My friends and I are first time DnD players. I know (finally) how to really play, and wuold like to play online sometime, but that's a different matter.
None of us had ever really played before, but we all know basic fantasy stuff and all caught on pretty quick. We've played four times, and my good friend's brother is our DM. I don't know how to compare DM's, but I'd say he's average.
My question is, how do we get to RP more? I mean, we all can, but we just...don't. I mean, I try to get it going, but it's so hard. We're all really good friends with inside jokes and it gets off track easily.
What are some tips you guys have? Also, we're doing a lot of other new player stuff, such as critizing the player for in character actions, "You're dumb Ian, don't cast Sleep!!" etc...
Any tips for new players? Anything? We're all level 3 now.
One: Ignore the "don't cast sleep!" people. Sleep is actually not bad, if you're not going up against something huge, but Color Spray is better against hordes. BUT I DIGRESS. Your character will do what your character will do; whether that's a wise decision or not is not for you to know, but your character.
Two: Whenever you negotiate/talk with people, friggin' TALK WITH THEM. No "I negotiate with the bad guy" *Diplomacy roll*. Say hello, comment on the weather, say what your character would say, yadda yadda. Bit of a small thing compared to...
Three: Speak as your character. Your gonna have to get over the "but I feel silly" thing for this, but unfortunately there's no advice that'd work on an individual basis for that. Good thing is as soon as one does it, others likely will too. Try making up catchphrases and whatnot for your characters. Example: in my campaign, the swashbuckler-type says a quick prayer to Olidammara before big fights, and mine takes every opportunity to swear viciously at religious institutions that is presented to her. If you still feel silly, talk to the peoples about it - working out the "gahhh it's weird trying to be an elf in PUBLIC" thing with others might help.
Others'll prolly have better ideas, but eh, here's mine.
Oh: and never go into melee with anything with eight heads. When you're a sorcerer. *angrily rubs her death wound*
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OtakuPenguin had this to say about Jimmy Carter:
My question is, how do we get to RP more? I mean, we all can, but we just...don't. I mean, I try to get it going, but it's so hard. We're all really good friends with inside jokes and it gets off track easily.What are some tips you guys have? Also, we're doing a lot of other new player stuff, such as critizing the player for in character actions, "You're dumb Ian, don't cast Sleep!!" etc...
First of all, if you're all having fun getting off track, then why stop? But, to help you out a bit more...
You've got to start getting into your characters' heads a bit more. Make up a list of 5 to 20 questions that touch on background and personality, and answer them for your characters. Things like:
Why are you doing this?
What is your fondest childhood memory?
What family do/did you have? Brothers, sisters?
What's your favorite color, and why?
Any regrets?
Any dark secrets in their past?
Does your character have any race / gender issues?
How often do you get drunk, and where do you wake up after?
Ect...
Not only will this help you flesh out the characters more and help you understand how they would react in a given situation, it will also give the GM plot hooks to use. Things about your character and their past that the GM can use to make part of the storyline personal.
As for discussing what your characters are doing outside of the game, that's not bad if it's kept under control. Just remember though, people mess up sometimes. Characters are not perfect. Sometimes they cast sleep when it's not a good idea. And sometimes, you should just stay quiet and let them mess up.
I've seen two characters die (mine, and my roommate's) because the party warrior kept blowing her attempts to bandage us before we bled to death. We didn't remind her that there were healing potions sitting in the next room, we just let her keep messing up till we were dead. THEN she found the healing potions, when it was too late. 
Sure we died, but it was still funny.
quote:
Neeecole spewed forth this undeniable truth:
Oh: and never go into melee when you're a sorcerer.
Fixx0red! Well, unless you have Tenser's Transformation on.
The DM can also encourage roleplay quite a bit, not so much with rewards(I don't like to use them anyway) but with setting up situations that you need to roleplay through.
Fantasy books are really what got me out of the 'power-gamer' mind set and into the roleplaying side of things, not sure where you guys stand with that. And the guys in my group I roleplay the best with, are the ones I used to play RP enforced UO shards with for years...cause well..we roleplayed there, and now we can each play off eachother really well.
I think it'll just come with time, only having played four times and wanting to roleplay is a good sign though.
