Roleplay Guidelines

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I've been Roleplaying a lot lately, and recently started one with my friend who really didn't know what they were doing. So I decided to make a quick guideline for roleplaying that I thought looked pretty swanky, in my opinion. This may get updated frequently, and if you think about anything that should be on here, PLEASE let me know. This is a guide that I will probably refer to myself and refer to people in the future, so I would love for it to be as exhaustive and complete as it can be. Thanks.




1.  Stay in whatever POV you start on. Do not toggle between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person, unless you state explicitly what is going on. Ex. John was walking through the park, the tenacious branches of the trees lightly brushing his head. *My,* He thought to himself, *I sure love spring.* See, how the first person was still technically within the boundaries of 3rd person? Make sure to remember that.

2.Try to make the response as long as you can. Obviously, smaller CAN be better, but whenever elaboration is possible, DO IT. EX. Instead of: "John walked through the park" instead elaborate: "John slowly strolled through the park, his footsteps echoing among the nearly-empty sidewalk. The air was brisk and cold, but still warm enough that he only needed a light jacket.

3. NO GODMODING. Godmoding is when you control the other person's character. This is disrespectful and rude, and basically makes for an overall nasty time. EX.  "Suddenly, John whipped around and stabbed Cindy in the chest, killing her." NO. Instead, "Suddenly, John whipped around, the knife reaching to plunge into Cindy's chest, the aim to kill."

4. DO NOT KILL OR SERIOUSLY INJURE WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED CONSENT OF THE OTHER PERSON.

5. The first thing one must do in order to be a better roleplayer is to realize that every character is a main character! This isn't like a book where there are only a handful of 3 dimensional characters and the rest are just 2D or worse. One must realize that every single character has their own personalities, unique histories, and different reactions to different events and characters. There are many times in one's roleplaying experience where your character and his/her respective plot take back seat to others' characters and plots.

6. Make sure you read carefully through the post. There is nothing more infuriating with someone who does not understand what is going on, and just starts to go off on tangents that don't really relate. Just pay attention.

7. To better understand someone's character, it might be wise to ask a little bit about them before you RP, unless the point is to have that mysterious quality.

8. Use correct grammar and spelling. Seriously.

9. Try to get the other person to FEEL what is happening. Instead of just, "He sat down and sighed," Maybe to get a sad feeling set through, say, "His breath had a stuttering hitch to it as he sighed, the motion seeming to carry his entire body as his shoulders slumped. His eyes were downcast, tears threatening to expel themselves." See, the emotion is much better felt that way.

10. Remember- You control your character only. Not the other characters. You may talk to them, touch them, interact with them, obviously, but you do not control them. Think of it all almost like a conversation if you are just starting  out. You have person A, and person B:

Person A: He took a step forward, a smile gracing his features. Bowing low, he kept his eyes staring deeply into the girl's, eyes humoured and brave. "Hello, madam. I've never seen you around these parts."  He seemed to be trying to look noble, royal even, but his scruffy hair and clothes hinted at other life origins.
Person B: She ducked her head low, looking almost shyly up at the man. She was shorter than he was, her eyes only reaching up to the top of his chest. "I'm usually inside the castle, my dear sir." Her lips twitched into a humoured smile, noting his clothes with a sly raise of an eyebrow. "Besides, I'd think you usually grace the bars rather than the nobles."

See how it was like a conversation? Now, person A's part would be written by person A, and person B written by the other. Eventually, once you get the hang of things and/or are comfortable with the person you are RPing with, you can,

11. DESCRIBE, DESCRIBE, DESCRIBE. Of course, the person is the main focus in the story (Or animal, or robot or whatever you are RPing with!), but the details of the scene are important too. Yes, we want to see what the person looks like and is doing, but it takes the writing to a whole new place when you describe what they're thinking, feeling, and the world around them. The thoughts are especially key, in my opinion, because it subtly lets the other RPer know what the character wants, and how they want to react to that. Plus, it just really makes that whole RP shine, to be honest.

12. Ah yes, the loathed 'Special Abilities.' Well, not quite so loathed as a sharp groan that escapes my mouth when I see it. Yes, different species can do many things and mythological creatures can do all sorts of magics, but… Unless your character is a literal god, They should not be able to do EVERYTING. Even I still get trapped into this sometimes, but remember, you need weaknesses, which ties in with,

13. No Mary or Maurice  Sues. EVERYONE needs flaws, and EVERYONE has good things about yourself. If you get stabbed, GET STABBED. If you get shot, GET SHOT. You cannot block everything. Sometimes, the character gets hurt. As for personality, not everyone is perfect, and sometimes a character can and WILL fuck shit up. Not everyone is perfect, so don't make it seem that way. As for the inverse of this, they can't be ALL FLAWS. There needs to be something interesting about them, but not perfect. Seems easy, right? Just make sure you watch it, 'cause it's very easy to accidentally make yourself a Mary Sue.

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homelesscarl's avatar
I haven't RP'ed in years. Glad to see people are still having fun out there.