Lothar's Lair

In alot of the games I have run I have players who will roll up a character, outfit it, even describe how the character looks and sometimes in great detail. However when it comes to role playing, of which the game is about, the person will say “My character does such and such” or “I ask the tavern keeper what is on special today” This IMHO is not role playing!! This is the player trying to tell the DM/GM what actions his/her character is taking. Role playing is when the player speaks as his/her character I call it “Being in character”. Now, don’t get me wrong here, there are times when as a player I need to ask the DM what something looks like or smells like or what sounds my character hears and as a player I expect a complete description of what my character sees,hears,smells…etc.But to tell the DM/GM what my character is doing in relation to dialog between an NPC and my character I should totally be immersed in being my character. I know that the English accent and or the Scottish brogue accent is the most common way to let all know that it is your character speaking and not the player. But players don’t have to put on an accent at all, they just need to be in character when speaking to NPCs, when speaking as their character to other PCs…etc. As a player I most certainly set up the encounter with an NPC while describing to the DM/GM how my character walks (swagger,saunter,skip,lope..etc) how his/her demeanor is (dour,happy,sad,jovial,sneaky,suspicious…etc) whether his/her arms are folded,hands on the hilt of a sword, stroking his beard…etc. Then speak in character to the NPC while looking as a player to the GM/DM to, as close as I can, the way my character would to the NPC, or to an other player if speaking to them. I don’t have to get out of my chair or approach the other player or GM/DM but if I felt it would be better played I could. As a player/DM/GM one can create facial expressions to help in the characterization and the look of that particular character as well. As a DM/GM one can look suddenly up at the ceiling or down to the floor as if noticing something and as the player follows suit you may roll dice to see if the NPC successfully feinted so as to facilitate a “+” on the die roll to leap to the shadows or pick that pocket/pouch while the player was looking where the NPC did, after all we are in character. Just some ways to help players stay/get in character.

I hope this helps and until next time, Good gaming.

Lothar Loc’Nar