Even the most veteran roleplaying gamer will occasionally come across a term he or she hasn’t heard before. And for newbies, conversing with long time players can be like trying to understand a foreign language.
So this page is for new and old gamers alike. These terms are common ones you’ll encounter on forums, in gaming books, and in general conversation about RPG games.
In addition to the glossary below, you can find more terms at gnomestew.com & rpggeek.com.
Let’s lead off with one of our favorite roleplaying game terms…Dice Monkey!
Dice Monkey - slang for someone who plays RPGs, or a collector of dice for gaming.
Ok, now on to the rest of the terms…
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
AC - short for Armor Class.
Actual Play - a recording or transcript of a gaming session intended to be read or watched by others. Click here for some of our favorite actual play podcasts/videocasts.
Adventure - a single challenge or series of challenges that are short enough to play in one gaming session.
Adventure Seed - a jumping off point that can be expanded by the GM into a full adventure.
AoO - short for Attack of Opportunity.
AoE - short for Area of Effect.
Area of Effect - an area affected by a spell or attack which affects more than one person, creature or object.
Attack of Opportunity - special attacks that a character can make as a reaction to game events. Attacks of Opportunity often occur when a character moves out of a threatened square without disengaging from an opponent.
B
Battlemat - an encounter map which can be used with tokens or miniatures to determine precise (or relative) positions during game play. These are often gridded with either hexes or squares.
Bag of Holding - a bag of holding appears to be a common cloth sack of about 2 by 4 feet in size. It opens into a nondimensional space (similar to a magic satchel) or a pocket dimension, making the space larger inside than it is outside.
BBEG - Big Bad Evil Guy. This is usually the main antagonist for an adventure or campaign.
Bennie - short for Benefit. An advantage or other bonus given to a player by the GM or another player.
Boss - a powerful foe that requires many resources to defeat. Usually you’ll only find one Boss in any given encounter. They are often the BBEG for the session.
Broken - a flawed rule that makes an ability or class too powerful.
BTB - By the Book, Rules as Written.
Buff - a boost to a player’s stats or abilities. Can be the result of a spell or successful leadership skill check by another player.
C
Called shot - an attack made by a character that targets a specific body part or object. Some systems will increase difficulty to the attack check with additional damage resulting if successful.
Campaign - a longer story made by linking multiple adventures together into a larger series. Campaigns require multiple gaming sessions to complete.
Canon - “official source material.”
Chair - short for the GM’s Chair. “Taking the chair” means taking a turn at being the Game Master.
Chargen - short for Character Generation, the process of creating a character for play.
Class - the “role” that the character plays in the game. A class defines the “job” of the character and can influence which abilities and talents he/she has access to.
Cliffhanger - when the session ends with something exciting about to happen, leaving the players wanting more.
Cocked Die - a die that lands on its edge, or in some other unorthodox position so that the value can’t be readily determined.
Con - short for Convention. Cons are gatherings of gamers & vendors for the purpose of playing RPGs, playing competitive games, and seeing (and buying) what is new in the industry.
Core Mechanic - the standard mechanic used in an RPG game to determine the success or failure of an action.
Core Rules - the main book(s) required by a game to run a basic version of the game. Additional content comes in the form of Adventure books or Sourcebooks, but are not part of the core rules.
Crit - short for Critical.
Critical/Critical Success - a powerful attack/or highly successful action that either deals extra damage or provides some other benefit.
Crunch/Crunchy - lingo used to describe the mechanical rules of an RPG game. A game that is “Cruncy” usually has a more complicated rule set than a “Rules Lite” game.
Cut Scene - a quick scene that doesn’t involve the PCs, but helps move the story along and keeps the focus on the most important part of the game.
D
DC - short for Difficulty Check or Difficulty Class. The player must meet or exceed this result in order for his/her action to be successful.
Death Spiral - a game mechanic where taking damage puts other effects into play, making it more likely that the character will take more damage/ill effects on the next attack, and so on.
Deus Ex Machina - (god from the machine) an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation. Can cause PCs to believe that what they do doesn’t really matter.
Dice Pool - in RPG games where multiple dice are rolled to determine the success or failure of an action, the dice pool is the total number of dice used for the roll.
DM - short for Dungeon Master, a Dungeons & Dragons specific term for the Game Master.
DM Fiat - situation where the Dungeon Master makes a judgment that may not be entirely according to the rules in order to move the story along (rather than digging through rule books), or to correct some sort of game imbalance.
