no rp exp
- Thread starter Zevanosh
- Start date
Wik
First Post
Well. Is everyone having fun? Cuz if they are, problem solved. If you guys have been playing for five years, it sounds like stuff is working, more or less, so why fix what ain't broken?
If you do want to add RP, your best bet is just to talk to your group. If you want to play "an rp scenario", then you can Roleplay. If you're a player, Roleplay with other PCs, see if you can strike up incharacter conversations. If you're a GM, try setting up scenarios where role-playing is the best solution.
Don't try to force players into what you want, though. If they're fine with an RP-lite campaign, the worst thing you can do is try to force them into a game where everyone is talking in funny voices and getting into a three-hour debate over what to wear for the king's costume party.
If you do want to add RP, your best bet is just to talk to your group. If you want to play "an rp scenario", then you can Roleplay. If you're a player, Roleplay with other PCs, see if you can strike up incharacter conversations. If you're a GM, try setting up scenarios where role-playing is the best solution.
Don't try to force players into what you want, though. If they're fine with an RP-lite campaign, the worst thing you can do is try to force them into a game where everyone is talking in funny voices and getting into a three-hour debate over what to wear for the king's costume party.
Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
Give a +2 bonus for description, to whatever's appropriate -- to-hit, damage, skill checks, heal rolls, spell damage, etc. That's done it with players I know.
Also, the biggest strength of pen and paper games, IMO, is in situations that can't just be handled by throwing dice. The more a group stops facing situations that can be solved with a battle axe, and more with problem solving and diplomacy, the more roleplaying will come into play, especially when used with a "you'll need to RP to get enough bonuses to succeed" system being used.
Also, the biggest strength of pen and paper games, IMO, is in situations that can't just be handled by throwing dice. The more a group stops facing situations that can be solved with a battle axe, and more with problem solving and diplomacy, the more roleplaying will come into play, especially when used with a "you'll need to RP to get enough bonuses to succeed" system being used.
howandwhy99
Adventurer
Don't use stats. If you want character play numbers are not going to be your friend. They are going to take you out of character in order to reference them.
If you want full on descriptions with qualitative, but not mechanical game effects, then most rules light games work. Simple is better for resolution of the storytelling. R-S-P for instance.
If you want heavy and complex mechanical effects and a narrated description, then add more code / rules behind the screen. This will still be limited by the bulk of what the DM has to track, but each action will have a degree of mechanical meaningfulness regardless of the players' desire for it to have meaning.
Or play everything in front of the screen as you have, but then the mechanics are going to get in you face and limit descriptions. Well, in my experience and yours to by your post.
If you want full on descriptions with qualitative, but not mechanical game effects, then most rules light games work. Simple is better for resolution of the storytelling. R-S-P for instance.
If you want heavy and complex mechanical effects and a narrated description, then add more code / rules behind the screen. This will still be limited by the bulk of what the DM has to track, but each action will have a degree of mechanical meaningfulness regardless of the players' desire for it to have meaning.
Or play everything in front of the screen as you have, but then the mechanics are going to get in you face and limit descriptions. Well, in my experience and yours to by your post.
Asmor
First Post
RP doesn't happen spontaneously. Well, sometimes it does. But, especially when your group's not used to it, you need to make it happen.
Set up a situation that can't (or, at least, really, really shouldn't) be solved through combat. For example, the PCs need to get information from an NPC, or need to persuade an NPC.
Roleplay the NPC yourself. Be over the top. Be ridiculous and goofy. If you don't feel like you're making an ass out of yourself, then you're not doing it right. The key is to get the players laughing and involved with the character himself.
If (or more likely when) the players say something like, "Ok, can I roll Diplomacy?", tell them "Yes, but if you do it in character I'll give you a +5 bonus on the roll." Don't force them to... but strongly encourage them to.
Set up a situation that can't (or, at least, really, really shouldn't) be solved through combat. For example, the PCs need to get information from an NPC, or need to persuade an NPC.
Roleplay the NPC yourself. Be over the top. Be ridiculous and goofy. If you don't feel like you're making an ass out of yourself, then you're not doing it right. The key is to get the players laughing and involved with the character himself.
If (or more likely when) the players say something like, "Ok, can I roll Diplomacy?", tell them "Yes, but if you do it in character I'll give you a +5 bonus on the roll." Don't force them to... but strongly encourage them to.
