Godmodding and All of its Different Forms (WIP)

We get a lot of members of varying skill and experience when it comes to RPing. Some of them already know the do's and don'ts of RPing, some of them don't know it, and some them know that there are some things they shouldn't do, but they just don't know the specifics of them. This topic is dedicated to listing, and explaining, all the different types of godmodding, just for those who need more information, or those who do them and need to be shown not to do them again. I will even provide an explanation as to how to avoid doing these things.

Please note that this is a changing list and I will edit it occasionally to add things, as there might be things I forget to mention.

Godmod Type #1: Controlling Other Characters


Defintion: This is the act of controlling a character that you personally did not create, and as such, you should have no business in controlling that character.

This is usually the most often seen type of godmodding in RPing that I have witnessed. It is self-explanatory, as you can see by the title, but I will explain it anyway. The only characters a person can control, unless stated otherwise or given permission, is their own character. In some cases, they can freely use NPC's to their leisure without anyone making a fuss, but sometimes, they can't even control NPC's.

Occasionally, a person could be given permission to control another character, and in some cases, if they're given permission by said person that controls the specific character, or they are given permission to control an NPC by a member of staff, this can be considered fine. However, before trying this, make sure to get all the specific things you can, and can't, do with them.

Controlling Type A - Auto-Hitting

Definition: This is the act of performing an attack on an enemy, and typing it out in a way where you automatically hit them.

From all the RP sites I've been to, this is perhaps the most common type of godmod I've seen, aside from another one that I'll explain later down the line. By automatically hitting your opponent, you are doing two things. First, you are actually taking control of their character and preventing them from performing any actions, or in short, controlling their characters. Secondly, you are preventing them from having a chance to react, thereby ensuring that they will lose.

This is a huge no-no, as one of the biggest aspects of a text-based RPG, is being able to control your own actions, and do what you want, at least as long as it is within the site's rules. By auto-hitting someone, you are essentially taking away their own freedom.

How To Avoid Doing This:

This is one of the easiest things to avoid, via proper typing. The way to avoid this is quite simple. Type out your response in a way that it gives your opponent a chance to react properly. For example, instead of saying something like 'Jason punches him/her in the face', you say 'Jason attempts/goes to punch him/her in the face'.

See how easy it is? Instead of saying you hit them, say you attempt to hit them, and problem solved. The only time it is ever considered acceptable to auto-hit, is if the person you're fighting with gives you permission to do so. Unless you get permission from the other person, or people, in the topic though, never do this.

Controlling Type B - Preventing an Action

Definition: The act of responding to a character where in you respond by stopping them from performing an action they did.

This is not as common when it comes to controlling characters as auto-hitting is. It's far from rare, but it's not common, so I would rank it as uncommon, at least in all the godmodding I've witnessed over my six years of RPing. As the definition, it is the act of stopping someone in your reply from doing something that they did in an earlier post.

For example, let's say your opponent takes out a Pokeball and throws it. You cannot say such things like 'Jason grabs their arm before they can grab the Pokeball, stopping them'. This is, again, a version of controlling a character, and in some cases, it can actually be a form of auto-hitting. You cannot cancel out an action someone made, only respond to it. If people were allowed to do this, there would never be any action, or fighting in RP whatsoever.

Instead, all the conflict that there is, would be nothing more than a non-stop case of one person doing something, only for the other person involved to entirely stop them, and thereby leaving the both of them trapped with nothing to do, and nowhere to go. Needless to say, this would make things very boring, very quickly.

How to Avoid Doing This:

This is something that is even easier than not auto-hitting someone. Simply don't type anything out that could lead to you stopping them from doing anything. Let them perform an action, and then you simply respond to that action, whether it is dodging, or blocking, but never prevent them from performing an action they already typed out, as that would be a form of controlling their characters.

Controlling Type C - Automatic Touching

Definition: This is a type of auto-hitting, but strictly in a non-violent manner, where they touch someone automatically without giving the other person a chance to respond.

As the definition says above, it is a type of auto-hitting that lacks violence. Like, say in a romantic sense, where you stroke their cheek or hug them without giving them a chance to properly respond to it in turn. While some might not consider this is a big deal, it is still taking away the other person's chance to respond, which means this is controlling their character, which also means you are godmodding.

While this is very light, and isn't likely to cause any serious trouble or spark outrage from an RPer, it is still godmodding in a fashion, and as such, it deserves to be put on this list.

How to Avoid Doing This:

Avoiding this is just as simple as avoiding auto-hitting someone. Instead of saying something like 'Jason strokes her cheek', say something like 'Jason reaches out to her, attempting to stroke her cheek'. It is that simple.

Controlling Type D - Bunnying

Definition: The act of controlling a PC(Player Character) that isn't your own for the sake, whether is for the purpose of manipulating a story to go the way you want it to, or for the sake of moving a plot along.

