Part of a series on
Role-playing games
Types
Topics
Terminology
Lists
WikiProject

Role-playing games (RPGs) have developed specialized terminology. This includes both terminology used within RPGs to describe in-game concepts and terminology used to describe RPGs. Role-playing games also have specialized slang and jargon associated with them.

Besides the terms listed here, there are numerous terms used in the context of specific, individual RPGs such as Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), Pathfinder, Fate, and Vampire: The Masquerade. For a list of RPGs, see List of role-playing games.

Terms used to play role-playing games

A

C

D

F

G

I

M

N

S

T

Terms used to describe characters

A

D

P

R

S

Terms used to describe types of games

A

F

G

L

N

O

R

S

Terms used by gamers

B

C

F

M

P

R

T

References

  1. ^ "Glossaire" [Glossary]. Casus Belli Hors Série (in French). No. 25, Manuel Pratique du Jeu de Rôle. Excelsior Publications. May 1999. p. 6.
  2. ^ Baker, Eric T. (August 2000). "Games". Realms of Fantasy. No. 6. Sovereign Media. pp. 74–79.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Tresca, Michael J. (2011). The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. pp. 13–15, 21, 30, 54, 64, 181–199, 203. ISBN 978-0-7864-6009-0. OCLC 697175248.
  4. ^ a b c d Adams, Ernest (2014). Fundamentals of Role-Playing Game Design. New Riders. ISBN 978-0-13-381213-8. OCLC 967703981.
  5. ^ Barney, Christopher William (2020). Pattern Language for Game Design. Milton. ISBN 978-1-000-25958-2. OCLC 1227045937.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ Rouchart, Sandy; Aylett, Ruth (2003). Thomas Rist (ed.). Solving the Narrative Paradox in VEs — Lessons from RPGs. Springer. p. 245. ISBN 978-3540200031. ((cite book)): |work= ignored (help)
  7. ^ La Farge, Paul (September 2006). "Destroy All Monsters". The Believer Magazine. Archived from the original on 2008-09-20. Retrieved 2008-12-25.
  8. ^ Waggoner, Zack (2009). My Avatar, My Self: Identity in Video Role-Playing Games. University of Michigan. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-7864-4109-9. Retrieved 2014-11-12.
  9. ^ March 2021, Aimee Hart 13. "How to make a D&D character sheet". TechRadar. Retrieved 2021-04-16.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Developments in Current Game-Based Learning Design and Deployment. Patrick Felicia. Hershey, Pa.: IGI Global. 2013. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-4666-1865-7. OCLC 808122494.((cite book)): CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. ^ "Box 4.3 Different Character Creation Methods". Role-Playing Game Studies: Transmedia Foundations. José Pablo Zagal, Sebastian Deterding. New York, NY. 2018. ISBN 978-1-315-63753-2. OCLC 1019729171.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. ^ Bartle, Richard A. (2004). Designing Virtual Worlds. Indianapolis, Ind.: New Riders Pub. pp. 377–384. ISBN 0-13-101816-7. OCLC 52814945.
  13. ^ Doctorow, Cory (2013-09-17). "Critical Hits: a history of the battle between gamers and game-designers for nuance in combat systems". Boing Boing. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  14. ^ "D&D House Rules Everyone Should Consider Following". ScreenRant. 2021-03-15. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  15. ^ Polo, Susana (2016-07-29). "The Dragon Age tabletop RPG will scratch your blood magic itch". Polygon. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  16. ^ "13 Things You Should Know About The Excellent-Looking Baldur's Gate 3". Kotaku Australia. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  17. ^ "'Pathfinder Second Edition,' Another Critical Success for Paizo!". GeekDad. 2019-08-15. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  18. ^ "The Deepest, Weirdest, Hugest Megadungeons Ever Created". io9. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  19. ^ Watson, Eric (2021-03-25). "This RPG's dungeon builder is Neverwinter Nights meets Super Mario Maker". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  20. ^ Brewer, Nathan. "Going Rogue: A Brief History of the Computerized Dungeon Crawl". IEEE-USA InSight. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  21. ^ Fannon, Sean Patrick (1999). The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible. Brett Link, Aaron Acevedo, Victoria Cummings, Sean Patrick Fannon (2nd ed.). Jacksonville, FL: Obsidian Studios Corp. pp. 213, 223. ISBN 0-9674429-0-7. OCLC 45357120.
  22. ^ Porter, Greg (June 1988). SpaceTime. Richmond, VA: Blacksburg Tactical Research Center. p. 1. ISBN 0-943891-03-5.
