WHY ROLEPLAY—AND WHEN?

KIDS DO IT whenever they can, when they pretend, which is great. Research shows that if you make-believe as a child, you will benefit as an adult. But adults should pretend too, to keep our minds supple and our imaginations alive. And that’s just for starters. Mostly it’s for the fun of it. It’s also about escapism and the spirit of adventure! It’s the thrill of putting your life on the line, even if only in your imagination.

The FRPG genre was pioneered by the legendary Gary Gygax and friends in what they called Dungeons and Dragons. I had the good luck to play it as a kid, in its first iteration (now dubbed D&D Zero). That was back in 1976. I remember the rough artwork and photo-copied look of the cream-colored booklets. No one would have guessed it would grow into the giant of today, or that it would spawn a vast family of similar products.

As Gygax’s baby has grown into its fifth edition, an entire ‘old school’ sub-genre continues to use early models of the game. Meanwhile, a new school of players has evolved to use modern tools, innovative house rules, online technology, and a surprising number of new game systems.

RPGs are traditionally played around a table, in small groups, for hours at a time. There are snacks, drinks, rulebooks, dice, character sheets, maps, and most importantly, adventure. Often there are little painted figurines of the story’s heroes and villains.

Hundreds of newer games have expanded and capitalized on the popularity of the original. They fill every niche imaginable, and while D&D has gone through half-a-dozen makeovers and continues to be a pioneer, scores of companies produce all manner of accessories, from dice towers to battle mats. Expensive new game tables may feature recessed tops or built-in horizontal screens to display maps and terrain. Absent players can join in by Skype, Zoom, Discord, Roll 20, or other electronic means.

Nonetheless, too often stories are forced to fit into an imperfect format, or complex game system, as they strive to merge fantasy and reality with immersion. Too often players are expected to ‘get into’ a character that is so hampered by rules, the result is little better than a wooden prop in a play. Combat is often confusing, mechanical, and time-consuming. After spending hours to make the slightest progress, who can blame the player that loses the thread.

Gary Gygax said that characters should have a 70% chance of survival, but it should feel like there’s only 30%. You should feel a sense of mystery as you gather clues about the missing children. You should be on the edge of your seat when the evidence reveals a vampire. That’s what basic roleplaying is good at.

Do we need escapism, like food and drink? The things we encounter in RPGs are so far out of the norm that our imaginations are put to the test. When you are in tune with a character—and this is true for GMs too—the story transcends the game. There is a reason players often state character actions in the first person, as if they are the one performing the action. At first it may simply be a convenience, saying, “I,” rather than, “my character . . .” However, as it continues, one gains that unique feeling of connection attainable only in roleplay.

Mythmaker is an attempt to bridge the old and new schools. Based on, better rules are good, but fewer rules are better. As a system it seeks first to exist separate from the story, while being a useful vehicle to drive the narrative. It reimagines the RPG from a storyteller’s stage. The core guidebook holds the instructions, concepts, character options, tips for play, several adventures, and game master tools. But it is you, the player, who creates the story. You are the mythmaker.

The point is, there are many reasons and many ways to roleplay, but there is only one wrong way, and that is to have no connection with your character.

Play to escape. To another land, or another world. See the future, or the past.

Play to learn, with a system that encourages and caters to your curiosity.

Play to laugh, and for many that is enough.

Play to challenge yourself. Make your character an extension of your own personality.

Lastly, play every chance you get, but let quality count over quantity.