Hello! I’m pretty new to D&D, so sorry if these questions sound a bit repetitive.
So I’m 3 sessions into my first campaign (D&D 5e, PHB) and I feel like I’m unable to role play my character very well. I play a female, human, Warlock (Pact of the Blade, Great Old One) who has experienced severe trauma that resulted in the pact (was saved by unknown patron) and her going a bit crazy (i.e. like a psychopath type of crazy.) So she is very guarded, intimidating, cocky, and lies about everything. But I also intended for her to speak out more and make strange/concerning comments to NPCs and PCs in conversations.
So I have two main topics of concern.
First, I realized that I’m not sure how to have conversations with PCs and NPCs (i.e. I don’t know what to talk about, ask them, comment on, etc.) off the top of my head. I’ve been pretty quiet and even when something comes to mind, I sometimes don’t say it or another PC speaks over me.
Do you have any tips on how to figure out what your character would impulsively do/say in situations?
And tips on how I could interject more of my character’s personality into the gameplay and interactions?
The second problem I have is the other two players in the party have characters that talk a lot. One player in particular isn’t a very mindful player. He pretty much ignored my character last session in a store and decided a group conversation was over when he finished talking. He also talks over everyone a lot (for example, not letting me describe what I look like after I use Mask of Many Faces by interjecting and saying what he’s casting and what happens.) It really makes me feel uncomfortable and upset since I don’t feel like I can role play at all with him always talking so much. (He’s a nice guy, so he probably doesn’t realize he’s doing it, but it makes me feel like I’m quite bad a role playing.)
The other player agrees that we might need to talk to him, but I don’t want to disrupt his role playing too much as a result since this is about having fun.
Do you have tips on how to approach this kind of player?
Any tips on how my character could play off this kind of behaviour in the game?
If anyone has other tips related to developing role playing skills, I would gladly accept any advice, because I’m really excited about my character and I want to do a good job of playing her.
My biggest suggestion is to not try to roleplay your way out of this. Don't turn a conflict between players into a conflict between characters. You could try to interject while the other player is interjecting. That is to say, cut him off by saying something like, "wait, I'm not finished yet." Even better than that though is to have an out of game conversation about it with the player, generally before it after a session. Uncomfortable as it may be, it will probably yield the best results.
Sometimes when you’re not as experienced, it can be better to play a character who’s personality is more like yours. It’s tough to get in another person’s mindset, especially if it’s different from you own. (I’m not trying to pry about any traumas you may have had, and sorry if I’m talking out of turn there, though I’m going to assume you’re not a psychopath who made a deal with an elder god.) I get the fun of wanting to be someone else for a while, but if you’re uncomfortable, maybe you need to ease into it.
Another option would be to look at movies or books with characters like yours and just steal their lines until you are better at coming up with your own.
And I’ll agree with pwhimp, talk to the player and let him know he’s stepping on your toes. Or mention it to the DM, hopefully they would be willing to step in and be sure everyone is having a good time.
Sometimes it's best to imagine your character in much more specific terms and hammer down concrete actions and points of conversation. You've already run into this problem, so that's essentially what you're asking about. Your personal experience with your other player is suggestive, in fact! A cocky and intimidating character would talk over other characters and ignore their input. You could do that in-game (not IRL - strictly in-game). This could be a recurring hint to your friend at the table, and that might be good if you can talk to the other players and the DM to use your character to "talk over his character" whenever he's starting to backslide.
If your character is cocky and intimidating, then they will always have an agenda for a conversation or why they're in a specific part of town. So could just do away with the niceties and get right to business - all the time. So if you're looking for someone in a rowdy and rude tavern, she might use Minor Illusion or Prestidigitation to command the attention of everyone in the place, then get right to the point as soon as she can "I am looking for Neebly Whenwatcher. Anyone who can point him out gets a free meal!" And of course she doesn't give out a free meal and intimidates the "winner" into keeping quiet about it.
Grab people's attention with a brazen display, get right to the point, deceive them to get what you want, and then threaten them with otherworldly damnation if they think they deserve better. You don't have conversations. You tell people what you want and they give it to you.
