Howdy! Welcome to my Roleplay guide, where I (and my lovely contributers) guide you through the basics of roleplaying!

Note: Ctrl + f to insta search for something on this list!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

-What is Roleplaying?

-Roleplay Styles

-Character Making

-Character Interactions and Emotions

-1x1 Roleplay Manners

-Group Roleplay Manners

-General Roleplay Manners

-Fun and Good Tips for a Roleplay

-Credits!

What is Roleplaying?

Roleplaying, as defined by dictonary, is acting out/performing the part of a person or character. This can include musical performances, acting, comedy skits, playing games that include choices you make with a character, and (the one we will discuss today) online roleplaying!

Online roleplaying is where you and either one other person or a group of people on an online chat site act as characters for entertainment (and even can inspire stories to be made!).

Roleplaying styles are the very first thing you want to establish!

Roleplaying Styles

There are many styles, but we will keep it simple with the three most common ones.

Non-Literate: These styles are very action based, and are simple responses that cut right to the chase. This is perfect for beginners or someone who does not like to take too much time with responses. For these, it's best to keep detailing to a minimum and instead focus on what actions are being taken. My best advice is avoid commas during an action, and NEVER use periods UNLESS it's for the dialogue. Long speeches should be kept to a bare minimum!

Bad Example:
Character: *nuzzles the animal lovingly, petting its lovely fur* I love you so much (goes on for 3 paragraphs)

Good Example:
Character: *nuzzles and pets* I love you!

Semi - Literate: This is where responses are 1-4 sentences long, and do NOT use asterisks to describe action. Instead, these entail a little more thinking! Along with literate roleplays, these usually use detail to describe what is going on. However, keep it short, sweet, and to the point! (Feel free to use metaphors)

Bad example:
She smiled because she was happy. She got the puppy.

Good example:
She grinned from ear to ear, and her heart paced faster. It was her dream come true! Her fluffy puppy that ran away was finally here, safe in her arms once again.

Literate: Where responses are 6+ sentences, and are full of details. Usually for advanced roleplayers or writers, these require much time and thought. However, these roleplays can be very satisfying for 1x1 roleplays (but aren't recommended for group rps). Describe these the best you can!

Bad example:
He drove the red car down the street so he could see Becky, the love of his life.

Good Example:
He hopped into his car and revved the engine. Ben, being too excited to see Becky, started driving before the car warmed up against the ice cold that was outside. The chilly leather seat didn't bother him, because his heart's warmth kept him hotter than the Texas sun. His crimson red car darted through the snowy night, shining against the full moon. He was going to see her soon, and that alone gave him the bravery to drive in the night.

Character Making:

This is the best part, having an OC! For the purpose of roleplaying, we are focusing on character traits and not design.

A good character will have flaws. A great characters has reasons for their flaws. Tie in their backstory to their flaws! Be creative with what you have! Try to avoid having them be the best, but also avoid a bland character! A good rule to go by: Love your character, flaws and all. Otherwise, you'll have a boring roleplay.

Now, when tackling a backstory, you do NOT want to disrespect people who actually struggle with these situations. For example, if you have a character with schizophrenia, do not make them a murderer (unless you have a really good reason) or have them poorly portrayed. Do your research before giving characters disorders. A good thing to keep in mind as well is be respectful of religions, all sexualities, and races.

A good tip: Avoid lists when describing a character!

Bad Character:

-Loved by everyone/Hated by everyone
-Creator only made them bc they were rushed
-Very very VERY tragic backstory
-Background doesn't tie into traits
-God tier powers
-Direct relation to canon characters/other ocs without consent
-PTSD, bipolar, scoliosis, depression, add, adhd, and 30 more disorders
-Does not reflect any of those disorders

Good Character:
"This is my character, Kyle. While he is a social lamb, he still has his days where he stays inside. His mother has taught him many crafts, while his father tried and failed making him a strong ram. This is why he is very good at making traps, but can't punch for the life of him."

Character Interactions and Emotions

Now that we have established your character and style, let's get into the nitty gritty of actually roleplaying. The most important thing is establishing what your character does and is in this roleplay. Are they a hated criminal? An immortal god? This and their personality plays a MAJOR role in relationships with other characters.

A big thing I see is every character reacting the same to love. Blushing, smiling, etc. If your character isn't shy or loving, this can be a problem. Instead of a threatening character or an apathetic character blushing, replace it with sarcasm or not knowing how to react. Everyone reacts differently to love, so add some variety!

Example:
Character: *hands Character 2 a note*

Character 2: *reads* "I like you... heart"? Oh, I get it! They're so funny... *hands Character a note*

Character: *reads* "I hate your guts, you nut brain" ...

Also, don't blatantly say "____ is happy" or "____ is sad"! Use their actions to describe themselves! An old adage I go by when roleplaying: "Actions speak louder than words".

Bad Example:
Lancer is excited!

Good Example:
Lancer bounces up and down, running around like he ate 10 pounds of sugar!

PSA: YOUR CHARACTER DOES NOT REFLECT YOU, NOR DO OTHER CHARACTERS REFLECT OTHER PEOPLE! Do not get mad if someone kills your favorite character. They don't mean to hurt or anger you, they're just having fun with what they are doing as their character.

1x1 Roleplay Manners

Hoo boy, this part is going to be a doozy, so I'll keep this short:

-BE. PATIENT! People need time, especially for literate roleplays! Someone could be busy, or just want a break.

-Have at least some respect for other characters.

-Ask the other person what is and what isn't okay, and please stand up for yourself if someone is giving you a hard time.

Group Roleplay Manners

-DO. NOT. POWERPLAY! Powerplay: Where you take control of someone's character

-Be sensitive to triggers people may have, and please do not harass anyone!

-Don't start petty drama. Be nice and try to get along!

-WAIT. YOUR. TURN.

-Keep Out Of Character (OOC) chats in their respective chats

-Respect all rules the leader has set up!

General Roleplay Manners

-Love doesn't form overnight! Play out the romance for a while, and have fun with it!

-Do NOT use your character to bully others. If your character is a bully, only have them talk about other characters and NOT real people

-Do NOT make bad remarks about other OCs.

-Do NOT always dodge attacks/insta kill. Use a dice to make the hits random!

-DONT REPLACE "EYES" WITH "ORBS", IT'S CREEPY STOP IT!

-Don't type like the sentence right above. Please use proper grammar.

-Do NOT tolerate any bullying/harassment. See something? Report it.

Fun and Good Tips for a Roleplay

-Avoid Thesauruses and big words!

-Use dice to determine random chance (for example, fighting)

How could you use dice?

Ravin (#172033) (will be mentioned in the credits) gave me a good example!

"For example, instead of this:
He dodged then bit them.
Do this:
A huff escaped from his jaw as he pulled back, their teeth snapping shut with an agonizing click just beside his ear. As they pulled back to prepare themselves for another attack, he'd use this time as an advantage. He aimed low, jaws open wide as he aimed to sink his jaws into their paw. If this succeeded, he'd hang on tight. "

-Adoptables with premade personalities that you love (and that you adopted of course) can totally be used!

-Don't want to write your own character? Hire a writer! (shameless self promo, but I am a writer lol)

Credits!

Thank you to everyone mentioned! You were all a HUGE help, and I couldn't have done this without you ^^

greenapple
Sweeny Todd
Shiinor
Venomus Flames {WCU}
Ravin
Tori
Golden Gates

Original Roleplay Tips Thread

Thank you so much for reading!