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View Full Version : How would a female player stereotypically play a male character?



akma
2010-09-10, 05:16 AM
I heard the stereotype about male playing female characters that all she does is seduction (even saw it heppen), but what about the opposite? It would have been funny to see female players playing seductive male characters, but I doubt it`s how it heppens. How would a female player sterotypically play a male character?

FelixG
2010-09-10, 05:20 AM
I heard the stereotype about male playing female characters that all she does is seduction (even saw it heppen), but what about the opposite? It would have been funny to see female players playing seductive male characters, but I doubt it`s how it heppens. How would a female player sterotypically play a male character, and how they play male characters in reality?

stereotypically? they would probably act alot like rambo, gruff deep voices just wanting to screw things and kill things.

Realistically? She would probably play the male character alot like how males play their characters.

kamikasei
2010-09-10, 05:21 AM
How would a female player sterotypically play a male character
According to the prejudices of the one reporting the stereotype.

and how they play male characters in reality?
According to their own personalities and abilities.

Poil
2010-09-10, 06:28 AM
Maybe... no ranks in personal hygiene, adjusting yourself in an audience with a king, scratching publicly, etc. :smallconfused:

dsmiles
2010-09-10, 07:01 AM
Three words: Christian Bale Batman

You get both sides of the coin here.

Real males can be smooth, suave, Bruce Wayne-types.
Stereotypical males are dark, angsty, vigilantes.

Ricky S
2010-09-10, 07:18 AM
Why is it that no one can play a character of the oppposite gender without making them into walking stereotypes?

When I play a female character I don't play a seductress or anything I play her as a normal woman. She is usually a non-combatant though which is about the only gender stereo-typing I make. So rogues, wizards and ranged rangers.

kamikasei
2010-09-10, 07:22 AM
Why is it that no one can play a character of the oppposite gender without making them into walking stereotypes?
Odd question, since you're the first one in the thread to suggest that's so.

dsmiles
2010-09-10, 07:31 AM
Odd question, since you're the first one in the thread to suggest that's so.

To be fair, I kind of stereotype the females I play. They are primarily one of three roles: Rogue-type, Cleric-Type or Mage-type. I rarely play female Warrior-types, the shtick just doesn't seem to click for me.

Knaight
2010-09-10, 07:32 AM
And the noncombatants bit is probably closer to a stereotype than many of us come except for in games where stereotypes are needed. 50's B movie the RPG for instance.

Coidzor
2010-09-10, 07:34 AM
Hmm, I think the stereotype is either play the male character as a crush everything barbarian type or as basically no different from the female player.

WarKitty
2010-09-10, 07:35 AM
There's also the tries to bang anything that's female stereotype.

dsmiles
2010-09-10, 07:36 AM
There's also the tries to bang anything that's female stereotype.

Really? I thought that was a race-specific feat for Humans...:smallwink:

Serpentine
2010-09-10, 09:09 AM
Conan.

How would I? Depends on the character... But pretty much the same as any other, I think.

Zaydos
2010-09-10, 09:14 AM
Stereotypically: Big, buff, stupid, I hit things fighter.

Girls I know:

Big, buff, I hit things 4e Paladin
Will bang anything that moves
Will bang anything that moves
No idea
No idea the only character trait that she ever defined last time she played a character was that if she lost a race she'd attack other PCs to make them have more trouble with it.
No idea

dsmiles
2010-09-10, 09:20 AM
Stereotypically: Big, buff, stupid, I hit things fighter.


Like so?http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e166/jpohagan/SwordChucks.jpg

Zaydos
2010-09-10, 09:21 AM
Well I trust my friends not to do that bad... I hope.

Serpentine
2010-09-10, 09:25 AM
I think there's more "male archetypes" for girls to stereotype from, than there are "female archetypes" for boys to, which makes the latter's stereotypes more "stereotypey" than the former's.
Thoughts?

WarKitty
2010-09-10, 09:27 AM
I think there's more "male archetypes" for girls to stereotype from, than there are "female archetypes" for boys to, which makes the latter's stereotypes more "stereotypey" than the former's.
Thoughts?

Goes back to what I said in the other thread. There's a whole lot more male heroes than female heroes out there in geek media. So you get more variety. Hasn't been that long since geekdom was a boys only club.