Get a RP sign, just one. Whoever is holding it has the floor and is in character. DM should encourage the sign to get passed around, so everyone has an opportunity. If anyone other than the DM or the RP sign holder speaks, they buy a drink, snack, etc. for everyone else. (put a $1 in the "sin jar").
This works well with children learning to take turns, so should work with adolescents or adults who should know better already.
My advice is to get more aggressive when it is your fair turn in the spotlight to roleplay. If I was describing what I was doing with my faces mask and some guy annoyingly interrupted about how he is casting a spell, I would get louder and continue describing. He'll get the message. If he doesn't then hopefully your DM can set him straight.
I get that this could be a more difficult situation for a new player and/or more naturally quite or introverted person, of which I am neither. The bottom line however is that D&D is by nature a loud, boisterous game where strong personalities tend to dominate the table.
Just remember, when you want a turn in the spotlight and it is your fair turn, fight for it! Get really loud if you need to. Look your DM dead in the eye while talking, wave your hand to get their attention if needed.
Talk to your DM. The campaign I DM has a player that occasionally says those out of turn things. It used to be mere frequent, but when my response was always “Absolutely, when it’s your turn,” or I would hold up a finger and simply say “hold on” and then my attention would go back to the other player, after a few times was enough to curb the bulk of it. Quite literally, it’s the DM’s responsibility to address these issues, not yours.
Get a RP sign, just one. Whoever is holding it has the floor and is in character. DM should encourage the sign to get passed around, so everyone has an opportunity. If anyone other than the DM or the RP sign holder speaks, they buy a drink, snack, etc. for everyone else. (put a $1 in the "sin jar").
This works well with children learning to take turns, so should work with adolescents or adults who should know better already.
I LOVE this idea! Do you have an alternative to this for online games? Specifically video chat games.
Also, I agree with the above DMs and players about talking with the whole group. YES, you are absolutely right that he’s entitled to RP, but SO ARE YOU. I had a player who liked to interject with non-session comments while other players were trying to participate, and it required out of session conversations. Honestly, if you treat the issue from a positive, “we are all in this to create the most fun for all people” perspective, it will all work out.
To your question about strange/concerning comments to NPCs/PCs. I would suggest doing some research on the horror genre, specifically all the over the top ominous warnings that the characters always seem to get at the beginning. What I would do at the beginning, while you are still getting used to making these comments, is to make a table of your favorite ominous warnings/just plain creepy things characters say, and roll on the table whenever you interact with a character or NPC. Over time, start replacing things on the chart with statements you come up with, and eventually faze out the chart as you are coming up with all the comments more on the fly.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Corinne Hemlock: Dhampir courtesan and dusk huntress Kraig Bronzeaxe: Dwarven archaeologist and guerilla archer
For online, DM becomes channel admin, mutes everyone else and then they put in text chat indicator they want to talk. DM authorizes speaking role, revoke, and to the next one.
As for the RP issue, I've never had the problem but the best idea I can think of is to play her more like you are playing you. With practice you will get better and figuring out the personality of a new character.
As for the player, first off the DM should sort this out. "Shut up, she was talking." DM's do not have to be polite. Docking EXP's for that sort of thing is a good fix. I have done it before and it works.
If not, a polite, but curt, "Excuse me, would you mind if I finish!?"
It's a shame you play with such a jerk, but you must assert yourself or endure it always.
If the guy is interrupting using his character's rp (i.e. you're character is talking and then his character interrupts) I would say just have your character maybe summon their pact weapon and be like something similar to 'If you don't let me finish i slit your throat' as your character is supposed to be kinda a psychopath. If its OOC interruption, either tell him you were not finished, take him aside to talk about it or in later times during the game interrupt him and if he calla you out on it you can call him a hypocrite and perhaps get him to stop. You just gotta stand your ground, OOC and in character.
Have a bit of time on your own to think more in depth about your character, and what they would say in certain situations. Have a cheat card E.G. when the party takes a quest from the important noble, you say this this and this. I did this with my hexblade who went insane with power and committed mass genocide. When the party was taking a quest from a noble, I would keep quiet, in case they recognised me, but if we were dealing with the criminal underworld, as a mass murderer, I was at home, because I hade the highest charisma in the party, and there was no rouge or bard.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Hello! I’m pretty new to D&D, so sorry if these questions sound a bit repetitive.
