Male player + female character: a new twist

[stevelabny]

Isn't the whole point of playing a changeling to NOT tell the other players?

If I was playing a changeling, I wouldn't tell them before hand, even if I wound up revealing it in the first session... I'd rather go for genuine surprise

 

[Desdichado]

Isn't the whole point of playing a changeling to NOT tell the other players?

If I was playing a changeling, I wouldn't tell them before hand, even if I wound up revealing it in the first session... I'd rather go for genuine surprise

Sadly, I'd already let the cat out of the bag before that had occured to me. As I developed my concept, it became more and more obvious that I should have just told them I was playing a half-elf bard or something.

 

[reveal]

Isn't the whole point of playing a changeling to NOT tell the other players?

If I was playing a changeling, I wouldn't tell them before hand, even if I wound up revealing it in the first session... I'd rather go for genuine surprise

I also think it depends on your group. Some people don't like other players not telling them about their characters. Some could care less.

 

[Kastil]

I have no problem with males playing female characters. It happens in the game I run so it's no big IMO.


If fact, I play male characters and I'm female. I guess that's why we call it roleplaying
Besides the face that way back when only males were allowed to be actors so they had to 'dress' the part.

::giggles:: Have fun with it because your character sounds really interesting.

 

[Whimsical]

But...I REALLY want to be a wizard. Can't I play?

 

[shilsen]

I think there was a movie with that type of twist. I think it was Victor Victoria. It had to do with a woman pretending to be a man that's pretending to be a woman. Funny stuff.

Yup. Julie Andrews as a woman playing a man who's a female impersonator in 'his' stage role. And with James Garner as a mobster falling for her and having his mob cronies and ex-girlfriend assuming he's gay. Damn good movie.

 

[Mercule]

As one such GM, I would welcome your character concept. Generally, the kind of cross-gender pathological play I try to keep out of my games is practiced by guys who want to "be" female. Your character would not, in my estimation, attract such players. Furthermore, your character would not cause any problems with suspension disbelief when his motivation or actions ring false/masculine in a particular scene -- after all, he's just a guy pretending to be a girl.

In contrast, reveal's example has all my alarm bells going off.

Ditto and ditto.

 

[Teflon Billy]

...Any comments on this situation from those who don't like male players playing female characters?

I think I'm roundly acknowledged as the Godfather of all "GM's who don't like male players playing female characters" around these parts, and I'd have no trouble with this at all as it is--at it's core--a male PC impersonating a female one.

Reveal's example is an example of what categorically wouldn't 't get the nod. It has all the hallmarks of trouble (starting with "...was a prostitute" and ending with "A john ran way with his/her daughter").

Why? Male Players who come to the table with Female PC's built around the idea of what society traditionally considers "Abberant Sexual Behaviour" have never added anything to my games any time I have given them the opportunity to.

Quite the opposite.

The very few examples of Males playing Females that have been successful in my game have been as a result of then not being "Sexy Deviants" (oooooh....scandalous!).

My experience is broad enough for me to think it worthwhile to ban such nonsense.

 

[Teflon Billy]

The first PC is a guy with some plot hooks that have forced his PC to "hide out" it's got a "Some Like it Hot" or "Robotech: TNG - Lancer/Yellow Dancer" kind of vibe to it. Bit of a classic really.

The second feels like a guy with some gender issues who's trying to work them out IC, or who just wants to "freak the mundanes." No thanks, kindly keep your psychodrama out of my adventure story please.

This has been my experience in these situations as well.

 

[reveal]

This has been my experience in these situations as well.

Ya, I can see that. In this case, I thought the player would handle it well. If he started to not handle it well, I would have cut it off quick. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.