Roleplaying Tips & Guides
While many of the articles in other sections cover subjects that relate to roleplaying, the articles on this page are specifically about roleplaying, with advice on topics such as how to improve your RP characters, ways to polish up your RP skills, and things to know when trying to enter or run a roleplaying community.
Roleplaying Basics
An Introduction To Roleplaying
A quick intro for those unclear on what roleplaying is all about.
Beginner Tips For Entering A Roleplaying Community
If you're new to roleplaying and thinking about getting yourself into a group, check this out!
Right & Wrong Questions To Ask A Roleplaying Community
What to ask and what not to ask a roleplaying community you're new to.
Signs You're In A Toxic RP Community
Major signs that the community you're in - or thinking about getting into - is toxic.
Why People Might Not Want To Roleplay With You
Do you seem to have trouble finding people to roleplay with you, or do a lot of roleplayers seem to drop you like a hot potato before long? Or are you just interested to know what you can do to avoid driving people off? Read this.
General Roleplaying Tips & Advice
Roleplaying tips for roleplaying folks. :P
Skills Every Good Roleplayer Should Have
Skills that can help any roleplayer immensely, both IC and OOC.
How To Quit An RP Without Ghosting - NEW!
Ghosting (vanishing without a trace) is a cruel and hurtful practice. Here's what you can do instead.
Creating & Playing Characters
Basic Tips To Make Better & More Appealing Roleplaying Characters
Tips to help you create and roleplay fun and interesting characters!
How To Make A Playable RP Character Fast
Want to create a new RP character on the quick? Here's what you need to know to create a balanced and functional character with a minimum of time spent.
How To Make Your Roleplay Character Stand Out
What you can do to make a character that stands out and grabs attention.
Reasons Your RP Characters Might Be Bad Friends Or Love Interests
Some common reasons why roleplaying characters who are intended to be good friends or love interests end up completely failing at it.
Reasons Your RP Characters Might Be Creepy (In A Bad Way)
Common reasons why people's characters end up being creepy and making others feel uncomfortable.
Reasons Your RP Characters Might Look Arrogant & Egotistical
Many characters end up looking like overly-arrogant jackasses - here are some key traits to be aware of if you want to avoid this. (Or to use, if that's the kind of character you want!)
Reasons Your RP Characters Might Look Insecure
Some common reasons people's RP characters end up looking really insecure. Use as a reference for what you might try to avoid if you don't want your own characters to look insecure, or as a reference for what you might do if you want them to look that way.
Reasons Your RP Characters Might Look Like Edgy Tryhards
Find out whether your character might look like a tryhard to others.
Tips To Avoid Killing Your RP Character's Conversations
It's hard to make friends and allies when your character can't even hold a conversation, so here are some tips to make your character a bit better at them.
Common Problems In Roleplaying Characters
Horrendously common problems seen these days.
How To Roleplay Villains Fairly
How to play villains in a way that's fun and fair to others.
The RP Character Playability Test
Take this short quiz to determine whether a character you plan to play (either your own or a character from someone else's work!) is likely to see action and adventure, or is more likely to end up mainly thumb-twiddling and sofa-sitting.
Specific Character Types
A crosslink to the section on writing and roleplaying specific character types - assassins, badasses, royalty, immortals, and more, you'll find it here!
Prompts & Posts
7 Very Versatile RP Prompt Ideas
Need an idea? Consider one of these - which can be fit to just about any setting and used with canon characters and OCs alike.
7 MORE Very Versatile RP Prompt Ideas
More roleplaying prompts ideas, and just as versatile.
Tips To Write Better Roleplay Prompts
Tips to create better, more attention-getting roleplaying prompts.
Tips To Help You Write Better Roleplay Posts
Just some quick, simple tips to help you improve the quality of your RP posts.
Game & Player Management
Tips For New & Beginning Game Masters/Roleplay Admins
Stuff to help you out if you're new to running a roleplay!
How To Avoid Being A Bad Game Master/Roleplay Admin
Being a good game master or roleplay admin is hard work - so here are some things you can do to avoid doing a terrible job.
Ways To Reduce & Avoid Stress As A Game Master/Roleplay Admin
Being a game master or roleplaying admin can be very stressful! Here are some things you can do to help yourself.
Things Writers (And Everyone Else) Should Know About Running A Roleplay
Roleplays can't always work like written stories, and trying to force them to can ruin a game. Here's where and how things have to be different.
The Four Aspects Of A Roleplay Campaign/Plot (Or, How To Make Designing RP Campaigns/Plots Easier!)
The backbone of just about any RP comes down to a combination of four basic aspects. Here's what they are, and how you can use them go make games your players will enjoy.
Basic Tips To Create And Run A Good RP Plot
How to make and manage a fun and interesting roleplay plot!
Starting & Running Roleplays & Bringing In New Players
How to make starting new roleplays or bringing new players into an old one go a lot more smoothly.
"Should I Add Or Allow This In My Game?"
How to determine whether you should add something into your RP - whether the idea came from your players or from you.
Reasons Your Roleplay Might Not Be Working
Is your roleplay not working out? Here's a list of common reasons roleplays fail so you can troubleshoot and fix yours.
How To (Nicely) Speak Up, Assert Yourself, & Ask For Things In Your RPs (And Why You Need To)
Speaking up for yourself is something you need to do now and then, if you want to keep things running smoothly. Here's how to do it without looking like (or turning into) a jerk or whiner.
When A Game Master Or Roleplay Admin Might Be Power-Tripping - And What To Do About It
Signs and symptoms to look out for - both in others and yourself - and what you might do if you encounter a power-tripping game master or admin.
Dealing With Unhappy & Complaining Roleplayers
Got an unhappy roleplayer? Want to prevent your players from becoming unhappy in the first place? Here are some tips!
Bad-Spirited Roleplaying: The RP Sin That Needs To Be Against The Rules Already
We've all had those awful players we want to ban because they bother the entire group, but feel like we can't because they aren't technically doing anything wrong. Let's change how we look at these players and their actions so we can do something.
Types Of Roleplayers You Don't Want In Your Game
Types of players who can spoil a whole game for everyone - and maybe even wreck a few friendships in the process.
How To Spot & Handle Parasitic Roleplayers
Is there someone you play with who always leaves you feeling tired and drained? Does the game never really get fun for you, no matter how much effort you put into it? Do you dread playing with this person? You might be dealing with a parasitic roleplayer.
How To Spot Self-Inserting Roleplayers
Playing with self-inserters is a bad deal for everyone, so here are some signs to watch out for so you don't end up getting sucked into a game with one.
General Gameplay
Tips To Be A More Thoughtful & Considerate Roleplayer
Few people want to play with a selfish, lazy, or controlling roleplayer - so here are some tips to help you be more considerate of your fellow players.
Ways You Might Be Sending Your Roleplayers & RP Partners Mixed Messages
Sending your players and partners mixed messages is a sure way to spoil a roleplay. Here are a few common ways people do it, and how to avoid doing it yourself.
Common Game-Ruining Mistakes Roleplayers Make
Blunders you'll want to avoid making in your games, because they have the potential to spoil the whole game!
Things To Do When You Feel Like You're Fading Into The Background of a Roleplay
Exactly what the title says.