MultiMUD Roleplaying Guide
Hopefully, you�ve started reading this guide before creating your (first or new) character. If not, don�t despair, just skip all the bits about character creation.
Character Creation
So, you�ve decided it�s time to make that brand-spanking new character you�ve had your heart set on. Before you start worrying about your stats, sit and think for a bit about your character as a person. Everyone has stats, but your character�s unique personality is what will separate him/her from the crowd and provide the one of a kind experience that is role-playing. Before beginning to create a character, it�s best to come up with your character concept. This can range from the extremely basic to a full, complete back story, but you should decide, at the very least, what race your character will be, if you will be male or female, what your initial class will be (mage/cleric/warrior/thief), and your alignment (good/neutral/evil). Once all of this is settled in your mind, start the creation process with one of the most obvious attributes of your character.
Class/Race combination
Sadly, many people create characters solely based on race stats and how good one race is for each class. This means that some combinations tend to be extremely common, while others are almost never used. There are countless Good Halfelf/Elf Priests, Evil Hobbit Assassins, and so forth. While choosing a �more powerful� combination doesn�t limit your RP options exactly, deciding on a less common path can give you a unique character who stands out from the crowd as an individual. For example, how about a Good Orcish Mage? An Evil Elven Warrior. Perhaps even a Neutral Hobbit Wizard. Although these less common choices always necessitate a thought out back story examining why you have chosen this path, doing so can be well worth the roleplay benefits.
The Name
MultiMud has rules on names, but essentially they can be summed up in what some roleplayer�s call the "Parent Principle". That is, don�t give your character a name that his/her parents wouldn�t give him/her. This means both obvious things, like not calling yourself DeathManiac or Slaughterer, and race specific things, like not being Urugrak, the Elven Cleric. If you�re not sure what kind of name will be appropriate for a character of a specific race, take a look on the internet, there are many RP sites that can help you decide on a name.
The Look
Now that you�ve figured out your name, your race, your gender, and your class, it�s time to determine what people see when they look at you. Although there is space for you to write a description of yourself, MultiMud also allows you to set appearance attributes, such as hair/eye color, if you have a beard, height, etc. These vary depending upon your race, as Elves have no facial hair, while Dwarves are quite proud of their beards.
Now that you�ve created your new character, it�s time to get down to the major parts of roleplaying.
Background story
Put simply, your past history. Back story details what caused your character to come out of obscurity, why he/she is evil/good/neutral, why you have taken the path that you have, and pretty much everything else. Your back story is generally not written anywhere in the game, although some clans have web pages where you can post a profile, including your story. You are free to keep your character�s story as private as you wish, but it is advisable to stick to it when deciding how your character will deal with certain situations. Back story can range from the simple (turned out of his home and seeking justice for all) to complex stories with family history and the like. There is also the option to have a character with amnesia, though this technique should be used sparingly, as it is both difficult to pull off well and can end up being a bit cliched if everyone else is the same way.
Motivation
Entwined into and explained by your back story, your motivations determine why you do what you do. Whether you�re a noble paladin fighting for truth and justice, an assassin out for personal gain, or perhaps a poor dumb kid who�s struggling to learn how to control his magic powers, your character is driven by essential motivations. Note that your apparent motivations (IE: those that are seen by the rest of the mud) may be different from your character�s private motivations. For example, you may be the noble paladin who says he�s out for truth and justice, but really just wants the fame and renown that comes from doing so. Note also that the examples listed here are a bit cliched... what about the assassin fighting for personal gain, and the magician who�s doing it all just so his friends think he�s a cool person.
Speech Type
Art thou an olde english knight? An orc who grunts short phrases? Or a long winded hobbit? How your character speaks his or her mind is one of the biggest components of successful roleplay. Although it can be appropriate to use �common� english, try to avoid modern slang expressions and the like, as they tend to break the RP atmosphere. Also, once you have decided how your character speaks, stick with it. If you only speak a few short words a sentence, don�t suddenly pop up with paragraphs of speech. If you feel that your character�s speech should change for RP, introduce it gradually: If your Orc is learning more words, it may be beneficial to have him/her be seen studying boards and books, and perhaps using his/her new found words incorrectly for a time. If your knight is moving away from thee and thou, introduce the changes gradually, as most people do when changing their RL speech patterns. And most importantly, as with the rest of your RP, have fun with it.
Remort Class
Your choice of remort class should follow your character�s roleplay. If, for example, you�re a thief who finds out everything and loves telling stories, bard is generally a more appropriate choice than assassin. Of course, there�s nothing wrong with being a storytelling assassin, and done properly it can be a unique character, but be careful that you consider who your character is when choosing a remort class, not just what nifty spells/skills that class gets. As with Race/Baseclass combinations, try experimenting with an unusual combination, like a Good Elven Assassin.
Limitations
If your character is a pillar of goodness and justice, he or she should not be out slaughtering innocent, good citizens. It can be a dramatic part of your roleplay if you place limits on your character, based upon what he/she believes, based on back story and motivation. As in all other things, be creative: Your Sorcerer might be evil in almost all things due to a traumatic childhood, but because of that traumatic childhood, he/she refuses to harm children. This may limit how quickly you gain degrees and/or exp, but in the long run, the unique RP benefits far overshadow basic numerical considerations.
RP with others
A well thought out character, with pages of backstory and a complex list of motivations, is no fun if he or she never interacts with others. This doesn�t mean you have to buddy up to everyone; in fact, good RP could include being afraid to speak to others. This should show in how you act around others, and what you do when faced with the opportunity to go battle in a group. There are other good roleplayers out there, if you work at it long enough you�ll find them, and that�s when the true enjoyment of roleplay comes into effect.
Continued Character Development
Over time, as you RP with others, remort, and advance in the game, your character�s motivations, speech patterns, and possibly even alignment may change. Keep these factors in mind, and let your character evolve to his or her surroundings.
2nd Characters
Your characters shouldn�t know each other, or if they do, there should only be a vague knowledge based upon stories and rumors passed around the lands. Conversely, what one character knows (about a clan, another character, etc) should not be the knowledge of the second if that second character has no way of knowing it. Let your characters be separate people, and enjoy each for who they are, not for being a collective hive.
Have Fun
Don�t let RP stifle you, instead, find your happy medium between complex roleplay and good old fashioned slaughtering, and enjoy your MUDding experience.