Quite simply, Bunnying is the act of directly controlling PC that was created by someone else merely for manipulation of a story that goes how you want it, or merely to continue the story. This is complete, and total, control of someone else's character, the most direct and official type of Character Control. Like all the others, this is never done, unless the person controlling someone else's PC was given explicit permission for it.

How to Avoid Doing This:

Avoiding this is quite simple. When you mention another character, simply don't have them do something. Don't have them think, say, breathe, or anything that involves manipulating them. If it isn't your character, don't have them do something. That's all that needs to be said.

Godmod Type #2: Impossible Knowledge

Defintion: The act of a character having knowledge that should, logically, be impossible for them to know without time, effort, and investigation.

Basically, this is a type of godmodding where a character has knowledge of something they logically shouldn't have any knowledge of. A character knowing everything, or being able to realize things about a person from such things as mere guesses and only theories, is completely ridiculous, not to mention completely unrealistic. No matter what medium, to have a character possess knowledge they didn't get in a realistic manner, is completely unfounded, and impossible.

Knowledge Type A - Metagaming

Definition: The act of where an RPer uses OOC (Out of Character) Knowledge in an IC (In-Character) manner.

This is unforgivable, and it is usually the most common type of Impossible Knowledge I've seen from people. To provide an example of this, let me explain a scenario to you. Let's say I happen upon a discussion on the cbox, or in one of the OOC forums about a plot to kill one of my characters, like Hakudoshi as an example. I then use the knowledge of who's gonna attack, and with which characters, as well when and how they're going to attack, and I give Hakudoshi that knowledge so he can avoid it.

That is pretty much a prime example of Metagaming. To my knowledge, that has never been allowed by anyone before. If it has, I've certainly never seen it be allowed. Naturally, this is something that should be avoided at all costs.

How to Avoid Doing This:

It's quite simple, if you happen upon knowledge like that, never use that in an RP. Even if you desperately want to avoid such a thing happening, as I'm sure all of us do, to use that knowledge to get around by giving it to your character is something that should not, and never will, be allowed.

Knowledge Type B - Learning Things Through Unrealistic Methods


Definition: The act in which a characters learns of something through ways that are, quite frankly, impossible, illogical, and ridiculous.

The title is VERY self-explanatory. Anytime a character learns something, it has to be a legitimate, plausible manner. Learning something with as little explanation, or none at all, and claim it is under the guise of a 'guess', is not fooling anyone. Learning of events, or of people, that aren't well-known and there is little-to-no general information about, through anything unrealistic does nothing but annoy others.

Like, using some sort of PDA to look up information on a person, only to find information that is something that a person would not reveal is rather annoying. You don't get to 'guess correctly' or any such nonsense like that. Your character cannot know everything, they have to learn like everyone else. There is no discussion, and no exceptions.

How to Avoid Doing This:

This one is very easy. Simply have your characters learn through things, like reading a book, or even just talking to people and asking them questions about subjects you want to know about. Like, for example, if a character is flustered, and your character asks whether or not they are, and

Knowledge Type C - Unfounded and Unrealistic Predictions

Definition: The act of using illogical, impossible, and unrealistic methods to find things out about anyone or anything.

This one I've seen come up almost as much as the other two things on this list. It involves someone, at some point, taking something very trivial and mundane, like the way a person walks, to even how they style their hair, to make guesses on things like how they fight, what their temperament is, etc. This is one of the most unrealistic, and downright laughable, things that someone could do in order to 'learn' about someone in one of the cheapest, unfathomable methods possible.

No, you cannot do this. The only way way to truly learn about something is to experience it, or if what you want to know is so public and so widely known that you could come across it easily and without any real effort. The only thing this does is take away another person's advantage for the sake of making it easier for the other person to win. No, you will not do this, and if you do, we will make sure you change it.

How to Avoid This:

The only way to avoid this is, like the one above it, to simply learn, ask questions, fight them, things like that. You know, have your character learn of these things in plausible ways.

Knowledge Type D - Knowing Names

Definition: The act of knowing the name of a PC (Player Character), or some type of item, animal, or such that your own character has never met before, or has no prior knowledge about.

This is the least harmful, and least annoying, form of Impossible Knowledge that crops up a lot, but doesn't really do any harm. Simply put, your character should not be able to know the name of another character, or of any item or animal without meeting them, having no prior knowledge of, or even overhearing a conversation that mentioned the identity of the things I listed. Unless the knowledge of these things, the person you're mentioning, is common and can be easily accessed by anyone, chances are, you are not gonna know a person's name, or an item or weapon's identity.

How to Avoid Doing This:

Avoiding this is quite simple. If it's a person, approach the person themselves, and ask them what their name is. If it's an animal or an item, do some research and cross-reference things, like an appearance or something, until you come across the information you're looking for.