Newfag here. How do I get over that cringey feeling I get when I try to rp?

>frogposter telling anyone kys

lel

Don't take it too seriously. You and everyone else is there to have fun above everything else. Do silly voices if you have to. Don't play a character that takes themselves too seriously to start out. As you get more comfortable with RPing, you'll find that it comes a lot more naturally and you can play gradually more serious characters if that's what you like.

That's what worked for me, at least.

>I typically make a throw away character when I join a group to get the feel. But once I get comfortable whenver I die/reroll I make a new character who is fleshed out and more prone to RP. Just gotta go with the flow Morty.
This. All of this, OP.

I'd recommend making a nice, one-dimensional copy of a simple character.
Be Sean Connery's James Bond.
Be Brave & Bold's Aquaman.
Be Kevin Sorbo's Hercules.
Be Zap Branigan.
Then once you're comfortable, either make a new, two-dimensional character or add depth to your current one.

There is nothing to cringe over about role-playing.
It's play and it's silly and there's nothing wrong with either of those things.
Men older and wiser than you get paid millions to play at being much sillier.
Relax and be the fat dwarf.
Do you think a doggo ever worries about such things?

Lead the charge.

Especially if there are other newbies at the table, -EVERYONE- is going to feel self conscious when doing something like this...

...until someone leads the way and sets the precedent with confidence. Throw caution to the wind and embrace your character without any spark of hesitation. You have to sell the idea that YOU'RE the normal one who is correctly RPing in an RP game and THEY'RE the ones being 'left out' of the fun by not roleplaying. Even if you're the only one doing it for one or two whole sessions. Most importantly (as cliche as it sounds) have fun. Pick a character type you would legitimately have fun playing as (I love me some scenery chomping villains, so I straight up played a Saturday morning cartoon captain planet villain for my first 'real' roleplay, evil monologues and all) and visually demonstrate that you are having a blast acting out this character. Nothing sells an idea better than seeing someone actually smiling and having fun.

The first step of a movement is a brave leader.
The second step is embracing your first follower.
Be encouraging, when that second person inevitably tries putting on a funny accent they haven't really though through or when they amateurishly attempt to be needlessly hyperdramatic, whatever you do don't mock them. Be encouraging, this is a place to try new things and recognize everyone is trying new things. Smile when someone finally pitches in and engage them.

The dance floor will remain empty and everyone is going to stand off to the side until that one brave motherfucker goes out there and starts tearing it up, then others will want to join in. Be that brave motherfucker.

youtube.com/watch?v=V74AxCqOTvg

Get over your insecurities.

Stop taking yourself so seriously.

Also: If you yourself are having trouble getting into character, try making a character that is as different from your 'normal' personality as possible. Try making these personality differences as apparent as possible at every opportunity.

If you're reserved, make a character that is impetuous and rash. If you're dignified, make a character that is tactless and disrespectful. This will help you feel like you're "putting on a mask" and will put you in more of an acting mood.

It will also signal to the rest of your group that the person their characters are interacting with are not 'you', it's 'your character' and should be treated like such. As they grow accustomed to this, they'll begin to grow more comfortable with making their own characters behave not as themselves, but as 'their characters would'.

"I would normally treat all people equally, but my character fucking hates those god-damn pointy-eared tree elves so goddamn much. My character hesitates, then smiles and decides not to put out the forest fire."

"I would normally say the lives of the many outweigh the lives of the few, but my character just can't deal with knowingly letting an innocent die even if it's for the greater good. My character will stand to oppose this plan and any like it."

"I would normally rush to defend the orphanage, but my character doesn't see any profit in putting his life at risk for a bunch of unwanted brats... Unless there are people watching... then my character may consider pretending to be a hero for fame and glory."

"I blaze it 420 erryday. But my character is obsessed with purity of body and soul."

"I never take my fedora off irl and I never will, but my character is a truly devout cleric who genuinely believes in the tenets of his faith and has seen with his own eyes the benefit to humanity a community church can bring."

"I would of course never fuck a horse, but..."

You get the idea. Roleplaying is about acting, play a part that is not you and embrace it

Get out of your head.
Get into the moment.
Don't be afraid to make an idiot of yourself.
Basically pretend you're drunk.
But don't actually get drunk, that's an advanced technique for dedicated method roleplayers only.

how do you RP a female character as a guy?

Start off with a basic character concept and a few character notes
>My character is a jolly good fellow to everyone
>He isn't fond of disagreeing and tends to go with the flow
>Also he's a dark wizard and loves the morbid, he lacks any sense of disgust no matter how vile the subject, unless people were harmed by it!
Then play those tones on the light, building up the character as other players interact with him, adding other key notes and developing as you go.

Soon enough you'll be playing a symphony without even noticing it.

