Thanks for reading another Willow's Roleplay Perks Lesson! #4 is about Occupations, read below for more information.
[bg=#2A734F]
The Main Concept
[/bg]
For group roleplays mostly, occupations are a great side plot for your players to do when the main plot is not being pursued at that time. Occupations are jobs that your player's characters can do in your roleplay's setting. When using occupations in your roleplays, remember to make them correlate with your plot in some way. Occupations are designed to give your player's characters something to do besides jump from plot point A to plot point B. Which brings me to how occupations are performed in a forum roleplay. Basically, the GM will conduct a post about the Employer of that Occupation giving the job to the character. The character will then have to reply to the roleplay with a post describing the character doing the duties of that specific occupation. I would say it is up to the GM to decide how often you have to post doing that occupation to get rewards. Below I will give several examples of Occupations and explain more about giving your player's rewards for In-Character occupation roleplaying.
[bg=#2A734F]
Examples of Occupations
[/bg]
There are many different types of occupations for each genre. When you are creating occupations for your roleplay remember the genre and plot of your roleplay at all times so they work coherently together. I will give several examples below of Occupations you could have for a roleplay:
MODERN SETTING: Fast Food Worker - Your job is to make fast food for others. Gas Station Clerk - Your job is to sell gas and convenience items to customers. Cell Phone Expert - Your job is to sell the trending cell phones to potential buyers.
LOW FANTASY SETTING: Life Supporter - Your job is to allow vampires to feed off of your blood to support their life. Fortune Teller - Your job is to predict fortunes. Scenery Guide - Your job is to guide new werewolves into the forest for various places to change.
HIGH FANTASY SETTING: Beast Hunter - Your job is to hunt down the dangerous and magical beasts of the land. Magic Reader - Your job is to understand and "read" the magic in the world. Keeper of the Dragons - Your job is to understand and keep all the magic and information about dragons.
GENERAL SCIFI SETTING: Station Commander - Your job is to transmit other stations messages and command your own station. Terra Specialist - Your job is to roam from planet to planet to research their features. Asteroid Controller - Your job is to create nanobots that go into asteroids and control their course of travel.
POST APOCALYPTIC SETTING: Junker - Your job is to salvage old material from wreckage's. Radiation Scientist - Your job is to discover what effects the radiation has on the world and people. Safe Haven Leader - Your job is to lead the remaining peoples and bring them together in a safe haven.
I find that occupations are a fun way to give your player's something to do and to earn extra stuff In-Character! Below is more information about giving your player's characters rewards for doing their occupation in a post.
[bg=#2A734F]
Rewards for Occupations
[/bg]
If you like to use multiple perks at once in your roleplay than Occupations pair nicely with; Experience & Leveling Systems, and Knowledge & Ability Points. For example, if you have a leveling system and occupations you could reward your characters experience for doing their occupation in a post. As well, you could also give them knowledge or ability points to spend on traits later.
Secondly, the main thing a GM can give their player's for posting is a form of Currency. Usually one that is pre-established in the roleplay setting some way. Usually, I would make the amount of currency the player gets determined by how difficult the job is for the character. Having a currency also means your character's can buy things in markets as well, so make sure that you adjust the reward currency for Occupations to be suitable for the market prices! With currency, also comes supplies that your character might need in the plot. When your player posts their character doing their occupation, the employer might also give them supplies and things to aid them in the story. In my opinion, this could also be considered a form of reward. But, having it by itself is a little…"bare". ^.^
My favorite reward to use with others, is pushing the character hints for the plot within a GM post. Not exactly heralding them to the next plot point specifically, but dropping secrets that could be useful for the character or exciting to know for the plot. This is a fun way to spice up your roleplay and keep your player's hanging on!
Also, as a small note: Perhaps on the side the bond between the employer and employee could form some kind of relationship beyond coworker? But maybe not a real reward but something to think about? :D
Thanks for tuning in, the next roleplay perks will be about Inventory Slots!
