RP Personality

[pluizig]

Hi,

I haven't been playing D&d 3.5 for too long - two campaigns of about 8-10 three-hour sessions - but I'm liking it immensely. My character died, so I'm about to start a new character, and I'm trying out a Monk this time around. (I know most people think they suck, and I don't care. None of the characters are be 'optimized' anyway.)

Problem is: I need some personality tips. Although I'm not a bad roleplayer (I do a bit of acting in my free time), I find it difficult to get really in touch with the personality styles associated with the lawful allignment. My recently deceased LG Dwarven Cleric was stoic, proud and had a leader complex, and by the end I still wasn't feeling his emotions. As we played along, he drifted more and more into 'bland' territory.

My CG Fighter from the other campaign however, was a blast to play. He was enthousiastic, naive and kind of obnoxious and loud. I was really playing a character instead of a bundle of stats.

I really want that feeling of having a real person to RP with for my new character. So I come to you for tips on Lawful (preferably LN) characters traits that I can use for my Monk. What do you do, where do you start? Bonus points if they show most in interaction with other players (as opposed to NPCs or enemies). Not looking for character background tips, as I don't need help for that once I've got a solid personality.

Thanks!

(Oh, and as a personal preference: no straight-up Eastern flavored Martial Artists. They don't roll well with the campaign.)

EDIT: minor spelling errors

[Flickerdart]

Well, if you want to do something different, have the Monk disapprove. He disapproves of the Chaotics for being too impulsive, the Goods for not heeding cosmic balance, the Fighter for relying on weapons, the Wizard for needing his spells, the Cleric for serving a god, the Rogue for being cowardly and underhanded. He may or may not be inclined to show all these people the error of their ways, or he could just sneer from the sidelines.

Then, in the 3rd or 4th session, suddenly voice your approval of something, an idea or a cause. And dedicate your character to supporting it, wholeheartedly. Now that your allies are caught off guard, you can have ever so much fun.

[Hunter Noventa]

First and foremost, remember that 'Law' in terms of alignment is more about order than anything for the most part.

Second, don't let your alignment 100% dictate your personality and actions, that how we get Paladins with the proverbial stick up the rear end.

Anyway, I've played Lawful Neutral characters before. LN strikes me as the sort of alignment that won't go back on a deal unless the other party is dishonest and does their best not lie, cheat or steal for the most part. They have their own code of honor to adhere to.

A Lawful neutral Monk, specifically, strikes me a someone seeking self-improvement above other things. They aren't a monk so they can use their abilities to help others, or they would be good, and they don't use them to hurt others, that would be evil. I think an LN monk would see life as a series of tests to improve ones' self Whether it's by proving their marital prowess by beating back an orc raiding party, or having the mental discipline not to give a scathing retort to insults from others.

They key point I think would be HOW you approach said tests as a character. Do they take it all stoically, with a no-nonsense attitude? Or do they have something of a sense of humor about it all. Perhaps they're a little self-defeating, unable to take credit for even the smallest of victories or progress? And there's nothing stopping them from being a braggart, like the kid in class who has to show off his 100% test scores to everyone.

There's my rambling for the day I guess, I hope there's something you find helpful here.

[LoopyZebra]

Well, I'd encourage you to pick a character you can connect with and roleplay. It sounds like Lawful characters may be hard for you to connect to. The easiest way to get around it is to drop the alignment description from the Monk and describe the class/character as something else, an unarmed fighter with no need to be tied to alignment. Of course, this only works if it was the Monk's mechanics you were after, not the fluff.

I'd also like to point out that you may be limiting yourself when it comes to Lawful characters. There's a lot of variation within the alignment for character concepts. Certainly, a Lawful character can be personable and less serious - more like your Chaotic character. I'd look at who your character is, then pick an alignment, not the other way around, to avoid artificial constraints like this.

As for your character, being a monk suggests both discipline and patience. I'd say the trick to keeping in touch with such a character is to not make him stoic. Your monk isn't going to sit around all day meditating, but rather talks to party members and the like.