DMG - abbreviation for the Dungeon Master’s Guide, the main GM resource for a Dungeons & Dragons game. Can also be used as an abbreviation for Damage.
Dump Stat - a stat that is sacrificed to put more points into a stat that is deemed more valuable for a character concept. A barbarian warrior might use Charisma as his dump stat, choosing to have a significantly higher Strength score as a tradeoff.
E
Emergency Brake - a player who is never ready when it is his/her turn to act. They bring the game to a screeching halt!
Encounter - an event or small series of events that allow the PCs to do something significant. Fighting a hoard of club wielding cave trolls or convincing a spaceport bureaucrat to allow the PCs to land their starship free of charge would qualify as encounters. Stringing together multiple related encounters results in an “adventure.”
Errata - corrections to published RPG materials. Usually can be downloaded from the publisher’s site as a PDF document.
Experience Points (XP) - a scoring system for calculating a PC’s progress in an RPG game. After acquiring a certain amount of XP, a player is able to level up their character with increased stats or abilities.
Exploding Dice - When a certain number is rolled, you roll again and add that result to the roll. For example, in Feng Shui 2, rolling a 6 (on a 6-sided die) can cause it to explode, meaning you roll again and add that total to the 6 you already have.
F
Face - main spokesman and lead negotiator for the party. He is the “talky” guy with high ranking stats in social skills and abilities.
Fantasy Heartbreaker - a homebrew RPG known for what it does differently from Dungeons & Dragons, while still having many of the same ideas.
FLGS - sort for Friendly Local Gaming Store.
Fluff - Opposite of crunch. Fluff refers to the non-mechanical elements of an RPG such as setting information, item descriptions, etc.
Fudge - At times the GM will alter the results of a die rule (usually behind his screen). While widely accepted in gaming, it’s also a much debated topic because it is in essence cheating (usually to keep the players alive, or to boost the tension of the moment).
Fumble - a roll so poor that it causes something really, really bad to happen. Also known as a “critical fumble.”
G
Game Master - the person in charge of running the game, telling the story, adjudicating the rules, and playing the NPCs.
Glass Cannon - a character with high damage output, but low toughness. They can dish it out, but they can’t take it.
GM - see Game Master.
GM Fiat - situation where the Game Master makes a judgment that may not be entirely according to the rules in order to move the story along (rather than digging through rule books), or to correct some sort of game imbalance.
GMPC - Game Master Player Character. In some game systems NPCs are called GMPCs. Can also be a PC that is controlled by the GM.
Golden Rule - Have fun!
Grognard - a veteran wargamer or old school RPG gamer. Stereotypically an older gentleman with a grey beard.
H
Hack - adapting an RPG system for use with another setting. For example, hacking the Star Wars Edge of the Empire system to play a game in the Wild Wild West.
Handwave - skipping past something that would be time consuming to play out in order to get to something better and more fun. Similar to GM Fiat.
Healer - the character that can provide either medical or magical healing to the party. Can be anything from a Cleric to a grizzled Clone Wars combat medic.
Hit Points - a number used to track how much damage a character can take before becoming incapacitated (or killed). Typically you’ll start with a high number and work down to zero as the character takes damage. Other systems like Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars rpg use a Wound Threshold where you count up from zero until you reach your damage threshold, at which point you collapse.
Homebrew - a setting or world created by the GM either from scratch, or using bits of setting material from other pieces. When an entirely new ruleset is cobbled together you have a “homebrew system.”
Hook - a plot hook is used by the GM to get the players to start a new adventure. Background hooks are aspects of each player’s character that the GM can use to give the players a reason for adventuring.
House Rule - a game rule that is added, changed, or removed from the core rules of a game.
I
In Character (IC) - speech or actions performed as if by the character, much as an actor or actress playing a part.
Immersion - when the game really comes to life and the players lose themselves in the setting.
Indie - typically refers to game materials produced by small press publishers, and not distributed in typical mainstream ways.
In Media Res - (in the midst of things) starting a story or adventure right in the middle of the action, rather than at the beginning. Most James Bond movies dive right into the action from the get go…In Media Res.
J
Jack of All Trades - a character with wide ranging abilities, but a lack of expertise in any one thing. They are better than the norm in just about everything, but not great at any one thing.
Just Playing My Character - often an excuse by pain in the neck players to justify unruly or difficult behavior from their characters.
K
Kludge/Kludgy - a clunky, pieced together, and poorly designed ruleset. Can also refer to a setting that has so many different elements in it that it becomes a mish-mash of unrelated things.
