Greetings gamers from all systems, places and timelines.
Just like with the tough questions in life, the ones involved with gaming shouldn’t be avoided. Let’s face it, if you asked 12 veteran gamers what fantastic roleplay looks like, you would get 12 very diverse answers. I would argue that’s exactly how it should be. You can’t nail down precisely in a paragraph what a great character looks like. And, to be honest, if it was that simple, it would be boring.
Some of the complexity surrounding this issue is because of all of the ways exceptional roleplaying can be achieved. For one, some characters in a story are well received by different people or audiences. However, we aren’t talking about writing a screenplay but rather developing a character who will become an asset to both the party’s dynamic and the fabric of the story itself. That begs the question: What are some of the qualities that adept gamers exhibit in terms of roleplay, and how can they be added to your gaming toolbox?
1. Character Backstory and Alignment Matter – But Only to a Point
Before your character can get a lifetime achievement award, we need to define who they are, at least in terms of the game and story. Most find that backstory, like alignment, can be a useful tool in terms of your character starting point. They help you conceptualize your character and guide them, especially in the opening sessions.
While these can be important facets of your character’s psychology, so can any other number of things, such as the character’s class or where they’re from. However, I do not recommend allowing just one of these factors to define the character any more than, in real life, you should allow your major in college or job to define you as an individual.
Alignment, in some ways, can be like political positions. (Please don’t panic. This won’t get political, because I’d rather superglue both of my nostrils and eyelids shut.) Someone can say they hold certain views and picture themselves in a likewise manner. What matters is how you act, what you do and how others perceive you based on your actions. This can explain how villains are running around who honestly believe they are the actual heroes of the story.
2. In What Ways Is My Character Interesting?
As DM Thorin once said: “A good backstory is great, but I’m more interested in what your character is doing today and tomorrow.” To this point, some characters have come around with exceptionally detailed and interesting backstories! The problem is, when that character got some actual screen time, they turned out to have about as much flavor as a loaf of plain white bread. This can easily happen because there is a difference in how a character plays out in our heads and how they are when on stage.
The flip side of the backstory issue is you don’t want to have one of your fellow players ask something about your origin story and have the answer be composed mostly of “umms” and “ahhs.” Admittedly, tropes can be extremely attractive. However, maybe you don’t want to create a grizzled, middle-aged male warrior who started adventuring because of a tragic backstory involving their family. Because, at this point, all these characters are almost a parody of themselves. (Editors note: It’s okay to play the middle-aged martial class dude who is fighting to avenge the death of his family. Signed, someone who just did that.)
The trick is that all of the surface details surrounding your character are, in many respects, like the hook of an adventure. Once the players are interested, the actual story’s substance needs to be solid enough to make everyone glad they came to the table. If done properly, the other players should want to uncover details about not only the plot but the other party members as well.
To that point, do not be afraid to invest more thought into your character than you may be used to. I would advise against going overboard and writing a saga about your character’s lost evil brother who you will confront around level 12. At least not while you’re unsure how this character feels about more mundane issues, like taking up a quest if it’s not for upfront money.
Also, don’t be afraid to give your character a secret that can be revealed by you or the plot later down the road. You could even leave spaces in your backstory for the DM to surprise you with lore, if you so choose. The real acid test here will be, if/when it happens, how strongly the other players react to it. Because nothing is quite as anti-climatic as a reaction such as, “So, you’re the evil Duke’s daughter huh? … Cool. ANYWAY …”
3. Anyone Can Create a Character, but Can You Knock Their Role Out of the Park?
I realize that I am the master of over-simplification. Because saying to “knock the role out of the park” is kind of like saying “get out there and do a good job.” Excellent roleplay doesn’t necessarily mean you have to dress up for the games and talk in a funny voice. (If you’ve heard my character voices you’ll be begging me not to do that.)
In a previous article, I talked about a character from a mercenary campaign who all the other players hated. Often when people create characters, they are based on themselves at least to some extent. But in this case, that player made a heel and, just like it was a script from the WWE, everyone loved to hate him. Ironically, that character never saw themselves like that, which circles back to the earlier point about how we see our characters vs how everyone else does. Although one important takeaway is, while this character was disliked, he seemed extremely real and invoked equally real emotions from the other characters.
No matter what style of character you’re going for, from a comic relief coward to the misunderstood villain, your goal should be to have them either loved or hated by your group. There is a fine line between hating a character because every time they open their mouth you’re rolling your eyes versus actually wanting to roll them. And that emotion-evoking response is a key ingredient of the secret sauce of stellar roleplay. I also can’t help but suggest, when you conceptualize a character, it will run a lot smoother in terms of the party dynamic if they have at least some team-friendly qualities.
4. Don’t Allow Anyone to Typecast You, Including Yourself
Not allowing this to happen can be extremely challenging. All of us have a default character type that we are good at and feels natural. And, while it’s obviously not the end of the world for you to play two martial characters back to back, the bar will be raised for the second character. You’ll have to create an interesting character with a solid backstory who is different enough from your previous character that you don’t get accused of cloning. Which is a real irony, because your peers would probably be happy to see you playing a character they know you’re good at. (Just be prepared for the jokes to fly around the table when you botch an attack and someone says “Hey [previous character name], you are really slipping.”)
Some of my best roleplay has been produced when I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone and play a different type of character. That may have been because the experience was so different. Understandably, this is a bit of a gamble because you may not know what to expect if you have never played that class before. But isn’t the very nature of adventuring a gamble?
My best advice here is to put your energy into defining a strong character idea and personality. Now, if this amazing new character just happens to be the 4th arcane class you’ve played with your group, well, then once again expect jokes. Like “What are you trying to be, every character at Hogwarts by yourself?” (Editors note: Tony, you can’t lampshade your own problems.)
You could make the argument there is nothing wrong with typecasting because someone like Al Pacino, for example, played a mobster in a ton of movies and everyone likes him. But please take into consideration each one of his characters was in a movie that was only around two hours long. You’re going to be playing this role for (hopefully) much longer than that.
Just be clear in terms of both your character concept and how you plan on roleplaying them, so they will be their own new and unique entity.
Conclusion
Excellent roleplay is something that can be achieved in a number of ways, but it still usually hits the same key notes. When someone’s character is really in a strong roleplaying groove, one reason for this success could be that they have an equally solid foundation. This will provide their character with enough room to work. Otherwise, it would be just like a movie that had some of your favorite actors in it, but the script was weak. Some players are excellent at improv, but without a foundation to work from, you will see a different character in each session. Yeah, your roleplay is great, but I liked the version of your character you did four games ago the most.
It’s definitely important to create and play a character who can evoke emotions in the party, but do yourself a favor and remember that you will be part of a team. Here, I am going to reiterate that you may want to give your character some redeeming qualities. Because you not only need your teammates for obvious reasons, but some of your best roleplay will without a doubt be generated from inside the group. So, maybe when everyone has made camp for the evening, instead of just taking watches and sleeping this can be an opportunity for some dialogue. Trust me when I say you will be unable to deliver your best roleplay performance if you’re an adventuring party of six and only you and one other person, besides the DM, ever does any of the talking.