So I’m a dm and one of my player’s is playing a Dragonborn warlock of Tiamat and he wanted the relationship with her to be romantic but I’m a male I need help trying to role play that got any tips
My advice is don't. If you're not comfortable with it and not sure how to handle it... don't. It'll be awkward anyway if you're not ready for it and it's not necessarily a great tone. Things like that often go very uncomfortable for the other players at the table.
What you're better off doing is having the relationship very one-sided. The PC could be hopelessly in love with Tiamat, while Tiamat at best tolerates it for her own purposes and is getting frustrated with it. That could lead to some funny scenes that everyone enjoys.
I generally ban sexual relationships between PCs and NPCs, while sexual relationships between PCs are permitted...but discouraged.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Without the context of your campaign setting, world or intended storyline, there's a few things to consider here. Tiamat is a goddess - While most pantheons don't have her in their core lineup outside of the Draconic and Untheric Pantheons (And kind-of-sorta-but-not-really-wink-wink, the Krynnish pantheon as Tahksis) her status as an actual divinity kinda leads to her followers who receive spells from her being clerics, paladins or maybe even divine soul sorcerers. Warlock patrons per concept... aren't gods. Tiamat has had a long and colorful history, however, where she's been a demigod, an archfiend, a greater god and just about everything in between across the various editions, but currently and for as long as Warlocks have been a functioning class in Dungeons and Dragons, she's been a god.
Dragon-lore obsessive-nitpicking aside...
...What does Tiamat get out of this? She historically has multiple consorts - famously a great wyrm of each Chromatic variety and if my 2nd Edition Planescape lore serves me, at least one member of the Dark Eight! Your player can be as smitten as he wants to be, but wouldn't it be terrible if one of those extremely powerful, dangerous and outright legendary consorts were to become jealous.
Alright, I'll stop lore-geeking.
What you really want to do is just set boundaries with your players. You can simply say 'Hey, buddy, my dude, guy-of-my-table and brochacho-maximus - I'm not really intending to make a big thing out of your patron interactions for the campaign. Your story is cool and I love it and support your creativity, but my focus is on the story our group is gonna make together.'
Or you could just explain that, well... It's not him, it's you. You're a little weirded out and that's okay. As a DM or a player, you just don't want to do romance-stuff or hardcore hand-holding or secretive glances across the DM-Screen.
Or just... lead the story in other directions if it comes up, 'cause that's entirely within your power to do so as DM.
She historically has multiple consorts - famously a great wyrm of each Chromatic variety and if my 2nd Edition Planescape lore serves me, at least one member of the Dark Eight! Your player can be as smitten as he wants to be, but wouldn't it be terrible if one of those extremely powerful, dangerous and outright legendary consorts were to become jealous.
(cue the campaign becoming Scott Pilgrim, but it's Tiamat's exes)
"I want my warlock to be Tiamat's boo" sounds Extremely Main Character Syndrome to me
I would suggest to the player that if their character wants to pursue this, they have absolutely no assurance that Tiamat is interested or is even going to acknowledge their interest
That said, there are ways it can make for good character motivation if the warlock keeps getting ignored/rebuffed and decides that they just need to become powerful enough that Tiamat will consider them a suitable match. Think Marvel comics and Thanos' relationship with Death
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Definitely agree that this concept is a bit of a Main Character Syndrome flag, though it’s more just unrealistic backstory unless they then try to parley it into getting her to bestow favors in game outside of their Warlock features. Which does get into a roleplay angle; if you’re going by the general FR iteration of Tiamat, then it’s worth keeping in mind that- as the pinnacle of Evil dragon-kind- Tiamat is supremely avaricious and self-serving. It’s noted that she has few clerics because she is loathe to give away even a small fragment of her power. If she’s sponsoring a warlock, it’s because she’s planning to get something big from them. You could maybe spin the dynamic as her buttering up the warlock, but truly just viewing him as a tool for whatever end she’s looking to achieve. Maybe shift the dynamic from “romantic” to “flattering”, especially if you’re not comfortable trying to roleplay romance with someone.
