This is a small collection of tips, tricks and handy things I’ve picked up from the wide range of servers I’ve roleplayed on from NWN2, SL, and more recently Conan Exiles that I have found enhanced my role play and the role play of others and can act as a very basic guidelines. If I’ve shared this with you, chances are you’re in the same group as me or a friend, but if you were linked this by someone else, please feel free to use what you think is useful. ^_^ Also if you have any tips I should add please hit me up on Discord: @Shadowcraft#2446

Below are all the things i’ve learned that helps a player role play a great antagonist character:

    1. Know the server’s rules inside out: It protects you, your group, and it is always helpful when someone is unsure about something, you can clear things up with your grasp on the server’s rules.
    2. Unfortunately, it is entirely likely that, despite your best attempts to be accommodating, willingness to be flexible with consequences, and genuinely wanting to provide the best story you can for a person, you’ll come across a type of player that will just argue and be uncooperative. Don’t allow yourself to be drawn into arguments or pointless debates. There are times when you will get people who throw their toys out of the pram when they don’t get their way. I would advise you to take screenshots and just move on after opening a ticket/contacting an admin. You are not a punching bag for anyone.
    3. Develop your own character, their background, goals and motivations, find that character you love playing. One of the worst things an antagonist player can do is being unable to provide continuity to the other players they are involved with. In the least it can be a bit lame, at worst it could be taken as consequence avoidance.
    4. Captivity is a big deal; you are removing another player’s ability to find role play for themselves as well as to a degree controlling what way their characters development is taken in a certain direction. Before any captivity role play starts–before your character even reaches for bindings–speak to the other player first in private messages and check they are comfortable with the idea of being taken captive as well as ask what experience they are after, what their likes, dislikes are and was there a certain storyline direction they might like to explore having their character taken down.

      Handy questions to ask a new captive as soon as possible:
      (Note only ask questions that are related to the situation, don’t ask slavery questions to someone that is currently just a captive and not a slave, you might give the wrong impression.)

      a) Is this your first experience with captivity/enslavement role play?
      b) What is your time zone and play times?
      c) Is there any kind of experience or style of captivity/enslavement you really enjoy or want to try out?
      d) What are you comfortable with?
      e) What are you not comfortable with?
      f) Would you consent to your character to being sold?
      g) Would you consent for your character to be rented out?
      h) What are your hopes and dreams for your character and how can we help you achieve them while your character is currently held captive?
      i) Is there anything you think we should know about?
      j) Do you understand that you as the player are in full control over what happens to your character, that your comfort and enjoyment will always come first and that if anything makes you feel uncomfortable at all in the slightest you understand you can say so and the RP will be adjusted within what is immersivity reasonable to ensure you are comfortable and having lots of fun?

    5. When it comes to consequences, I would recommend you, aside from following the servers rules, consider the following the below in order of importance:
      – Is the consequence immersive?
      – Is the consequence fun for all involved on a ooc level?
      – Does the consequence promote story and character development?
    6. There will be times when we get upset with other players, even members of staff for one reason or another. Try and always keep things civil, do not blow up their dms or other discords maybe instead, if you’re unable to find a good resolution or favourable compromise, just let it go and move on.
    7. Seeking conflict: This is a bit of a hard one to get right, and I suspect I’ll be updating it often with new advice I get from others, but the golden standard I’VE personally found works well is:
      a) Don’t be aggressive about finding it, never try and force it.
      b) Offer at least one opportunity for the other player to avoid conflict with a fitting alternative that is proportional to the reason conflict might be about to happen.
      c) Screen shots are your friend.
      d) The best way to enjoy conflict Rp is to let it come to you.
    8. OOC Communication is often the best way to clear up misunderstandings, heal hurt feelings and ensure everyone has fun.
    9. There are times when some players only have a limited amount of time to play for that day and they would really just like to avoid Antagonist characters, I would personally recommend that this be respected and you find a in character reason to wander off and let them have their fun.
    10. Lastly and in my opinion the most important thing. You will come across folks now and then that hold different views to you, sometimes different playstyles entirely. Always try to present yourself in the best light, be friendly, fair, and helpful. Research into things you’re looking to do and remember that even the server’s staff and admins are just players like you and we all deserve to be able to have as much fun as we can together. 🙂