[RPG] How to roleplay a character arc without the GM or group’s prior knowledge

character-developmentpathfinder-1eroleplaying

I'm setting up a character to have an arc, but I want to hide my intentions from my GM and the party.

Specifically, I created a rogue who lived as an urchin until meeting the party. He had no combat experience prior to meeting them, but they bought him a cheap dagger and a leather bladestopper, seeing potential in his sleight-of-hand. I plan for him to slowly become caught up in the massacre of an RPG, until he reaches a point where bloodlust is his only joy in life. I already have some plans, like moving from primarily social and evasive feats to brutal combat-based ones, and of course drifting towards the Evil end of the neutral scale in his actions… so, how can I do this all subtly enough that the group doesn't realize until it's too late, all while avoiding the perils of "My Guy" syndrome?

(Why?, you ask? My group are very much believers in forced method acting, and avoiding out-of-character knowledge like the plague. If I could both pull off a subtle but sure insanity character arc, and pull off revealing it at the same speed for the players as for their characters? Hoo boy, that'd be marvelous for everyone.)

Best Answer

Well, this kind of psychological change is inevitably going to show up in the character's behaviour to some extent, unless he's a really gifted actor. So I think you need to tell the GM, so that he can play NPCs' reactions to this. If you can't trust the GM not to tip your hand, then you are trying something too subtle and/or complicated for the group, and need a different group.

It seems legitimate to let the other players realise what's going on from your character's behaviour, but be warned that they may realise this much earlier or later than you intend. This is a fact of life in role-playing: it's a shared creation, and you can't decide what other players will do or think.

It's very possible that if the players realise what's going on before your character has become utterly bloodthirsty, they will try to save you from this fate. They are entitled to try to do that. They have, after all, taken you on as a companion whom they trust in dangerous situations. You wouldn't complain about them saving your character's life down a dungeon; they can reasonably try to save him from the effects of PTSD.

Besides, an arc where you suffer and are redeemed seems more interesting than one where you become a dedicated killer and are likely executed for it in the end.