Hobnoblin's Newbie LARP Thoughts
So, I have successfully LARPed my way through an academic year's worth of LARP, and it's been brilliant! While I'm still learning the ropes to some extent (hopefully to be fixed over the summer with some hardcore system learning as ref prep), I thought it might be nice to pin up some thoughts on being new. Because it's a bit scary, being new, right? Also, I don't want to do my Materials sheets. So there's that.
Here are my thoughts on some things! Feel free to comment if you've got anything to add!
Cheers, and happy LARPing!
Playing the system:
- Know the important system calls! The refs'll take you through these when you start, but you've gotta know MAN DOWN, FIRE and the more common damage calls (Entangle, Strikedown etc.) There are a lot of calls that you don't see so often. It's worth reading the website, but if you forget what a call means, it's ok to fluff it or just ask the player/a ref what to do quickly.
- You will get overwhelmed with numbers and forget things. This is totally ok! Counting hits and adding stamina in the heat of combat can be hard; thankfully, with global hits and refresh to replenish stamina, it's ok to fluff your numbers as they're easy to top up. Nobody's too bothered if you fudge it a little, so long as you're not constantly rounding up and somehow felling every goblin mob with nary a scratch (unless, of course, you are TimB. In which case, why are you reading the newbie page??) If in doubt and you've been hit a lot, fall over.
- Timing is approximate. Nobody can really count five minutes in their head all that accurately. Again, fudge it a little, it's fine. May also help to mentally count the seconds in your head with one of those speech guides, ie, 'one elephant, two elephant, three elephant...'
- You may have a lot of spells, rituals, skills etc. to remember. This can be hard. I find an IC book with things in helps a lot!
Making a character:
- Take a look through the example sheets on the website and the Wiki. Statting can look complicated at first, but it's really not that bad once you get into it. Just be careful with the numbers, and double check the dependencies of everything. Unless there's something you really really want, I'd stay clear of double buying.
- If you screw up, the refs will tell you. The refs are lovely, don't worry about it. They're there to help!
- Use a spreadsheet or some kind of document to keep track of things. It helps a lot with totting up XP and keeping track of stats!
- Make sure to keep your downtimes somewhere safe. I have a folder in my email with everything in. A friend has a big ol' word document. It's important to keep them for reference, as you can track your character's progress with them.
- Think about who your character is, where they're from, and what they want. The roleplay elements should come before statting. It also makes them easier to play!
- Don't feel pressured to write a novel containing their backstory from birth to the present! This is really not needed. My first character had a convenient case of amnesia to make up for the fact I had no idea what I was doing and nobody gave a shit.
- Having a specific background can make playing them easier. Each faction, for instance, has certain guidelines for playing that may help you define your character more.
- It's tempting to make a character that specifically breaks common stereotypes in order to make them unique. In fact, by doing so, you probably stumble into a different mess of tropes, and just end up looking like a special snowflake. Make use of the tropes! Pick something; the snooty elf, the creepy necromancer, the swashbuckling pirate, and play it to the hilt. Add to the character to make it your own; don't subtract. It can be a lot of fun to play up to expectations and run with them, rather than trying to knock 'em down from the start. Also, people will probably find it easier to interact with you.
- Don't worry too much about kit to start. The armoury has lots of nice things for you to borrow! As long as you don't look too modern (ie., jeans and trainers are probably things to avoid), you should be alright. Plain looking shirts, waistcoats and trousers are great starting points. Get creative with how you wear things; my first character had an overcoat which was initially a button-up dress of some sort, but looked adventure-ish worn open. Finally, you may want to get a couple of items unique to your character; a bright scarf, a nice hat, an interesting belt.
- Charity shops are your friends! So are other members of the society, who may be able to make things for you or lend you kit. Ask around.
Playing your character:
- It's a lot easier, as well as more fun, to play a character with things to do. Moping around in a corner is no fun. Give them something to work towards. Even if it changes, have a goal! It's also a lot more likely to get you involved in shenanigans, which are THE BEST THING.
- Safe is boring. Take risks! "Foolhardy brave" is probably a more amusing starting point than "endlessly sensible". Also, don't get held back by thinking too much, 'is this in character?' If it looks like fun, go for it! Be flexible with your characters. You won't really know them until you play them properly, anyway.
