Should girls be allowed to play fighter characters

[Cerubus Dark]

Your DM is best described by the technical term "poopyhead", because he has obviously scooped out his own brain and stuffed his skull full of low-grade used catbox filler. That is the only way to explain his opinion on this matter.

lol, all this time I thought it was just a color term! Who knows what new applications I can have for this wonderful phrase!


As far as my games go, the two women in it have played fighters, plaidans, monks, a sorcerer, and a cleric so far. Of course my buddy is banned from takeing anything that even looks like it might be MONK related. Then again his alignment is chaotic stupid.

 

[Thanee]

Exactly. Look at the initial poster's user name and think again about probabilities and credibility.

... or age.

No offense!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Celtavian]

re

In my fantasy world physiological limitations _do_ limit the number of women suitable for combat!
I generally assume that average-NPC men & women IMC have the same sort of STR ratio as in the real world, so men are typically around 60% stronger, making the average female STR 7-8.
Of course the female fighters that do exist IMC, being a self-selected minority, tend to be more than usually competent as a result, even though they rarely have STR over 16 (before level mods).

Basically, the implication is that a female fighter character is one of the women suited to combat irregardless of whether or not the same could be said of the actual female player. I don't think the DM should bring the real world too much into a fantasy campaign limiting choices based on gender or race.

Women generally have 60% of the strength of men in the upper body and about 70% in the lower body. Height and weight are also huge factors for strength and durability, which women are often lacking.

Should this kind of real world physiological difference be included in a fantasy game? Does the added realism bring anything to your game or does it just make women want to play the game less? I see no advantage in ensuring that real world physiological differences be enforced in a fantasy game. Just like I'm not hardcore about racial prejudice irregardless of whether it would be real or not. If a woman wants to play a female fighter with an extreme strength, then let her come up with a suitable background and play it. No reason to remind a person playing a female character in a game of the physical differences between men and women.

I'm not talking about making every woman as strong as a man, but it is expected that the PC's are exceptional. There is no need to ensure that a player choosing to play a female fighter type is weaker than all her male counterparts IMO.

 

[randomling]

The game that will allow me to use the phrase "IMC" hasn't actually started yet, so...

Physiological differences between men and women are, in terms of game-stats, something that I'm planning on handwaving in my swashbuckling game. I'm going for a very particular flavour though (much less tough and gritty than S'mon's game, which I play in).

Certainly as a DM I would be very hesitant to put gender restrictions on core classes without extremely compelling campaign reasons. As a player, I'd be very reluctant to play in a game with heavy gender restrictions (no warrior classes for female PCs), and almost certain to walk out on a DM that said women couldn't play fighters no matter the gender of the PC.

Then again I'm a card-carrying feminist.

 

[StalkingBlue]

... or age.

No offense!

Yup!

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

My dm says that girls can only play wizards and clerics and classes like that. I want to play a paladin, but he says that only guys can be paladins. Help is that true?

Girl, I suggest you get a new DM.

The only paladin in one of my games is played be a female player playing a female PC. She kicks you know what. In our other game, the same woman plays and even tougher you know what kicking dwarf fighter.

I have never wanted to play a fighter character but can not imagine being told no. If a male DM told me I could not play the sort of character I wanted based upon his perception of what a female player / PC can and cannot do (sounds more like he is judging the PLAYER not the PC, as women can play male PCs) I'd walk out.

Sounds like your DM is either VERY misguided about what the term paladin means or has a serious problem with the notion of women being tough.

I suggest you take him to see Kill Bill, Van Helsing, XMen, Lord of the Rings, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon or any other one of a number of movies in which various female characters routinely take down their foes.

If he does break down and let you play a fighter type, I suggest your first act as your fighter be to kick his characters butt.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Women generally have 60% of the strength of men in the upper body and about 70% in the lower body. Height and weight are also huge factors for strength and durability, which women are often lacking.

I'm not talking about making every woman as strong as a man, but it is expected that the PC's are exceptional. There is no need to ensure that a player choosing to play a female fighter type is weaker than all her male counterparts IMO.

This is a good point. IRL, yes, women tend (TEND) to be physically weaker than men. UNLESS, we want to change that (ie. female bodybuilders, athletes etc. who are stronger than many average men).

One assumes if a female PC chose to be a fighter that she would likely be stronger than the average man in the fantasy world.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Just point your DM towards the CRPG 'Neverwinter Nights'. Definitive proof that women can be paladins.

Or have him read the Elfshadow series by Elaine Cunningham... the main character is a female half elf who kicks #$%^.

 

[Thanee]

...I suggest your first act as your fighter be to kick his characters butt.

Erm... he's the DM!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Erm... he's the DM!

Bye
Thanee

His then...make that his NPCs butt.

Silly me, I forgot that it was possible for someone who is so obviously sexist to attain the ranks of being a DM.