[MilesBeyond]

Hey everyone, thought it would be cool if we had a thread to provide advice for RPing (apologies if there's already one like this). It'd be nice to have some experienced players both provide some pointers for new players as well as share with each other how to keep established characters from getting stale and boring.


So if you've got any advice on how to improve peoples RP experience, whether it has to do with character backstory, interacting with the community, finding IC reasons to join an RP session, or just random tips, share them here!

[Animayhem]

Having played on different servers and such I notice people who can stick with concepts that do not conflict too much with their personal beliefs do well.

Yes I know its fantasy.

Prior to this reset I had more time and was able to have two characters. The second one Azura was made after a one time event by which your character was made permadead but you could do the reoll with half the level etc.

Generally I tend to play on the neutral end of things and try to go a bit outside the box.

Before the reset:

Avrora my first character was a rebel of sorts a sorceress who was also a dragonblood and followed Oghma and had three strikes against her. She however managed to become acquaintances and accepted by many of the red wizards.

Azura was also a rebel. A half-elf Druid, follower of Silvanus in the legion and was a pawn in the power struggle and reached the rank of Tribune. As many players who had characters back then were made NPC's, she was a quest giver but Captain however is now demoted due to the new Zulkir decree.

Now

My current character Caramirel is also a half -elf Druid but has more of a complex back ground than Azura did. However unlike Azura she has had a chance to follow her faith.

Unlike my others Caramirel has a chance to develop more as the other characters were retired before they could be level 20.

I get inspiration from others and of course events help, even just getting together with people do run a dungeon or such to get gold or items generates rp.

I am a writer by nature and with Azura and Avrora I wrote down events and personal thoughts in my journals and have done so again with Caramiriel.

I also will use the ingame message boards if I am in need of an item or to advertise skills for hire

I utilize the various interactions and rp I have had for others as well to further my character as well as many help others reach their character goals.

The main goal is try and be true to yourself anf your character. Relax and go with the flow. Hard as it is sometimes to do so listen more and speak less during some rp interactions as that could lead to further rp.

We are lucky this server has an active dm and admin support, yet we can not always rely on them or should we for creating rp as they are players too. :D

Enough events have occurred that rp can be built off of.

Also more experienced players need to concider that new players may not be aware of events that have happened and further explaination may be necessary. I experienced that when I came here almost three years ago.

New players please do not feel sad you may have not been there for world changing events, but as in life game life moves on and you will have a chance to be a small part of the history.

I also like to take photos in real life so when I can during an event I try and takle screens then and post them. Sometimes I just may take random shots.

One major thing is try and get ingame clues as to what a player may or may not feel comfortable with. I try to do that in game but if I feel if maybe people are not getting a clue thats it is uncomfortable to me I will have may character leave using and ig option of course but if that fails then I will either send them a tell in game explaining why ooc it bothers me or in a PM. I have rarely had to do that here.

Also guilty as charged, I try to keep tells down to a minimum it is a something I have to constantly watch out for. I do not mind a tell from a new player if its something in regards to mechanics or a question about a class.

[BrandenburgAngel]

Read.

Read.

Read.

I cannot stress reading fiction enough. It shows you how to craft characters, to describe, to handle dialogue and action. It will provide a wide variety of character archetypes, story tropes, how to present a story hook, how to hint at back story and character traits. Above allllllllllll... READ anything you enjoy. It'll provide so many tips just from seeing how authors throughout the ages have crafted character, story and setting.

[WingsOfStardust]

What makes a good Role-Player?

I think a good way to start is by asking yourself:
- What do I think makes a good Role-Player?

Is it:
- Emotes.
- Character Descriptions.
- Character Progression.
- Binding build and Role-Play.

I would say it's all that and another very critical bit; Fun.

Whom I've personally found to be the most amazing roleplayers, are those who have fun with their characters.
Because if you as a player don't like your own character or do not enjoy them: it will show. Having a rich character leaves you with a lot of hooks and possibilities.

TL;DR: Start by asking yourself what makes a good role-player, continue by creating a character you enjoy.

With that out of our way, I will attempt to be less abstract and more concrete in the tips.

Character Descriptions:

I don't know about how others do. But after seeing your in-game avatar, this is the second place I will go to take a look at your character.
This an amazing tool that can provide hooks for your characters, but also tell of such that is impossible to see on the in-game avatar.
- Are you clergy of a believer of a faith?
- Do you have a spell-tome and scrolls on you?
- Are you 5'0" or 6'0"?
- Do you have scars or otherwise other things of note?

