How to get a Quiet Character More Involved

[Ivor_The_Mad]

As some of you know I am currently running SKT and we have a variety of odd characters. One of them being our goliath paladin. The player chose to play a conquest paladin, charging into battle with his sword shining but sadly the player is a bit too quiet. He hardly takes part in the social encounters and in combat, he usually just ends up hitting the enemy with no real variation or strategy. He likes the game but he seems to shy to actually take part, usually asking me or Brazenburn what to do. I would like to get him more involved. Maybe give him a task he has to complete. Do you guys know any good opportunities to do this in SKT or just advice in general?

Thanks
-Ivor

[KorvinStarmast]

As some of you know I am currently running SKT and we have a variety of odd characters. One of them being our goliath paladin. The player chose to play a conquest paladin, charging into battle with his sword shining but sadly the player is a bit too quiet. He hardly takes part in the social encounters and in combat, he usually just ends up hitting the enemy with no real variation or strategy. He likes the game but he seems to shy to actually take part, usually asking me or Brazenburn what to do. I would like to get him more involved. Maybe give him a task he has to complete. Do you guys know any good opportunities to do this in SKT or just advice in general?

Thanks
-Ivor You want the player more involved in doing what, exactly?

This kind of situation is common in TTRPG's: each person gets their fun in their own way, when you view it through the lens of style. Your idea to set up a spotlight for this character is a good idea, but you need to be a little bit subtle. Don't force it.

As to them asking "what to do" a good response is often "what do you think we should do?" Try and coax out an idea or a suggestion.

[JackPhoenix]

Does the player want to be more involved?

Because there's no point in forcing him to be active if all he wants is to hang around his friends.

You should talk to him first.

[Ivor_The_Mad]

Does the player want to be more involved?

Because there's no point in forcing him to be active if all he wants is to hang around his friends.

You should talk to him first.

It's not that he doesn't want to be involved it seems more like he doesn't know what to do.

[willdaBEAST]

I've found encouraging more descriptive roleplaying can be a good way to break the ice with a player. Instead of, "what do you say to this NPC?", you can ask things like: "what is your character's body language?", "what does your character do when he/she thinks no one is paying attention to them?", and in the same vein I always like to encourage player descriptions rather than "I roll persuasion." What is your approach, how are you trying to convince them?

I'd also try creating some moments where the quiet character can shine. Have another Goliath approach the character. Is it unusual for Goliath's to be paladins in your world? Could the be seen as turning their back on their culture? If other players are constantly interrupting this player, have the conversation in Giant or in a dialect of Giant that only Goliaths would be able to easily understand.

Speaking as someone who is often described as quiet by people who don't know me, it's not that I don't want to contribute to the conversation, it's more that I won't bother to shout over someone else who seems to need to be the center of attention.

[R.Shackleford]

It's not that he doesn't want to be involved it seems more like he doesn't know what to do.

Tell him to listen to Voltaire "U.S.S Making Sh** Up" song about Star Trek and basically that.

Just make crap up. Doesn't matter if you do the wrong thing. Have fun, make mistakes, and don't afraid of having youe character die.

The best ending for a character is sometimes taking a sword through the chest.

[Kane0]

I'm assuming they know what they're doing when it's their turn in combat and such, and it's more when there is round-table stuff happening?

I'm also coming across this player type, especially challenging for me as the group is 8 players strong and they are new to the game, feeling out of place compared to the more experienced members of the group.

What I'm currently doing and is working reasonably well:
1) Put the quiet/new ones near the the loud/experienced ones. Encourage them to talk to lighten your own load a bit, and it stops players from breaking into mini-groups that tend to isolate each other by no fault of their own.
2) Make sure everyone gets a turn to have their say and a bit of spotlight, go around the table to give people a heads up.
3) Prompt those that need it. Provide extra info and options based on the character, or narrow down their options with some examples to reduce analysis paralysis and jog imagination. Tailor to suit the player.
4) Run with what they come up with. Provide that positive reinforcement that their input is valued.
5) Set aside some time outside of sessions to catch up with players individually. Do this for everybody, you will always get different feedback privately vs publicly.

[Laserlight]

"He doesn't know what to do" might mean a couple of things.

If it's "I don't know what actions the game allows me to take", you can just have him narrate it and break it down to what actions those work out to. Caveat: we have one player who has a hard time with that, because he always wants to narrate what would be several rounds worth of actions, and gets upset when he can't do it all at once. "I jump down 60 feet from the airship and take the boots off the body and get out my bow and run down the hill and shoot at the dragon."

If it's "I see what the options are but I can't decide what to do"...design some Immediate Action Drills and short commands. "If enemy is within 20ft, move into contact, then Shove him prone and Attack with your sword." "If enemy is more than 65 feet away, take cover and switch to longbow." He won't be creative at first but he'll be contributing.

If it's in non combat time, you can just give him the spotlight, either figuratively ("while the others go about their business in the background, the camera turns to Joe the Paladin") or literally (hand him a marker that says "spotlight", for instance). Everyone else shut up and let him have his time. The DM needs to give him a situation to respond to. Not just "what do you do?" but "Off to the left, one of the patrons is hassling the barmaid. In the corner, a lost looking little boy is rocking back and forth, sucking his thumb. The four half orcs are setting up a dagger throwing competition at the far end of the bar. What do you do?"

[GlenSmash!]

When you present Scenarios to the party stop asking the whole party "what do you do?" and start asking individual players "what do you do?" and rotate through the players so they have equal spotlight.

