Welcome! So you’re feeling a bit adventurous and you want to try live-action roleplaying but you’re facing a couple of obstacles in the form of unanswered questions.
As a person who loves (loves/hates) to over-analyze and optimize every situation in my life to minimize the possibility of making a mistake, I’ve been in your shoes – but lately I’ve gotten better at making mistakes (if that makes any sense)
For people on the outside, LARP can look like something that attracts a certain crowd. Well, that’s partly true, isn’t every hobby like that? Nevertheless, I bet most
But not to worry! I’m here to enlighten you. When you’re done with this article you’ll be free from doubt.
Read more: How To Start Roleplaying and Larping With Your Kids
Step #1 Search for a LARP that interests you
First, before you get into character creation, swinging swords, and whatnot, you should find an event that catches your attention. There’s a wide selection of different live-action roleplaying gatherings throughout The US & Europe, therefore, I can almost guarantee that there’s an event that will suit your taste.
Larps are built on systems – like tabletop roleplaying games. There’s a system for resolution, a system for character creation, and another system for character abilities. These systems change the way each
Read about the different combat styles and resolution systems to see which one sounds best to you.
Because every larper doesn’t enjoy the same thing, one system may include a lot of combat for those who want to be physically active, joust and challenge themselves and their stamina.
Other events may attract
Finding the perfect event for your first LARP can be quite hard depending on where you reside and how far you can travel to attend the event. Sadly, the LARP scene is in dire need of a way to collect contact and general information about LARPs all over the world and gather it in one place, doing so would make it much easier to find events.
But we’ll have to work with the tools that we have. Some websites have tried to get a list of
If that doesn’t get you any closer to your first experience, continue the search by googling
- Search r/LARP subreddit
- Post in the r/LARP subreddit
- Visit your local gaming stores
- Contact local gaming clubs (They can usually be found at universities and colleges)
- If everything else fails, start a small-scale
LARP with your friends and recruit players as you go. - Get cheap beginner LARP stuff, I bought my first shield and sword here.
There’s nothing wrong with a small scale 5-10 man
Step 2# Research the event & contact the organization
You have found the right LARP but you have questions regarding the event. Start by researching the game to find out a little bit about the backstory of the setting (the world that the game is set in), the organization, past events, and the combat rules/general rules of the LARP.
Other things to consider are the length of the games, lodging & campsites for longer events, transport to and from the event, location, and last but not least – will there be food at the event?
If any of these questions are unanswered after researching the internet you should either ask Reddit or the Game Masters (those who are responsible for running the
Step 3# Create your character
Alright! We’re finally getting somewhere. Character creation is a very exciting process for most
When it comes to creating your first character you should consider a couple of things before diving head first.
Leave room for development
Which way you’ll want your character to go can be hard to know at your first event. As you continue to LARP you will get a better understanding of your own character and his or her place in the story. With a bit of meat on your bones, you’re ready to develop your character accordingly.
Getting a label at your first game will leave you stuck in that “role”. Some people may like it, others want to leave doors open for other things. It’s just another thing to consider.
Draw inspiration from movies and books if needed
If your brainstorms are blowing at zero miles per hour and you feel creatively drained – draw inspiration for your character from books and movies. However, I wouldn’t copy a character entirely, instead, I would use their characteristics as the foundation for my own character creation.
Create a character that you’re comfortable roleplaying
Or don’t, seriously. Just consider this – some people love to challenge themselves with their characters and do things they otherwise wouldn’t dare while others are very self-conscious even when roleplaying and therefore tend to roleplay characters that they feel confident and comfortable roleplaying.
The important thing is that you put some thought into it before creating your character. The only thing I can say is that LARPs are incredible for developing your social skills. The more you challenge yourself, the more you will get back.
Stay away from anti-social traits when creating your character
Your character will, for the most part, be in a group with other larpers. Creating a lone wolf character isn’t as cool as you might think, instead, you’ll be excluded for the most part of the game while the other characters cooperate through the story. Be part of the group. You’ll have a much better time doing so.
Of course, you can be part of a group and still be the silent type. There are other ways to contribute to the group.
Give the character a backstory
Your character needs a backstory to create a little depth. The way your character behaves, his ambitions, and his fears can be connected to his past life. It’s not unlikely that a very meaningful moment in your character’s life has shaped the way they are today, what they believe in, and essentially, their personality. Use that to your advantage when creating your backstory.
The only thing you should keep in mind is to scale down the exceptionalism – you’ll share the battlefield with other players, and make your story believable and suitable for the event.
It may be something as simple as having a family with great resources or knowledge in a certain scientific field. Your character must have been inspired by his family’s lifestyle while growing up – or cursed by it.
Essentially, you want to find the innermost drive of your character. The engine deep within the character’s core makes him/her get up in the morning.
Whatever you choose to create you should keep in mind that the Game Masters may not use the backstory of your character as you think. They might turn the story against you – proving that the single most important moment in your life was a lie – to further improve the storyline of the game. This depends entirely on the plot of the game.
