A Guide to Tumblr Fight RPs~
Please reblog this as a link in order to spare people’s dashboards from a huge post!
Alright so it’s been a while since I’ve seen any sort of helpful guide to fight roleplays on Tumblr, and I think it’s desperately needed, especially with the amount of people who are afraid to RP them for fear that something will go wrong! So when it comes to throwing your character into the fray, here’s a list of things to remember and to employ in order to make sure you don’t upset someone else during your character’s rumble.
DISCUSS THE OUTCOME BEFOREHAND IF YOU’RE ABLE TO. It makes things flow a little better when you know who is going to come out the victor (even if it’s going to be a mutual victory!) and you can write your character’s response accordingly. Sometimes you can’t discuss things beforehand, and that’s alright. But it does come in handy to know!
YOUR CHARACTER IS NOT JESUS. Unless they are, they really shouldn’t be able to dodge every single attack that’s thrown at them. Nor should they be able to land every hit on the other character (given that the other character is actually making an avid effort to evade/fight back). Along with that…
ATTEMPT EVERYTHING. Regardless if you’re the one hitting or dodging, inferring that your character is making an attempt to do either leaves the outcome open for the other person to bounce off of. But refer to rule two. No character should be able to land every hit or dodge everything. If it’s a part of your character to be “faster” or “stronger” than any other character, you may need to reevaluate just who your character is and whether or not it’s fair to actually expect someone to be able to fight with them. Every character should have flaws.
YOUR CHARACTER’S INJURIES ARE UP TO YOU. Yeah sometimes there’ll be another character that brutally rips off your character’s arms, and while it makes sense and is fair to keep that injury, in the end, it is YOUR character. You don’t have to keep whatever debilitating injury your character adapts. However, this is where rule one comes in handy! If you discuss the outcome beforehand, the other character will know where to stop so you won’t have to retcon injuries. Even sending a quick ask letting the other person know that you don’t want anything too severe to happen is fine! But remember, the appearance of your character is your choice. But…!
TALK BEFORE MAKING QUICK ESCAPES. If your character is backed against a wall and about to be stabbed in the chest, it’s logical to assume that it’s something they wouldn’t be able to avoid it without some sort of Houdini magic. If you’d rather keep your character from getting hurt in that situation, TALK TO THE OTHER PLAYER. If your character suddenly vanishes or just zips out of the way in what would be a non-escapable situation; that is not fair. Keep it realistic. Keep it believable. Make sure the other player knows what’s going on before your character cops out of a situation like that. They can help you make it easier for your character to escape by offering you an out. But make sure if you intend to have your character escape and only escape, you don’t turn around and use the opportunity to launch an attack without letting the player know. That is a serious breach of trust between RPers and can guarantee that no one will ever attempt a fight RP with your character ever again.
EXPLAIN ABILITIES. If your character employs magic or otherwise non-physical abilities like telekinesis or something to that degree, it REALLY helps to have a page somewhere on your blog explaining how they work. It gives the other person a better insight on how to properly react. Or if you don’t have a page, at least do your best to be extremely descriptive when RPing! The more the person knows about how the ability works the better they’ll be able to respond to it. It doesn’t give anyone a “leg-up”. Just gives the player a better understanding. But then that moves onto…
YOUR KNOWLEDGE IS NOT YOUR CHARACTER’S KNOWLEDGE. If there’s information on your opponent somewhere on your blog, like their weaknesses or how to “get around” their abilities, employing that player knowledge in your character’s actions is not fair. Your character needs to discover that knowledge for themselves! Have them mess up a few times before they do! Keep it realistic. (Unless, of course, you have a character whose ability IS to pinpoint weaknesses. In which case, make sure the other player is aware of it before you start!)
KEEP COMMUNICATING OOC. The more you guys are talking to each other (whether in the tags or through asks or Skype) the easier things will flow. You don’t have to give away any of your character’s moves or what they’re about to do, (spoilers!) but making sure that the other person is aware that you’re alright with how things are going is always good! You’ll stay on the same page and everyone will be happy. Problems can be hammered out OOC instead of waiting for something to go wrong and then no one is happy. Just keep talking! Keep things fun and friendly! It makes the RP go that much smoother.
EDITING IS A-OK! If your fight partner sees an issue with something you did, or you’d like to change something, editing is ALWAYS okay! Just make sure the other player knows what you changed if you did it without their prompting.
WEAKNESSES AND FLAWS. Every character should be susceptible to something. And, if they’re a character who is canon-ly overpowered, then keep in mind that people may not want to fight with your character. It’s no fun going up against a character who is going to just lay yours out flat (unless that’s what you want), and the majority of players want a varied experience. They want something more or less realistic and changeable. Your character should have exploitable flaws that the other players can use to create a more realistic encounter. (However, refer to rule seven! It’s important!) Having your character fall because of their weaknesses is also a good way to segue into some character development! They don’t always have to lose because of it, but it helps them recognize their flaws and get stronger because of it. (Mentally or physically!)
DON’T BE A SORE LOSER/ANNOYING WINNER. If you weren’t prepared for your character to lose, you shouldn’t be entering fight threads with other characters. (Stick to fighting NPCs, maybe). By the same token, if your character wins, don’t let it go to your head! Berating another player due to either circumstance is NOT COOL. And will instantly guarantee that no one will want to RP with you because you have shitty post-RP etiquette. And don’t completely ignore another RPer’s request for a rematch, if that’s the case. Claiming victory and then ignoring the other player after that because you want to keep your pride/dignity as a successful winner of a fight RP is stupid and pigheaded. Be polite and kind and talk out issues.
HAVE FUN! The point of RP is to make YOU happy! And if you’re not happy or having fun, then you’re not doing it right. If you’re having a major issue, just stop for a bit, take a few deep breaths, and talk out your problems! Staying quiet about it will solve nothing. Make sure you’re happy with everything that happens or else you’re defeating the purpose of roleplaying.
Don’t know fight terminology? Here’s a few useful links so you know the bare basics!
Different Types of Punches
The Four Main Types of Punches
Different Types of Taekwando Kicks
List of Martial Arts Kicks
4 Ways to Kick in Martial Arts
Professional Wrestling Attacks
Professional Wrestling Throws
- Knives, Guns, or Blunt Objects
The Knife Fighting Tactics of the US Marine Corps
The C.A.R. System of Gunfighting
How to Combat Ready Yourself With a Pistol
How to Defend Yourself Using Household Items (Video)
How to Turn Every Day Objects Into Weapons
Index of Poisonous Plants
Deadly Poisons, Ingested or Inhaled
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