1.1. The Basics

Common Tabletop Roleplaying Game Terms

The following are common terms that may be new to new players.

Tabletop Role Playing Games

Tabletop Role Playing Games (or TTRPGs) are interactive storytelling adventures where players assume the roles of characters within a fictional world. Together, the players will use their imagination to write a story together. The framework of rules provided within this book will help in molding a shared view of the fictional world, laying down guidelines for what is and isn't possible.

Game Master

The Game Master (or GM) is the player that act as the lead storyteller for your the game. The GM creates and manages the world and the challenges found within it. The GM also role-plays for all Non-Player Character (or NPCs) that you come across in the world. The GM acts as a referee and the final arbiter on all rules. The GM can choose to replace or ignore rules if it helps improve the experience for everyone playing.

The GM should also act as the number one fan of the other Players' characters, helping give each character time to shine. There is no "main character" overall, meaning it is up to the GM to ensure that all characters have their time in the limelight.

Non-Player Character

A Non-Player Character (or NPC) is a character played primarily by the GM. This term covers both allies and enemies alike. Many NPCs will have their own capabilities, goals, and story lines that you should strive to remember and interact with. Making the right friend could greatly help your success. Similarly, making enemies is a good way to ensure that you have countless issues on the road to come.

Player Character

A Player Character (or PC) is a character primarily created and roleplayed by one of the Players (not the GM.) Each Player Character has a Character Sheet that defines their overall strengths and capabilities.

Playing a Player Character will involve role-playing that character in social situations and using the character's Abilities to solve puzzles and fight enemies.

Before you begin playing, you will work with your GM to create a character. Your character will have a unique set of capabilities. All of these will be noted on your Character Sheet.

Character Sheet

A Character Sheet is the primary reference sheet for the capabilities of a Player Character. Each Character Sheet lays out a unique set of capabilities. Together with the dice, the Character Sheet contains most of the information you will need to play that character (aside from knowing the basic rules, of course.)

Strive to familiarize yourself with your Character Sheet, as it will really help you solving problems and conflicts effectively. That said, don't be afraid to improvise things not found on your Character Sheet. Try to view your Player Character as a real person that could attempt anything a real person is capable of. If the act is basic enough, you will usually be able to perform that act and move on with the game. However, if the act takes some skill or has some risk involved, the GM may have you make you roll dice to determine how well your character did on that improvised activity.

The Character Sheet will be covered in-depth in 2. Character Sheet.

Dice Shorthand

Dice are often referred to using a Dice Shorthand consisting of a 'd' followed by a number of faces. For example, d4 refers to the 4-sided die, d20 refers to the 20-sided die, and so on. A number listed before the 'd' indicates the total number of dice to roll of the specified type. For example, 2d4 means you will roll 2 of the 4-sided dice. When rolling more than one die, you will generally sum the dice (unless stated otherwise) and use the sum you got for the rest of the Test (Tests are discussed further in 1.2. Dice Mechanics.)

While playing The Kleptonomicon, you will generally only use a d10 (or a ten-sided die.)

Next Up: 1.2. Dice Mechanics