hy4c1nth_l4ment

By hy4cinth

• February 28
Rules: Yes
Referral: Through a Friend
Discord: colmojo
In your own words, what is powergaming, and why should it be avoided in roleplay?: I don't tend to gravitate towards situations where I even have a chance to experience much powergaming. But even with this natural lack of coming into contact with it in /combat/ situations - I do value roleplaying to a realistic extent of my characters abilities. I spend a lot of time researching the physical and mental aspects of my characters, from those that may not lack in muscle mass to those reasonably frail. I understand that a starved child won't be able to overpower the average healthy adult - much less a soldier. Even though the slower pace and lack of things my character is able to do ICly might become frustrating for me - OOCly - sometimes, as one would become frustrated watching the shortcomings of a character on TV, I still stick by those rules I set for myself, whether it be their slower pace, weak limbs, strength, or other aspects that obviously influence the outcome of a situation. My stick-man of an elf isn't going to be able to walk to the nearest kingdom with an orc slung over his shoulders.

It is somewhat hard to gauge if another person is going to hold themselves to these same rules and respects during your first meeting, but the least I can do is try to recognise which people tend to do that and avoid engaging with them in roleplay if it's a repeated issue and - if needed - talk to staff. I'm capable of advocating for myself, and I don't strongly fear the idea of asking for clarification or help if needed!
In your own words, what is metagaming, and why should it be avoided in roleplay?: I highly value 'find out ICly' approaches to roleplay, especially of not only my own character but in the exploration of others and the world around me. While not everyone needs to keep this exact idea close to still avoid and dislike metagaming - it adds context to my exact reasons for disliking this action. Allowing people to use information they learnt OOCly in an IC context causes you to lose a lot of the experience and fun found in roleplay - especially with staying in character and keeping a divide between yourself and the creation you play. Roleplay is built off of trust and building a story together from the eyes of your character mainly - and when one person uses an unfair advantage to gain the upper-hand in something meant to be kept purely IC - it tips the balance in their favour and taints the experience as a whole. One should not need to resort to metagaming to 'win' a situation or act 'all-knowing' - as you should not find enjoyment or satisfaction in roleplay simply from having the advantage, 'losing' is often times just as rewarding to roleplay out as 'winning'.
Status: Accepted