Male rolepaying females

[Aricandor]

I used to catch flak from my group in the past when I said I was pondering playing a female character (I think that was mostly because I tend to always do so in computer RPGs). That's gone away in time and now - except for one other player but he was vocally shut up when he tried to complain last time - I usually just throw a die for a character's sex unless I have a specific concept in mind. I, too, usually subscribe to the philosophy that I play a character, not a gender, and it's beckoned no complaints beyond the aforementioned "why are you playing female? Play what you are!" remark thus far. :smalltongue:

And, adding an obligatory anecdote on the subject, for those who think that it's (almost) always male players that play what some might construe as sexist or "loose" stuff (me included before this particular incident), the last batch of characters we all made has my sister play a character who was/is - it hasn't yet been made clear which of the two - a willing prostitute.

Yes, this revelation was most shocking to me. :smalleek:

[Ganurath]

All of my male characters die fairly quickly, while the only female character to die so far for me was a Beguiler pretending to be male as a disguise. Of course, she Bluffed a dwarven army into laying siege to their allies at level 6 thanks Glibness and a believable story, but she's still the exception that proves the rule.

So, yeah, I prefer female characters as a matter of not dying.

[Frosty]

Prostitutes are not necessarily "loose" tbh.

[Quincunx]

If Umael's referring to the poster and discussion I think he is, there was more to it than that, and I suspect you might not have agreed with the reasoning as you do with Umael's summary; but I'm not sure we could actually discuss it in depth without "bringing in baggage from other threads" (even if Umael were to quote it for fairer discussion, it would seem weird to me to critique the views of someone not present from a long-dead thread, though that's up to him I suppose).

Gotcha. Toss me a PM link to it, if you would please? Can't commit thread necromancy so any chance of discussing the issue further is automatically denied. :smallsmile:

[Strawberries]

Gotcha. Toss me a PM link to it, if you would please? Can't commit thread necromancy so any chance of discussing the issue further is automatically denied. :smallsmile:

Can I have a PM link to it as well, please? I'm quite curious.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Prostitutes are not necessarily "loose" tbh.
In fact, they are usually quite tight: giving it away for free is a good way to go broke fast :smalltongue:

[reptilecobra13]

I have played one female character so far, and she was one of the coolest characters I ever created. Her name was Eliza, and she was a half-nymph swordsage//dread necromancer (gestalt, btw). She would play sweet and innocent most of the time, and was very childlike, especially when it came down to the creating of undead (she loved to make new friends for herself after her older sister was slaughtered). She fluctuated a lot between light and dark, so Shadow Hand and Desert Wind were her two big schools. She eventually fell in love with one of the other PCs who pretended to hate her to cover that he'd fallen for her too. All in all, it was some of the best in-character gaming that any of our friends had ever taken part in. Great fun. I highly recommend at least trying cross-gender role-playing once.

[Urpriest]

Are there any PrCs that are only open to male characters?

Probably ninjaed, but Oriental Adventures had Eunuch Warlock (obvious reasons). And Dragon had Thrall of Kosticie (sp?) (the demon prince of Frost Giants is also a misogynist rapist).

[Zaydos]

Probably ninjaed, but Oriental Adventures had Eunuch Warlock (obvious reasons). And Dragon had Thrall of Kosticie (sp?) (the demon prince of Frost Giants is also a misogynist rapist).

Not really ninja'd although someone did mention a class from BoEF :smalleek:

[Marillion]

A former GM of mine was absolutely fine with cross-gender roleplaying, with one exception;

In this system, men were not allowed to play women from a particular race. The reason being that women in that race, and only women, could have very powerful fate-magic, and that men had their own weaker version of sorcery. Deal with it.

*shrug*

Any other race, though, she was fine with.

[Frosty]

A former GM of mine was absolutely fine with cross-gender roleplaying, with one exception;

In this system, men were not allowed to play women from a particular race. The reason being that women in that race, and only women, could have very powerful fate-magic, and that men had their own weaker version of sorcery. Deal with it.

