Yahtzee, pop-sychology and Dungeons and Dragons

[Thomas Talbot]

After reading the latest installment of Ben Crowshaw's Extra Punctuation, it got me thinking on the relationship between ourselves and our character choices. I DM a group of role-players from time to time and it has allways been an interest/ habit of mine to contrast the player with the player character. What type of person chooses a rogue, barbarian, or a wizard? How does this reflect thier own mental make-up? Are there any corresponding traits?

If we look at role-playing as a form of wish-fulfilment (for the achievement of a wish seems inate in a world where you have the freedom to do anything) we can, I hope, achieve some insight into the mind of your adverage player.

Note: This does not need to be restricted to tabletop role-playing games, any game in which there is character customisation/choice should offer the same results.

For the sake of time I will look at the three staple character types: the magic user, the sneak specialist and the fighter.

The Fighter: What team would be complete without the fighter? The centre-most character in a party, he is the defender and the aggressor. Confronting his problems head-on, the fighter has no need for subterfuge, he is courage incarnate. So what type of person chooses a fighter? If we assume that this is a form of wish-fulfilment then a short tempered person who enjoy's simplicity would be the obvious contender. However, I find that it is usually someone who, in everyday, tends to be quiet and under a lot of stress, the escapist approach.

The Sneak Specialist: The quiet, skilled thief, always in the backgroud performing underhanded deeds. Again if we take this as wish fulfilment one would assume that sneak specialists tend to be played by more introvert people, who enjoy calculation, planning and tactics. This tends to be true. However, an extrovert individual who wants a break from his life in the spotlight might choose the thief as a form of escapism.

The Magic User: From my experience as Dungeon Master this is probably the easiest to "diagnose". The magic user exemplifies one thing and one thing only, power. The more power a wizard has the more likely he is to survive. A hard class to play as if you don't know what you're doing, the magic user is usually someone who's intelligent in everyday life, someone who is more of a logical thinker.

These are just my opinions however, I'd love to know what you all think. Your idea's / experiences. Do you agree with me? Do you completely disagree? Am I just rambling because I haven't had breakfast and it's now almost one?

 

[BonsaiK]

This question looks interesting but I must admit I'm not exactly sure what it is that you're asking.

EDIT: Okay, I get it now.

I play fighters sometimes, not as a reflection of my personality but just because to be frank I can't be assed with spells in computer games with fiddly interfaces. Fighters are simple and low-maintenance.

People who play thieves generally do so because they are thieves in real life too. Don't leave your wallet on the table, cos if you turn your back you'll hear that chime noise from the Thief games and you'll turn around and it's gone.

Magic users are probably people who are compensating for something.

 

[Cpu46]

The Fighter: What team would be complete without the fighter? The centre-most character in a party, he is the defender and the aggressor. Confronting his problems head-on, the fighter has no need for subterfuge, he is courage incarnate. So what type of person chooses a fighter? If we assume that this is a form of wish-fulfilment then a short tempered person who enjoy's simplicity would be the obvious contender. However, I find that it is usually someone who, in everyday, tends to be quiet and under a lot of stress, the escapist approach.

Thats pretty much me in my current D&D group, a Dragonborn Fighter. Normally I'm the quiet person but I decided to go fighter for some reason, I have a Rouge as my backup character though.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

From reading those Psych profiles they seem to describe one personality: a shy, introverted, logical thinker. A classic D&D player Stereotype.

 

[Thisbedutch]

This would be an interesting area of study for psychologists looking at the appeal of MMOs, I mean, if you took gamers and administered a Personality Test to see what their scores were in relation to what/how they played...

*Sigh* If only my dissertation project could be as interesting :/

 

[Thisbedutch]

Edit: FFFFF double post, sorry.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

I can see what you're driving at, but your proposal does hinge on one crucial factor: that a player will play the same type of character over and over again. From my own experiences with my own various RP groups over the fifteen or so years I've played, players will try different class combinations rather than stick with one role in the group. Your wish-fulfillment idea does have some merit if a player continually plays a certain type of character, but I don't think it holds water with the type of player who switches roles to keep the game fresh. My current character, for example, is a Dwarven Defender - before that my character was a Mage, before that a Ranger, and I'm thinking of a Bard for when my Defender bites the dust.

To me (at least) the whole point of a role-playing game is to, well, play a role - namely one that isn't you and doesn't share your aspirations. Therefore it's important to mix up your charcter choices with every re-incarnation to find that fresh perspective. To constantly play the same class with the same personality does align with your wish-fulfillment idea, but to me it's a stlye of play that misses the whole point of RP - to play as many characters as possible like an actor playing a series of parts.

Most inexperienced RPers do start off by simply picking the class that they identify with most and playing that character with their own personality, and in that situation I believe your wish-fulfillment proposal has significant validity. But my experience has been that as players grow more comfortable with RP games they will branch out and begin to play all sorts of classes with all sorts of personalities and goals.

Hell of a well thought out first post, by the way!

 

[CoL0sS]

Good question, although I don't think there is a connection between ones behavior and their character preferences. Pattern might emerge occasionally, but people tend to play whichever class they'll have most fun with. I like "grab them by the nose - kick them in the ass" approach of a sneaking specialist, but slashing through monsters as a fighter or burning/freezing/draining them as magic user is also fun.