[Blackjackg]

You could try Naive... You know the rules as they were taught to you by your masters, but have very little experience of actual people. You're immensely curious, but are very confused when people behave in ways you weren't taught. Character development comes in the form of social learning. Influences from pop culture could be Quasimodo (the hunchback of Notre Dame), Data from Star Trek, and Pinocchio.

There's also Fatherly... you see yourself as the one the other characters can depend on, but in a warm affectionate way. You're always the first one out in front, with a "Stay behind me!" and an "I'll handle this." When you do let others take the lead, you're offering support and helpful tips... such as when the rogue is picking a lock and you're leaning over his shoulder saying "Keep at it, champ! I know you can do it!" Character development comes when you learn to let others take care of you. Pop culture influences... Gandalf, any sitcom father.

[pluizig]

Very helpful. The 'how' is what I'm most interested in. 'Why' is usually so deep down that it does not surface that often. While important, it's not what I'm specificly struggling with. It's the everyday interactions that are hard for me.

Maybe I'm indeed too limiting with the restrictions. It's just that my DM is pretty strict on alignment, criticizing a LG character for killing an unarmed known foe in a hostile environment, or a CN rogue for risking his life to save a teammate from almost certain doom. But I'll have a talk with them :smallcool:

[raitalin]

I suggest doing some research on Zen Buddhism and learning some koans or parables. Should give you an idea fro some overarching goals and beliefs and provide a cool quirk.

[Tsotha-lanti]

Alignment is not personality. It doesn't determine it, being a descriptive rather than a prescriptive - but it doesn't even describe personality.

Come up with a personality and values and determine what alignment is appropriate to them.

[pluizig]

Alignment is not personality. It doesn't determine it, being a descriptive rather than a prescriptive - but it doesn't even describe personality.

Come up with a personality and values and determine what alignment is appropriate to them.

I would, but those darned restrictions make it hard without approval of said DM.

[Hunter Noventa]

Well if the DM is a stickler for Alignment = Personality/RP Style it is a bit harder.

Come up with a personal code of honor for your monk. Nothing too binding like a Knight or Paladin code. More like somewhere between that and Taboos a Shugenja (or Wu Jen, I can't remember which one has those). You always fight a certain way. You never show disrespect or respect until it is earned. As long as they make sense in context of neutrality, it will be harder for your DM to fault you. Lawful isn't society's rules unless you're a paladin. It's order over chaos. Remind your DM of that if you have to, but try not to take it too far either.

[Totally Guy]

My first character concept ever was lawful neutral Monk. And I played that as a subservient character.

The concept was that the guy had served an evil wizard for a long long time but the wizard had died of old age. Having very little else in life he maintained the evil castle. Then a Paladin showed up to kill the wizard. But he was too late, he'd already died. But the subservient monk found a new master and was set on the path to redemption.

I liked that little guy. Loved to be a lacky, and loved suggesting horrible suggestions to the paladin, because he'd been serving evil for a long time. :smallbiggrin:

[Hat-Trick]

Remind your GM that Neutral people protect those close to them. The CN rogue did nothing wrong, alignment-wise. If he had saved some unknown sad-sac you was in the way, that's good. Team mate? Alright.

Anyway, the best thing to do is to make a code that the character adheres to. As long as you have that, you can do what you want with the character and stay lawful. Just don't break the code. Play him like your CG fighter, but remember your code. In fact, you could fluff him as a street brawler who, by code, doesn't use weapons in anything. Weapons are for wimps. Disarm your opponent to prove it. "If you can't fight without steel, you're not worth my time." The coward sneaking around? Grapple that guy. He needs to learn the meaning of manly. "You're not getting away that easy! Stand and fight like a man."

[Another_Poet]

Some of the most famous Western monks were hermits who lived in the wilderness much of their lives. If you added some hermit flavour to your monk it would be easy to act a little wild or simply just socially awkward while still being lawful when it matters.