This would be a no from me, or at least a "keep it to yourself." If they want to imagine that every time they level up they got their new power from some kinda hanky-panky, that's fine just don't tell it to any of us because we are not here to awkwardly listen to your romantic fantasies - and certainly not to participate in them.
I would also stress that the relationship between a warlock and their patron doesn't involve any mechanical elements and this would be no different. AKA no favors or special treatment outside of plot-type stuff.
I agree with many of the others. Personally I don’t care for romance with my PC, although if other players want to, I probably wouldn’t object as long as it isn’t disruptive to gameplay.
But if you are not comfortable then let the player know they can RP their feelings for Tiamat, within reason, but not to expect it to go much further than that. Kind of like a cleric that wants to keep “spreading the word” of their deity. It’s fine if they want to say “In the name of <insert deity name>, I smite thee!” in combat but if they want to stop every NPC they see to try and convert them then it can be a problem.
I mean . . . Tiamat is a goddess. I’d imagine her voice to be more like, I dunno, the raging winds of a fearsome thunderstorm than any actual “feminine” voice.
Incidentally, I don’t think Tiamat ever had relationships with her minor warlocks, on account of wanting to destroy the world and all. I’d recommend avoiding a relationship altogether, since it just doesn’t make a lot of sense lore-wise and it’s just going to create unneeded awkwardness at the table.
so kind of devilish and empowering and just some of his backstory Is that he is her chosen like kelemvor in bg3 and gave him a pact but what he wanted was a lover and he asked Tiamat if she could fill the role of lover/patron I liked the Idea so I made it cannon.
I am ok with it it's just I don't know how to do feminine voices
Don't try to do like a higher pitched voice, that just sounds like you're doing Mickey Mouse. Remember, Tiamat is also a giant many-headed dragon goddess. Her voice should be gravelly and rumbly at times, and maybe softer and more human at others. Maybe each head has a different way of speaking. Focus on cadence; think of classic villains (Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty comes to mind, as a classic villain who turns into a dragon) and how some speak with that slow, drawling, derisive kind of speech. How you talk is often more important than what you sound like.
Though the much shorter answer is that as the DM, you don't need to do voices to convey mood/ tone/ plot well. It's not a requirement, it's just a thing you can do if you think it's fun.
The main thing is not to put too much expectationon in. We're not professional voice actors, we're friends hanging out at a table (or in a discord) having fun. Focus on fun.
What Patron is your player picking on DDB, even though it will actually be Tiamat?
What Patron does he think grants the abilities similar to the Queen of Dragons?
I like the idea, just not sure what Patron I'd pick if I was doing this...
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Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
Number one is make sure you're getting paid. The only time I would advocate for a DM charging a player money is for anything ERPR (erotic role play & romance) related, meaning if you are not going to fade to black, he's gonna have to pay up for the details and narrative.
Also, I would only do this if it were a solo/couples game because it could get a little weird with other people at the table, unless they are going to get involved too, so have some wet naps/sanitizer handy, and make sure to stay hydrated before, during, and after the "fun" parts.
I've never done ERP before, but I wouldn't be opposed to it for a married couple or SO's looking to put the spark back into their relationship, as long as they are willing to pay me a good amount of money. A full on party is going to get real weird real quick in my opinion, so I'd opt out of that one... but for the right amount of money... idk, I'm not one to kink shame if I can get my car fixed and pay my rent for the next couple of months.
RP wise, get a voice changer if you are running the game online (honestly, I would never do this in person because it could get into scary IRL stalking stuff), and start reading erotic literature online to get an idea on how to write up some narrative descriptions and bullet points for those parts of the... uh... session.
