Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheJackOfSpades 10-04-07, 12:58 AM	Okay, so I was just reading a topic about a player that has trouble keeping the same character (which is a problem I share) when I realized that there is a character that I actually like. I forget what happened, but I decided to switch characters (big surprise, if anyone read my post in the other thread) and I went to a pre-made NPC rogue named Hammel. This has been THE ONLY character I have EVER been able to play consistantly. The problem? He is a jerk. I am a jerk in general, so I can relate to the character more. Now, the moral dilema is this: Which is worse, changing a character every session and having the group get aggitated with me, or playing the character I like and actually having them get very angry with me? Note: When I say he is a jerk, I mean it. The players have asked me to make a new character because the didn't like Hammel before, that's how bad it is. I can roleplay a nice character, but I get bored of them, and wind up switching them out. What would you do?
LoneStranger 10-04-07, 02:24 AM	Throttle back from jerk gear, at least a little? I understand that's the character you identify with the best but that doesn't mean you have to play him the same way each time with no changes whatsoever. You could have him change around the other group members at least, doesn't have to be everyone though.
navar100 10-04-07, 02:34 AM	Stop being a jerk.
Radijs 10-04-07, 03:51 AM	I am a jerk in general, so I can relate to the character more. What would you do? Stop being a jerk of course.
metalmayhem80110 10-04-07, 04:11 AM	Yeah, I use to have the same problem you do. I just started to make characters with neat abilities, cool quirks, and just in general fun to play. I found ways to be delightfully evil, to the enemies. After awhile, I decided how to abuse spells for harmless pranks or fun. I just spent time messing around with my character's background and abilities and I stopped playing jerk characters (not all of the time :P ) But yeah, just paly a prankster (A harmless prankster). Just have him mess with party a little here and there, but in general he is out to help the party (Illusionist are fun for this)
LCD2YOU 10-04-07, 08:26 AM	Well role-playing is a way to go beyond your normal MO and be something different. Playing yourself is fine if you're a team player and understand that co-operation makes things go more smoothly. If you want to be a jerk, just remember one day they may tell or if they are nice ask you not to bother showing up to play. As to playing something different, create a cheat sheet on how the character behaves. On the top of the page, the very first thing you want to tell yourself is "Do not be a jerk nor an ass". Try while you are still invited to the games.
Kouk 10-04-07, 10:36 AM	I can understand wanting to RP the "same" character, but if you see that your behavior is ******* everyone off, don't you adjust your own behavior? Why shouldn't a D&D character have any self awareness? Something like, "Hmm, they seem ready to kill me if I keep acting like this, maybe I should dial back and prove I am worth keeping?". Also, characters can have a change of heart, or self realizations. Maybe you observe someone else being a jerk or overhear the party talking about you. "Oh my Pelor! I didn't realize that was how I was acting! I shall be a better person from now on!" or something to that effect...
Tyler Do'Urden 10-04-07, 10:48 AM	This has been THE ONLY character I have EVER been able to play consistantly. The problem? He is a jerk. I am a jerk in general, so I can relate to the character more. Stop being such a jerk and play nice, ya jerk.
Count Nerindil Van Seraph 10-04-07, 11:22 AM	The problem seems to be that you are a bad role player. If you are a jerk in real life, and your character is a jerk, thats not acting, it's just walking around in a costume. And if your fellow players don't like it, it is your responsibility, as a player, to not be a jerk. Or leave. Seriously, it's one thing to play a jerk (as long as the other players are cool with it), but to use your character as a shield while you act like a jerk to your friends... That's just not cool.
TheJackOfSpades 10-04-07, 04:26 PM	The problem seems to be that you are a bad role player. If you are a jerk in real life, and your character is a jerk, thats not acting, it's just walking around in a costume. And if your fellow players don't like it, it is your responsibility, as a player, to not be a jerk. Or leave. Seriously, it's one thing to play a jerk (as long as the other players are cool with it), but to use your character as a shield while you act like a jerk to your friends... That's just not cool. Actually they are jerks themselves. Most of it is aimed at me. To be fair, they were jerks before I was. Seriously, they started off before we even played DnD with snide comments. For example, someone says something to me that I don't like, I am not afraid to get into a fight with them. This earned me the title of "hard ass" for several years, until another friend did the same thing. They called him a "hard ass" for about a week before dropping it entirely. (Note: The conflicts wern't with them, just random people I see that I don't like and they mutually dislike me.) Another example: I'm a smoker. It calms me down, and makes me more focused. No, I'm not proud of that. I also smoke a lot. I smoke a pack a day while still going to work and school. That means that any time I am NOT at work or school, I will have a cigarette in my hands. They took this to mean that I only smoke around other people, trying to look cool. I wasn't, but that's what they said. Now two of the three ones who were worst about it have started to smoke themselves (very little). Again, someone else does it, they drop it. Same thing with girls, sports, or anything else that I am better at then them. I realize that this is probably their jealousy speaking ("How can he be better than me at sports when he's a smoker!" Or "Why in the world can he get girlfriends and I can't?!") but it is still a bother. I don't fault them for it, as I get jealous of others success too, but I don't think that getting my frustration out once a week by being a jerk to their characters is that wrong. Somehow they do. And like I said- I have a problem playing anything other than a jerk.
