So im making a werewolf character and im not sure if I should even RP her because she is African American, considering im white, I feel like it would be bad. I feel like it would be bad if I played as her because of the race issue, I don't want to get called out because of it. Is it ok?
Name: Selena Harpshire
Sexuality: lesbian
Age: 25
Race: African american/ werewolf.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Forgive the mess, I am trying to regain my sanity again."
One of the benefits of roleplaying is trying a different perspective and experiencing something foreign to your everyday life. So long as you treat people and cultures with respect I don't see any problem.
Do you feel the same way about playing a character that is a different sex from yourself, or a different sexual alignment?
Many people play characters that are not who they are.
The game is a GAME. We do it to enjoy ourselves in our imagination and the imaginations of our friends while we tell a fun story.
So long as you don't play your character as a caricature of who Hollywood has told you a Black Lesbian (woman) is, then you should be OK, I think. But, I've never heard of a setting where there are Americans, so unless you are playing something that is in the modern western hemisphere there would be no such thing as African Americans.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
If you feel like you shouldn't play her you don't have to, but its your decision
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Naibs of Dune, I'm the supreme meowster of the cult of cats!, Head lobotomizer of the OIADSB cult, I've got a thieves guild, come join, Warlock main in D2.
Don't forget to love each other!
I play characters at taverns.
[ He/him ] [Shout out to my 11 followers] [ If you think I haven't responded to something check my posts.]
Join Calius & Kothar industries. We have good pay, plus dental! see tavern for details
Would it be a problem if a black person role played as a white person?
It's not really an equivalent scenario. We don't exist in some sort of vacuum where history (including present day) is different than what it was. There are considerations that apply to the scenario in the OP that don't apply to this one. I'm not someone in a position to assuage or condemn the OP. I don't know whom they'd be called out by. I just do get why the OP might be seeking some perspective here.
OTOH they say you should write what you know and that includes RPing. Unless you have a lot of exposure to the African American experience (probably through talking to friends or family) I wouldn’t recommend it. But I wouldn’t call you out for it either.
And before anyone says “DMs/Storytellers play lots of characters who aren’t derived from their personal experience” there’s a world of difference between playing an NPC and playing a PC. And even NPCs should be as authentic as possible.
From a moral and ethical point of view, so L as you're being respectful of the culture etc, it's fine. Just avoid trying to be a stereotype and have them be a real and actual character.
If you're concerned someone is going to call you out, you should be asking them, not us. What we think or say will have no bearing on what they'll think or say. If you think you'll offend them, talk to them and see what they think. Then they won't call you out on it.
If you think it would be bad...then don't do it? If you're not in a secure enough position in yourself to know the limits, then you don't know own the limits and you're not ready for it. If you think it's a bad thing, then regardless of what we say, you shouldn't do it. No one should ever persuade you to act against your conscience. Just do a white person or something, a role that you feel comfortable with. The black character can wait until you are comfortable with doing so - if that day ever arrives.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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.
I can't speak for your table, but as long as you're avoiding stereotypes it should be fine. If you're concerned about it talk to your DM and fellow players about it.
If there's someone in your group you're worried about bothering with this character, have a word with them. Tell them you're not looking to make fun of African Americans with the character and are hoping for some pointers on how to portray the lady properly. Get them on board with helping you get the fullest experience the game can give you and turn a sticky situation into a learning experience.
Or, if the player in question asks you not to for whichever reason they choose? Accommodate their request and try something else.
It shouldn't usually be a big deal to play a character of a different ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or even species as yourself, so long as you're not using the character to take cheap potshots at a minority group. D&D characters, by and large, are heroes - if you're playing ther game properly, your character should be a credit to their whatever-they-may-be. And if they aren't, it's not because they're black or gay or whatever else, it's usually because they're a 'Chaotic Neutral' disruptive hyper klepto that isn't taking the game seriously. That's not a problem of representation, that's a problem of somebody being an *******.
Would it be a problem if a black person role played as a white person?
It's not really an equivalent scenario. We don't exist in some sort of vacuum where history (including present day) is different than what it was. There are considerations that apply to the scenario in the OP that don't apply to this one. I'm not someone in a position to assuage or condemn the OP. I don't know whom they'd be called out by. I just do get why the OP might be seeking some perspective here.
I agree perspective is good. However, as I said before, if the OP is respectful and avoids stereotypical caricatures then I think it is absolutely fine.