Peregrine
2010-09-10, 09:29 AM
I think there's more "male archetypes" for girls to stereotype from, than there are "female archetypes" for boys to, which makes the latter's stereotypes more "stereotypey" than the former's.
Thoughts?

I disagree; but as for "interesting" female archetypes ("interesting" being defined from the perspective of an equally stereotyped young single male gamer :smalltongue:)? Vamp is certainly a more "interesting" archetype than crone or matron.

Glyde
2010-09-10, 09:30 AM
I just play both genders according to the character, not the gender itself.

I've had tough girls and sissy guys, and thinking back on it I don't think I've ever made a seductress. (Time to think of a new character...)

Zaydos
2010-09-10, 09:30 AM
I think there's more "male archetypes" for girls to stereotype from, than there are "female archetypes" for boys to, which makes the latter's stereotypes more "stereotypey" than the former's.
Thoughts?

I have to agree, especially since more of the "female archetypes" don't fit into an adventuring setting.

Also many of generic fantasy archetypes that can be applied to either are assumed to be male, and become a stereotype if female. Male character that loves battle and relishes in combat, Blood Knight or just a viking. Female character that does so? Stereotypical Red Sonja rip-off.

WarKitty
2010-09-10, 09:35 AM
I have to agree, especially since more of the "female archetypes" don't fit into an adventuring setting.

Also many of generic fantasy archetypes that can be applied to either are assumed to be male, and become a stereotype if female. Male character that loves battle and relishes in combat, Blood Knight or just a viking. Female character that does so? Stereotypical Red Sonja rip-off.

It sounds like you're referring to the concept of markedness. In plain english, markedness refers to what's notable about a person/character/etc. Like in everyday life, being homosexual is marked (i.e. notable), whereas heterosexuality is unmarked. In many fantasy tropes, being male is unmarked in that sense - the fact that your battle-loving barbarian is male doesn't get noticed at all. Femaleness is marked in the sense that people notice that your barbarian is female and expect it to play a role.

Urpriest
2010-09-10, 09:46 AM
I have seen one stereotypical type of behavior for women playing male characters: they tend to be party leaders. If a woman is playing a male character then she has put some thought into how she wants the character to act, so she's not the kind of person who is essentially just there to watch the game (the "somebody's girlfriend" stereotype). That being said, a woman that involved in the game in a stereotypically mostly-male group is going to end up as party leader simply because the stereotypically lonely male players will naturally defer to her.

So I'd say if there's any stereotype for women playing male characters, it's party leader.

WarKitty
2010-09-10, 09:54 AM
Interestingly enough, the male character I was most attached to spent a lot of his time sulking. Although that was in part that I had an evil character in a good to neutral party.

dsmiles
2010-09-10, 09:55 AM
Interestingly enough, the male character I was most attached to spent a lot of his time sulking. Although that was in part that I had an evil character in a good to neutral party.

That's funny, most of my male characters sped a lot of their time skulking. :smallbiggrin:

EDIT: I just realized, I rarely play any male warrior types either. Hmm.

Nick_mi
2010-09-10, 10:56 AM
Step 1:If it has a vagina ask DM for it's CHA rating.
Step 2:Make sure it's above 10.
Step 3:?????
Step 4:Attempt to stick your penis in it.

WarKitty
2010-09-10, 11:03 AM
Step 1:If it has a vagina ask DM for it's CHA rating.
Step 2:Make sure it's above 10.
Step 3:?????
Step 4:Attempt to stick your penis in it.

Step 5: Find out it was a succubus
Step 6: Roll a new character

akma
2010-09-10, 11:11 AM
This thread inspired me to play a smash everything, ugly, full of muscles, unreasonable and hairy female character if I`ll ever have a chance for a one shot humorous game. It would be at least worth to see if it would be as funny as I imagine it would be.
Personelly, it wouldn`t change much if any of the characters I played were female. It would probably only do harm, as other players would probably make jokes about that instead of playing.

Any personel experience with females playing males?

dsmiles
2010-09-10, 11:14 AM
This thread inspired me to play a smash everything, ugly, full of muscles, unreasonable and hairy female character if I`ll ever have a chance for a one shot humorous game.

Soooooo...a female half-orc (or dwarf, depending on the campaign world) barbarian?

