starting a gaming group

[dreaded_beast]

This is an interesting thread and everyone has very good ideas.

I hope this isn't considering de-railing the thread, since most of the replies seem to deal with role-playing.

I have a question in regards to "roleplaying". What happens when you have someone who wants to "roleplay" but is not the most eloquent speaker in "real life"? That person wants to have the thrill of being charasmatic and well-spoken so puts his highest stat in charisma and pumps up his diplomacy ranks.

Would you be all right with allowing that person to "roll" during "role"playing intensive encounters because that person in real-life is not as charsimatic as the character they are playing?

This just a little gripe I have about groups that say they want "roleplaying". Most of the time, said group is composed of very good speakers and "roleplayers" making the diplomacy ranks virtually meaningless. I'm not saying anyone who has replied here is like that, this is just a gripe I have about "roleplaying" vs. "roll-playing".

 

[Elf Witch]

This is an interesting thread and everyone has very good ideas.

I hope this isn't considering de-railing the thread, since most of the replies seem to deal with role-playing.

I have a question in regards to "roleplaying". What happens when you have someone who wants to "roleplay" but is not the most eloquent speaker in "real life"? That person wants to have the thrill of being charasmatic and well-spoken so puts his highest stat in charisma and pumps up his diplomacy ranks.

Would you be all right with allowing that person to "roll" during "role"playing intensive encounters because that person in real-life is not as charsimatic as the character they are playing?

This just a little gripe I have about groups that say they want "roleplaying". Most of the time, said group is composed of very good speakers and "roleplayers" making the diplomacy ranks virtually meaningless. I'm not saying anyone who has replied here is like that, this is just a gripe I have about "roleplaying" vs. "roll-playing".

Hey do I play in your game I have this problem I love to role play and at times want to play a high charismatic character in real life I have problems due to brain damage that sometimes makes it hard for me to say what I am trying to say. I also used to stutter so I worry about that when I talk.

So my answer is yes have the player speak and then if it's not going good roll the dice.

 

[bubbalin]

Ask them if they'd mind leaving their dice at home for a session every now and again, as sometimes you believe they will not be needing to roll them. See how they react to that!


Not that you really have them leave their dice at home, or anything. Or maybe...

Yeah, but they might get the wrong idea of your 'roleplaying' group...

 

[bubbalin]

This is an interesting thread and everyone has very good ideas.

I hope this isn't considering de-railing the thread, since most of the replies seem to deal with role-playing.

I have a question in regards to "roleplaying". What happens when you have someone who wants to "roleplay" but is not the most eloquent speaker in "real life"? That person wants to have the thrill of being charasmatic and well-spoken so puts his highest stat in charisma and pumps up his diplomacy ranks.

Would you be all right with allowing that person to "roll" during "role"playing intensive encounters because that person in real-life is not as charsimatic as the character they are playing?

This just a little gripe I have about groups that say they want "roleplaying". Most of the time, said group is composed of very good speakers and "roleplayers" making the diplomacy ranks virtually meaningless. I'm not saying anyone who has replied here is like that, this is just a gripe I have about "roleplaying" vs. "roll-playing".

The opposite of this of course is when you have a group full of people who aren't that bad at communications, and they 'dump stat' their charisma and neglect their social skills, then start talking 'eloquently'. I find this annoying, because I know I want to play a social character, so I actually put ranks in those skills and my charisma, but don't get to use it as much...

Blah...

 

[Elf Witch]

The opposite of this of course is when you have a group full of people who aren't that bad at communications, and they 'dump stat' their charisma and neglect their social skills, then start talking 'eloquently'. I find this annoying, because I know I want to play a social character, so I actually put ranks in those skills and my charisma, but don't get to use it as much...

Blah...

Agreeded we have a player in the group who is naturally very witty and he uses this all the time it was great when he was a bard but is dump stat is Chrasima and yet he always mnages to charm his way out of things. I own the toher hand was aplaying a sorcerer high charisma but because of my nonability to be eloquent in real life I don't get a chance and I have not once been asked to role a diplomacy check.

It is one reason I gave up the sorcerer and I am bringing in a fighter with an 8 chrasima.

 

[dreaded_beast]

Agreeded we have a player in the group who is naturally very witty and he uses this all the time it was great when he was a bard but is dump stat is Chrasima and yet he always mnages to charm his way out of things. I own the toher hand was aplaying a sorcerer high charisma but because of my nonability to be eloquent in real life I don't get a chance and I have not once been asked to role a diplomacy check.

It is one reason I gave up the sorcerer and I am bringing in a fighter with an 8 chrasima.

Sorry to hear that

To get the thread back on topic and to try and answer one of your questions, in my opinion, I do think it is possible to play in gaming group with a different style than yours.

The only thing is that the amount of fun you have may vary. I believe playing DND is about making compromises when it comes to playing in a group, since I don't think there are many groups out there where everyone in the group has the exact same playing style. I think it is all a matter of how well everyone is willing to mesh their style together.

 

[Elf Witch]

Sorry to hear that

To get the thread back on topic and to try and answer one of your questions, in my opinion, I do think it is possible to play in gaming group with a different style than yours.

The only thing is that the amount of fun you have may vary. I believe playing DND is about making compromises when it comes to playing in a group, since I don't think there are many groups out there where everyone in the group has the exact same playing style. I think it is all a matter of how well everyone is willing to mesh their style together.

This was always how I felt our gaming group always had a mixture and we always had a blast. But lately things have been bad a lot of tension at the table and everyone's fun taking a nose dive.

 

[Kichwas]

Invite them to meet you at a local coffee shop within walking distance of a game shop.

Don't once ever offer to stop at the game store. See how strong the pull for them is to go there...

If they just have to go to the game shop, cut them from your list... Too much gamer geek in their blood. I've had people refuse to meet anywhere but the local shop...

Bring at least three non gaming subjects into the initial conversation, and see how they respond. With this, it's a feeling you're looking for so I can't give solid advice other than to trust the vibe you get back from them.

Good subjects are politics, religion, and relaxation (find out what they think of drinking, smoking, and drugs - compare that to your own stance).

Politics and religion are good because those subjects get to the trigger points of people and help you find 'what they really think' and how they're likely to behave once you have them in your living room.


Most people will all give about the same answers to gaming questions, even if they hold vastly different views. They're trying to impress you and that's where they've put their resume skills. You want to break beyond the resume and that's why you go to non gaming topics.