How to get along passably without much roleplaying in 3.5?

[gooddragon1]

How would you recommend getting along in 3.5 games without much roleplaying? For example, for games that require investigation what do you do? I just dislike roleplaying because it's not fun for me but I like the mechanics of the system (I'll be playing a cleric if it helps).

[Stormageddon]

Dungeon Crawls are your friend!

Play a cleric that's taken a vow of silence.

[Rubik]

How would you recommend getting along in 3.5 games without much roleplaying? For example, for games that require investigation what do you do? I just dislike roleplaying because it's not fun for me but I like the mechanics of the system (I'll be playing a cleric if it helps).Play a simple character. Not mechanically, but mentally. Say, a feral barbarian/totemist, raised in the wilds by dire wolves.

Give him a few personality traits and stick to them.

Sounds easy enough.

[Hunter Noventa]

How would you recommend getting along in 3.5 games without much roleplaying? For example, for games that require investigation what do you do? I just dislike roleplaying because it's not fun for me but I like the mechanics of the system (I'll be playing a cleric if it helps).

I'd suggest for one, saying this to the other players, explain what you enjoy and what you aren't good at, and hopefully they'll understand.

But the above advice is also good, there's absolutely nothing wrong with playing a character who has a few simple traits compared to the rest of the party. You're going to have to roleplay a little bit of course, but not every character needs a 10-page backstory and personality summary, not every character needs to give eloquent speeches. But every character has to talk to a shopkeeper, or banter a little at the inn.

It's even possible to play as an extension of yourself, you enjoy the mechanics of the system? Play a Cleric who serves the God of Math.

[nedz]

Play a Barbarian.
Whenever an encounter comes up — CHARGE — especially the talky ones.
Just so that you don't get labelled a Leeroy — If the encounter is an obvious hack-fest: try talking to them.
Profit.


I actually went through a period, as a DM, when my players always seemed to do this. Eventually they complained about a lack of role-playing :smallsigh:

[Tvtyrant]

You could always play a Wolverine hack. "I'm preprogrammed to kill, but I don't know by who or why." Then sit back and occasionally mention how much easier it would be to kill the bad guy if you killed everyone.

[skycycle blues]

Play a character, who personality-wise, is almost identical to you. Be a magical version of you. However you think you would behave in such and such a situation, that is what your character should do.

[Darius Kane]

Play a videogame.

[123456789blaaa]

I'm almost a little disappointed. I was sure that this thread would get heated very quickly.

[gooddragon1]

Play a videogame.

I do this already. I also play as myself for every character.

Does anyone have any advice for investigation games?

[Rubik]

I do this already. I also play as myself for every character.

Does anyone have any advice for investigation games?Wait for the rest of the party to figure out whodunit and then run over and hit him with a big pointy stick?

Investigation-based plots rather necessitate RP until you get to the hit-with-stick part.

[INoKnowNames]

I do this already. I also play as myself for every character.

Does anyone have any advice for investigation games?

Partner up with someone who is willing to do the talking for you. He/she can be the brains (and will most likely talk more), and you can be the muscle. Well, as muscly as a cleric can be, anyway.

[gooddragon1]

Well, as muscly as a cleric can be, anyway.

Polymorph from a spontaneous'd alteration domain (http://home.comcast.net/~ftm3/ASMoNM/domains.html) muscly... (yes it has the whole polymorph line, no I'm not particularly happy with the DM at the moment, why do you ask?)



Wait for the rest of the party to figure out whodunit and then run over and hit him with a big pointy stick?

I do this already as well.

The problem is that the games take a lot of time for people to even get an idea where to start looking.

[INoKnowNames]

Polymorph from a spontaneous'd alteration domain (http://home.comcast.net/~ftm3/ASMoNM/domains.html) muscly... (yes it has the whole polymorph line, no I'm not particularly happy with the DM at the moment, why do you ask?)

Eh, I always consider turning into something that does it better or summoning something that does it better to be cheating, but that's just me.


The problem is that the games take a lot of time for people to even get an idea where to start looking.

This seems like it's less a 3.5 Problem, and more an Out of Party Roleplaying Problem, if anything. Maybe something you should talk with woever you're playing with, assuming you don't want to contribute to their problem solving skills yourself...

You could be the Medling Dog of the group! Point things out that you see and let the resst of the people come up with plans! Good Job, Scooby Doo!

