Next month, I hope to get back on track with some GM/World Dev chatter, as I gear up to run a Scion storyline. Yep, Scion is my current gaming obsession, and I'm actually inspired to run a little arc in it. I'm also prepared to make this my best game yet, because to be honest, I really suck at GMing. In the meantime, this month's column is going to be a little more from a player's perspective. What I'd like to talk about is how to play a character who is smarter or at least more wily than you are. Let's face it, every now and then you end up playing a character who makes you, the player, look like an idiot. Maybe you want to play a caster class that requires a high intelligence, or you arranged your stats just right, but it's one of those games where you roll extra dice to add to a stat, and you accidentally maxed out your intelligence, or maybe you have an inflated opinion of your own cleverness and you decide that it's about time to play a trickster character (yep, that's me). For that matter, as a GM, you might need to play the King's brilliant advisor, a well-respected science professor, or perhaps even Loki himself. This is the situation I found myself in. For the Scion game, I had to make three characters. If you're familiar with the White Wolf system, you know that you have to prioritize your three sets of stats: Physical, Social, and Mental. I decided to focus in a different set for each character. My Physical character was a tough, quick warrior gal, with a sharp tongue and just enough brains to know not to rely on her own wits too much. My Social character was a beautiful, charming dancer with a naive desire to do the right thing. And my Mental character? Well, I decided I wanted to play a roguish guy who lived by his wits, and could charm his way out of any situation he couldn't think his way out of. My problem was, of course, that I've spent the last few years always playing the goodie-two-shoes, well-intentioned, practical, voice of reason, care giver sorts. I'd played rogues in the past, but not for a very long time. Every sneaky, clever thought I ever had was long gone. What was I doing playing a trickster? All I can do is fall back on my life motto: "It seemed like a good idea at the time!" So, what should you do if you find yourself in a similar situation? One thing that I like to do, no matter what sort of character I'm playing, is to read books and watch movies with that sort of character in it, and watch how they do things. Thus, if you're playing a clever, sneaky sort, you might want to watch some heist movies, or con man movies. If you're playing a brilliant tactician, read up on historic generals. That sort of thing. Watch how those characters approach life and solve their problems, and use that approach when playing your clever character. One solution that I haven't been using, but probably should, is to ask other people for their opinions. If you know a real smart person, especially a fellow gamer or writer who will understand, go to them and explain the basic situation that you're trying to figure out. Ask for hints from them on how to solve it. Of course, make sure that your GM doesn't have a problem with you getting outside help for puzzles. Our GM has been pretty generous in the past about allowing us to enlist the aid of a friend who's good at riddles, but not everyone would be cool with that in their game. Don't be afraid to ask the GM for hints, either. It's no fun if he lays out the entire solution for you, but you can always ask to make an Intelligence check or some such for a starting point. After all, you have a large number in that stat for a reason, you should be able to use it. Be prepared to argue your point with the GM. For instance, feel free to point out that JimBob's barbarian knows how to skin a deer even though he doesn't, so maybe your warlock should know more about solving math puzzles than you do. Try to think like your character even when you're not playing him or her. Maybe I'm just a real sad sort of geek, but it's not too unusual for me to be reading an article or see some situation in life and not only think of my own reaction to it, but the reaction of a character for whom it would hold interest. I've also known people who try to channel a certain character when they want to act in a way befitting them. It may sound a little dorky, so if it makes you feel better, tell yourself that you're acting. Actors get a lot more respect than us gamers! Another thing to do is be observant. Always watch out for something that a smart character might do. Make note of the witty comebacks that you hear in your daily life, or the unusual solutions to problems. Your inspiration doesn't even always have to come from humans. The other day I saw a video of this crazy obstacle course that someone had set up for squirrels to run through to get to a bowl of nuts. You've got to admire the ingenuity of the furry little guys who actually figured out how to get through it. If all else fails, and you find that you simply can't live up to the character's stats, you might just have to take him out of the game. But that's OK. Simply tell your fellow players that he decided he was too smart for the adventuring lifestyle and he decided to retire to a more safe life. Until next month, happy gaming!

[Back to Collector Times]

[Prev.]

[Return to Gaming]

[Disclaimer]

[Next]

Copyright © 2007 By AJ Reardon E-mail AJ at: ErtheFae@aol.com Visit AJ at: www.erthefae.com