Roleplaying
Games
Real Men, Real
Roleplayers, Loonies and Munchkins
By Jeff
Okamoto, Sandy Petersen, and lots of others The whole thing started around
1983 or so at a party at Pacificon at the Dunfey Hotel in
San Mateo in which the idea came up of classifying the
different styles of roleplaying. They came up with four
different types, which are explained below. Special
credit goes to Perry Caro, Chris Guthrie, Rick Heli,
Robert Allen, and Ken Kaufman, to name a few.
BASIC PLAYER TYPES
The Real Man
The tough macho type who walks up to the attacking dragon
and tells him to leave before he gets hurt.
The Real Roleplayer
The intelligent cunning guy who tricks the constable into
letting you all out of prison.
The Loonie
The guy who will do anything for a cheap laugh,
including casting a fireball at ground zero.
The Munchkin
Need we say more?
PLAYER
RELATIONSHIPS
REAL MEN:
Real Men think they're brothers in arms.
Real Roleplayers hide behind them.
Loonies harass them with stupid suggestions.
Munchkins say "I'm a Real Man, too!"
REAL ROLEPLAYERS:
Real Men protect them, on the off chance they may come up
with something useful.
Real Roleplayers sigh with relief to know they're not
alone, and then get their characters involved in love
affairs and death feuds.
Loonies harass them with stupid suggestions.
Munchkins say "I'm a Real Roleplayer, too!"
LOONIES:
Real Men ignore them.
Real Roleplayers sometimes harass them back by taking a
stupid suggestion and making it work.
Loonies declare a pie fight at 20 paces ... and cheat.
Munchkins try to imitate the jokes, and fall flat.
MUNCHKINS:
Real Men attack them on sight.
Real Roleplayers trick them into being cannon fodder.
Loonies make reasonable-sounding suggestions that will
get the Munchkin killed in an amusing way.
Munchkins query, "What's a Munchkin?"
GENERIC
Favourite Fantasy
RPG:
Real Men play AD&D.
Real Roleplayers play RuneQuest III.
Loonies play Toon.
Munchkins play anything by TSR.
Favourite Science
Fiction RPG:
Real Men play Star Trek: The Roleplaying Game.
Real Roleplayers play Space Opera.
Loonies play a variant Spawn of Fashan.
Munchkins play anything by TSR.
Favourite 1920's
RPG:
Real Men play Gangbusters.
Real Roleplayers play Call of Cthulhu.
Loonies play a very variant Spawn of Fashan.
Munchkins play anything by TSR.
Favourite Super
Hero RPG:
Real Men play Champions.
Real Roleplayers play Superworld.
Loonies play an extremely variant Spawn of Fashan.
Munchkins play anything by TSR.
Favourite modern
day/spy RPG:
Real Men play James Bond, 007.
Real Roleplayers play Justice, Inc.
Loonies play an unrecognizable variant Spawn of Fashan.
Munchkins play anything by TSR.
Favourite
Post-Holocaust RPG:
Real Men play Twilight 2000.
Real Roleplayers play The Morrow Project.
Loonies play an extremely unrecognizable variant of
Spawn. of Fashan.
Munchkins play anything by TSR.
Favourite King
Arthurian RPG:
Real Men play Chivalry and Sorcery.
Real Roleplayers play Pendragon.
Loonies play a variant of Spawn of Fashan so variant it
shouldn't be called Spawn of Fashan anymore.
Munchkins play anything by TSR.
Favourite
Cyberpunk RPG:
Real Men play Cyberpunk 2020.
Real Roleplayers play SLA Industries.
Loonies play a variant of Spawn of Fashan on the
computer.
Munchkins play anything by TSR (and they thought
Shadowrun was a TSR game).
Favourite Gothic
RPG:
Real Men play Vampire the Dark Ages.
Real Roleplayers play Vampire the Masquerade.
Loonies play a variant of Spawn of Fashan with false
teeth dripping with ketchup.
Munchkins play anything by TSR. (Ravenloft)
Favourite
World/Setting:
Real Men play in Greyhawk/Sanctuary.
Real Roleplayers play in Glorantha.
Loonies play in Southern California.
Munchkins play wherever has the most magic items.
Favourite Gaming
Magazine:
Real Men read The General.
Real Roleplayers read White Dwarf.
Loonies read the last few pages of Dragon/comic books.
Munchkins read anything by TSR.
FANTASY
Favourite Dungeon
Activity:
Real Men fight Red Dragons.
Real Roleplayers bluff the Ogres.
Loonies tell dirty jokes to Green Slime.
