Be a Better Dungeons and Dragons Roleplayer with these 7 Roleplay Tips and Tricks

[@Taking20]

Create your FREE account today and start world building! World Anvil: www.worldanvil.com/rpg-gamemaster So... am I the only one who talks to themselves in the car, practicing my upcoming RP? xD

[@unamuseddeathgod5128]

I think we all do that xD

[@StinkyOldBear]

I 100% talk to myself in the car, in character, and have has conversations between NPCs. I am glad I am not the only one. Ha!

[@deanlol]

I do it at home, the car, work. People look at me like i grew a 3rd head.

[@Xenoman14]

Am I missing something? I don't see the link for the 600+ Character traits..

[@pabloa..]

Of course not. "Tatyana, come to me".

[@dungdefender8162]

I have one character that occasionally drinks, but I have to hope that maybe one day somebody will question why he drinks so I can reveal he’s actually collecting the labels

[@hopkinsah]

That is awesome

[@dungdefender8162]

Andrea Hopkins Thanks! Since posting this it was revealed I was collecting the labels, sadly nobody in the party really cared, but it was fated since it was a pretty inconsequential trait. On the bright side they were entertained by the hole in my hand

[@hopkinsah]

I used to collect labels off of beers or wine coolers way back in the day.

[@dungdefender8162]

Andrea Hopkins That’s cool that you can relate to it :D Did you have a favorite label or was it more like a collector’s thing?

[@hopkinsah]

More of just a collecting thing. Used to write the names of those there that night and the date too.

[@nickwilliams8302]

The two most fundamental questions in RPing any character are: 1. What does this character want? 2. What _won't_ they do to get it?

[@0042090]

That's good

[@xezzee]

Thats... actually good question. Made me thing that I have no desire for my "hero"

[@godsigner]

1. To learn of her origin and about the world. 2. She doesn't know morals, so...

[@dophie3292]

@Super Greyflash is he undead

[@nickwilliams8302]

@Super Greyflash It's funny because it's true. "I don't want this thing to eat me or my friends." is a pretty believable - though sadly underrated - character motivation, after all.

[@brennaw.3345]

The word “Bazinga” triggers my fight or flight response

[@mickytherat8020]

Mostly fight

[@chrisdavison2622]

Good. Shoot them.

[@TheRobertR]

and I am flighting

[@dustrockblues7567]

bababooey.

[@AllThingsFascinate]

Jenga

[@lucia5227]

I once made the mistake of making a hella smart character while forgetting I'm dumb as shit so rping was..... An experience

[@Zaximillian]

Go the '60s Batman route. This dude is SO smart that he makes leaps of intuition to goofy places that no one else can follow, deep in thought, and then snap your fingers as the character's complex mind of moving windows snaps into place. Or this: Highly intelligent people often sound scatterbrained because their minds outrace their mouths, leaving them to mumble half thoughts as their train of thought barrels on. Just ask your DM to pass you a note of what your character's intelligence *should* tell you, but zigzag wildly through the reasoning.

[@RockDeviI]

I did the opposite I made a high wisdom low intelligence character while my personal stats are closer to the reverse it was a big challenge to not be mr problem solver all the time and remember my character while wise was stupid xD

[@lordgino2006]

@@RockDeviI especially when you’re an experienced player. It’s hard to not metagaming. I’m playing a rogue with just 11 in intelligence. Had the opportunity to steal a shit ton of gold from a caravan. Did it of course. Among the gold, was standing a dragon egg. My whole party went nuts when I said I left the egg there. If my character never saw a dragon, nor a dragon egg, how is he supposed to know it was the most valuable thing of the caravan? Also, how is he supposed to carry out a frigging dragon egg in the middle of the enemy’s camp as stealthily as possible?

[@rebeccacaulberg216]

Im doing that now! I just made my android have a couple twisted wires. Im constantly "fixing" them.

[@spinningpeanut]

I looked up a ton of random facts. Make them smart in one thing or two things. Something you can easily find information on. I'm playing a biologist and zoologist right now. She collects plant samples, blood samples, bones, and she can make an enemy confused enough by saying odd facts like most birds have a nipple on their butts. Bards don't have to be horny, they can be nerdy in their charm.

[@Lenno94]

The monk in our group always said something like : ''Ah! My master would've known that.'' or ''My master clearly would've done better.'' That unnamed offscreen master was a legend lol

[@schwarzerritter5724]

Plot twist: The master was just pretending to know all those things. That he has his dojo in a stripmall should have been a clue.

[@estebangarcia8730]

O

[@kimia5899]

I have an Aasimar cleric who says, “May i offer some Guidance (the cantrip) in this trying time?” And then i hand a player a d4

[@wethands6417]

Whenever I cast guidance as my own Aasimar cleric, she just gives a cheerful smile and a thumbs up. No one knows it's magic, they just think she's being very effectively inspiring.

[@devinward461]

Danny DeVito as a cleric might just be the best D&D character idea I've ever heard

[@CriminalApes]

Do they look like Danny DeVito and is the D4 inside of an egg?

[@Morgoth136]

Fuck that is a good line

[@stm7810]

While since I did the character, but they'd say "by the gods (insult mildly insulting description of what is wanted to be done)" e.g. for a stealth check "By the gods be quiet" or for an athletics check they just told the fighter to "put your back into it!"

[@MrFleem]

Player: My barbarian, Grimgarr, is a big foodie and loves a well crafted meal. DM: These goblins like their steak well done. Player: ...Can I use all my rages at once?

[@Mugthraka]

does his full be Grimgarr Ramsay?... Cause going into a rage when the meat is overcooked and calling them Donkeys, would fit the bill...

[@dungeonguy88]

He'd get along with an Alchemist I ran, that enjoyed cooking food for the party. Oh, and brewing strange and potent alcoholic beverages. He actually bonded with the hulking front-line fighter of the group over that stuff.

[@mahamadkader488]

Goes into rage secreaming "WHERE IS THE LAAAMB SAUCE?!?!?!?"

[@cjlake5754]

RAAAW! Fuc***g RaaaAAAAW!!!

[@AllenGray47]

And now I have to build a barbarian Gordon Ramsey chef

[@Lord_Rangoon]

I had a character that always referred to other party members almost exclusively as their character class not their name (Master Ranger, Master Wizard etc.) which was always a very minor thing that I did just to be a little different from norm but I remember it payed off tenfold when I had to sacrifice the character to save the others from big bad and after a multiple year campaign his last words to them were “It’s been an privilege …” followed by their actual name which he had never done before and it made the moment seem a lot more real

[@longdangley]

My rock gnome has the catch phrase of "what's up" because he's lived in caves and underground constantly so he uses it to people who are above ground

[@erineclair]

okay that's so witty i almost spit my drink after reading your comment hahaha

[@austinmcintyre778]

I’m stealing that

[@saracandel4899]

That is hilarious!