So I’m 3 sessions into my first campaign (D&D 5e, PHB) and I feel like I’m unable to role play my character very well. I play a female, human, Warlock (Pact of the Blade, Great Old One) who has experienced severe trauma that resulted in the pact (was saved by unknown patron) and her going a bit crazy (i.e. like a psychopath type of crazy.) So she is very guarded, intimidating, cocky, and lies about everything. But I also intended for her to speak out more and make strange/concerning comments to NPCs and PCs in conversations.
So I have two main topics of concern.
First, I realized that I’m not sure how to have conversations with PCs and NPCs (i.e. I don’t know what to talk about, ask them, comment on, etc.) off the top of my head. I’ve been pretty quiet and even when something comes to mind, I sometimes don’t say it or another PC speaks over me.
Do you have any tips on how to figure out what your character would impulsively do/say in situations?
And tips on how I could interject more of my character’s personality into the gameplay and interactions?
The second problem I have is the other two players in the party have characters that talk a lot. One player in particular isn’t a very mindful player. He pretty much ignored my character last session in a store and decided a group conversation was over when he finished talking. He also talks over everyone a lot (for example, not letting me describe what I look like after I use Mask of Many Faces by interjecting and saying what he’s casting and what happens.) It really makes me feel uncomfortable and upset since I don’t feel like I can role play at all with him always talking so much. (He’s a nice guy, so he probably doesn’t realize he’s doing it, but it makes me feel like I’m quite bad a role playing.)
The other player agrees that we might need to talk to him, but I don’t want to disrupt his role playing too much as a result since this is about having fun.
Do you have tips on how to approach this kind of player?
Any tips on how my character could play off this kind of behaviour in the game?
If anyone has other tips related to developing role playing skills, I would gladly accept any advice, because I’m really excited about my character and I want to do a good job of playing her.
My biggest suggestion is to not try to roleplay your way out of this. Don't turn a conflict between players into a conflict between characters. You could try to interject while the other player is interjecting. That is to say, cut him off by saying something like, "wait, I'm not finished yet." Even better than that though is to have an out of game conversation about it with the player, generally before it after a session. Uncomfortable as it may be, it will probably yield the best results.
Sometimes when you’re not as experienced, it can be better to play a character who’s personality is more like yours. It’s tough to get in another person’s mindset, especially if it’s different from you own. (I’m not trying to pry about any traumas you may have had, and sorry if I’m talking out of turn there, though I’m going to assume you’re not a psychopath who made a deal with an elder god.) I get the fun of wanting to be someone else for a while, but if you’re uncomfortable, maybe you need to ease into it.
Another option would be to look at movies or books with characters like yours and just steal their lines until you are better at coming up with your own.
And I’ll agree with pwhimp, talk to the player and let him know he’s stepping on your toes. Or mention it to the DM, hopefully they would be willing to step in and be sure everyone is having a good time.
Sometimes it's best to imagine your character in much more specific terms and hammer down concrete actions and points of conversation. You've already run into this problem, so that's essentially what you're asking about. Your personal experience with your other player is suggestive, in fact! A cocky and intimidating character would talk over other characters and ignore their input. You could do that in-game (not IRL - strictly in-game). This could be a recurring hint to your friend at the table, and that might be good if you can talk to the other players and the DM to use your character to "talk over his character" whenever he's starting to backslide.
If your character is cocky and intimidating, then they will always have an agenda for a conversation or why they're in a specific part of town. So could just do away with the niceties and get right to business - all the time. So if you're looking for someone in a rowdy and rude tavern, she might use Minor Illusion or Prestidigitation to command the attention of everyone in the place, then get right to the point as soon as she can "I am looking for Neebly Whenwatcher. Anyone who can point him out gets a free meal!" And of course she doesn't give out a free meal and intimidates the "winner" into keeping quiet about it.
