How to Roleplay in Final Fantasy XIV

Last Updated: December 20, 2021

"Roleplaying" is a form of writing and gaming that allows the player to insert themselves or a character into an ever changing, playable world. In a sense, the player is living a second life. Roleplay (or RP) can come in all different forms: dramatic, entertaining, or even romantic. When roleplaying, it is important to know what you want to get out of the character, and most importantly, what you consider to be fun. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will be the basis for our how-to. This how-to can also be applied to other multiplayer games as well.

Steps

1
Start with character creation. Aside from creating your character in a "physical" way, you should think carefully about your character traits. More often than not, the player inserts pieces of their own personality, likes, dislikes, and perhaps even their beliefs, into their character. Try to be unique but, in some way, realistic. Think about what your character may have gone through in their past and how that may shape their personality.
2
Try to learn the lore. In established settings, learning the lore is important. Someone took the time to really make a great setting for you, the least you could do is learn some of the lore. The lore in Final Fantasy XIV is rather solid and easy to grip. There is some lore that can be speculated and bent to benefit your character or the kind of RP you're looking to do, and that is where the fun comes in.
- Some examples of lore includes:
  - Naming conventions: Understand how naming works across the races you can choose.
  - How magic works within the world.
  - "The Void" and it's place within the world.
  - Primals - Giant, summoned beasts.
- Naturally, not all people stick to the lore 100% and that is completely fine.
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3
Play the game! You are paying for the subscription after all, so try to enjoy the game as well. As you play, you will understand the lore, and get a feel for your character. This is also how you make friends and find out more about other roleplayers. Exploration is part of the fun!
4
Get comfy! It can be hard to play the game or roleplay in an uncomfortable position, try your best to find a setup that works for you. Don't roleplay in pain!
5
Have snacks ready. It is important that you take care of yourself, aside from snacks, make sure you are keeping up with your real life. If you are hungry, eat. If you are tired, sleep.
6
Make friends! There is a world of roleplayers out there, waiting for you to befriend them. Take the time to learn about people, about their characters, and you will make friends in no time! Without a friend, your roleplay is not much of a roleplay. Try your best to find forums to find roleplayers, or check out Tumblr or Discord, where many players in Final Fantasy XIV connect
7
Find your roleplay style. Try out different kinds of roleplay with different people and see what is right for you. Often times, simple interactions like having your character go out to eat or drink, can open up many other doors for you. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple interaction to get pulled into a part in a much larger roleplay story.
8
Learn the lingo. Part of learning your style is also learning the lingo like "In-character (IC)" and "Out-of-character (OOC)." If you are new to roleplaying this way, try to learn the lingo by involving yourself with as many different roleplayers as you can. Here are a few examples:
- IC - In-character interactions, things your character does or says.
  - "I only like apples," He scoffed.
- OOC - Out-of-character interactions, things you say or do, usually prefaced with "OOC tags" like parenthesis.
  - ((I like apples too!))
- Godmod - Controlling another person's character to benefit your own, this is usually a bad thing unless agreed upon among the two roleplayers.
  - A character punches another character and lands the hit without the other player being able to react.
9
Know the difference between IC and OOC. This step is important. If a character does not like your character, that does not necessarily mean that the player does not like you. Sometimes, characters don't make friends out of everyone. Sometimes, a character is evil. It is up to you to keep your in-character interactions separate from out of character ones to avoid confusion and conflict.
10
Have fun! Of course, you should be having fun the entire time, but overall, if you are not having fun while roleplaying, it may not be your thing. Roleplaying should be fun and enjoyable. People should get a real kick out of writing stories together and having interaction through their characters. Always have fun, do not make roleplaying a chore!

Warnings

Don't roleplay for hours on end. Take a breather and stretch every now and then, just like with playing video games.

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Some people can still be abusive or rude because you are on the internet, choose your roleplay partners and friends carefully. Be safe.

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Sometimes, forums can be a volatile environment. If you need to voice your opinion, do it, but do not fan the flames or "troll" as others would.

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