[@steelman774]

My rock gnome needs something. He’s a Druid (Circle of the Moon) so when he goes Brown Bear he becomes the tank but he dislikes extravagant waste of resources and, due to his simpler societal background, he distrusts looting and searching for wealth as untrustworthy and greed. In short (pardon the pun)... basically he’s a curmudgeon who is racist against humans (“tall walkers”) so he totally fanboys out for any gnomes and generally accepts anyone fey related like elf’s since he thinks their power and lineage makes them above selfish greed. It’s a good start, it 2 sessions in he’s starting to feel 2D and static. I’m trying to find an arch (he is oddly intrigued in sources of the powerful old natural magic) but I am coming up blank short of turning him lawfulevil. Suggestions?

[@AshNRoses4409]

@@steelman774 I'm here a year later so I guess I can't help, but I'm curious. Did you find him an arc?

[@OracleLibby]

I once played a Wild Magic Sorcerer whose catchphrase was: “There’s a magical risk to magical things.” The party I played with still remembers it years later

[@arnox4554]

You should have ratcheted it up further by saying magic itself is a curse on this land. Which would lead to an interesting discussion on why they use magic, naturally.

[@BattleBrotherCasten]

Four years later and still remember this comment :) great stuff.

[@peacetotheworld5051]

Mommy the KZbin man wants me to say Bazinga

[@nyxislost553]

All these likes and no comments, well I'm here to remind you that you said this

[@onstr]

@Th3FatKat Welp. Made me laugh.

[@gggg-hq4td]

@Th3FatKat Bizoungous

[@OneMystyBoi]

@@gggg-hq4td big chungus

[@Pizzanator-gp2bb]

"Maybe your character hates orcs because his family died in an orc raid." Okay, maybe my character isn't as original as I thought he was...

[@mindescringetavern790]

Maybe he's just racist

[@Katwind]

That`s an opportunity for the DM to add something. Like, your character was told their family was killed by orcs but actually something else happened, or the orcs who did raid your character home wore a particular insignia and this is found later by the party in the uniforms of the royal guards. Oh, the possibilities...

[@Pizzanator-gp2bb]

@@Katwind I can't do the first thing since my character was there when it happened, and I've thought about something like the latter, but I've never put too much thought into it... Thanks, though

[@diverdown81]

Same...and i made him love tacos....that was a month before i watched this video

[@aidonthebeast2446]

My character used to not really hate anything, *then he encountered a mimic.*

[@discotek2011]

I find what helps me when making a character is to give them one unexpected skill and to think about why they have it. I played a Necromancer once who came into his powers at a young age and became a butterfly collector. Why? Because it's one of the few socially acceptable ways for a child to study death at a young age. It didn't come up much, but it was always in my mind as a part of the character.

[@Sage2d6]

Thats really interesting

[@kitkitkatkit]

Well, that is most certainly interesting!

[@johnstarinieri7360]

I like that concept. I'm running a monk using the Ravnica Way of Decay, I may use a bit of that

[@dungeonguy88]

This is a very solid tip, if one wants a quick way to kind of step out of the archetype a bit. Crafts, Professions, Knowledges, and Perform are all ripe territory for this kind of thinking. An Alchemist I ran was both a brewer of alcohols and a cook, partly because there's some obvious connections with chemistry there. But also because his mother often cooked for him and he was close to his family. His fondness for brewing new alcohols partly stemmed from his own growing immunity to poisons or mind-affecting chemicals and the ability to apply his skills in a way he could market. It actually became a way for him to bond with and befriend that hulking fighter that he initially snubbed as not being an intellectual peer; by the end of the campaign, my Alchemist was practically the godfather to the fighter's kids.

[@HurricaneBlade1]

My Paladin has proficiency in Thieves' Tools. Sure as heck surprised the party the first time he whipped those bad boys out! He was born into a criminal family and is trying to make a new life for himself. So far, his party-mates have actually been rather helpful with that (although they probably don't know about his past yet)!

[@belfasterd]

The things that your character loves is such a good tip. I just started a campaign and I am playing a half-orc barbarian, who LOVES flowers. I have gotten to rp this while going through gardens and forests. Also in battle at a castle I saw the garden on fire and my dm turned to me and said that my rage was automatically reset. It's a lot of fun to give your character something to be excited and passionate about, because you end up getting excited for them.

[@miarooski]

THATS SO CUTE

[@miarooski]

this character is so wholesome

[@belfasterd]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. 😊

[@Sephiroth36977]

That's a good DM. :)

[@manuelmialdea5127]

Characters who love gardening are underrated, I'm now playing a Rogue assassin who loves gardening and taking care of animals in his spare time.

[@kevingriffith6011]

You might scoff at catchphrases, but in the wise words of Caduceus Clay... "That's really nice."

[@nicholasramirez370]

In the wise words of Percy "That's fair."

[@Hyperactiveinsanity]

Then there's Nott's: AAGGGHHHHH! *wields crossbow*

[@emaccus]

Technically...

[@emaccus]

And let's not forget, 'This is bullshit...'

[@deffdefying4803]

In the words uttered by the figurehead of infinite wisdom that is Fjord Tjuff... "AyLdRiTcH BlEhHhSt"

[@jonathanandrews3399]

One quick tip: apply the 5 Whys when you’re making a character. So: he has a CHA 8. Why is that? He... smells bad. Why is that? He doesn’t bathe as much as he should. Why is that? He doesn’t like bathing because it reminds him of this prissy little elf back home that smelled like soap all the time and made fun of him. Why is that? He had terrible acne and was shy and a good target for bullies. Conclusion: my character has some acne scars. He’s leery of soap, doesn’t trust elves until he gets to know them, and hates bullies. He was also soft spoken as a kid, which explains why he overcompensates by being overbearing and caddish now. And he maybe reeks just a little.

[@Zsefvgby]

Amazing!!

[@sorasurvivor7038]

That's..... that's pretty dam clever!

[@jonathanandrews3399]

SoraSurvivor That suggestion came from the Silhouette Core Rules by Dream Pod 9. Whether you like the system or not, it has a good GM section! 😸

[@JDalmasca]

Love these tips. This is *4* Whys though, lol.

[@jonathanandrews3399]

JDalmasca Darn i! I was hoping other people couldn’t count, either. Lol 😹

[@dustinbeck3573]

Not sure if this’ll help anyone, but I come from a theatre background and something that helps me out with creating NPCs is by going one by one through a nemonic device called GOTE: Goals Obstacles Tactics Expectations Step 1: Goals What does the character want, both overall and in the current situation? Step 2: Obstacles What’s getting in the way of the character getting what they want? Is it a person, an object, a mysterious unseen force, or even their own shortcomings? Step 3: Tactics What can this character do to get what they want? What strategies will they implement? How far are they willing to go to for it, or is there a even a line that denotes what “going too far” is? Are other people and things a means to achieve this goal or never to be used in a selfish manner as a means to their ends? And finally Step 4: Expectations What does the character expect to happen when they implement the tactics they’ve had to overcome their obstacle? I hope this helps, have a good one

[@setlerking]

Dustin Beck this is great

[@JWLuiza]

Dustin Beck what a great explanation. Thank you!

[@dungeonguy88]

This is a good step-by-step to go by. I try to answer these same questions when I'm building PCs and NPCs.

[@mirandabee2323]

So helpful! :D

[@AlexBermann]

That's a great way to structure the important bits of NPCs. Cheers!

