Playing races for physiologic reasons.

SilvercatMoonpaw · March 24, 2009, 09:40:57 AM

In a discussion on ENWorld a poster commented that they felt people often roleplay non-human races as humans in make-up/suits, and that those players could play humans from different cultures if they wanted a different perspective. I responded that there is a reason for playing non-humans that playing a human can't match: physiology, imagining your body having different capabilities. And to get the most out of that experience for yourself is to play in that "human in a suit" way.

What do the rest of you think? Have you ever chosen to play a non-human race (or maybe even any character physically different from yourself) for the reason of imagining how that physical difference would feel, regardless of how you played them psychologically?

(For my full post you can see it here.)

Superfluous Crow · March 24, 2009, 10:26:12 AM

Hmm, i have played a shadow elf (that is, normal elf from the shadow plane often confused for drow) in an attempt to roleplay something extraplanar which might be seen as physiological.
I have taken physiological considerations during the creation of my newest races; the main characteristic of the moshrayah is that they have no visual organs. Haven't actually played them though.
But many races only differ slightly from humans; it's hard to play an orc because for physiological reasons. They are slightly stronger and there might be prejudice, but none of this really counts as physiological roleplaying. The races have to differ more than that to be viable for physiological roleplaying.

Kindling · March 24, 2009, 11:05:50 AM

Quote from: Cataclysmic CrowBut many races only differ slightly from humans; it's hard to play an orc because for physiological reasons. They are slightly stronger and there might be prejudice, but none of this really counts as physiological roleplaying. The races have to differ more than that to be viable for physiological roleplaying.

I think an orc is the first one I would think of playing for physiological reasons. Look at it this way - I am quite a slim guy, and not in amazing shape (not unhealthy, I just don't get a lot of exercise) I'm also, without wanting to sound too egotistical, not ugly. In fact, some even think I'm fairly good-looking. So, fantasy, and especially fantasy roleplaying, is about escapism... physiologically, an orc is facially as ugly as sin, and built like the proverbial brick lavvy... so if I'm extending the escapist bent of the activity to the physiological side of things, an orc seems the way to go.
Sure, the orc (at least in 3.5) only had what, +4 strength? Maybe even a measly +2, I can't quite remember, but that's just the rules. However, in terms of roleplaying, in terms of how I visualise the character in my head, the guy is walking wall of muscle with a rippling mass of primal sinewy power coiled beneath his green skin. His charisma penalty may only be similarly slight in terms of game mechanics, but again, in my head, I am picturing the character as a fanged, tusked, slope-browed, foul-breathed monstrosity.

SilvercatMoonpaw · March 24, 2009, 11:06:23 AM

Quote from: Cataclysmic Crow....many races only differ slightly from humans; it's hard to play an orc because for physiological reasons. They are slightly stronger and there might be prejudice, but none of this really counts as physiological roleplaying. The races have to differ more than that to be viable for physiological roleplaying.

Not really: so long as the orc looks different enough in appearance you still have the physiological appeal of what it might feel like to have that different appearance. Now the problem comes when the physiology could still be reasonably simulated in a human, so muscular, hairy, and strong-jawed traits of orcs could just be assigned to a human group. Really the question isn't "why play an orc for physiological reasons" but "for physiological reasons why is the orc considered different enough to warrant being a separate race?"

EDIT: Damn, ninjaed by Kindling. And he has a better post. x.

Superfluous Crow · March 24, 2009, 12:15:19 PM

Countering your arguments, you could have a human who is shit-ugly who would give you exactly the same amount of roleplaying potential, just without green skin and strength bonusses.
Of course, orcs might, i admit, be a more exaggerated and easily imaginable way to play ugly. But if you want to play someone ugly and you play an orc even though you could have picked a human, the reason is probably that you want something that you can get from the orc, no?

Kindling · March 24, 2009, 12:35:15 PM

So you're saying I just like the colour green? Lol.

Flippancy aside, it is a good point. I could just play an ugly, strong human, but... well I suppose the orc is there as a kind of abbreviation. Leaving aside the skin colour, "orc" becomes shorthand for "strong, ugly guy"... Whether that's a good thing or not, I'm not entirely sure.

