Many people are enticed by the characters, classes, and universe of DnD but when it comes to playing, they’re not particularly interested. In large part, this is because the same people think that roleplaying is a requirement to play DnD.
Roleplaying is for many people the essence of Dungeons and Dragons, but many people also get put off by it. So, can you play DnD without roleplaying?
Yes. There are no strict rules when it comes to roleplaying in DnD. However, the definition of roleplaying also varies depending on who you ask. For most people, roleplaying can include speaking about your character in the third person and simply explaining what they see, do, and how they react. This is, for most people, a comfortable way to start playing.
In this article, I’ll go through what you can do to play the game of DnD without having to roleplay. Read more to get your DnD adventure started!
Can You Play DnD Without Roleplaying?
Let’s make something clear right out of the gate: there are no rules that you need to adhere to in Dungeons and Dragons. That’s something general for all of DnD, quite frankly, and it’s important that you know this.
There are, however, many rules that you should adhere to, but if there is general consensus among people in the playing group to ignore some rules, you can do so. How you approach roleplaying is up to you entirely.
But, what is roleplaying? A lot of people confuse acting with roleplaying, which is an easy mistake to do. They are not the same, however. If you’re completely in character, talking and reacting as if you were your character incarnate, that’s acting. This is not required or (at the majority of tables) expected in DnD. Especially for new players.
What you need to do as a new DnD player is describe your character’s actions. This can be as simple as saying “my guy walks up to the merchant and asks…”. If you’re willing to do that, then you’re willing to roleplay.
Critical Role and other DnD shows that you might have seen are great, but those games are played by professional actors. There’s no pressure for you to try to replicate that.
If you feel uncomfortable or simply uninterested in doing any sort of roleplaying at all, there are still options for you in DnD. If your friends are up for it and you have a willing DM, you can play DnD like a dungeon crawl tabletop game.
Quite frankly, a lot of players like it that way. They almost play the game like a theater of the mind MMORPG: killing stuff, completing quests, and getting loot.
Remember that there isn’t a wrong or right way to play, and thinking of DnD in that way would only serve to put unnecessary, arbitrary roadblocks in the way of your fun.
How Can You Practice Roleplaying in DnD?
If you’re interested in trying DnD and want to become good at roleplaying, there are a few things you can do. First of all, you have to try it. The more often you do it, the more comfortable you’re going to be.
Start by doing very light roleplaying. Talk in the third person, and remove yourself from the situation. Here are a few examples of how different roleplay styles can be more or less involving:
- Talking in the first person: This is when you effectively act as your character. Most new players find this the most intimidating.
- Talking in the third person: This is when you describe the actions of your character, partly removing yourself from the roleplaying. “My character walks up and says: Where’s the loot?!”
- Talking in the third person without quoting dialogue: “My character walks up and asks where the loot is.”
When you first start playing, you can begin by roleplaying in the third person, without directly doing any dialogue. This will introduce you to the fun of roleplaying while not putting any pressure on you to do something that you don’t feel comfortable with.
There are more things you can do to get better at roleplaying, of course. One of the first things that you need to do is to let go of the social barriers that keep you from being silly. That’s easier said than done, I understand that, but practice makes perfect, so inch your way there.
If you want to read more about how you can become better at roleplaying in DnD, I’ve written a fairly comprehensive guide. Check it out if you’re interested.
Can You Play DnD Without a DM?
If you want to play DnD without roleplaying, you might not want a DM, or maybe you don’t know anyone who’s willing to DM for a party of people who don’t want to roleplay.
You can, however, play DnD without a DM. It’s fairly straightforward: I would recommend checking out the DM’s guild for campaigns that are designed to be played without a DM first. This way, you don’t have to create an entire campaign for the purpose of playing DM-less.
You can also use dungeon generators to play dungeon crawls without a DM. For example, Endless RPG is a tool that can generate dungeons and DnD maps with a bunch of functionality, including fog of war, loot, traps, and so forth.
Related Article: Can You Play DnD Without a Dungeon Master? (How To)