Experiences What are some base plots every rper should've done at least once?

[RoosterRiot]

For example I feel like everyone should've done an apoc at least once in their rp life.

Alternative question, what's some super basic everybody plots you just haven't done?

Ive never done a mafia's daughter rp. And I feel like it's just so primitive and cliche, a rp is in the works to fix this.

 

[Onmyoji]

I've been trying to remember if there was any of the 'basic' plots I haven't done and I might have done them all lol Some of them more than others and I didn't enjoy all of them, but at least I tried XD
Or actually, I think I haven't really done mafia-related plots. I'm just not interested in them.

And something I think everyone should do at least once? Probably some high fantasy just for the fun of it because you can go wild with magic and worldbuilding.

 

[Ayama]

Is 'apoc' short for 'apocalypse' or something else? ouo

 

[RoosterRiot]

Is 'apoc' short for 'apocalypse' or something else? ouo

Yup

 

[Jannah]

I haven't really done modern realistic slice of life simply because I find it boring (there needs to be more to it). I think everyone has probably done some sort of high fantasy plot at least once. Those are often the gateway into roleplaying tbh.

 

[Murdergurl]

Doubling down with Jannah on the standard adventuring party in a medieval fantasy. That's pretty much Group RP 101.

Some kind of Monster/Vampire/Werewolf hunter RP is pretty standard too.

Dragon riders got carved into a theme of its own from popular books back in the day. Even if you don't know the books, you recognize the trope.

Mercenary/bounty hunter RPs are always a popular theme as well.

Pirates.

Knights.

My personal un-favorite: Magical Academy (you can't say you don't like something until you've given it a try)

Superhero themes stuff.

Tbh, I think I've covered a whole lot in 2+ decades of RPing. The things I haven't done are things I probably wont ever do. But I've given most of the basics at least a genuine try once or twice.

Ive never done a mafia's daughter rp. And I feel like it's just so primitive and cliche, a rp is in the works to fix this.

Can't say I've ever heard of Mafia's daughter being more than a character cliche. No really an RP theme in and of itself. I've seen it done a few times. But never had the desire to play it myself. I generally don't do modern stuff

 

[RoosterRiot]

Can't say I've ever heard of Mafia's daughter being more than a character cliche. No really an RP theme in and of itself. I've seen it done a few times. But never had the desire to play it myself. I generally don't do modern stuff

It's probably got to do a lot with where you're rping. I started out on amino and wattpad and it was everywhere.
I will admit it's not insanely popular, but I do consider to be a cliche I should've rped by now, given my demographic.

 

[Murdergurl]

It's probably got to do a lot with where you're rping. I started out on amino and wattpad and it was everywhere.
I will admit it's not insanely popular, but I do consider to be a cliche I should've rped by now, given my demographic.

There is most definitely a difference of culture depending on what site you are on. Some are more uptight than others. Some are more mature. etc. Some are rife with anime tropes. lmao
I thought wattpad was a story-share site, though. How would one even RP there? Through comments on the main written work?

 

[RoosterRiot]

I thought wattpad was a story-share site, though. How would one even RP there?

First, I will tell you it was horrible. Disturbingly cringe and while I encountered less p*dos, it was just- fetishes everywhere shamelessly. Inflation a big one-

But! To answer your question, you would create a book asking for rp and people would either rp with you in the comment section, or we dmed. And the dms were so underdeveloped. Theres no editing, deleting, or copying your message on mobile, and it was just generally clunky. But I did it.

It was mostly fandom rps, I didn't see regular oc rp get that popular, and I looked. Of course I would also dm people who posted their fanfiction and ask to rp, but those barely ever went anywhere.

 

[Murdergurl]

First, I will tell you it was horrible. Disturbingly cringe...

From my own Wattpad experience, most of the writing there is really, really bad. Same with Ao3 (Archive of our Own). Would NOT recommend. So I'm not surprised that the RPing there would be of any different caliber.

But! To answer your question, you would create a book asking for rp and people would either rp with you in the comment section, or we dmed. And the dms were so underdeveloped. Theres no editing, deleting, or copying your message on mobile, and it was just generally clunky. But I did it.

Sounds like a drag. I've never RP'd using mobile, so I wouldn't know. But it just seems inherently tedious.