Edit: I had a player that was exactly like this. Took a back seat to all but combat since in combat she actually had a turn of her own.

A simple change in my delivery really brought her out of her shell.

[Unoriginal]

Have your character offer to have a spar with his character? RP your PC and try to encourage him to come up with ideas on how his charater would handle yours.

Edit:

Wait, are you the DM, or not?

[the_brazenburn]

Have your character offer to have a spar with his character? RP your PC and try to encourage him to come up with ideas on how his charater would handle yours.

Edit:

Wait, are you the DM, or not?

Ivor is DMing. I'm in the party too.

This particular player's problem is that the party is mostly dominated by strong personalities who enjoy RPing, and he's a little more quiet. We do sometimes do the "take turns describing your actions," but he generally waits until everybody else goes and then either "forgets" to mention something or just does whatever we do.

In combat, he just doesn't seem to know what to do. He'll always be asking about specific rules and how they work (What's Divine Smite do? Do you think I should attack with my lance, or with my sword? How can I increase my damage?) He doesn't seem to know what he wants to do.

OTOH, it appears he is definitely having fun at the sessions (a friend of his told us he is always raving about D&D), so maybe it isn't as much about wanting to help him as it is to make us feel a little less guilty.

[Asmotherion]

A) Ask for a more descriptive combat encounter. "I hit the goblin with my sword" can be "I lower my defances, watching for an oppening near the goblin's neck, and attempt to slash clear to cut it's head off".

B) Help them through a "Mentor" to define their role in the world. Why are they in the party in the first place? Were are they expected to stand up to some ideals? What are their ideals?

C) Give them some kind of side-quest, that can take the whole of the campain to fullfill. They don't necessarily need to succeed or fail that quest, they just need to have a clear goal of "what I want, and what's the greater picture for me, that I'm willing to potentially sacrifice everything to get".

This way, they'll have a clear RP compass, of what is their character.

[Unoriginal]

Have you tried asking him what he wants/hope out of the campaign?

[NaughtyTiger]

Or, leave him be.
From what I am hearing is he is happy.

I tend to be quiet in RP (especially with a new character and i haven't figured out his personality)
I am horribly bad at investigations or leading the party.

I don't want to do those things. I get annoyed when people force me to behave in a certain way.

Is the table upset?
Is the table annoyed with having to explain the rules?
If not, then he will come around.

[willdaBEAST]

Or, leave him be.
From what I am hearing is he is happy.

I tend to be quiet in RP (especially with a new character and i haven't figured out his personality)
I am horribly bad at investigations or leading the party.

I don't want to do those things. I get annoyed when people force me to behave in a certain way.

Is the table upset?
Is the table annoyed with having to explain the rules?
If not, then he will come around.
While all this is true and I agree that you should be sensitive to the player's proclivities, in my experience waiting for change has rarely been successful in DnD. Even addressing things as a group or 1 on 1 isn't always successful, but I think you should always strive for an open dialog at the table or within the group.

As a personal note, this kind of player also tends to makes me insecure as a DM. I start thinking, "is the player having fun? Am I unfairly paying to much attention to other players? HAVE I MADE HORRIBLE LIFE DECISIONS?!?!?"

[NaughtyTiger]

in my experience waiting for change has rarely been successful in DnD.

does it need to change?


As a personal note, this kind of player also tends to makes me insecure as a DM.

for you, yes it would need to change. you (as part of the table) would be upset. then something would need to change.

but the OP didn't say that.
the OP appears worried that the player isn't having fun and the OP wants to fix it. (other players provided evidence that he IS having fun)

[willdaBEAST]

does it need to change?



for you, yes it would need to change. you (as part of the table) would be upset. then something would need to change.

but the OP didn't say that.
the OP appears worried that the player isn't having fun and the OP wants to fix it. (other players provided evidence that he IS having fun)
That may be true. My read of the OP is that they want this player more involved, since he's not roleplaying much, participating in combat and it sounds like he defers a lot.

I do agree that not every player is going to approach DnD the same way and that some may prefer enjoying the shenanigans to participating in them. I've played with some players like that in AL.

[Sigreid]

I would say for the most part leave him be. Some people prefer to be a part of social activities without being the focus. Having said that, I would in addition suggest you talk to him one on one and tell him that you're glad he's coming and having a good time and you won't force anything but if he eventually finds he wants to play a bigger part in the role playing part of the game and get more spot light to let you know and you'd be delighted. This way you're not trying to change his game because it's not what you want, but giving him the option for if and when he wants to change it. The most important thing is that everyone has fun. And not everyone things tones of spotlight time is fun.

[Unoriginal]

You could have a Cloud Giantess be interested in him, because he's supposed to conquer things, bow to no one, and spread terror in the heart of his enemies, yet he acts subservient and withdrawn.

If he doesn't pick the RP up, let it go.

[NaughtyTiger]

Some people prefer to be a part of social activities without being the focus.

That was well said.

[DarkKnightJin]

Might be sorta related, but it might be a tip for people reading the thread dealing with something like this as a player:

Neither if my characters I play will undertake any action completely by themselves. Even as simple as doing something that is strictly for my character, I ask the other PCs of any or all of them want to come along.

I know that I have the rules of the game down. I've become more confident and a bit more outgoing. But I still don't want to "hog" the spotlight in any capacity.

It might be an idea to have one of the other party members strike up a friendship with the Goliath Paladin.

And, as always, a good OOC convo can help clear up a lot of things without interrupting the game in any way.