*shrugs*
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Alek Saege had this to say about Duck Tales:
Fixx0red! Well, unless you have Tenser's Transformation on.
I only REALLY learned that after I was killz0red.
And I don't have that, and don't think I'll get it 
. I'm going the "magical artillery" route .
quote:
Neeecole had this to say about Optimus Prime:
I only REALLY learned that after I was killz0red.And I don't have that, and don't think I'll get it
. I'm going the "magical artillery" route
Tenser's Transformation is a good last spell though. Once you're out of fireballs and ice storms you can always make yourself into a fighter and help your party.
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Alek Saege's unholy Backstreet Boys obsession manifested in:
Tenser's Transformation is a good last spell though. Once you're out of fireballs and ice storms you can always make yourself into a fighter and help your party.
True. Then again, we're getting into the "a billion wands of everything" part of the game, better known as "we're fighting too many things that should be kicking our ass, but don't, so we get their stuff", so if after I blast it it's not dead then damnit, I sit back and let the barbarian earn his keep.
And other pretty shiny spells to get anyway.
Mostly when there was an incredibly good DM loved by all who wouldnt say anything about me not roleplaying, but other people told me it got on his nerves.
SOOO
In a game of Mutants and MAsterminds I got into an in game argument as a "flash" type guy with a mexican GL. My first real roleplaying bit though was when we first played MAge: The Ascension and I took 38 points in flaws all related to marajuwana. Turns out the max number of flaws is 7 points, but my guy was dead before we found that part out(DM gave me a voice in my head even though I would have needed to be a level 5 crazy while I was only level 3 crazy) and I jumped out the window when I thought the DEA Was there.
Anyway.
Speaking in charecter is cool, I found that it easier if you have a schitck, myself I "smoked" a joint 24/7 that group stopping(or not) to fuck with reallity.(time+entropy baby!)
Its easy, just do it. People at my college have the misfortune of being idiots when it comes to party creation and always seem to choose an assortment of various melee magicly declined classes(like the most recent group of barbarian, ranger, and rogue!) and need to roleplay so the DM cheats on the roles so they dont die ta a few goblins.
Secondly, cut down on distractions. Don't let people read comic books or chat about movies or have the TV on. Try and set a mood for when you run games. A little outside chat is okay, but it should be cut down to stuff before game and stuff after game. When you're there to play, play.
Keep things rolling, too. Roleplaying is good, but it's a lot harder to do constantly in a tabletop game than it is to do online. If it starts to come apart, move along. Having conversations in character is cool, but you can't roleplay everything, and people have different tolerances. Sometimes there are social situations (anything you roll a diplomacy check for, for instance, or are trying to put on a certain image for), but while banter in combat is fun, deep conversations in combat just plain don't happen. On the other hand, stalking, slinking, sneaking, moving along through a dungeon or whatever, feel free to slip into character and make terse commentary on things.
Oh and ask a lot of questions about things. Don't be disruptive or an ass, but if you can grab as much detail about situations as possible, it really helps everyone shift into the mood.
sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me
Spend some of your skill points on things your character did growing up, even if they're no help to you whatsoever when it comes to adventuring. Profession and craft skills are great for this.
Personality quirks, though not necessary, add a lot to a character. You can draw these from your abilities, or just make them up as you like. There's nothing wrong with a pacifist druid, a sorcerer who talks to himself (in the first, second, and third person), a superstitious thief, a barbarian who thinks all magic is evil, or a bard who keeps looking for the lost society of something-or-other.
Play on your character's personality. The dwarf with a charisma score of 6 may be battlescarred, but he's probably not that sociable either. If you're playing a haughty wizard, bring a thesaurus to the game. If you play a blockheaded barbarian and your friend is playing the haughty wizard, stare blankly at the wizard every time he uses one of those "funny words" from the thesaurus.
During combat, or before and after, play by a particular style suited to your character's personality. If he's the sort who always rushes in, then strategy be damned, that's what you do. If he's the sort who likes to "supervise", and never does any of the real work, then stick with that, and let the party complain in character when you repeatedly prove unhelpful. If your character swears constantly... swear constantly (I suggest making up your own swearwords for the game if you choose this route).
