Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Smartest Lemming 07-26-05, 07:27 AM	Ok, so I am addicted to Rogues, and have been ever since I started playing D&D. My only problem (and probably that of others who play Faces) is the fact that my on the spot skills are quite lacking. I am just as good at coming up with strategies as anyone else at my table when I am out of character, however once I am put under the spotlight everything goes down hill. The funny thing is that everyone at the table knows this, and yet for some unknown reason I am always the person sacrificed to do most of the crucial in character talking hehe. I have gotten everything else down pat, I hardly ever get the wool pulled over my eyes by my DM, I never drink the poisoned wine anymore, can think my way out of an ambush, and play an all around paranoid backstabbing rogue pretty well if I do say so myself. My first idea for this post was to ask for help from all of you, to see if there were any insights into what I could try to become a better on the spot, in character, conversationalist. However if you do not have anything you think might help me with my little problem, you might want to post your own, or others, in character slip ups, or other such funnies. Here is one from a Star Wars campaign I played in, but this has happened to me in other similar situations in every game it seems. Storm Trooper: You are all under arrest, put down your weapons and come with us. Your cargo is to be searched and any illegal substances found on board will be seized and used against you at your trial. Me: *Waves Hand* We are not the smugglers you are looking for Storm Trooper: You are not the smugglers I am looking for...... HEY! Me: Crap :rofl: I have as yet to live that one down.
TheraerTheWanderingBard 07-26-05, 09:20 AM	you know...the same thing happens to me, i am horrible at coming up with things to say to people in character when talking to them, yet for some reason i always end up playing a character with uber high charisma, and i always seem to role natural 20s when we are trying to use diplomacy on a king or something, and i can never think of what to say.... i wish i could help you...but i cant, just say what comes to mind, even if it makes no sense... one time we were trying to get a king to let us into a library that was in lockdown, and of course i got a natural 20 on my diplomacy, and i was told to roleplay it out...here is what happened. Me: So...yeah...Mr king...let us into the library. we kinda need to save my friend who was kidnapped and brought there. King: Is that so... well, i am not so sure that i can trust you fully, you will need better reasons than that. Me: Well...umm....We also need info on this chalice thingy, um, yeah...i like pudding do you? King: Well...yes...i do, but that is irrelavent. This chalice you speek of what exactly is it called? and yeah...it pretty much went like that for a while
Deadlion 07-27-05, 09:54 AM	It seems to me that forming a convincing argument would be based more in intelligence than charisma. The way charisma should work is that you say whatever you say in such a way that it is completely and utterly beleivable, even if you said something like "you are an elephant with roses growing in your ears" This means that no matter how flimsy the in-character argument, the character's bearing, facial expression, tone of voice and just general coolness does the trick. Obviously, an exceedingly flawed argument which any fool could see has no basis in truth will still not work, but as long as there's something to go on.... That's just my interpetation though.
wellyrn 07-30-05, 03:24 AM	Give yourself a minute to think of something. With practice it should take less and less time to come up with something. I also have a smooth talking rogue and have the same problem. Well partially, I can come up with utter lies in a nanosecond but when Im trying to be honest I have trouble making an good speech. My all time favorite was IN THE MIDDLE of buying a new weapon for my rouge I suddenly decided I didn't want to pay. Without even a pause I came up with a story about a bottle of wine I had being grown in an vinyard that sat atop sacred ground. People in the area say that drinking it will give you a long and healthy life... got the scimitar for 100 + a 10gp bottle of wine. He came after me later and complained that he didn't feel any different. "well you're alive aren't you? that means its working." ... and what else can he say?
Sluagh 07-30-05, 10:28 AM	I get myself into the same sorts of situations. I'm not a strong conversationalist in life and I'm no better in game. Unfortunately I'm often the character in the position to interact with the NPCs trying to convince them of this or that or generally get information from, befriend or what have you. Just muddle through it, eventually you get to think quicker, especially as you connect more fully with your character; as you get to understand their motivations, appropriate reactions and behaviours. As the connection builds the realism of the conversations will build as well. If not, well, there's always the comedy aspect of it all to add to the campaign. If you end up doing/saying something stupid, all the better, everyone gets to laugh. That Rogue mind trick thing, by the way, brilliant :) Also, in terms of die rolls versus the role playing, if the rollplaying is terrible, to augment a fantastic die roll, or the roleplaying is an obviously inappropriate attempt, some DC increasing modifiers may be needed to make the situation a little more real. Of course, on the other hand of that, if the roleplaying is particularily good or extremely appropriate, some DC decreasing modifiers should perhaps be given to reward the player.