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View Full Version : Player Help How to roleplay a trickster?



Cyber Punk
2015-08-08, 08:13 PM
First, an introduction:

Hello, all. I haven't been posting in this subforum because I know virtually nada about D&D, but I know a lot about forum games (evidenced by my activity in FFRP and Structured Games). I plan to join a D&D-ish forum game as soon as I'm done with Core Components, and not before.
Now, the question of the day! I'm making a new FFRP character who is a trickster. Thing is, I am inexperienced when it comes to roleplaying tricksters. I dislike using character alignments for anything more than a baseline, but if I had to guess, I'd call him Chaotic Neutral with a mean streak.

The character in question is a 9-year old ghost boy.

Help will be appreciated. :)

TheCountAlucard
2015-08-09, 02:15 AM
My advice is to remember that tricksters are often the subject of quite a few tricks themselves; for example, Anansi often pulls a trick on someone, and then the recipient will attempt to turn it around on him. Hell, Vance's Cugel the "Clever" from his Dying Earth series falls for even more tricks than he pulls off.

Nobody bats a thousand.

Artemicion
2015-08-12, 10:50 AM
I believe a good question to ask yourself when playing a trickster is "why is the character a trickster"? Are his tricks just tools to reach his goals (whatever they are)? Or does the character actually enjoy tricking people? Is it a way to get even with the stronger, faster people? Does the character get satisfaction in showing others how much smarter / nimbler he is by fooling them?

I think once you get the reason behind the tricks, role play will be much easier. As an example, I recently played a god of trickery, who actually had such an enormous inferiority complex that he was playing tricks on others just to prove how much better / brighter he was. Whenever someone succumbed to his tricks, he felt good, because it showed he had power over them.


A piece of advice, though: tricks are fun, but I would suggest trying not to antagonize the other PCs and players, unless it's part of the tone of the game. "But I am a trickster, I am just playing my character" should not be an excuse to be a jerk to the others and actively trying to trick them all the time - because then you're the only one having fun, and then you are the one with the ego problem, not your character. Of course, I am not suggesting that this is how you'd play the character - but I think it's quite easy to fall into that trap when playing such a trickster or similar character (speaking from my experience of playing one).

Joe the Rat
2015-08-12, 12:25 PM
Seconding that: Use the trickster to help make the game fun for everyone, not just you. You can screw around (fairly) freely with other characters, and especially with your enemies, but don't do something that completely screws up another player character's story, or ability to do whatever it is they do.

As a trickster, your main goal is to make someone look like a fool. Whether it's due to maliciousness on your character's part, or to teach them a lesson (humility is a popular one), or simply your preferred style of combat, your goal is for your target to end up twisting in the breeze with his pants down. Possibly literally. Like the count and artie mentioned, you should expect to end up as the butt of the joke as well. Take it in stride, and appreciate the joke (or critique the set-up so they do better next time). The classical trickster is a teacher - you trick people into making foolish mistakes, so they may learn from the experience.

In fights, you are the set-up man. You know that stupid trick where someone gets right behind you on his hands and knees, and someone else pushes you so you fall over? You're job is to be the guy on the ground. Get enemies out of position, or off balance so they're easy pickin's for your party. Get them angry so they make mistakes. If acting alone, your target is his own worst enemy.


Remember, with great Irresponsibility comes great Responsibility.

Segev
2015-08-12, 01:13 PM
There's something to be said for the LN trickster. He plays like a less malevolent devil-in-the-details.

You never lie, but you omit and use double-meanings to mislead, sometimes severely. You always keep your word, but what exactly was your word, again? (And, because you're not bound to as strict a code of Law as a paladin is Good, there can be those very rare times when you break your word. If you have a reputation as untrustworthy, but people are still stunned by this overt action against your word, you're doing your job right. "But... you said!" "I lied.")

Give people exactly enough rope to hang themselves, but not quite enough for them to realize that the noose isn't reaching the tree branch.

And yes, do play fair with your party. Don't make them the butt of pranks. Don't cheat them. Make them accomplices, if they're into that sort of thing, and accept those who disapprove acting as stern audiences. Their creased brows are your applause.

Only prank fellow PCs if they do something to you, first, to deserve it. Then use it as a less-severe countermeasure.

Do be willing to engage the other PCs in witty repartee that leaves them flummoxed. Not maliciously, just to highlight your character. Real friends in real life do this to each other frequently, but also know your audience and don't pick on another PC so much his player gets annoyed.

Do imply you've played pranks on the PCs before, but don't really do it. Either let them think there's one in the offing, or let them assume it's happened off screen. Unless they do something to deserve it - like get themselves charmed such that you prank them while they're under those effects (maybe in an effort to snap them out of it)? - they're off-limits. But do have a reputation for vengeful prankings, earned through taking it out on NPCs who cross you.

With sufficient care given to the reputation, you could have a reason to play the trickster even if YOU get charmed; you do this sort of thing to your friends, right? But it's a hard balance to maintain, because you want it to be something your allies are used to handling and your enemies find themselves over their heads with if they "befriend" you.

Remember that tricksters always keep an amused smile up, and are nearly always cordial and friendly. They may be snarky, but it's the aside-style snark where they're almost pretending that their target is in on the joke. If you get mad, get even. But do it in apparent good cheer.