#i have an uncanny knack for making all the local characters like me

[cosmogenous]

a stranger helped me find the store i needed to get to and gave me a hug. also told me about her NINE children and her heart problems. i gave her my shopping bag so she could carry a dvd player home from the thrift shop a bit easier.

[leam1983]

I'm usually in the opposite situation. My two best IRL friends play shockingly regular Fighters and Rogues. They're not blank, but they're not as outlandish as you can get in the context of D&D. Seeing this, I opted to give my DM and friend a friendly middle-finger and designed what's possibly the most neurotic, comically self-obsessed Illithid rogue who really wishes he were an Alhoon, and I heavily lean into the "so evil it's actually funny" side of playing a character whose alignment is diametrically opposed to everyone else's.

I deliberately set up Krool, my Level 14 Illithid Rogue, so he has an uncanny knack at being offensive in public settings, and have him behave like a Vulcan who thinks complimenting surface-dwellers on the "appetizing qualities of their intellect" is totally acceptable.

Gunther the Human Fighter: "Thanks for the info, barkeep."

Krool the Illithid: "Yes, thank you - I'd offer to sample your intellect, but we're unfortunately short on time. I do hope you realize what a tremendous honor this is; I tend to find intellectual sustenance among the local rabble, in normal circumstances..."

If I can creep out NPCs or turn a simple snatch-and-grab into "snatch, grab and run from the local pitchfork-toting mob", I absolutely will. I'll have Krool grab kindergarteners by the ankles and just lean forward slightly, one hand behind his back, like he's trying to study them or to figure out what makes kids tick by shaking them until their pockets are empty. I'll have him come across as an unrepentant Lothario, only to make it obvious that he'd planned his apparent tryst with a local noblewoman to a) expose her weapons-trafficking operation and b) snack on some suitably Evil-aligned brains.

My DM: "So all your points dumped into Charisma..."

Me, in-character: "All part of the ruse, dear sir. Lady Cristabella wasn't even bothering with encapsulation of her resources; what makes you think I had any intentions of eloping with a common thief with delusions of aristocratic standing?! I strung her along to lower her defenses, purely and simply."

Gunther's player: "So when you mentioned you were starting to... understand human emotions thanks to her; were you...?"

Me, in-character, failing to mention that Krool has his fingers crossed behind his back: "A necessary deception, my dear sellsword. Let's not dawdle, I'd like to, er, borrow a few spells from the local wizards' academy before the day ends."

My DM: "Are you going to kill our questgiver, Grem?"

Me, still IC: "Why, you insult me with such base suppositions! I will do no such thing, sir; I've my standards as a purveyor of services! Now, once all business has been transacted..."

My DM: *groans, realizing he'll have to bullshit himself a stat block he hadn't planned on*

CT, have you ever played D&D? and what class do you play/think you would play?

I enjoy D&D. I play human fighters.