Munchkins do whatever gives the most experience/rip each
other off.
Favourite Melee
Weapon:
Real Men use Broadswords/Bastard Swords/Pole
Axes.
Real Roleplayers use Rapiers and Main-Gauches.
Loonies use Stage Knives.
Munchkins use whatever gives the most plusses.
Favourite Thrown
Weapon:
Real Men throw Spears/Javelins.
Real Roleplayers throw Bolas.
Loonies throw their friends' magic items.
Munchkins throw whatever gives the most plusses.
Favourite Missile
Weapon:
Real Men shoot Long Bows/Composite Bows.
Real Roleplayers shoot Crossbows.
Loonies shoot Catapults loaded with offal.
Munchkins shoot whatever gives the most plusses.
Favourite
Improvised Weapon in Barroom Brawl:
Real Men use bare hands/tables.
Real Roleplayers use chairs, chair legs or pokers.
Loonies use plastic Pepsi bottles or toothpaste.
Munchkins use, you guessed it, whatever gives the most
plusses.
Favourite
Improvised Thrown Weapons:
Real Men throw Munchkins (can you blame them?).
Real Roleplayers throw beer mugs, pool balls and rocks.
Loonies throw Nerf frisbees.
Munchkins are too busy running from the Real Men/Whatever
gives the most plusses.
Favourite
AD&D Spell:
Real Men cast Fireballs.
Real Roleplayers cast Find the Path.
Loonies cast Otto's Irresistible Nose-Picking.
Munchkins cast Smite Ruler and Transfer Loyalty of
Populace.
Favourite RQ3
Spirit Spell:
Real Men cast Bladesharp 10 on their swords.
Real Roleplayers cast Demoralize on their foes.
Loonies cast Befuddle on their friends.
Munchkins cast Fireball.
Favourite RQ3
Sorcery Spell:
Real Men cast Dominate Human on others.
Real Roleplayers cast Damage Resistance on their
familiars/themselves.
Loonies cast Dominate Human on themselves.
Munchkins cast Meteor Swarm.
Favourite RQ3
Divine Spell:
Real Men cast Berserker on themselves.
Real Roleplayers cast Heal Body.
Loonies cast Face Chaos on the Crimson Bat.
Munchkins cast Timestop.
Favourite GURPS
Magic Spell:
Real Men don't use magic, but they'll let the
mage cast Hawk. Flight on them so they can pursue the
foe.
Real Roleplayers cast Lend Language on the strangers they
meet.
Loonies cast Mystic Mist in the town square.
Munchkins cast Enslave on the city guard.
Favourite
AD&D Psionic Ability:
Real Men use Body Weaponry.
Real Roleplayers use Shape Alteration.
Loonies use Sea Anemone Hypnosis.
Munchkins use Assume Godhood.
Favourite
Alignment:
Real Men are Lawful Good.
Real Roleplayers don't use alignment.
Loonies are Amoral Silly.
Munchkins are whatever gives the most plusses.
Favourite
Religious-type Character:
Real Men play Paladins.
Real Roleplayers play Clerics.
Loonies play street preachers.
Munchkins play Demigods.
Favourite
Non-Human PC:
Real Men play Dwarfs.
Real Roleplayers play Morokanths.
Loonies play a Dwarf-Elf halfbreed.
Munchkins play whatever gives the most plusses/Demi-gods.
Favourite Undead
to Summon:
Real Men summon Ghosts.
Real Roleplayers summon Wraiths.
Loonies send in an AD&D troll wearing a sheet.
Munchkins summon Cerberus.
Favourite Way of
Extracting Information from the Goblins:
Real Men torture them.
Real Roleplayers cast Legend Lore/Telepathy/Mind Read.
Loonies tell puns to them.
Munchkins peek behind the GM's shield.
Favourite
Demon/Devil:
Real Men like Asmodeus.
Real Roleplayers like Cacodemon.
Loonies like Spiro Agnew.
Munchkins like Satan's grandfather.
Favourite God:
Real Men worship Humakt/Orlanth.
Real Roleplayers worship Issaries/Lhankor Mhy.
Loonies worship Hare Krishna.
Munchkins worship whoever gives the most plusses.
Favourite
Miscellaneous Magic Item:
Real Men love Adamantine Claws.
Real Roleplayers love Repulsor Rays.
Loonies love Radioactive Teeth/+3 Kleenex.
Munchkins love Uru's Hammer.
Favourite Potion:
Real Men drink potions of Superheroism.
Real Roleplayers drink potions of Animal/Plant Control.
Loonies drink potions of Jell-O.
