RP Made Simple

Role vs Roll

Section: Inspiration | No Comments »

Back in “the day”, me having a good set of lucky dice for role-playing was crucial. Not that the “Dice Fairy” would give me a new D20 if I put my old one under my pillow or anything – but to me it was important.

Like baseball players that swing their “lucky” bat. That kind of self-vindication that I have an edge.

Being able to make that critical hit or saving throw was my goal. It was the early 80′s and I had just got my spankin’ new™ Player’s Handbook and my first set of coolicious dice from Bernie’s Hobbies in High Point.

“You Kobolds want some?
Better bring a to-go box – I got plenty.”

Yeah… I was a tad bit excited. But here comes the main point…

In my nostalgic recall above, did I mention actually rping? You know – playing a cool character and having fun role playing?

Nope. I focused mainly on the “tools of the trade” and what it could do for me. I did not know it then, but I was missing out on a whole other dimension of my gameplay.

When I first got into AD&D, I got distracted on the game mechanics and rules. Trying to learn the rules and not do anything “wrong”. That pretty much blinded me to the depth of the imagination that a game setting or module could bring to you.

I was not totally “point and click” regarding gameplay, but I wasn’t exactly making characters I loved to play just for the concept.

It wasn’t until I was playing in Chris G’s AD&D game in high school that the story started to beckon to me. Sure, I was a newbie and did some “less than intelligent” things here and there with my mage, but being new – it happens.

It was the story, much like being in a cool tv series storyline, which helped make me see past the THAC0′s and spell lists.

Bad guys were not loot pinatas, they had depth and sometimes a very bad “temper”. My friend Matt B’s game later on also was a great example of story > rules.

Not just rolling a D20, but getting into character and making the adventure part of that character’s “life”. When I DM’d I took that to heart too. Make it an adventure, not just a daily planner with dice.

It’s “Role” vs “Roll”… making that character sheet “come alive” with a backstory and imagination vs loot drops and making that “all important” saving throw.

But it is real easy to to focus sometimes on the “roll” – instead of the “role” in role-playing. It’s just the added fun of playing a cool character and exploring the lore and creativity of the game setting which really hit it for me.

That may be why the RP kinda gets forgotten in MMORPGs sometimes… who knows?

It did finally make sense to me, which I am thankful for. Man, it was all shiny back then.

Wow… I really should have thought about that more starting out.

So… what things would I have told myself – assuming of course I could grab a DeLorean and hit 88mph?

• The rules are the guidelines to the game and the story is the life of it.

• See past the rules and the dice throws and game mechanics and look into the “world”.

• Have a character that’s not just a sum of stats and abilities to min/max your gameplay.

• Read about the game world, ask some questions and add some life to your character..

• Have more fun and think of the game session as a action adventure show or cool book series – not just a ruleset.

• Don’t get so trapped into the game mechanics that you forget to have fun.

• There’s always a chance at a great story (with you in it) when you role-play. Really!

Oh! And this:

• By the way… NEVER, NEVER, NEVER have your dagger-obsessed mage loot a ceremonial dagger from an evil deity…

• …and think no one will be the wiser.

It seldom works out well. /wink