[@elmsigreen]

There is a warforged in my party and often when we meet npc's they will comment on his unusual appearance but I am playing a blue skinned tiefling who is quite self-centered and always assumes that people are talking to him. Since the player playing the warforged is a bit shy and not really big on the roleplay aspect of d&d, he actually loves it when I intervene. Our relationship in-game is a lot like Han Solo and Chewbacca now and it is super fun

[@MaskedAlucard]

Everyone: Willing to learn to be a better roleplayer, and listenting to the tips. Me: Wondering what the hell the rest of the shirt says.

[@williamfawkes8379]

Actually it says, Alignment is fake news.

[@arturvasquez739]

YEEEES

[@thedragonflyers6184]

William Fawkes yeah that’s what is says

[@thedragonflyers6184]

Eric Green that’s not true

[@dungeonguy88]

@Eric Green That was admittedly bothering me.

[@joshlegacy1101]

D&D Channel: *exists* World Anvil: "It's free real estate."

[@ethanlocke3604]

The raid shadow legends of the dnd KZbin world. Although it’s not as sh*tty as raid

[@Elvxn13]

@@ethanlocke3604 I got a raid shadow legends ad...

[@adamhuff3800]

Dude you are so right

[@marine5546]

Not exactly free, but it's profitable

[@StinkyOldBear]

As a GM of 15+ years I really like using body language to differentiate my NPCs. Giving each NPC a quirk, or a mannerism is really helpful. Cody, this is an AWESOME video, and I will be sharing it with my group. Thank you!

[@natashasurvivallady8021]

I just made a comment similar to this; good job getting to it first!

[@anoneamose4866]

Same!

[@anoneamose4866]

Gotta hunch over and be the old lady, or hold your arms up and be the chained up prisoner

[@dungeonguy88]

Makes me think of a Lawful Evil Troll Ranger that my group of Evil PCs turned to for aid. The core of the idea is that the average troll doesn't take that huge of a penalty to Intelligence, that they couldn't theoretically be of above average intelligence. So, we have an oddly contemplative and forward thinking troll of 14 Intelligence. But he was also smart enough to realize he wasn't a genius, so he would often take his time when considering a question or problem. His main quirk whenever considering things like this, would be for his to idly scratch at the bottom of tucks or his chin and loose a rumble from the back of his throat.

[@daryoz3710]

GMT+3 anyone up for games I'm a newbie who only played his first no serious game last week

[@purplenova7690]

I remember spending five hours home alone getting used to speaking in a thick Irish accent and manner before a Discord campaign started.

[@corvustheedgy6809]

@chaoticking 64 How did you learn that? Asking for a friend.

[@sweettooth7089]

Unbekannte talk to yourself in that accent. Keep talking, have a conversation. Say what you think your character would say, the accent will improve with practice. I once spent a hour practicing a voice and it helped

[@Oshawott315]

Also listen to others with an accent and try to copy them

[@purplenova7690]

@@corvustheedgy6809 I tend to listen on to various friends or online videos on those with natural accents. I then try to emulate it consistently, various exercises in order to be able to do it on the fly. Accents/Voices I can do: Nordic/Dwarvish Spanish (mostly because I'm half Latino) Irish/Gaelic French Russian High-pitched feminine Low-pitched feminine Low-pitched masculine Cthulu **Elder God of the Realms of Chaos** Raspy

[@setlerking]

Unbekanntes_Ding I know this is old but I always have a “tuning phrase”. It’s a phrase I can immediately find the accent in, usually from somewhere like a movie or viral clip. I can from there recreate the accent with that as base. Example: in WoW almost every dwarven merchant will say “I have the finest wares in the land!” it sounds like “Ai’ve tae fainest wires in tae land!” And I can without fail reproduce it and find a Scottish/fantasy dwarf accent easily through it.

[@timpappot9873]

What I always do with a new character, is that I make a short (10/15 songs) playlist of songs that character likes/are about them in a way. I can listen to this playlist when I bike to my D&D... that always helps me get in the mindset of the character

[@chaser143]

Much like you I try to give characters and NPCs theme songs that suit them or remind me of them. It helps to keep me in the correct headspace.

[@jessepalomo5810]

I look at about 5 songs to play that works around the character, myself.

[@tobiasravntaastrm5898]

I have two tips I'd like to share: 1. Engage the other characters. Have your character ask the other characters questions. It doesn't have to be anything deep. It could simply be: "What do you think we should do", "That owlbear sure was something huh?", "Do you think my butt looks big in this armor?". I find that more often than not, engaging other players, and drawing attention away from myself inspires greater flow and play. 2. Find personality traits that you can apply in almost any situation. I once had a character with the trait "I'm terrified of spiders" and while fine, it only came into play when there were actually spiders around. My next character has the trait "I'm naive and curious", and I can apply those traits in almost any given situation.

[@adamholcomb1906]

Another tactic to RP for casters is describe what’s your spell looks like when you cast it.. Reskin your spell to personalize them into what you imagine it, is a awesome way to role-play. I do this all the time for my two wizards one drow the other Yuan-ti Pureblood and have been inspired by this in Adventures League at Cons👍🏼👍🏼💯

[@InDadequate]

^100% agree. I think one of the best flavor-adds is the descriptive action, I'm not great at it myself yet, but I have played with people I consider to have nailed it and it absolutely brings me into the narrative of their story. I can envision that much better than my "ok I smack the guy with my warhammer" which is as bad as it gets, but I'm still learning ...hmm I think I just touched on my catchphrase and character personality in responding here. what is elvish for Ancora Imparo?

[@joshualinley4417]

I like looking at the material components of spells and asking myself: "How would my character use this?" I had a wizard who would do some very odd things with the feather used for Tasha's Hideous Laughter...

[@dungeonguy88]

Oh, I'm going to borrow this idea and try to encourage it at my table.

[@AshtonMonitor]

This works especially well with sorcerers due to their metamagic ability; changing the way a spell takes form while casting to reflect which metamagic effect is being used can be fun and a way to challenge yourself to get creative.

[@malogranatum4914]

I’m still pretty new to playing, but I’ve already done a bit of this with my grave cleric of Anubis. For example, the second time I’d cast Hold Person, I quickly told my DM that spectral mummy wrappings appeared around my target to hold them in place. For my first (and thus far only) attempt at casting Toll the Dead, I replaced the ringing of a dolorous bell with the lone howl of a jackal. And finally, I’ve decided that whenever I cast Sacred Flame, the flames that appear will be a pale purple (basically lilac), which is the flame test colour of niter due to the potassium. (Technically, if I was going to base flame colour on the flame test of a salt, I should have gone with natron, which is used in mummification and would have given a yellow flame from the sodium. I went with purple because I read that niter and natron are nearly indistinguishable, are both found naturally in the Sahara desert, and because purple flames seem more grave-y :P .)

[@hartsbane]

"I'm not superstitious... but I am a little stitious." - Michael Scott

[@Scantronimus466]

I’m suprastitious.

[@okgrorkultiv5356]

Lmao nice reference, I think I might have just found my caracther's catchphrase

[@itsyagirlVofficial]

"They've never done anything to steer me wrong" was my Characters catch phrase

[@Ellimanist15]

My friend's is "what's the worst that could happen?"

