Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aramil_silverwind 09-07-04, 10:19 AM	A plaer in my games is completelynew to D&D, as well as new to RPing. I'm not that great at explaining things, and she'snot interested in getting a forum accuont just yet (probably once she gets more experience). I'm going to FWD this thread to her via email, and she'll have a look at your suggestions... So, here it is - How do you Role-Play, and how can you learn to RP better? Thanx in advance to everyone that posts.... I'm good at explaining things like BAB and saves because the have a set algorythm.... RPing dosn't.
Shapedoctor 09-07-04, 10:40 AM	Pretend you're the character you have created. Try to think like they would while you're at the table. I'd give you more but I gotta go to work. :mymy:
Grand_Commander13 09-07-04, 10:53 AM	Probably the easiest intro to roleplaying is this: Get your player to commit the ultimate sin. No, not voting Democrat (I could have just as easily said Republican there), I'm talking about playing a character that's just like themself. Basically say "alright, your character is you (personality-wise, so minus all the current-world knowledge and stuff, but what they would and wouldn't know is common sense). When things happen, just have your character act like you would." Hopefully, your player doesn't stupid-out, and actually starts to get into it. What can I say? It'd be very easy for them to get into it like this if they really wanted to. On a side note, my RPing started a long time ago. You'd see me carrying on two ends of conversations (for humor's sake; usually acting out all sides involved in a hypothetical situation, such as what it would go like if life were a sitcom and somebody showed up to work in full-plate and insisting that he was there to slay the evil software bugs infesting their software. With his longsword.). :D
Slate King 09-07-04, 10:58 AM	As far as rping goes to start out with it is a list of qualities to flesh out your character. My current character is a cleric. Very simple. You start out with the faith, for something new, i decided against an actual god. I figured i would go with the power that protects fools and children. (soft spot for kids). This also allows a lot of room for stupid actions, and in many cases trying to help the rest of the party out of those actions. Rule 1 of RP: Character interaction is best when it is with another pc. DM interaction is ok but the DM has a lot to worry about, not only that if you are taking up all the DM's time, other players get bored. Rule 2 of RP: This character is not you. This is supremely important. Just because you may be a vegitarian does not mean you cannot play a huge bloodthirsty barbarian. This is fantasy. My most entertaining characters have been the complete opposite of my personality. (that tells a little about my personality too :cool: ) Rule 3 of RP: Your character stops being marks on a paper the second the game starts and his/her development continues throughout the game. You should not fight this development. If you are a paladin and you are getting frustrated with having to be unbendingly good, a fall from grace may be in order. (*cough* blackguard *cough*) Rule 4 of RP: The goal of the game is for everyone to have fun. Your RP experience should not interfere or undemine with the ability of other people to have fun. Just like people characters can quickly **** off the people who hang out with them. I am not saying that you have to be a pushover, but a player who makes every character a smart*%$ will get irritating pretty quick even if the person playing them is one. Rule 5 of RP: You do not have to go along with everything the party/DM says. If you don't want to explore the ruins to the east, you can see if any caravans need guards and present the idea to the party. This is most evident when there is a paladin in the party. Your average paladin will want to be "questing" (you know rooting out evil, performing the jobs of his church, other nice things) all the time if you let them. (also keep in mind Rule 1 of D&D : Splitting the party = Death) Rule 6 of RP: Your character must have motivation to adventure. This is as much a help to the DM as it is to the rest of the party. If the party has to convince you to climb off the barstool and wander out of town every time it gets irritating. Rule 7 of RP: VANILLA BAD!!! please give yourself some quirks. Nobody is perfect and your character should be no exception. If you want your character to have a tendancy to giggle when in a tense situation you go right ahead. Rule 8 of RP: Like your character. Depending on your group you will possibly be acting as this person for anywhere between 2 months and 5 years. Make something you won't get bored with. Rule 9 of RP: Combat Happens. D&D is a game where many of your problems are solved with the buisness end of a sword. Not good/bad or right/wrong, it is just how the game works. So while it may be fun to look at the Vow of Peace it just isn't practical. Sometimes you gotta get your Hands Dirty. Rule 10 of RP: Many players tend to like your character a lot more when you bring chips or soda with you to the game your first or second time. (beer if applicable) :ayyyy!: have fun, and that's an order (super troopers)
Nurgan_the_drunked 09-07-04, 11:07 AM	try to think up a character with an interesting background and personality, and try and work out what that character would do and think and say. Make it different from yousefif you can but don't worryabout your personality being perfectly consistent. Don't panic if you feel like yoy've messed up, try not to get embarrassed about getting into it, try to relax and go with it. Oh and have fun
