Dice Roles
Used in order to establish a varying style of gameplay. Virtual dice have been added to the forum which the roleplayers can use to predict the outcome of situations and conflict. For example, imagine you are in a battle with an NPC. You role the dice and get a high number. This means that you may have a higher chance of dodging or hitting the other. However if you get a low number on your role then you will have poor results in that particular attack. GM's have control over the NPC's dice role. This can also be applied to pretty much anything in a roleplay. Whether it be a role to decide how effective your character will be in interrogation or perhaps how successful a spell is done and used. Remember, dice roles are optional when roleplaying. If you decide to stick with the basic emote style of roleplay that is fine as well.
Magic and Spellcasting
People are rational, and in order to control magic they must rationalize it to themselves somehow. This means having a system by which the person executes what he wants, often (but not always) in the form of a spell. Often times people who think alike will gather together and form a guild where they can exchange their spells and teach each other tricks as well as practice doing what they know. Perhaps the most simple system to explain is that of a religious follower who prays to his god to grant him the spells. The god may be a real entity (from the spirit realm) or imagined. Either way, it is the follower's belief that fuels his spell, and if the belief is strong enough then reality grants him his wish. Other systems include those of wizards or mystics, who have strange and mysterious ways of explaining their practices to one another. Witches often call upon nature, runes, or create potions. Many mages have what they call "mana" which is an unseen energy that gives them their powers. Races that are themselves partially magical may not even use a system, but rather "just do" what they want to do, and can always feel the astral plane or even step into it.
Emotes and Diceless Combat
If you've never done this or any online role playing before, you may want to view the forums and examine how other writers are interacting with each other. It's fairly simple once you get the hang of it. Playing is done by writing your character's actions and responding to what other characters are doing. You can only respond to people's actions and play your character. You can't write for other people or control their characters (that's called cheating, or autoing) and you can't kill them unless they agree or a staff member OK's it. Combat is not the primary goal of writing here. If your character is in a fight, it is in your best interest to do a few things:
-Do not assume your attacks on other characters will hit them. Swing your sword "at" them and let them decide if it hits and where. It can help to decide with them ahead of time what you want to happen.
-Do not come up with powers and items you need on the spot - these should be in your profile already. Do not try to play with your powers and bend what's written in your profile to help you gain an advantage.
-Trying to be too powerful in general is called god-modding. Don't do it. Nobody will want to play with you and the staff will get on your case. The less powerful you are, the less of a god-modder you are, and the easier it is for everyone involved. Let people hit you sometimes. What kind of book would you write where your main hero never takes a beating or never gets hit by anything? One that we don't want to read or partake in.
-If you are comfortable with the people you are writing with, you may wish to come to an agreement with them to allow auto-hits. This means that "you can hit me if I can hit you" and can make everything much easier. Do this only if you're mature enough to be able to compromise for good writing and only if you have gotten to know the other person. If it causes a problem: take your losses, call it off, and don't cause a scene.
When RP fighting with no rolls, remember that since you aren't relying on luck and numbers, to strive for balance. You don't always wanting to be dodging every attack that's sent your way. Your character should be getting hit. Also keep in mind the strengths and weaknesses of your character.
For example, if you're a mage, you aren't going to be able to break somebody's arm as well as a warrior. However, you probably will be more agile than said warrior and you'll probably be trying to keep your distance from the warrior while you fight. Know when you've lost. Strive to win if that's your purpose, but you should always toss in the towel when you're character's been bested.
Do not try and godmode your way out of an obvious defeat. If you aren't aiming to die, surrender or run. Besides that, also be creative with your emotes and how you work them. Don't cram a bunch of attacks into one emote, let the battle flow a turn at a time.
Here is an example of a roleplay battle:
(Remember, all emotes should be in italics)
Player One:
"I will have my revenge you wretched beast!"
/e Raised his hands, fire crackling around them, and pushed them forward. A great wash of flames erupted from them, streaking toward his target.
Player Two:
"Ha! You will try but i'm afraid I have plans tonight."
/e Glares at his enemy, quickly roleing to his side. Glances down at his arm to see his cloak slightly singed by the flames.
Player One:
"You will die this night! I am above you in every way!"
/e Pulls the dagger from its hilt and charges, the blade errupting in fire.
Player Two:
"Pride comes before the fall my friend."
/e Leaps to his feet and prepares to defend himself. Pulling his broken wood staff from off the floor.
