My players are all actors that are new to the game. We’ve played two sessions now and I still can’t get them to role play the character. Whenever I ask them what they’d like to do once I’ve set up a situation, they have no clue what the characters can do. I’ve tried explaining it to them but they don’t seem to get it. What should I do?
You could try using an NPC to interact with each Player directly, the one-on one approach may get them to roleplay then.
Try experimenting with a variety of different NPCs. Sometimes players feel more comfortable RPing if you, the DM act a little sillier and get passionate and excited. That sometimes creates energy in the group and can in turn get them excited to roleplay.
Sometimes players don’t roleplay because they don’t know who their character isn’t yet, and they haven’t flushed out their backstory or personality. This can take time to figure out, everyone goes at their own pace. And some players never really fully roleplay. Everyone’s different, just try not to pressure them.
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I used to be an adventurer like you, til’ I took an arrow to the knee.
My players are all actors that are new to the game. We’ve played two sessions now and I still can’t get them to role play the character. Whenever I ask them what they’d like to do once I’ve set up a situation, they have no clue what the characters can do. I’ve tried explaining it to them but they don’t seem to get it. What should I do?
This does not sound like a problem of role play "acting" (giving the character personality via an accent, speaking habits) as actors, I guess your friends are very good at it - but about the boundaries of the game and game mechanics. I assume the players don't get that THEY are creating the game as much as you do. They are waiting to be moved like pawns and react to your story. Have you done a "session zero" with them asking them about what their characters could want in the game world? Do they know they can act freely as long as they are not bound to a round based combat. Have they any relations to each other (e.g. are they brothers, master (think Batman) & subordinate (think Alfred), do they belong to the same military unit or attended the same school etc.)? Have you established any connections to the world they are playing in (e.g. do you play in their home town)?
I might suggest, have them watch an episode of Critical Role or another online D&D group that role plays in the manner you expect. That could help teach the flow of the game and what's possible for a character to say and do.
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My players are all actors that are new to the game. We’ve played two sessions now and I still can’t get them to role play the character. Whenever I ask them what they’d like to do once I’ve set up a situation, they have no clue what the characters can do. I’ve tried explaining it to them but they don’t seem to get it. What should I do?
You could try using an NPC to interact with each Player directly, the one-on one approach may get them to roleplay then.
Try experimenting with a variety of different NPCs. Sometimes players feel more comfortable RPing if you, the DM act a little sillier and get passionate and excited. That sometimes creates energy in the group and can in turn get them excited to roleplay.
Sometimes players don’t roleplay because they don’t know who their character isn’t yet, and they haven’t flushed out their backstory or personality. This can take time to figure out, everyone goes at their own pace. And some players never really fully roleplay. Everyone’s different, just try not to pressure them.
I used to be an adventurer like you, til’ I took an arrow to the knee.
My apologies for the triple reply. I’m replying to your thread using the mobile site and it’s being glitchy for me.
I used to be an adventurer like you, til’ I took an arrow to the knee.
This does not sound like a problem of role play "acting" (giving the character personality via an accent, speaking habits) as actors, I guess your friends are very good at it - but about the boundaries of the game and game mechanics. I assume the players don't get that THEY are creating the game as much as you do. They are waiting to be moved like pawns and react to your story. Have you done a "session zero" with them asking them about what their characters could want in the game world? Do they know they can act freely as long as they are not bound to a round based combat. Have they any relations to each other (e.g. are they brothers, master (think Batman) & subordinate (think Alfred), do they belong to the same military unit or attended the same school etc.)? Have you established any connections to the world they are playing in (e.g. do you play in their home town)?
I might suggest, have them watch an episode of Critical Role or another online D&D group that role plays in the manner you expect. That could help teach the flow of the game and what's possible for a character to say and do.