Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 kaydubz Jun 11, 2014 4:50:02	Hey friends of the forum.    I'm pretty new to the D&D scene, and I may in fact be kind of a dick in the game, so I would like to get some hopefully friendly advice on what to do.    So, I want to play a halfling rogue, one that I've been playing for approximately 1 session. It seems fun to me, but I want to see how you guys play them. I think I get too "shenanigans-y" with it all, and lost in the moment, I tend to do stuff I can recall as kind of stupid. This is probably due to me being stupid with bluffs or something. This probably stems from the fact that I've done (I know how stupid this is) improv comedy for all 4 years of high school, and can't take anything seriously enough. I figure maybe seeing some examples as to how you guys play, as opposed to constantly casting sly flourish and master of deceit, which I simply assumed was the meta at level 6 or so from my friend once saying "yeah, sly flourish is really cool," would really help.     I don't want to be this bad player, comrades.    Thanks for at least reading this!
#2 iserith Jun 11, 2014 5:31:43	As long as your shenanigans lead to adventure that everyone else at the table wants to do, I don't see how it could be wrong. Adventurers are supposed to go get into and out of trouble in exchange for spectacular rewards. Just be sure that's what the rest of the group is up for and that the shenanigans aren't at their expense unless they're cool with that.
#3 baldhermit Jun 11, 2014 10:28:20	The "not at their expense" bit being vital.   I have played with someone who thought it would be fun to insult the Queen, with the Kings guard standing right behind us. Even though up until that point nobody in the room disliked us, and we were each about to receive something interesting due to the Princess just having been rescued from kidnappers, that all went out of the window rather quickly when the Bard player said :"but this is what my character would do.."
#4 Krusk Jun 11, 2014 15:13:04	Do other people complain? Ask your group what they would prefer you do. Then do that.
#5 Fireclave Jun 11, 2014 15:36:07	Most doubts, concerns, and problems can be easily dealt with using a bit of open communication.  So if you're not sure if your playing is disruptive to your group, you should ask them, and adjust how you play accordingly.  They may not actually mind your character's shenanigans, or even enjoy them.  But you won't know for sure until you ask.   Something else to consider doing is having a "Session 0".  This is a session dedicated to making sure everyone is in agreement on what kind of game you all are going to play.  Things like tone, theme, setting, character backgrounds, difficulty, restrictions, and houserules are common topics.  For example, if your group establishes that the game will have a lighthearted tone, not only will everyone know what to expect, but they can craft their characters accordinly; Perhaps saving their brooding, grim-dark anti-paladin with the tragic destiny for a more serious campaign.   Usually, you have a "Session 0" before starting the campaign, but they can be useful at any point in a campaign.     Now, if you're worried about your becoming to monotonous, one-dimensional, or otherwise boring, then flesh him out.  Giving your character a personality gives you something to anchor your roleply to.  And giving your character a goal helps to make him an active, rather than passive, protagonists, which are almost always more interesting.  There's lots of resources on the topic, such as the 10 Minute Background thread which, since you asked for them, also contains lots of examples.   For a quick background, try answering the following: Who is he?   What do they want?   What's standing in the way of getting it?   What are they going to do about it?
#6 kaydubz Jun 11, 2014 23:52:31	Hey,  thanks for the responses! I think my character is essentially a conspiracist. I mean, he'll go around and create controversy, adding on possible plot points that the DM seems to like a lot, such as the government secretly spying on its people and killing those that don't agree with them. I mean, I'm good with that. I think I'm especially lost in battle. Unsure of what to do half the time, I pull rank and authority with as much bluff as I possibly can, take them to another room, and assassinate him.    I would like to get a little more serious, I mean, sometimes I just feel like a dick for sure, but D&D seems like a game that's pretty fun to play with a more serious attitude. So second question, how do you guys go around battling, specifically as a rogue?
#7 iserith Jun 12, 2014 5:59:17	Just make sure any dickish actions are done in support of your fellow players' ideas and not in contradiction of them and you can't go far wrong. Check out these articles for additional reading on how to be a good roleplayer:   Players: 11 Ways to Be a Better Roleplayer | You Are Not Your Character      As for battle, it depends on the edition of the game you're playing, but the usual trope is you'll want to sneak around to gain advantage so you can lay down some serious "surprise" damage on the target. Different editions of the game will give you different ways to get that damage into play.
#8 Chainsawhand Jun 12, 2014 12:21:07	If you're 4e and want some help with power selection and feats, http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/3384391 <--that's the handbook written by RenZhe and it is pretty good, hopefully it answers your questions in that area and helps you come up with new specific questions to help you in combat. If you aren't 4th edition you can search around the site either in the Next content or the "Previous Editions" for tips on rogue play.   I agree with everybody else as far as the roleplay, if everybody is having fun, keep at it, if somebody isn't having fun, they could answer your questions on how to fix that a lot better than any of us could.
#9 RedSiegfried Jun 14, 2014 20:05:04	+10000 to asking the other players whether or not what you're doing seems dickish.  If it does, don't do that.  If it doesn't, have at it.  Nothing better than actually talking to the people you're playing with.   As far as fleshing out a character goes, steal some ideas from 13th Age.    Come up with ONE UNIQUE THING.  As an exercise, think of one thing about your character that is like no one else in the world (or at least no one else in your immediate group).  Explain that O.U.T. in one sentence or less.  Then, as the game goes on, feel free to elaborate or develop or change that thing.  Examples:  I am illegitimate son of the Dragon Emperor, I was abducted by aliens, I am the only elf in the world with wings, I'm actually a robot, I'm addicted to a magical compound.  Anything you can think of.  Go crazy ... there's nothing out of line when you're coming up with a personality.  Don't worry about the game rules; you can always find a way to fit into the rules or fit the rules to allow what you want to do.   Also, try coming up with interesting backgrounds (not 4e Backgrounds, which are a specific game element).  Come up with 2-4 different occupations, experiences or other things you are or have been that are interesting to you.  Examples:  playboy, assassin, advisor to the king, kidnap victim, wealthy, rebel, gardener, mechanic ... anything you can think of.  (They don't have to be one-word descriptions.)    As you come up with these ideas and as you play the game, you'll find they are inspiration to you during the course of the game's events.   D&D is only limited by your imagination and these are some excercises to help you grow some ideas.  Don't limit yourself ... run with them!
#10 Noon Jun 16, 2014 16:56:13	kaydubz wrote:
#11 Illogical_Blox Aug 16, 2014 7:08:11	kaydubz wrote: