How to roleplay a high Charisma score // D&D  

Thats why you always play with a variety of body shapes/sizes. RP gets easier if you can physically demonstrate.

I know a guy (DM) who told his players they can't throw a grenade into small shaft opening after briefly peeping behind the corner (without getting under the fire). His player went out of the room, told him to position wherever in the room he wanted - then he peeped in for just split of the second through the door, got back behind the wall, peeped for even shorter split of a second again and hit him almost blindly with a tennis ball in the middle of his forehead. Needless to say, grenade was then thrown into the shaft without any further problems :D

I'd've asked the DM to prove it was possible to cast whatever spells it was that downed the 2 PCs in the first place. If they couldn't, then I guess those PCs are okay, right?

@@sirien.neiris definitively hard but not impossible, that requires some skills, that dude was a serious marksman

@@rex4229 Actually peaking and then popping back out in the same spot is a great way to get killed and it is specifically taught to not do that. They won't be able to react the first time, but will have their weapon pointed where you were and ready to shoot if you pop up there again

This is confusing: A book on Method Acting as thought of by Stanislavsky that I currently read suggests to ask yourself: "If is am in these circumstances, imagined as if they ar real, what do I do intuitively, unpremeditatedly, in response to them in this moment?" (J. Gillet). Granted, we are not acting in DnD, and not studying acting, but I think this is more intuitive and directly connected to our intuition than intermitting another character ides in the picture. On the other hand, I think it is a very good source of inspiration to really perceive how different people and characters act and react to their cirumstances :)

@@kullen2042 Did you just correct someone’s helpful suggestion by quoting a book on acting? As if this is an actual science and there’s an actual right answer? What a joy you must be at a table. In the words of Stanislavsky himself: “Create your own method. Don't depend slavishly on mine. Make up something that will work for you! But keep breaking traditions, I beg you.” You can do better! You can add to the conversation without tearing down others next time. You can share your experience without belittling others’. I believe in you. You can contribute without insisting everyone with a different idea is wrong 😊

@@notcompletelynormal I did not mean to say, that OP's way of doing stuff is wrong, I explicitly said, that TTRPGs are not acting ;) And I started my reply by what my intention was: I was confused 🤷‍♀️

@@notcompletelynormal I feel like your comment war uncalled for. Kullen just brought up a different perspective and I don't think it came off as "belittling" at all. Though I feel like your comment: "You can do better!" comes off as very condescending. You probably didn't mean it that way, but that sentence is usually used in a rather passive aggressive manner. I appreciate both OPs and Kullens insights, they were super interesting!

It seems so obvious now that I think about it, but that's such a good idea. I'm totally stealing it next time I'm RPing at the table, thanks.

yeah, seriously, people should really embrace this. MY last villain in a one-shot was basically just the Duke from Moulin Rouge while the current villain in my ongoing campaign is plagiarizing Richard Griffiths performance as King George in PIRATES 4 (I passionately loath that movie including the King George scene, but the template was perfect for my bumbling politician character)

Thats good advise in general. Shamelessly steal from other stuff you like. Esspecially if nobody else at the table knows about it.

I remember once I wanted to be able to tell jokes (be funny) so I went with quantity over quality it took me several years, my jokes were horrid but eventually I learned and weeded out the unfunny ones. For a bard/jester character maybe start an insult collection?

I'll just play are bard who is also a mime

@@sixoffcenter80 when asked why you don't talk you could communicate "I was taught if one can't say something nice don't say it at all."

Well keep in mind that bards (well, depending on the individual) are not always showmen. The bard class can extend anywhere from the showman to a con artist to a friend who always knows just what to say. A Bard's charisma is just anything that people find endearing about them enough to care. Maybe they're earnest and genuine, maybe they're admittedly underprepared for their situation and you admire their honesty and humility (and maybe their attitude) or maybe they express such confidence in your abilities that you want to prove them right, even if their demeanor may be threatening to you (think Azula. Terrifying but inspiring.) There's really no right way to play a bard, we're just those likeable chaps that are either loved or drive people up the wall 😂

@@marvelousmaker I am in love with this conceptual rude mime

omg that's my druid rn! ik a druid with a high charisma is weird but half elf changed things lmao. anyways my druid is very curious and more persuasive than intimidating. if there was no charismatic character at the table, shed be the next in line. also i gave her a high charisma cause it was at first a 14 where her intelligence and wisdom were both 15, but half elf gives plus 2 charisma so she got 16 charisma instead. she is my favourite cursed druid. it also matches her character better anyway!

this is my me with my aarakocra rogue! i totally leaned into the whole 'bird people act like birds' so he's always clicking and chattering and isnt the brightest - he isnt very good at stealing, but he is very good at sneaking around and acting shady!

Funny, thats me in real life actually.

physical stats should be easier? or does your DM make you do a backflip on to the table?

@@SendohJin that would be the most baller entrance ever

Someone is channeling Nixie from 1 for All!

Does she also happen to worship The Traveller? lol

@@grandlancercuchulainn1509 Yes, now that I know that exists and I looked it up

This is how my wizard makes friends as well. "Bribe them with food" works really well for players and characters with social anxiety.

@@Akurokuma Oh that's really cool!

She’s like little red riding hood

I haven't seen any advice content from ginny's channel that is not good advice, some stuff I already knew, and a couple things that didn't exactly fit my play style, but nothing that was bad advice.

At least, geologists must love you! :)

Fancy rocks give advantage on what lot of people deem as one of the most important questions to ask in life so I'd say you're not that bad off!

@@sadrainy 🤔 Maybe I'm being dense, but what question would that be?

@@bigdream_dreambig Proposal with a fancy ring(rock) and it wasn't my best joke, admittedly. I will blame it being like 1am when I made it.

@@sadrainy If it makes you feel any better, in hindsight I do feel dense. 💍

My fallback for high wisdom is to tap my chin and say, "Hmm. This requires some group input."

@Michael Denison That sounds really great! The social exposure during congregations part is actually a really interesting take, might use that too if I ever want to play a divine caster. I don't think I've ever played a character who was a true soldier -- the closest I got was my Drow wizard who was a medic in a Drow raiding party before he was left for dead on the surface, but he wasn't very well versed in military matters. Might consider doing that at one point Also, your paladin being handsome and having lots of people fall for him is actually a funny coincidence -- My bard is in a way the opposite of that. She tries her best to keep a cool head all the time and be collected and calm, but one of the things that trips her up is the fact that whenever someone's attractive, she gets more than a little weak in the knees :') And my bard also tries her best to be kind to everyone, though with her it's also due to the fact that if she's being particularly harsh, it actually hurts people (Vicious Mockery) and she doesn't want that. To quickly give context, her bardic magic works through her voice instead of an instrument, so she has to be really careful with what she says. Unlike your Paladin though, my bard really isn't that good at leading. She's a diplomat, so she has no real military/combat experience. She struggles with self doubt and is very afraid to make the wrong decision and let her friends/allies down. Funnily enough though, with a 14 in both Int and Wis, which isn't that much, she is still the smartest person in the party... So she's sometimes forced to be the voice of reason and the planner anyway :') Thanks for sharing by the way! I'm always interested in learning about other people's characters :) What kind of paladin is your character, if I may ask?

@Michael Denison I did actually see the previous message, and the more detailed backstory. He sounds like a really cool character! I liked the description about the multi-stage propaganda campaign the king had planned (iirc?) that your character caught onto just in time and the whole thing you told me about where he needs to keep the fact that he used to be in the inner circle of the king a secret to his new allies. Characters with similar secrets are entirely my thing. And as a DM, propaganda/cult/brainwashing stuff is also something I've been interested in lately. So, good taste :) I also do like characters who do the right thing because it's the right thing. Like, doing good doesn't have to be complex, it can just be 'I do that because I just feel like that's the right thing to do'. Not that I dislike more morally complex characters, I really really like them, but there can be a certain elegance in simplicity. I also like the take of a paladin who's mainly a healer. It never occurred to me that you can play paladin as something else than a dps-type character. Might try that myself one day too. I also remember liking the sound of your Paladin's name, but I can't quite remember what it was... I'm sorry for not responding to the earlier message by the way. After I had read it, it just somehow slipped my mind to actually respond. Regardless, thanks for sharing :)

