I want to play in a game and be a cool and honorable dwarf. I loved Gimli in lord of the rings. I have never played any game like this, the pen and paper rpg style thing. I have trouble making friends and people have suggested I try going to a board game store and trying to join a game there and play a dwarf like Gimli. Do you guys think this is a good idea? How would I join a game if I don't know much about these things, should I read all of the rulebooks before I even try? Is there anything I should be worried about with board game stores and the people in them, rules, manners, red flags? Any advice is welcomed, thank you.
>>93389320>Do you guys think this is a good idea? No, but do it anyway. It's a simple concept that can work well as an introduction to fantasy ttrpgs. You can branch out to more unfamiliar or unique concepts when you get more comfortable. >How would I join a game if I don't know much about these things? Check with your local game store first and see if any groups are running games and if they're newb friendly. In person games are head and shoulders above anything else, but it might take some time. Out in that time. its woeth it. Past that, there are numerous gamefinder threads, discords, and resources. Look for them. Evern your lgs might have one.>Should I read all of the rulebooks before I even try? Fuck no. Rulebook are references and never meant to be read cover to cover. Read and familiarize yourself with what rules are pertinent to your character, BUT only after you find a group and they help you through character creation. Never read any GM/DM facing rules.>Is there anything I should be worried about with board game stores and the people in them, rules, manners, red flags?Not really. Despite what the internet culture war might have you believe, most people are just averagely decent. Not bad, not good, just decent. The kinds of assholes you should avoid generally make themselves known by being assholes. Be generally kind and generally courteous and you'll find people who are the same.
>>93389320I don't know about game stores, but I started out in a university club last year without knowing much about the game beforehand.It went well, ended up playing a full campaign that lasted about 10 months.
>>93389448Kek, I meant more like asking if it was a good idea to do this to try to make friends. Is "honorable dwarf" boring or something? I think it's cool, but maybe that's because I've only seen it happen once.Interesting that reading rulebooks is a no, I thought it would be a "yes definitely" thing. Good to know. Glad I asked. Thank you for your answers.
>>93389320>I want to be the n-th Gimli clone!1/10, work on your bait
>>93390331>Is "honorable dwarf" boring or something? I think it's cool, but maybe that's because I've only seen it happen once.its been around a lot for 50 years since Men and Magic, but it is also based and you should play what is inspiring to you.is it a good way to make friends? id say your best bet is to try and see if your friends you already have would into it or maybe already are and you just dont know it. in my experience for the people that "click" with ttrpgs even a mediocre first session will be enough to make them passionate about it, and then you can go about finding the right group that fits what you are really looking for out of gaming
>>93390708I've never been to this board before in my life. Is that actually what people bait about here? That's really funny. >>93390793I don't have any friends at all, thus the unusual tactics for finding ways to be in a social environment with other people. Hopefully playing a dwarf doesn't bother other people if I do this. Thank you for the advice.
>>93391120It can be a good way to make friends. Don't try to force it though. Showing up consistently and providing thoughtful input to conversation is really all you will need.Playing a dwarf won't bother people, typically. However, you'd be playing the "base model" version of a Dwarf so don't expect to be the center of attention. I think you'll find that as you play, your character will naturally develop unique things (they hate spiders, they don't care for authority, they can't help themselves when it involves gambling, etc.). Like the other anon said, just be generally kind and considerate and you'll see if you like it.
>>93389320>want to play in a game and be a cool and honorable dwarf.Boring and overdone. I'll bet you wouldn't even think to give him a non-caucasian skin tone, or make him gay or trans. You don't understand what playing RPGs is about. Just stop and leave the hobby.
>>93389320If you have trouble socializing normally, a social game like TTPRGs is going to be similarly difficult, although it will likely be a little more or a little less so, depending on how naturally you can roleplay while avoiding being cringe.Honestly, it can’t really hurt to give it a shot, anon. As far as manners and red flags, the normal societal rules apply. Show up looking and smelling your best, you don’t have to wear a suit but don’t wear your pajamas or a shirt full of holes. Be polite, don’t talk over people, but don’t be afraid to ask questions or show your interest.See what kind of games are running at your local game store, and if there’s any room for you to play in one you’d like to be a dwarf in, ask the person running it for advice, and base your study of the rulebook on what they say. Ultimately, whoever that guy is will determine how successful you are in this endeavor, so don’t be a suck up, but also respect his rulings, and try to enjoy the game that’s being played above all else. Good luck!>>93389320
>>93389320Have you tried CYOAs?They could give you your dwarf fix if you have a good enough imagination.Here's a fantasy CYOA with playable dwarves in it: https://imgchest.com/p/ne7bxpoky53
>>93389320Always play as characters you want to play if you hope to get any enjoyment out of the game.