Dice4Hire
First Post
Yeah, I second (third?) the suggestion to make RP happen. I used a deck of Everway cards (I think Everway) to have characters tell stories about themselves, incorporating the general idea of the cards. The idea of thee cards is a concept, that goes two ways, depending on which way the card is drawn. Then the player puts this concept in the story. Sometimes it is hard, but it made for far more interesting backgrounds, especially for the poor roleplayer in my group.
Are you a player or the GM? I mostly GM, so don't have so much to suggest to players. I guess if you want more in character dialogue, you could start doing it yourself. And if you want the rest of the group to get more engaged with the gameworld, you could start doing that yourself too (eg set a goal for your PC that is a meaningful ingame goal that will drive roleplaying - maybe your goal is to really embarassas an NPC rival/enemy in front of the king, so s/he will be driven out of the land in shame - and now you have a reason to do things like expose that NPCs wicked ways, or perhaps to frame the NPC, or whatever, so your adventures can be about more than just killing things and looting).
If you're the GM, then I would suggest that you set up situations and adventures that require the players to engage more with the gameworld. So have combats and other situations that enage non mechanical aspects of the PCs. In my game I've had the PCs have to rescue an imprisoned family member before the bad guys can kill him/her, I've had NPC rivals return from the dead as undead to haunt the PCs, I've had a fight in a library that the PCs were searching, so they had to be careful not to destroy the books whilst killing the enemy, etc.
I recently posted an example of how I set up a scenario that really required the PCs to think about and explore the gameworld here
If you're the GM, then I would suggest that you set up situations and adventures that require the players to engage more with the gameworld. So have combats and other situations that enage non mechanical aspects of the PCs. In my game I've had the PCs have to rescue an imprisoned family member before the bad guys can kill him/her, I've had NPC rivals return from the dead as undead to haunt the PCs, I've had a fight in a library that the PCs were searching, so they had to be careful not to destroy the books whilst killing the enemy, etc.
I recently posted an example of how I set up a scenario that really required the PCs to think about and explore the gameworld here
JustKim
First Post
Lead by example. If you want to see more roleplaying, do more roleplaying. Make people want to join in of their own volition, not because they're afraid of missing out on points.
Rewarding players for roleplaying is IMO not a good system. It can lead to resentment and you will most likely end up with people trying to anticipate what will get them rewarded rather than doing what they want their characters to do. I admit to falling prey to that mentality while playing Exalted, which rewards players for descriptive action. The Exalted stunting system is nice in theory but what it really encouraged was entertaining the GM, not expressing my creativity. And that's frustrating.
I also disagree with the advice of putting the characters in a situation that they must roleplay out of. Forcing someone to do something is a poor motivator, and you could end up with players avoiding situations where forced roleplaying is possible. You know, turning down your well-crafted quests, blasting your NPCs from a distance or attacking as soon as the dialog starts.
Pay attention to characters' goals, motivations, and personalities. See if you can use those details to get a character involved in a small roleplaying exchange. Test the waters, and if the player goes for it, weave a larger story around it. If the character has background details, work those into your story somehow. But don't throw it in the character's face or you may make them regret detailing their background.
Some people are shy about roleplaying and some people are just plain not interested. D&D is a game about combat with campy roots, so people don't necessarily go into it with the same expectations you have.
Rewarding players for roleplaying is IMO not a good system. It can lead to resentment and you will most likely end up with people trying to anticipate what will get them rewarded rather than doing what they want their characters to do. I admit to falling prey to that mentality while playing Exalted, which rewards players for descriptive action. The Exalted stunting system is nice in theory but what it really encouraged was entertaining the GM, not expressing my creativity. And that's frustrating.
I also disagree with the advice of putting the characters in a situation that they must roleplay out of. Forcing someone to do something is a poor motivator, and you could end up with players avoiding situations where forced roleplaying is possible. You know, turning down your well-crafted quests, blasting your NPCs from a distance or attacking as soon as the dialog starts.
Pay attention to characters' goals, motivations, and personalities. See if you can use those details to get a character involved in a small roleplaying exchange. Test the waters, and if the player goes for it, weave a larger story around it. If the character has background details, work those into your story somehow. But don't throw it in the character's face or you may make them regret detailing their background.
Some people are shy about roleplaying and some people are just plain not interested. D&D is a game about combat with campy roots, so people don't necessarily go into it with the same expectations you have.
Neonchameleon
Legend
Play Wushu for a bit. Then go back to your preferred edition of D&D and grant +1 to hit for describing attacks. (That's if you want to keep a combat heavy game).
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