 

[Melancholy_Ocelot]

I usually roll up a chaotic neutral rogue whenever I play. Upon reflection...it's not that far of a shift for me.

Chaotic Neutral all the way!! I've even been known to pick pocket from my fellow players.

Also, I'm thinking about rolling up a custom class because it looks cool.
http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Jumper_(3.5e_Class)

 

[Plurralbles]

I don't think you are taking account of something:


I think a lot of people play characters that they have nothing to do with. And that's the strength of being in a fantasy.

The dumbass playing the wizard is often a lot morefun than your stereotype.

 

[zHellas]

Thats pretty much me in my current D&D group, a Dragonborn Fighter.

I'm playing that in my D&D Forum('cause I lack the means of transportation necessary to go around and buy stuff. Plus I don't have a job)!

OT: Not sure who'd I be.

 

[The Bucket]

Dont play table top RPGS, but I usually play a mage in video games. Not sure how much my personality affects that, I just really enjoy fireballs.
I played the soldier in Mass Effect (which I guess is the fighter equivelent) and I never go near the thief. Maybe I prefer to deal with problems more directly

 

[Toriver]

I usually play the magic-user myself: wizard, sorcerer, warlock, etc. I can kinda see where the power schtick comes from, as one rationale tends to be that I can dish out a lot of damage. Though I do have two other reasons for playing them. They are highly versatile in the ways they can be specialized based off your choice of spells (and wizards can even change this daily), and for some uncanny reason, my spellcaster characters are always, by far, the ones who survive the longest. Only one non-spellcaster I have ever played has survived to the end of a campaign, whereas most of my spellcasters do. I tend to have a general idea of where I want to take each character in terms of growth when I start building them, and I like actually seeing that growth manifest itself.

 

[sageoftruth]

I haven't played D & D (But have always wanted to). However, in most role playing games with other people, I usually take on the supporting role rather than a primary attacker, since I'm a team player. Therefore, I'd probably be a bard or a cleric.

 

[Flishiz]

While I think you may be on to something, in non-D&D settings, I often find myself in a thief/rogue role, in contrast to the more expected wizard-like role that would naturally come with someone who reads books faster than publishers can print them. I suppose the reason for me is a more logical one: it's often the workarounds that characters like thieves employ that lead to the most hidden (and, often as a result of typical designer psychology, useful) stuff. If I could attempt to make a profile of myself based on this position, it would say that I'm determined to take every available option, which is rather fitting for a budding entrepreneur.

 

[Mcupobob]

I guess so, but I always play a healer. So what would I fall under?

 

[Grey_Focks]

so then what the hell would a "Sword-mage" be? I thought I was just playing as the closest thing I can get to a jedi...

 

[Okysho]

I myself play a swordmage since I like having a balance of things.
When I RP I try to create a character as close to myself as possible, without some of my less-preferred flaws, since when it comes down to the a Create a Character modes I like to be part of the action rather than playing as someone else. If I'm assigned a character though, I play them to the fullest in that character

 

[Lt_Bromhead]

The Fighter: What team would be complete without the fighter? The centre-most character in a party, he is the defender and the aggressor. Confronting his problems head-on, the fighter has no need for subterfuge, he is courage incarnate. So what type of person chooses a fighter? If we assume that this is a form of wish-fulfilment then a short tempered person who enjoy's simplicity would be the obvious contender. However, I find that it is usually someone who, in everyday, tends to be quiet and under a lot of stress, the escapist approach.

I agree with this totally up until the point you say "however". Until then, it sounds pretty much like me. But I tend to be loud and under a lot of stress. Yes, I enjoy a touch of simplicity and yes I am INCREDIBLY short-tempered.
But I always play fighter-related characters - rogues tend to be too fiddly and mages seem like an un-subtle penis replacement. Fighters can take a beating and still dish out a lot of pain. Tanks = Direct and simple. The kind of guy that solves the `square peg and round hole` conundrum by shouting at the peg until it's intimidated into fitting in of its own accord.

 

[StBishop]

I like this, how would you account for the alignment choices?

Assuming we use the 4th ed definitions where you have;
Lawful Good - Saint. Superman, Jesus, Mother Teresa
Good - Normal person, means well but is flawed. Rorshac, Batman, Marcus Fenix.
Unaligned - Not fussed either way, not a bad guy, but won't put themselves out for the sake of "doing good". The Comedian, Two Face, The guy across the road who won't pull you out of a burning wreck, but also won't steal your wallet.
Evil - Generally bad, but not insane, umbrella corp; evil-for-evils-sake type bad guys. Lex Luthor, Tehryn Loghain, Lanfear.
Chaotic Evil - Absolutely bat-shit insane bad guy. The joker, Voldemort, Torak, The bad guy from Fable 2 (Lucien I think).

Would you say that a person is being evil as a way to express deep set urges to do evil?
Is someone lawful good to act out the paragon good that they wish they could be in life, but it's too hard IRL?

I have my own preconceptions (Stated above.) What are yours?