[Rubik]

Try investing in HUGE Survival, Spot, and Search skills, and then just roll all over the place. Then relay the info given to you to the party.

You get to roll all the dice AND participate, no RP needed!

[INoKnowNames]

Try investing in HUGE Survival, Spot, and Search skills, and then just roll all over the place. Then relay the info given to you to the party.

You get to roll all the dice AND participate, no RP needed!

"Rey! Rat's Rut I Raid!"

http://d2tq98mqfjyz2l.cloudfront.net/image_cache/1344458328505650.jpg

[Rubik]

"Rey! Rat's Rut I Raid!"

http://d2tq98mqfjyz2l.cloudfront.net/image_cache/1344458328505650.jpgSorry, I can't understand you with that speech impediment.

[Malroth]

1) Be an arcane caster with Dominate person and Disintigrate
2) Mind control everybody you meet and force them to answer the questions truthfully.
3) If a target makes their save or is immune from mind affecting spells then they are the Villian, Disintigrate them.
4) Never have to sit through an invistigation agian.
5) Take your Mind controlled Thralls with you on the dungeon crawls.

[Toy Killer]

Divinations are your best friends?

Granted, this is the easiest way to piss off a DM who has thoroughly crafted a mystery, but honestly I like the way V handled the sub-plot on the boat in character when the party got split up. Honestly, if your character isn't Necessary for the side mission, isn't interested in being there and doesn't want to be there, why is he?

Excuse yourself to meditate or craft or whatever, tell them to send word when they're done and go watch youtube videos or something. If that's not an option, prepare a whole cask of Divinations and directly ask the gods if you can cut to the chase.

[gooddragon1]

Divinations are your best friends?

Granted, this is the easiest way to piss off a DM who has thoroughly crafted a mystery, but honestly I like the way V handled the sub-plot on the boat in character when the party got split up. Honestly, if your character isn't Necessary for the side mission, isn't interested in being there and doesn't want to be there, why is he?

Excuse yourself to meditate or craft or whatever, tell them to send word when they're done and go watch youtube videos or something. If that's not an option, prepare a whole cask of Divinations and directly ask the gods if you can cut to the chase.

With this DM I fully expect fiat in that regards. Though I have a bubble pipe always on hand for just such an occasion.

I did like the idea of maxing ranks in search though.

[ericgrau]

+1 that divinations are great for investigation. Clerics get some of the nicer ones like detect evil, augury and locate object. Heck get a wand of augury and spam it. If you don't like roleplaying just snooze until the party says they need to find something and you say "Oh, ok, I cast X."

Really this is a roleplaying game so I'd try to learn to roleplay at least a little. Don't feel obligated to do more than some tiny thing until you're comfortable. For example pick or randomly generate 1 or 2 personality traits. Decide what you did before meeting the party in 1 or 2 sentences (e.g., "I performed temple duties."). Bam, done. Or, ok, be a quiet type but include one little quirk. Maybe you're quiet because you're ultra serious. I don't mean to force you to go all out, just some little thing now and then.

[Hyde]

Be the antoganist.

when whatever happens, happens- murder everyone even remotely involved. The answer to whodunit? becomes:
"One of these dead guys. Also, me."

Murdering everyone also has the added benefit of enabling your speak with dead spell. Make sure your temple knows that sending you in on some dumbass investigation you don't want to do is a last resort and kind of crossing the Godzilla Threshold.

[ahenobarbi]

Have your character have high investigative skills (use buffing spells for that). Don't role play collecting information, roll "Gather Information" skill. After all that's what skill are for.

[INoKnowNames]

Be the antoganist.

when whatever happens, happens- murder everyone even remotely involved. The answer to whodunit? becomes:
"One of these dead guys. Also, me."

Hyde, you are entirely made of equal parts wonderful and awesomesauce with just a hint of coolwhip. And you need to know that.

[gooddragon1]

I'm always neutral good. Murdering people randomly isn't exactly an option for me.

[INoKnowNames]

I'm always neutral good. Murdering people randomly isn't exactly an option for me.

That doesn't make Hyde any less awesome for that suggestion.

[Hyde]

They're not random people. Any one of them could be the bad guy.

Statistically you're doing the world a service, probably.

Also thanks, INKNames

[KillianHawkeye]

I'm always neutral good. Murdering people randomly isn't exactly an option for me.

Time to expand your horizons, I guess? :smallamused:

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Serious question: what do you mean by "roleplaying"? Because what a lot of people mean by "roleplaying" is "I have a massive character backstory and I give intense, impassioned speeches about my character's values and my character has lots of complex personality traits and relationships".

