THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH

You can do ANYTHING.

That’s it. That’s the secret. Your character can attempt literally anything you can imagine. Whether it succeeds, fails, or creates unexpected consequences is determined by the dice, your roleplay, and the Dungeon Master’s judgment—but the choice is always yours.

Want to pick up a rock? You can do that. Want to seduce the dragon? You can try. Want to call upon a god for divine intervention? Go ahead. Want to punch the king in the face during a formal audience? Nothing stops you.

The only limit is your imagination. The results might be spectacular success, catastrophic failure, or something wonderfully unexpected—but the decision belongs to you alone.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR ROLE

What the Player Does

You are the decision-maker. You control your character’s:

• Choices — What you decide to do
• Actions — How you attempt to do it
• Words — What you say and how you say it
• Reactions — How you respond to events
• Personality — Who your character is and becomes

No one else makes these decisions. Not the DM. Not other players. Not the rules. You.

What the Dungeon Master Does

The DM is the world. They control:

• The Environment — What exists around you
• Other Characters — How NPCs think, act, and respond
• Consequences — What happens because of your choices
• Narration — Describing what you see, hear, and experience
• Difficulty — How hard things are to accomplish

The DM does not control your character. They do not decide what you do. They simply respond to your decisions by showing you what happens next.

The Dance Between Player and DM

1. DM describes the situation — “You stand at a crossroads. To the left, smoke rises from a distant village. To the right, the road continues toward the mountain pass.”
2. You decide what to do — Anything. Go left. Go right. Sit down and wait. Dig a hole. Climb a tree. Set fire to the signpost. Pray. Scream. Do a rain dance. Drink the mead you stashed and dance as the village burns, robbing anyone who passes by. Call upon a god to save the village. Take a nap. Whatever you want.
3. DM narrates the result — Based on your choice, your roleplay, any dice rolls, and the logic of the world.
4. Repeat forever — This is the entire game. That’s it, that is the secret to playing a TTRPG.

WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO

The Five Questions

When you’re stuck, ask yourself these questions in order:

The Five Questions

1. What Does My Character See?

Listen to what the DM has described. What’s actually in front of you?

• People?
• Objects?
• Dangers?
• Opportunities?
• Exits?
• Mysteries?

Often, the answer to “what should I do?” is already in the scene. The DM has placed things there for a reason—or randomly, which can be even more interesting. Do not be afraid to ask for more details or clarification on something the DM has described or mentioned.

2. What Does My Character Want?

In this moment, what is your character trying to accomplish?

Immediate wants:

• Survive this fight
• Get information from this person
• Find the hidden treasure
• Escape this room
• Protect my allies

Longer-term wants:

• Personal goals or vices
• Selfish pursuits or heroic intervention
• Complete the quest
• Get revenge on the bandit chief
• Earn enough gold to buy a home
• Discover what happened to my family
• Become powerful enough to challenge the guild
• Escape this hell of your own creation
• Retire and profit

Your character’s wants drive their actions. If you know what they want, you know what they’d try to do.

3. What Does My Character Know?

Consider what information your character has:

• What have you learned so far?
• What skills does your character have?
• What resources are available?
• What has worked before?
• What has failed before?

Your character might know things you’ve forgotten. Flip through your notes. Check your character sheet. Remember past conversations.

4. What Would My Character Actually Do?

This is where personality matters. Given everything above:

Your character isn’t you. They might make different choices than you would. That’s part of the fun. Keep your character’s goals and personality in mind when making decisions, get into the roleplay of who your character is and step into their mindset. You can be anyone.

5. Is This a Moment to Break Pattern?

Sometimes characters surprise themselves. Maybe your cautious rogue finally snaps and charges into danger to save a friend. Maybe your greedy merchant gives away their fortune to help refugees. Maybe your noble paladin makes a morally questionable choice for the greater good.

These moments of character growth are often the most memorable. Ask yourself:

• Has something happened that would shake my character’s usual approach?
• Is there emotional pressure that might override normal behavior?
• Would this be an interesting moment for growth or change?

You don’t have to break pattern. But knowing you can opens up possibilities.

THE DECISION FLOWCHART

When paralyzed by options, follow this path:

YOUR RESOURCES

Before deciding, consider what you have available:

On Your Character Sheet

• Attributes — What are you naturally good at?
• Skills & Talents — What have you trained to do?
• Equipment — What tools, weapons, and items do you carry?
• Spells/Abilities — What special powers do you have?
• Languages — Who can you communicate with?
• Background — What experience do you bring?

In the Moment

• Allies — Who’s with you? What can they do?
• Environment — What’s around you that could help?
• NPCs — Who might assist, bargain, or be persuaded?
• Information — What do you know that others don’t?
• Time — Are you rushed or can you plan?
• Position — Where are you? Is it advantageous?