I get how you'd be nervous playing a black character that also has an affliction that makes them beastial and violent, given that that was/is the racist view of black people for most of modern history.
If you're uncomfortable playing the character, maybe have a talk with your group about it. See if you can come up with a way to RP it without leaning into stereotype, maybe focus on how the character and the wolf side are separate entities in RP, see if your group has any advice, and if you're still uncomfortable playing a character with all this real-world context, consider playing a different character.
Tldr though; if you're not comfortable with it, or you think someone at your table won't be, maybe err on the side of caution and go with a different character.
I understand and respect your desire to be respectful of other people, you are on the right track. And I agree with others about avoiding stereotypes. And at first blush, a white guy wanting to play a black lesbian seems a bit like there could be some fetishizing going on. I’m not saying there is, I obviously don’t know you; I’m saying be careful to avoid that. And as Charlestheplant said, making a black person a half-animal which sometimes loses control over their body is problematic. But I have to say, it’s not likely your character can be African-American in a world where neither Africa nor America exists. I’d focus more on playing a character who’s upbringing and cultural norms reflect whatever part of the fantasy world they are from. If you are doing that, there should be no problem. Which is really all the more reason to avoid real world stereotypes, because any you introduce into your character would be purely based on you bringing them in. It would be like saying all people in all realities that have dark skin behave the same way — that would obviously be wrong.
Finally, I find it odd you say “she is …” She’s only that way because you made her that way. If you think there might be a problem, then it’s pretty easy for you to type different words into those boxes on the character sheet.
The key question is about why you want to play her.
If you want to play an african-american inspired character (who, presumably, is not from africa as it's a fantasy world, but comes from an ethnically similar background) because you think that it really adds to her character and you want to have a dark-skinned human (at the end of the day, you can't have a real-world ethnicity if it's not in the real world) from a place where they have cultures which are different to those of the dwarves or the elves, then you're adding to the game.
Put it another way - if you made your character a Loxodon who comes from that same background, would it be problematic?
You need to be respectful, and honetly, the best way to do that is to only use it as a foundation and not to conform to stereotypes. If you wanted to base a culture in dnd off of the america indians, you might start with them as a base, then add that they awakened trees to protect their paths, rode wyverns, and were predominantly short round people made of stone. Suddenly, the bits you wanted are there, but you're not playing an american indian in dnd, you're playing someone from a similar culture.
So, if the only reason you want her to be a dark skinned human is because you want her to have that ethnic background (IE, the culture of where she's from) then I'd say drop it. She could be any race, colour, or species, and it would still make sense for her to have that background in D&D. The more things you can change, the less it feels like you're shoehorning a real-world culture into a game, instead of being inspired by it.
Ultimately, it will come down to your group, but there are historical things in the real world hwich are best avoided in anything. You can make a character who was enslaved as a gladiator and fought their way to freedom, and no-one will care. But if you make the same character as a slave who escaped, and then make them a human race who was stereotypically enslaved, you will be treading on some ground which you have no need to tread on.
So im making a werewolf character and im not sure if I should even RP her because she is African American, considering im white, I feel like it would be bad. I feel like it would be bad if I played as her because of the race issue, I don't want to get called out because of it. Is it ok?
I do not want this to come across as dismissive, but no one else has asked it yet. If you are making the character, why did you choose a race which you arent comfortable RPing? Is there are reason this character needs to be African American? Is there some external influence forcing this character to be that way?
Alot of other responders have given a better perspective to the dilemma you are having, but it seems to me the easiest solution would be to simply change the character's race. There's no point in making a character that is going to make you feel uneasy and uncomfortable the entire time you play it.
Unfortunately, if you are set on this character being African American I am not sure I can offer any better insight into your dilemma.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Three-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews!Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
The key question is about why you want to play her.
If you want to play an african-american inspired character (who, presumably, is not from africa as it's a fantasy world, but comes from an ethnically similar background) because you think that it really adds to her character and you want to have a dark-skinned human (at the end of the day, you can't have a real-world ethnicity if it's not in the real world) from a place where they have cultures which are different to those of the dwarves or the elves, then you're adding to the game.
Put it another way - if you made your character a Loxodon who comes from that same background, would it be problematic?
You need to be respectful, and honetly, the best way to do that is to only use it as a foundation and not to conform to stereotypes. If you wanted to base a culture in dnd off of the america indians, you might start with them as a base, then add that they awakened trees to protect their paths, rode wyverns, and were predominantly short round people made of stone. Suddenly, the bits you wanted are there, but you're not playing an american indian in dnd, you're playing someone from a similar culture.
