Becoming a better roleplayer/player in general

have some confidence.
Just a little while ago I was in the same boat; I would always make characters that couldn't talk so I wouldn't have to interact with the other players. I just grew some balls and I got better.

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Just use your imagination lmao

Try playing some rules light game instead of D&D, preferably with freeform character creation that is based on barebone skills than "cool quirks".
Without any distractions you wil be sort of forced into filling the session time with RP instead of rolling, and then thinking outside the box. You'll get used to it and then you'll be able to apply it in crunchier games as well.

>>52899167
>>52898972
Not even joking, OP, you should play Maid RPG. I'm not saying it needs to replace whatever you're already playing, just like for a one-shot or a couple sessions. It's darn near impossible to rollplay in it.

Bumping, I want to see what more people have to say.

>>52899319
Thanks anon, this thing looks hilarious
Not sure how to do it without looking like a massive weeaboo though (I don't know any of the people in my new group very well) but I'll definitely try to find a way to play it.

Sorry I don't play many RPG's, but I've seen people discuss stuff like this in the past. One resource you can use to help make a more original character is the old "Hero builder's guidebook" for 3.5e D&D. Apparently it focuses on breaking the norm for characters, and you can get it cheap online.

>>52898972
baby steps, start with a basic backstory, doesn't matter if it's hackneyed, and change one thing. It'll be pretty lame but it will help you understand how you can experiment with character traits to define your character.

Also, never define your character with WHATS but with WHYS I.E.
>My character is X BUT instead of A he does B
is bad
>My character is X but instead of A he does B BECAUSE of C

I feel like I might be rambling, but basically it's the motivation that matters, not the results of his motivations

>>52900868
>Sorry I don't play many RPG's
this should be a /tg banner

>>52901024
>this should be a /tg banner
I mean I would, but the only people I know interested in them only play DnD with a REALLY bad DM. No one ever seems to be running online games for the ones I'm interested in.

>>52898972
Ok, I'm gonna be the shill here and say everyone should listen to the Dungeon Master's Block, but pertinent to this thread is their Player Episode, which they discuss a lot of what makes a good player and how to be one.

>>52898972
Generally speaking, getting better at RP means embarrassing yourself until you stop sucking.

I don't mean that to come off as pejorative, but you need to get out of your comfort zone to exercise your improvisational muscle. Also, if you're able, join a local improv troupe. I was playing d&d for about 2 years before joining an improv troupe in highschool, and my characters definitely improved.

Hope this helps.

Text or in person table top?

If it's by text, one thing you can try is refrain from using emotional adjectives and adverbs as much as possible and instead describe what they might be doing because of that emotional state.

Like instead of saying they're looking about nervously point out how they're biting their lower lip as they glance about. Little things like that can go a long way.

>>52898972
One thing that helped me was to stop talking in-character.

I know it might seem counter intuitive, but when I talked in-character my personality was the dominant force because it was me. When i started narrating my character I thought of them like another person. They were making their own choices and I was just describing what they do.

It also gives you the time to think. When you are talking to an NPC where both you and the DM are talking in-character you feel the need to answer right away because otherwise there's this awkward pause and that gets interpretted as your character. When narrating you can say "I need a minute to decide how Gork would respond" and it doesnt seem unnatural.

I think alot of people who play D&D watch Critical Role and think thats how its done or the way they play is the best way because it is popular and seems "professional", but those people are professional actors, it is their job to roleplay.

In the future, i'll go back to talking in-character, but only once I feel succinct in my narration-style roleplay skills.


On the subject of Snowflake characters; I think that, unless the setting is 'Everyone is an Adventurer' then you should probably make a Snowflake character. Because there should be something special that makes you an adventurer. Some special event that roused your spirit and pushed you from your home.

Additionally, I find my characters are less snowflakey when I make them in-regards to the other players.
I severely dislike the mentality of players coming to the table with pre-made characters. Come to the table with a basic idea, or maybe no idea at all and just riff off of the other players.

Played in a game where one player wanted to be a Witch who ran a Detective Agency. Some PCs were employees. My character worked for a Bureau of Magical Regulations and was sent to make sure the Witch didn't break any rules of magic. Was gonna be awesome, until the DM destroyed the city. it was a solid character idea imo.

>>52901500
>Additionally, I find my characters are less snowflakey when I make them in-regards to the other players.
This guy nailed it. All of the games I've enjoyed the most had my character directly tied to at least two other characters somehow.
Might be a little harder since you don't know anyone in your group, but it's worth a shot.

>>52902197
I actually find the opposite of this. We've done this a few times, and I've always found it really stifled my character, and made it a lot harder to really find them and truly get into character.

You and the other person when coming up with the characters are always going to have slightly different ideas in your head about them, and so you come up with a backstory and relationship, but when you start playing it, find you had subtly different takes on the characters than you expected from each other, and instead of a dynamic organically forming, you're trying to force a dynamic that may not fit as well as you thought it would.