Father Lance's RP Guide

A special thanks goes out to Father Lance for creating this guide to roleplaying.



Roleplaying 101 – A Beginner's Guide to Character Development and Writing Flashes.



Introduction.



When I joined a federation in The Wrestling Game
for the first time, I found that many players are not very familiar
with roleplaying, and want to learn what it's all about. Being
experienced with many kinds of roleplaying, I decided to write an
introduction to the issue for those who are not. In The Wrestling Game,
you can, and definitely should, join a federation when you reach level 5
(or 4 for supporters), and federations are by far the best arena for
roleplaying in the game. This guide is therefore written with federation
use in mind.



In The Wrestling Game, roleplaying is not
only entertaining, it is also useful for your wrestler. Many federation
managers explicitly look for roleplayers when they hire
their staff, and someone who roleplays is almost always given a better
contract than those who do not. A roleplaying text made in a forum or on
a mailing list is popularly called a «flash», because its most common
form is a short clip of film starring your wrestler presenting his
message to the world.





Contents so far.



Part 1: Character development and writing flashes



Part 2: List of personality trait suggestions



Part 3: Flash samples



Part 4: More on gimmicks, and ten gimmick examples



This
guide reflects my own views, and not necessarily those of The Wrestling
Game's developers, GMs or staff. I also collect a lot of inspiration
from my fellow in-game wrestlers, so occasionally, I borrow details from
them that I find especially creative or amusing. I also apologize in
advance to female players and female characters as I will mostly be
using the pronouns «him» and «his» in this text. If anyone is unhappy
about this, feel free to beat me bloody in-game. In fact, you're welcome
to if you like it as well.



Part 1: Creating a character and writing flashes



What is roleplaying?



Roleplaying
means creating a character and living out his life in written text.
Roleplaying is dependent on people working together, reading what other
characters do, and reacting to it if it has an interest to your own
character. To be able to do this, you first need to decide what kind of
character you're playing.





Developing your character



When
breathing life into your character, you want to think of as many
details as possible to make him interesting and unique. If you're not
like all the others, players will notice you and what you say and do. If
they do, they are prone to respond to your roleplaying contributions,
which is what makes roleplaying fun! Exploring the following topics is a
good place to start.



Alignment: Is he a good guy (baby face), a bad guy (heel) or something in between?



Appearance:
How does he look? Does he have scars, tattoos, or piercings? How does
he prefer to dress? What ethnicity does he have? Hairstyle? Perhaps his
looks reveal something about his past or match his personality?



Personality:
What kind of person is he? Serious or playful? Organized or fussy?
Emotional or stone faced? Friendly or reserved? Trustworthy or
treacherous? In a follow-up post, I'm going to list a whole bunch of
personality traits (borrowed from the Lord of the Rings RPG game). If
you're not feeling very creative, or do not have time to think of
something yourself, you can simply pick some of them and go from there.
Also, what values does your character have? Does he have a catchphrase
or motto he follows?



Biography: What brought your
character into wrestling? Does his history bring him an edge on the
competition? Does he have something to prove, a message to spread,
something to avenge, and so on? Your character's history is very
important when you roleplay, because it helps you find appropriate ways
to behave in different situations. A character who has been betrayed
before is likely to be very angry with someone who is not loyal to him. A
character who is used to being poor might be very focused on the
financial aspects of wrestling success. Spice up your character's
history! Make it interesting! Keep in mind that if your character is too
incredible, he might look silly to others, but this is okay, because
being silly is a common, and often entertaining gimmick all in itself.



Advantages
and Disadvantages: Does your character have special strengths and
weaknesses outside of the ring? For instance, is he a social person or
awkward around other people? Does he have a secret that bothers him, or
something from the past that he cannot let go of? Be creative. If you
cannot think of anything, look to typical soap operas and the kind of
conflicts you find in them. After all, basically, wrestling is soap
where the actors get to bash each other's brains out! Keep in mind that
you WANT other players to attack you, and giving them a hint of what
they might use against you might inspire them to take a shot at you. If
they do, GREAT! That means you get to shoot them back! Many times if you
want to. A good feud is not settled with one match.



