

Without a specific example of what you're trying to emulate, I assume you mean how big screen heroes often get a lot of what they want during social interactions. I've seen GMs ask for too many checks which doesn't emulate the flow on the big screen well. A way to better emulate what happens on the big screen is to temper the number of checks you ask for and make sure you only ask for checks when there's a question of whether their attempt could fail or succeed and if success or failure adds to the story. Every falsehood the players tell or every attempt to persuade doesn't need to be scrutinized by the NPCs and verified via a skill check. If the player's goal is reasonable and there's no reason the NPC should be a hindrance, let it succeed and keep the plot moving.

If the bags of charisma you're talking about is more like quality interaction and banter between the PCs, I think you're just stuck with what your players bring to the table. (Unless you can get Joss Whedon to start providing players with lines.)

^ This.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

And if your CHA is 8, you are, by definition, not very Charismatic. Own your flaws.

Quite true. From the player's side, if you dump Charisma accept the negative repercussions. From the GM's side, make sure you're not overwhelming with game with unnecessary skill checks because that will never seem cinematic.

 

[iserith]

Good advice.

One shouldn't assume that movie heroes use the standard array. From what I've seen, they pretty much run 15 in every score, minimum.

And if your CHA is 8, you are, by definition, not very Charismatic. Own your flaws.

I would say "own your flaws" only in relation to what flaws you establish in the character's personal characteristics (personality trait, ideal, bond, flaw). There's a tangible benefit to doing so - Inspiration. There's no particular benefit to playing a Charisma 8 in any specific way except perhaps to try to avoid making Charisma checks wherever possible or, if you must, to have some resources you can spend to increase your odds of success.

 

[GMMichael]

Maybe it's just me, but I would say that the better you play your 8 Charisma (which is not low, any more than 13 is high) is actually the fewer checks the GM should ask you to make. A benefit of a sort, no?

 

[iserith]

Maybe it's just me, but I would say that the better you play your 8 Charisma (which is not low, any more than 13 is high) is actually the fewer checks the GM should ask you to make. A benefit of a sort, no?

Only if the DM is for some reason taking your ability scores into account when deciding whether a given approach to a goal has an uncertain outcome. I don't. I just judge the approach.

 

[Sunseeker]

Only if the DM is for some reason taking your ability scores into account when deciding whether a given approach to a goal has an uncertain outcome. I don't. I just judge the approach.

Lol I know we disagree on things but seriously what the heck?

I mean why are you playing a game where the stats are designed to do exactly that if you're just going to say "naw none of this matters". No I'm being totally serious here.

This completely diminishes even bothering to bring a character to the table. You're essentially saying that if a player is good enough, they could never have to actually play D&D at your table.

 

[Quickleaf]

The heroes on the big screen all have bags of charisma. So how do you emulate that in your party? Without mandating a high CHA score, that is, and not being unfair to one class or another. Using the standard array, for example, mustn't disadvantage the player who puts the 8 in CHA, nor must it disadvantage the player who puts the 15 there.

Skilled in the various verbal skills as a start, of course, but how about a baseline Advantage on rolls? Anything else?

The DM could choose to give out Inspiration whenever a player, speaking in-character, says something imminently quotable or witty.