It doesn't have to be that.

The most effective and enjoyable "roleplaying", in my mind, is the kind that doesn't try to over-theatricalize things. You play a character. That character has various abilities. The roleplay comes in when you take interesting actions with those abilities. A choice as simple as "My character solves problems by A) Talking, then B) Calling in help, then C) Running" is totally roleplaying, and it's pretty pragmatic and enjoyable to set up a character like that.

Yeah, you heard me right. Tactics are totally roleplaying if you tailor them to the character. You don't even have to explain why a character has a particular set of tactics. Just nod whenever someone suggests a possible motivation, and go with that. :smallwink:

Roleplaying isn't just about saying stuff; it's also about doing stuff. A character who says nothing but who makes deliberate and consistent sorts of choices is a very strongly roleplayed character, even if nobody thinks of it that way.

[gooddragon1]

Time to expand your horizons, I guess? :smallamused:

I have the words "Goody Two-Shoes" inscribed on my shoes (written so that I can read them when I look down) in sharpie (the first word on the left and the others on the right (it's still there even after a few months)). This summarizes my likelyhood of making an evil character.

[DrDeth]

Get a good catchphrase or two. “By Grabthars hammer!” “You killed my father. Prepare to die”. Make sure one is for your deity, one is for your personality.

Insert often.

And, as has been said: get at least one really good skill for this. Use divination spells (even augery) . The DM becomes your mouthpiece.

If you can’t cast one, then just say “I get down a=on my knees and pray to xxx fro divine guidance. Oh Great and powerful all knowing xx, with whom all things are possible, give me some sign!”. Make this another catchphrase.

[nedz]

You could try to ease yourself into evil, by playing neutral. Try out a Druid or something ?

[limejuicepowder]

This doesn't answer your question, but I strongly recommend you take this opportunity to do what you currently don't seem to like: roleplay.

As one of the other posts says, roleplaying doesn't have to be some hugely complicated and intense thing. You said you play as yourself for every one of your characters; I think the perfect place to start is a pick a movie/book character you really like and play them. You could literally take this as far as taking the name and backstory of that character, just expand your horizons by a little.

[Deophaun]

Whenever you're asked to make a Diplomacy, Bluff, Intimidate, Sense Motive, Gather Information, Knowledge, Perception or Search check, make an attack roll instead. Ask if it hits AC.

If someone other than you is speaking, you should be drawing unflattering pictures of them on your character sheet.

If it's your turn, Flamestrike.

Investigations are hard when you don't know who did it right off the bat. It's much easier to frame someone. Start planting evidence.

[Nerd-o-rama]

I hear Dungeons & Dragons Online is free-to-play now.

[demigodus]

I have the words "Goody Two-Shoes" inscribed on my shoes (written so that I can read them when I look down) in sharpie (the first word on the left and the others on the right (it's still there even after a few months)). This summarizes my likelyhood of making an evil character.

According to the Book of Exalted Deeds, mind control can be a good act.

As in, it suggests that Exalted Characters should try mind controlling their opponents if they are too far along the good alignment to harm them. Just optimize your save DCs, and play a character that dominates EVERYONE. That or uses Charm person/monster (mostly cause Dominate Monster doesn't come online until forever).

[Laserlight]

Hyde, you are entirely made of equal parts wonderful and awesomesauce with just a hint of coolwhip. And you need to know that.

"Seconded," said the halfling.

[gooddragon1]

I hear Dungeons & Dragons Online is free-to-play now.

It was free to play a while ago. I don't care for it.

The closest I have come to playing an evil character alignment is neutral good. This is also the farthest I have been from an evil alignment. It's also my most common character alignment. I'm hinting at something here.

I don't do mind control and I don't do druids cuz I don't care much for nature. I do like the idea of:


If you can’t cast one, then just say “I get down a=on my knees and pray to xxx fro divine guidance. Oh Great and powerful all knowing xx, with whom all things are possible, give me some sign!”. Make this another catchphrase.

Now how to phrase this for the tri-force? (my holy symbol and I don't worship a deity)

[Larkas]

Now how to phrase this for the tri-force? (my holy symbol and I don't worship a deity)

"Tri-Force, guide me!"? I would go with "Din, Farore and Nayru, light my path!", but you said no deities, so...

[INoKnowNames]

It was free to play a while ago. I don't care for it.