I'm actually trying this already, my first character was pretty much made to be like me and to minimise the rp'ing, but I made a new one for our next campaign and it's pretty much the opposite and will probably require a lot more rp. Kind of anxious about it though

>Do you think a doggo ever worries about such things?

this sentence has changed my outlook on life

Assuming this isn't bait: Just make a character and give them tits, and if the setting has gender roles then take them into account.
>inb4 girls aren't just men with vaginas
I know. It's fantasy. Nobody gives a shit.

Stop caring, just do it

Think about how consumerisng destroyed entertaining and how all normies enjoy shitty apps on their smartphones which they replace within less than a week. Then, think about how they get jealous of people with smarter hobbies, that actually take time to enjoy and thus are more rewarding, and try to shame them into brain-dead activities.

entertainment*

What about GMing?
If you fuck up as player, best case it's integrated in the story, worst case you get kicked out and replaced. But as GM, you waste the time everyone set aside for you, their hype and time spent preparing their characters.

Talk like a member of monty python trying to impersonate a woman, add in some random FILTH and RUBBISH

Realise that everyone is probably cringing harder at your obvious discomfort and wondering why you're being so weird about it.

Remember: Context is important. Pretending to be an elf at a funeral is weird, while crying and talking about cherished memories is not. Crying and talking about cherished memories at an RP session is kinda weird, yet pretending to be an elf is legit.

>tfw kys means kiss in your language and every one who uses it lately seem like catty homosexuals

If this is your first time as a GM, your players should agree to come in expecting a disaster. The contract says you'll fuck up and get better with time.
When you're the GM, you can either integrate your fuckups or tell your players "hey guys, you know I'm new, I botched this, let's retcon it".
Force your players to pick pregens you've made, so you know what they can pull off. Pick an existing module and stick to it, if your players go badly off the rails or do something you can't handle tell them "please don't do that, I'm still new to this", they'll understand. It's your first session and you are expected to be bad and fuck up. Finally, wrap up the game as soon as it's over. Never make it a campaign. Players shouldn't be too attached to their pregens by then.

Think of it as a combination of stage fright and intimacy issues. You're putting forth your ideas in real time for critique of several other people. We honestly can't tell you how to fix this problem word by word since it's a unique issue for everyone, but at least recognize where the problem comes from, then do something to let yourself and the group know that you're not exactly playing for keeps. Crack a joke, ham it up to 11, shit in the potato salad, really anything that releases the tension and (mostly self projected) expectation.

>every one who uses it lately seem like catty homosexuals
>implying they're not

Running a one-shot with pregens is a solid idea for a beginner GM.

>how do you RP a female character as a guy?
>Just make a character and give them tits, and if the setting has gender roles then take them into account.
This is correct.

Drink a beer beforehand.

Is drinking a beer beforehand good for improving GMing too?

Hahahahahahaha
You're basically flipping a coin. One side gives you an additional modifier of +3, the other -10. You are using a D20.

For a player its +5 and -7.

I used to always chug a four pack of cider before turning up to sessions until I got over the weirdness. I never did any TTRPGs until I was 24 though.

i am also interested in this subject but for sexual RP

Do what I do and have been doing for 11 years of enjoyable gaming online - do it all i text only.

I think of a man, then I take away reason and accountability.

be a huge slut and make everyone uncomfortable when they realize that they have been RPing with a dude

It just disappears after a while. I used to tie my nerves into knots by just rp'ing a gruff old sexless soldier. Nowadays I'm playing the loli vampire and carrying on a lesbian romance like it's the most natural thing in the world.

A good group helps. If everyone else is shamelessly roleplaying you'll get into it easier.

>No one mentions acting classes

Seriously? Look, taking a couple acting classes will vastly improve your roleplaying, because (holy crap!) RP is just acting! A local acting troupe, local improv group, classes at your community center. Even the drama geek from high school can give you some pointers and run you through some improv games. All it takes is a little confidence and the ability to not take yourself too seriously.

Good advice right here

RP is more improv than traditional acting, IMO. A fuckload of the same principles apply to not only good roleplaying, but having a good time as part of a group as in improv theatre.

google.co.uk/search?q=vin deisel d n d&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=LKzGWKnJEszYgAazhZSwDQ#q=vin diesel d n d&*

There you go.

One of America's biggest bad-asses loves DnD.
If he can enjoy it without feeling pathetic, anyone can.

Just fucking go whole hog dude.

They'll love it.

>more improv than traditional acting
You're still playing a character.
The most important thing is that you have a clear picture of your character. It doesn't need to be a complex one, but a character nonetheless.
It's a separate entity from you. When you talk in character don't think how it sounds to others around the table, think how it sounds to their characters in the world all of you play in.
The more comfortable and willing one person on the table is with actually roleplaying and acting out their character, the easier it becomes for others to jump in.

Being gay makes it pretty easy, have you tried being gay?

My Character got a "Power of Friendship" bonus on healing when I saved the beloved Ranger of the Party from dying. Which is funny because all the players ship them, out of the RPG.