Also, your monk's lifestyle will colour his perception of the world. A hermit might feel uncomfortable in cities, sleep on the floor with just a blanket instead of using the bed, and so forth.

If you character has taken a vow of celibacy, it will make a *lot* of interactions fun and funny while still showing how reserved you are.

ap

[Mastikator]

How do monks and the race you've decided on fit in culturally in the game world? Ask your DM.

There's no shame in fitting in. Seriously, if your character is based in the game world in close detail then the DM can have a field day giving you specialized quests, probably on the fly since s/he is probably familiar with how monks fit in, and would draw from that.

[OMG PONIES]

In one campaign, I played a LN monk who was driven by his adherence to the Balance. His mentors had told him, from youth, that all things in the universe were weighed by the gods on a set of scales, and each action had its own balancing action somewhere in the universe. It was a great RP exercise to think how everything (even the slightest NPC interaction) was part of this cosmic equation.

Even more so once his wife was murdered in cold blood and his mentors encouraged him to find the Balance to this event. He was anything but bland, as he struggled to maintain his strict beliefs in a seemingly chaotic world. That, for me, makes any Lawful character non-bland. It's not about tossing out blanket statements about justice or good or anything, but about the internal struggle caused when you face events that fly in the face of your beliefs.

[Tsotha-lanti]

Ah, I didn't notice the bit about the DM being awful.

In that case, I mostly agree with Mastikator; although I suggest just asking the DM, then. "Considering what a stickler for your own views on alignment you are, can you tell me what sort of personality and behavior is acceptable for my LN Monk?" Possible bonus effect of helping the DM realize what an idiot he is about alignment.

[woodenbandman]

Watch The Gamers 2 and do the exact opposite of what cas, the player who played the monk, did.

[Mando Knight]

Chant everything. EVERYTHING. For kicks, pick up the tone progression of a fairly well-known chant and use that. Here's an example (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-4KlfKIeLQ) from a Christian Matins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matins) service.

[Knaight]

You could play somebody who lost somebody precious to them due to their own carelessness and recklessness. They then took a drastic other approach, suppressing emotions, focusing on order and predictability, and being ever diligent towards impulsiveness. However in times of extreme duress, they have a tendency to become impulsive, reckless, careless, and highly emotional. They always feel bad about this after wards, but they haven't learned to fully control it.

[Another_Poet]

Ah, I didn't notice the bit about the DM being awful.

In that case, I mostly agree with Mastikator; although I suggest just asking the DM, then. "Considering what a stickler for your own views on alignment you are, can you tell me what sort of personality and behavior is acceptable for my LN Monk?" Possible bonus effect of helping the DM realize what an idiot he is about alignment.

You know, he never said the DM is awful. The DM is probably a good friend of his. Most of us play D&D with out friends, after all, not with people we hate (I know there are exceptions, but still).

Calling someone an idiot is probably about as far from helpful as you can get. And advising someone to ask a loaded, passive-aggressive question and belittle their DM? Wow.

[HamsterOfTheGod]

Hi,

I haven't been playing D&d 3.5 for too long - two campaigns of about 8-10 three-hour sessions - but I'm liking it immensely. My character died, so I'm about to start a new character, and I'm trying out a Monk this time around. (I know most people think they suck, and I don't care. None of the characters are be 'optimized' anyway.)

Problem is: I need some personality tips. Although I'm not a bad roleplayer (I do a bit of acting in my free time), I find it difficult to get really in touch with the personality styles associated with the lawful allignment. My recently deceased LG Dwarven Cleric was stoic, proud and had a leader complex, and by the end I still wasn't feeling his emotions. As we played along, he drifted more and more into 'bland' territory.

My CG Fighter from the other campaign however, was a blast to play. He was enthousiastic, naive and kind of obnoxious and loud. I was really playing a character instead of a bundle of stats.

I really want that feeling of having a real person to RP with for my new character. So I come to you for tips on Lawful (preferably LN) characters traits that I can use for my Monk. What do you do, where do you start? Bonus points if they show most in interaction with other players (as opposed to NPCs or enemies). Not looking for character background tips, as I don't need help for that once I've got a solid personality.

