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Message: <blockquote data-quote="lutecius" data-source="post: 4957777" data-attributes="member: 60332">A bad example, apparently <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/angel.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":angel:" title="Angel    :angel:" data-shortname=":angel:" />No one seems to agree that a half-elf couldn't act like a human.Statistical differences don't mean every black or female has to act according to type or that these differences would automatically come up in a game.Of course we're not all carbon copies of each other but in many regards, variations between individuals are greater than variations between sexes or races. I find the former more interesting to explore.Whether fantasy races should come hardwired with behavioural or even cultural baggage is a matter of preference, not good or bad roleplaying.I don't think it's true, though. When the difference is chiefly biological (like race or gender), the way it's perceived by others is at least as relevant as your actual behaviour. I think in most games, a brief description is given when new characters are introduced. At the very least, race and gender are mentioned. If some detail matters to other characters or in the game world in general, I'd say it's up to the DM and other players' to pay attention and roleplay accordingly.Drow NPCs shouldn't wait for a PC to hug a tree or do something elvish to shout "surface scum!!!". If a player wants his paladin to act chivalrous, he shouldn't need the party's wizard to mention her b<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />bs.Because that's how you like to envision this character. Gender or race could be an important part of his/her personality or about as relevant as hair colour. Every small detail can enhance the experience, not all need to be roleplayed.Whether in books or rpgs, many details can contribute to fleshing out the characters without being mentioned again after their first appearance. It's not bad writing or bad roleplaying. It's the reader's/players' fault if they miss or forget something.Race and gender expectations may also cast a different light on a character's actions without defining them. Playing against type actually says something about a character: "with an axe? how un-elvish of him", "wow, she's hitting on the tavern wench".Then in D&D you also pick a race for the abilities. It's not necessarily power gaming. Sometimes you want to play a character who can see in the dark for the same reason you pick a class… because you like the flavour these abilities add to your character. That doesn't mean you also want to play into the stereotypes associated with said race or class. Of course some come as part of a package (paladins follow a code, drows are distrusted by all, dragonborns look stupid…)</blockquote>

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