[@IntuitiveYakOfAllTrades]

“They’ve never done anything to steer me wrong.” Wait, we’re dealing with Minotaurs now?

[@EndlessDraws]

"was" uh oh, did they end up steering you wrong?

[@jeffrogers8810]

My level six monologue didn't leave a dry eye in the house I'll have you know... ;)

[@BlueDually4x4]

You should have gotten more likes.

[@TurdusRufiventris]

Let me guess, everyone stood up and clapped?

[@Kad1nthatcoolcat]

Getting called by my characters name instantly gets me in that mind set. its really helpful for online games

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Admittedly I'm old-school TableTop... BUT it's worth pointing out that Character sketches and Name-plates for Player placements around the table is helpful in this regard... This lends just a bit of a visual ideal to each character AND has the added benefit of each Player getting used to the other PC's rather quickly, shouting from the nameplates (not unlike the ones you see on desks in offices or at the Bank) becomes easier than trying to think of everyone's "real name" in the midst of play. AND we usually had at least two people who were skilled enough in art to get a better than reasonable "cleaned up" portrait for all the PC's in around a week, no matter the size of Party on hand... Usually, one could handle it, but as long as someone has enough skill to know "crap" when they see it, I like to spread the work load around and let everyone contribute... Same with the nameplates. I have all the supplies and lettering skills to spare for that sort of thing... BUT if a Player has an inspiration to help... I cobble the plates together and let them. For every prep' I don't have to do, there's more attention to the GM'ing I can pay. AND every activity that gets a Player invested is another reason NOT to disrupt or derail the Campaign arbitrarily on "mischief". ;o)

[@dungeonguy88]

This is something I try to insist on early on, and try to get the other players used to, is using our characters names.

[@overgrowndwarf1628]

The last character I played, before I became a dedicated DM... 16 years ago... He would say "Well now." In response to everything. Depending on the volume, emphasis or speed of the delivery, you can really fit a lot into those two words. It also lent the character an air of unflappability, even when delivered as a curse in response to a trap or a threat. Now that I'm eternal DM, I usually leave vocal notes next to NPC names. I hate myself because it's usually shit like: "Willem Dafoe as a cowboy." "Arnold Schartzenegger hosts a cooking show." "King Hrafnar doesn't think it's that hot." "What if Elvis Presley spoke in the same manner as Christopher Walken?" But straight away, it jogs the memory for the accent and demeanour that character has. I build entire lives around an excuse to use a particular accent, or set of mannerisms.

[@lastwymsi]

My current catchphrase: "Fair enough" I use it as a "you got me there" "good point" "I asked a stupid question and was called out"

[@InDadequate]

i think i use that too much in real life to call it roleplay

[@guilhermemendes7950]

I think i am going to steal it from you

[@TGymer]

yeah, i use 'fair enough' a lot too. Literally to the point where even though none of my players used that phrase, they now are.

[@_JananaBanana]

That's really funny to me. My Character has an Irish accent and is a gambler, so when he loses or any of the things you said happen, he says "Fair play" or "Fair play t'ya".

[@bendystrawz2832]

@@InDadequate its legit my catchphrase irl.

[@stephenstrope3165]

One of my favorite NPCs that I created was a gnome shopkeeper who would change his glasses when the party wanted to talk to someone about something. For example they wanted to talk to the shop owner and he went to a drawer and changed his glasses and they were instantly talking to The shop owner. The players had lots of fun and enjoyed him.

[@El_Donahuego]

For me, it really goes in a sequence. Name makes Voice, voice makes character. I come up with a name first and practice what voice fits that name, like my Dragonborn Ra'Pheras. The R's flow really well with like a light Russian accent, and I practice with that to find that the voice lends itself really well to a sort of hyperactive, happy-go-lucky type. So Ra'Pheras, or Raph as his friends call him is essentially a big red puppy with a giant sword from the get-go, and then I wrap personality traits in from there by just playing. I never pass Perception checks, so Raph has a hard time focusing, probably because he never shuts up. I had trouble differentiating my DM's male and female characters from time to time, so given Raph has trouble focusing and Dragonborn don't really display sexual traits like the other races, he has trouble telling them apart from a glance. Also for verbal quirks, being a big hyper Russian makes swearing fun. Instead of saying "motherfucker" he says "MOTHER OF FUCKER".

[@handlebarfox2366]

In homeland, you do not seek adventure, adventure seeks you.

[@bonthebunnycat667]

Omg I already love him xD

[@xxenchanteddemonxx5222]

I love it comrade!

[@lapidations]

"Mother of fucker" said in a Russian accent is all I ever wanted to hear from an adventure buddy when in a pinch.

[@TurdusRufiventris]

"MOTH, OR FUCKER!"

[@Axelovskji]

No one: Party's bard: You like jazz?

[@maximleone4658]

"Great gods above and below" is a curse one of my characters used frequently

[@thearoacebrit4515]

I'm gonna use that one

[@Jared-iq6ul]

My dwarven Storm sorcerer says “bahamat’s teeth” as a curse.

[@feedthemultiverse]

Gods below is the in-world cuss of Almaera, part my my co-creative multiverse.

[@justanotherglorpsdaymornin5097]

Is it bad that I use that IRL?

[@TheLunaranimosity]

Old video I know but the catchphrase thing is SUPER important and can even help you get into character! My longest ever played character had the catchphrase "That would be preferable" and I would say it a few times in his specific accent to get me into playing him.

[@sekata96]

If a heathen sits on my table and tells me he hates tacos he is quickly getting holy smited.

[@michaelcrumlett187]

I’m a bit late to the party, but the “houses of I’ll repute” thing strikes a chord with my favorite character. He’s a human barbarian from a tribe that was wiped out by a combination of factors, including an orc raid when he was small. He was a captive for a long time, so he only spoke his tribal language and Orcish at the beginning. He would visit brothels every time he had a chance, but not (entirely) for the usual reason. It turns out that his culture revered women and valued them as teachers. When he found out he could pay for female companionship, he felt it was an opportunity to learn how to communicate better with the rest of the party. I’d make three intelligence checks and the DM would present a list of words my character could now use effectively. It was really a lot of fun.

[@yukaslash355]

My main villain says "You'll pay for this, heroes!!" In skeletors voice whenever the party stops his schemes.

[@calebtadlock5956]

Great DM advice I got when i was starting is to create a list of 50-odd names. Zaaruk Gru-Kraw, Nassnia Salarinn, etc. Next to each, write 1 or 2 single-word adjectives. Drunk, kind, spacy, wise, coarse. Player interacts with an NPC? Grab a name off the sheet! They're not interacting with a nameless royal guard commander, they're interacting with Mihalis Dorovir, the firm and sad commander. Once you use a name, update it with who they were and what other traits they developed during the interaction, and now your list is evolving into a quick reference sheet of your campaign's NPCs.