L
LARP - short for Live Action Role Playing. LARPS are a style of RPG where players dress up and stay in character the entire time. Usually played in a large space instead of at a game table.
Lasersharking - piling on way too many powers and “cool” things to a setting, character or game. A reference to Dr. Evil’s lair from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery where the sharks had laser beams on their heads.
LBEG - Little Bad Evil Guy. An NPC villain made to be a challenge to the PCs, but not a boss like the BBEG.
LGS - short for Local Gaming Store.
Line of Sight - used to describe whether a creature or character can see another creature or character in order to have some sort of effect on it. Usually Line of Sight is check to determine whether one thing can target another.
M
MacGuffin - a physical object that gives the characters a reason to get involved with the story. The Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark is the MacGuffin that Indian Jones pursued throughout the movie.
Meat Shield - a character that is tailor-made to absorb damage and protect the rest of the party. See Tank.
Melee - hand-to-hand or hand held weapon combat.
Metagame - things discussed by the players and GM outside of character. Also refers to acting on information that the player knows, but the character would not…as in metagaming.
Metaplot - background story elements written by setting publishers that exist throughout the campaign.
Min-Maxing - short for minimize/maximize. Power games (and others) use this technique to max out the stats that are really advantageous to the character design while using other attributes as dump stats.
Minion - NPCs with limited stats and purpose…that purpose usually to be chewed up by the PCs. Minions usually run in small groups.
Monty Haul - games where the party’s loot haul far outweighs the risks they have to take to get it. Named after Monty Hall, host of “Let’s Make a Deal.”
Mook - See Minion.
Munchkin - a player who looks for loopholes and mix-maxing opportunities in the rules to build overpowered PCs. This term is often used as an insult.
N
Named NPC - an NPC who has more importance to the game than a typical mook or minion. They get an actual name.
Narrativist - a game with an emphasis on dramatic events in which the player takes an active role and develops sympathy toward its outcomes.
Narrator - see Game Master.
Natural - the result of a die roll before any modifiers are applied. A Natural 20 usually results in a critical success, while a Natural 1 is often a fumble. Also can be shortened to Nat 20 or Nat 1.
Nerfing - making changes to a rules element to make it significantly less powerful. Can be used to restore balance to a broken rule.
Newbie/Noob/n00b - a player/GM who is new to RPGs.
Non-Player Character - any character in a world who is not controlled by a player. NPCs are typically always controlled by the GM with the exception of player “pets” or hired help.
NPC - short for Non-Player Character.
O
Old School/Old School Renaissance (OSR) - a movement among players of tabletop roleplaying games and Dungeons & Dragons in specific that takes its inspiration from the very earliest editions of D&D.
One-Shot - an adventure designed to be played in a single gaming session. Often One-Shots are accompanied by pre-generated characters in order to get the game started quicker.
OOC - short for Out of Character.
Opportunity Attack - See Attack of Opportunity
Out of Character - anything done or said by a player that is not done or spoken in-character. Asking the GM for rules clarifications is done Out of Character.
P
Paperclip - a player that constantly reminds the GM of the rules. Also known as “Clippy” for short. This nickname is derived from Microsoft Office’s annoying Office Assistant paperclip icon.
PBeM - short for Play-by-Email. An online RPG completely played via email.
PbP - short for Play-by-Post. An online RPG usually played on a forum with everyone taking turns posting actions for the other players/GM to see.
PC - short for Player Character. These are the heroes (or anti-heroes) of the adventure. PCs are played by the players, not the GM.
PHB - short for the Player’s Handbook for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.
Play-by-Post - An online RPG usually played on a forum with everyone taking turns posting actions for the other players/GM to see.
Plot Hook - events or situations the GM describes to get the players involved in the adventure.
POD - short for Print on Demand. Even with the advent of tablets and the proliferation of PDF gaming resources, many still like the printed page. Small publishers often cannot mass produce print versions of their materials, but do provide Print on Demand services.
Point System - an RPG system where players work from a pool of points to purchase character abilities. Theoretically the games are more balanced this way.
Power Creep - the tendency for sourcebooks and add-on materials to steadily increase the power of player characters in a given RPG. These add-ons often mesh in ways not anticipated by the original core rules resulting in broken combinations of abilities.
Pre-gen - short for pre-generated character. A character that is created by the GM, usually to use in a one-shot or convention game.
Prep - short for preparation. The activities taken by GMs to prepare for their campaigns, sessions and encounters.