Get to know your character and adapt
Does your character stutter? Act nervously? Bite his nails? Talk with an accent? Walk in a certain way? Whatever it may be, it is entirely up to you how many of your character’s traits you want to act out. Start out slowly and add more depth and life to your character as you grow.
Step 4# Prepare your costume
Unless you by accident happen to store a knight’s plate armor at home, you’ll need some kind of garb for your character. In my article about the costs of
Because it is your first time, I wouldn’t recommend spending more than $100 on your costume. If you enjoy larping and can see yourself attending more events in the future, then go ahead and start adding accessories and upgrades to your costume over time. Your weapon is a part of the costume and I said we wanted to keep the costs of your first costume as low as possible, well, if you want to spend money on something – spend it on a quality weapon.
As I mentioned earlier, another good alternative is Amazon. They have the resources to undercut the prices of most other retailers, and I can recommend getting these as a starting-off point.
With years of experience, I’ve come to the conclusion that the most durable weapons on the market are manufactured by Calimacil and that’s the shop that I would recommend for any beginner who wants a high-quality LARP weapon.
However, the do-it-yourself culture is very strong in the
Step 5# Pack for the event
We’re almost there! You found a game that you like, you have created your character or come up with an idea and you’re geared up. What’s left? Packing for the event! What do you need? I’ll tell you!
The answer to this question varies depending on the length of the event, your own needs, and what kind of services the game can provide. However, If you’re going to a weekend or week-long
The shortest of checklists for a one-day event may include
- Extra Clothes for both in and out-of-character situations (especially socks for rainy days)
- Food
- Medicine
- Water
- Toilet Paper
That’s what’s most important, I didn’t include your costume, weapons, accessories, or anything else character related, nevertheless, here’s a list of over 50 items that you may need during a game.
Step #7 Get to the event
Look up the location of the event and consider your options of getting there. If public transportation isn’t an option and you don’t have a car, try looking for someone to carpool with, preferably on the
If you only pack the essentials you will have plenty of space in the car for another larper but that isn’t always the case. Make sure to account for the costumes, regular clothes, food, drinks, and everything else you’re bringing to the game.
Another thing to take into consideration is the distance between the game site and the parking lot. The actual site where the live-action roleplaying takes place and the parking lot can be in two different locations.
Why? Because people who attend
For the sake of immersion, you may have to walk a short distance to get to the camping and larping site. You will have to talk to the organizers to find out about this. The event you attend may have an entirely different setup.
Step 8# Enjoy the game
The game begins, everyone is in character and the story unveils. This is the start of your first larping experience. To prepare yourself for the actual event, I recommend you read these 33 tips for first-time
Other than that, enjoy yourself and socialize with other larpers. The next time you decide to LARP, you will have a bunch of friends waiting for you at the game to continue your journey together.
If you are lucky enough to live in a region that offers more than one alternative LARP I suggest you try your luck with more than one event. One experience will probably be far from the next when it comes to live-action roleplaying.
Besides, you can choose to play another character or, if the game seems suitable, use your old character to broaden your acting skills.
I learned a lot about myself and overcame a bunch of stuff that was holding me back through LARP. I came to a very understanding and helpful community that gave me the warmest of welcomes, as a total beginner I felt very safe right away.
I was then given space to develop and now I’ve transitioned from shy and lacking confidence to a very charismatic person who doesn’t have any trouble with being the center of attention and at times, even enjoys it.
In addition to that, I have made more friends than I can count on two hands. These connections have been very useful for me even out of
Bonus Section 9# Going as a non-player character
Non-player characters are part of the story, they are played for the amusement of the player characters. Think of a non-player character as a bartender, merchant, monster, and so forth.
They exist to fill the environment for the players. Most events are in need of NPCs, therefore, players who offer themselves as NPCs, get to go to the event free of charge and are often given a costume.
It may sound like being an NPC is a punishment – that’s far from the truth. It’s actually incredibly fun to play a non-player character, and as a first-time larper, very beneficial.
While playing an NPC you get the chance to learn how the game works, how other people play, the setting and story of the game and so much more without spending too much money.
It’s a very viable alternative for someone who wants to be guided through the first experience rather than playing their own character.
The role of the NPC is often very structured. You may be a guard who holds very important information that the player characters must try to lure out of you.
In another scenario, you may be a homeless man who has witnessed one of the characters in the group do something dreadful and now you’ve got to inform the group of it without risking your own life.
Seriously, there are a ton of different roles to play as a non-player character. Oftentimes, you will know what to do and you will be doing it for a “shift” you may have 2 or 3 shifts a day, maybe less. It depends entirely on the event and what you are offered in exchange for your services.
What to do after a game of LARP?
When the game is over, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by everything that has happened over the day or weekend. It’s nothing to worry about – start planning your next
Look for related activities
You might enjoy other related activities like SCA, tabletop gaming, or cosplay. Read more about things like LARP here.