>>93389320You seem incredibly autistic. You can go to a store but it's highly unlikely you'll get a game in. If you act anything like how your post reads, nobody in his right mind is going to have you in a game.
>>93402238People on /adv/ claimed something to the effect of "people who play this game are often socially awkward so they may not mind as much". Was that wrong? I don't think I'm a rude or annoying person, I'm just not very socially adept. I don't know if I'm autistic or not, I just never socialized growing up, so I'm pretty shit with people.>>93394724I think it may be a little easier. I don't exactly know who I want to be or what I am supposed to be, but I know what a dwarf who cares about honor and duty is supposed to be, so I wouldn't wonder so much about things. I would probably be more likeable in real life if I could help people solve problems all the time. Thanks for the luck.
>>93390331>Is "honorable dwarf" boring or something?Anon, my number one advice for making cool characters that are fun to hang around with is to hang out to your favourite stereotypes and roll with itThe game and the people you play it with will shape it into something one of a kind, way beyond "just another Gimli clone". Actually >>93391469 said it very well. Don't feel insecure about it being a "cliche", no one cares much about that.
>>93389320If you're that worried about "doing it right", just ask if you can observe a game or two before signing up for one. Otherwise, just make sure to shower or at least wear deodorant before heading to the store and to use your public voice, you should be able to work most of it out from there.Oh, also, make sure to distinguish in-character speak and out-of-character speak where you can. That's going to be an important part of communication.
>>93405055It's a bit funny how conflicting some of this advice is. Why do you think people dislike stereotypes? In my mind it makes very good sense that someone would want to play a heroic knight or a princess or like a magic-bow-and-arrow-nature-guy like Huntress Wizard from Adventure Time. Aren't the character tropes what make the genres what they are? I'm not very experienced with fantasy, I've only seen Lord of the Rings and played Skyrim a little bit. >>93405090To be clear I'm a very hygienic person. I'm in good physical health too. I'm not very fashionable but I wear clean clothes that fit me. I also think I am generally not a very selfish person, I'm just not charismatic either. People keep mentioning hygiene, is that a big problem with people who play this game? I have a very strong sense of smell so that might bother me, if other people stink.With in character talking, would you just say "She says 'I am here to help you defeat the orcs, what can I do to help?'" or is there some other secret way of doing things
>>93391120>I've never been to this board before in my life. Is that actually what people bait about here? That's really funny.One's character is either bland, creatively bankrupt and n-th iteration of the same idea, or it's a special snowflake, diversity pandering, overwritten one.Don't listen to trolls, not!Gimli is perfectly fine and the familiarity will help both your roleplay and manage the expectation of other players.
>>93405166>People keep mentioning hygiene, is that a big problem with people who play this game? I have a very strong sense of smell so that might bother me, if other people stink.Nah, it's not pen and paper games specifically. It's just that a lot of hobbyists that are nerds or loners can neglect their public hygiene due to a lack of socialization. People make jokes about it, but Yu-Gi-Oh tournaments have an official rule about public hygiene for that precise reason. So it's generally considered good decorum to make sure you clean yourself up before hanging out. As for in-character talking, plenty of tables have their own rules and levels of laxness regarding it, but you've got the gist of it, delineating the boundary between what you are thinking and what your character will be doing/saying/thinking. I primarily mention it because there's been tales where newcomers take in-character banter personally because they think it's being directed at their person and not their character as part of the fun, and I felt it couldn't hurt to just help give a reminder since you said you were new to this hobby.
>>93405207Oh, so that's why >>93391487 said that. It felt very sarcastic but I couldn't really get the context. I don't think I want to play literally Gimli, I just liked the idea of an entire culture of people who are hardworking and dutiful and proud and loyal and competent. At least where that is the cultural value even if some do not live up to it. I didn't like the Hobbit movies as much because the dwarves were basically all retarded except for Thorin, and Thorin was written more like a man than a dwarf in my opinion. I also really like the Wind Rose albums about dwarves, so that's part of where my affection to dwarves come from. I like the brotherhood of it. Do you think it would be enough character to start with something like "This is what I care about, this is what I am afraid of, and this is something I do in my spare time (like a hobby)?" Like, a dwarf who cares about honor, is afraid of being deceived, and likes to go fishing?>>93405220Okay, thank you for the advice. I appreciate it.