  23. ^ Sargeantson, Emily (2019-01-16). "What is a Dungeon Master? What Do the Best Ones Do?". My Kind of Meeple. Archived from the original on 2020-05-22. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  24. ^ Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 143. ISBN 0-87975-653-5.
  25. ^ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '70s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN 978-1-61317-075-5.
  26. ^ a b c Moore, Michael E. (2016). Basics of Game Design. Boca Raton: A K Peters/CRC Press. pp. 96, 106, 117–140, 175, 220. ISBN 978-1-4398-6776-1. OCLC 746925670.
  27. ^ a b c d D'Amato, James (2019). The Ultimate RPG Gameplay Guide: Role-Play the Best Campaign Ever—No Matter the Game! (First ed.). Avon, Massachusetts: Simon and Schuster. pp. 31, 36–40, 45–50, 110, 237–239. ISBN 978-1-5072-1093-2. OCLC 1104859747.
  28. ^ Zalka, Csenge Virág (2019). Forum-Based Role Playing Games as Digital Storytelling. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers. pp. 66–78. ISBN 978-1-4766-3526-2. OCLC 1090499786.
  29. ^ a b c Dungeons and Dragons and Philosophy: Raiding the Temple of Wisdom. Jon Cogburn, Mark Silcox. Chicago: Open Court Pub. 2012. pp. 225–226, 271–283. ISBN 978-0-8126-9803-9. OCLC 811563646.((cite book)): CS1 maint: others (link)
  30. ^ Moore, Michael E. (2007). "Chapter 10: The Game Design Document". Introduction to the Game Industry. Jennifer Sward. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-168743-1. OCLC 71223261.
  31. ^ Queens on a Quest | Dimension 20: Dungeons and Drag Queens [Full Episode], retrieved 2023-10-24, [52'43"] On a Natural 20, incredible things are possible: if you hit a 20 on the die, it's an overwhelming success. [...] [52'52"] And the reverse, if you manage to roll a Natural 1...
  32. ^ a b "How Tabletop RPGs Are Being Reclaimed From Bigots and Jerks". www.vice.com. January 31, 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  33. ^ "Useful Tools and Tips for Tabletop GMs That Should Be Better Known". The Escapist. 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  34. ^ a b c D'Amato, James (2020). The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book: 40 Fast, Easy, and Fun Tabletop Games (First ed.). New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. 13–18. ISBN 978-1-5072-1286-8. OCLC 1151490303.
  35. ^ a b "How to run a Session 0 for D&D and other RPGs". Dicebreaker. July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  36. ^ Salen, Katie (2003). Rules of play : game design fundamentals. Eric Zimmerman, Askews. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-29993-3. OCLC 1112577758.
  37. ^ "Choose Your Way to Better RPG Session Prep". Nerdist. 2017-01-13. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  38. ^ Tabari, Rami (2022-04-24). "How do I set expectations and limits? Tabletop tips from an anxious GM". LaptopMag. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  39. ^ Nelson, Joshua (2020-05-10). "Opinion: Regarding Dungeons & Dragons, Session 0, & Consent". Bleeding Cool News And Rumors. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  40. ^ Moreno, Jim (February 27, 2018). "Roleplaying Basics: The Importance of Session Zero". Nerdist. Geek & Sundry. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  41. ^ a b c d Masters, Phil. “On the Vocabulary of Role-playing”, The Oracle: Essays. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  42. ^ "D&D's The Wild Beyond The Witchlight Mocks The Game's Worst Rule". ScreenRant. 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  43. ^ Scott, Chey (December 20, 2018). "The unlikely resurgence of Dungeons & Dragons makes its way to the Inland Northwest". Inlander. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  44. ^ "D&D DM Pro-Tip: How To Make An Unwinnable Boss Fight". TheGamer. 2020-05-02. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  45. ^ Laycock, Joseph (2015). Dangerous Games: What the Moral Panic over Role-Playing Games Says about Play, Religion, and Imagined Worlds. Oakland, Calif.: University of California Press. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-520-96056-5. OCLC 899156911.
  46. ^ a b c Adams, Ernest (2010). Fundamentals of Game Design (2nd ed.). New Riders. pp. 115–122, 465, 470–472. ISBN 978-0-321-64337-7. OCLC 460601644.
  47. ^ DeVille, Chris (November 16, 2017). "The rise of D&D liveplay is changing how fans approach roleplaying". The Verge. Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  48. ^ Sowa, Alexander (June 14, 2020). "Dungeons & Dragons: How Actual-Play Shows Are Boosting LGBTQ Representation". CBR. Archived from the original on June 29, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  49. ^ a b Jones, Shelly, ed. (2021). Watch Us Roll: Essays on Actual Play and Performance in Tabletop Role-Playing Games. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1-4766-4343-4. OCLC 1263339374.