All
of these things make up your wrestler's gimmick. Keep in mind that your
gimmick can be changed at any time. For instance, in real wrestling,
you'll find wrestlers switching from face to heel or vice versa, and
changing their gimmicks as it suits them (or the storyline writers
anyway).





Ripoff wrestlers



Whatever
you do, please don't copy a real life wrestler. Why would you want to
be Hulk Hogan when you can be YOURSELF, living the life of a great
wrestling star? Feel free to collect inspiration from real wrestlers,
but do not try to BE them. Use your imagination - that is what
roleplaying is all about!



If you have given your
character the name of a real wrestler and do not care about roleplaying,
that is fine. However, if you want to roleplay, you should either find a
federation where people actually play real life wrestlers (I don't know
whether there are any), or (my suggestion) reset your wrestler and
start anew with a custom made, way more interesting character. In The
Wrestling Game, it IS possible to change your name, but the cost of it,
25,000 FE, is so high that most would not consider it.





The roleplaying itself – writing flashes



You
have given your character a personality and a motive for doing what he
does. Now is the time for making use of it. A roleplaying contribution
(a "flash"), involves your character delivering a message to someone or
an opinion on something. The message can be to everyone else in your
federation, a group of wrestlers, or a single wrestler that you would
like to ally or feud with. The most important thing is what your
character says, but it does not hurt fleshing out your flashes to make
them interesting, not only to the recepients of your message, but to
everyone else who might be reading it as well.



A simple
flash stars your wrestler in front of the camera sharing whatever is on
his mind. A more advanced flash can describe your wrestler's whereabouts
and what he does there (lounging in a park, making a statement at a
press conference, doing paperwork in his million dollar office, etc),
his company (life partner, children, manager, physioterapist, street
gang, etc), his interest (acting, mountaineering, working out, etc).
What is suitable for your character? What kind of people does he
associate with? What activities does he indulge in outside of the ring? A
daredevil high-flyer might climb a mountain top and deliver his message
there. A dark and sadistic power tank might visit a friend in prison,
telling him all about his plans for his career, right in front of the
camera. Such scenarios make your flashes little stories instead of just
monologues. It's not at all necessary spending time on this if you do
not feel like it, but it will entertain your federation mates, and the
practice will improve your creativity and writing abilities with time.



If
you're feeling creative, but do not have a subject to write about,
that's okay too! A flash doesn't have to be about anything important. I
recently wrote a piece describing my wrestler, Father Lance Goodison,
handing over his old teddy bear to a little girl at an orphanage. It
wasn't to deliver a specific message. It was simply to show what kind of
person he is. This is helpful for your competitors in the federation,
because it gives them a lot of information about your character which
they can use when they interact with you. You'll find examples of
flashes with a message, and flashes without one further down.





The parts that make a flash



As I have mentioned before, a flash can have many different components. Below, I have listed some of them.



Dialogue:
If you want to make a statement, dialogue is the easiest way. You can
voice your messages without it as well, but that take more creativity on
your part.



Setting: Do you want to describe the
environments of your character? Environments can easily be used to
underline your character's personality or strengthen the message you
want to send.



Action: Is your wrestler engaged in some kind of interesting activity?



Other
people: Does your character interact with anyone? Is he speaking to a
sports journalist? Taking advice from an old wrestling star? Yelling at
his kids who are making a mess? Proposing to his soon-to-be life
partner? A simple flash will simply have the character presenting his
message to the federation's interviewer.





What you can and cannot do in a flash



Keep in mind the following issues when writing your flashes.



NEVER,
EVER abuse another player's character in your own flashes: This is very
important. You can trash talk and threaten other wrestlers, you can
stalk around their houses looking for them (even wanting to beat him
them up), or you can leave a message on their answering machine, but you
cannot actually describe attacking them, or humiliating them straight
to their faces. You cannot control another person's character, and you
cannot decide how he will react to something you do. After all, you
wouldn't want someone else abusing your character that way? This is of
course unless you have agreed on something with the character's owner.
If he says it is all right for you to attack him in his locker room, do
it! Nothing fires up a feud more than actual punches thrown. I
wholeheartedly encourage you to make contact with your wrestling
associates and discuss what your feud or alliance might be like and what
is allowed and not allowed. If you are given permission to use someone
else's wrestler, note this at the end of the flash ("Wrestler X was used
with permission from Player Y") so that other players do not
necessarily think they can do the same. If you must describe another
wrestler as part of whatever happens in your flashes, do it in way that
is either neutral or positive to the player controlling him. Make others
look good, and they do the same for you.



