Roleplaying for dummies

Don't base them around a single trait or feature.
Think of a few key characteristics and build from there.
Come up with a light backstory, how they came to be part of the campaign and why they would continue doing so. What motivates them?
Don't make a lone wolf character or any sort that insists on working alone (though someone who is used to working alone and begrudgingly works with the party could have some interesting RP with the party).
There's some other stuff but those are probably the basics, I may have forgotten some.

Don't over develop your backstory to the point of autism.
Have conflicts based off happistance, not off some ancient promise.

Pick a few defining traits. I usually try to pick a couple of things relating to gender, race or class (For example, a pampered lady character and then build out a few more traits from this).

In the first session, play the shit out of these core traits. If you're a naive plucky noble girl then be excited about everything, allow yourself to get tricked if the situation arises and display how disconnected they are from the commoner.

Begin to develop out from that as the game goes, flesh out your backstory with little allegories etc. For example, maybe she was bullied because she was so naive and everyone thought she was dumb. You don't necessarily have to share these stories, they can just be head canon that might pop up if the situation arises.

If you feel like you're not roleplaying, a good way to develop your own character is also to help others do the same. Ask them about why they have that scar, or why they left home and their natural reactions will be to ask you questions back. That's how relationships are built between characters, and if possible adding elements of conflict/disagreement with other party members can spice things up.

>>50699648
> Ask them about why they have that scar, or why they left home and their natural reactions will be to ask you questions back.
Fuck, that's a good call. I've just been a bit wary to ask other PCs shit like "why are you on this quest" as not to appear impugning or confrontational or critical of their roleplaying.

>>50699284
It's simple.

Dress for the adventure you want. Think of the adventure you want to have, and make a character that would excel there.

>>50699284
Well, you make them a human male fighter with a ludicrously-sized sword and play up his sad-but-manly orphan backstory and how the world has done nothing but shit on him, and he's also a mercenary.

Oh, wait, that's Guts, from Berserk.
Coincidentally, that's also 90% of characters I see played, the rest being 'turbonerd autist wizard'.

Actual advice?
>>50699493
>>50699609
>>50699648
Have it right.

>>50699711

Provided your group is down for some RP, they'll probably appreciate it. If you test it out with someone and they don't really bite, then either talk to them about it after the game or just assume they're a little less comfortable with RPing or improvising things if they haven't thought everything through yet.

>>50699284
You're in it to win, so make sure you get all the traits you like packed in there, especially ones that resemble your personality because that's easier to roleplay

After you learn of your peers characters, change yours if necessary. You don't want to do anything anyone else can do because the overlap can be really hostile to a party, you want to be as special as possible so that everyone can be special.

Try to think about each situation and the best story outcome you can get from it and try to force that situation even if it means fudging your dice by knocking them on the floor or whatever. You want an interesting story so you don't want to die accidentally or kill one of your friends, that's stupid.

Finally, you don't want to be boring so you should have something really cool that sticks out about you, like hair color or a cool trinket that you can bring up every now and then. Try to make it something relevant though

>>50699284
Think of one thing that is commonly embraced in your culture but which you abhor.

Think of one thing that is commonly abhorred in your culture but which you embrace.