It was mostly fandom rps, I didn't see regular oc rp get that popular, and I looked. Of course I would also dm people who posted their fanfiction and ask to rp, but those barely ever went anywhere.

Yeah, for whatever reason, fandoms seem to dominate the RP pool these days. I mean, I get that a lot of the draw is that its a lot less worldbuilding. But usually the writing is extra cringey hen its fandom stuff (in my experience). AO3 is pretty much exclusively fanfic, and I have yet to read a single story on there that shouldn't be tossed into a dumpster fire. Not that I search for things very frequently on there.

Anyhow, I hope your experience here on RPN has been better for you.

 

[Caroline1539]

Honestly? I feel like slice of life belongs on this list. It might be something that's done to death or not appealing for some folks, but I personally enjoy the genre as a way to pull characters from more fantastical settings into something more mundane to give them a break of sorts.

 

[GammyWamzee]

Some kind of School rp.

 

[FoxySkittles]

I'm glad to see my picks being common ones. Apocalypse and school rps. Usually magic schools. Everyone I know has done at least one of these. I've been tempted to give them a try again now that I've gotten better at writing. See if I can do one that isn't terrible.

 

[Sorin]

Magical academies are basically a rite of passage for Roleplayers these days. My actual answer, though, is your standard adventure fantasy Roleplays. Those can be really fun with the right group.

 

[InvisiblexInk]

I feel like there isn't really a set answer to this. It highly depends on what peoples' tastes and preferences are. <: A person who loves fantasy will rarely stray into a realistic roleplay, and vice-versa. But, people should be open to trying out new genres to learn how to expand their creative horizons and discover new storytelling possibilities. While preferences may vary, here are a few base plots that every roleplayer should consider exploring at least once:

1. The Hero's Journey: Embark on an epic quest where your character faces numerous trials and obstacles, ultimately transforming into a hero. This classic plot structure allows for personal growth, overcoming challenges, and the exploration of moral dilemmas.
2. Forbidden Love: Delve into the complexities of a forbidden romance, where societal or cultural barriers stand in the way of two characters' affection for each other. This plot can evoke powerful emotions, test loyalties, and challenge characters' beliefs.
3. Political Intrigue: Immerse yourself in a world of power struggles, alliances, and backstabbing as your character navigates the treacherous waters of politics. Uncover hidden agendas, engage in espionage, and influence the fate of nations.
4. Survival in the Wilderness: Stranded in a harsh and unforgiving environment, your character must adapt, overcome nature's challenges, and find a way back to civilization. This plot explores themes of resilience, resourcefulness, and the primal instinct for survival.
5. Mystery and Investigation: Step into the shoes of a detective or investigator as your character unravels a perplexing mystery, uncovering clues, solving puzzles, and unmasking hidden truths. This plot encourages critical thinking, deduction, and suspenseful storytelling.
6. Redemption Arc: Portray a character burdened by a dark past or mistakes, seeking redemption and atonement. This plot delves into themes of forgiveness, self-discovery, and the struggle to make amends.

 

[Jewel]

I feel that anyone should only feel obligated to seek the roleplays their hearts truly desire :-) that being said...



How many times can you win??

 

[Jannah]

I feel that anyone should only feel obligated to seek the roleplays their hearts truly desire :-) that being said...

View attachment 1094742

How many times can you win??

Funny enough I have not won on this bingo simply because some of the things listed here I'm just not interested in. Like, I don't make anime references since I'm not into anime. I don't play bully x bullied romance either since I was bullied myself, thus it's a bit of an uncomfortable trope for me. There's some others there too that I would not be able to check off, but I named a couple immediate examples.

 

[bastion]

I feel like the roleplay start pack would be something like:

• Modern (likely school or crime related)
• Fantasy of some kind (at least one character likely to be royal)
• Apocalypse setting (usually zombies)
• Fandom (canon characters or OCs)

As for a common rp scenario I haven't done... Hmm, I don't know if there is one. I've done everything from modern childhood friends reunited to fantasy explorers discovering a new land to space pirates to mafia and more.

