Improv To Warm Up A Table (RPG Blog Carnival)

Chaotican Writer gives us this months prompt Improv, Roleplay, and Warmups by Chaotican Writer for the RPG Blog Carnival. Below some thoughts on a rapid-fire recap or introduction activity.

This type of stuff is way off my normal patch so I tapped the wisdom of a pal - Tygerkrash - who does theater and most of the following is a mildly sanded and varnished version of their ideas.

Campaign/Recap Version

My typical table-starter for campaigns is the recap, a run through of what happened last session. A possible new approach to try and harness a more improvisational energy would be to do a word-association recap with the goal to loosen people up, get them laughing and take the session from there.

This would be something like everyone gets two words to describe something memorable from the last session then it moves on to the next person. Ideally you do this with a rhythym - clap, fingersnap, point to the first person - "two words" - clap, fingersnap, point to the next person - "two words" and so on. DMs would get included.

Something like three times round the table would probably get everything covered off. If you want to amp up the chaos energy, increase the pace of the rhythym with each cycle.

After that you would probably launch into a 'fill in the blanks' recap and go from there but you should have gotten everyone laughing and focussed at least.

One-shot/Intros Version

For open-tables or one-shots with no 'past' to recap, you could do a version of this as an intro. What I currently do is run around the table getting everyones name, group-ID and PC name, then go round again and have them describe what everyone else can perceive about them.

For a more improv-energy version you could guide the rounds a little more - first round is 'two words on your PCs appearance' - clap, snap - 'two words on their demeanour when you interact'- clap, snap - 'two words on what people would notice about them'. For really new folks you could add - "two words you associate with D&D" - "two words on what you expect from the game."

I see an exercise like this really earning it's keep at open tables - taking a bunch of strangers and getting them all to act a little ridiculous together to get everyone relaxed enough to really get up to their elbows in the fantasy adventure game.