Thorak 09-07-04, 12:55 PM	My general rules to good (meaning fun, for both yourself and others) RP; For the purposes of these rules, "role-playing" is taken as meaning "playing an interesting character as realistically as possible", not "whacking monsters to get XP and go up another level." The latter, IMHO, is closer to wargaming, like Warhammer. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but there's no role people are playing, they're using the characters as mechanical automatons of statistics. 1. KISS. Keep it simple. If you play an Insectile Half-dragon half-Githzerai Monk/Drunken Master/Kensai, noone will notice your character's personality. Which is the point to role-playing. However, a human cleric with some neat quirks might easily steal the stage from the aforementioned monstrosity. 2. Think back to when you were four. Remember playing Pretend. That's what Role-playing is, adult Pretend. We have rules, but they're basically just to avoid the constant "Did not!" "Did too!" Pretend often devolved into, especially when claiming you (the robber) just shot your friend (the cop). 3. Good qualities and perfection are boring. Aragorn wasn't memorable because he was brave. He was memorable because, despite his obvious bravery and skill, he didn't feel he was worthy of being King. Character flaws are what make people, and characters, interesting. Instead of developing a character by saying "He's a brave, noble man", say "Despite his nobility, his actions as a youth have led him to doubt the superiority he always thought nobles had, and as a result he throws himself selflessly into danger because he truly feels he has less right to live than anyone else." Same good qualities, but the latter character's a lot more interesting, IMHO. At least I hope, that's the basis for my current Paladin, with a few other quirks I didn't mention. 4. Whatever you decide, make sure your character is a team player. Or at least not destructively antisocial. If you're playing a thief, it's OK to steal. Just don't steal from your friends, the party. If you're playing an evil wizard who wants to rule the world, that's fine. Just remember that the party are the people whose backs you're riding to glory, and that if they fall you fall. Any character, and any alignment, can be perfectly party-compatible with any other alignment, with the one exception of paladins and evil party members. It just involves not being a nutbag if you're evil or criminal.
TrothgardtheMad 09-07-04, 05:05 PM	I think the previous mentions are spot on, they are full of good info. Just my two coppers: For starters I'd suggest that you pick a favorite movie character to base your character on, be it looks, speech mannerisms, attitude, backstory, etc... Imagine if you will, a new 007, with Vin Diesel's look, Arnold Rimmer's (Red Dwarf, Chris Barrie) voice, Sean Connery's (as Bond) attitude, and the back story of Drizz't (there is no movie, but you get the idea)... When speaking in character, it's not just your voice, but your hand gestulations, where you look, how you might domineer or let someone do all the talking so you can finish a meal. There are a lot of things that can be done rather than trying to emulate a slight Italian accent, an over the top Scottish Dwarfy accent, or a down and out good ol' Southern good boy. Use your hands alot, wave them around to use hyperbole, if you are preoccupied or lying use your hands to refold a napkin or fidget in your lap, if you want to be heard be loud, etc... And most of all have fun. Trothgard the Mad
Lincoln Hills 09-07-04, 09:54 PM	Deciding the role you play can be pretty overwhelming for somebody who's working on learning the game's mechanics too. A quick way to get a "personality" is to look at the character sheet and decide what actor (actress) (animated character) you would "cast" to play this character - if the campaign were a movie. You don't even have to pay royalties! (P.S. Any actor whose last name just happens to be Schwartzenegger is NOT a good use of this trick. Trust me.)
Aramil_silverwind 09-08-04, 01:00 PM	Ok, now that theres been more than a few memorable responses with great advice, I've forwarded the thread to the player, and I hope she takes a look sometime soon. Thank you all for your help, you've hopefully added another name to the (short) list of female players. Well its not THAT short, but it is when compared to the male list. Keep on posting though, you can never have too much good advice.
Sildatorak 09-08-04, 02:12 PM	My two favorite ways of describing roleplaying games to people who have no ideas are "make-believe with rules" and "sort of like improv that isn't comedy." Since the example of it as pretend has already been used, here goes with a brutal improv metaphor that assumes you're familiar with "Who's Line is it Anyway." The DM is a little bit like Drew Carey. The PC's are like the actors on the show. Drew tosses out a scenario and they respond to it in character. Drew occasionally throws a new twist into the scenario and they have to deal with the change. There are some big differences, though. One is that the DM is involved in the acting by playing NPC's. Another (probably the biggest one) is that you aren't out for laughs. The pleasure comes from seeing how the party overcomes challenges and how they develop. I would write more along these lines, but you probably already get my point and I need to head to work.
the dmg 09-08-04, 10:29 PM	Well if she is new D&D, then you should tell her to read the Player's Handbook first in order her to get a grasp of what the game is actually about. Now that she has that out of the way and explain to her that playing a character is almost like acting. It should work out from there.