Psionics - powerful abilities triggered by the mind. Psionics usually function similar to spell casting, but are used in non-magic settings.
PvP - Player vs. Player. Depending on the GM and the system, some games allow players to attack other players.
Q
Quiver - a bag for holding arrows (included here because I couldn’t think up any other RPG terms that started with Q).
R
Railroading - a tactic used by GMs to force the players along a certain story path. It’s frowned upon in standard campaigns, but is often a necessary evil with Con games to keep everybody “on track.” A game that completely goes sideways to what the GM anticipates is said to be “going off the rails.”
Random Encounter - an encounter that occurs randomly, usually via a die roll. It was not written into the adventure path from the start.
RAW - short for Rules as Written…doing things by the book.
Redshirts - derived from Star Trek. Redshirts are friendly NPCs who have little purpose other than to die.
Referee - see Game Master.
Retcon - short for retroactive continuity. Retconning is the alteration of previously established facts in a game. Basically an oops, I should have done this earlier or I didn’t mean to do that.
RP - short for Roleplay.
RPG - short for Roleplaying Game. A game in which players take on the role of fictional characters as part of a shared story line.
Round - a specific unit of time (usually a few seconds) that is important to Combat. Rounds limit the number of actions a character can take, and make sure all parties have an opportunity to act in turn.
Roleplay - the act of taking on the role of a player. Roleplaying can use either 1st person dialog or actions/dialog described in the third person…”Keung leaps up on the table, yells out ‘You are all garbage!’ and unleashes a flurry of blows at the gangsters.”
Roll-Play - a derogatory insult used to describe players who are only focused on combat and loot grabbing. As in “you’re not roleplaying, you’re roll-playing.”
Rules Heavy - an rpg system that has many rules and modifiers to determine the success or failure of actions.
Rules Lawyer - a player who knows the rules inside and out, but often uses his knowledge in a disruptive manner to argue with the GM.
Rules Lite - Having few rules, these types of games depend on player and GM fiat to be successful.
Rule Zero - Roleplaying games are entertainment; your goal as a group is to make your games as entertaining as possible. If that means breaking the rules temporarily, or permanently as a house-rule, then so be it.
S
Sandbox Game - a game type where players are given free reign to explore and interact with the setting. This type of game is player driven, and requires an independently motivated player group to be successful.
Save/Saving Throw - a roll made to avoid a negative effect.
Social Contract - an agreement between a group of players and the GM (often implicit) that guides the action.
Splat Book - a sourcebook that provides further class options and setting information. Most often splats are focused on PC options.
Splitting the Party - a situation where the PC party splits up to tackle two objectives. Splitting the party can slow down the game, but at times is necessary…though often deadly.
Story Games - RPG games with more focus on dramatic story telling than rules focus or character leveling.
T
Tank - similar to the Meat Shield. A Tank can both take a beating, and also dish out tons of damage.
Target Number - the minimum roll needed to succeed on an action.
THAC0 - To Hit Armor Class 0. A term used heavily in AD&D - click here for more details.
Third-party - publications created for an RPG by someone other than the current publisher.
To-Hit - the target number needed to hit an adversary.
TPK - Total Party Kill. The entire party is wiped out by a single combat encounter. Ooops.
Transhuman - an RPG centered around the ideas of transhumanism - the concept that eventually genetic engineering and cybernetics will allow humans to modify themselves to extreme degrees.
Trope - commonly recurring themes, motifs or clichés in creative works or games.
U
Uber - extremely powerful.
Unbalanced - a rule that is overpowered, but not so much so that it is broken. Often results in a little “nerfing” by the game publisher to bring it back into balance.
V
Vancian Magic - A magic system in which a spellcaster must study for a daily allotment of spells and forgets what he studied as he uses the spell. First used in Dungeons & Dragons and a staple of early RPGs. The term is named for Jack Vance, who developed the magic system for his Dying Earth novels.
Virtual Tabletop - a program or website that allows players and GMs to play together online. Virtual Tabletops include a mapping/token system as well as a way to roll dice and have them visible to all players.
W
Wandering Monster - a creature or threat that the players randomly come into contact with resulting in a Random Encounter. Old School games often included wandering monster tables for wilderness journeys and dungeon crawls.
Whiff - a very bad failing roll. Can result in a fumble.
Worldbuilding - the act of creating a fully fleshed out homebrew setting.
X
XP - short for Experience Points.
Y
Why aren’t there any terms that start with “Y”
Z
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…
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