Stay in
character: Don't write about your Strength statistic being a whooping
26. Your character doesn't know this – he simply knows that he can tear
someone's head off if he wants to. If you bring the game's mechanics
into your roleplaying, you rip apart the magic of roleplaying that
allows you to BE a person in professional wrestling, not only for
yourself, but for everyone else as well.



Proof-read your
flashes: Somewhat correct spelling and proper grammar often helps your
message come through the way you want it to. Before posting your
flashes, eliminate mistakes you might have made when writing them to
avoid misunderstandings. Niv pointed out to me that most good text
editors tool will eliminate a lot of mistakes for you, and he's right!
Make use of them! Even some web browsers can correct the texts you
write. I use Mozilla Firefox, and it often helps me.



Part 2: List of personality trait suggestions



As
I have mentioned before, this list is borrowed from the old Lord of the
Rings RPG system (edited somewhat), where they've produced a nice
collection of personality traits for players to choose from. This is
helpful because it gets your imagination going, suggests options you
might not have thought of yourself, and saves you a bit of time.



The list follows below. Traits are listed along with their opposites. Consider it a tool for exploring what your character is like.





Personality traits



Sullen, Somber, Serious VS Lighthearted, Cheerful, Joyous



Merciful, Compassionate, Kind VS Uncaring, Mean, Ruthless, Cruel



Sober, Restrained, Moderate VS Unrestrained, Indulgent



Martyr, Over-protective, Protective VS Intimidating, Overbearing, Bully



Radical, Liberal, Open-minded VS Orthodox, Conservative, Reactionary



Loving, Friendly, Amicable VS Quarrelsome, Hostile, Antagonistic



Prudent, Patient, Cautious VS Impatient, Impulsive, Reckless, Rash



Extrovert, Outgoing, Talkative VS Reserved, Shy, Timid, Introvert



Meek, Modest, Humble VS Proud, Cocky, Pompous, Arrogant



Lazy, Idle, Easy Going, Laid Back VS Vibrant, Energetic, Enterprising, Ambitious



Respectful, Courteous, Polite, Civil VS Impolite, Rude, Insolent



Docile, Pliable, Cooperative VS Stubborn, Obstinate



Confident, Secure VS Nervous, Apprehensive, Daunted



Pacific, Nonviolent, Peaceful VS Aggressive, Hostile, Destructive



Charitable, Forgiving VS Vindictive, Vengeful



Benevolent, Generous, Giving VS Selfish, Greedy



Honest, Direct, Trustworthy VS Shifty, Deceitful, Dishonest



Honorable, High-principled VS Dishonorable



Loyal, Faithful, Reliable VS Treacherous, Disloyal



Lawful, Just, Upright VS Unreasonable, Chaotic, Corrupt



Moral, Ethical, Principled VS Immoral, Unethical



Pious, Devout, Religious VS Worldly, Profane



Utopian, Idealistic VS Practical, Pragmatic, Cynical



Gullible, Trusting VS Skeptical, Suspicious, Paranoid



Curious, Inquisitive VS Apathetic, Incurious



Focused, Attentive VS Distracted, Absent-minded



Continent, Chaste VS Lustful, Sleazy, Promiscuous



Quiet, Reserved VS Flamboyant, Boisterous, Loud



Valorous, Brave, Bold VS Timid, Cowardly



Passive, Detached, Calm VS Forceful, Enthusiastic, Excitable



Calm, Even-tempered VS Quick-tempered, Hot-headed



Sociable, Companionable VS Nonsocial, Antisocial, Cold



Optimistic, Upbeat VS Uncertain, Cynical, Fatalistic, Pessimistic



Creative, Inventive, Original VS Conformist, Uncreative



Tolerant, Open-minded VS Snobbish, Prejudiced, Intolerant



Disordered, Messy VS Orderly, Perfectionist



Tolerant, Understanding VS Envious, Possessive, Jealous



Dependent, Clinging VS Self-reliant, Independent



Part 3: Flash samples



I
will here present two sample flashes. My first sample is one involving
my character, Father Lance Goodison, giving a message to his federation,
as well as a few specific members on its roster to find someone to
interact with. This is the flash that introduced him to the federation,
and the messages are clear to all.