And yes, a friend of mine played a male Khajiit archer in a rolemaster game (TES setting). We referred to the character as 'her' and 'she' for about three and a half sessions, until 'she' decided to bathe at the same time as the rest of us guys. :smalleek: Weren't we surprised.

Frosty
2010-09-10, 11:19 AM
Step 5: Find out it was a succubus
Step 6: Roll a new character
Step 6 is actually: Go to the forums to find a way to recruit said succubus.

dsmiles
2010-09-10, 11:22 AM
Step 5: Find out it was a succubus
Step 6: Roll a new character

Alternatively:

Step 6: Reveal that you're actually an Incubus.
Step 7: ???
Step 8: Profit!

Nick_mi
2010-09-10, 11:26 AM
It's hard to sterotype men due to how diverse and accpetable we can act without being simply judged as "Typical male". Guys are all different, and we aren't all stupid horn dogs.
.

This is wrong minus the stupid part. Men are horn dogs, period. We just supress the urges for decency and greater success rate. :)

Oracle_Hunter
2010-09-10, 11:28 AM
Handy and Enlightening SMBC Link (http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=1818) :smallcool:

Curmudgeon
2010-09-10, 11:32 AM
Scratching. Spitting. Long, appraising looks at the body parts of other characters they find attractive.

Ruinix
2010-09-10, 11:49 AM
well this "stereotypical" way is just for D&D alike games, cause some years back when i play a lot of WoD i had some good female players wich often rol male characters and they do preaty well don't fallin on the easy (stupid) play of i hit everything on my way and i "hit" any girl on my way.

Starbuck_II
2010-09-10, 11:53 AM
This is wrong minus the stupid part. Men are horn dogs, period. We just supress the urges for decency and greater success rate. :)

Horndogs describes both genders really if want to sterotype. Males are just more vocal about inner thoughts.

I'd guess males would be sterotyped as more agressive/violent. Think back how many female villians have you fought? Yeah, males are also used as villians more often.

WarKitty
2010-09-10, 12:29 PM
Any personel experience with females playing males?

Well one of my favorite characters was a NE male druid. The group still says he's one of my best characters. Surly, would sleep with most anything vaguely humanoid of any gender, thought civilization was an abomination to be destroyed, but was quite willing to risk his own life to save his friends even as he insisted he was just using them.


Horndogs describes both genders really if want to sterotype. Males are just more vocal about inner thoughts.

I'd guess males would be sterotyped as more agressive/violent. Think back how many female villians have you fought? Yeah, males are also used as villians more often.

Right. The thing is, females tend to be stereotyped as more domestic types, which aren't generally going to be swinging swords or throwing lightning bolts around. That's not the *only* female archetype out there, but there's far more female archetypes that are simply unsuited to participation in D&D type battles.

And yeah...females can be just as horny as males. We just have to deal with more social hang-ups for expressing it.

Coidzor
2010-09-10, 01:09 PM
Obviously. Or there wouldn't be nearly so many humans and demi-humans kicking around.

Frosty
2010-09-10, 01:24 PM
Obviously. Or there wouldn't be nearly so many humans and demi-humans kicking around.
And Centaurs. Never forget Centaurs.

Fax Celestis
2010-09-10, 03:30 PM
non-combatant


rogues, wizards and ranged rangers.

One of these is not like the others.

Coidzor
2010-09-10, 03:40 PM
One of these is not like the others.

Hmm. Is it Wizards because they break the game and can be better martial combatants than the explicitly martial classes? (Or are the only one of those classes which is not supposed to be making weapon attack rolls?)

Or Rangers because inflicting the ARROW'D status condition is still combat?

Or Rogues because they're non-casters?

Fax Celestis
2010-09-10, 03:45 PM
Hmm. Is it Wizards because they break the game and can be better martial combatants than the explicitly martial classes? (Or are the only one of those classes which is not supposed to be making weapon attack rolls?)

Or Rangers because inflicting the ARROW'D status condition is still combat?

Or Rogues because they're non-casters?

Here's a nickel. Go buy yourself an internet.

Marnath
2010-09-10, 03:49 PM
I think there's more "male archetypes" for girls to stereotype from, than there are "female archetypes" for boys to, which makes the latter's stereotypes more "stereotypey" than the former's.
Thoughts?

