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So I'm DMing a game with some really brilliant players but one of my friend has trouble getting into character and coming up with things on the fly in terms of character and role play. He's a really smart guy who loves the story aspect of RPGs but feels really uncomfortable engaging and coming up with dialogue in character on the fly. I was hoping that you could share some tips to help him feel more comfortable or to encourage getting into it a bit more. Thanks in advance.
I'd say the best way to get someone into character is for you and others to stay that way and address him as such; definitely helps to get those that are feeling self conscious involved.
Another option is to focus more on the roleplay and less on the "on the fly" part. Allow him time to think of something to say (and even have others help him out) and then have him RP it.
Alternatively, there's always this.
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Fake it. A handful of pre-prepared catch phrases are as good as a full grasp on the character.
Shouldn't be too much of a problem. Start out with telling this guy to create himself via Pathfinder. He should pick something that matches how he thinks personally.
Then, ask him to use a race that suits his class etc, but to emphasize the racial culture he can read about. This is best done with the core races, as there's a lot more material there.
Me, I made a goblin Rogue NPC, and emphasized jokes, pranks, and generally silly behavior by taking as inspiration the 3 Stooges dvds that I just bought. Works wonderfully. Last time we played, the guy who took over the goblin rolled a seriously nasty fumble on Perception. Ran about screaming "I'm blind!" and eventually clocked himself out by running into the cavern wall. Fouled up whilst slitting sleeping guards throats, so he stepped out of the tent and tossed an Alchemist's fire, then not seeing anything more fun to do, whipped out the severed and half cooked arm of a former NPC for roasting. Snuck up on one of the sleeping guards, checked him out, then left him be whilst slitting the guards in the tents. After the Fighter killed the sleeping guard, he laughed his tuckus off after having discovered the goblin had scribbled on the guard's face a tic tac toe board, a handlebar mustache, and a "this space for rent" sign.
Or let him play a taciturn half-orc barbarian that most of the time just grunts and only speaks when he has something meaningful to say (i.e. when the player does come up with something on the fly).
Might take the pressure off to have something ready to say all the time.
@Null
A pair of my favorite RP characters were stupid, both barbarians, actually.
Yeesh. I hate half orcs. Not much to differentiate them from humans, aside from the darkvision. Besides, if orcs were a separate species from humans, they couldn't interbreed.
Better just to play a full orc, or a dwarf, if you want to play that sort. I just don't get why half orcs are supposedly MORE intimidating than a FULL orc!
I'm glad you posted this because I've run into this problem a few times as a GM.
While there are all sorts of solutions, the one I find most valuable for new but shy players is to remove themselves from the game. Crazy, I know!
I'm trying to word this in a way that doesn't sound too dopey, but I can't seem to avoid it. Ask your players to command their PCs for a few sessions. Don't say "I smash the orc's face with my axe!"
Instead say "Gromthar smashes the orc's face with his axe!"
See the difference? Sometimes that tiny bit of separation can help a player come out of their shell.
Good luck!
There was a really great improve game that i've used in the past to get the whole group (but especially a new player)
I found it originally in a podcast called narrative control episode 29 the barbarian prince and his tales of woe
You can modify the story to your liking but the point is to give a few simple improve techniques like the Yes and method, to encourage roleplaying and improvisation. One of the biggest challenges for a new roleplayer can be your are so open with your choices that they cant think of what to do. These 'games' get the juices flowing so to speak in a structured environment that gives them direction.
Yeesh. I hate half orcs. Not much to differentiate them from humans, aside from the darkvision. Besides, if orcs were a separate species from humans, they couldn't interbreed.
Real quick response to the species debate: PF (and DnD) don't follow real-life genetics. In this world, humans and dragons mix with EVERYTHING. Other races, not so much.