Playing in a combat-heavy campaign but still want to roleplay your character even in the middle of goblinfight ’98? We got you covered.
Whether you’re in a combat-heavy campaign, or are just the kind of player who likes to kick in the door and fight whatever lies on the other side; there’s still plenty of room to roleplay your character, without having to stop the action to have a whole scene. Here are roleplay tips for combat junkies, royal rumblers, wrestlemaniacs, and more.
Flavor the Pants Off of Your Attacks
They say that flavor is free, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. Everytime you roll that d20 to make an attack, you’re giving yourself an opportunity to describe what that attack looks like. And that, my friends? That is roleplaying right there.
Any time you describe your spell or how fervently you swing your sword, that’s a chance to express who your character is. You don’t have to go all out on every single attack—that’ll get tedious in its own right. There’s a balance to it, for sure, but this is one place where you can roleplay your character without interrupting the fight.
Invest in a Battlecry
Of course, flavor isn’t the only way to roleplay during a fight. A good battlecry can go a long way too. In our advice on how to roleplay without needing to do a character voice, one of the best ways you can express a character is with a catchphrase. These are your “by Crom”s and your “did I do that”s. And what is a battlecry but a catchphrase you use in combat.
There’s a lot to be said for having a battlecry you utter whenever you charge in to a fearsome combat. Or kick in the door to disrupt those dastardly cultists and their eldritch rituals. It’s always some ritual or another. But even though it might seem cheesy, it’s a great way of keeping your character present even in the crunchiest fights.
Banter Banter Banter
When swords are crossed and you trade spells with the enemy, that’s the perfect time to banter. Maybe you have a few quips related to whatever you’re doing, maybe it’s just a reminder that today you happened to prepare explosive runes.
Either way, trading barbs with your enemies is a time honored tradition from any kind of fantasy story. As you attack, just add in a little flourish of what your character says. Again, you don’t have to do this all the time, but it’s a chance to show your character in the midst of a fight.
A Look Inside
You can also take a look inside. By which I mean you can also take a little time to describe the internal world of your character. Narrate some of the internal monologue. “As Kranthor faces the dragon, he remembers the dragonfire that burned his homeland, and took one of his seven brothers. As he swings, he remembers a long-forgotten face.”
Because D&D is a game of the imagination. And you can let yourself air out the internal world of your character. It might be a way to get inside your own character’s head a little more than you otherwise might.
Party Praise
Like banter, but directed at friendlies—you can praise your party members “in-character” so to speak. When someone rolls that pivotal natural 20 and turns the whole campaign around, take some oft he celebratory energy at the table and channel it into a quip or a way to connect with the characters you’ve shared adventures with for the last several dungeons.
And these are just some ways to find room for a little roleplaying in the midst of even the thickest combat!
Happy adventuring!
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