*shrug*

Any other race, though, she was fine with.
That seems very illogical. Oh well. Now go post in our game!!!! It's been days and nobody has come up with a plan :smallfurious:

[Marillion]

'Twas my next stop :smalltongue:

[DeMouse]

our group has made a guy play as a girl just because the miniature he picked was a female model. you don't really notice unless you have a party in the habit of:

<DM> you see a female elf bandit leading the group
<player 1.> :smallbiggrin:is she hot?
<DM> :smallconfused: err... yes?
<Player 2> how tough does she look?
<DM> leather armor and two axes, a mad look in her eye
<that guy> :smallwink: i roll to seduce
<entire table> :smallannoyed:*facepalms*

[Morithias]

Males roleplaying females I think falls into the "Usually bad idea" the same way the "Usually lawful evil" alignment thing works. Most of the time you'll probably not enjoy it due to inexperience or player immaturity, but there's always a diamond in the rough.

Plus there's always that "Sturgeon's Revelation" thing.

Of course overall I have to side on "allow it if they can pull it off". If JK Rowling can write high quality men, and JR Tolkien can write high quality women, I see no reason with a little practice and maturity your gaming group can't have a player, play at least an average female.

Just don't try it in a FATAL camp. :smallwink:

[Shademan]

our group has made a guy play as a girl just because the miniature he picked was a female model. you don't really notice unless you have a party in the habit of:

<DM> you see a female elf bandit leading the group
<player 1.> :smallbiggrin:is she hot?
<DM> :smallconfused: err... yes?
<Player 2> how tough does she look?
<DM> leather armor and two axes, a mad look in her eye
<that guy> :smallwink: i roll to seduce
<entire table> :smallannoyed:*facepalms*

I tried that once.
my bard: aaand the two statue golems are beautyful?
DM: yes
my bard: "Ladies! please! there is enough bard to go around for everyo-"
DM: one of them crush your nuts
Bard: :smallfrown:


anyways, I have been wanting to play a female ogre for a while... maybe just so I at one point can go "women knows these kinda things" and then another player go "wait...youre a woman!?" etc etc

[Math_Mage]

Just don't try it in a FATAL camp. :smallwink:

If you are in a FATAL camp, you have bigger problems.

I'm generally a bit more lenient about crossgender characters than "90% of everything is crap." Of course, I do PbP, where there's a bigger divorce between player and character already.

[Frosty]

If you are in a FATAL camp, you have bigger problems.

I'm generally a bit more lenient about crossgender characters than "90% of everything is crap." Of course, I do PbP, where there's a bigger divorce between player and character already.
Me, I just apply the crap-ometer a bit more evenly across. See, sometimes I think that a good majority of characters, crossgender or not, are crap :smallbiggrin:

I critcize everything equally.

[Serpentine]

I think the worst (possibly only bad, really) male-playing-female character I've seen belongs to a very good friend of mine, who alas, almost always plays joke characters.
This character is, by day, an I think reasonably good looking female Bard/Paladin of Freedom. Dunno about this side of her much, unfortunately. But, by night, she becomes... Woman Man! The disturbingly cross-dressed champion for goodness and freedom and justice! Who has something stuffed down her pants to simulate male genitalia! Also some sort of Barbarian type keeps trying to ravish her (Sven. I don't even know what class or race he is - I think human, and I thought Barbarian but I think I was corrected on that), whichever form she is in.

I realised last night, that I think I don't really like any of the characters in that game. It gives me a small sad :smallfrown: Also apparently I don't particularly like really, really roleplay-heavy games, but it probably doesn't help that I'm playing a mute who doesn't know the main languages in this town.

[Fri]

Meh, for me, playing a different gender i's nothing different than playing an englishman, an old man, a black man, or a criminal. I'm neither an englishman, an old man, a black man, or a criminal and each have their own stereotypes. All of those exist in real life, might think differently than me, and all of those (beside the criminal of course) might be different biologically than me.

And each of those can easily be played offensively stereotyped or badly.

If I can only combine something that's not real + my own self, I can only play an elf/orc/half-elf/drow/dragon/werewolf art student at any game :smallbiggrin:.

[Satyr]

I get it and I like it. The worldwide assumption you're not making, or un-assumption which you are, whichever, is "the only difference between woman and man is babymaking capability". This is followed by "babymaking is not and never will be a plot hook" and "whatever reason you have for wanting to go cross-gender will not be babymaking, and therefore unnecessary".