It is useful to
structure your flashes so that action and talking are easily separated.
For instance, you can put the action of your flash in italics, or
another color. Blue is a good choice. In the examples below, action has
been italicized, while the names of the people that speak are in bold.





Sample #1: Father Lance Goodison enters a federation



The
press conference is buzzing with activity. A few journalists have shown
up along with their cameramen, as well as many, many Crimson Flow
Wrestling Alliance fans. One of federation's new signings has invited
them all to the local church for a brief statement, and as the bustle of
people settles, you hear the soothing voices of a choir practicing
somewhere nearby. Father Lance Goodison, dressed in a simple pair of
jeans and a plain white shirt has taken a seat on a bench in front of
his visitors.



Lance: "Welcome to you all. I am happy to
receive you here, as this is a place where I have spent many of my
finest hours. In happy times, I have united lifetime partners and
welcomed babes into our world of wonder. In darker times, I have
consoled those in hurt, and begged the above for answers to questions
too complex for man to understand. As you might see, my life was once
quite different. Yes, I walk an unusual path, a path that I myself once
would have frowned upon, but which I have found later to be necessary.
Though love and understanding are far more powerful artillery, in the
face of evil, you must often use the simplest tools you have been given:
Your fists. And that is why I am here. The CFWA reeks of corruption. I
will stomp it out. I will bend it until it yields to the good that is in
us all. Atonement shall come.



Do I have anyone in particular in mind? I do not even know where to begin!



Zilla
Killa lives to bring pain and misery unto others. Not only does he
thirst for blood - he even has the nerve to claim to crucify others
before pinning them. The disrespect! The blasphemy! Zilla Killa is on my
list, and I can tell you right now, it will take time to squeeze the
sin out of that one.



In the same way, Dragonfly seems to
thrive on bloodshed alone. I have a hard time finding meaning in such
an existence. Perhaps I may reason with him. Perhaps I'll have to twist
his arm. Either way, I hope we'll find time to have this discussion
sometime. I look forward to discovering the complexity of his character.
If there is any.



The Management Planner is a misguided
soul. He is too caught up in himself to see what parts of life give true
joy. Believe me, it is not financial success or popularity. I will try
to tell him this, so that he may change his ways before he hits the wall
of disappointment. Yes, I almost consider it my duty, for a bringer of
good must often deliver messages of truth to those who do not see its
value. You may not appreciate it, Planner, but I will have patience with
you, and will aid you to a better life.



Last but not
least, I have seen The Liberty Rock, and his crusade against impurity.
It makes me shiver. Remember always that good intentions can turn bad
indeed when they are not backed up by wisdom. I shall study you, Liberty
Rock, and if you stray from the right path, I shall shove you back onto
it.



Although I see many a threat here, I see many more
friends. I foresee a great future for us all. I foresee harmony. Father
Lance is eager to initiate his mission. I shall heal your hurts."



Lance
Goodison smiles warmly to his audience. A few pictures are taken, and
journalists and fans alike are invited to enjoy a cup of coffee in the
church lobby.





The next sample is a flash that
delivers no message whatsoever. I wrote it simply because I felt like
it, and because I thought that "who knows, maybe someone will use it for
whatever purpose". Any seed you sow can grow into a great storyline. In
fact, I once introduced a young fan of my character to the federation,
and he was later attacked by my rival, which led to a great feud between
us.





