RPG MUSINGS Play The Game You Want To Play

Lately, I’ve been looking into the way people role-play. There are many different ways of doing it. Some are great. Some don’t work as well. Some rely on the player in question making the most of the conditions. When one is getting into roleplaying, or looking to inject a little more color into the game by boosting roleplaying, it can seem a daunting task. I’m going to address a few issues I’ve seen crop up, and maybe help make your roleplaying better.

Let it be known. A lot of this is my opinion, based on many years of roleplaying, acting, and improvisation. What I say here may work for some of you, but not for others. If you try something, and decide it’s not for you, try the opposite. Roleplaying is a very personal experience, and telling anyone that it’s being done wrong is wrong by its very suggestion. Please remember that, and take what I say with the proper grain of salt.

Getting Into Character

Think about who your character is. Often, there will be things on your character sheet (or other character-tracking thing) that tell you things about your character. You may have background information, powers, particular weapons, or other such things that help define a personality. If you have a high Intelligence (or whatever) score, maybe that informs the way this person speaks. If it’s lower, perhaps that can affect things as well.

Who You Are

In terms of the game, you are your character. Be that person. Look at these two examples:

• “Sterculious swings his +2 blade at the orc leader”

-OR-

• “I raise my blade, anger coursing through my veins, and use it to separate the orcish monster’s head from his shoulders.”

The first statement is very effective. It tells you what the character is doing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take any ownership of what’s happening. The second statement, however, along with being rather long, owns the act. Whoever is attacking here clearly defines what he is attacking, how he’s attacking it, and, most importantly suggests why he’s attacking it.

Note also the colorful difference in language. The second part is very strongly worded, adding tension to what would otherwise be a ‘pointy end goes in the bad guy’ sort of statement. It’s not always easy to be terribly colorful when describing things. That’s ok. With practice, these things can get easier to do. Also, you don’t have to describe EVERY attack this way. When you do that, you become ‘that guy’, the over-actor that treats every gaming session like his nomination piece for the Academy Awards. Not necessarily cool. So, be judicious. Once in a while, describe an action in a fun way, and you’ll feel your character beginning to breathe between your words.

How You Speak Is Important

I have heard people have dialogue between characters by applying signal statements to the things characters say. In a novel, that’s fine, but when play-acting, it sounds kind of weird, and divorces the speaker from what the character is saying. Two more examples:

• “Sterculious says to the innkeeper, “We need lodging and a place to tie our horses overnight.”

-OR-

• “My fine slinger of quality ales, we need lodging, and our horses must make use of your stables.”

To be fair, I fluffed out the second one a little, but there’s a good reason for that. In the first example, Sterculious’s player throws out a line of dialogue by describing what Sterculious does. In the second example, he *is* Sterculious, and in that moment, he needs to get the innkeeper’s attention. I imagine that after such a start, he might be moved to describe the need for stable space with a bit more of a vibrant touch.

The Dos/Don’ts

 So, it seems appropriate that, given where I’m going with this, I should put up a list of the particluar dos and don’ts of bringing more flavor to your game:

DOs

• DO speak as your character, using words they’d use.
• DO use a voice you think works for the character. Sometimes a character might talk like you, but not always. Explore that.
• DO use evocative language to suggest more lying just beneath the surface of your character’s actions.
• DO be conversational. If someone is speaking to your character, let that character respond in the way that feels right.

DON’Ts

• DON’T speak in a matter of fact manner, unless that’s a vital part of who your character is.
• DON’T feel confined by yourself and your own voice.
• DON’T use plain language. Plain bread is nice, but a nice meaty sandwich has a lot more going on inside it.
• DON’T use signal statements. If your character is speaking, then you should make sure that we hear the character talking, not your description of it.

and, most importantly,

• DON’T OVERDO IT. This is roleplaying, not Shakespeare.

Summary

So, let me sum up by saying that roleplaying is a team sport. You’re in it to have fun, and so’s everyone else. Make it fun for yourself, but also make it fun for others, and it’s a guaranteed win.

Have I missed anything? I’m sure I have, and I’m sure some of you out there disagree with me. I’d love your input.

Watch your threatened squares.

IMAGE NOTES: The image of Master Thespian was found at Democratic Underground.