This is not difficult to understand; but if you ask me, by ignoring gender-related issues and conflicts, you make the game less interesting - and that's not the thing a good gamemaster should do. These kind of conflicts are close to our real world and thus very accessible. They are a great way to state the differences in mindsets and outlook of the world between different cultures (so, especially for a fantasy game with lots and lots of different sentient species, gender roles and gender stereotypes are an invaluable tool to create variation).
And, the whole babymaking aspect... well, there is a reason why the basic formula of enthralling stories comes down to Sex and Violence. Sex is interesting. It is something most people can relate to, it is usually fun, and hopefully most people you play with should have significantly more experience with sex than with violence.

[Tsumeken]

All of my male characters die fairly quickly, while the only female character to die so far for me was a Beguiler pretending to be male as a disguise. Of course, she Bluffed a dwarven army into laying siege to their allies at level 6 thanks Glibness and a believable story, but she's still the exception that proves the rule.

So, yeah, I prefer female characters as a matter of not dying.


Funny enough I find that that happens alot too, female characters (weather I've played them or my players do) seem to have some dice luck for some reason and die less often then male characters I've seen/played.

[ghost_warlock]

Hm. This thread has made me realize something. Although I've RP'd a number of female NPCs over the years, including some that had extended romances with PCs, I've only once played a female PC.

I wonder why that is.

[Frozen_Feet]

If the guards are predominantly male, the male player is denied the possibility of playing a female rogue who can use seduction as a tool to slip past their defenses - unless the guards and the PC are both gay and/or bi.


But wait! There's a way around this!

It's called "Plan C: I feel this will involve me in drag". :smallwink:

[dsmiles]

But wait! There's a way around this!

It's called "Plan C: I feel this will involve me in drag". :smallwink:

I feel that this will involve you in drag as well. :smalltongue:
http://static.flickr.com/3141/2353759313_d838e4af9c.jpg

[Frozen_Feet]

Personally, I find the idea of a crossdressing characters exceedingly funny in the context of this thread. "I wasn't allowed to roleplay a girl, so I roleplay someone who roleplays a girl!"

And that poster made my day. :smallbiggrin:

[Umael]

...

Frozen_Feet, dsmiles?

I owe you both a cookie for that.

[Marillion]

It's called "Plan C: I feel this will involve me in drag". :smallwink:


What do you want me to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBE_T-K8nhY)

[LOTRfan]

I forgot about that part of the Lion King. :smallbiggrin:

[Tetsubo 57]

I've had two players do this in 30+ years.

One started playing a 1E D&D male magic-suer, Malanthor. One Belt of Femininity/Masculinity later and he became a she named Malinda. My buddy kept playing her as a woman for the rest of the characters career. Up to and including her marriage to another male character.

The second was a female Dwarven Cleric/Fighter being played by a male. Though I'm not sure a female Dwarf really counts... :)

I have had several female players play male characters however. Though one was a transgender, bisexual so I'm not sure how that really breaks down... :)

I think I only ever played one female character ever. I didn't do it very well.

[Umael]

One started playing a 1E D&D male magic-suer, Malanthor. One Belt of Femininity/Masculinity later and he became a she named Malinda. My buddy kept playing her as a woman for the rest of the characters career. Up to and including her marriage to another male character.

You know, I completely forgot about Gender Change as a magic property/curse insofaras it being okay to play a female character if you are male (or vice versa).

I can see it now:

GM: If you are male, you must play a male character. If you are female, you must play a female character.
PC: Okay, no problem. Hey, I want to play a wizard, is that okay?
GM: Yeah, sure.
PC: Also, I want to include that I'm hunted as part of my background. Is that okay?
GM: Sure.
PC: Because I'm hunted, I want to disguise myself. Is it okay if I research a Gender Change spell?
GM: ...no.
PC: Why not? They are looking for a male wizard, right, not a female wizard.
GM: Because I don't want you playing a female, okay?
PC: Because you don't think there is any game-related reasons beyond baby-making for being a female. But I just showed one - disguise.
GM: Well, I'm not going to allow it.
PC: Let me get this straight. If I get to high enough level, I can cast time stop, gate, mind rape, and a dozen other game-breaking spells, but you forbid me from casting a simpler and far-less game-breaking spell just because you are uncomfortable with me role-playing a female?

[Tetsubo 57]

You know, I completely forgot about Gender Change as a magic property/curse insofaras it being okay to play a female character if you are male (or vice versa).