  50. ^ Edwards, Ron (4 June 2003). "Gamism: Step On Up". The Forge. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  51. ^ a b c "Learn The Fascinating Theory Behind Roleplaying Games". Nerdist. 2017-06-23. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  52. ^ Shannon Appelcline (2006-09-04). "Brief History of the Game #3". RPGnet. Retrieved 2007-09-14.
  53. ^ Jackson, Steve (2004-01-19). GURPS Basic Set 3, Revised. Steve Jackson Games. ISBN 1-55634-357-4.
  54. ^ Cover, Jennifer Grouling (2014). The Creation of Narrative in Tabletop Role-Playing Games. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. Publishers. pp. 39–55. ISBN 978-0-7864-5617-8. OCLC 650516777.
  55. ^ Stark, Lizzie (2012). Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-Playing Games. Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1-61374-065-1. OCLC 794003680.
  56. ^ Shannon Appelcline (2011). Designers & Dragons. Mongoose Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-907702-58-7.
  57. ^ Castronova, Edward (2006). Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games. University Of Chicago Press. pp. 10, 291. ISBN 0-226-09627-0. [pp. 10] The ancestors of MMORPGS were text-based multiuser domains (MUDs) [...] [pp. 291] Indeed, MUDs generate perhaps the one historical connection between game-based VR and the traditional program [...]
  58. ^ a b Torres-Roman, Steven A. (2015). Dragons in the Stacks: A Teen Librarian's Guide to Tabletop Role-Playing. Cason E. Snow. Santa Barbara, California. pp. 187–189. ISBN 978-1-61069-261-8. OCLC 856053791.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  59. ^ a b Mochocki, Michal (2021). Role-play as a heritage practice : historical LARP, tabletop RPG and reenactment. Abingdon, Oxon. p. 132. ISBN 978-1-003-13095-6. OCLC 1221015085.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  60. ^ a b "10 Tabletop RPGs for Beginners". pastemagazine.com. 2015-03-10. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  61. ^ a b Bebergal, Peter (2013-05-06). "Old School Dungeons & Dragons: Wizards of the Coast's Problem Child". Boing Boing. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  62. ^ Diamond, Amelia (2022-05-21). "Who's Playing Dungeons & Dragons These Days? The Usual Fans, and Then Some". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
  63. ^ "Coping With Emotional Bleed During Roleplay". Nerdist. June 25, 2018. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
  64. ^ Hall, Charlie (2023-11-16). "Vampire: The Masquerade courts controversy once again, this time over 'bleed'". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  65. ^ a b *"What is "fluff" and "crunch"?". theRPGsite. 16 December 2006. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  66. ^ a b Dickson, Paul (1990). Slang: The Topical Dictionary of Americanisms. New York: Pocket Books. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-8027-1849-5. OCLC 761007672.
  67. ^ Beyond Role and Play: Tools, Toys and Theory for Harnessing the Imagination. Markus Montola, Jaako Stenros. Helsinki: Ropecon. 2004. p. 4. ISBN 952-91-6842-X. OCLC 475731336.((cite book)): CS1 maint: others (link)
  68. ^ Rome, Ben H.; Hussey, Chris (2013). Games' Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Players, Pawns, and Power-Ups. Potomac Books. pp. 82–83. ISBN 9781597977234.
  69. ^ a b c Crawford, Jeremy (February 16, 2015). "Philosophy Behind Rules and Rulings | Dungeons & Dragons". dnd.wizards.com. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  70. ^ Fannon, Sean Patrick. The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible, Obsidian Studios. Copyright 1999.
  71. ^ "Make Your RPG Less Roll Playing and more Role Playing". Nerdist. 2016-11-11. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  72. ^ Beattie, Scott (2007). "Voicing the Shadow: Rule-playing and Roleplaying in Wraith: The Oblivion". Law, Culture and the Humanities. 3 (3): 477–492. doi:10.1177/1743872107081432.
  73. ^ Kaufman, Daniel; Kestrel, Gwendolyn F. M.; Selinker, Mike; Williams, Skip (2002). Book of Challenges: Dungeon Rooms, Puzzles, and Traps. Wizards of the Coast. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-7869-2657-2.
  74. ^ Desborough, James (1999). The Munchkin's Guide to Power Gaming. Steve Mortimer, Phil Masters. Austin, Tex.: Steve Jackson Games. p. 127. ISBN 1-55634-347-7. OCLC 47852854.
  75. ^ Koster, Raph (2014-04-02). "Twinking". Raph's Website. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
Categories