"Dear JB" Mailbag #6

[new Reddit spam just popped into my notifications...yay!] 

[oh, man...the comments on this one. Ugh]

Dear JB:

I've been wanting to get into dnd and ttrpg in general for years now and recently had an opportunity to participate in a short campaign. the group and dm were amazing, all friendly folk, but I realised I have troubles with roleplaying.

whenever I try to speak in character, or even just tell others about my character in text, I just feel dread, I get so nervous and scared but I don't even know what of. part of it, I think, is that I'm afraid what I came up with is cringe and I know that me rp-ing would be cringe, based on my experience with acting. but it feels like it's not the only reason.

I know it's probably a question I should be going to a therapist with lmao (/j) but maybe somebody here had a similar problem and could give me some tips or share their story and how you managed to overcome this problem?

Too Scared To Roleplay

Hey, TSTR:

When you sit down to a table to play a role-playing game (RPG) like Dungeons & Dragons, you are already "role-playing." You are playing the game through the role of whatever character you created to act as your vehicle for participation. You are using that character to interact with the fantasy environment that exists only in the shared imaginary space of the people at the table. That is what role-playing is in D&D...congrats, you're already doing it.

What you are describing...and what is causing your stress...is something else entirely. What you are describing is performance anxiety over play-acting. Pretending to be someone else, trying to "speak in character," or embody a character's background or back story...that's not what was meant when the creators of D&D first labeled it a "role-playing game." This is a tabletop game we are playing, not an improv theater exercise. There are places to go if you are seeking that sort of creative outlet.

But it sounds to me that the improv/acting thing isn't really your bag at all, and that's completely understandable: it's not the bag of a LOT of people. Fortunately, TSTR, you can still play D&D and experience the excitement of imaginary adventure without ever having to pretend to be something other than a person playing a game...no cringy play-acting necessary!

However, you will probably need to find a new group with which to game, since it sounds like your current one has a very different understanding of how D&D is played. 

Sincerely,

JB