Roleplaying As Catharsis?

[doctorbadwolf]

So, I have been thinking about what makes roleplaying games different from other games.

For me, at least, it seems to be the ability to create a character that allows me to explore my “inner selves”, confront my limitations and inner fears, enjoy and lean into perfectly normal aspects of myself that I was taught to be ashamed of (being sensitive and nurturing as a man, for instance), and like...play a character who has experienced the bad in life that I have, but who gets to do something more substantial, tangible, and satisfying, about it than I ever got to do.

I’ve got characters who let me enjoy my impulsiveness, or explore more fully my brief flashes of easy-going confidence in myself, or express and deal with a shared difficulty trusting that people will stick around, and that their affection and admiration is genuine, or through whom I can express and practice being okay with my need to sometimes shut out all stimulus and find peace in total quiet darkness and the panicked mania that can come when I’m unable to do so.

Or just like, the fun of being able to move like I’ve always wished I could move.

And so I have a wonder.

Do any of you do this? Do you explore, confront, encourage, or otherwise poke and prod at yourselves via your characters?

If you do, does it make it harder to play evil characters or those who simply have no moral similarity to yourself? I find it does.

 

[ccs]

Nope. Got better things to do with my hobby time than aiming for some kind of self-therapy (that's what God made Rum for).

Merely hanging with friends & playing games (be they RPGs, Miniatures, or Board Games) is the goal.
Character wise? I just try & make an interesting character that fits the campaign/play-style of the moment.

 

[DWChancellor]

I have found, that much like in RPG videogames, I can't play things that are not already inherent in me. And a big part of being an adult-- in game and out, is not letting the worse/troublemaking aspects drive behavior. But, like you pointed out, being more "impulsive" or playing a character that is totally confident in their actions (bone-headed or not) in the game can be fun in ways it isn't in day-to-day life!

There is something cathartic to let out my inner cat, or whatever, but I wouldn't consider it therapeutic. I'm just blowing off steam and having fun; making sure it doesn't step on other's fun.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I think that each of my characters has something of myself in them. And sometimes, yes, that includes my negative traits.

Osdred is anxiety cranked up to eleven. Malrek is stodgy and resistant to change (Not sure where the hydrophobia came from, though. That's not me at all.).

Now, do I actively use D&D as a form of therapy? No, I don't think so.

Do any of you do this? Do you explore, confront, encourage, or otherwise poke and prod at yourselves via your characters?

 

[dragoner]

Do you explore, confront, encourage, or otherwise poke and prod at yourselves via your characters?

Mostly I like to wander about, interacting with the environment or setting. Sure, there is a variation on playing myself, because that is just easier; doing it differently often becomes a one trick pony and the character lacks depth, and eventually one runs out of inspiration.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I have found, that much like in RPG videogames, I can't play things that are not already inherent in me. And a big part of being an adult-- in game and out, is not letting the worse/troublemaking aspects drive behavior. But, like you pointed out, being more "impulsive" or playing a character that is totally confident in their actions (bone-headed or not) in the game can be fun in ways it isn't in day-to-day life!

There is something cathartic to let out my inner cat, or whatever, but I wouldn't consider it therapeutic. I'm just blowing off steam and having fun; making sure it doesn't step on other's fun.

Yeah I mean catharsis can be just for fun.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I think that each of my characters has something of myself in them. And sometimes, yes, that includes my negative traits.

Osdred is anxiety cranked up to eleven. Hrothrak is stodgy and resistant to change (Not sure where the hydrophobia came from, though. That's not me at all.).

Now, do I actively use D&D as a form of therapy? No, I don't think so.

Didn’t say anything about therapy, actually.

But yeah that sounds like exactly what I’m on about.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Mostly I like to wander about, interacting with the environment or setting. Sure, there is a variation on playing myself, because that is just easier; doing it differently often becomes a one trick pony and the character lacks depth, and eventually one runs out of inspiration.

So you don’t like, dig into the character in depth?

It’s interesting to me because characters rare the primary point of all stories, for me, but especially in games.

 

[uzirath]

Do you explore, confront, encourage, or otherwise poke and prod at yourselves via your characters?

Definitely. I don't necessarily plan it all out during char-gen, but each character is some sort of fun-house-mirror version of myself. Sometimes I play up an existing attribute, other times I'm more aspirational, and every time I'm surprised by what I end up with.

If you do, does it make it harder to play evil characters or those who simply have no moral similarity to yourself? I find it does.

I do recall in high school (long ago) trying to make a character who was totally unlike me. Complete flop. I had to second guess my instincts too much. And, while as a GM I have no problem making my NPCs do vicious, terrible things, I generally feel a bit dirty if my PCs make such choices.

I design flawed PCs, certainly, but veer away from sociopathic or other traditionally evil traits. I don't usually play games with defined alignments, so we don't need to decide how much greed makes you evil or whatever. It's more about how the game world and other characters react. I like the conflict inherent in a character who thinks of themselves as "good," and does good deeds on many fronts, but also has some blind spots and flaws which make for a messy moral picture.

 

[BookBarbarian]

When my friends and I get together there is almost always some catharsis. This is true whether we play D&D, video games, or just eat and drink.