Sample #2: Father Lance Goodison visits the orphanage



The
camera view changes to that of the insides of a home for orphans.
Children of all ages are running around shouting and playing, sometimes
chased by women in black and white robes shushing them. The camera zooms
in on a corner of the room, where Father Lance sits talking to a little
girl. As he looks at her, she hangs her head.



Amelia:
"Yes, Mr. Lance, I took Anthony's teddy bear. But see, I had to. He
isn't taking care of it. He isn't being very nice to it."



The
little girl sports an unhappy smile, and twirls at a strand of long
blond hair. Lance Goodison tries to frown, but smiles instead.



Lance:
"It is good that you're looking out for Anthony's teddy bear, Amelia.
But thing is, there is someone who needs your love and care more."



The
girl looks puzzled. Lance produces a brightly painted cardboard box,
presenting it to her. Hesitant, she pops open the lid and gasps. As if
handling something very tender, she lifts up a furry, white teddy bear.
It bears the marks of several repairs, and one of its eyes has obviously
recently been stitched back on. Lance Goodison smiles again.



Lance: "This is Tristan. His owner is grown up, and such a busy man that he cannot look after him all the time. But you can."



The girl hugs the teddy bear, eyes brimming with tears.



Amelia: "Tell the man that I will take good care of Tristan. Tell him thank you, and that he is safe with me!"



Lance pats her on the shoulder.



Lance: "He knows, child. You're a good girl!"



Father
Lance Goodison rises and steps toward a door. Before leaving, he looks
back, almost longingly toward the old, ragged teddy bear.





I
spent a bit of time on these flashes, because I have trouble letting
them go without proofreading them fifty times. That's what I do. You do
not have to spend as much time on them - often simplicity is the best,
and flashes are supposed to feel like fun, not work. Find your own
style. If you prefer short talk-to-the-camera sequences, great! If you
want to paint vivid pictures of what your character is doing, and work
on intricate dialogue spiced with all the tools of the trade of
communication, great! Find out what works for you and stick with it.
Although I have made quite a few suggestions as to what you can do when
you roleplay, my suggestions are but that: Suggestions. Everyone has
their own way of doing things, and if yours is to disregard everything I
write, that's good too! My hope is simply that I will get to see even
more roleplaying in the future, and that we will sustain a lively and
exciting roleplaying community in The Wrestling Game.



Part 4: More on gimmicks, and ten gimmick examples



Why spend time on your gimmick?



A
wrestler's gimmick is what makes him stand out from his competitors. It
is the very core of him. If someone reads of your wrestler's gimmick
and thinks “My character will want to wipe the floor with this guy!”,
you've hit the jackpot! For this to happen, though you need to be the
only one of your kind, so that when someone is inspired by your profile,
they'll harass your character, not someone else who resembles him. Look
at it this way: If you go to a party, and find three other guys wearing
the same shirt as you, you have a problem. Not only will you look funny
to the rest of the party goers, but you will also have a harder time
interacting with the people who share your look.



Luckily,
if gimmicks do collide, there's no need to panic. It happens all the
time, and it's not too hard to do something about. When my character,
Father Lance Goodison entered his first federation intending to be its
"cleanser" – the person who chases off its bad guys, he found that he
was not alone. His gimmick is common enough, so someone else had picked
it too. Fortunately, the two cleansers of the federation had very
different behaviors and views on life, so he got away with it. If you
find yourself wearing the same gimmick as some of your federation mates,
either change it entirely or add more details to your wrestler until
you stick out nonetheless.



Do of course feel free to
steal bits and pieces from the gimmicks of your favorite real life
wrestlers if you want to – they are our biggest inspiration. Don't be a
copy of them though.





Creating a gimmick



When
creating a gimmick, one way to go is to simply decide on a single thing
you want to have flavoring your character the most. Is it his job?
Perhaps he is a butcher, taking his profession and what comes along with
it to wrestling? Is it his view of life? Perhaps he is a religious
fanatic, pushing his beliefs on others and waging war on those who
refuse to be influenced? Is it his origins? Perhaps he belongs to an
unfairly treated minority who needs someone to speak for them? It can be
ANYTHING! When you've decided on the main concept of your wrestler, go
from there and add details you find appropriate for him. The butcher
might be a big, sombre man, peaceful when treated with respect, and
furious and destructive when provoked. Perhaps something in his past
made him suspicious of, and unfriendly toward other people – a betrayal
perhaps? Perhaps his wife left him for a younger guy, and now he hates
up-and-comers, and handsome competitors?



