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Role Playing

Aremis69

First Post
I have been the DM/GM for my current group for a little over 5 years, and a GM for 2 of my players for over 20 years. We have this year started less than good campaign that they had asked me to run but I have noticed something that I am hoping to get advice on. Now I know it is hard for your average person to play a truly evil character but this campaign and the last which was based on “GOOD” characters but they do not seem to be getting into the Role Playing as much as I expect. We have made some changes that encourage more interaction with NPCs but I don’t feel that the players are feeling immersed in the RP side of the game. I am all for kick down the door and kill the guys on the otherside but one of the big differences between an MMO and a pen and paper RPG is the RP. I have been searching for some advice on line maybe some good examples of RP that I can show them to help them get a little deeper in the game. Do you have any advice or suggestions on good reference material?

Thank you
Todd “Aremis” Smith
 

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First, welcome to EnWorld thanks for posting!

I just want to make sure that I'm understanding your post correctly. It looks like you are asking for examples on how to get your players to role-play in general and get deeper into their characters, not how to role-play as evil characters.

Has this been going on the whole 5 years of your campaign and 20+ years of your DM'ing?

Do you just want reference materials on "how to be a better role player" or do you need suggestions on how to get them to "role play more" like they do too many things out of character and not in character?

Just trying to get a bit more background on what the overall problem(s) seem to be going on in your group.
 

Thank you for replying
I would not claim to be the best DM but it has not been going on the whole time. My oldest 2 players do not have the problem its my new players that seem to have trouble. They want to RP more but they can't seem to get out of the World of Warcraft mentality.
 

I've always explained it like a part in acting, they are assuming that character's identity, mannerisms, wants, desires, likes, dislikes, quirks, etc. I always try to get my players to actually give me a 1/2page - 1 page backstory on their characters. I feel that this actually gets them to invest time and get invested in the characters they want to play.

If you want specific examples of role-playing live I'd take them to a local gaming store (if you have one around) which hosts gaming nights. Have them listen to the Penny Arcade/Wil Wheaton Podcast: Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Home and there are others out there as well with this link: Where can I find good D&D podcasts? - podcasts DD dungeons | Ask MetaFilter

A few resource materials for reading:
D&D For Beginners - Roleplaying 101 | D&D Nerd.com
How to Roleplay Well - OnRPG Free MMORPG Forums
Better Roleplaying through D&D Character Background Creation
D&D 4e: Top 12 Ways to Stop Sounding So Damn Metagamey Leonine Roar
paizo.com - Messageboards / D&D 3.5/d20/OGL / Suggestions on how to roleplay

Hopefully some of these suggestions and sites help out and I'm sure there are others here on the forums who will also comment soon.
 

Roleplaying is not simply playing a character though that is a common usage. It also includes acting "as if" (pretending) something a person doesn't believe is real is real. Think tossing an imaginary ball around a circle with others. That's roleplaying too.

In many exploration type games players are acting as if the fictional environment is real. They may not be bothering with attempting to express much of an alternate personality, but they are still roleplaying. And this can be fun.

To encourage more alternate persona play try focusing your game on personality descriptors on the PC sheet. This can be desires, relationships, habits or anything that defines the character as decidedly different from the player's personality. Then add in plenty of other interesting characters with which to engage, most of this will likely be conversation, but it can be physical too like combat or dancing or whatever. Then start everyone one out in an interesting situation and go from there.

Let things develop organically. If the players aren't interested, they might want something different. It's probably best to simply ask them.
 

I have been in the same situation. Me as the DM hoping for a deep roleplaying experience, the players just wanting to kick some ass, drink some beer and have a few laughs. However I have managed to get my players to 'come out of their shells' a bit. Here are a few of the tactics I found successful.

* Start off with humorous adventures. I believe everyone is heard of the saying 'Throw a frog in boiling water and he jumps out; throw a frog in cold water and bring it to boil and he happily boils to death'. People tend to have an easier time getting into character if it is done in a humorous way. Throwing deep character-driven plots at players not accustomed to roleplaying and expecting them to seriously interact with the characters in a meaningful way is too much. Especially in a social environment such as a tabletop RPG. However, if you have a couple of over-the-top adventures, laden with memorable NPCs that have punny names and cliche mannerisms, the players might be more willing to have some fun with them. At first I would keep it clear and memorable - none of that 'Arashorm from the town of Shillelaighfast' stuff; instead you can go for such lameness as Norris the Woodchuck from Detroit, the small fishing village. Over the top, caricature characters are much easier to intreact with in-character than dark, brooding anti-heroes. Once you get them started on roleplaying with humour it just takes a small nudge for them to find themselves roleplaying in a deeper, more 'realistic' sense.

* Introduce roleplaying elements into combat. When the fighter in your group kills an enemy ask how it happened. With some quick thinking you can reward him for such small things: 'Um... I guess I slice him in two from the waist' - 'Awesome, the speed and force of such a blow sets you up nicely to attack the next adjacent enemy. You have +1 to your next attack'. Don't worry about unbalancing the game. In my book, roleplaying and houseruling/fudging go hand-in-hand. The rules are there to provide a framework and make the game fun, not to keep your imagination tied up.

* Know your world and know your characters. For me the prime rule in playing as a DM (as in any improvisational art) is to say yes. In order to be able to say 'yes' you yourself also need to be ready to roleplay. It doesn't bode well for the group's roleplaying exploits, if you allow yourself to be caught off guard. Maybe the PC who is currently speaking isn't interested in hearing what your NPC has to say. Maybe he wants to ask about a rumor they might have heard and pursue a sidequest. If your NPCs always say 'No, I don't know nothing about that, sorry bro' the players might take that as a pointer to keep on the rails and not bother with roleplaying.