Munchkins drink potions of Deity Control.
Favourite Ring:
Real Men wear rings of Elemental Control.
Real Roleplayers wear rings of Free Action.
Loonies wear rings of Smurf Control.
Munchkins wear rings of Infinite Wishes/the One Ring.
Favourite Stick
(Rod/Staff/Wand):
Real Men wield staves of Striking.
Real Roleplayers wield wands of Healing.
Loonies wield rods of styrofoam.
Munchkins wield staves of Deity Power.
Favourite armour:
Real Men wear Plate Mail.
Real Roleplayers wear Elven Chainmail.
Loonies wear Horse Barding.
Munchkins wear powered armour a la Starship Troopers.
Favourite Helm:
Real Men wear a Helm of Brilliance.
Real Roleplayers wear a Helm of Telepathy.
Loonies wear a Helm of Blindness (``Works great against
medusas'').
Munchkins wear a Helm of 360-Degree Vision with Force
Field.
Favourite Shield:
Real Men don't use shields (can't wield a
two-handed weapon).
Real Roleplayers use a Kite Shield.
Loonies use a panty shield.
Munchkins don't get the previous joke/use a Shield of
Automatic Parry.
Favourite
Glove/Gauntlet:
Real Men fight bare-handed.
Real Roleplayers wear Gloves of Dexterity.
Loonies wear the Glove of Michael Jackson Charisma.
Munchkins wear Gauntlets of Infinite Ring-Wearing.
Favourite
Footwear:
Real Men wear Seven League Boots.
Real Roleplayers wear Boots of Stealth.
Loonies wear house slippers.
Munchkins wear Boots of Infinite Speed.
Favourite Mount:
Real Men ride heavy war horses.
Real Roleplayers ride palfreys.
Loonies ride sheep.
Munchkins ride heavy war tyrannosauri.
Favourite NPC:
Real Men like Tarl Cabot.
Real Roleplayers like Medea.
Loonies like Doctor Who.
Munchkins like Darth Vader/Teela Brown.
Favourite Animal
to use as a Familiar:
Real Men have Black Cats.
Real Roleplayers have Owls.
Loonies have Slugs.
Munchkins have whatever gives the most plusses/Ancient
Red Dragons.
Favourite Kind of
Elf:
Real Men like the Pinis' elves.
Real Roleplayers like Tolkien's elves.
Loonies like Santa's elves.
Munchkins like Storm Giants with pointed ears.
Favourite Kind of
Dwarf:
Real Men like Tolkien's Dwarfs.
Real Roleplayers like Glorantha's Dwarfs.
Loonies like the Seven Dwarfs.
Munchkins like Earth Elementals with beards.
Favourite Food to
take on Expeditions:
Real Men bring along burgers, fries, milkshakes,
and pizza.
Real Roleplayers bring along iron rations.
Loonies bring along Froot Loops/aluminum rations.
Munchkins bring along whatever gives the most plusses.
Favourite Fantasy
Author:
Real Men read J.R.R. Tolkien Lord of the Rings.
Real Roleplayers read Robert Asprin's Thieves' World
series.
Loonies read Robert Asprin's Myth series.
Munchkins read E. Gary Gygax.
Favourite Fantasy
Series:
Real Men read David Gemmell's Drenai series.
Real Roleplayers read Fritz's Leiber's Fafhrd and Grey
Mouser.
Loonies read Terry Pratchett's DiscWorld.
Munchkins read Dragonlance Chronicles and believe that
the Lord of the Rings is a copy of the Weis and Hickman
series.
Favourite
Warrior/Fighter/Swordsman:
Real Men like Conan the Barbarian.
Real Roleplayers emulate the life of Elric of Melnibone.
Loonies wonder if Rohan the Librarian could face Sauron.
Munchkins think Thor is beneath them and would prefer an
amalgamation of Siva the Destroyer, Odin and Sauron all
rolled into one.
Favourite
Wizard/Enchanter/Mage:
Real Men like Gandalf.
Real Roleplayers are in love with Morgan le Fay.
Loonies shouts Shazam! at everyone.
Munchkins worship the unholy symbiosis of Raistlin and
Sandman and model their characters after it.
Favourite Magic
Sword:
Real Men wield Excalibur.
Real Roleplayers accept their destiny with Stormbringer.
Loonies show the magic middle finger.
Munchkins wield Chainsaw of Instant-Kill in one hand and
a Lightsabre named God-Bane in the other.
When they
encounter a sleeping dragon:
Real Men wake it up and THEN attack it.
Real Roleplayers sneak away quietly.
