Getting Players to Roleplay (GM Tips w/ Matt Mercer)

Matthew Mercer teaches us how to get your group to roleplay, because sometimes it doesn't come naturally. Character background stories, engaging conversation comfortably, and leaving your comfort zone are just a few ways to get started.

[emewyn]

In my game, the bard has taught and gotten the rest of the party to play Truth or Dare to fill in the time during long stretches of travel. It's amazing for roleplay and the PCs getting to know one another (the Paladin thinks of it as "team-building exercises"), and as a DM I don't even have to do anything.

[kerimalpaltuncu]

I'm loving this new improved GM Tips series! Thank you Matt and Geek and Sundry!

[TheNextUtnto]

In italy there is a small problem with gesturing while talking as npcs: people usually use body language so much, players get confused on which npc is who and what are they trying to say/lie. I get often 2 out of 4 players who try to insight check on most npcs due to their gestures

[sidtodd]

WAS THAT A THORDAK MINI I SPOTTED AT THE BEGINNING!!?!?!

[brennennichols]

I felt attacked by that Diablo comment Matt lol. D2 was the best grinder ever!

[Zatsumaster]

What helps me, a shy player, the most is simple:
The GM adresses me with the characters name and a "you".
"Hilbert, what are you doing now?"

[wingy]

More like, Matt the Immerser, am I right?

[TreiberSeptim]

Matt: „I’m very lazy“

Also Matt *creates entire worlds and novel worthy stories in his free time“

[wafflethesnek]

In my dnd group I have one player who wrote a 12pt font, single spaced, font and back printed, 12 page backstory. The rest just said, oh I’m Hilgore, I’m a dwarf, and I worship a god?

[piabernardino]

Matt seems like such a fun and cool person

[AndroxineVortex]

Friend: That's not what I meant by role play
Me: *walks into room dressed as a French maid

[RaishaDelos]

The group I DM is weird, the usually socially awkward people are great RPers, which is awesome! But the usually bold personalities point blank refuse to do more than 2 lines in character in a 4 hour session, its so disheartening and i swear it destabilizes the shy peoples confidence in their performance :/

[MrFForger]

I need a gif and/or sound bite of that "Kill shit, take loot" experience :p

[lordlemmingman]

I think I've been in college way too long. The second he said a "One page backstory" my first thought was "Single space or double?"

[ltericdavis]

Props to the editor on this one. Really makes it pop.

[Freudig]

I reward my players with a Special Card, we call them "Aces". Whenever someone does something that fits his character perfectly, I'll award him the Ace. Every player can only have one Ace at a time and they can use it to bend the rules of the game and come up with movie-like sequences.

e.g.: Once the party was trapped. They have been fighting on a City fortification wall and enemies were pouring in from left and right. When suddenly the Rogue picks up his Ace and says "In desperation I look about and there I see it. A cartwagon is approaching the wall. I take Ledania by the hand and pull her to me and together we jump down to land the cartwagons haystack."

Another time my players tracked an informant, but he was getting away. While his body guards block the way and keep the party enganged he runs off. Our Ranger picks up his Ace and says "With my eagle eye precision I fire a shot between the body guards and pierce the informants left knee." For the use of such an Ace there is no skill roll required, and that's the beauty of it. After they have used their Ace, the players have to return it to the GM, but through good and memorable roleplay they can get it back and use a second time, or a third, or ... :D

[Cptjackjacky]

"Not everyone has to write a multi-page back story"

*Looks down at the fourteen page back story for my character, the world he's from, the history of the world and the lives and works of all major characters related to him*

[bigmansmallboy]

If someone has social anxiety, and are really tight in their shell, that’s fine. I used to be like that as a player. If they know their character, and want to play, but are scared, maybe make an NPC talk to them.

[Arcticx]

I find it funny when he’s like “as a gm, it’s ok if your player doesn’t like being rp, be supportive.”
*when you’re the gm and you’re the one with the problem with rp*

[Siansonea]

Man, I wish I could play at your table. I love the RP aspect the best. My characters always have their own voice and point of view. It's my favorite thing to come up with a fun accent and backstory and set of "triggers" for their traits that play off of the crunchy bits on the character sheet. How does my high Intelligence and average Wisdom actually play out? Overthinking every decision, obviously. How does the high Charisma but low Intelligence and Wisdom play out? Needlessly lying and people pleasing behavior, obviously. So fun to come up with this stuff.