Guide to Fair Rp

Well the title says it all really. This guide is all about fair play in the roleplay. While several of the things I mention in this guide are not set in stone. They are all things you should consider to build a rapport as a skilled and fun opponent.

Metagaming.

This ones quite common amongst the RPers, it's also something that can be done to quite high extents in regards to the official rules. I will provide an explanation for what Metagaming is, followed by a brief example in practice.

"Metagaming is any strategy, action or method used in a game which transcends a prescribed ruleset, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game. Another definition refers to the game universe outside of the game itself. Metagaming differs from strategy in that metagaming is making decisions based upon out of game knowledge, whereas strategies are decisions made based upon in-game actions and knowledge.

In simple terms, it is the use of out-of-game information or resources to affect one's in-game decisions."

What does this mean exactly? It means that if you as a person use information that is outside your biographies knowledge you are metagaming. Examples of this are numerous, and they vary from simple and obvious metagaming to subtle and less obvious, or ignorant metagaming.

Example: RPer A uses a fire technique consisting of the tiger handseal. RPer B spots the tiger handseal and guesses that a fire attack is incoming countering with water.

This is metagaming, simply put. You can make an excuse that a lot of fire techniques use the tiger handseal if you please, but it's still metagaming. You're using your ooc knowledge that RPer A is using a fire technique, then making an excuse in character to use it. This is one of the more subtle variants of metagaming but it still is metagaming.

Example: RPer A uses a marked kunai for the purpose of S/T travel. RPer B notices the mark on the kunai and chooses to completely destroy the kunai.

This is also metagaming, in nine out of ten scenarios. As a veteran Minato user it's something I have personally experienced more times than I care to remember, and it's nearly always done with minimal knowledge on the subject in character. The only time this is a reasonable thing to do is if your biography has directly faced a FTG user and understood their technique. Note I say understood not just "seen" one time.

Power playing

Power playing is another common occurence in the role play here. But it's also something that's incredibly easy to avoid in it's entirety. Below I will provide an example of power playing.

" Power playing occurs in role playing, and it's when you control someone else's character, as well as your own, without the other person's permission
Say that I play Bob, and someone else is Susie.

Example: RPer A performs a kicking action at his opponent, he continues by explaining how the opponent will react to being kicked and makes it seem that his kick is successful.

This is powerplaying. You're not able to state these things as if they're set in stone. To perform this correctly your post should be something like.

"Should the attack land the opponent would possibly be knocked off balance the shock to the chin would potentially cause them to be momentarily stunned should their endurance be poor"

Notice, nothing is set in stone. Everything is open for your opponent to interpret even if they choose to be hit by the kick or counter incorrectly and are kicked.


Time Frame.

Well this one can actually screw you up in a fight, so it's very important to understand. I could talk for days about timeframe and how it works. But I find the more you talk about it the less sense it begins to make. So really I just want to keep this one short and simple.

Timeframe or rather, maintaining timeframe means that you must understand the timing involved in acting. In this RP you may not act before your opponents first attack or offensive action begins. This means that they must be allowed to at least begin the action, in regards to using jutsu. If someone is using a technique with less than 4-5 handseals as their first move you may not interrupt this action before the jutsu itself at least begins in some form. The same applies for throwing kunai and shuriken and swinging a sword. You can't attack them as they draw or prepare these weapons you must do so when they're at least starting the throw/slash/whatever.

That's pretty much timeframe in a nutshell. I'll provide two examples, A will be correct. B will be incorrect.

Example A: RPer A uses the canon technique chidori making the required handseal and charging towards his opponent to attempt to impale him. RPer B watches as the chidori is formed and the opponent begins to charge at him, RPer B then releases a large torrent of water from his mouth to attempt to push RPer A backwards.

Example B: RPer A uses the canon technique chidori making the required handseal and charging towards his opponent to attempt to impale him. RPer B watches RPer A make a handseal and before the Chidori forms or RPer A begins to charge RPer B fires a torrent of water from his mouth to strike RPer A before the attack begins.


God Modding.

God modding doesn't need much explanation, it's merely the act of making your character untouchable through power playing. It's considered the height of power playing and is something that nobody should ever do at all. Example below.

" "God Modding" is in essence when someone’s character has the ability to do practically anything without limits or boundaries. And example is when they simply cannot be harmed by any and all means other RP-ers try.

-It can be killing or injuring a character without the player's express permission.
-It can be when they simply can’t be hit and dodge all attacks or anything for this matter aimed at them.
-It can also be using other characters that other people RP with. In other words, if you do not RP as
Legolas, then you cannot have Legolas say anything, or do anything, without the player's express permission.

The absolute worst is when they make out another character to be what they’re not, just to make their own character seem superior. They make others seem weak, screaming for help, when they’ve made it quite clear about their advantages and strengths. This is called power-play. It’s a strain of God-Modding, but instead of just being irritating, it’s offensive to boot.
This is a prime example of God Modding:

Player A: Punches Player B
Player B: Dodges attack, grabs Player A and throws him. Player A flies at Player B, who warps behind him and slashes Player A in the back. "