Roleplaying as a Challenge

October 30, 2017

There are near-limitless types of challenges within the world of gaming. From combat challenges to puzzles, there is something about conquering a problem that resonates with the adventurer’s soul within us all.

My Starfinder game had a challenge unique in so many ways. The challenge to conquer was in roleplaying, and not a simple amount of attacks or skill checks. The group ran into a completely alien species they did not share a language with, or even body shape to communicate through miming.

This got me to think of all the ways I have seen roleplaying be the deciding factor in a victory. Of the times when the players had to think and act on their feet to succeed. Let’s see how things roll, shall we?

Roleplaying the language barrier

One of the greatest challenges facing explorers was the language barrier. The inability to convey a simple idea through words is something most of us will never face. That being said, as I pointed out in my Fianna article, certain movements and mannerisms offensive to one society may be a sign of respect to another. So even nonverbal communication could be stymied if the cultures are different enough.

A great example of said nonverbal offense is found within Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” where Sampson bites his thumb at members of a rival house. In this simple action, Sampson demonstrates knowledge of another culture taking offense to a seemingly mundane action, and uses that to his advantage.

Now what would be the problem you would face if your party ran into a group you simply had to parlay with, but did not share a common language? How would you identify cultural taboos without words? To throw an extra spanner in the works, how would you recover if you made a mistake?

I am sure as a gamer you can think of ways to mime your way through simple concepts, but what about if you did not have a shared body type such as a beholder and an elf trying to trade? What if, like my recent Starfinder game, you had to negotiate with a sentient spider? You would have to roleplay it out, step by step, with the one running the game representing a creature learning about you as you learn about it.

This would require the entire table to think on their feet. It should not be a rushed situation, as the improvised roleplaying challenge is worth milking for every memorable moment. For good or bad, the moments like this will form memories you cherish for years to come. Likely it will inspire and lead to avenues of adventure you never anticipated as well.

Roleplaying a social challenge

Sometimes waving weapons around is not the best option. I know, it’s a alien concept to many a gaming table, but bear with me. In this world and all the ones your party will travel to, there will come times when you will need to convince entities to move, to change, or to act as you need. Your words can move more than any gun, knife, or even an explosive can.

Roleplaying, the ever-present tool in your box, can answer the call. By speaking to the other party, you can achieve any goal. I am sure you can think of amazing speeches that intimidated, pacified, and inspire. Any social role within reason, and I do mean any, could be replaced with good roleplaying.

Long ago I had a player who, through roleplaying, convinced highwaymen he owned the road they were stationed on and had to pay him rent. The roleplaying was so prolific I would call it fated to succeed. A strong performance, a commanding voice, and a spark in the eye can have the entire audience so rapt they forget to ask for rolls.

This also presents the opportunity to solve issues between players, get them to know each other’s backstories, and even give the Game Master a heads up on the desires of each and every player. As a GM, you can choose what happens in your world, and something I have seen happen more times than not, is where the one running the game needs to be the center of attention. These GMs will make things happen right in the middle of players roleplaying together.

This is totally acceptable if the game is stalled completely but I am not speaking of the gentle nudge from on high. I am speaking of needing to be involved every second. This is exactly what you do not want to do. Let the players have fun! Listen, learn, and plot. A security professional I once worked with told me the key to always looking intelligent and never looking like you were taken by surprise is by actively listening.

Listening to the players interact and work out the challenges through roleplaying can give you antagonists, protagonists, locations, and plot hooks galore. It can even let you know if you have to plan something new to replace a plotline they are going to miss by miles. As one of the Nerdarchy writing crew stated, “if you plan for a million and one things, your players will do the million and second thing.” This is one of the few times you will get a heads up on this before it happens. Cherish that moment.

What is a roleplaying challenge?

You probably are wondering why I did not put this first, but there is a reason. Roleplaying challenges can be as varied, few and far between as you wish them to be. Though it does go without saying it would behoove you and I to have a nice pretty list of roleplaying challenges wouldn’t it?

Here is a short list of them for your use. Maybe they can inspire you to add to this list? I would love to hear your list in the comments below.

Convince a highway brigand to let you pass.
Negotiate peace between various factions.
Intimidate or convince a witness to come forward.
Become trusted by a community enough to gain admittance.
Cajole a secretly criminal person to reveal their crime.
Get a bully to back down.
Make a person afraid of an area to the point of avoiding it.
Intimidate a person into keeping silent about what they witnessed.
Motivate people to raise arms against a threat.
Dispel cowardice.
Convince a dragon to come to the aid of a village.
Use one enemy to fight another.
Frame a person.
Create a persona or alternate identity.
Fake skill in something that does not need immediate proof.
Convince someone to give you something you need.
Persuade a person to assist another.
Get one person to actively hate and/or attack another.
Seduce someone.
Convince someone of the feelings of another.

Alien Archive is a creature collection for the Starfinder Roleplaying Game.

As you can see from this short list, conveniently kept to a d20 roll away from making a choice, roleplaying can replace a multitude of situations. You can easily see how situations come about often, and I want you to think of the times when a missed roleplaying opportunity may have come about.

Try to keep this in mind when you move forward, see what challenges and situations can be solved through interactions portrayed through roleplaying. After all there are noncombat encounters for a reason. Go forth and enjoy these roleplaying challenges.

Those are my short thoughts on conquering and encountering roleplaying challenges, just a starter if you will. Like any adventure, where you take it is up to you. So here is what I ask of you, when has roleplaying completely usurped the dice at your table? When has roleplaying conquered a challenge? How about shows or movies where a performance was such that you would have let it save the day? I would love to hear such from each and every one of you in the comments below.

Play on PS4 or PS3? How about Destiny 2? Did you know Nerdarchy has a community and clan that plays together often? Go ahead and search in the community section for Nerdarchy and for the player Nubz_The_Zombie!

Did I miss something? Have any Questions or Comments? Feel free to message me at www.facebook.com/NubzTheZombie or at nubz.the.zombie@gmail.com. I am now on Twitter too: @nubzthezombie

Stay Nerdy,

Nubz

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