Need Help With Roleplaying, I Seem to be in a D&D Rut

[Umbra]

A good way to develop roleplay is to work closely with one of the other players. Spend a little bit of time discussing how both characters might interact with each other.

Some of the great interactions I participated in were, to a limited extent, pre planned and develop out of the history that builds up between characters. A half orc barbarian I currently play (Onka) hates trolls who destroyed her adoptive tribe. She has become friendly with a mage because she wants fire magic. Onka will go out of her way to protect the mage hoping the mage will gain the spells needed to help wipe out the trolls. The mage who is also a loner is grateful for the protection and will stand up to any racist who has a thing about half orcs. The relationship colors the roleplay for both players as we are looking out for each other.

The reverse can also apply. If you have a good friendship with another player, work with them to create a minor feud between the characters. (NB - do this only if the friend can distinguish between the feud between the characters and the friendship between the players).

I had a priest who was constantly trying to stop a fighter from drinking too much. The feud simmered for months with priest constantly talking about the dangers of drink fighting! while the fighter liked cooking with alcohol.

 

[Amaroq]

One thing you might try is to pick a character from one of your favorite books. In one campaign, I've done exactly that: I took a character in a book I've read over and over. I totally love the character, and pretty much know how the character would react for almost any situation - and if the DM surprises me, well she's surprised, too! In particular, that has really helped me relate to a class which I'd have said "I just don't get" before I started playing it.

The advice to "pick a voice" is very good - good role-players, like actors or writers, find that when they are speaking with the voice, or "in character", they are unable to say anything which the character wouldn't say. For some people, affecting a different voice helps with that. It can help separate 'the character' from 'you', and can also make clear to the DM and players when the characters is asking a question aloud, and when you are asking for clarification. Another trick there is to give yourself some 'stock phrases'. 'By Clangeddin's Beard!' the dwarf says any time he's astounded. Work with it until one day, when the GM surprises you personally, you respond 'By Clangeddin's Beard! ...' and then the next in-character sentence just rolls off your tongue, because you're in-character. It feels particularly good compared with, "Uh, ummm, I guess I say,..."

Another thing I'd say is 'avoid cliche'. If you're relying on a cliched character concept, then you're only setting the character's surface, you aren't creating their depths. What you really want is to know when the character would be really angry, and to know when the character would be deeply hurt, to know what makes them happy, and to know what's important in their mind. A good thing to think of is 'What is my character afraid of?'

Also, remember, playing a role does only work with certain groups. If you're in a group where you want something very different from what everyone else in the group wants, you should consider walking away from that group and finding another one. I've seen a group close friends unable to 'play together' due to differences in the definition of what role-playing was, and also seen that everyone was much happier when the group adjusted to consist of players with a similar definition of what they were after.

Finally, don't limit yourself. Afraid of saying the wrong thing? So what! You'll realize later, "Oh, man, my character would never have said that." Oh well! Who cares? Your character came off a little flat this adventure? You were having an off day. So? .... you can cripple yourself by over-analyzing it, but trust me, this is one realm where its much better to make the attempt and learn by error than to sit silent.

"Just do it!"

And let us know how it goes.

 

[The_lurkeR]

Alot of good advice in this thread. I'll just add one thing here that I've found helpful.

Play a character someone else created. Either an old PC, or an NPC the party knows.

For some reason this seems to break the RP block one can get. This works for DM's too. I just switched off and had one of the players DM a session and what he did with the setting and npd's and adding npc's totally rejuvinated my interest in them.

Good luck

 

[Umbra]

Remember small steps. Don't try to do everything at once.

If you have trouble with a "voice" be it an accent or just a change in tone, physically change the way you talk.

I can't maintain an accent so when I speak for my half orc, I roll my lower lip back over my bottom teeth and speak as normally as possible (simulating all those teeth).

My hyperactive halfling talks quickly without much regard to the bull manure that is produced.

The dumb but wise cleric/monk speaks slowly with simple words.

A druid's head hangs forward and down over the table like a vulture. etc


What are you playing at the moment and what are the other characters in your game?

 

[Agemegos]

How well-detailed is the setting you play in? Do you know what a typical person aspires to? Respects? Does at 4 PM?

It is much easier to play a character that you understand well, and that can include understanding the character's culture in considerable detail. Most game settings have cultures that are not described or even developed in enough detail that players can get a really firm grip on their motivations and expectations. Which leaves the players strutting hollow stereotypes.

So you might find it easier to play in and GM some training campaigns that are set in a richly-detailed setting that you know well: such as the modern world. So start out with some private eye, mystery, espionage, pulp adventure, contemporary SF, or urban fantasy campaigns. You will probably find them much easier. And then when you have developed your skills and confidence on something easier, come back to high fantasy.