What is role-playing?

Although over the history of this blog I have only reviewed and talked about board games, I have decided to talk about a different but just as fun type of game called role-playing. This article will explain what role-playing is and why you should do it. If you are already familiar with role-playing then I will be reviewing some in the blog posts that follow.

What is role-playing?

Role-playing is a collaborative storytelling game where you are the heroes. In roleplaying you get to choose what you want to do and how you want to do it, while working in a team with your friends. In gaming you each play a different character that has their own individual strengths and weaknesses, meaning that everyone will have a chance to save the day with their expertise. 

There are many different styles of role-playing and basically all of them use a dice to help figure out

whether you succeeded or failed at a task that has some skill in it (so you don't have to roll for walking down the stairs). Normally this is done by rolling some dice to try and beat a target number set by the Games Master (more on this person latter) and the target will get bigger the harder the task is. There are lots of systems that that use this mechanic like: Dungeons and Dragons (one of the best known role-playing system out there), Little Wizards (a children's role-playing game where you take the role of child wizards) and the Dr
Who role-playing system, so all you Dr Who fanatics can play your favourite Time Lord if you wish to. However each has it's own individual take on this concept, as well as letting you play in different world.

The Game Master (GM) is like the narrator of the story that the players are in, who sets the challenges that the players will have to face along their journey. On top of that the game master is in control of all the other people in the world that aren't player characters (also known as Non Player Characters) whether that be the most dastardly of villains to the helpful village shop owner from down the road.

Why should you do it?

Well, firstly, because it is really fun. You will enjoy at least one part of it, wether that may be talking to barmen to get information or cleaving orcs heads off (which I personally find a highly satisfactory and enjoyable past time).

It can also let you have some good quality time with your friends as you make memories of great

defeats and triumphs that will never fade.  One last thing that is amazing about roleplaying is that in most systems your character gradually get better throughout the time you play and it is tremendously fun to see your character turn from a weak and feeble 1st level character to a kick-butt hero that can charm their way out of anything and defeat an army of orcs blind folded. 

If you have children, I would encourage you to get them involved in role-playing as it really helps their story telling and problem solving skills as they explain how they managed to cast the magic spell to save the besieged town or figuring out how to sneak past the guards with only a bit of string and a candle stick.

Another thing that is really cool in gaming is that there is a vast number of different systems set in different worlds which makes you feel different things. For example at one moment you could be in a firefight on Tatooine in Star Wars Edge of the Empire and at the other you could be tracking down cultists in Call of Cthulhu (a investigative horror roleplaying game that is set in H.P Love craft's world). 

There are many different types of roleplaying and so next time I will be reviewing the One Ring system where you play brave and gallant heroes in Middle Earth after the Battle of Five Armies but before Frodo sets out on his quest to destroy the One Ring.