SimianShaw 10-04-07, 05:47 PM	I think I understand where the OP is coming from. In RL, I am a rogue. I think like a rogue, act like a kleptomaniac, always look for and count security cameras when I enter buildings . . . you get the picture. Rogue is also the one character that I have never played in a 2nd Ed. or 3.5 game. I'm also not a particularly nice person in RL, therefore I strive to play characters that are the exact opposite of everything I stand for in my everyday life. For example, one of the last characters I played was a LG knight. He was honest, protective and courageous. Very much not me. Early on, playing him used to give me headaches; his thought process was completely alien to me. He died at fourth level and he might have been the most fun I've ever had in a RP game. My next character was his brother. Deceitful, sarcastic, lightfingered, boorish . . . a blast to play for me (and much easier than the knight) but it did rub some of my group the wrong way. I think my friends have been more tolerant of my PC's because I only play the jerks rarely. And there are many different ways to play jerks too. I've found that if you confine yourself to being a jerk with only a third of your group (make sure the healer is not among those! Made that mistake once) then your character's behavior doesn't grate on everyone at the same time. In addition, talk about your PC's personality with those you are going to be 'jerkish' towards. It may help them deal with the situation easier.
Thubby 10-04-07, 05:59 PM	be a jerk, just to everybody else in the world except the party. everyone wins, and it shows your character may have come to like the party and, dare i say it, feels at home with them?
Zandolit 10-04-07, 06:34 PM	I think you need to give a lot more thought to why this character is so enjoyable for you. You've said he's a jerk, fine, but what does that even mean? It doesn't tell me anything. Someone can save the world and still not be pleasant, and many people described Ted Bundy as "nice." Neither being nice nor being a jerk are really sufficient definition for a character. What specific aspects of the character do you like? Once you have that narrowed down, you can find a way to make those characteristics part of a character who will fit in better. Examples: If you like your character's sarcasm and wit, pick a character who can be equally clever and witty without turning that against the party. Save it for the NPCs, or find a form of humour that won't offend your party members. If you like activities like stealing, looting, playing tricks, etc., use it on NPCs for the betterment of your party. If you like playing an evil character, play an evil campaign where that fits in. If you actually like RPing intra-party conflict, find a group that does PVP or try a solo campaign where you can engage in it without upsetting people who are invested in their characters. If what you really like is irritating your fellow players because of OOC real life issues-- which it sounds like from your last post, but I shouldn't just assume-- then you need to sort those issues outside the game, or find a different group. In my experience it is not possible to find an IC solution to OOC problems. If the root of the problem is that at a basic level you aren't getting along with the other players in your group, no character you could possibly make will fix it. You'll need to either settle it with the players, or find a group that is more compatible. It really comes down to: think through more specifically what you like about the character, and that will really decide what you should do.
MrCustomer 10-04-07, 08:28 PM	It's ok to play a character that is a jerk, so long as he isn't a jerk towards his fellow PCs. This is what will make the players not like your character.
Goblinchaser 10-04-07, 09:07 PM	I agree with most of the posts, I think there are a few points. 1) Having a character who is a jerk, who treats those in the game poorly is one thing, but if the stuff that you do, has an impact on the players then it should stop, either by changing how you play the character, ensuring the actions do not worsen the relationship of the players, or simply excusing yourself from the game. 2) Gain the Players advise, and assistance with RPing your character the way you want. Being a jerk for a story would be acceptable as long as the rest of the group is willing to have the adversity, again this should never boil over to where it affects the players personally. Overall it sounds like this is more of a "real Life" issue than game issue. Your DM should help address this, either in game or out of game.
CaptainPicard 10-05-07, 01:25 AM	I can't really tell what you mean by your character being a "jerk", since that could cover a lot of things, but if you're upsetting the other players, one way that I found that can help this is making the character so much of a jerkass that he's completely over the top. That way, your character becomes the joke and nobody will take anything he says personally. Play a character so obnoxious and rude that it's totally unrealistic that anyone would associate with him, except by the Rule of Funny he is allowed to stay in the party. Of course, this only works in a campaign that doesn't take itself very seriously, but I was in much the same situation as you and found it turned a character nobody liked into an irreplaceable member of the group dynamic. Some of my other players have done characters who are jerks, and in general they only get into real conflicts with the other players when they refuse to "quit it" after some time. So my other piece of advice to you is to do some silly thing or make your snarky bastard comments, but when the time comes for serious roleplaying or the joke is dead, back off.
LCD2YOU 10-05-07, 11:35 AM	I can't really tell what you mean by your character being a "jerk", since that could cover a lot of things, but if you're upsetting the other players, one way that I found that can help this is making the character so much of a jerkass that he's completely over the top. That way, your character becomes the joke and nobody will take anything he says personally. Play a character so obnoxious and rude that it's totally unrealistic that anyone would associate with him, except by the Rule of Funny he is allowed to stay in the party. Of course, this only works in a campaign that doesn't take itself very seriously, but I was in much the same situation as you and found it turned a character nobody liked into an irreplaceable member of the group dynamic. Some of my other players have done characters who are jerks, and in general they only get into real conflicts with the other players when they refuse to "quit it" after some time. So my other piece of advice to you is to do some silly thing or make your snarky bastard comments, but when the time comes for serious roleplaying or the joke is dead, back off.For the OP of this thread: Take what a Sens fan has to say with a grain of salt. Go CANES!