What on earth is "Play by Post" roleplaying?

[Otter]

If you're unfamiliar with the Play-By-Post gaming format, you're not alone.

Play-By-Post RPing is where, instead of sitting around a table with character sheets and dice for a few hours, you take a more...  literary approach.  You write short posts back and forth with the other people in the game.  The GM describes the situation, just like he would in person around a table, and everyone writes out their responses.  It takes longer, but there's much more opportunity for in-depth role playing.  Typically people post between once a day and once a week.  Some groups like to try to all get online at the same time and post in sprees, with multiple posts flying back and forth over a short span of time. It's really up to the group how often the participants are expected to post.

If you'd like to see an example, there's one at the bottom of this post.  If you're interested enough to register, you can take a look at our ongoing games to see how other members play, too! You're always welcome to follow any open game and learn from other players!

It’s a *great* way to do gaming with long-distance friends, friends who have conflicting or inconsistent schedules, or generally if you don’t have several hours to spare in a day due to real life obligations like kids, jobs, school, etc.

We have several resources here to learn the ropes of PBP RPing, or to polish your RP skills with RP Prompts!

We look forward to gaming with you!

[Otter]

Play-By-Post Example
Let's see what a game might look like between our pretend members GMJeff, Andy-Android, Gems_Are_Outrageous, and Pl4ntLyf3.

GMJeff: Welcome to our example game!  You all start off in the small town of Tappenfield, in a tavern called the Antsy Dancer.  It's a one-story building with only a half-dozen tables for patrons.  The walls are covered in tapestries, and from the wooden walls you can see behind them, they're probably there to cover up the holes in the walls.

A robust halfling lady hobbles over to your table with mugs of ale.  "Sorry the ale's such poor quality," she says.  "Goblins 'ave been raidin' trade wagons lately.  They probably don't even appreciate the good ale they been stealin'"

Pl4ntLyf3: A beautiful wood elf named Sylfin takes the mug and downs it with a belch.  "Sounds like the Goblins are asking for a beating.  Who steals ale??"

Andy-Android:  Figgin is a rugged dwarf wearing white cleric garb.  He sniffs at his ale and pushes it towards Sylfin.  "All yours, ye lush," he says with a chuckle.  "I denno how ye can down that swill.  And I agree.  Thiefin' ale is a cardinal sin."

Pl4ntLyf3: Sylfin grabs Figgin's rejected mug and starts chugging that, too.

Gems_Are_Outrageous: My character is a halfling who calls himself Thumbs.  He wears a leather cloak, black slacks, and a dark violet jerkin.  He tries to hide his grimace as he drinks some of the ale.  He says "Ok that sounds good, where can we find the goblins?"

GMJeff: Pl4ntLyf3, give me a constitution roll to see how well you handle that much ale that fast.

The halfling lady looks pleasantly surprised by your group's willingness to help with the goblin problem.  "Aye, you can find 'em along the road.  I would bet one of the merchants who lost their goods would happily take ye along as a guard detail.  He's sittin' at that table over there," and she points at a downtrodden looking half-elf seated alone at a table.

Pl4ntLyf3:

Am I drunk yet?! 1d20-1 : 14 - 1, total 13

Andy-Android: "Sounds like a fine plan!" Figgin exclaims.  "Thumbs, let's go cheer up this merchant."