* This one is a bit of a touch-and-go proposition. Look at the character sheets or tell the players to introduce their characters and their backgrounds to you, 'where they're coming from' so to say. Try to introduce situations that allows their character to surface. If they don't follow the cue, try to nudge them a bit, 'Doesn't Paul the Fighter who was impoverished for half his life have to say anything about executing these thieves?'. Doing this you must use a certain amount of finesse - the players might be insulted or angered by you trying to play their characters for them. You shouldn't force them, a slight reminder is enough.

* Don't press anything. If in the following situation your player responds with 'Well, Yeah, I guess we should um tell the guards to let them go or something' - that is good enough to start. Reward them with their favourite part of the game - for many people it is the excitement of combat or exploration; maybe the thieves they have to subdue the guards to save the thieves or maybe the thieves give them directions to a secret stash of stolen magic items that has been overrun by monsters. You can roleplay back, but if they don't respond, just go with it, happy that the PCs personality has in some way influenced the world. It can and will get better once they get used to it.


In regards to the problems with roleplaying evil characters - keep in mind that evil doesn't mean stupid, just as good doesn't mean lawful stupid. It is just an alignment, being evil doesn't mean that they aren't functional (non)human beings. They might usually be called just as neutral as your average Joe from the market square, if it weren't for the goal they are working towards. Nearly nobody does evil because they wish to do evil. Evil characters usually believe that they are doing good (for themselves or even for the whole world), just that they are misunderstood. An exceedingly small percentage of people 'just want to watch the world burn' - in my games, none of them are PCs. I don't believe that you can have a functioning game with characters like that in the leading role. If your players need inspiration on evil functional human beings I would point to such TV series that have 'evil' characters in leading or important supporting roles. Deadwood and Boardwalk Empire come to mind.

Keep working on it, things will certainly pick up! I speak from experience.
 

I have found the easiest solution is to run your game as if it were a TV show.

If your players are having issues getting into character, have them pick a popular actor/actress/musician/persona that they look and act like.

Next, pick the kind of show you want to run. Action/Adventure, "Teen" Drama, Mystery...? Also, pick a common theme. Most first-season action serials are of the "monster of the week" variety. Bad guys causes trouble, heroes fight minions, maybe one complication (RP or puzzle-solving), then they tackle the big bad and then win. Or not.

For the first half of your "season", this is where the players will stretch their chops. Nothing too serious, gets their feet wet.

Your secret weapon is NPCs. NPCs are the quickest way to tie a player to a setting and get her involved in the game. Not all NPCs will be liked, but for now, pick one or two main traits the NPC has and exaggerate them. This will make an NPC memorable. The more the player sees this NPC, the more traits you can add... and perhaps the player will start to develop a personality and interests as well. Ask a few questions, but don't be a pest - some new players freeze up when confronted with a string of choices.

Let's see... find a way to tie the players together. A common enemy isn't a strong tie, but maybe the players are all being paid as a mercenary team, or they're all former employees of a deposed lord. Maybe they all went to the same magic college. Maybe they're all stealthy. Find some commonality and use it.

Example? Game I'm playing in has a Eladrin Assassin (forced to kill his own family to join an Assassin cult), a Gnoll Ranger (separated from his pack, lived alone in the woods), a Warforged Warlock (fell from the stars, wants to find a way to return to them), and a Goblin Cleric (imprisoned by his clan, the others sprung him and dragged him along). Commonality? They are all removed from their people, and need to stick together while they try and find their 'greater purpose'.

I'm sure there's lots more ideas coming. Hope this helps!
 

Or maybe your players just aren't interested in "roleplaying" and "interacting". Maybe, like my groups, they enjoy getting together with friends, having a laugh or two, and spending a couple of hours unwinding by rolling dice, slaughtering imaginary enemies and solving problems.

Not everyone feels the need to get "in character" -- many people feel uncomfortable with it. Many people prefer the aspect of overcoming challenges and don't subscribe to the "collective storytelling" or "improvised acting" aspects. Don't force your players to play a style that they don't enjoy.
 

To be honest, change the system. You chose the 'Pathfinder' tag, so I assume you play this game. It is still a D&D variant and D&D is dungeon exploration with "kicking the door-in" in it's heart (or probing everything with a 10" pole). Try FATE, Cortex Plus or some other RPG with a stronger focus on role-playing in it's rules.

I know you can have great role-play with any system or without a system, but maybe it helps the WoW players to have a system where it is impossible to play it like a MMORPG.

BTW, I love light hearted door-kicking games :)
 

Or maybe your players just aren't interested in "roleplaying" and "interacting". Maybe, like my groups, they enjoy getting together with friends, having a laugh or two, and spending a couple of hours unwinding by rolling dice, slaughtering imaginary enemies and solving problems.

Not everyone feels the need to get "in character" -- many people feel uncomfortable with it. Many people prefer the aspect of overcoming challenges and don't subscribe to the "collective storytelling" or "improvised acting" aspects. Don't force your players to play a style that they don't enjoy.

Very good point, perhaps the newer players aren't actually into role playing, since they came from WoW they sound like they just may want to do light role-playing and heavy combat and that's how they feel that the game should be played.

[MENTION=6685113]Aremis69[/MENTION] : I'd actually ask them how they feel about role-playing in general and if they'd like to "get into character" and have a lesser amount of combat situations and more actual story-driven situations where the solutions involve their responses in-character as opposed to just breaking in the door and killing things to take their stuff.

Perhaps you are going about this the wrong way by asking the community how you can get them to role play more without ever having talked to the players at your about it and seeing if they actually want to?
 

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