 

[StrixDesmodus]

I think that it's a good idea for people to try an rp that fuses or twists the usual genres. I find it difficult to go back to rps where most of popular tropes are played straight and uncombined.
I'm particularly in love with my own combination of "Magic School" and "Superheroes and Villains." It has elements of sci-fi, allohistory, and a broad enough concept that I always get a bunch of awesome characters for my own characters to interact with.
People should also be in at least one roleplay with the freedom to do nearly anything with their character, without having to stick to a single gene.
In the same vein, I think that a multiverse rp (fandom or not) with original characters instead of canon characters is something that should become a staple.

 

[EtherealShadows]

I don't know how much this is considered a basic plot but this one is one I think is kind of simple and fun at the same time with a lot of possibilities for outcomes.

So basically a pirate themed plot where the pirate's (whether you play the captain or a crewmate) kiddnapps someone (whether a noble or a royality, or something else)

It's up to you how the relationship goes, and how the story goes, if the kiddnapped adapted and learn to live as a pirate, or if they befriend a crewmate, and just about anything!

 

[GojiBean]

I swear I'm not trying to be "that guy" right now, since I know nobody asked for it. Lol. I have severe OCD and it's burning at my brain so I have to say it.

Apoc is not a plot. It's a genre. In fact, almost everything mentioned in this thread so far is actually a genre. Lol.

Plot, specifically, is focused on the "how," "when," and "why" of your RP. The story is the "who," "what," and "where" of your RP. As a bonus, the worldbuilding is basically everything else that's in the background silently helping to enrich and validate the plot and story elements chosen for the experience (things such as architecture, the presence or absence of ancient ruins of lost civilizations, types of flora and fauna in different regions, climate choices, languages or lingual quirks and sayings, culture choices, politics, etc). And all three work together to follow the guiding elements which the genre imposes upon them.

The genre is the label which governs the direction the plot, story, and worldbuilding are shaped in order to craft the desired experience. Apoc, for example, is a genre label which tells us that the plot, story, and worldbuilding will revolve around an apocalyptic event of some kind. From that information the actual plot, story, and worldbuilding are fine tuned by the GM to create the exact experience they want to share with others.

Given all this, is the question still about what "plots" we think every role player should've done at least once? Or is the question more geared towards "genre?"

In either case my honest opinion is that there aren't any plots or genres which every role player "should've done" at least once.

Reason being is because role playing is about immersing ourselves in fantasy worlds and situations which excite and interest us as individuals. We're not here to follow any unwritten standards which others think are necessary for us to follow or go through.

There are most certainly some incredibly common starting points such as high fantasy magical adventures, as it's an incredibly common genre to enjoy in all forms of entertainment such as TV, Film, and Video Games. But that doesn't meant that anyone/everyone "should've" done it at least once. It's not like avoiding it would make them any "less" of a role player than they are right now. Know what I mean?

Hopefully that all makes sense.

Cheers!

- GojiBean

 

[Daisie]

There are most certainly some incredibly common starting points such as high fantasy magical adventures, as it's an incredibly common genre to enjoy in all forms of entertainment such as TV, Film, and Video Games. But that doesn't meant that anyone/everyone "should've" done it at least once. It's not like avoiding it would make them any "less" of a role player than they are right now. Know what I mean?

I'll push back against this a little bit, respectfully. I don't think anyone was implying that RPers should be seen as lesser if they didn't try any of these plots. I think they just meant that "This is such a nice staple, everyone should get the chance to try this!"

Sorta like saying "everyone should have the chance to try sushi" or "everyone should get to experience a different country's culture at least once in their life". Just a fun experience that can potentially expand someone's horizons, y'know? Even if they don't wind up liking it in the end.

No one's really trying to enforce hard and fast rules, here. That'd be kinda ridiculous. If they are, they should maybe step off a bit

Agreed about the genre vs plot distinction though. I love specific definitions/distinctions, so that tickles my linguistic brain. Bravo.

 

[Ayama]

My interpretation was more along the lines of 'these are plots/genres most long-time RPers have generally done at least once', though I agree that the phrasing with the word 'should' might lean more towards something you're expected to have checked off a list if you've been doing the hobby for a certain amount of time. I also feel that the genre vs. plot distinction tends to get blurred a bit more for 1x1, as [character 1] x [character 2] for me signifies both.