And so on...
Used in order to establish a varying style of gameplay. Virtual dice have been added to the forum which the roleplayers can use to predict the outcome of situations and conflict. For example, imagine you are in a battle with an NPC. You role the dice and get a high number. This means that you may have a higher chance of dodging or hitting the other. However if you get a low number on your role then you will have poor results in that particular attack. GM's have control over the NPC's dice role. This can also be applied to pretty much anything in a roleplay. Whether it be a role to decide how effective your character will be in interrogation or perhaps how successful a spell is done and used. Remember, dice roles are optional when roleplaying. If you decide to stick with the basic emote style of roleplay that is fine as well.
Magic and Spellcasting
People are rational, and in order to control magic they must rationalize it to themselves somehow. This means having a system by which the person executes what he wants, often (but not always) in the form of a spell. Often times people who think alike will gather together and form a guild where they can exchange their spells and teach each other tricks as well as practice doing what they know. Perhaps the most simple system to explain is that of a religious follower who prays to his god to grant him the spells. The god may be a real entity (from the spirit realm) or imagined. Either way, it is the follower's belief that fuels his spell, and if the belief is strong enough then reality grants him his wish. Other systems include those of wizards or mystics, who have strange and mysterious ways of explaining their practices to one another. Witches often call upon nature, runes, or create potions. Many mages have what they call "mana" which is an unseen energy that gives them their powers. Races that are themselves partially magical may not even use a system, but rather "just do" what they want to do, and can always feel the astral plane or even step into it.
Emotes and Diceless Combat
If you've never done this or any online role playing before, you may want to view the forums and examine how other writers are interacting with each other. It's fairly simple once you get the hang of it. Playing is done by writing your character's actions and responding to what other characters are doing. You can only respond to people's actions and play your character. You can't write for other people or control their characters (that's called cheating, or autoing) and you can't kill them unless they agree or a staff member OK's it. Combat is not the primary goal of writing here. If your character is in a fight, it is in your best interest to do a few things:
-Do not assume your attacks on other characters will hit them. Swing your sword "at" them and let them decide if it hits and where. It can help to decide with them ahead of time what you want to happen.
-Do not come up with powers and items you need on the spot - these should be in your profile already. Do not try to play with your powers and bend what's written in your profile to help you gain an advantage.
-Trying to be too powerful in general is called god-modding. Don't do it. Nobody will want to play with you and the staff will get on your case. The less powerful you are, the less of a god-modder you are, and the easier it is for everyone involved. Let people hit you sometimes. What kind of book would you write where your main hero never takes a beating or never gets hit by anything? One that we don't want to read or partake in.
-If you are comfortable with the people you are writing with, you may wish to come to an agreement with them to allow auto-hits. This means that "you can hit me if I can hit you" and can make everything much easier. Do this only if you're mature enough to be able to compromise for good writing and only if you have gotten to know the other person. If it causes a problem: take your losses, call it off, and don't cause a scene.
When RP fighting with no rolls, remember that since you aren't relying on luck and numbers, to strive for balance. You don't always wanting to be dodging every attack that's sent your way. Your character should be getting hit. Also keep in mind the strengths and weaknesses of your character.
For example, if you're a mage, you aren't going to be able to break somebody's arm as well as a warrior. However, you probably will be more agile than said warrior and you'll probably be trying to keep your distance from the warrior while you fight. Know when you've lost. Strive to win if that's your purpose, but you should always toss in the towel when you're character's been bested.
Do not try and godmode your way out of an obvious defeat. If you aren't aiming to die, surrender or run. Besides that, also be creative with your emotes and how you work them. Don't cram a bunch of attacks into one emote, let the battle flow a turn at a time.
Here is an example of a roleplay battle:
(Remember, all emotes should be in italics)
Player One:
"I will have my revenge you wretched beast!"
/e Raised his hands, fire crackling around them, and pushed them forward. A great wash of flames erupted from them, streaking toward his target.
Player Two:
"Ha! You will try but i'm afraid I have plans tonight."
/e Glares at his enemy, quickly roleing to his side. Glances down at his arm to see his cloak slightly singed by the flames.
Player One:
"You will die this night! I am above you in every way!"
/e Pulls the dagger from its hilt and charges, the blade errupting in fire.
Player Two:
"Pride comes before the fall my friend."
/e Leaps to his feet and prepares to defend himself. Pulling his broken wood staff from off the floor.
And so on...
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