Loonies tie its shoelaces together.
Munchkins have their 34th-level thief backstab it with
their +17 Sword of Slay Anything, and then put all its
treasure in one backpack and run away.
Favourite Town
Activity:
Real Men drink ale in the tavern and start bar
fights.
Real Roleplayers drink wine in the tavern and talk to
everyone.
Loonies order watermelon daquiris and start food fights.
Munchkins say ``What's a town?''
SCIENCE FICTION
Favourite Science
Fiction Weapon:
Real Men use Laser Pistols/Blasters/Light
sabres.
Real Roleplayers use Stun Guns/Tanglers.
Loonies use Thermonuclear Hand Grenades/Tripod Flamers.
Munchkins use whatever gives the most plusses.
Favourite Method
of Handling Alien Monster:
Real Men drive off the Bug-Eyed Monsters
invading the Earth
Real Roleplayers negotiate with the refugees from the
evil Empire.
Loonies hitch a ride with Vogons.
Munchkins invade the BEMs' home planet and enslave them
all.
Favourite Science
Fiction Movie:
Real Men watch the Star Wars films.
Real Roleplayers watch 2001: A Space Odyssey / 2010:
Odyssey Two.
Loonies watch The Three Stooges Go To Mars.
Munchkins watch the Star Trek films.
Favourite Method
of Space Travel:
Real Men use Hyperspace/Warp Drive.
Real Roleplayers use suspended animation.
Loonies use the Infinite Improbability Drive.
Munchkins push the button and it goes.
Favourite Star to
Put a Colony Around:
Real Men colonize Beta Lyrae.
Real Roleplayers colonize Alpha Centauri.
Loonies colonize Cygnus X-1.
Munchkins colonize wherever gives the most plusses or the
Death Star (with the ventilation shaft sealed of
course!).
Favourite Science
Fiction Author:
Real Men read Isaac Asimov.
Real Roleplayers read Arthur C. Clarke.
Loonies read Bored of the Rings/Doon/Hitchhiker.
Munchkins read E. Gary Gygax.
Favourite
Monster:
Real Men like the Alien.
Real Roleplayers like the Moties.
Loonies like the beach ball from Dark Star.
Munchkins like E.T.
Favourite Variant
Human:
Real Men play Heavy Worlders.
Real Roleplayers play Light Worlders/Spacers.
Loonies play Sex Androids.
Munchkins play Enhanced Humans with all the advantages.
MISCELLANEOUS
Favourite Bar to
Hang Out In:
Real Men hang out at the Vulgar Unicorn.
Real Roleplayers hang out at the White Hart.
Loonies hang out at the Big Bang Burger Bar/Restaurant at
the End of the Universe.
Munchkins hang out wherever they don't get carded.
Favourite
Superhero:
Real Men like Batman (The Dark Knight).
Real Roleplayers like Jericho.
Loonies like Bat-Mite/Flaming Carrot/Cutey Bunny.
Munchkins like Galactus.
Favourite Modern
weapon:
Real Men use .44 Magnums.
Real Roleplayers use Walther PPKs.
Loonies use water pistols.
Munchkins use Infinite-Repeating Uzis.
Favourite Actor:
Real Men like John Wayne.
Real Roleplayers like Robert DeNiro.
Loonies like Mr.Bean (Rowan Atkinson).
Munchkins watch Saturday-morning cartoons.
Favourite
Actress:
Real Men like Nicole Kidman.
Real Roleplayers like Adrienne Barbeau.
Loonies like Phyllis Diller.
Munchkins are far too young to know about Sex.
Favourite Actor
to play James Bond:
Real Men like Sean Connery.
Real Roleplayers like George Lazenby.
Loonies like David Niven.
Munchkins like Roger Moore.
Favourite Card
Game:
Real Men play Gin.
Real Roleplayers play Bridge.
Loonies play Fizzbin/Fungus and Fruitbats.
Munchkins cheat at Poker and has all the first edition
cards of Magic the Gathering.
Favourite Music:
Real Men listen to Bruce Springsteen and would
like to have his haemorrhoids.
Real Roleplayers listen to 14th-century madrigals.
Loonies listen to Weird Al Yankovic.
Munchkins watch MTV for Michael Jackson.
Favourite
Magazine:
Real Men read Soldier of Fortune and argue about
whether the ads are real.
Real Roleplayers read the Journal of Abnormal Psychology
and argue about the point value of disadvantages.
Loonies read National Lampoon and bitch about how it's
gone downhill.
Munchkins read comic books and argue about whether
Spider-Man should have married MJ.
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