AremusFireheart

By AremusFireheart

• December 28, 2020
Rules: Yes
Referral: Other
Discord: Edward Rylands#2001
How do you avoid powergaming in roleplay?: Metagaming is using out of character information to gain an edge or become involve in storylines that they would otherwise NOT has knowledge about. Learning about a secret project a group of characters are doing because a player reads it on thread that group is posting to archive. Hearing it off hand from another player out of character. Reading about it on the discord from a bunch of excited players wanting to show off. If these are the basis of your actions with your character rather than the actual interactions and story you have made with your character. This is a clear example of metagaming.
How does metagaming disrupt fair roleplay?: The root of all powergaming is the concept that nothing bad will ever happen to your character. No matter the context or the outcome, they will always come out on top and worst yet it will always seem easy for them even at the expense of other players. The character that writes in automatic hits during combat roleplay and is never apparently hit by other characters. The player who writes their characters with no flaws, weaknesses or failings to make them almost impervious to failure or harm. The player that creates a character that tries to impose an idea that everyone loves them and adores them despite the input of other players and even story. These are all examples of powergaming, all examples of a player who is afraid of ever having their character be put in a difficult situation and will employ greater and more elaborate mental gymnastics to ensure that remains the case.

Flaws and even failure is what makes both a character and a story compelling. These failings give both characters and players a resource to tap into and might make two different characters approach a scenario in completely different but entertaining ways. After all, if your character has a personal flaw it might make them want to approach a situation in an unusual or unique way to compensate for that failing. It provides stakes for the story for players understand that they can lose and makes them consider what they MIGHT lose and why that might be compelling to their characters. When a character however has no flaws, they become something worst than evil or villainous or cruel, they simply become boring. There is no tension because we are players understand that NOTHING will ever imperil the powergaming character and thus both reading and writing with a powergamer becomes just a slog.
Status: Accepted