All of this can be viewed in advance and then role-played upon.
I might have walked past you on the street, but seeing that you are a follower of the same faith as mine, I might instead speak with you.
Things like that. I would personally love to see description, on every character I come across. It's such potential otherwise wasted.

Here you set the finer lines of your concept and how people may perceive you.

Emotes:

This is a big one. With emotes we convey what our characters express, feel, think, how they react and what they intend.

- Be descriptive: doing mundane tasks with people around and everything seems a bit quiet?
Emote the little things, think into how your character would manipulate whatever device he/she might be using:
how do they count coins, are they adjusting their armor/clothing, glasses, identifying items?
The more you describe the more can possibly be acted upon by others and it brings a lot to the "feel" of the roleplay.

- Short vs. long emotes: don't be afraid to do both. Experiment with how fluent and artistic you can be in describing exactly what your character expresses in those moment(s).
Often it can provide for a lot of flavour and feel in the current situation and will have a much bigger impact than a few short emotes ever could.

- Google: As a popular saying, google is your friend. If books aren't your thing when it comes to finding new words, google will go a long way.
Try finding those unusual or simply descriptive words that provide a different shade.
For instance, what's the difference between *Chuckles* and *Snickers*?
Try googling it even if you know, you might be surprised. TheFreeDictionary.com works splendidly for this search.

IC vs. OOC:

I'd like to start by saying; this is a game and we're here to have fun.
That aside, it does not mean it's alright to break rules or character.
But then again, some situations might be borderline when it comes to character.
For instance: Elira would normally never hire people to do simple tasks for her.
But in the cause of making it fun for others, she can occasionally hire low-level characters in a similar fashion a random NPC would.

But I'm not breaking character, if anything I'm bending.
Some things would simply be inappropriate to do against you own character concept.
A Cyricist should not be walking around and with good intentions healing hurt people ... just to be nice (or help lowbies).
In that case one should at least have some ulterior motive with it, or make it in a very scary way.

It's a thin line, if anything. One should never compromise their own character if it's avoidable.

Tells: this is a matter of opinion, but I think it's alright to sometimes arrange meetings between characters.
After all, we're playing on a pretty big map and simply "bumping" into others can sometimes be hard when the playercount is low.
It's a tool like any other and sometimes it's the best way to plot with (or against) each other.

Character progression:

On Thay, it's possible to sacrifice a character in order to gain half of the levels for your next.
With that, the highest level possible to start at is 10, but most start at lvl 1 through 5.
But almost never does anybody start with renown and or infamy, such things are built through character progression and role-play.

I think it's good to start by having an end-goal, it does not have to be something set in stone and something amazingly epic.
As a Wizard, you might want to become Red Wizard. As Cleric a "Respected Clergy" within a temple. As a warrior, a Tribune at a legion.
Because here you have a chance to have a set goal for your character and yourself.
Having studied psychology I can say, most people are more likely to stick to something if there's an end-goal with it rather than ... "just do it".

Don't predetermine everything: while I think it's great to flesh out your character, I think some parts should be left flexible and changeable.
You never know who you'll meet that will influence your character, what event, what happening or learning of something you did not previously know.
The important bit is to find yourself comfortable with your character, and stay true to the concept while not being inflexible as stone.
Which brings me to the next bit as an example ...

Alignments: likely most of us can agree: the original descriptions of the alignment-system is shallow compared to what CAN and is most often PLAYED.
Not all Chaotic Evil characters are serial-killers and Lawful Good; paladins.
No character is nor should be perfect and so two-dimensional, that there is no leeway for actions that would oppose their alignment.
Alignments are a support for role-play, not the other way around. It is one of the many tools with which we define our characters.

Flexibility: I think one should not be afraid to sometimes (when appropriate) stray from their concepts.
You are a Chaotic Evil Sorcerer that likes to burn everything around yourself, but for a moment, perhaps you found something worth protecting?
You are a Lawful Good Cleric, that experienced something that shakes the very core of your belief and sets you on a darker path ... but you don't have to end up there.
I think, things like that will really give opportunity to define your character as true and living.
They aren't just Chaotic evil, neutral good or true neutral. They aren't just a cleric, a rogue or a warrior.
The level of flexibility is up to you.

The character can be so much more if you only give them the opportunity.

[MilesBeyond]

Some great stuff so far, guys. Hopefully this can become a resource for the forum.

