Role-Players Up Your Game: Play Against Type

Actors can become stuck playing the same role over and over again. Role-players are no different.

But role-players have an advantage. We cast ourselves in a role. Actors, unless they are a select few, do not have that luxury.

Why do certain actors get typecast as the villain, or the hero, or the sidekick, or the thug? The list goes on.

It’s because they are good at it.

The same thing happens to role-players. We find a character type we like and we play a slight variation in campaign after campaign. We get experience playing that character type. We get complimented on how well we play that character type.

In short, we’re good at it.

Improve as a Player, Play Something Different

Most role-players want to up their game, am I right? An easy way to do that is to break out of your type.

If you are always a wizard, try a warrior. If you’re always the leader, try the supporting scientist.

Look for character types that will force you out of your comfort zone. Try something new. Find a character build you’ve never thought of before. Use your creativity. That’s one of the reasons you got into role-playing games, right?

Play Against Your Type

Another important aspect of playing against type is not only playing a different character type. It is playing against your type.

If you are shy, play an outgoing character.  If you are outgoing, play the wallflower. If you are smart, play a dumb character. If you’re dumb… well, maybe you should watch more sports.

You’ll be uncomfortable, of course. But that’s part of the fun.

Build Experience Role-Playing

The experience will give you an opportunity to grow as a role-player. You will have to look at problems from different angles. You’ll have to think about people in new ways.

Use the next campaign to stretch yourself. Find a character that is unlike any you’ve ever played before. However, go further. Create a character that is unlike you.

I can hear the complaint already: what if I hate it? That’s fine. It’s only one campaign.

Go back to your favorite type for the next campaign. Though, I’ll bet you play that old familiar character type differently and better.