Wrong Thread, sorry

Its like sex. First time is always awkward. Just keep doing it, pun intended, and it'll get more natural.

>talking about sex

Is your partner in love also a loli? I've never saw an loli and a older woman have a lesbian relationship if it isnt the ara ara~ kind.

Haha, I too remember that movie.

> unironically hates frogposting

lel

(OP)
It's just a matter of loosening up and not really caring what other people think as long as you're having fun. This will also give people subconscious permission to cut loose and RP more, which will in turn make you feel less awkward. Be the person who breaks the ice, and people will thank you.

It is, however, possible to take it too far, OP.

For the love of god, don't do a voice.

1. Drink beer
2. If you still cringe, go to step 1

>For the love of god, don't do a voice.

Also, it's not always required to speak in the first person the whole time. It's perfectly legitimate to say something like
> "During the party, Gronard lavishly complements the Baroness on the ancestral weapons. If she buys it, he subtly steers the conversation towards werewolf hunting."
If there's a plot point that the GM wants you to go for, they'll accept the invitation and drop into character.

This is like going to a wedding and worrying about being overdressed. No one at a wedding is going to look at you and be like "wow, why did that guy wear such nice suit".

...

Start by describing your actions instead of acting it out; '[Character name] explains the situation.' as opposed to actually acting out the conversation, '[Character name] charges across the battlefield invoking his ancestors' protection.' instead of yelling 'GRANDFATHER, GUIDE MY BLADE!'. That way you start simple, and feel like an author creating a character instead of someone playing pretend. Add little details to spice things up as necessary/as they come to you, and pretty soon you'll have enough practice to not feel cringey.

Everyone's cringing at themselves, OP.

The idea is to have fun and act out a role, everyone's a goof at first, practice makes perfect!

>tfw other player tells me I should try a female character because I never play them and she thinks I would play it well

Does she think im a homo guys?

user, you are a homo aren't you?

Yes, but I haven't told her!

Girls just know user.

Just be honest with her user, then you can tell your friends and family.

She thinks you would look cute in dress.
Ask her for help with character wardrobe.

>unironically defends frogposting

She's a full-grown woman but still younger than my character. It's very cheesy.

>I've never saw an loli and a older woman have a lesbian relationship if it isnt the ara ara~ kind.
You're not reading the right manga.

There's old saying in my country - a dog that barks doesn't bite.

But I don't want to wear a dress.

...

I don't know if kuroko would actually a loli

This woman, on the other hand

Loose yourself in it. Start with a character with an easy to play trait, something that any retard could think like.
Over time, you will get better, and get more comfortable RPing.

Have you at least tried it?

You need to try it user

Stop taking her side.

"My char says..."
"[Char name] says..."
"I say '...'"
I know what you mean and I'm a grog. I've never stopped cringing at the sound of my own voice RPing.

What if I told you it's not about anybody's side but my own honest opinion?

I would say you sound like a homo.

Aren't you the homo though user?

We're all homos here.

The easy way (but not necessarily the best way) is to RP a character with a personality similar to your own. If another RPer is going all special snowflake, mock him in-character. But if he has an actual good backstory or has a compatible personality, get to know him like you would in the same circumstances.

this post made me do the impossible and see the invisible
thanks user

Embrace the cringe. The hobby is itself inherently ridiculous.
You may find this easier if your character is inherently ridiculous as well, like a swashbuckling pirate, or a Quixote-esque paladin. Confidence and skill come with experience, and the ability to RP a brooding, serious character comes with all three

It's stagefright, it'll come and go depending on the material (good ideas help), the surroundings, and your mood (keep your blood sugar level).

Example: I've been up on stages in front of hundreds of people lying my ass off, dancing like an idiot, even screaming incoherently (where improv blurred the lines), and never let it bother me (or at least until well after the performance).

Conversely, I've become physically angry - while sober - at the mere suggestion of playing charades. Because fuck charades, it's a bad game for cunts.

tl;dr find your groove and wear it into a rut

Start by just goofing around and taking the complete piss. Have some fun and you will just instinctively begin to take it more seriously and feel more comfortable doing so.

As GM, I practiced giving 2 of my NPCs the voices of Droopy and Dribbles so that none of my players could possibly feel more embarrassed than I do.

r9k pls go and stay go
how didn't you fuckas die out yet

>tfw you can RP fine to yourself, but bringing anybody else you haven't known for years into the equation makes you clam right up
I suppose it's the same problem.

On a slightly related note, how do I stop my characters just morphing into me after a couple of settings?

>I can't act for shit
Give up on this hobby and give up on this life. It should become easier in the next one.

Don't call it "rp",
Call it "acting"

Now frog posters are trash but the temporary removal of the superego is a good first step for new roleplayers.

Have a few beers or smoke some dope to take off the edge. You'll get used to it after a few sessions. Without going into some autistic rant about acting and what not, I'll just say you should speak in your normal voice for the first campaign, once you're comfortable with role playing you cam switch it up to be interesting.