Thanks!

(Oh, and as a personal preference: no straight-up Eastern flavored Martial Artists. They don't roll well with the campaign.)

EDIT: minor spelling errors

As always this depends on what one understands Lawful Neutral to be.

If you want something a little off the beaten track make your Monk something of a Panglos from Candide. That is, the character believes the world is orderly and every thing happens for a reason. It's not that he does not make decisions but that he accepts what is happening around him.

Another take on this same thing is the blind monk Cho Teko from webcomic No Need for Bushido (http://www.noneedforbushido.com/) who "maintains a calm demeanor that seems to stem from his expectations that the events around him are determined entirely by fate."

In terms of interacting with others, this type of character works well in a comic role or undercutting others but not directly. So for ex:

Player 1: We should go save the princess!
Player 2: We should go after the bad guy!
Player 3: What do you think monk?
Monk: Hmm...I'm reminded of a wise saying I once heard about nomadic palm trees...
(later)
DM: You're too late to save the princess. She's dead!
Monk: Ah...she probably had it coming.

[Tokiko Mima]

I've always seen the lawful / chaotic alignment axis as being subjective, and the good / evil axis as being objective. As a lawful character you'll tend to see things in terms of duty, honor, and tradition whereas a chaotic mindset is concerned with freedom, rights, and choice. Have your lawful character constantly mentally asking "How was this done before? Is this an honorable act, in keeping with what I believe? What are my responsibilities in this situation?" about any given situation.

[Fitz10019]

I've played Lawful Neutral as a peacemaker. He seeks agreements and treaties, and is willing to talk to the 'evil' races to understand what is driving the conflict-of-the-moment. He wants society to flow in an orderly way, without caravans being robbed or fathers being conscripted into armies.


as a personal preference: no straight-up Eastern flavored Martial Artists

I also perfer to play a monk as a Euro-medeival type. Consider Friar Tuck from Robin Hood as a starting place. He is a voice of calm reason (although sometimes with quite a temper) among a troop of Chaotic do-Gooders.

Another way to think of Lawful is to emphasize the resistence to chaos, and take careful consideration for most decision, and expect careful planning of every mission.

[Devils_Advocate]

I see the stereotypical monk as an ascetic who believes that adherence to the Right Path is the key to personal advancement.


I suggest doing some research on Zen Buddhism and learning some koans or parables. Should give you an idea fro some overarching goals and beliefs and provide a cool quirk.
Darn it, I was going to recommend the Action Philosophers! (http://www.eviltwincomics.com/aphil.html) summary of the life and teachings of the original kung fu master (Bodhidharma, yo), but it looks like they took that free preview down. Aw...

[Another_Poet]

the original kung fu master (Bodhidharma, yo)

=Chinese dudes long before Buddhism existed?? :)

[Falconer]

There are lots of ways to play a lawful character, as there are all alignments. I would recommend figuring out his personality as a character first, and then finding an alignment you feel fits it, rather than the other around.

but nonetheless, one way to play a lawful person is to give them something that they take quite seriously. The local LG paladin could be the most laid-back guy in the world, but his faith is something that he would give anything and do anything for, and he is devoted to it on every level. That doesn't mean he never laughs or jokes around, just that making the world a better place is something he WILL pursue relentlessly. But he can still laugh, joke, and have the occasional ale while he does it.

With monks, I tend to think of lawful as meaning "disciplined". Again, he doesn't have to act like a robot. But it could manifest as, for example, him doing some kind of training for a given amount of time, every day. He may have a tendency to pursue a given task methodically, disregarding impulse, and thinking before speaking.