So, if the only reason you want her to be a dark skinned human is because you want her to have that ethnic background (IE, the culture of where she's from) then I'd say drop it. She could be any race, colour, or species, and it would still make sense for her to have that background in D&D. The more things you can change, the less it feels like you're shoehorning a real-world culture into a game, instead of being inspired by it.
Ultimately, it will come down to your group, but there are historical things in the real world hwich are best avoided in anything. You can make a character who was enslaved as a gladiator and fought their way to freedom, and no-one will care. But if you make the same character as a slave who escaped, and then make them a human race who was stereotypically enslaved, you will be treading on some ground which you have no need to tread on.
I was assuming the game OP was playing takes place in the real world, otherwise yeah "africa" and "America" wouldn't exist and would have no meaning, and any racial baggage would have to be included through racial coding, which typically works poorly whenever applied.
OP, does your game take place on Earth or is it a fantasy world?
I would think about what aspects of the character you intend to explore. The why is really important here. I'm assuming you made your character African-American because you want to explore/experience some aspect of what you perceive it is to be African American. As noted above, neither of those geographical places exist in D&D, so you should probably think about a fantasy analogue that would allow you to explore the same themes.
Are you looking to explore some aspect of the culture? Pick a D&D race that may have similar customs or work with your DM to figure out what culture might be able to represent those aspects in the campaign.
Are you looking to explore some aspect of the historical struggles of African Americans? Again, work with your DM to determine what in-game cultures may have a similar history and explore the themes through that race.
And while you're talking with the DM about this, make sure the players are on board too. Games can vary widely in tone and exploring serious themes is not always appropriate or desired.
All of the above holds true with the lesbian also. I rarely write down the sexuality of my character because it's simply not relevant to the types of adventures we play. Who I sleep with doesn't change how I deal with virtually every other decision in my life. Now if you're talking about the cultural/societal issues surrounding sexuality - i.e. you want to play someone who is treated the way you perceive a lesbian is treated in our society - I think that's another thing to run by your DM and the rest of the group. For all you know, the game may take place among a tribe of Amazonians where lesbians are the "normies."
tl;dr - figure out the aspects of society and culture that you're actually wanting to explore and talk out with your DM how those aspects might fit into their fantasy world.
So im making a werewolf character and im not sure if I should even RP her because she is African American, considering im white, I feel like it would be bad. I feel like it would be bad if I played as her because of the race issue, I don't want to get called out because of it. Is it ok?
Name: Selena Harpshire
Sexuality: lesbian
Age: 25
Race: African american/ werewolf.
If you're in a campaign setting that has an Africa and an America, then being from those backgrounds is no different than being from a particular country on the Sword Coast. But that's also not a "race" - in 5E terms, your race is your species. In this case, you'd be a presumably ex-human werewolf (do you have permission from your DM? Ordinarily lycanthropy turns you into an NPC).
That does! I assumed the OP was talking about the White Wolf RPG Werewolf the Apocalypse. In that case I definitely wouldn’t call them out for playing an African American character.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
So im making a werewolf character and im not sure if I should even RP her because she is African American, considering im white, I feel like it would be bad. I feel like it would be bad if I played as her because of the race issue, I don't want to get called out because of it. Is it ok?
Name: Selena Harpshire
Sexuality: lesbian
Age: 25
Race: African american/ werewolf.
"Forgive the mess, I am trying to regain my sanity again."
[Taken by my gourmand boyfriend]
Would it be a problem if a black person role played as a white person?
Is it a problem if a man RPs as a woman or the opposite?
Of course not, this is all pretend at the end of the day and it's no more a problem than playing as an orc or a dwarf.
If you want to explore a different ethnicity and culture then that should be celebrated not shamed.
I would just say try and make it as authentic as possible and avoid stereotypes.
One of the benefits of roleplaying is trying a different perspective and experiencing something foreign to your everyday life. So long as you treat people and cultures with respect I don't see any problem.
Do you feel the same way about playing a character that is a different sex from yourself, or a different sexual alignment?
Many people play characters that are not who they are.
The game is a GAME. We do it to enjoy ourselves in our imagination and the imaginations of our friends while we tell a fun story.
