Seeking Advice: How to motivate players to role play more

[Roger_the_jolly]

Hi,

D&D in its many editions (also in the 4E) put a very strong emphasis on tactical combat. Tactical combat calls for a very low key style of role playing ("I kick him in the nuts then stab him in the guts" kind of role play).
While satisfying on its own for some times, I much better like deep role play with real depth to the characters - e.g. storytelling style . Most players that I've encountered to date have a tendency to be more Hack & Slash gamers with medium to low role play and who can blame them? they know which side of the game the xp is on.

I've thought of several solutions to the problem (listed in the poll above).
What I would really like to know is if you have encountered a similar problem with your games and if so, what did you do to solve it.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Sweet20?

Or not. Sometimes, I think this is really more a clash of play-styles thing than something that can be 'fixed' perforce.

Maybe ask yourself, 'Are my players actually willing and able to roleplay "deeply" or what have you?' (or words to that effect) - if yes go to paragraph 1, else go to paragraph 2.

But no, you don't need a mechanical thing in place, if there's even the possibility of 'deep' roleplaying anyway. It can be done, regardless of system.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Can't be done mechanically. I wish it could--man, do I wish it could--but it can't.

Sure, you can nudge people a little bit. But at the end of the day, people who want to roleplay will, and people who don't want to roleplay won't. And there's nothing the former can do to make the latter participate, at least not without causing more problems than it solves.

Mechanics aren't the solution. All I can suggest is talk to the players and ask if they're willing to give your way a try. If they are, great. You can give them advice, and since they're trying, maybe then some mechanical incentives would help. But if they're not prepared to try, there's not a thing in the world you can do to make 'em.

 

[SweeneyTodd]

Players who really dig playing nuanced, interesting characters will do their damndest to do so regardless of the system. Players who just want to move their dude around aren't going to change their reasons for wanting to play if there's an XP carrot for roleplaying; if they're just not into it, don't expect big changes.

On the other hand, I've found that folks on the fence can definately be motivated to get into it. I just went with an Action Point type bonus given automatically to any player who has their character do or say something that gets a reaction out of the folks at the table. Whether it's "Awesome" or "Oh man, I cannot believe you *did* that" or even a laugh, it's all about simple straightforward positive feedback.

Another way I've tried to encourage it, which is admittedly kinda out there for D&D, is that if someone roleplayed their way intentionally into a bad situation or a disadvantage, I absolutely rewarded them with some metagame resource like Action Points.

 

[Roger_the_jolly]

I had some of those thoughts as well - can bring a horse to the water but can't make it drink - but then later I thought on it differently.

In my experience there are some people who are internally motivated - they will do without being prompted what needs to be done in their eyes - be it dedicated work at their working place, doing the chores at home or deeply roleplaying their characters.
On the other hand, there are some people that will only move when told so. Some seem to even expect to be told things and how to do them and don't really understand deep down that a need exist to be fulfilled unless told that it does and what needs to be done about it.

Considering the above, I've started thinking that instead of just talking about roleplaying with the players (which I did several times) I should maybe nudge the xp in the right direction since it seems that those that don't roleplay much mainly care about the xp.

Have you tried any of the poll methods? If so, what was the result?

 

[mjukglass]

Not possible in my experience.

Making the players partake more and narrate and create the story is totally possible with the right frame of mind or rule system.

I would suggest Primetime Adventures to anybody who wants learn more about playing story games together.

 

[Ydars]

I disagree with lots of people on this thread; good roleplayers are not only just people who start off that way. They can be made.

The key thing is to get roleplaying happening at your table and then everyone will join in (eventually).

The thing to do is to get your best two roleplayers into a smaller game, outside of your weekly session, and get them playing characters that are as well thought out as they can be. Then you need to really get them firing and interacting and you need to do some really deep roleplaying that has nothing to do with stats.

Then, with their help, gradually, bring more and more roleplaying into your main game.

The DM is also very important; if you set loads of combat challenges then you won't get roleplaying; you will get wargaming. The PC background is quite important for roleplaying as well, because it is very hard to play a character if you don't have a clear idea of them. Most players' characters are not that well thought out in many cases.

I honestly think that many roleplayers have never actually seen much roleplaying, so how can they be expected to know how to do it?

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Since you asked my advice, I will give it.
This advice applies regardless of D&D edition, what houserules are in effect, etc., etc.

As DM, require the best out of your players.
If your players are in agreement that they should give their best, and you ask their best out of them, rping is a part of that 'giving their best' aspect.
Rping is how superior parties work together to survive and succeed.

As an example, you have a fighter and a wizard in the party. If they are smart, they will talk with each other In Character (roleplay) about how to cooperate, how to merge their talents, to defeat foes.
Since you, the DM, intend to throw foes at them that they cannot defeat unless they combine their strengths, this is wise on their part ... and in defeating your challenge by working together, they learn that rping pays off, and they do more of it.

 

[Heselbine]

Hi,

D&D in its many editions (also in the 4E) put a very strong emphasis on tactical combat. Tactical combat calls for a very low key style of role playing ("I kick him in the nuts then stab him in the guts" kind of role play).
While satisfying on its own for some times, I much better like deep role play with real depth to the characters - e.g. storytelling style . Most players that I've encountered to date have a tendency to be more Hack & Slash gamers with medium to low role play and who can blame them? they know which side of the game the xp is on.

I've thought of several solutions to the problem (listed in the poll above).
What I would really like to know is if you have encountered a similar problem with your games and if so, what did you do to solve it.

Some (I tentatively suggest most) players just love to play it as a game and are not really interested in immersive roleplay.

As DM it's not my job to lead the players into something they're not interested in. It's my job to make the game as fun for them as possible. If they don't want to roleplay, I'm not going to make them roleplay, so I choose the missing option: I don't need to motivate them to roleplay because it's their game, not mine.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I disagree with lots of people on this thread; good roleplayers are not only just people who start off that way. They can be made.

Absolutely. But not via in-game mechanics like extra XP. It has to happen via out-of-game discussion.

IME, in-game solutions either never work, or only work in the short-term before people fall back into old habits.