D&D 5E Actors Having a Tough Time Roleplaying

[pontinyc]

Hi All,

Looking for some advice. Hopefully this poor horse hasn't been flogged too much already. Will try to make this short. I'm running a converted Rise of the Runelords campaign in which I and three of the four players are professional actors. However, getting roleplay going around the table is pretty difficult. They've all been playing a very meta style of D&D for a long time so it's a new idea for them to really jump into the roleplay wholeheartedly. They've stated that they're enjoying themselves a lot, that they love this gaming style, and are always eager to get around the table, but once there, they really tend to slip back into the meta approach. I really don't want to corner them into playing the game in a way that they don't want to but the potential for really great roleplay is there (actors) and they claim that they're open to it.

What I've done to encourage rp:

1.) Had them all write backstories and have incorporated those into the campaign.
2.) Made sure that I'm leading the way (actively roleplaying all npc's, combat encounters, descriptions, etc.)
3.) Doled out inspiration for good roleplay.
4.) Asked them to describe, "What does it look like when you X (finish the big bad, pass out drunk, etc.)
5.) Asked them how their pc feels when X happens (they learn their father is still alive, etc.)
6.) Pointed them to videos of sessions which are roleplay heavy (Fistful of Dice's Provokers Campaign, etc.)
7.) Written a review of each session in third person, essentially an ongoing fictional account of the campaign.

Still. . . not much progress. As I say, they may just not be up for it, which is fine. But they keep stating otherwise.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much in advance!

 

[Mishihari Lord]

This is a really obvious approach so you've probably already tried it, but explain how roleplaying is essentially Method acting lite.

 

[pontinyc]

You bring up a good point, Mishihari Lord, in that we've done everything but have a very candid conversation about the whole thing. I think I'm shying away from that a bit because I don't want the whole thing to get too heady or feel more like a job or chore than a game. But that may be exactly what's necessary to sort of start the snowball heading down the hill.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

Merely describing behavior as "meta" is somewhat vague. But it sounds to me like you're possibly overthinking things a bit. In my opinion / experience requiring excessive descriptions of personal feelings / physical acts / lengthy backstories actually bogs down play and personal creativity. Some things I might attempt: Require all speech with NPCs to be in-character. Try to limit speech at the table to in-character communications and physical descriptions. (Or at least attempt to reduce unrelated discussion to reasonable and manageable levels). Try to present descriptions to the characters based on your perception as DM of their personal perspectives. To a warrior, that thing they pass might merely be a tree; to a druid, it's a sickly-looking northern Ashthorn. Either way - if you want the players to be engaged make sure you KEEP THINGS MOVING.

 

[spectacle]

Try to play a different, more rules-light game than D&D with them. That should make it easier for them to break the old habits, and once they've gotten used to playing in character you can go back to D&D.

 

[pukunui]

Something to consider: if these guys are professional actors, then maybe they just want a break from acting when they sit at the table to play a game. If they're happy with the status quo, then why not just leave them be? Now, granted, it's clear you're not happy with the status quo. This is something I've struggled with myself for many years. No amount of leading by example made any difference. No carrots. No sticks. What it took was simply the right group of people. I now have a group who have gelled really well and they've upped the roleplaying all on their own with very little prompting from me.

 

[Uchawi]

That is my thought as well. They want a break from acting, and they probably will not appreciate being told on how to act. After all they are professionals and enjoy playing D&D as a different experience.

 

[BoldItalic]

I would go with the "let it be" advice, but if you are really worried, try asking them, at the beginning of a session, to make today's session Shakespearean. Or in the style of Chekov or Ibsen. Any well-known playwright.

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts"

 

[Imaculata]

You can't force people to role play, but what you can do is act out all your npc's with great enthusiasm as a DM. If your players enjoy your acting, they might feel encouraged to also act out their characters in the same way. But that should be entirely up to them.

Another trick that I often use, is to tell my players what they feel. Obviously I can't (and shouldn't) control what their character's are literally thinking, nor how they react to things. But I can narrate some of the emotions they feel. I can tell them when they feel uneasy, and why. And this can really help them get into character.

I also make sure that npc's clearly respond to what the players look like, and who they are. If a player is a wizard, then npc's might show respect, or be cautious (if they fear magic). If a player plays a bard, then people might naturally be drawn to him, and listen to what he says. And obviously any creatures affiliated with nature would look more kindly on a Druid. My npc's judge people by how they dress, and this keeps my players alert to the appearance of their character. Are their weapons in plain sight, or are they hidden? Do they dress like an obvious pirate, or are they dressed like a nobleman?

A large part of getting into character, is all about the world responding to the characters.

 

[Mercule]

That is my thought as well. They want a break from acting, and they probably will not appreciate being told on how to act. After all they are professionals and enjoy playing D&D as a different experience.

This was my first thought, too.

I'm a computer programmer. I rarely want to play the techie in a game. Give me the sneak or the face and I'm happier. As I've rolled into team lead type roles at work, I find myself less inclined to take the party leader role in games, too.

Games are a break from reality. Most of us get to play ourselves in "Papers and Paychecks" all day and enjoy putting on a new skin. I could easily see someone who lives a narrativist life wanting a gamist hobby.

Or, it could just be the different "stage" on which they're acting is throwing them off. Having a candid -- and non-judgmental/threatening -- conversation is probably wise.

Try to play a different, more rules-light game than D&D with them. That should make it easier for them to break the old habits, and once they've gotten used to playing in character you can go back to D&D.

I might recommend Fate, which is going to encourage them to help with the character backstories, motivations, etc. It would put them more in the role of co-writer than actor, which might also be a welcome change.