So long as you don't play your character as a caricature of who Hollywood has told you a Black Lesbian (woman) is, then you should be OK, I think. But, I've never heard of a setting where there are Americans, so unless you are playing something that is in the modern western hemisphere there would be no such thing as African Americans.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
If you feel like you shouldn't play her you don't have to, but its your decision
Naibs of Dune, I'm the supreme meowster of the cult of cats!, Head lobotomizer of the OIADSB cult, I've got a thieves guild, come join, Warlock main in D2.
Don't forget to love each other!
I play characters at taverns.
[ He/him ] [Shout out to my 11 followers] [ If you think I haven't responded to something check my posts.]
Join Calius & Kothar industries. We have good pay, plus dental! see tavern for details
It's not really an equivalent scenario. We don't exist in some sort of vacuum where history (including present day) is different than what it was. There are considerations that apply to the scenario in the OP that don't apply to this one. I'm not someone in a position to assuage or condemn the OP. I don't know whom they'd be called out by. I just do get why the OP might be seeking some perspective here.
OTOH they say you should write what you know and that includes RPing. Unless you have a lot of exposure to the African American experience (probably through talking to friends or family) I wouldn’t recommend it. But I wouldn’t call you out for it either.
And before anyone says “DMs/Storytellers play lots of characters who aren’t derived from their personal experience” there’s a world of difference between playing an NPC and playing a PC. And even NPCs should be as authentic as possible.
From a moral and ethical point of view, so L as you're being respectful of the culture etc, it's fine. Just avoid trying to be a stereotype and have them be a real and actual character.
If you're concerned someone is going to call you out, you should be asking them, not us. What we think or say will have no bearing on what they'll think or say. If you think you'll offend them, talk to them and see what they think. Then they won't call you out on it.
If you think it would be bad...then don't do it? If you're not in a secure enough position in yourself to know the limits, then you don't know own the limits and you're not ready for it. If you think it's a bad thing, then regardless of what we say, you shouldn't do it. No one should ever persuade you to act against your conscience. Just do a white person or something, a role that you feel comfortable with. The black character can wait until you are comfortable with doing so - if that day ever arrives.
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.
I can't speak for your table, but as long as you're avoiding stereotypes it should be fine. If you're concerned about it talk to your DM and fellow players about it.
If there's someone in your group you're worried about bothering with this character, have a word with them. Tell them you're not looking to make fun of African Americans with the character and are hoping for some pointers on how to portray the lady properly. Get them on board with helping you get the fullest experience the game can give you and turn a sticky situation into a learning experience.
Or, if the player in question asks you not to for whichever reason they choose? Accommodate their request and try something else.
It shouldn't usually be a big deal to play a character of a different ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or even species as yourself, so long as you're not using the character to take cheap potshots at a minority group. D&D characters, by and large, are heroes - if you're playing ther game properly, your character should be a credit to their whatever-they-may-be. And if they aren't, it's not because they're black or gay or whatever else, it's usually because they're a 'Chaotic Neutral' disruptive hyper klepto that isn't taking the game seriously. That's not a problem of representation, that's a problem of somebody being an *******.
Please do not contact or message me.
I agree perspective is good. However, as I said before, if the OP is respectful and avoids stereotypical caricatures then I think it is absolutely fine.
I get how you'd be nervous playing a black character that also has an affliction that makes them beastial and violent, given that that was/is the racist view of black people for most of modern history.
If you're uncomfortable playing the character, maybe have a talk with your group about it. See if you can come up with a way to RP it without leaning into stereotype, maybe focus on how the character and the wolf side are separate entities in RP, see if your group has any advice, and if you're still uncomfortable playing a character with all this real-world context, consider playing a different character.
Tldr though; if you're not comfortable with it, or you think someone at your table won't be, maybe err on the side of caution and go with a different character.
I understand and respect your desire to be respectful of other people, you are on the right track. And I agree with others about avoiding stereotypes. And at first blush, a white guy wanting to play a black lesbian seems a bit like there could be some fetishizing going on. I’m not saying there is, I obviously don’t know you; I’m saying be careful to avoid that. And as Charlestheplant said, making a black person a half-animal which sometimes loses control over their body is problematic.
But I have to say, it’s not likely your character can be African-American in a world where neither Africa nor America exists. I’d focus more on playing a character who’s upbringing and cultural norms reflect whatever part of the fantasy world they are from. If you are doing that, there should be no problem. Which is really all the more reason to avoid real world stereotypes, because any you introduce into your character would be purely based on you bringing them in. It would be like saying all people in all realities that have dark skin behave the same way — that would obviously be wrong.