@Michael Denison I guess I'll return the favour. My bard Valerie is a Tiefling, and she was the only member of her family to be born one. As I mentioned in an earlier message she's the daughter of a duke and duchess, so this caused at least some medium controversy in her region. Early during her childhood, it became clear that Valerie 'wasn't like other people', so to speak, in more than just appearance. Whenever she spoke, people tended to listen. Whenever she commanded anyone, they had a hard time trying to ignore her command. Whenever she sang a lullaby, people seemed to grow tired and fall asleep around her. She was sort of a cryptid child. Though she wasn't exactly 'hidden away from the world', Valerie didn't leave her family castle very often, and didn't have many friends. The friends she did have slowly left because of sometimes unforeseen consequences of these strange powers of hers. She once got mad at a friend, and Vicious Mockery nearly killed her. This is why Valerie grew to fear her own powers. Besides learning etiquette and the art of (public) speaking, she learned to be very careful with how she expressed herself, so that she wouldn't accidentally hurt or mind-control someone. Eventually, this worked. Her powers caused less and less problems, and she could finally start to interact with the other nobility of her nation. However, as Valerie was a Tiefling in a word where devils are feared and shrouded in mystery, she and her parents had to spend more than the first two years to finally convince the majority of nobles that she wasn't some manipulative demon child who was out to get them. When that had succeeded however, Valerie quickly adapted to the new social environment. She proved an eloquent speaker and insightful thinker, and as she was the daughter (and often representative) of the duke and duchess of one of her nation's most prosperous and strategically important regions, she quickly started to gain both more respect and more responsibilities. This caused her to start to almost obsess over learning how to do anything that might become relevant. Besides her usual hobby of reading about all manner of interesting topics, she learned the basics of fencing, strategy, history, governance, and even theoretical arcana. As the eldest child and probable future heir, she really started to fear being judged for any lack of competence she might have. This is also where her general uptightness and unease with showing emotions comes from. The social rules of her nation's nobility are quite strict after all. In the campaign itself however, the party members are from different realities. They have been sucked into a hostile fire plane in a different reality, originally to serve as battle slaves for an evil fire emperor, but they escaped with the help of a rebellion. They are now trying their best to survive and find a way to get back to their home realities. Which is a situation she really struggles to deal with, because combat and stealth and this kind of hardship are the opposite of what she's used to. The campaign has been going for quite long, so she's definitely learned to adapt better by now, but it's still hard for her. Thanks for reading, I hope this huge rant isn't a problem. I tend to be a little too wordy in my descriptions. I'll try to explain her mechanics too.

@Michael Denison Valerie is mainly a support, but she can deal some AoE damage if necessary. She's a college of the Mindwhisperer bard, which is a subclass I made myself. I don't know if it's balanced, but it's definitely not brutally OP. It's mainly focused on her voice, and the psychic ability which is the secret drive behind her powers. Instead of normally using Bardic Inspiration, she can spend an inspiration die to essentially cast Bless on five people for one round without using concentration. She can also cast Command and Suggestion without somatic components using charges of her 6th level ability. Her stats are: Str 6 Dex 16 Con 11 Int 14 Wis 14 Cha 20 And yes, a six in Strength. She's definitely fast, not extraordinarily unresilient either, but basically any enemy is going to overpower her in terms of physical strength. Her main strength though is her mental stats. She has a lot of mental skill proficiencies, and expertise in Persuasion and Insight because of being a representative for her house. In any case, she focuses on buffs and healing, but she does have one or two damage spells and also uses her rapier and hand crossbow in combat. And she's relatively smart and level headed, and it's good that she is, because the rest of the party... Well, not all of them are just stupid, but they're average at best. Thanks for reading all this. And have a nice day

@Michael Denison Thank you! I agree, our characters do sound like they could be good friends or at least friendly acquaintances if they ever met. I always love crossovers :) I will say, Valerie's powers can be more than just control and a few hit points of psychic damage. One of the things that's recently been coming up about Valerie is that her powers are getting more and more unstable. As I mentioned in the previous message, her powers are sourced from an innate psychic ability. While her usual spells (think things like healing word, dissonant whispers, suggestion) are driven by her voice, her psychic power is driven by her emotions, and recently she went through a very traumatic event that has made her somewhat mentally unstable. If Valerie is particularly upset and, let's say, something terrifies her or makes her very angry, she might instinctually lash out using her psionic power, even though she normally has no way to control it. In fact, whenever she uses psionics, she becomes ever so slightly unhinged and monstrous. Thin, glowing magenta markings sprawl over her horns (she has four) and head, her irises start glowing in the same colour, and her sclera turn black. She essentially has an 'overpowered angry side', similar to the avatar state from At:la if you're familiar, and she can't really control it. She has a homebrew spell which is a powerful Psychic AoE attack, comparable in power level to Fireball, which she can (not mechanically, just in the roleplay sense) only use in this state. Actually, I have no clue why I went on this rant. Your character would never be on the receiving end of this, or at least he sounds too nice for that. So yeah, I think they could really get along :) Though Valerie does tend to blame herself for lots of stuff, so she'd probably still feel bad even if your paladin managed to shrug off what she'd (accidentally) do. And also, yeah cantrips are really useful. Valerie has four cantrips, one of which is homebrew (it's not that complicated, essentially just Minor Illusion but only one creature can see it because it's projected into their minds. That makes it weaker, so it has some minor extra functions to make up for it). She has Prestidigitation, which is one of her staples. She uses it as instant makeup (because it can create markings on any surface) and Valerie is also a neat freak so she constantly uses it to dust the ash of the fire plane off of her clothes :") Apart from that she just has Friends--which she understandably never uses, because it's a very situational cantrip, but she got it because she's a Tiefling of Fierna--and Vicious Mockery, which she also rarely uses because she's generally too polite to verbally lash out at random enemies. There are a few enemies she truly detests at this point though, so... perhaps in the future. Thanks again for sharing the story about your character by the way. In my experience it's really rare to have a nice conversation in a RU-vid comments section :')

Hopefully you're enjoying you first campaign.