Since its Tiamat, she won't be easily pleased, and has many other suitors as others have commented on. Side quests that reward certain... favors... could be the way to actually run a campaign around a concept like this.
My god, what did I just type?
Good luck with your... ummm... campaign!
Edit: If you are getting paid a good amount of money for this, maybe pay an someone from OF to do the voice acting for you. Make sure you charge the players extra, like more than extra to make it worth the extra time and money and eventual therapy you'll need /s
Number one is make sure you're getting paid. The only time I would advocate for a DM charging a player money is for anything ERPR (erotic role play & romance) related, meaning if you are not going to fade to black, he's gonna have to pay up for the details and narrative.
<snip>
No, no, and no. You want to charge the friend group and start studying up for the perfect scene? Seriously?
Trying to get with Tiamat isn’t the best idea (as others have pointed out, it’s a clear sign of Main Character Syndrome), but it can definitely be handled better than “make sure you get your bag.” And it’s pretty obviously just one player with a character concept, not a couple wanting to get their “spark” back. Geez.
Number one is make sure you're getting paid. The only time I would advocate for a DM charging a player money is for anything ERPR (erotic role play & romance) related, meaning if you are not going to fade to black, he's gonna have to pay up for the details and narrative.
<snip>
No, no, and no. You want to charge the friend group and start studying up for the perfect scene? Seriously?
Trying to get with Tiamat isn’t the best idea (as others have pointed out, it’s a clear sign of Main Character Syndrome), but it can definitely be handled better than “make sure you get your bag.” And it’s pretty obviously just one player with a character concept, not a couple wanting to get their “spark” back. Geez.
No need for the hostility, but he did ask for role play tips and I'm just having fun with the post hoping someone would get a laugh. Guess it didn't land the way I thought it would. Anyway, Have a good day!
Number one is make sure you're getting paid. The only time I would advocate for a DM charging a player money is for anything ERPR (erotic role play & romance) related, meaning if you are not going to fade to black, he's gonna have to pay up for the details and narrative.
<snip>
No, no, and no. You want to charge the friend group and start studying up for the perfect scene? Seriously?
Trying to get with Tiamat isn’t the best idea (as others have pointed out, it’s a clear sign of Main Character Syndrome), but it can definitely be handled better than “make sure you get your bag.” And it’s pretty obviously just one player with a character concept, not a couple wanting to get their “spark” back. Geez.
No need for the hostility, but he did ask for role play tips and I'm just having fun with the post hoping someone would get a laugh. Guess it didn't land the way I thought it would. Anyway, Have a good day!
Sorry, didn’t mean to be rude. I wasn’t sure of you were being serious, so I just assumed you were. My bad. You have a good day as well.
So I’m a dm and one of my player’s is playing a Dragonborn warlock of Tiamat and he wanted the relationship with her to be romantic but I’m a male I need help trying to role play that got any tips
Have it be one sided.
My advice is don't. If you're not comfortable with it and not sure how to handle it... don't. It'll be awkward anyway if you're not ready for it and it's not necessarily a great tone. Things like that often go very uncomfortable for the other players at the table.
What you're better off doing is having the relationship very one-sided. The PC could be hopelessly in love with Tiamat, while Tiamat at best tolerates it for her own purposes and is getting frustrated with it. That could lead to some funny scenes that everyone enjoys.
I generally ban sexual relationships between PCs and NPCs, while sexual relationships between PCs are permitted...but discouraged.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Without the context of your campaign setting, world or intended storyline, there's a few things to consider here.
Tiamat is a goddess - While most pantheons don't have her in their core lineup outside of the Draconic and Untheric Pantheons (And kind-of-sorta-but-not-really-wink-wink, the Krynnish pantheon as Tahksis) her status as an actual divinity kinda leads to her followers who receive spells from her being clerics, paladins or maybe even divine soul sorcerers. Warlock patrons per concept... aren't gods. Tiamat has had a long and colorful history, however, where she's been a demigod, an archfiend, a greater god and just about everything in between across the various editions, but currently and for as long as Warlocks have been a functioning class in Dungeons and Dragons, she's been a god.
