How To Encourage Roleplay During D&D

Getting started in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign often feels intimidating, especially to new players. Juggling character sheets, types of dice, and learning the required mechanics can all make playing for the first time a turbulent experience. However, getting into character can sometimes be more of a challenge than all the book work and math in D&D put together. Players must learn to act on the stage of their new campaign, with only an audience of fellow party members to impress, and that can give anyone stage fright.

There are many great ways for Dungeons & Dragons players to prepare their character voice. The first is to have a solid grasp of their character’s backstory and general personality. By knowing quirks and ticks ahead of time, a player will feel more confident acting out reactions during a play session. To help prepare this information, writing out a scenario from the character’s recent past and reading it aloud as an introduction may help build confidence before starting a campaign. Reading out loud can help a player practice their character voice with a script handy for them to lean on when nerves kick in.

Players will also want to consider keeping it simple with their first character. If they haven’t ever played a tabletop before, they might find the juggle between learning the rules and keeping up a character difficult. A player’s first Dungeons & Dragons character will be a bit like a first-born child, at the mercy of a player’s mistakes and often used as a learning opportunity. Because of this, staying away from a difficult accent or mannerisms might make things less complicated. A player can always make a Bard with a French-inspired accent in a future campaign, after they have learned the ropes.

Dungeons & Dragons Players All Become Actors At The Table

However, the most important thing about roleplay in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns is the attitude of the party. Creating an accepting and forgiving atmosphere at the table can help a new player feel safe in exploring their character voice. It is important to set rules ahead of time not to tease or make fun of a new player as they put their best foot forward, and bravely learn to act in front of their party members. Roleplaying doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and being teased when feeling vulnerable or shy can make the experience unpleasant, and potentially drive a new player away from returning to the table.

Roleplaying in front of others takes practice, which is why all new D&D players should be patient with themselves. Finding a groove while acting out a character can take several sessions, or even longer, before a player may feel they have really found their character. It’s okay to take it slow, and explore the possibilities before settling on specific traits. Dungeons & Dragons is about being creative, and the best characters will change and grow with the player as they challenge themselves through the campaign.

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