Ohhh. That is such a good model.

@@otherlaine thanks their are so many different ways to use charisma.

„Somebody has to tell them…“ - „Don‘t you dare!“

Sounds like a really fun character. Hopefully your gm for shadowing is better than the one I had...

@@nightfall89z62 My GM is legit amazing. The "AT" in the quote is just some background group I made up for my character to explain where she got her training and what she'd been up to for the last 20 years, and he totally turned them into this world-spanning group with a shadowy agenda that was slowly taking over the world via social engineering and acting like the world's most neutral group that would get involved in treaty negotiations, hostage crises, and other situations where being a social adept would be really useful. :D

@@AndaraBledin that's great, always a good idea to incorporate backstory into you campaigns. My gm didn't really, and on every single job we had he made sure we were outgunned and outnumbered. Now I know it's essentially a game about people who don't exist doing jobs for entities under the table, but to me that shouldn't mean every job is pretty much suicide level of difficulty. Idk, maybe I misunderstood the environment and world of shadow run, but I was under the impression every story should be challenging but not overpowered...

@@nightfall89z62 There's 3 levels of Shadowrun gameplay: Pink Mohawk, Mirror Shades, and Black Trenchcoat. Sounds like your GM was of a BT mindset, where nearly every game has someone at least come close to getting geeked. Ours is more Mirror Shades. He likes setting up situations where things can go really bad if we're stupid or really unlucky, but for us, it's more about the storytelling than the dice rolling. He does his best to make it exciting, but not to the point of it being stressful. It's a lot of fun.

@@AndaraBledin sounds Like it. My gm also was strict and by the book, he knew it a lot better than I do, and could essentially quote virtually every rule by memory. Idk, I have all the shadowrun books, just haven't run a game with them in quite some time, not sure where I'd fit in that difficulty level scale, I'm not completely comfortable with the d6 system. It's a bit alien to me since I've really only played d&d with any frequency. Although white wolf's d10 system is very much the same as the d6 system, just with d10s instead. Also not the most comfortable with it. Takes time and practice.

Mr. Spicoli has been kind enough to bring us a snack. Be my guest. Help yourselves. Get a good one.

everyone after the druid hands out 'special herbs'

Ikr. I'm curious to see what some of the tips are for that

Wonder if she'll follow tips on roleplaying your dumpstat after.

I feel like wisdom might need tips for the DM, since wisdom is so much about interpretation of people and animals, not having tunnel vision. So wisdom is kind of the DM to make stuff sound likely; "yeah, you all see a big bird suddenly taking off, but You dont get distracted and notices the shadow moving past the clearing."

Constantly ask the DM "Is this a good/ bad idea?"

Ooh! I like this!

@@MonkeyJedi99 yeah i think reading social cues, and having strong empathy can be a big part of a persons likability.

I disagree!! There are so many ways to be intimidating that aren't related to physical strength. Some people even find me intimidating, and I'm a little five-foot-two bundle of toothpicks!

Intimidation doesn't necessarily need to be a physical thing. There are dozens of antagonists in media who are physically weak themselves but are intimidating because of the way they talk and the power they wield. Think of a Mafia boss saying "nice place you got here; be a shame if anything were to happen to it". The boss doesn't need to be physically intimidating themselves when they have people that can do the work for them.

Intimidation is more about having the ability and confidence to make believable -- and sometimes inventive! -- threats. Which would you find more intimidating: the big, musclebound guy who looks at you with a half-hearted growl, or the little, weaselly one who talks with great relish and detail about breaking into your home and skinning your child alive? That said, when a player is making threats based on brute force, DMs should probably lower the DC or have them roll with advantage if they have high Strength.

@@GinnyDi I see where you are coming from but just have very mixed feelings about this... It kind of goes both ways. I'd give Steven Colbert or John Oliver as examples of people who I think are INCREDIBLY charismatic and persuasive but not really intimidating at all... ...pretty ladies are intimidating in a different way! haha. That said, some actors are probably better at acting tough and intimidating than many athletes, so I see it both ways.

@@bigdream_dreambig RIGHT! I see this going both ways... If a fight is about to happen, and they are trying to intimidate me into not fighting, I'd be more scared of a huge ogre than a tiny person who I think is just a tough talker. But Charisma also matters, I won't deny that.

Also shows how to play "Low Charisma" well with the character of Parker, as she does it without being annoying. (As opposed to, say, JarJar, who overplays it. C3P0 is also a good example)

Next week!

@@GinnyDi Nice! Thank you for making these! So many new players are going into the hobby more prepared with your help

I definitely recommend trying a session and seeing how you like it. It can be a lot of fun