So, I've decided that I hate roleplaying

[Doug McCrae]

EVERY group I've been with have always been of the mentality making characters as a group limits their creativity (I had some players actually say this)

Yeah, that's crazy talk because being a player in an rpg inherently limits your creativity. You can't just make up any character and do anything. You have to fit with a) what the GM has prepared and b) what the other players want.

Other people in the room = I am not free.

 

[ExploderWizard]

You are certainly not alone in this one.

One of the biggest things we've done in our group is sitting down and making characters AS A GROUP. No more of this go off and make characters by yourself stuff anymore. Sure, the mechanical nuts and bolts stuff you can do at home. I'm talking about the stuff that actually matters - like personality, background, whatnot.

I really, strongly believe that a coherent group (or group template as some call it) is key to a good campaign.

Also from a purely tactical perspective, assembling a team together can provide a better benefit for the group than individual members being designed alone.

 

[Pig Champion]

Ironically you seem to roleplay more than full-blooded roleplayers. Roleplay is much more than dialogue at a table. If DnD is a supposed narrative then third and second person are narrative tools and thus roleplaying.

Just because you like to play action-blockbuster narratives doesn't make it less or more than an art-house narrative or better/worse than that meshing of both worlds, the Tarantino narrative.

I wouldn't say you hate roleplaying because you roleplay just fine. I would suggest you hate first person dialogue in place of action.

 

[BryonD]

Given this brief, I would go and create a character who fits the tone exactly, something like a paladin of the sun god who's brother was killed by the vampire lord; the point being my character fits into the story perfectly, with plot hooks and a background that lets him seamlessly integrate with the campaign. That's what I enjoy. On the flip side I've played with MANY players who, given a brief like that, would make a character that really has no ties to anything and is the "odd man out", let's say a dragon-hating ranger from a far away land, and then throughout the campaign complain repeatedly that there are no dragons to fight, just undead, and nothing in their backstory is coming into play.

There is only one thing in this that would tick me off. The complaining and expectation that the campaign would re-define its core elements to fit a character.

But, the idea of a "dragon-hating ranger from a far away land" finding himself caught up in the anti-undead campaign is perfectly cool to me. The paladin is also plenty cool. *BUT*, to me the implication that the character must fit the campaign is a real concern, while an odd-man out character in the game isn't. (Unless they bitch about being the odd man out, of course)

Obviously there are extremes. You can't be a wolverine inspired character in my Song of Ice and Fire based campaign. And you can't be a half dragon centaur sorcerer of Azothoth in my low magic sword and sorcery game.

But the dragon hunting ranger isn't at all out of bounds as I see it. And I'd think it is reasonable to expect this kind of character to fit. If you have a long standing group and everyone knows that a tight fit is assumed, then cool. I'm absolutely not being critical of that. But if a new player joined in, he would be justified to be quite surprised that his ranger was considered a problem. It is ok to presume that "now you know, maybe this group isn't a good fit for this player". But it isn't right to point fingers at a player who has more open ideas than the group. (The same thing applies to the half dragon centaur. Nothing wrong with the idea, you just don't fit. Do you want to comply? Yes? Lets go. No? Good gaming with whatever group you do find)

And there are shades of grey. And reasonable groups can work those out.

 

[wayne62682]

Yeah, and that's what I meant. I would have nothing wrong with playing the odd man provided I had a good way to integrate him into the campaign. But the kind of people I would play with wouldn't bother with that, they would get the campaign brief, and knowing full well what the campaign dealt with make something totally 180 degrees to the theme of the campaign, and then whine and complain later when nothing relevant to their PC shows up. Of course, these people would also only use the PHB when other books were allowed (this was 3.5) and then throw a fit when someone used a new class or feat or spell from an allowed book, because THEY chose to stick with Core PHB.

 

[MortonStromgal]

I would have a conversation with your group as a whole. Saying you want more action less talking. Seams like the issue is with the GM not with the group. Also tell them that your just not enjoying WFRP because you want more fights and you dont want to do something you dont enjoy so if you cant get some more fights your going to have to sit out. I was recently in a group where I was amazed they were gaming together because if you use the 4 quadrant gamer types they were in the 4 opposite corners. It broke up eventually...