Dragon-lore obsessive-nitpicking aside...
...What does Tiamat get out of this?
She historically has multiple consorts - famously a great wyrm of each Chromatic variety and if my 2nd Edition Planescape lore serves me, at least one member of the Dark Eight! Your player can be as smitten as he wants to be, but wouldn't it be terrible if one of those extremely powerful, dangerous and outright legendary consorts were to become jealous.
Alright, I'll stop lore-geeking.
What you really want to do is just set boundaries with your players. You can simply say 'Hey, buddy, my dude, guy-of-my-table and brochacho-maximus - I'm not really intending to make a big thing out of your patron interactions for the campaign. Your story is cool and I love it and support your creativity, but my focus is on the story our group is gonna make together.'
Or you could just explain that, well... It's not him, it's you. You're a little weirded out and that's okay. As a DM or a player, you just don't want to do romance-stuff or hardcore hand-holding or secretive glances across the DM-Screen.
Or just... lead the story in other directions if it comes up, 'cause that's entirely within your power to do so as DM.
(cue the campaign becoming Scott Pilgrim, but it's Tiamat's exes)
"I want my warlock to be Tiamat's boo" sounds Extremely Main Character Syndrome to me
I would suggest to the player that if their character wants to pursue this, they have absolutely no assurance that Tiamat is interested or is even going to acknowledge their interest
That said, there are ways it can make for good character motivation if the warlock keeps getting ignored/rebuffed and decides that they just need to become powerful enough that Tiamat will consider them a suitable match. Think Marvel comics and Thanos' relationship with Death
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Definitely agree that this concept is a bit of a Main Character Syndrome flag, though it’s more just unrealistic backstory unless they then try to parley it into getting her to bestow favors in game outside of their Warlock features. Which does get into a roleplay angle; if you’re going by the general FR iteration of Tiamat, then it’s worth keeping in mind that- as the pinnacle of Evil dragon-kind- Tiamat is supremely avaricious and self-serving. It’s noted that she has few clerics because she is loathe to give away even a small fragment of her power. If she’s sponsoring a warlock, it’s because she’s planning to get something big from them. You could maybe spin the dynamic as her buttering up the warlock, but truly just viewing him as a tool for whatever end she’s looking to achieve. Maybe shift the dynamic from “romantic” to “flattering”, especially if you’re not comfortable trying to roleplay romance with someone.
This would be a no from me, or at least a "keep it to yourself." If they want to imagine that every time they level up they got their new power from some kinda hanky-panky, that's fine just don't tell it to any of us because we are not here to awkwardly listen to your romantic fantasies - and certainly not to participate in them.
I would also stress that the relationship between a warlock and their patron doesn't involve any mechanical elements and this would be no different. AKA no favors or special treatment outside of plot-type stuff.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
I agree with many of the others. Personally I don’t care for romance with my PC, although if other players want to, I probably wouldn’t object as long as it isn’t disruptive to gameplay.
But if you are not comfortable then let the player know they can RP their feelings for Tiamat, within reason, but not to expect it to go much further than that. Kind of like a cleric that wants to keep “spreading the word” of their deity. It’s fine if they want to say “In the name of <insert deity name>, I smite thee!” in combat but if they want to stop every NPC they see to try and convert them then it can be a problem.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
If you're not comfortable having romantic themes in your game, you're well within your rights to say no.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I am ok with it it's just I don't know how to do feminine voices
So you’re looking for voice-acting tips?
I mean . . . Tiamat is a goddess. I’d imagine her voice to be more like, I dunno, the raging winds of a fearsome thunderstorm than any actual “feminine” voice.