[@FalseOrbit]

My lawful evil paladin catchphrases & qoutes: "By the pope!!!" "by the gods!!!" "you would dare strike a holy knight?" "(Gods name here)... forgive me, for I know what I have done is wrong, but even so, it was a neccessary evil" "I'm not above the law... I AM THE LAW" "(Gods name here) sends (his/her) regards" "The light at the end of the tunnel is just my holy wrath, retribution comes swiftly" "The difference between you and I?.... my light grows eternally stronger, such as a grass seed conquers the mountains. But you... your light fades... such as flesh returning to dust.. only to be swept away by the winds of vengeance, may your book of life be cleansed by holy fire and forgotten to the ages"

[@nickr2351]

Noah Evans Nice homebrew haha, I’m doing a dark paladin as a homebrew class currently

[@kaldogorath]

If you have too many catchphrases you might become an NPC

[@MaindexOmega]

this character is sponsored by Powerwolf

[@MrBlorp-sf9ye]

Grass seed, eh? *prepares to cast a fire spell*

[@foreveranoutcast3847]

King dragon sends his regards

[@guyatanosavia8487]

When having players make players make characters for my games, I always ask them to come up with 3 secrets to the character they're creating. They could be major, like how they dated royalty or have innocent lives on their hands. They could be minor, like being afraid of the dark, or having fantasies about someone specific. One of my players is playing a fighter-type who particularly enjoys having imaginary mach-battles in his spare time, and I cannot wait until another party members stumbles upon him doing this in the woods while everyone else is resting early in the morning xD

[@Lamadredetuamigo]

The blacksmith’s son catchphrase: “How ya doin’?” 😏

[@Taking20]

No... How YOU doin'?

[@charmedrools1]

Well, what kin I do fer ya?

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

@@charmedrools1 OR "What kin I do ya fer?" ;o)

[@ProfessorBalth]

The Blacksmiths catchphrase: They're masterworks all, you can't go wrong

[@TheHallford]

Not so bad, an' yer self

[@Twosocks42]

I have a character who loves pastries. A dirty, grunting ranger who barely interacts with people absolutely melts for pastries. The other players love it.

[@toddcampbell-crow8615]

I need help, I can't seem to introduce a roleplaying character without accidentally saying "Well hello there." XD

[@AllThingsFascinate]

Don't know what the help would be for, you've already achieved max level ^_^

[@InDadequate]

i can help, simply add "Neighbor" to the end of it and it becomes both wholesome and creepy at the same time

[@waitthatsillegal.7552]

Ahhhh.. general Kenobi!

[@collinoharo2539]

General Kenobi

[@lillyanneserrelio2187]

@@InDadequate instead of hello there [neighbor] try Hi diddly-lo. ~Yellow skin and Mustache optional

[@ddDreaming]

I decided to base my current (and first) character’s very important decisions around her moral compass. She has a rock hard sense of morality, and whether she’s right or wrong, she’ll fight you and sooner die than break it. It’s actually caused some really interesting rifts in our campaign. She’s made a very dangerous enemy out of a fire genie queen we work for. She’s nearly gotten herself killed by that queen. Literally at the moment, since we paused in the middle of a fight, she’s gone and stood against that queen’s guards who want to arrest someone who used to be evil but now just wants to be left alone, and told us everything we needed to know. It’s been wild, since as a player I know how I’d react to save my skin, but.. Coren the Faun wouldn’t be out to save her skin, she’d be out to be morally good. It’s going to get her killed but damn, I love it.

[@hardcorenacho1020]

“other druids preserve the balance of nautre, I preserve the balance in life and death and since im alive I enjoying watching my foes die”

[@InDadequate]

luvin' it

[@fonztorres]

Catch paragraph

[@TheCinderfang]

Playing a "darwinian" druid is fun

[@Felixr2]

@@TheCinderfang "The strongest shall survive. Such is the way of nature."

[@jacobgibson5319]

yoooo

[@wanderdragon1075]

So, I really enjoyed this. Lots of good stuff. However, on tip #5 about pausing to let people talk, I agree that you should because it’s polite. HOWEVER, I have been in a game where the most memorable moment was a PC monologue. My buddy’s character was talking to an NPC, who had just been told he’s the hero the world is waiting. The NPC was struggling with this responsibility, and my friend gave him a quite inspiring monologue that was just amazing to witness. It did last like 5 minutes though. I know it’s a one off example, just saying there can be a place for one person to keep talking.

[@RIVERSRPGChannel]

Yes a long pause for others at the table is a good one. Pie and burgers

[@Taking20]

i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/facebook/000/022/506/manofculture.jpg

[@Kittykattarina]

I make a hamburger pie in honor of Dean.

[@geeksquad4962]

omg thank you so much for this video. I'm a new D&d player and have absolutely no idea how to roleplay. This helped me out so much

[@Angelo609]

“Try to focus on things that they love” My character who has an inside joke of loving Keurigs (long story short, basically how my character found the party since I joined halfway through the campaign was me and my comrade were sipping tea at a shop and wanted coffee, only to learn that they had no Keurig. My character is now on a legendary hunt for a Keurig).

[@roaringlaughter3812]

“Infuses foot with eldritch blast” “Kicks in tavern door” “Walks in drawing everyone’s attention, purs foot on table somewhere in the middle” Declares loudly: BEHOLD! Your one one true lord has Arrived. Bartender looks up from drying a mug: arent you the one that climbed the roof of the monastery and screamed :I LOVE FLOWERS!!!! My pc: “slumps into a chair muttering: yes Bartender: what will it be? Pc: your finest ale. “Everyone continues their business” And that is how I introduced my archetypal warlock who got tricked by a flower celestial when he thought he was selling his soul to a fiend.

[@fawn4348]

You, my friend, are creative.

[@arnox4554]

Perhaps this character could be expanded even further when the Celestial posits the idea that perhaps being in service to a celestial was what he actually wanted because evil just never was in his nature, hence why he got the attention of a celestial instead of a fiend.

[@roaringlaughter3812]

Arnox Immordium yea he is in fact insane hears voices and has no social capacity whatsoever he is introduced as a gag character that is one dimensional at first but the more the party gets to know him the more dimensions will be revealed so to speak. And if they arent interested in that he will just stay a gag character that will on occasion leave his heavily cursed diary on tables for his overly curious rogue or cleric(who desperately tries to fix him but is getting damaged herself instead slowly loosing her sanity)

[@arnox4554]

@@roaringlaughter3812 ... I like my idea better. XD

[@BEEEES]

A funny warlock could have gotten their magic because a random demon decided that the random orphan in the woods was their child now.

[@DawnChatman]

I never got a chance to play in the 80s but I'm finally playing now. My first character is a Kenku rogue, I wrote her up as being kind of innocent when it comes to the things she does and her (lack of) wisdom score pretty much matches that. Playing that Being that sits back and observes and doesn't have that creative spark (because of the curse) can be pretty hard at times. Her thing is keeping a bag of worms on her at all times for snacks and offers them to her friends now and then. And I freaked out once when at an inn the proprietor offered eggs for breakfast.

[@handlebarfox2366]

"You see, Polly lays an E G G every morning, and she'd go crazy if she knew we were eating them." -- Jack Benny

[@dungeonguy88]

That's another good basis for figuring out your roleplaying angle; your ability scores can help guide and inform on personality as well.

