Role-playing has two types of characters – Player Characters (PCs) and Non-Player Characters (NPCs).
Player Characters
Players create their PCs for specific campaigns using rules for character creation and advancement. PC actions and reactions make a game work and, in the best cases, become memorable for all the right reasons. PCs should be able to advance in their chosen pursuits and make a significant impact on their world, for better or worse.
Many players become very attached to their PCs, so much so that what happens in-game can have consequences on a player’s mental health and overall well-being – positive or negative. When you run a game, your players are trusting you to take care of their PCs. It’s critical that you don’t let them down in this respect, as their enjoyment of your game and their willingness to continue playing at all hinges on that trust.
If you want your players to be invested in your game, to put themselves in their PC’s shoes and to live and breathe your story, you cannot be arbitrary, callous or careless with their creations. Besides, there is any number of other ways to put a scare into a PC.
Continue reading “Diplomacy for RPG Game Masters: The Fine Art of Wrangling Players”‘Wolfstead, is that your Mother over there waving a dish cloth?’
Draco, Party Member