Love, truuuuueeeeee love

[Olive]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/bs/20030221a

This article gives advice on how to work romantic themes into your game. I've always shied away from it myself, so i was wondering if you guys used it. I'm thinking it might be a good way to involve some of the players in the roleplaying part of the game...

 

[psychognome]

Can love happen only every three levels when a feat slot comes open?

I laughed out loud when I read this sentence.

No, I've never really used romance in D&D, but sometimes I feel like I should. Inter-party romance has one little problem: roleplaying all the cooky stuff with a friend might be difficult without it feeling "weird". Unless you happen to game with your significant other, when it might be a bit too easy.

 

[Olive]

Unless you happen to game with your significant other, when it might be a bit too easy.

and a bit too cheezy and irritating for the rest of the group.

 

[KenM]

Romance is good for two things in RPG's IMO, plot devices, (the big bad guy kidnnaped your betrothed). Or to Marry off PC's with NPC's for political reasons.

 

[Buttercup]

My character and another character had a romance in an online game I used to play in, and it actually made me a tad uncomfortable. No, that's not right. It made me very uncomfortable, even though it was just a silly, childish crush situation. I wouldn't do it again. Now I play with my husband, but I wouldn't even get into an in-game romance with him. That idea just makes me feel unclean. I suppose I'm nutty or something, but I feel like my relationship with my husband is private, and somehow sacred. I wouldn't want to display private details in an inapropriate venue, and the gaming table is clearly inapropriate (to me, of course. YMMV). And yes, I do understand the difference between playing a role and real life. But in this case, I guess my head understands it, and my heart isn't so sure.

I realize that I may be a kook. But there you have it.

 

[Silver Moon]

Well, as readers of my Story Hours already know (shameless plug) romance is and has been a factor in our storyline for years. We have played continuously for 21 years, with 14 years of character time passing, during which there have been several romances and marriages. This has also led to pregnancies and children, all of which adds more flavor to the game.

And character romances do not have to have any relation to real life either. The group's party leader, a half-elf fighter (played by a male player) recently married his girlfriend, a elvan archer (who I play). That same player has another character who is involved with one of my wife's characters. The relationships add more to the game, making the fantasy world feel more real. The only real catch to this is that when a player with a married character leaves the group the character usually stays in the game as an NPC stay-at-home spouse rather than leaving as well.

We have also added in the concept of homosexuality as well, through a pair of NPC's. One is at the extreme of being very open and flamboyant, while the other is a prominent political leader who keeps this aspect of his life a closely guarded secret.

(BTW, love the thread title. "The Princess Bride" has always been a personal favorite of mine, having seen it with my own bride shortly before proposing to her.)

 

[Wicht]

Actually Buttercup, I can understand and agree.

I think part of my thinking is having experienced (and continuing to experience) a real, permanent and very personal relationship with my wife, to try and recreate that feeling in any way ingame would be, well, for lack of a the right word, not as special, meaningful and would feel very artificial. Plus it might make my wife start wondering why I felt compelled to look elsewhere for romance.


Now as a DM I am also very hesitant about trying to work romance into the game. For one reason one of the players is my wife and it would be sort of weird to develop a romance between her character and one of my NPCs (would be like making out in public or something). The other players are a man and wife who are both playing male characters. The fourth player is their son. Too much room for confusion, hurt feelings and general weirdness with in game romances IMO. Real life relationships are complicated enough without adding to the mix.

 

[333 Dave]

No, no, he clearly said "To blathe", which as you know, is to cheat at cards. He probably owes you money or something!

 

[Buttercup]

No, no, he clearly said "To blathe", which as you know, is to cheat at cards. He probably owes you money or something!

Humperdink. Humperdink, Humperdink, HUMPERDINK!

 

[Buttercup]

(would be like making out in public or something)

Yes, that's it exactly.

Too much room for confusion, hurt feelings and general weirdness with in game romances.

Again, bingo. Thanks for the validation!