Superfluous Crow · March 24, 2009, 01:23:14 PM

Hmm, your avatar does seem to hint at some color preferences :p
So orcs are pretty much simplifications or "roles"? Is that our conclusion so far?

Steerpike · March 24, 2009, 02:17:52 PM

I played a flying race once, which was fun. He was also incredibly small (tiny size) and had a major Napoleon complex about it (he wielded a kitchen knife as a weapon, which to him was a greatsword, and a handcrossbow that to him was practically a ballista, but he was prominently a psychic/retrocog). His personality was kind of a hybrid of Jayne Cobb and Stewie Griffin. Incredibly fun to pay, though he annoyed the hell out of the group sometimes, and was done in by his own selfishness and decadence.

The other major physiologically different race I played was a Verrik, a race that can turn off their senses if they desire to become voluntarily blind, deaf, numb, unable to taste etc (I think you might have gained a bonus to your other senses while some were shut off). This became interesting when the character was captured and tortured as part of an interrogation: the character just shut off their sense of touch and thus pain. He mutely endured a ridiculous amount of damage without being killed, including some horrific burns; when he was rescued/freed he had badass scars...

Nomadic · March 24, 2009, 03:03:27 PM

Well I haven't played them yet of course but the Maeri are an entire separate branch from humanity (as in they split off before modern humans). They have larger eyes that let them gather light more effectively, lungs that can hold their breath much longer, and long muscles arms and legs (complete with webbed fingers and toes). They are adapted to a life in and around the water which contrasts with their land-loving cousins.

Superfluous Crow · March 24, 2009, 03:12:07 PM

Aquatic races would probably be different enough to warrant physiological roleplaying.

Loch Belthadd · March 24, 2009, 05:26:45 PM

I played a thri-kreen barbarian once... dual weilding fullblades(bigger version of greatsword) was very much fun. The thri-kreen is my favorite race to play because 1. I love praying mantis' and 2. I get to be a giant four armed, green guy with leg power comparable to a huge kangaroo(+20 to jump checks!!!). My only problem with the race is the 7 year lifespan, and the +4 to character level.

Polycarp · March 24, 2009, 07:29:03 PM

I've noticed that people tend to play what they're given. If their impression of a dwarf is a surly, drunk, greedy, bearded lout, that informs what they end up playing unless they're consciously trying to satirize or subvert the trope. Caricature begets caricature - if a race is presented as a "human in makeup," it only makes sense that players will play them and treat them as such.

The flip side of that is that if a player is interested in a certain caricature - say, the stereotypical big, dumb, tough guy - a race that is a similar caricature will be automatically appealing, which is probably why people playing that role might be more interested in the half-orc than the equivalent big, dumb human. The half-orc presents a ready-made example of the stock character. Generally, the "standard" fantasy races appear to me to be more about filling these stock character roles than about exploring different physical differences, but that may change with more bizarre or different fantasy races (the thri-keen, for example). I really haven't played with too many "exotic" species before.

Snargash Moonclaw · March 24, 2009, 08:20:15 PM

Unfortunately, most races in most games are constructed (per game mechanics) as humans in make-up - even psychologically they really only reflect human characteristics with certain traits somewhat magnified. That is, I've yet to see a race with a distinctly non-human psychological trait - though if their bodies are truly different then their experience of their environment would be accordingly different, ergo a different psychology would arise to some degree. (and if they go crazy they might -in a few cases - actually seem more like humans. . .) As for role playing for physiological reasons, I guess the question really is "are there any true physiological differences available to role-play?"

Loch Belthadd · March 24, 2009, 08:52:55 PM

I had a player who's character was actually an intelligent +3 legendary dancing longsword. If that isn't a physiological difference than I don't know what is.

SilvercatMoonpaw · March 24, 2009, 09:28:21 PM

Quote from: Snargash Moonclaw'¦'¦'¦though if their bodies are truly different then their experience of their environment would be accordingly different, ergo a different psychology would arise to some degree.

Only if you stick to real-world logic. As I said earlier the point of roleplaying for physiologic reasons is about figuring out what impact that would have on a species' psychology but what impact it has on the player's psychology.

Quote from: Snargash MoonclawAs for role playing for physiological reasons, I guess the question really is "are there any true physiological differences available to role-play?"

I don't understand this question.

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Playing races for physiologic reasons.

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Polycarp

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