I can see it now:

GM: If you are male, you must play a male character. If you are female, you must play a female character.
PC: Okay, no problem. Hey, I want to play a wizard, is that okay?
GM: Yeah, sure.
PC: Also, I want to include that I'm hunted as part of my background. Is that okay?
GM: Sure.
PC: Because I'm hunted, I want to disguise myself. Is it okay if I research a Gender Change spell?
GM: ...no.
PC: Why not? They are looking for a male wizard, right, not a female wizard.
GM: Because I don't want you playing a female, okay?
PC: Because you don't think there is any game-related reasons beyond baby-making for being a female. But I just showed one - disguise.
GM: Well, I'm not going to allow it.
PC: Let me get this straight. If I get to high enough level, I can cast time stop, gate, mind rape, and a dozen other game-breaking spells, but you forbid me from casting a simpler and far-less game-breaking spell just because you are uncomfortable with me role-playing a female?

I have no issue with a player playing anything they want. I just guess most of my male players have been very conservative. :)

I just emailed my friend that played Malinda. I want to know how high a level she achieved, I don't remember. My character in that campaign (rotating GMs) hit 26th level.

[Zaydos]

Except for 1 player I have no problem with males playing females (or vice versa). I do have problems with putting gender changing magic in the hands of some of my players... it had bad results :smalleek:.

[Tetsubo 57]

Except for 1 player I have no problem with males playing females (or vice versa). I do have problems with putting gender changing magic in the hands of some of my players... it had bad results :smalleek:.

I had player in a 3rd edition Gamma World campaign. No one knows how he got into the game. No one remembers inviting him, he was just there. He played a pale yellow, anthro canine with a turtle shell and tentacles. He was the creepiest human I have ever known. I shook his hand once and my skinned crawled for three days. Three days. Just thinking about him as I type this makes me get all skeeved out. He eventually left but sent a hand written marriage proposal to one of my players (who I would later marry). Reading it cracked us up so much we couldn't breath. It was as though Lovecraft himself had penned it. *Him* I wouldn't want to play a female character. No. No. NO.

[Umael]

I have no issue with a player playing anything they want. I just guess most of my male players have been very conservative. :)

*hand-wave aside*

My last comment was not directed towards you or yours in the slightest. Just some old baggage which your post triggered.



Except for 1 player I have no problem with males playing females (or vice versa). I do have problems with putting gender changing magic in the hands of some of my players... it had bad results :smalleek:.

A lot of things are bad in the wrong hands. Gender-changing magic is just one of the things that can go horribly, horribly wrong.

(I.e., very understandable.)

[Zaydos]

I had player in a 3rd edition Gamma World campaign. No one knows how he got into the game. No one remembers inviting him, he was just there. He played a pale yellow, anthro canine with a turtle shell and tentacles. He was the creepiest human I have ever known. I shook his hand once and my skinned crawled for three days. Three days. Just thinking about him as I type this makes me get all skeeved out. He eventually left but sent a hand written marriage proposal to one of my players (who I would later marry). Reading it cracked us up so much we couldn't breath. It was as though Lovecraft himself had penned it. *Him* I wouldn't want to play a female character. No. No. NO.

Mine is no where near as scary a person. He's a really nice, if socially awkward, guy. He's also new to role-playing so a lot of it is excusable, but his idea of role-playing a female was go out and try and seduce the any/all humanoid creatures (including ones 2 sizes larger than him) he saw. He swiftly changed to a male human cleric and did a little better although we've discovered he's much better with skype games so I intend to start him on PbP soon.

The others... 2 of my players referred to themselves on a daily basis as yaoi fangirls... I should have known better than to give them access to gender changing magic.

[Fawsto]

It's been a while since a thread was able to make me laught so much and at the same time bite a chunk of my sanity.

There were only two attempts into cross-gender characters in our group. One happened as a male with boobs and the other one was female acting male elf. Wait. I just described a regular "male" elf.

In the last years I've played with normal basis of female players, some DMing some playing. If it was not for her attempts to ingress into the university (which, as I have been told, is taking most of her time), we would have been able to invite the girlfriend of one of my friends into the game.

Personaly, I am not into RPing a female character. However, I do it in order to RP my female NPCs. Occupational hazard perhaps?