I'm nogames and never even seen any dice other than D6 but i lurk this board because it's a thing i'm interested in. That's the best i can do. But i also wish luck for OP. Hopefully you get to play and have a good time. Personally i would make it sure that i'm a newbie if i would get into tabletop game and hope other players are not elitists so they would actually help me to learn. And "basic" dwarf sounds great, i mean, my character would be just a guy with a spear... (depending on the game itself)
>>93405439Anytime, anon. Also, I have to note,>Do you think it would be enough character to start with something like "This is what I care about, this is what I am afraid of, and this is something I do in my spare time (like a hobby)?" Like, a dwarf who cares about honor, is afraid of being deceived, and likes to go fishing?Considering you genuinely put more thought into this than the average player does, or even the average dwarf player does, you're absolutely on the right track. Just relax and have fun, you'll make it work out.
>>93405529Thank you for the good luck.>>93405573That isn't very much thought. I don't really understand how you could make up a fake person with less thought than that. Anyway, thank you.
>>93389320>I have never played any game like thisdwarfs are probably most user friendly for beginners as are harder to get killed and not much expected to roleplay anywaybasics are you get some quest, cooperate with team to achieve it, killing some creatures and looting stuff in process, getting more experienced in processdo not be attention whore, let other play too; do not work against team; try not to do obviously stupid things;I have legit autismo player in group, so far it is safe bet he gets himself into stupidest trouble, typically ending in prison time or death and often for ban for player for system we are currently using after 5th or so character death
>>93391487show me some example of trans dwarf in classic fantasy book
>>93389320You should read the book you tremendous faggot. Gimli as portrayed in the movies is basically a cartoon character
>>93389320Aww everyone in this thread is giving him a hard time. But I think you can do it lil' slugger! Make that Dwarf, make a valiant fighter who extoles honour & chivalric love. I believe in you. :)
>>93412976Ain't gonna lie, he's kinda too perfect in the books.
>>93412681Tolkien "female" dwarves. They look like men.
>>93412681Discworld has a pretty solid depiction of dwarves
>>93412976I didn't go to school so my reading level isn't very high. I looked inside Fellowship of the Ring at the library but it's too difficult for me to understand. I think I've caught up on words pretty well but old language is a step too far for me.People keep telling me Gimli was supposed to be a joke in the movies but I admired him a lot and didn't find anything he did as something worth mocking. I thought his pride and his bluster was very endearing.
>>93413175Thank you, I'll give it a try soon I think.>>93413570They look like dwarves. I imagine the earliest humans didn't have as stark sexual dimorphism as we do now, that happened over generation upon generation of sexual selection. We are taller now, women have wider hips, bigger breasts. Two hundred years ago, the average height of an adult man was 5'2". Eight generations of selective breeding can change a lot. Now, dwarves live an incredibly long time, which means two hundred years is less than one lifespan. Elves all look very similar because they are immortal; the men have no beards, they all have similar fashion and demeanor. Dwarves are slightly more varied because they are not immortal, they just live 250-350 years, but it would make sense that if the very first dwarves were created short and bearded creatures, even if male dwarves eventually preferred beardless, shaven female dwarves who look more like short human women, that sexual selection process would take thousands of years if not more. They would not desire that though because that isn't how female dwarves look; if a male dwarf was attracted to that, he'd fuck a human instead.
>>93414498Gimli's deal was that despite acting out all the modern stereotypes of fantasy dwarves like an overbearing sense of pride in what is dwarfish and what isn't and a tendency to act like cranky annoyed elders to the 'younger' races like the halflings and humans, Gimli himself is rather young and green by his own people's standards. Thus, the humor comes from how obviously he's putting on a front to appear as stereotypically bullish and grouchy as possible despite clearly being smart and fond of his companions, and how that facade clashes with its philosophical equal (that of the seemingly wise and noble elf that nonetheless still carries an immature streak despite being far older than everyone save the wizard) is what makes Gimli comedic despite not being a character that's funny on paper.It's not all bad, mind, there's a reason people tend to have Gimli in mind when they think of a fantasy dwarf, especially since he is a good mixture of "funny when things are calm" and "reliable when things are in a pinch".
>>93414765>Boromir from Krondorfunny
>>93414498>I didn't go to school so my reading level isn't very high.Aren't you (well, your folks) required by law to do at least few years of school?
>>93414765Oh okay, that does make sense. I can see the humor in that. People still tried to argue he wasn't admirable in any way, which bothered me. As if he was nothing BUT a joke. That's just humor and character depth combined, at least to me. That sort of immaturity is endearing to me.>>93414956Probably.