Incidentally, I don’t think Tiamat ever had relationships with her minor warlocks, on account of wanting to destroy the world and all. I’d recommend avoiding a relationship altogether, since it just doesn’t make a lot of sense lore-wise and it’s just going to create unneeded awkwardness at the table.
Terra Lubridia archive:
The Bloody Barnacle | The Gut | The Athene Crusader | The Jewel of Atlantis
so kind of devilish and empowering and just some of his backstory Is that he is her chosen like kelemvor in bg3 and gave him a pact but what he wanted was a lover and he asked Tiamat if she could fill the role of lover/patron I liked the Idea so I made it cannon.
Don't try to do like a higher pitched voice, that just sounds like you're doing Mickey Mouse. Remember, Tiamat is also a giant many-headed dragon goddess. Her voice should be gravelly and rumbly at times, and maybe softer and more human at others. Maybe each head has a different way of speaking. Focus on cadence; think of classic villains (Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty comes to mind, as a classic villain who turns into a dragon) and how some speak with that slow, drawling, derisive kind of speech. How you talk is often more important than what you sound like.
Though the much shorter answer is that as the DM, you don't need to do voices to convey mood/ tone/ plot well. It's not a requirement, it's just a thing you can do if you think it's fun.
The main thing is not to put too much expectationon in. We're not professional voice actors, we're friends hanging out at a table (or in a discord) having fun. Focus on fun.
What Patron is your player picking on DDB, even though it will actually be Tiamat?
What Patron does he think grants the abilities similar to the Queen of Dragons?
I like the idea, just not sure what Patron I'd pick if I was doing this...
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
Number one is make sure you're getting paid. The only time I would advocate for a DM charging a player money is for anything ERPR (erotic role play & romance) related, meaning if you are not going to fade to black, he's gonna have to pay up for the details and narrative.
Also, I would only do this if it were a solo/couples game because it could get a little weird with other people at the table, unless they are going to get involved too, so have some wet naps/sanitizer handy, and make sure to stay hydrated before, during, and after the "fun" parts.
I've never done ERP before, but I wouldn't be opposed to it for a married couple or SO's looking to put the spark back into their relationship, as long as they are willing to pay me a good amount of money. A full on party is going to get real weird real quick in my opinion, so I'd opt out of that one... but for the right amount of money... idk, I'm not one to kink shame if I can get my car fixed and pay my rent for the next couple of months.
RP wise, get a voice changer if you are running the game online (honestly, I would never do this in person because it could get into scary IRL stalking stuff), and start reading erotic literature online to get an idea on how to write up some narrative descriptions and bullet points for those parts of the... uh... session.
Since its Tiamat, she won't be easily pleased, and has many other suitors as others have commented on. Side quests that reward certain... favors... could be the way to actually run a campaign around a concept like this.
My god, what did I just type?
Good luck with your... ummm... campaign!
Edit: If you are getting paid a good amount of money for this, maybe pay an someone from OF to do the voice acting for you. Make sure you charge the players extra, like more than extra to make it worth the extra time and money and eventual therapy you'll need /s
No, no, and no. You want to charge the friend group and start studying up for the perfect scene? Seriously?
Trying to get with Tiamat isn’t the best idea (as others have pointed out, it’s a clear sign of Main Character Syndrome), but it can definitely be handled better than “make sure you get your bag.” And it’s pretty obviously just one player with a character concept, not a couple wanting to get their “spark” back. Geez.
Terra Lubridia archive:
The Bloody Barnacle | The Gut | The Athene Crusader | The Jewel of Atlantis
No need for the hostility, but he did ask for role play tips and I'm just having fun with the post hoping someone would get a laugh. Guess it didn't land the way I thought it would. Anyway, Have a good day!
Sorry, didn’t mean to be rude. I wasn’t sure of you were being serious, so I just assumed you were. My bad. You have a good day as well.
Terra Lubridia archive:
The Bloody Barnacle | The Gut | The Athene Crusader | The Jewel of Atlantis
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