A few things I'd like to add, though bear in mind that I'm still fairly new to this myself.


Stick to Your Strengths (at first)

This was mentioned above, but I really can't stress it enough. Some people just can't RP certain characters. For whatever reason, it just doesn't click. And that's okay. Over time, with more experience playing and reading, those things might come to you. Maybe they won't. Who knows. But take some of the fictional characters you find yourself best able to relate to, and combine them with your own personality traits to create a character that you know you can RP convincingly.

Sometimes you just need to experiment, and that's okay. Sometimes you might have a good idea but you find you just can't put it into practice. Sometimes you've got a great character that you're fantastic at RPing, but it just doesn't fit in with the setting (e.g. a Lawful Stupid Paladin who attacks anything evil on sight). My first character I abandoned after two weeks because I was terrible at playing him. Nothing wrong with that.


Again, as you grow as a player, all sorts of more diverse character options will open up to you. But at first, stick to what you know.


Avoid (Excessive) Wish-Fulfillment


For me, personally, nothing kills RP faster than this. It's not really an issue on Thay as far as I can tell, but it's worth stating anyway. Yes, RP is fantasy. Yes, it allows you to shape your character however you like. Yes, it does allow you to experience life vicariously by creating someone who's good at the things you're bad at. But characters with no noticeable flaws are not just cheesy, they're two-dimensional and difficult to RP with. They don't feel real. When you make your character into some enormous badass who can never be bested by anyone or anything, they're just boring. They're not fun to play with.


One easy way to avoid this is to RP your stats. Don't create an incredibly seductive flirt with a stunning body if you've got a CHA of 8. Don't stun people with your penetrating insight if you've got a terrible WIS - instead, maybe exhibit overconfidence, or make misjudged attempts to lighten the mood, or create funny moments by offering up obvious statements as profound observations. If you've got a low DEX, maybe trip and fall sometimes when you're walking somewhere. Speaking is a great way to showcase INT. If it's average, sometimes ask for clarifications on complex words or concepts, even if they're something you as a player understand. If it's low, use a very limited vocabulary. If you've got a crappy CON, maybe sometimes ask the party to stop so you can catch your breath after a strenuous encounter, or start acting drunk after a couple of beers, or occasionally come down with a cold, or whatever.


These are all just ideas. Obviously many of them are contrived, and I'm sure most of you can think of much better ways to do this, and as you understand and develop your character (and your writing skills) more, you'll probably find more subtle ways to express your failings, as well as gain the ability to integrate your strengths and weaknesses into a complex character, rather than a series of pros and cons inhabiting a body, but this isn't a bad starting point. I know some people might say "What? No way, that's stupid. How are people supposed to be intimidated by my badass evil wizard if he's sometimes losing his balance or getting drunk?" but that's kind of the whole point. When your character exhibits flaws, it opens up RP opportunities for others and creates a more vibrant and three-dimensional person to inhabit the world.


Anyway, sorry. That kind of turned into a bit of a rant. But the point is, try to avoid Mary Sues.

---

Here's a question that I think could make for an interesting discussion:

How does RPing evil characters work in the context of a friendly community like this one?

I mean, on the one hand, it can be hard to find an IC reason for your power-hungry mage or legionary to take time out of what they're doing to give new characters some pointers or be friendly to them. On the other hand, being welcoming to new characters is important to help the server grow and is one of the reasons why I stuck around at first.

So what happens? Do you do OOC things for their benefit? Do you stay IC and refuse to help anyone? Do you abuse or threaten them and then apologize via tells and explain the difference between the character and the player? How far is too far? How evil is too evil?


This is an issue that I haven't really got any opinions on at all, but that I'd like to hear what other people have to say.

[DarkRanger]

For the last one, I think the best way is to play it as an affably evil type looking to get them in your debt. After all, evil setting doesn't mean primordial everyone for themselves wasteland.

[dremora]

If you DO want to play a hardcore CE type nutjob, remember that PvP can be done agreeably through emotes, RP and dice rolls and need not end in death. There are a number of ways including things close to and mistaken for death that can be RP'd out and ensure no feelings are hurt for those that dislike PvP or the consequences.. yet are in a position where there character would engage another. There are also a variety of ways to humiliate, punish or place a foe into dire situations that might amuse your character or theirs before you/they are released.. this time. In short: even the psychotic maniacs need not hit the dislike button and resort to pure mechanical combat to solve something.

Granted this pretty much applies to any situation for evil and can be retro-fitted for good guys