What to Do When Immersive Roleplay Goes Sideways

We have all been there … the map is setup, the pizza is on it’s way,

and the Game Master has begun to explain the problem in a low country accented voice on how ankhegs be bustin’ out of them there fields, swallowerin’ mi pegs ‘hole.

This farmer could really use some help from some adventuring folks and most of the players agree without asking about rewards or other such things.

Except for the Warrior Noble, he refuses to talk with the man, let alone help him.

What to do, what to do? The noble certainly isn’t going to risk his life for such a lowly commoner, “it is simply not done”.

What to do with Immersive Role Play Gone Wrong | Player Tips

This scenario is a classic example of immersive role play gone wrong. How can the adventuring party get their groove on when the muscle doesn’t want to show up and dance?

If that ankheg infestation is dangerous to take on without the fighter then the rest of the players are beholden to the character’s background and choices.

But ultimately there adventuring fun is being held hostage by a player.

Ideally I want to be in conflict with the characters but not the actual players at the table. What can we do to mitigate backgrounds and player concepts that, at first, seem to clash with the adventures and goals of the party?

Player tips and what to do so you don’t end up being “that guy”

1. Check out this video

Don’t have time to check it out? Then I will give you the short short version.

What to do with Immersive Role Play Gone Wrong | Player Tips

• Stay Flexible, the more rigid the background or mindset of the player the harder it is to create reasons to go where the character may not have gone before.
• Talk with the gm and other players, have open communication between the group so they know where you are coming from
• Figure out how your character could say yes to going out on the adventure or how they could be convinced to complete a task.
• Add to the fun of the game for the players, don’t make your choice out of pride for your immersive role play skills. Where you end up sticking to a character concept so fiercely that it ruins the evening’s fun for everyone else.

These are a few of the player tips brought up in the video. For more players tips , game master tips , and much more come over to our youtube channel here.

Immersive role play can really add to everyone’s overall experience in the gaming session. Just remember when you are in a bind about what to do with your character consider one of the following solutions to get you back in the game.

If your character won’t do something, reverse the thought process and consider what is needed for the character to go on the adventure or perform the activity. In other words, figure out how to say “yes”.

Maybe the character’s background is not the greatest and they need a change, when someone is looking to change something about their life they can experiment with activities an groups that would normally not interest them.

The easiest strategy is the conditional yes. This entails a character agreeing to give aid or assist in a quest if they get something in return. This can be anything from monetary compensation to promises of assistance on a personal mission or goal.

What to do with Immersive Role Play Gone Wrong | Player Tips

Keep in mind that whatever your character’s desires they can be accomplished without halting the game for everyone else.

Good luck and Stay Nerdy!