Low Charisma RP Tips

[clean_slate]

I was interested to hear your ideas in how to RP low Charisma scores - by that I don't mean your 8 Charisma human/elf but the average Duergar (or) Battlerager so 5-6 Charisma range.

I'm of opinion that, besides being usually gruff, stubborn, ill-mannered and so on one would have to be considered ugly as well, right?

I mean, with Charisma score of 8 you could still pass as pretty or normal looking - let's take a Wood Elf Ranger for example who has spent most of his life living in secluded forest, with animals as companions. He would be wary of strangers and silent. In one version of dungeons and dragons I think they even get -2 to Charisma because of their "severed link to arcane arts" or something like that.

But when we go lower than that we need to incorporate some other aspects to our character, don't you think? What do you say about this?

[Storm Munin]

Unlucky, mostly ignored by everyone and perhaps having some features only the mother world love. People generally move away from you because of your social ineptitude, lack of manners and general dullness.

It does not matter what you say or do really, noone really care.


Something like that I guess.


Charisma 6? Remember Necrogoblikon - No one survives?
You are the goblin.

[Vakur]

Charisma is a complex idea, and often gets boiled down to beauty vs ugliness, which is a narrow definition, especially in a setting with so many different races interacting with each other (you might be a pretty hot dwarf, but the 98% human population think you're an ugly stump, hence the penalty). You can interpret a charisma modifier to represent physical beauty and social skills, but mainly I try to play it as the reaction the majority of the population has to my character within a given setting. A reaction that can of course be overcome to some degree with the relevant skill investments.

When you're into the really low charisma scores, unfortunately you're dependant on other people's RP as much as your own. The NPCs in a PW don't react to you any differently, and if other PCs just *nods at you in greeting* as you pass them on the road it can be quite frustrating. Decide why your character specifically has such a negative modifier, and emphasise these qualities to the people you interact with, as you can't count on everyone to examine your character and act appropriately. With my barbarian I quite often emote along the lines of: *splits a big grin, showing a few missing teeth* or *absently scratches at the scars on his cheek* just to give RP hooks to people in case they missed my PCs description.

Don't just be gruff, be positively rough. *leers back at you nastily as you pass, and spits some phlegm on the road* You are viewed with suspicion and disgust by most people you meet, and it's down to you to express that to other players.

[AlfarinIcebreaker]

I'd say you're onto a good idea. I'm playing such character right now (Battlerager, Shield Dwarf) and what I did is emphasized mental racial traits of Shield Dwarves - stern demeanour, drunkenness, gruff and coupled it with physical uglyness - horrible scars, ugly tattooes and will put him into orange "armor" (which will seem ridiculous to non-Dwarves). He is an outcast, faithless and full of hate and bile.

Someone once said that Charisma is mental opposite of Strength. But as Vakur explained, if you want to draw realistic reactions from your fellow players you will have to work it, and I often find putting such descriptions into your bio (especially physical) will produce the desired effect.

[Duster47]

Unlucky, mostly ignored by everyone and perhaps having some features only the mother world love. People generally move away from you because of your social ineptitude, lack of manners and general dullness.

It does not matter what you say or do really, noone really care.

Something like that I guess.

I believe these traits should be more prevalent w.r.t. RP. Saying your PC is ugly is just an easy way out. It does not require you to RP much different, such as not say witty things to the enjoyment or detriment of others. If you want your PC to be low CHA, do what SM says. Though that would, to me, be a truly boring RP experience. May as well play SP and just mindlessly bash stuff. But that is just me.

[Bobthehero]

I rp my 6 CHA Genasi as impolite, grumpy, gruff and a drunk at that.

Butt into people conversation when they mention something you know, leave without greeting people, generally have no social grace (burping, carrying a dragon skull to be used as a seat)

But he's also butt ugly and has many wounds, like a hole in his left cheek that hasn't healed properly and a nose that will never be straight again, because it was broken way too often.

[Hitman Hard]

- Don't nod or acknowledge when passing others

-Walk off mid-conversation

-Burp and fart without apology

-Make no attempt to defend yourself after killing someone

[Torgerias]

To further what others have said, you might have a low charisma character with a very high WIS or INT score who might be able to speak very eloquently or intelligibly, but that doesn't mean anyone will listen to or be convinced by a word they say. Maybe your character speaks confusingly, in a way that most others can't understand or relate to. Maybe they are so logical that they are unpersuasive, or they are brash, rude, or overly blunt and straightforward with no social awareness about when to keep their mouth shut (this is probably tied in to WIS). Maybe they are just quiet and relatively unnoticed by most, or they are shy, meek, and speak quietly.

Low charisma characters will never be leaders, because charisma is also a representation of magnitude and a willingness for others to listen to and follow you. This probably translates into a combination of confidence, eloquence, attractiveness, clarity, emotional empathy, and more intangible forces which draw people naturally to leaders. So think the opposite of that.

[Vakur]

To further what others have said, you might have a low charisma character with a very high WIS or INT score who might be able to speak very eloquently or intelligibly, but that doesn't mean anyone will listen to or be convinced by a word they say. Maybe your character speaks confusingly, in a way that most others can't understand or relate to.

Ha! I like this idea.

[Eclypticon]

Mood swings and personality disorders can be a way to RP low CHA too. Anyone say turrets?

[Storm Munin]

Mood swings might work in combinations with other quirk.

But ive met quite a few decidedly high cha characters on the server who are or were moody of nature.

Consider lucy liu's character in the flic Kill Bill, at the yakusa meeting I dare say there is nothing wrong with her presence, composure or eloquence. The mood did chance rather quickly though..

[Duster47]

To further what others have said, you might have a low charisma character with a very high WIS or INT score who might be able to speak very eloquently or intelligibly, but that doesn't mean anyone will listen to or be convinced by a word they say. Maybe your character speaks confusingly, in a way that most others can't understand or relate to. Maybe they are so logical that they are unpersuasive, or they are brash, rude, or overly blunt and straightforward with no social awareness about when to keep their mouth shut (this is probably tied in to WIS). Maybe they are just quiet and relatively unnoticed by most, or they are shy, meek, and speak quietly.

Low charisma characters will never be leaders, because charisma is also a representation of magnitude and a willingness for others to listen to and follow you. This probably translates into a combination of confidence, eloquence, attractiveness, clarity, emotional empathy, and more intangible forces which draw people naturally to leaders. So think the opposite of that.

Also good points.

In my mind I relate it to the modern-day meeting room. Some sit at the "grown-up" table and others along the walls. Those along the walls will more likely not say anything unless asked. They may lack to the confidence to offer an opinion, even if informed, because the whole social situation is intimidating to them. Back to the shy idea. Persons learn to overcome this with practice and training. All of this has nothing to do with appearance.

So, someone with low CHA can overcome these shortcomings with investment in Diplomacy or Intimidate. As a player, you certainly do not need to roll anything*. Instead think about in a social situation with low-CHA and little to no training, should your character even attempt to enter into a conversation?

Familiarity or friendship should decrease this whole "shyness" concept.

* I will often roll a Fort-vs-Will for my PC to decide if instinct or logic will prevail in a given situation. If you use this concept, then you could rationally expect a low-CHA, poorly trained character to "blurt something out", sometimes rudely (along the lines of intimidate).

[AlfarinIcebreaker]

Yeah, I invested heavily into Intimidate skill on my Battlerager. That helps with playing such a low Charisma character.