When Bob wants to play a female PC

[FreeTheSlaves]

All of my players (only 3 plus me) have played female characters. It really isn't an issue except for the fact that they will be treated differently, sometimes it is an advantage and sometimes not.

I don't allow slutty whores but, in the recent most campaign I have allowed a bardic courtesan with excellent social skills to exploit her entertaining the prince-heir. Oh yeah, I never describe romance beyond, well romance.

 

[fredramsey]

I don't see any problem with that. Doesn't everybody?

If you folks think this hang-up of mine is odd, you'd get a hoot from the fact that I mandate all my players wear muscle shirts during game nights. The only character classes I allow are artificer and...well, just artificer. And any time someone rolls a "9" I leap atop the table and hurl feces at them.

But I suppose those peccadillos belong in another thread.

Whee,
D

 

[Darkness]

I have issues the other way - I'm fine with male players playing female PCs, I'm male and often play female PCs, I'm fine with female players playing male PCs. But GMs who won't let male players play female PCs (or players who won't play in a group where this occurs) really freaks me out. It freaks me out, I'm not sure why, it seems like they must have some huge psychological problems. Maybe this is unfair, but it makes my skin crawl. I would be very very reluctant to play in such a game. Maybe from a female GM, I could accept (though not like) it, but from a male GM, uggh. The most kind explanation would be that the GM had seen players play female characters so horribly in the past that he was left traumatised, and couldn't face the prospect again. Time ought to heal these wounds, though - if something bad happened when you were 15, should that still determine your GMing when you're 35?

I'm with you on this one, mate.

Now, I can see not letting a specific player play a certain character type he's been causing trouble with in the past - e.g., "no more kenders for Bob" - but otherwise it hints at a possible bigger issue (whether with your current gaming group or with yourself, hard to say without knowing the person in question). No offense to the original poster, BTW - I have lots of issues myself, just different ones.

 

[saethone]

keep the game pg 13 and it shouldn't pose a problem

if the players are mature enough to play a rated r game it won't matter anyway, because hes a mature player, and can handle it

 

[Old One]

I know the best advice for a DM is to let the players play whatever character type they'll enjoy the most. This will benefit the campaign and increase everyone's enjoyment. Yada, yada, yada. I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment...but I can't get over the Bob As An Elf Maiden hang-up.

Maybe it's just me...but I'm hoping that's not the case. If it is, it'd mean I'm the weird one. And that would do irreparable harm to my feelings.

Pudgy D

Must have something to do with that college you went to

I don't have a big problem (either as a player or DM) with cross-gender PCs, provided they aren't played like one-dimensional caricatures (that pisses me off). As a DM, I try to role-player varied and interesting female NPCs and encourage players to do the same.

I have played several female NPCs - including a paladin and half-orc fighter/barbarian - and enjoy it as an occassional change of pace.

That said, I have banned certain players from going cross-gender because they suck at it so bad !

~ OO

 

[Harmon]

Gender of a character to me is a moot point. Sexuality- don't care.

What bothers me is a Player that wants to play- "Lady Rossgaine, of the Duchy of Lala," when you know the Player has not the role playing ability to pull it off.

Example- I know a Player that plays rough and tumble women. I would not let this Player try to pull off playing a Lady or Dane (the my fair lady type with social finese and no combat interests) or what have you, because the Player can't do it. Now make the character male, with the same royalness and I still would not. I am talking about a character with no interest in combat, with fear of anything sharp.

Play your strengths, reach towards your weaknesses, flex and stretch your abilities, but don't over reach. Gender is something that should not be an issue- for god's sake man, its a fantasy world.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

As a DM, do you play female NPCs?

Good criminey. OF COURSE!

I think that if someone is *mature* enough to be playing D&D in the first place, then there should be no issue with what gender they are playing. I mean, seriously, have you had that many problems with someone playing a gender other than their own? Even if you HAVE had a lot of problems, then the fault should rest solely on the DM for allowing the problems to continue. As Henry said, if someone were gaming anything - be it their own sex or the opposite - and were wasting everyone's time by delving into things normally left behind closed doors, then it is up to the DM to rectify the situation. That's not to say outlaw opposite-gender PCs, what I'm saying is this is something that would have to be dealt with on an individual basis. I would probably find the first such episode amusing (depending on how much it detracted from game), and subsequent episodes would get something along the lines of "OK, we don't need to spend a half hour seducing the bartender, let's get back to the game."

These are all excellent points. I going to have to seriously consider changing my houserule. Of course though, out of the six campaign I GM, two of them are entirely consisted of players 25 years or older and use the OGL Book of Erotic Fantasy.

 

[Lasher Dragon]

Well, I for one have to agree with the original poster. Call me what you will, but I do not and will not allow players to play opposite gender.

Not that it has come up, but if it ever did I'd nix it.

I have no explanation why, just seems weird to me....

Does anyone else find his signature so amusing when compared with his post?

 

[Berandor]

One of our players recently played a female character, and he did great. I was happy because it was my first cross-gender player, and because I feared for a lot of stereotypes (some of which appeared, but we all have stereotypes in our characters).

I think it worked extremely well.

Also:
http://www.theladygamer.com/Tonya200411.html

 

[Crothian]

As a DM, do you play female NPCs?

Ya, but controling NPCs and the role of the DM is way different from playing PCs and the role of the player. At times DM's also NPC gods and other being that PCs are not allowed to play.