C | How to: non-combat and RP

Generally playing the game might seem simple enough when you look at it on paper, but role-playing can oftentimes be challenging.
There's no rush. As long as you're playing with a group of supportive friends, all should be well. It's a game, not a duty. Remember to have fun and become immersed.

Things to take into account before playing:

• Be mindful of the world you're playing in, and the system you're playing with by knowing your limitations.
And while a game might have it's own set of rules, lore, guidelines, etc, a GM might alter these principles by creating a "homebrew" session which revises a game's intended rules.

• Be mindful of any other PC's and participating members. Keep in mind that they are also role-playing characters with goals, aspirations, likes, dislikes, etc. While their characters might be a race or of a denomination that your character might not get along with, try not to make it difficult for others to interact or enjoy the game. Idle jokes and poking fun is encouraged, but don't make it hard on other players while playing the game.

• Avoid "god-moding" at all costs. Remember, your character should have flaws and shortcomings. No matter the depth of their backstory, no character is invincible or untouchable. Sometimes when creating characters, we can get attached to them and it becomes difficult to think of them as anything less than perfect. With this in mind, take into account that characters are much more interesting when they are dynamic in a sense that they fail or falter in some areas, no matter what you might consider their alignment to be. Embrace failure, make things interesting, and keep going.

• Avoid "meta-gaming" at all costs. Your character's knowledge and know-how shouldn't reflect your own. Say you see a GM's note that details an ambush: your character should have no knowledge of this and shouldn't react accordingly to what you saw.

• Put yourself in the mind of your character. Take into account their goals, personality, thoughts, etc. Also remember that your character does not exist outside of how you play them. You can write a novel for a backstory but that still does not exemplify who your character is as an entity. Act out who they are, what they do, etc. Your character is who you present them as in-game.

• Pay attention to the game and its players. This should be a given. While emergencies and urgent matters can't wait to be attended to, random text messages and that idle app you play on your phone, can. Pay attention to the GM and the players around you. Courtesy will get you far in this game, and your attentiveness will be rewarded.

• In addition to the last point, don't be "that guy". While everyone is different and has varying play styles, try to avoid being the one who systematically goes against the party's goals and wishes, even if that's something "your character would do". Contrarily, don't sit out on things you think "your character wouldn't do" and go against the wishes of the party. Justify and give reason as to why your character is doing that thing, while participating with the rest of the party. Fun can't be had on the sidelines.

• Use logic. For example, your character is a Gigandet Barbarian. It wouldn't make sense for him to scamper off into a shaded area to be less seen, given that character's inherently tank-ish and head-on nature. If your party happens upon a sticky bog, your character should have to trudge through it as opposed to prancing on top of it, negating any hindering effects it might bring.

• Ask questions. You're not going to have all the answers, and sometimes neither will your GM. You can come to conclusion by bringing up certain topics and discussing them to come to a compromise with the rest of the party if that topic isn't concrete. While a GM gets to dictate some of the game, a tabletop RPG is a group effort.

• Tropes can be fun and a nice nod to earlier and familiar works, but try to avoid being a cliché. Be creative.

• During downtime, in instances where let's say the GM is preparing something, someone had to leave for a phone call, etc, have a conversation with the participating members. Tabletop RPG's are meant to be social, and deviate from standard single-player games by utilizing aspects of communication and interaction.

• Have fun. While things might get intense and players become passionate, the purpose of tabletop games are to enjoy time with friends while delving into fantasy worlds and escaping reality, to some extent, for the time being.


Non-combat sequences in the game should be played by role-playing, and doesn't necessarily have a concrete formula or adhere to the gridded combat system that limits mobility and actions. Though still take into account the limitations of the game and the rules set out by your GM. Your character might need to roll for checks and other things, but the basis of non-combat sequences is role-playing and creativity.





Example:

GM: "As you make your walk on the trodden dirt path, you happen across an old cottage with candlelight illuminating the window on the front wall"

Player 1: "Guys, let me go ahead. I want to take a look around to make sure no enemies are nearby"

Player 2: "I'll stand back with my axe in case it's an ambush and guard the path we're on"

Player 1: "I crouch by the window, remaining hidden, and try taking a peek inside"

GM: "You hear an arrow flying through the air and pelt the ground several yards away, but can't see where it landed"

Player 3: "Guys, watch out! We're being shot at! I want to try to find the enemy shooting at us"

GM: "Roll for a perception check"