[HP McLuvin]

I also perfer to play a monk as a Euro-medeival type. Consider Friar Tuck from Robin Hood as a starting place.This is exactly what I was going to suggest. One of my all-time favourite characters was a LN dwarven monk/drunken master named Friar Fergus O'Flagon...he was an incredibly boisterous, rude, and crude drunk who was always starting bar-room brawls. He had absolutely no tact and tended to cause trouble rather than solve problems. The rest of the party had a love-hate relationship with him, but he was also pretty good in a fight, so they tended to forgive his short-comings.

But I digress...I think the real weakness with monks in terms of rp (imho) is that the asian-flavour of the class just doesn't fit well with the rest of the classes. Reflavour him as a western-styled friar or monk and you open up entirely new avenues of rp...perhaps like Sean Connery's character from Name of the Rose, or that crazy monk-assassin from DaVinci Code?

[Fitz10019]

Reflavour him as a western-styled friar or monk and you open up entirely new avenues of rp

My NWN monk wears a priest's robe instead of monk's pajamas.

[Farlion]

My number one suggestion to people who are looking for a character to their stats and have not been into roleplaying for that long is:

Choose a character out of some movie you liked that somehow fits to the agenda you have for your character scheme. I find it much easier to behave like someone you have seen for a while (and maybe you even saw the movie more than once) than to just invent character traits (some traits tend to fit, while others don't).

Second suggestion: Don't hesitate to let your character "evolve" during playtime. If you chose a trait, that might become obnoxious, just drop it. Characters grow older, they change, so don't stick to your initial character scheme if you don't have to.

Cheers,
Farlion

[erikun]

It sounds like you enjoy Chaotic and Good characters, in general. Yes, stating the obvious, but I guess it needs to be said. The Good half doesn't seem like it will be a problem for you - and you could always switch to Neutral, if needed, without a class restriction problem.

If the problem is playing a Lawful character with a Chaotic mindset, the trick is to simply be technically lawful. Play a character who has Chaotic impulses, yet overcompensates with strict self-control. Have him unpack his backpack every night, to make sure everything is clean and orderly. Make him Obsessive-Compulsive, adjusting furnishings in dungeons and counting the buttons on diplomats while the party is talking to them. Have him fly into a "rage" of flurry attacks, then stand perfectly still after the battle to regain control.

There is nothing within the Lawful alignment that says you cannot act out. You'll need to change how you act out - you wouldn't suddenly pie someone in the face - but it doesn't mean you have to stay quiet. Pointing out that the orc's face looks like burnt apple cobbler is perfectly sensible if that's what your character is thinking, and especially if he's trying to enrage the orc to entice a charge.

Unlike the Miko-stereotype, there is nothing wrong with working with the Chaotic types - and no need to force others to be Lawfulesque, either. Heck, there is nothing wrong with working with the Chaotic types' plans, as long as they are more involved that "run up and attack everything." After all, some of the best war generals played the most confounding and seemingly senseless plans, all while calculating the exact response such tactics would have against the enemy.

[Eurantien]

Lawful can be a pain, I will admit. Try creating rules for your character, like his own personal laws? If you have a rigid moral code or belief system laid down it's easier to stick to it, rather than trying to decide on the fly how your character should react. Maybe have him believe his life is not as important as others, allowing you to the display enthusiastic, rushing-in style tactics of your CG fighter, but with the idea being to protect others above your own safety. If you can find 2-3 personality quirks to make him seem more lawful, RPing him will be easier.

[ondonaflash]

Listen to it, love it, learn from it! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0xi5FqIefE) This man is about as Lawful Neutral as it is possible for a human being to be! (Point of fact though, he's also a ****.)

[Eurantien]

Listen to it, love it, learn from it! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0xi5FqIefE) This man is about as Lawful Neutral as it is possible for a human being to be! (Point of fact though, he's also a ****.)

I'd say he even leant towards LG, but I don't actually know the story of Les Mis well enough to know if he's hunting an actual bad guy or someone who merely happens to be a fugitive. Another thought. Lawful Neutral is kinda like the guards in Robin Hood or something similar. They may WORK for a guy who's bad, but they do what he tells them because that's their job/the law. When the sheriff's replaced, they go back to doing good.