I agree, and would like to add that another point in favor of that is that when a girl plays to a male stereotype she has a lot better chance of having a character that's realistic than if a boy does the same thing with a female stereotype. This due to the fact that there are(or were) lots of men who really are that shallow hit things fighter types. Whereas the meek domestic woman has never really been all that real, mostly that was a make-believe thing men came up with so they could ignore how their wives are smarter and more strong willed than them.

Of course, it could just be that women gamers tend to be more mature Rp'ers. :smallsmile:

Coidzor
2010-09-10, 04:03 PM
Here's a nickel. Go buy yourself an internet.

N-Now I'm even more confused! T_T

Marnath
2010-09-10, 04:16 PM
N-Now I'm even more confused! T_T

Now you know how we feel coidz. :smalltongue:

Vemynal
2010-09-10, 04:17 PM
Only time I played a female character was a high end game, I played a Lawful Neutral Pixie Samurai named Lilith

She came out kinda gruff and tomboyish to be honest but I also have known a lot of girls like that so w/e

When the next time it came down to playing a mythologically female character (Naamah) I just made it a gay guy instead to save myself the trouble

Avilan the Grey
2010-09-10, 05:03 PM
To be fair, I kind of stereotype the females I play. They are primarily one of three roles: Rogue-type, Cleric-Type or Mage-type. I rarely play female Warrior-types, the shtick just doesn't seem to click for me.

I tend to play rogue or warrior type. Personally I guess it's a bit of a fetish for me, I find the Hot Amazon thing really, well, hot.

I never play them different from my male characters though.

El Dorado
2010-09-10, 05:21 PM
Heh, if she were clever, her portrayal would be an amalgamation of the male players at the game table. :smallwink:

Quincunx
2010-09-12, 05:57 AM
I tried to suppress the common-sense part of the feedback loop, the one where I would usually ask myself "is this course of action going to accomplish what I want?", and substituted "will this make me look impressive?". The shallow part was easy. The ignoring-consequences part was not.

Urpriest: interesting!

Fitz10019
2010-09-12, 07:41 AM
Don't ask for directions.

Tira-chan
2010-09-12, 10:10 AM
I heard the stereotype about male playing female characters that all she does is seduction (even saw it happen), but what about the opposite? It would have been funny to see female players playing seductive male characters, but I doubt it`s how it happens. How would a female player stereotypically play a male character?
This only really seems to happen in online RPs, but the stereotypical Yaoi Boy. Comes in two flavors - the petite, whiny Uke who's basically a very flat-chested girl, and the manly, domineering Seme who usually comes off as a creeper, but is supposed to be romantic. I tend to avoid games with these kind of players. They seem especially bad in WoD.

Any personal experience with females playing males?
*clears throat* Male characters I have played:

Bram the Half-Elven Paladin. Extremely noble, religious, etc. Thought everyone had the same standards as he did - automatically assumed people were telling the truth, thought the rest of the party would be excited about purifying a temple and not want to loot it, that sort of thing. Played that way because he had a mediocre wisdom score, and I wanted to play an honourable knight without making him come off as a Stu.
Edward LaRou, Vampire. Guitarist who'd been Embraced as part of some sort of plot. Generally acted as team face, because he had good Social skills, and wasn't a diva. Tended to get most of his blood by picking up extremely drunk women at bars, taking them out back, and just getting the minimum blood requirement. Played that way because he had Lust as his Vice, I'd just read an EGS strip that compared vampire romances to a man seducing a drunk girl for a sandwich, and, on a deeper level, it was a way of him trying to establish normalcy, by doing typical activities like picking up women at bars, but how it was also perverted by his vampirism.
Calder Pim, Director. (Okay, a Genius, that's how he kept introducing himself in-game.) Extremely brilliant, but also arrogant and obnoxious. Specialized in mind control. Played that way because I was sort of ripping off Artemis Fowl and Evil Genius at the same time.


I disagree; but as for "interesting" female archetypes ("interesting" being defined from the perspective of an equally stereotyped young single male gamer :smalltongue:)? Vamp is certainly a more "interesting" archetype than crone or matron.
Five words for you - Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax

Urpriest
2010-09-12, 10:17 AM
Five words for you - Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax

You're not contradicting him with that one. It's just a...nontraditional example.