The closest I have come to playing an evil character alignment is neutral good. This is also the farthest I have been from an evil alignment. It's also my most common character alignment. I'm hinting at something here.

I don't do mind control and I don't do druids cuz I don't care much for nature.

I hear ya. I'm like that myself.

I'll restate my earlier idea for emphasis: build a character that can find out everything, gather all the information, find every detail, get all the clues, and build them as an underling to another player, who takes all of your findings, puts them together, and leads on with them. You do the rolling, they do the roleing from there. You sorta help out when you can. Go on, Scooby Doo!

Though this still sounds more like an Out of Character issue you should be approaching your group about.

[Coidzor]

So is it just the talking that you dislike or the puzzle of figuring out what to do and where to go and interacting with the world itself outside of combat?

[NichG]

Find a group that primarily does tournament modules and the like, perhaps. Those tend to be more mechanics-focused. But if you're working with a fixed group who enjoys roleplaying and spending time on that aspect of the game, you're just going to have to tolerate some segments that are uninteresting to you or learn to enjoy them somehow. You might spend that time looking up feats or spells to play with or something.

Honestly, its a rough thing having such a strong disinterest in something that is a big part of the game for most tables. The best solution is really to find a table that better matches your interests.

[gooddragon1]

I hear ya. I'm like that myself.

I'll restate my earlier idea for emphasis: build a character that can find out everything, gather all the information, find every detail, get all the clues, and build them as an underling to another player, who takes all of your findings, puts them together, and leads on with them. You do the rolling, they do the roleing from there. You sorta help out when you can. Go on, Scooby Doo!

Though this still sounds more like an Out of Character issue you should be approaching your group about.

I had considered leadership and making my cohort a wizard with search (somehow a class skill in some way maybe?). I'd name the wizard Sherlock Holmes (also neutral good*). The other possibilities are divinations or items to max search checks. Not sure how good wizards are at detective work though.

Did you know Skeletor, Quan Shi, Shinnok, and Shang Tsung were neutral good as well?

[INoKnowNames]

I had considered leadership and making my cohort a wizard with search (somehow a class skill in some way maybe?). I'd name the wizard Sherlock Holmes (also neutral good*). The other possibilities are divinations or items to max search checks. Not sure how good wizards are at detective work though.

But then you'd have to potentially roleplay both characters! Seriously, get another player to be your voice, and you be their hands! Technically, you'd be the Watson to their Holmes, responding to them with your findings, and letting them do the heavy thinking and roleplaying.

Again, and I can't emphasise this enough, this is the kinda issue you iron out with your Dm and gaming group.


Did you know Skeletor, Quan Shi, Shinnok, and Shang Tsung were neutral good as well?

Your versions of them, maybe. It took me a second to recognise Skeletor, but the other 3 I recognised off immediately as burning in Outworld's Hell.

[gooddragon1]

But then you'd have to potentially roleplay both characters! Seriously, get another player to be your voice, and you be their hands! Technically, you'd be the Watson to their Holmes, responding to them with your findings, and letting them do the heavy thinking and roleplaying.

Again, and I can't emphasise this enough, this is the kinda issue you iron out with your Dm and gaming group.

The way our games are structured it is unreliable to do this first method though you are right about leadership. I'll just have to find another way. As for trying to iron out the issue with the DM he is not reasonable with negotiations. I had initially wanted to not play a spellcaster but his games have made it difficult to survive otherwise. I'm just hammering out all the details to be successful and investigations are my weak spot (along with roleplaying).

[Slipperychicken]

Have an abysmal Bluff score in a party which needs to lie a lot. Everyone will understand not talking much. Designate someone else (Charisma-based caster) with a lot of social skills as the "face". You just saved yourself lke 60% of the RP you need to do.

Don't say anything which would require a social skill roll. Justify it with your poor in-game social skills, and leave all talking to the "face".

My DM got me to take a homebrew flaw (-10 to Gather Info, automatic nat1 on bluff/diplomacy/disguise), and I got through a whole campaign with little more than "Yes, Princess!", "Of course, m'lady!", "Would you like any help with that, m'lady?", "It's a Dragon!", and so on.

If you happen to have investigation-relevant skills, make sure they have nothing to do with talking to people (Spot, Search, Forgery, Decipher Script, etc). After the DM describes what you found, saying "I tell [the face] that" will save you some RP.