[@niallreid7664]

Genuine question: how do you get around lack of dark vision for your rogue? Wanted to be a Kenku rogue for ages but that frightens me away.

[@johanemmoth9437]

@@niallreid7664 Bit late to comment maybe. But recently started playing as a halfling rogue, never found it to be an issue. Quite the opposite it adds tension, carefully navigating through a cave or something. Might hear some gobbos, decide to hide the torch a bit or simply put it out... It really adds a lot to a dark setting, the struggle of wet torches cannot be underestimated however.

[@neog8029]

In the words of my favorite PC, Koompy Jiloompy: _"Comrade, hand my that oil. I need to make my abs glisten like the morning sun."_

[@Hey-Its-Dingo]

On the topic of backstories, I had a Drow Light Cleric, named Char, who loved life, drugs, and debauchery, and worshiped Lliira, my DM allowed a Light Cleric of Lliira as they spread the "light of joy" in the world. Their backstory was an option I always loved, an "Enlightened Drow" meaning they regained the Elvin ability to change their sex during a Long Rest if they chose, they were born a male Drow, but took on a more feminine appearance after being enlightened after a failed raid on a church of Lliira in Waterdeep ended up with just under half of the Drow in the raid converting to Lliirans because of the unquestioning kindness the priests showed them, despite being Drow. But because of this, the converted Drow were tortured by my character's older sister, a Shadow Monk Inquisitor type, the two were children of a High Priestess of Lolth, and due to the nature of the torture, my character had a crippling fear of being rendered blinded. But all the converted Drow managed to break out one day and escape to the same church that converted them. I took some cliche elements and added on unique flavor I thought would fit. I also wanted to portray a victim of trauma who was determined to spread joy and kindness rather than wrath and revenge, and wasn't defined by their trauma, but it still affected them greatly.

[@only2comment98]

honestly I don't understand [at all] anything you just said.

[@landoakechi9406]

Oh man, I can’t wait to try some of these. I just started, and my ranger, my first character, feels like a blank slate and I almost feel like I just made myself. My second character I like a lot more, but I still felt like I haven’t gotten the role playing aspect of D&D yet. This video will be so helpful for me moving forward, thank you

[@wabschall]

I found that having some level of routines are fun to play with. This is always fun to do before bed. The monk who spends a few minutes meditating and centering itself before sleep; the fighter who checks all of his weapons' sharpness, bowstring taughtness, etc; the cleric who lights a little candle and says a prayer before tossing some leaves into the air to thank the Wild Mother. These little moments can highlight the nuances that ones personality and class actually bring to the table. I used to be a ranger and I would count my arrows at the end of the day and make a note of how fast I was using them and how long I could go before making/buy more

[@AshtonMonitor]

My lizardfolk always breaks out his alchemy set before bed to "experiment" as he calls it. In reality he's just insatiably curious as to what happens when randomly selected materials are mixed together. It's one of the few times he really lets himself have fun, since he's always watching and waiting for a catastrophe to happen. Alchemy is his thing, he loves it so much that he tunes out the world around him without realizing it. The inn could be burning down and he wouldn't realize it. It's not just an example of something he loves and enjoys, but also one of his flaws.

[@wabschall]

@@AshtonMonitor this is great. I love every part of it.

[@AshtonMonitor]

@@wabschall I'm glad to hear that! I've met some players who would've kicked me out of their group for doing that, so it's nice to know not everyone would do the same as them.

[@wabschall]

@@AshtonMonitor I mean, I'm sure a LG Paladin of Pelor might not appreciate it as much, but as a player I'm so down.

[@justanotherglorpsdaymornin5097]

My warlock watches the campfire and is calmed by the flames (she is a highly-strung bratish princess in hiding) it helps her sleep.

[@AlgyPond]

My life domain cleric's cathphrase: "Don't kill, be chill!" It always gets a laugh from the table. There's also the fact that in any situation he'd rather play good cop and chat rather than punch first like the rest of the party.

[@HalasterBlackmantle]

You raise a great point with defining your character by something that they like. This reminds me of my current favorite character, a Shadar-kai bard. He originates from the Shadowfell, obviously, and somehow stumbled into the prime material plane. And he likes... basically everything. Being no longer in the dreadful influence of the Shadowfell, which you have to actively counteract with evoking extreme emotions in order not to fade away, he is just stoked to be on the prime material plane. He loves every day, as he can finally feel and enjoy things, and experience all the exciting things reality has to offer without having to fight for it. I basically play him like someone who got rid of depression. He is just excited. About everything.

[@bouboulroz]

I also like to give all my characters a few favorite things. Other people discovering your character has a prefered dish, a favorite fairy tale (made up depending on the setting of course), or a song he likes to hum during travel is a good hook for them to pry and get to know a few mundane things about your character. And sometimes it can even change how an other character perceive yours ("Oh, this stern guy smiles when he hums the song his mother used to sing to him as a kid, he's not as cold-blooded as I thought").

[@gabriellez613]

I was excited to realize I already have a catchphrase for my character “Suffering is bad”

[@felixc543]

That's actually fantastic

[@LightingInvoker]

"I just saw bees, Brov!" I'm very visual when I play, so my characters have a ton of reference pics. One thing I love to do is use a reference from a movie or tv show so I can grab action pics of the character shooting a gun, crying, laughing, interacting with others, running, etc. I also use songs to get inspired. I often think about what kind of character would have song X as their theme song. Stuff like that.

[@jarlbregadan914]

I once played an elven fighter that had found peace in a temple of Solonor and adopted and ascetic lifestyle. He didn't drink, smoke, gamble, or visit ill-reputed houses. He instead turned every small daily act into a ritual that he exercised with devotion and discipline. He treated physical training, meditation, fencing, archery, calligraphy and even conversation as sacred endeavours. To be honest, it was A LOT of fun to play him.

[@Inlelendri]

First off, these tips are incredibly helpful to me as an aspiring writer (not a roleplayer, never played a proper game in my life) because they work as a toolset and a mind-shifter rather than a set of 'you must do', which isn't helpful, at least to me. Secondly - looking very smart with the glasses and beard, Cody, I have to say. :)

[@MisterBonez]

It’s also important to know that your character may develop interests during the campaign too! I have a Dragonborn monk in the Eberron setting right now, never really stepped outside of Q’barra until this campaign started. She became a bit of a foodie after having a meal from an inn, since the Dragonborn are pretty isolated from the rest of civilization the diversity of the meals could be a bit limited, and she’s had a bit of a fascination with the industrial and steampunk architecture and stuff. :)

[@AJStarhiker]

My Shadowrun mage really likes Looney Toons. So, whenever they hear 'Duck Season!'... the other players know I'm firing off a lightening bolt. I have not yet had the opportunity the PU-36 Space Modulator (fireball). She is, fortunately, smart enough not to use that while teammates are in melee.

[@justanotherglorpsdaymornin5097]

Goblin mage fires back: Rabbit Season!

