Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Icarus_Featherbrain 07-19-06, 06:56 PM	My roommate's sister is playing CN Gnome Bard and she doesn't quite know how to play a bard. I've told her that bards tend to be in the spotlight when it comes to roleplaying, they love attention and always have something to say... even if others don't want to listen. She is having some problems with being active in RP situations, she tends to just sit back and follow the group. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get her to be a more active player? Thanks
fansy 07-19-06, 06:59 PM	1. Give her time, especially if she is a new player. 2. Make sure to give her a chance to play to her character's strengths. Chances are there aren't other characters in the party who can do the talking well (at least based on their skills and CHA), so any actual "party of adventurers" would often rely on her to do the talking.
Elora_Gwyre 07-19-06, 07:08 PM	Does she like to read? I would suggest that she read Stephen Lawhead's "Taliesin" -- Taliesin is probably the best bard I've run across. Also, have her make a list of quotes that she likes (from movies, books, whatever), and she can pull from these to help get involved in conversations and roleplaying. Probably the most helpful thing you can do is provide a good RP example, so she sees how it works. And ask the DM to provide opportunities for her to use her diplomacy skills (eg- talk the town guards out of making the group pay to enter the town...simple things).
High Octane 07-19-06, 07:47 PM	Chaotic: This person is individualistic. They are free spirited and dislikes being bound by rules and traditions. Neutral: This person doesnt sacrifice to help others, but he doesnt cause harm to others for his own profit. They wont go out of their way to help strangers, but may do so for close friends and family. Gnome: Gnomes are usually good natured and pleasant. They often are pranksters and view pranks as good natured fun. Their jokes are fun often, but other races get tired of them after a while. Gnomes dont. They are ingenious and creative, loving new ideas and innovation. Bard: Musicians mixed with gypsies. They are wandering minstrels by nature. They seek adventure to inspire their poems and ballads. Dont tell her how to roleplay that combination, Thats her business.
Edwind 07-19-06, 07:55 PM	Try and get your hands on "Song and Silence" all she has to do is read acouple pages in and she'll already have a good idea what the bard exactly does, and what she should be trying to do within the party. Also it gives potentual personalities, and maybe some background history or goals for her to throw around.
psionichamster 07-19-06, 09:23 PM	i'm with Octane, here... also: Talk to her character, In Character, and be sure to allow her time (and open-ended questions) to respond. hopefully, she will take to the IC speech, and once that happens, she'll learn the true power of the bard. we have a similiar situation in one of our current games...our Bard is played by a quiet, non-confrontational woman, so she can be overpowered by some of our more vocal people. it's just a matter of allowing her to know you support her, both IG and OOG, and being damn sure not to criticize or otherwise bring negativity towards her when she DOES RP in character. once that happens, it's all good. namaste' the hamster
Altar_Boy 07-19-06, 10:04 PM	As long as she sings at the right moment, she's a Bard. Let her RP the way she wants. A laid back bard would be a nice change.
AaronDireBear 07-19-06, 10:28 PM	Have her watch Slayers next and watch the mannerisms of Xellos. Firion Windrunner from Chronicles of Genis (http://www.fictionpress.com/read.php?storyid=1992428) acts like a bard some times, though he's supposed to be a thief.
Whisper_Swiftblade 07-19-06, 10:57 PM	I have an idea, put her pc into an ocwurd situation (get's hit with a gender changing spell and now the princess of the area you are in wants to marry the pc) , and have her role play her way out without help from others. It sounds stupid but the outcome my suprise you.
Ashok_Lal 07-19-06, 11:14 PM	We had a simelar situation & we found that by putting the quiet ones closer to the DM that they could be heard above the rest of us. This let them get involved. SIMPLE!
High Octane 07-20-06, 08:10 PM	i'm with Octane, here... Adding 1 to my sig....
kelvinaw273 07-21-06, 05:58 AM	Tell her to play the bard like an over-dramatic up-and-coming rock star. That should do it ....
thaylok 07-21-06, 01:16 PM	In my groups, there are two alternating DM's... Myself and our warmage. We both have very strong personalities for roleplaying. I play a bard, most of the time. What the two of us have in common, is a "Grab The Bull By The Horns" active leadership viewpoint on playing. We typically have problems sitting back and letting others make decisions or judgements. The problem with this is simple, the others love it. They get to sit back and roll-play. In our group, there is the RL son of the warmage who does the same thing as you are describing. Typically he plays a Cleric of Pelor and then sits back and expects to run from battle, buff himself w/ spells and then complain he is out of spells for healing when the battle is over. What we did, was work amongst ourselves to make sure our roleplaying styles and personalities did not encourrage that player sitting back. Overall, it has been helping, the player in question is comming out of his shell, and developing a good character in his own right. My suggestion, is to work with the others in the group, and have them encourrage the bard by 1) seeking the advice of the new player (and give suggestions where appropriate) and 2) sit back more (quiet-like), to help the bard become a little more active (not all at once mind you... ). Again, I have found, that if one player has Leadership bred into them, and uses those abilities, the Hack-n-Slashers in the party will play along like good little sheep. This ruins the fun for most of the party, IMHO..... Anyway, look closer at the group, see what everyone can do to teach her how to roleplay, she'll progress at her pace from there.