@Coin said in Where do you draw the line in having your character take what would otherwise be an "IC" action for them?:
Too many long-winded replies to read.
My answer is pretty straightforward: whatever I, the player, decide the character is going to do, is what is IC for the character.
Source: MY REAL LIFE FUCKING EXPERIENCE.
I am a fully fleshed out real life person who makes real life decisions on a daily basis and those decisions do not, under any criteria ever posited by any roleplayer (or critic of television or literature), follow any sort of consistency.
While what @Coin said is true on one level-- ultimately you the writer is responsible for what the character does and whatever you decide is right-- I think it dismisses character-building that goes on in my head, at least.
My characters aren't perfectly consistent, but they have habits, they have different personalities and drives, and aren't just arbitrary. And I, as a fully fleshed out real life person, am fairly consistent. I try to approach that level of consistency with my characters, too.
I try to be true to my character and what I call "the Voice I hear in my head" when a character reaches a certain level of depth. That said, previous comment indicated this is never an excuse, and when it comes to having a fun environment I'll adjust it within reason. (If I adjust too much I might lose the Voice and maybe that is just a character that isn't fun in the current environment/play-group to play-- so maybe I should consider dropping it)