[@firegem3280]

I always learn something new watching these. My tip is invest in playing your character. Practiced responses can indeed be helpful, but I find reactional responses to be equally as important, and can lead to many character developments. My main character is someone who wanted to learn magic in a similar way to how we learn science. I started out with a lot of empty gaps, but as time went on and I played her more, I found some of her fascinations and fears. She's a tiefling wizard, who specializes in fire magic, and uses those skills to put on displays, much like a fire dancer or magic performer. She gets extremely excited over new undiscovered magic and history of it, and being a creature of flame, she has a strong fear of being underwater. Even now, years after I've made her, I'm still tweaking things here and there in her story and filling in more gaps. It's quite a sight to see your creation experience new things

[@gooseourlord]

I don’t really change my voice during roleplaying, but my tell is just I don’t use anyone’s name. Like I only call our Triton “fish man”

[@london3562]

That was like my friend too! He called the characters "Elf" "Woman" "Indian" etc lol

[@EmotionalSupportBees]

I'm trying to figure out how to roleplay my wizard better, and I've been thinking of doing the same thing... like, yeah, the character's pretty intelligent, but maybe he sucks at remembering names. A magical trap temporarily turned our cleric blue a few weeks ago, so everybody already calls him Smurf anyway (he hates it, of course) Our rogue could be called the Stab-Master (while trying to find a mimic, he literally just walked around stabbing everything) I guess the ranger could be Bird Lady, because she tamed a chicken (which then got eaten by a cat because no one brought it inside overnight) I dunno, I'm bad with nicknames I just like calling my cousin a Smurf

[@statistical-cats-sophia]

@@EmotionalSupportBees maybe your wizard will remember certain abilities/traits their party members have, or certain events. So like the smurf thing! But it doesn't even have to be THAT noteworthy. Maybe it could just be "the bugbear whisperer" for your bard who soothed a rowdy bugbear, or "metal giant" for a warforged.

[@asherz2]

My character is a 25 year old Tiefling named Cyana who was raised by Goblins (the Chieftain specifically), and I've made note for her to never pass the opportunity to take a moment to talk to Goblins whenever she has the ability to, she has a strong emotional attachment to Goblins, even if she's never met them before, she randomly gave a shop keep 2 gold pieces simply because he was a Goblin and said "blessed be you" in Goblin before carrying on because the party didn't have time to stick around. The second time she came across a Goblin shop keep, she got more time to talk to them, talking in their native tongue and in Common as if they were old friends, my DM always gives me the chance to have her talk about her background by either asking why she knows how to speak Goblin or simply asking where she comes from, and I never get tired of explaining it because my character never gets tired of explaining it, she's proud of where she comes from, she's proud that she can say that she's the daughter of Strix, the Goblin Chief. And on top of her being attached to Goblins, I also made her have Goblin-like traits, she collects things, she loves shiny objects, she isn't used to celebrations or parties because Goblins don't typically do those (though she thoroughly enjoys herself when partaking in them), because it's obvious she'd adapt a few traits from the race she's been around for her entire life, but even so, she still deviates from what would be the "norm" for her village, she is still a Tiefling who longed for adventure and independence while also being raised to be a Ranger and the next Chief in line, her true self was suppressed by obedience and discipline, to the point where she now believes that's who she is, and gets embarrassed whenever she acts out of how she's "supposed" to be. She's slowly coming out of her "strict" and "serious" demeanor, and letting her party see who she really is underneath her poker face. I didn't choose this background for her, I happened to join my campaign when it was already happening, my DM gave me the option and I took it so it would be easier to involve me in the story, I *ADORE* found family, I will always go that route if it is given to me because it gives me SO MUCH to work with. This campaign has been so much goddamn fun, and I've loved every second of it.

[@TheUberMeister2009]

My warlock isn't superstitious. He's a little stitious tho

[@s.p.1434]

I personally enjoy giving each character I play a simple item, like a coin, set of dice, an eye patch, a cane, etc. to play with as I roleplay. It helps to differentiate when I'm speaking in character and when I am not, and to keep my head in the mindset of that character.

[@sigmascrub]

"tip #2 is gonna sound really cheesy" I mean, we just passed catchphrases... What else is there?

[@rabblerabble814]

On the note of what your character loves, favorite food. Eating is a major part of life, but it's hard to role play it since we don't get hungry when our characters do, however if you make a note of your characters favorite food then you have something you can look for when you hit a major city, something you can make a point of sharing with the party, or something you can get excited for when the DM is doing a quick description of whatever food is being served at the inn your staying at. It's a small detail that can add so much to your character

[@josemhernandez1974]

Following that example I had a halfling cook that heard of a food festival and I dragged my party to it. There were games (skill checks), battle royal (subdual combat), intrigue (cooks trying to sabotage each other) and lots of trouble to get into. I made out GM work there butt off but we spent 3 sessions there and it worked well as we had just come off of a high stress stopped a great evil arc that I forgot but remember the food festival. I won by 1 point on a check for my french style owlbear steaks and poached owlbear eggs adventure breakfast (our GM said owl bears hatched from eggs sooo why not). 😆😆

[@bgreaud]

I like to insert a personal flaw or trait into my PCs so that I can relate to how they feel and that emotion tends to show through...

[@jpcsdutra]

I realized I do that a lot too, and I lowkey fear being embarrased if my table ends up finding out lol. Most of my characters in one way or another are "abandoned" and are on a path of self redemption of some kind. A Gnome that ran from home and became an Arcane Trickster because he couldn't make his family of spellcasters proud. An Orc that became a fugitive for not wanting to do it's tribe rite of passage and challenged his own father, etc.

[@bgreaud]

@@jpcsdutra my RL father left us when I was 4. I made a 12 year old that had taken to the streets and basically had no moral compass. Because of the lack of parents. They had never been part of a family and just had this emptiness that they ached to fill. In game she ended up being adopted by an old kindly gnome the party rescued. On the one hand, having her cause low key chaos for not knowing better was one thing, but having a little closure felt great.

[@Swooper86]

A trick I use for my NPCs is to use impersonations. Let me explain. For each NPC, I think of a person. It can be a celebrity, a character in a film or TV show, even a real life friend. When I speak in character for that NPC, I do my best impersonation of that person. I'm not a great actor by any stretch, but that's fine - I'm not trying to do an accurate impersonation. Count Randil Farmont isn't Matt Colville, he's me doing an impersonation of Matt Colville. I don't want my players to recognise the impersonations, that would spoil it. The point is to give me a shorthand to be able to easily get into different characters when needed. The PCs haven't been to the village where the campaign started in months, but if they ever go back there, I know I can play the innkeeper just the way they remember him.

[@TheMadGinger3]

I totally read this in Colville's voice. I think you're doing well.

[@NightRaiderTea]

Don’t know if this is a ‘unique’ character but I have a water genasi bard with a fear of butterflies and love for dragons(even though she barely knows what a dragon is as she lived underwater for most of her life)

[@joanblandon5701]

the catchphrase tip really helps way more than you'd think, I played an Owl swashbuckler bard that they had a sort of fear of bones and when someone would mention bones he would repeat in a scared and concerned tone "BoNeS?!" what started out as a one time joke grew to being part of the character since the other party members played along with it and would quietly say the word bones around my character or look at me wen an unknowing npc said it

[@rossbatten2912]

The catchphrase of my warlock daughter of a witch: "There's levels of dead"

[@JayAllheart]

This whole channel is perfect for me, being a brand new player starting his first campaign. Thank you!