Grab people's attention with a brazen display, get right to the point, deceive them to get what you want, and then threaten them with otherworldly damnation if they think they deserve better. You don't have conversations. You tell people what you want and they give it to you.
Channel your inner Bellatrix Lestrange.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Get a RP sign, just one. Whoever is holding it has the floor and is in character. DM should encourage the sign to get passed around, so everyone has an opportunity. If anyone other than the DM or the RP sign holder speaks, they buy a drink, snack, etc. for everyone else. (put a $1 in the "sin jar").
This works well with children learning to take turns, so should work with adolescents or adults who should know better already.
My advice is to get more aggressive when it is your fair turn in the spotlight to roleplay. If I was describing what I was doing with my faces mask and some guy annoyingly interrupted about how he is casting a spell, I would get louder and continue describing. He'll get the message. If he doesn't then hopefully your DM can set him straight.
I get that this could be a more difficult situation for a new player and/or more naturally quite or introverted person, of which I am neither. The bottom line however is that D&D is by nature a loud, boisterous game where strong personalities tend to dominate the table.
Just remember, when you want a turn in the spotlight and it is your fair turn, fight for it! Get really loud if you need to. Look your DM dead in the eye while talking, wave your hand to get their attention if needed.
Talk to your DM. The campaign I DM has a player that occasionally says those out of turn things. It used to be mere frequent, but when my response was always “Absolutely, when it’s your turn,” or I would hold up a finger and simply say “hold on” and then my attention would go back to the other player, after a few times was enough to curb the bulk of it. Quite literally, it’s the DM’s responsibility to address these issues, not yours.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
I LOVE this idea! Do you have an alternative to this for online games? Specifically video chat games.
Also, I agree with the above DMs and players about talking with the whole group. YES, you are absolutely right that he’s entitled to RP, but SO ARE YOU. I had a player who liked to interject with non-session comments while other players were trying to participate, and it required out of session conversations. Honestly, if you treat the issue from a positive, “we are all in this to create the most fun for all people” perspective, it will all work out.
To your question about strange/concerning comments to NPCs/PCs. I would suggest doing some research on the horror genre, specifically all the over the top ominous warnings that the characters always seem to get at the beginning. What I would do at the beginning, while you are still getting used to making these comments, is to make a table of your favorite ominous warnings/just plain creepy things characters say, and roll on the table whenever you interact with a character or NPC. Over time, start replacing things on the chart with statements you come up with, and eventually faze out the chart as you are coming up with all the comments more on the fly.
Corinne Hemlock: Dhampir courtesan and dusk huntress
Kraig Bronzeaxe: Dwarven archaeologist and guerilla archer
For online, DM becomes channel admin, mutes everyone else and then they put in text chat indicator they want to talk. DM authorizes speaking role, revoke, and to the next one.
Not ideal, but a method.
As for the RP issue, I've never had the problem but the best idea I can think of is to play her more like you are playing you. With practice you will get better and figuring out the personality of a new character.
As for the player, first off the DM should sort this out. "Shut up, she was talking." DM's do not have to be polite. Docking EXP's for that sort of thing is a good fix. I have done it before and it works.
If not, a polite, but curt, "Excuse me, would you mind if I finish!?"
It's a shame you play with such a jerk, but you must assert yourself or endure it always.
If the guy is interrupting using his character's rp (i.e. you're character is talking and then his character interrupts) I would say just have your character maybe summon their pact weapon and be like something similar to 'If you don't let me finish i slit your throat' as your character is supposed to be kinda a psychopath. If its OOC interruption, either tell him you were not finished, take him aside to talk about it or in later times during the game interrupt him and if he calla you out on it you can call him a hypocrite and perhaps get him to stop. You just gotta stand your ground, OOC and in character.
Have a bit of time on your own to think more in depth about your character, and what they would say in certain situations. Have a cheat card E.G. when the party takes a quest from the important noble, you say this this and this. I did this with my hexblade who went insane with power and committed mass genocide. When the party was taking a quest from a noble, I would keep quiet, in case they recognised me, but if we were dealing with the criminal underworld, as a mass murderer, I was at home, because I hade the highest charisma in the party, and there was no rouge or bard.