Coidzor
2010-09-12, 10:21 AM
You're not contradicting him with that one. It's just a...nontraditional example.

Plus, Nanny Ogg is sort of a subversion-combination of the matron and... harlot for lack of a better term coming to mind right now.


This only really seems to happen in online RPs, but the stereotypical Yaoi Boy. Comes in two flavors - the petite, whiny Uke who's basically a very flat-chested girl, and the manly, domineering Seme who usually comes off as a creeperan unhinged, psychotic rapist, but is supposed to be romantic. I tend to avoid games with these kind of players. They seem especially bad in WoD.

Fixed it for you. Unless I've been very, very unlucky in my experiences.

Tira-chan
2010-09-12, 10:26 AM
You're not contradicting him with that one. It's just a...nontraditional example.

In the terms of the Triple Goddess archetype, Nanny's the Matron. She's just a non-traditional matron.

For another example, Sophie Hatter from Howl's Moving Castle.

Urpriest
2010-09-12, 10:27 AM
I doubt there are too many guys who would be "interested" in a 80-year-old seductress.

For another example, Sophie Hatter from Howl's Moving Castle.

Casanunda, the world's second-greatest lover, would like to have a word with you.

Tira-chan
2010-09-12, 10:30 AM
Casanunda, the world's second-greatest lover, would like to have a word with you.

And maybe I'd like a word with Casanunda. :smallwink:

akma
2010-09-12, 10:50 AM
Casanunda, the world's second-greatest lover, would like to have a word with you.

Whose the greatest?

Marnath
2010-09-12, 12:20 PM
I tried to suppress the common-sense part of the feedback loop, the one where I would usually ask myself "is this course of action going to accomplish what I want?", and substituted "will this make me look impressive?". The shallow part was easy. The ignoring-consequences part was not.

Oh man, that hurts but it's sooo true. :smallbiggrin:

Zorzark
2010-09-12, 02:24 PM
I usually just make a character drunk and terrible at expressing their feelings. Bam, male.

I mostly kid, but the "feelings" bit is a classic male stereotype.

WarKitty
2010-09-12, 02:35 PM
Making a point of never bathing is a good one. Which then has some amusing results as the rest of the party tries to make a point that they *are* bathing - in the middle of a dungeon.

Zaydos
2010-09-12, 02:40 PM
Making a point of never bathing is a good one. Which then has some amusing results as the rest of the party tries to make a point that they *are* bathing - in the middle of a dungeon.

lol.

When I was a kid there was one time my character took a bath in a dungeon... or fell into the cesspool whatever you prefer to call it... I think I did make a point of bathing as soon as possible after that.

Peregrine
2010-09-13, 09:17 AM
Making a point of never bathing is a good one. Which then has some amusing results as the rest of the party tries to make a point that they *are* bathing - in the middle of a dungeon.

Prestidigitation?

And hey, I can make that comment on-topic: prestidigitation lasts an hour, so your stereotypically-male wizard will have plenty of time to proposition all the female party members by offering to scrub their backs. :smallwink:

calar
2010-09-13, 09:59 AM
As it stands, Im currently DMing a campaign with a female playing a male character. I'll tell you how it goes :smalltongue:

Ormagoden
2010-09-13, 10:09 AM
Player 4 in my current DnD group is a woman.
She mostly plays sterotypical male characters when she plays a male.

I have yet to come across one I've disliked or found offensive. They are always a riot. She takes a small facet of maleness and expands on it infinitely.

For example she played an half orc barbarian who spent most of the time in game naked and swinging axes or both. Watching player 4 ask "Are there any girls there? Because if there are I want to do them!" was hilarious!

Another example was a drunk dwarf who never bathed and was infamous all around for his stench. He defeated a roper by peeing in its mouth while grappled, the urine bought us enough time (because it was gagging) to defeat it. Every time an adventure ended the entire party got ripped at the local tavern and watched the drunk dwarf "hit on the ladies" with lines like "So you want to go have sex now?", "That's just my love musk." in reference to his smell.

Alot of times its the spirit of how a character is played that makes or breaks it. If someone is playing a male sterotype to "teach the guys a lesson" It's obviously perceived as a challenge or an insult and never works out right.

I don't think there is anything wrong with playing up a sterotype as long as your goal is not to hurt feelings but instead have a great time.