 

[Truth Seeker]

There are those who are just 'roll players' and is just there to see the numbers invoked.

And then there are 'role players' who are just there to just do the 'social interaction', less dice using, more talking.

Then there are folks who are out there...that balances both aspects. (Like me) For some, that is a sign of maturity increasing, taste changing and adjusting one's perpection on what you want of the game.

Then again...there are some who don't wish to excel and stay 'stationary' for the duration of their gaming life. (You all has seen this effect during your gaming experience), and some folks wll never change, cause they don't want to leave their 'comfort zone'.

For me...recognizing that this 'game' does requires social interaction to function well, to have fun and progress either in level or learning something new (and you do, some of the time). I make it a mission to be active with the character and as being a player as well.

Now these days...I just lay back and let 'new' players show their stuff before me and I adjust my input on what they do. Still a challenge these days and it keeps my halves of 'roll' & 'role' playing pretty busy.

I won't tell you outright on where to find your 'lost' taste. When that happens....take a break and do some self-examination on what you need to be fullfilled.

Let me explain. I prefer my roleplaying in very small doses. I don't enjoy having half a session devoted to talking "in character", nor do I like having to speak in first person for my character. I like combat, I like tactical maneuvers, and I like killing things and taking their stuff

Roleplaying, to me, is something that should be the background and not the major focus. I don't want to "play stupid" with my character, and therefore make poor tactical decisions that hurt the rest of the group. Maybe it's because during the past year I stopped playing D&D and started playing WoW, but it's now my view that someone who hurts their party for "roleplay reasons" is a total jerk and doesn't belong in the group. I don't like being "forced" to speak in first person with my character; IMO it's perfectly acceptable to say "<character name> tells the guard blah blah blah..." and that is roleplaying. I don't have to engage in dialogue and be all like "Hail, my good man! I am seeking blah blah blah canst thou help me?" like improv theater. Sadly most of the people I've gamed with have not agreed and felt I was not roleplaying "properly" because I don't like speaking in first person.

My old group lost two of its members when my friend's sister and her boyfriend stopped playing (both said they weren't really "into" D&D and were just playing because the brother asked them to). So my friend wanted to try Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and kept saying how great it is and hyping it. So I've given it a shot for about a month now. And I hate it. The system is alright and a unique take, but it encourages so much roleplay and "narrative" that it disgusts me. Since my friend is big into the roleplay aspect, to the point where he dislikes 4e for it's base "heavy combat, light roleplay" mentality, he finds this great. I find it boring as hell. I like my roleplay light and my combat heavy, since combat is where I have the most fun. My friend is the kind I described above, where it's not "roleplaying" unless I'm talking in first person, and he loves how WHFRP pushes the roleplay even to the point of this "party tension" nonsnese that hinders you if you can't agree on something. He even said he loves the system because it focuses on "the party narrative" which just makes me want to barf.

So... what can I do? I've noticed that lately, I don't even have a desire to play RPGs because I want to avoid the roleplay except where absolutely necessary (or the occasional witty remark during combat, things like that), and as far as the combat goes I feel I'd rather be playing WoW because there's no "house rules" to muck things up because someone doesn't agree with the RAW.

Is there any hope for me, or are my days of RPGs over and I should just stick with WoW?

 

[nedjer]

a sign of maturity increasing ...there are some who don't wish to excel. they don't want to leave their 'comfort zone'.

different styles of play can be more or less complex or novel but all can be played with maturity and excellence

 

[Truth Seeker]

No disagreement there...

different styles of play can be more or less complex or novel but all can be played with maturity and excellence

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

@ the OP:

You have a preferred playstyle. Good for you! I hope you can find a group of like-minded gamers.

it's now my view that someone who hurts their party for "roleplay reasons" is a total jerk and doesn't belong in the group.

(Emphasis mine.)

That is my only issue with your original post.

Their playstyle may differ, and depending on the makeup of the group, may not belong in that campaign, but playing your role ≠ total jerk.

...even if the person IS a jerk.

Its not the roleplay that is making him thus, its his innate "jerkidity."