I'm curious about system role-plays.

[NotWavingDrowning]

I'm not completely new to RP but all the RP I've done from here has been very free-form two person RP on Matrix. The notion of having actual dice roles determine what happens to my character intrigues me because it puts what happens slightly outside of my control, and even my partners. Is that exciting? I'm not sure, I think it might be.

I don't know much of anything about the systems they use. I've looked through the stickied threads and they do look a bit involved. It also seems to take place entirely on the forums and I'm not sure how people manage an RP with more than one person. The only time I attempted it we just had an order we each posted in on Discord and if it made sense to skip someone we just agreed it outside the RP channel.

Do people ever use systems for a two-person RP? What are the simplest systems people use? Is one person always the GM? Do people use systems for off-site and how popular is that? Could I make up my own system? Is it difficult keeping an RP going with multiple people? I imagine it would be.

 

[Chalarm]

System roleplay can be just as versatile as non system RPs. I've run with a two person system RP and I believe it worked out quite well. They can be for any size from just an individual rolling dice for themselves or a large group, using complex systems or very simple dice rolling mechanics. You have the choice from a large selection of premade systems or one of your own design focused on the just a select nunmber of elements of the story you want to be more random. You can play on the forums or use another app or site. Can have one person as a GM or everyone rolling stats for their individual characters (however there should still be someone or a couple people who will take the lead to keep the system game running smoothly even if they have characters of their own within the plot).

There is no one size fits all for how people utilize role playing game mechanics to their plots and stories. Some may be more popular than others but it will come down to how you choose to play it. Your best bet is to do some looking around to see what interests you, or start by thinking of what system mechanics you would like to include in your RPs and see if there is any system that suits those interests or even to steal rules for your own design.

 

[NotWavingDrowning]

Thanks for all that. So it's extremely open what I can do. I thought it might be fun to do an RP where not everything is in our control. Perhaps a mind-control RP or similar where it was slightly random whether the mind-controller could make you do something or not. And you could try to resist (though still lose in the end, probably). I don't know what you would use to do that, though.

 

[kckolbe]

I mean, if you are just looking for a simple battle of wills, you could just each roll a dice. Maybe a modifier based on how bold the command/suggestion is?

 

[Sync]

Perhaps a mind-control RP or similar where it was slightly random whether the mind-controller could make you do something or not. And you could try to resist (though still lose in the end, probably). I don't know what you would use to do that, though.

An example of this in D&D 5E would be the use of the Charm Person spell (I'm not referring to the system & descriptions exactly for this example, though). The antagonist casts the spell on the protagonist with the intent of making the protagonist do something they might not otherwise do. The spell comes with a DC (Difficulty Check) determined by the caster's power and attributes. The protagonist rolls their saving throw against the DC...and the result determines the success or failure of the spell (if the DC is passed, the spell failed, and vice-versa). You can then write about how the spell affected the protagonist and what then happens.

That's a loose example, of course.

 

[NotWavingDrowning]

Okay. kckolbe's version sounds simpler. Just have to trust the other person to be honest about what they rolled. But you get a sense for who cheats and who doesn't. I like the D&D idea of having special spells with different effects, though.

 

[Sync]

In the end, use whatever system works for you.

I was just providing a simplified example of the D&D mechanics of using dice to determine success or failure.

If you're worried about whether someone may be cheating to get you to always lose, though - both of you should agree to use an online dice program so you can run the story fairly. YMMV, however. *nod nod*

 

[ChaoticSky]

One thing that i find is a big boon to system RP over regular freeform is uncertainty. Everything that happens in a freeform RP is ultimately preordained. Win or lose its something you decide between you and your partner. But with a system RP you could lose (or win) even if you wanted the opposite. This creates emergent experiences and more interesting roleplay.

 

[Deleteria]

I've really enjoyed it the few times I've had RP through a tabletop system, the only downside was that it was kind of hard learning a new game and how to play it as the story was ongoing.