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Thread: Words of Wisdom for Roleplaying

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    Lucius Malfoy's Avatar Pure-Blood
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    Default Words of Wisdom for Roleplaying

    The Ten Suggestions by Pontifex Maximus

    First of all this is not directed at anyone in particular and second of all I've been guilty of breaching all of these suggestions myself at times. But I think the more we try to stick to these guidelines the better our game will be. Particularly this game which is looking like our longest running game ever, and I'd like to keep it going indefinitely. Without further ado, my ten suggestions for behavior while in game and ooc:

    1. Learn the difference between in game and out of game. This includes what characters reasonably know as opposed to what players know. Players know much more than their characters, and characters, if we play them realistically, should be allowed to make many mistakes and have a lack of good judgment.

    Example: Ryker Frey is being played as a very loyal member of the Kingsguard. He does not know Rhaegar is alive and strongly suspects he is dead at the hands of Baratheon. Therefore he can serve Blackfyre easily and without much thought.

    NB: this is not an excuse for taking some ridiculous action and claiming ignorance on the part of your character such as "Oops, I summoned all my vassals to my keep and then murdered them all because my character is crazy." Character proclivities such as that should be RPed over the long term, not a random snap in a character's brain leading to insanity.

    2. People are not against you, they are for themselves.

    Example: If someone rebels, it is not because they are mad at you as a player. It means their characters want to usurp some power/wealth/authority.

    3. There's always another character to take. In the rare event your house is completely wiped out (something that I can't remember happening in the whole life of this game) then there are many more to take.

    4. Set goals for your individual characters and then pursue those goals. Don't wait for the RP to come to you.

    Example: Walder Frey wanted to find land and wives for his two youngest sons.

    5. When in doubt, ask. The rules can't possibly cover every aspect of the game.

    6. Don't take advantage of gaps in the rules. If there's a gap, acknowledge it publicly, and let's find a solution.

    7. Engage in deeper RP and be creative. Take risks.

    Exmaple: Just think outside the box. Like Peri's RP adventure beyond the wall. A character death is not the end of the world and adds flavor to the RP in the worst case scenario.

    8. Decide early on the central personality tenets of your characters and then make them more or less unshakable. Don't share them with other players so interactions can't be predicted.

    Example: This isn't much of a secret: Walder Frey is an empire-builder. Tywin Lannister is lawful evil.

    9. Intentionally keep yourself ignorant of the plots and machinations of your enemy.


    It's more fun this way, even if you lose or are taken by surprise. I've been taken by complete surprise a few times this game, and I find the process of rethinking my strategy one of the most fun aspects of the game. This also includes how many troops they command, what their long term plots are, and related things. Once you know it becomes almost impossible to not indirectly metagame. Who could actually, once they knew of a plot against them, not take at least some measures to defend against it?

    Example: About two weeks ago I found out in the ooc thread that a Tully had hired an assassin character (common knowledge now). I anticipated one of my characters would be the target. It was difficult in the end to not hire bodyguards or some such.

    10. Organize, organize, organize! Keep good records of finances, upgrades, and family trees.

    This makes it easier to become a bit more immersed in the family or characters you're playing. It also helps you keep the facts straight.

    ***bonus***

    11. Think three steps ahead.

    This is the hardest tip to articulate. If you have a plot, plan or goal try to imagine all the potential outcomes. Once you have done this, then imagine your reactions to all these different outcomes and prepare for them.

    Example: Walder Frey's gambit to humble the Brackens and Blackwoods. Would Whent support them? Would Tully denounce Frey? Would Mallister answer the call to arms? Work through all these possibilities and gauge whether or not something is worth pursuing.
    Last edited by Gandalfus; May 26, 2018 at 01:00 PM.
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