Often Forgotten

• Your voice — You can always try talking
• Retreat — Running away is a valid choice
• Creativity — The environment is full of possibilities
• Cooperation — Other players might have ideas
• Asking the DM — “What does my character notice?” is always valid

DEVELOPING YOUR CHARACTER’S PERSONALITY

Starting Simple

You don’t need a complete psychology profile. Start with basics:

Three Words: Pick three adjectives that describe your character.

When stuck, ask: “What would someone who is [word], [word], and [word] do here?”

Refer to the Character Personlity Guide to further develop this.

The Core Questions

Answer these about your character:

1. What do they want more than anything?
2. What are they afraid of?
3. What would they never do?
4. What would they always do?
5. How do they treat strangers?

These five answers will guide most decisions.

Letting Personality Emerge Through Play

You don’t have to know everything about your character at the start. Personality develops through choices:

• The first time your character faces a moral dilemma, their choice reveals their values.
• The first time your character is betrayed, their reaction reveals their temperament.
• The first time your character fails badly, their response reveals their resilience.
• The first time your character must choose between friends and goals, their priority reveals their heart.

Pay attention to what you choose. Those choices ARE your character’s personality, building itself through play.

Personality Can Change

Characters aren’t static. Events change people. Your character might:

• Become harder after too much loss
• Become softer after experiencing kindness
• Develop new fears after trauma
• Overcome old fears after triumph
• Shift priorities after revelation
• Question beliefs after contradiction

When something significant happens, ask: “How does this change my character?”

You don’t have to change. But you can. The choice, as always, is yours.

THERE IS NO WRONG CHOICE

Embrace Consequences

Every choice leads somewhere. “Wrong” choices often create the most interesting stories:

The game isn’t about making optimal choices. It’s about making YOUR character’s choices and seeing what happens.

The DM Adjusts

The world responds to you. If you go left when the DM expected you to go right, they adapt. If you talk when they expected you to fight, they roll with it. If you do something completely unexpected, they improvise.

You cannot “break” the game by making unusual choices. You can only make it more interesting.

No One Judges Your Decisions

Not really. Other players might have opinions about tactics, but your character’s choices are yours. The DM might be surprised, but surprise is fun. The dice might not cooperate, but that’s drama. Don’t hesitate to do something exciting and wild in the moment, there is no right or wrong.

Make the choice that feels right for your character in that moment. Everything else follows.

PRACTICAL TIPS

When Combat Freezes You

If you don’t know what to do in a fight:

1. Attack the nearest threat — Simple and usually effective
2. Protect the weakest ally — Heroic and useful
3. Use your best ability — You have it for a reason
4. Take cover and observe — Learn the battlefield
5. Do something unexpected — Throw sand, flip tables, shout distractions
6. Prepare for further actions — Strategically place your character for support

Any action is better than no action. Even “bad” tactical choices keep the game moving.

When Social Situations Freeze You

If you don’t know what to say:

1. Ask a question — People love talking about themselves
2. State your intention — “We’re here looking for information about...”
3. React honestly — “My character looks suspicious/interested/confused”
4. Let someone else lead — “I hang back and observe”
5. Be direct — “What do you want from us?”

You don’t have to be clever. Your character can be awkward, blunt, or silent.

When Exploration Freezes You

If you don’t know where to go:

1. Pick a direction — Any direction creates story
2. Investigate the obvious — Check the door, examine the object
3. Follow your character’s interest — What would they be drawn to?
4. Ask the environment — “Is there anything that stands out?”
5. Split up or stay together — Both create different stories

There’s no “right” path. There’s only the path you choose.

When Everything Freezes You

If you’re completely stuck:

1. Say “I don’t know what my character would do” — It’s honest and opens discussion
2. Ask “What are my options?” — The DM can list some possibilities
3. Default to personality — Fall back on your three words
4. Do something small — Any action breaks paralysis
5. Be Silly — You can always choose to bring some comic relief to the table
6. Take a breath — It’s okay to think. Ask for a moment.

THE SECRET

The secret to never being stuck is this:

Something is always better than nothing.

Picking up a random object? That’s something. Saying “hello” to a stranger? That’s something. Looking around the room? That’s something. Asking “what do I notice?” That’s something.

Small actions lead to bigger actions. Movement creates momentum. The game only stalls when everyone stops.

So when in doubt: do something.

Anything.

The dice will handle the rest.

QUICK REFERENCE

The Core Loop

1. DM describes situation
2. You decide what to do (ANYTHING)
3. You describe your action
4. DM narrates results
5. Repeat

When Stuck, Ask:

1. What do I see?
2. What do I want?
3. What do I have?
4. What would my character do?
5. Is this a moment to surprise myself?

Remember:

• You can do ANYTHING
• There is no wrong choice
• Only decisions, consequences, and story
• The DM doesn’t control you
• Your character is yours alone
• Personality develops through play

Veteran Adventurer’s Wisdom

Action beats paralysis