- Talk to everyone! Don't be afraid to introduce yourself and butt in on conversations. They're called interactives for a reason!
- Get involved with your faction! Having a group to talk to makes it easier to get stuck in.
- If you're coming with friends, why not play related characters? It's good to have someone you already know to watch your back or hang out with. Of course, you'll quickly make new in and out of character friends, so if you're currently on your own, have no fear.
- Don't be afraid of consequences. My characters hovered about being indecisive quite a bit, and I only started having real fun with them when I took the plunge. You probably won't die, and the outcomes could be interesting, so go for it!
- Be ambitious, and curious. Your progress is only limited by what you attempt. Try and keep up with the happenings in the world, and you'll probably stumble across something interesting to go and poke.
- It's OK to be mean to your character, and it's OK to be mean to other people's, too. You may want to check with them OC before doing anything too wild, but it's totally cool to be a bit of a dick IC (just don't go overboard!).
- Also, check OC before doing romance IC. Basically anything that you think might make the player feel awkward (as opposed to the character), check with them first if you can.
- Don't feel that you must parrot off what you know. I do this a bit, and it feels kind of forced. 'Yes hello I cannot do thing because Builder' or 'I hate Explorers because my sister was killed' can feel a little awkward and clumsy if said for not much of a reason.
- The more you get into it, the more fun you'll have!
- If you're not having fun, try and figure out why. Maybe your character just isn't right for you? Maybe you're bored and have nothing to do? Once you realise what's up, you can start trying to fix it.
- Don't try and play too far away from your own character to start. It's a lot easier to get stuck in without having to remember a personality and set of motivations completely alien to your own. My second character, while having a concept I really liked, kind of stressed me out because he wasn't like me and I had a hard time playing him. My first character, basically me with a different background, was a lot easier to play.
- It's totally fine to change your mind and stop playing a character because they're not fun. It's also fine to tweak them in play if aspects of them don't work out. Nobody is going to mind if you retire a character after only a couple of outings. You're there to have fun, and if they're not fun to be, don't play them.
Playing specific things:
- Priests may seem kind of complicated, but they're also great as they give your character a clear set of guidelines to live by and probably also some fellowship with their fellows. On the other hand, you may want to just get familiar with the setting and learn IC how they're played before being a priest yourself.
- If you are an Important Person people will give you things to do. A lot of things. This makes your character more interesting to play and gives you stuff to do, but it can be overwhelming! (I'd still say 'go for it', though, because it's a lot better than being bored.)
Comments:
- I'm a (very-)ex-newbie, and I approve this message. --I
- I'm an ex-polearmsheriff and I approve this message. --MorkaisChosen
- I'm not sure if this is better put under making a character or playing a character, but:
- For most people, playing a character with reasons to do things is more fun than a character with reasons to not do things. Reasons to do things get you involved in crazy shenanigans, reasons not to do things leave you sitting around. "Foolhardy brave" is probably a more amusing starting point than "endlessly sensible".
- (of course, this isn't universal. And it's harder to play proactive. But nonetheless, it tends to mean you get bored less. --Tea)
- I agree with the message that(paraphrasing) "a safe character is a boring character". It wasn't until Corbin was having weapons levelled at his neck at least once a session that I felt he was being played right. -- IVANS
- Great post (even if I am not supposed to read it, apparently :) ). My added suggestion is 'don't be afraid to change your mind'. Sometimes you think you are going to enjoy something, or that something will be OK, but then when you try it out you discover you were wrong. Don't force yourself to persist- just be happy to adapt and move on in a way you were happy with. I've seen some very good role players create characters and then decide 'actually, this isn't fun' and just retire them to play something else- then have a much better time. --TimB
- Ooh, I got one: It's common to hit upon the idea of making your character unique by having them bend or break the stereotypes the setting establishes. This is a well-used trope in fantasy fiction, and it's understandable that people want to bring it across to larp. I suggest resisting that urge; as well as being a protagonist, you are part of everyone's world - and they will be able to interact with you much more naturally if you fit the mold they expect. If everyone is a special snowflake, your setting document is so much waste paper. Instead, take an archetype, play it to the hilt, and make your character unique by adding to it; don't subtract. --I
Thanks for all the comments and support, folks! Added the suggestions up to this point, shuffled bits around a little, and included a couple of points about kit. -Hobnoblin