[ooc; today I feel like writing a psa on a topic that isn't probably as widely known as it ought to be, and that is godmodding / powerplay.
What are godmodding and powerplay?
The two terms are used roughly synonymously nowadays to refer to roleplaying situations in which one character has access to more of something than they ought to. That something can be anything from knowledge to power/abilities.
Unfortunately, it's more common than it should be. One of the main reasons for this, I think, is that people either don't realize that it's inappropriate, or they don't realize that what they're doing falls under the category. So hopefully this little post will clear up some of the uncertainty around the topic.
It's important to talk about because, even though it isn't intentional for the most part, it can cause others to be uncomfortable or to not enjoy writing as much. And no one wants to drive away their RP partners.
What are some examples of godmodding/powerplay?
There are probably many more examples that simply don't come to mind at the moment, but here are a few off the top of my head:
a) Overestimating your character's abilities in battle. Some characters are indeed stronger than others, but there arises a problem when one player overestimates the difference in power. Simply allowing your character to dodge every attack aimed at them is, in most cases, unrealistic and unfair.
b) Allowing your character auto-hits. An extension of the last one, really. While dodging hits is subjective, however, auto-hitting an opponent is almost universally a no-go. In combat RPs, the most you generally should do in one reply is state the results of the other player's last attack(s) and initiate attack(s) of your own. If you want to explain the potential effects of your attack(s) without godmodding, it's common to use the conditional tense: 'If [x] were to hit, it would [y]', making it very clear that the actual results are up to the other player.
c) Referencing events/information of which your character has no knowledge. Overall, your character won't know everything about another character and in some cases won't know anything. Unless your character has access to other sources for such information, having your character know these things can put quite a damper on things. Not only does this include things like backstory and abilities, but more intimate details like sexuality, alternate names, and relationships (particularly 'secret' ones).
d) Making up prior interactions between characters. This one's a bit tricky. Unless you are in communication ooc with a mun and make up events with them, the only previous interactions your characters should start out with are those in canon. No matter how plausible a headcanon may seem to you, you shouldn't utilize it in interactions with applicable characters unless they have agreed to implement it as well.
Communication is everything. It really is, on both sides of the equation.
First and foremost, it should be noted that there are exceptions to the above rules, particularly in cases of canonically powerful characters, such as Aizen Sousuke (who is basically a canon godmode). Because of his abilities, he has a reasonable excuse to know things that he might not otherwise know and easily defeat other powerful characters. Not that players of powerful characters are incapable of godmodding, but it is important to keep in mind that their characters will be a step above more typical characters.
If you're in a roleplay and you think the other person has written something in that qualifies as godmodding or powerplay (such as controlling your character's actions or letting theirs know things they shouldn't be able to know), the best thing to do is send a message their way and ask about it. Chances are high that they didn't realize it was godmodding or just wanted to move the thread further along.
On that note, if you're considering a minor instance of godmodding for the sake of moving the thread along (for example, having their character perform some minor action that they'll likely do the next turn anyway) it's usually best to ask beforehand. If not, you can always mention that you know what you did in the tags and let them know that if they aren't planning on having their character perform that action they can let you know.
If you'd like to establish a relationship between two characters, asking is the only way to determine that, really. Anything beyond canon should be either determined ooc or developed ic.
It's also worth noting that people who are long-term RP partners get to know each others' habits and characterization pretty well and thus may not consider the same things to be godmodding. They may have more unspoken agreements about what their characters will do and may move more rapidly through threads.
Hopefully this little psa helped someone out! Happy roleplaying!