Finally, I find it odd you say “she is …” She’s only that way because you made her that way. If you think there might be a problem, then it’s pretty easy for you to type different words into those boxes on the character sheet.
The key question is about why you want to play her.
If you want to play an african-american inspired character (who, presumably, is not from africa as it's a fantasy world, but comes from an ethnically similar background) because you think that it really adds to her character and you want to have a dark-skinned human (at the end of the day, you can't have a real-world ethnicity if it's not in the real world) from a place where they have cultures which are different to those of the dwarves or the elves, then you're adding to the game.
Put it another way - if you made your character a Loxodon who comes from that same background, would it be problematic?
You need to be respectful, and honetly, the best way to do that is to only use it as a foundation and not to conform to stereotypes. If you wanted to base a culture in dnd off of the america indians, you might start with them as a base, then add that they awakened trees to protect their paths, rode wyverns, and were predominantly short round people made of stone. Suddenly, the bits you wanted are there, but you're not playing an american indian in dnd, you're playing someone from a similar culture.
So, if the only reason you want her to be a dark skinned human is because you want her to have that ethnic background (IE, the culture of where she's from) then I'd say drop it. She could be any race, colour, or species, and it would still make sense for her to have that background in D&D. The more things you can change, the less it feels like you're shoehorning a real-world culture into a game, instead of being inspired by it.
Ultimately, it will come down to your group, but there are historical things in the real world hwich are best avoided in anything. You can make a character who was enslaved as a gladiator and fought their way to freedom, and no-one will care. But if you make the same character as a slave who escaped, and then make them a human race who was stereotypically enslaved, you will be treading on some ground which you have no need to tread on.
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
I do not want this to come across as dismissive, but no one else has asked it yet. If you are making the character, why did you choose a race which you arent comfortable RPing? Is there are reason this character needs to be African American? Is there some external influence forcing this character to be that way?
Alot of other responders have given a better perspective to the dilemma you are having, but it seems to me the easiest solution would be to simply change the character's race. There's no point in making a character that is going to make you feel uneasy and uncomfortable the entire time you play it.
Unfortunately, if you are set on this character being African American I am not sure I can offer any better insight into your dilemma.
Three-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews! Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
I was assuming the game OP was playing takes place in the real world, otherwise yeah "africa" and "America" wouldn't exist and would have no meaning, and any racial baggage would have to be included through racial coding, which typically works poorly whenever applied.
OP, does your game take place on Earth or is it a fantasy world?
I would think about what aspects of the character you intend to explore. The why is really important here. I'm assuming you made your character African-American because you want to explore/experience some aspect of what you perceive it is to be African American. As noted above, neither of those geographical places exist in D&D, so you should probably think about a fantasy analogue that would allow you to explore the same themes.
Are you looking to explore some aspect of the culture? Pick a D&D race that may have similar customs or work with your DM to figure out what culture might be able to represent those aspects in the campaign.
Are you looking to explore some aspect of the historical struggles of African Americans? Again, work with your DM to determine what in-game cultures may have a similar history and explore the themes through that race.
And while you're talking with the DM about this, make sure the players are on board too. Games can vary widely in tone and exploring serious themes is not always appropriate or desired.
All of the above holds true with the lesbian also. I rarely write down the sexuality of my character because it's simply not relevant to the types of adventures we play. Who I sleep with doesn't change how I deal with virtually every other decision in my life. Now if you're talking about the cultural/societal issues surrounding sexuality - i.e. you want to play someone who is treated the way you perceive a lesbian is treated in our society - I think that's another thing to run by your DM and the rest of the group. For all you know, the game may take place among a tribe of Amazonians where lesbians are the "normies."
tl;dr - figure out the aspects of society and culture that you're actually wanting to explore and talk out with your DM how those aspects might fit into their fantasy world.
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
If you're in a campaign setting that has an Africa and an America, then being from those backgrounds is no different than being from a particular country on the Sword Coast. But that's also not a "race" - in 5E terms, your race is your species. In this case, you'd be a presumably ex-human werewolf (do you have permission from your DM? Ordinarily lycanthropy turns you into an NPC).
by the way, I roleplay with wendigo. this is on the Tales of adventurers tavern, maybe that will clear things up
N/A
That does! I assumed the OP was talking about the White Wolf RPG Werewolf the Apocalypse. In that case I definitely wouldn’t call them out for playing an African American character.