[INoKnowNames]

The way our games are structured it is unreliable to do this first method though you are right about leadership. I'll just have to find another way. As for trying to iron out the issue with the DM he is not reasonable with negotiations. I had initially wanted to not play a spellcaster but his games have made it difficult to survive otherwise. I'm just hammering out all the details to be successful and investigations are my weak spot (along with roleplaying).

Huh. I thought you said getting a high search score and such might not be so ineffective for you. Maybe you should play a Bard or Factotum or Wizard. High Int and good resources for figuring things out.

Why are investigations your weak spot? What's hard about roleplaying? Give your character a personality, and figure out what he'd do at that moment. Base it on someone from a show or book you like, or even yourself, and think, what would he/I do.

I understand it's probably not that simple, but that helps me out some times. Feel free to share what your problem is.

[Gnome Alone]

After the DM describes what you found, saying "I tell [the face] that" will save you some RP.

In other words: TALK TO THE FACE! Cuz the hands ain't listening just want to roll some dice.

[gooddragon1]

"Tri-Force, guide me!"? I would go with "Din, Farore and Nayru, light my path!", but you said no deities, so...

Well no deities but perhaps I could treat them as spirits... how do you pronounce those?

Also, it's hard to elaborate in a nice tone on my situation.

[Malroth]

Take Leadership to gain the following as a Cohort

Sherlock: Middle aged Lawful Neutral Human Social focused enchanter 5 Mindbender 1 with Skill focus (sense motive) Spontaneous Divination, Arcane Disciple (Repose) and Mindsight. (3 feats free for combat purposes) Highly skilled in Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather information, Sense Motive, and as many knowledges he can cram into his 9 skill points per level.

Sherlock is not a good man, he cares nothing for the wellbeing of those he views as less Intelligent than himself which since he's sporting a 20 INT is almost everyone.He is and arrogant excentric Drug addict with wild mood swings. However He does feel a well functioning society (laws) works to the benefit of his scientific investigations, and he pounces on mysteries like a starving wolf onto a piece of Steak. He views any murder or major theft as a personal challenge and quickly brings all possible Skill and magical methods availble to finding the culprit

[Fallbot]

Why are you playing with this group when they focus on game elements you don't enjoy, and you seem to have some problems with the DM on top of that? Is it a case of the only game in town? Why not find a game that will cater to what you actually want to do, rather than struggling to enjoy yourself?

You probably won't be doing the other players any favours by grinning and bearing the investigatey bits. I love investigations and mysteries, but there are people in my group that don't, and it was very obvious when we did any detective work that they were bored and not enjoying themselves, which made me and the other people that were enjoying it feel bad for having fun when they weren't, and so nobody wound up having much fun. And then they did some genuinely disruptive stuff, and now we don't do investigations anymore.

[Larkas]

Well no deities but perhaps I could treat them as spirits... how do you pronounce those?

No idea. I never played any Legend of Zelda game since Majora's Mask and the Oracle series. Hence, no voice over.

[gooddragon1]

Why are you playing with this group when they focus on game elements you don't enjoy, and you seem to have some problems with the DM on top of that? Is it a case of the only game in town? Why not find a game that will cater to what you actually want to do, rather than struggling to enjoy yourself?

You probably won't be doing the other players any favours by grinning and bearing the investigatey bits. I love investigations and mysteries, but there are people in my group that don't, and it was very obvious when we did any detective work that they were bored and not enjoying themselves, which made me and the other people that were enjoying it feel bad for having fun when they weren't, and so nobody wound up having much fun. And then they did some genuinely disruptive stuff, and now we don't do investigations anymore.

The campaign was passed from one DM to a newer one. I dislike what the newer one has done but I really like the campaign.


No idea. I never played any Legend of Zelda game since Majora's Mask and the Oracle series. Hence, no voice over.

I'll just pronounce them how I think of them then and fluff it so that it works.


Take Leadership to gain the following as a Cohort.

Sherlock Holmes was neutral good though... jk, I know he probably isn't but I took the neutral-good only cohort trait.

[Afool]

Mind if I ask what the mystery is if you're in one right now?

And something that might help with the RP department that I've found fun is to just spout out whatever comes to mind. I find it works really well if you can come up with a few convoluted conspiracies and get them going at once (a decent poker face is a must, unless you're willing to put in the effort to find plausible lines of reasoning (from your perspective at least :smallwink:)).

And for some personal curiosity, how does being a spellcaster improve your survivability? Do you not have a friendly buffer?