[@ritchier3346]

My favorite character I’ve rollplayed is my low intelligence shifter who absolutely loved to play dice. He was terrible at gambling, loved fighting but none of that mattered if he saw people playing dice

[@koidotjpeg9944]

Had my first session with some friends the most recent monday. It was fun, but roleplaying was super awkward at first because I didn't know how I was supposed to "be" my character. Thank you!

[@animefan3794]

One of the best roleplay moments I ever had was when my 3.5 edition Hexblade threatened a priest of Pelor because she didn’t feel he was doing enough in his role as caretaker of an orphanage, and then gave him something like 60% of the 5000 gold she had just received as bounty for giant slaying so that he COULD do better.

[@lilithdarkspire9366]

Just a few time stamps :) 2:20 *1.* Catchphrase 3:30 *2.* Practiced Response 4:13 Examples ^ 4:45 *3.* The Superstiotion 5:12 *4.* Dynamic Character Goal 6:50 *5.* Give Time To Respond 8:04 *6.* What EXCITES Your Character 9:20 examples ^ 10:42 examples 2 ^ 11:14 *7.* Personality NOT Background 12:05 Examples ^

[@e3psilon]

"Don't kill all the NPC's" 97% of new rouges: Dammit

[@lorekeeper685]

Clerics:does undead and dragon count as NPC?

[@JimmiWazEre]

Your makeup kills NPC's?

[@Dotification]

rOGUes

[@justanotherglorpsdaymornin5097]

my Arcane Trickster RoGUe will play (relatively) harmless pranks on people instead. The king is giving a speach? Oops there goes his trousers. Two trolls are walking along? One gets their but pinched, now they're fighting. The enemy horde is charging? My illusion moons them. The dragon is sitting on it's hord? The coins get up and bounce away in a single file line. The main time it went wrong was when I got Tempus (yes the god Tempus showed up) to moon the army (using a nat 20 and the awesome magehand an arcane trickster has) descending on our 5 player party (they all took psychic damage, some died and the rest went into a Barbarian rage) and Tempus dissappeared out of embarASSment and we had to run for our lives from an encounter that wasn't supposed to be a fight but a display of how powerful the gods were and why we shouldn't piss them off.

[@RockDeviI]

But robbing them blind is still fair game right? Right? RIGHT?!?

[@dogfromotgw]

im just getting into dnd with a couple of new friends and i just want to say your videos have been really helpful! you clearly know this game super deeply and your videos have really helped me get into it, especially as someone who was a little skeptical of role-playing. great stuff :)

[@or10nsharkfin]

"Bugger," as simple as they come but was always uttered by my Bard whenever something bad happens to him.

[@Tesoro1996]

This. This is my worst problem when playing DnD. I can create such amazing characters with deep, creative backstories and goals, but I have so much trouble roleplaying them well because I am usually quiet and shy in groups of people I dont know well yet. Being introvert sometimes sucks, haha.

[@goofydragon8023]

My rogue's catchphrase is "I'm Tristan Shadowclaw, perhaps you've heard of me" every time I meet a new npc or player

[@MikeAsbestos]

I'm enjoying all the tips and reading all the comments! As someone who can just "turn it on" and become their character, it's cool looking at the different pieces that go into it. Some of the things I do: - Change your facial expression drastically to match your character - Practice the voice in the shower and while driving - Even without an accent you can change your voice. Make it raspy, or breathy, or buoyant, something different than your regular voice

[@DungeonDad]

Tip #8 - Wear cool hats. Great video dude!

[@DragonSinged]

Hey, this is the first of your videos I've seen, I enjoyed it! You presented some less obvious ideas, and I appreciate your explanations. One thing that has helped me in the past with certain characters is having, not a catch phrase or anything the character would actually say, but a set phrase I can say to myself in the character's voice that encompasses who that character is. That way if I'm having trouble actually getting myself into character, I can say that phrase to myself in the character's voice to remind myself of who they are and how they act. For example, I had a character who was an ancient half elf/half gold dragon wizard who was crotchety and didn't like to exert himself if it wasn't necessary. I had a particular way of saying, "I'm an old man!" - nothing terribly interesting, but it helped put me right into the mindset of this character.

[@jgr7487]

I like how Cody's ads aren't just "gimme money", but more of a "I liked it, you should test it too".

[@TurdusRufiventris]

Imma break it out to you pal, they have to act like that.

[@jgr7487]

@@TurdusRufiventris so many KZbinrs are just like "gimme mony pliz"

[@bravenewface]

I know this is an older video, but I find it very helpful. I'm just getting into D&D and really want to up my roleplay game. Thank you for posting this.

[@AsbakNL]

my half orc rogue has vietnam flash backs thanks to wood elfs

[@justanotherglorpsdaymornin5097]

My half-orc Bard pretends he is strong (using his dex and performance and deception) when he actually only has a strength of 10.

[@monasteri1162]

I use a general guideline in creating a character with a few bullet points. Helps to keep it handy and remind yourself of who your character is and how they are. (Of course flesh out these bullet points futher, since it’s ment to be like a cut through of your character) Traits: short general traits Need: What the character would like to have Desire/drive/goal: What do they really want? Long term goal? Enjoys: (thanks to this video!) Reason to adventure: Why the hell is your character risking their life? Flaws: Minor weakness and or flaw Quirk (I find it fun to add) Secret: A thing from their backstory? An event? (Something to hang on to for a while) Deep characteristic: Something deep about your chracter, reason for a trait etc. (Let it peek through in your character) Deep Flaw: A deep characteristic that shows but your character maybe isn’t aware (Possible) Character arc: Where do you want to take your character? (Again thanks to this video!) What won’t they do to get what they want?: Self explanatory (thanks to one commenter, this was a good tip) Word/phrase: Catchphrase, defining sentnences, answers to questions etc. (Yet again thanks to this video) Hope that helps you to flesh out your character! i LOVE creating characters since I’ve done traditional RPG before trying out D&D

[@patrickmooney4272]

As a player, asking other player characters what they think or what they want to do, in character. This tends to promote more RP from everyone 😀

[@joshlegendre]

I've just started DnD. Had our first gaming session the other day and HOLY SMOKES I didn't realize how difficult it can be to role play as your character. Granted, I'm a noob, but still! Your video had a ton of great tips that I'm gonna have to implement to get things off the ground for SURE.

[@dhwyll]

Having a character who knows how to cook/butle/steward is one of the most important non-combat skills that can be had. There will come a point where you need to have an interaction with another person that requires making things nice for an extended period of time.

[@DerpyDaringDitzyDoo]

One of the most fun things I've ever done in Dungeon and Dragons, and I recommend it to anyone who thinks they're pretty good at roleplaying, try playing a character who is either deaf or mute. It really adds a new layer of difficulty to the rp process when your character can't communicate normally with the rest of the party, but it can really be so rewarding if you find a way to make it work! (hint hint, there are lots of ways to get telepathy~) Of course only do this if you'll be playing with a group you're already pretty comfortable with!