Everyone Should Play an Obnoxious Character

Because it provides players with an opportunity to be someone other than themselves, role-playing can be a powerful educational experience, teaching us many valuable social skills. Which is particularly useful, considering that the majority of us grew up as socially inept geeks.

Over the years, I’ve seen numerous players make friends and become happier in life because of role-playing, and through that I have come to a conclusion: everyone should play an verbal, eccentric, and obnoxious character at least once.

Why? Because fear is a powerful enemy (I’m sure someone said that), and the role-playing environment is a prime opportunity to face that fear of acting out in relative safety. Once a player has done it there, it should help reduce anxiety in the rest of their life.

That, and everyone has a little demon in them that is just dying to be let out. We all want to be a jerk sometimes, and it can be refreshing to get it out of our system.

Of course, I still firmly believe that anyone who plays an obnoxious character gets what they deserve when the rest of the players chastise them, and if they make of habit of playing such characters, they should probably be shot. But that’s only fair.

River

I guess I’m unclear on what you classify as “obnoxious.” I fully agree, though, that everyone ought to try playing a character who is significantly different than them. I also agree that playing a loud, gregarious, trouble-maker is fun and a good experience.
River

I guess I’m unclear on what you classify as “obnoxious.” I fully agree, though, that everyone ought to try playing a character who is significantly different than them. I also agree that playing a loud, gregarious, trouble-maker is fun and a good experience.
http://spyderzt.blogspot.com/ Spyder Z

Heh, when I come in as a player, I tend to play a completely ridiculous character as my first with a Storyteller. That way I can see how they manage the more eccentric actions a player can make. ;P (This is of course assisted when the party is having fun. Otherwise it’s time to off the crazy guy and play something with a little more spice. :P )
http://spyderzt.blogspot.com/ Spyder Z

Heh, when I come in as a player, I tend to play a completely ridiculous character as my first with a Storyteller. That way I can see how they manage the more eccentric actions a player can make. ;P (This is of course assisted when the party is having fun. Otherwise it’s time to off the crazy guy and play something with a little more spice. :P )