One trick when
trying to create an interesting gimmick, especially if it is supposed to
be humorous, is to choose gimmick elements that are in contrast to each
other. The results often amuse people into interacting with you. How
about the punk rocker who'll hum the tunes of boy bands when he thinks
nobody is listening? How about the kindergarten teacher who hates
children? The hulking mass of muscle who is afraid of mice? The preacher
who drinks himself hammered after sermons? The depressed clown? These
interesting twists can at the same time as entertaining your federation
mates, often attract them to attack you, because they are weaknesses
ready for them to exploit. If you are able to "lure" people into
harassing your wrestler because of his imperfections, congratulations!
Good job! Interesting storylines will come to you with no effort on your
part!



Ten gimmick examples



In
case you're not feeling creative, here are ten examples of wrestler
gimmicks to get your imagination going. Some are very common, almost
archetypes, while others are rarely seen. I have found inspiration in
the federation that I belong to, the CWFA (apologies to those who feel I
have used their characters). I'll toss in a frequency rating to
illustrate how often you might find these gimmicks in the world of
wrestling.



The avenger: Having been a peaceful and
dependable person, the avenger's life was abruptly turned around by some
kind of personal disaster. Perhaps he lost his job, perhaps his family,
or perhaps he lost his good name and reputation. In any case, the
incident and the consequences it brought was so unbearable that they
absorbed the avenger entirely. Eventually, he decided that the only way
of finding peace would be to get even. Whoever was behind his fall must
pay for what they did. Often, the avenger's blind hunger for revenge
makes him disregard everyone else, even if they want to help him. The
avenger ends his matches with especially violent moves, like the
"Destroyer DDT" and the "Payback Express". Frequency rating: Very common



The
buffoon: The buffoon dresses funnily, wearing clothes with bright and
mismatching colors. He seems simple to other people, and often, he
carries around with him some object that he is attached to, like an old
teddy bear or a poster of his favorite celebrity. Nobody knows why the
buffoon has landed in the world of wrestling, and it is not easy to get
the information from him. The buffoon lives in a world of his own, and
although mostly well-behaved, he'll pout like a child when he does not
get what he wants and will never give up his goals, not seeming to care
what the odds are that he will ever reach them. More powerful wrestlers
will be surprised and annoyed by how hard it is to break the buffoon, as
he'll keep getting up again and again even though surrender might be a
more reasonably and healthy option. The buffoon's most powerful moves
are called the "Peek-a-boo Punch" and the "Wedgie Lock". Frequency
rating: Uncommon



The businessman: Most often seen in his
office, and always busy keeping his company running smoothly. Never
without his cellular phone, he will often hold two conversations at
once, multitasking even in front of the camera. His secretary
accompanies him to the ring, and as the world of business is usually no
holds barred, she will not think twice about giving unsuspecting
opponents a taste of her steel briefcase. The businessman is efficient,
cool in stressed situations and has a wide network of friends and
associates who might help him out when he has gotten himself in trouble.
The businessman will finish his opponents with maneuvers flavored by
the world of economy, like the "Asset Buster" and the "Top Rope
Recession". Frequency rating: Common



The hounded
husband: Having married a no-nonsense woman with a strong will, the
hounded husband longs for any excuse to get away from taking out the
garbage and doing the dishes. However, whenever he's out and about, so
is she, deciding for him which fights to pick, and yelling at him to
keep his eyes off the blond on the front row. The hounded husband beats
up his opponents to please his wife, but is rarely complimented on his
efforts. If he wins a title belt, she will be happy to mind it for him,
and if he protests, she will remind her husband that he would be nowhere
without him. The hounded husband finishes off his opponent with the
"Chain Gang Shackle Choke" or the "Patronizer". Frequency rating: Very
uncommon



The maniac: The maniac is probably the most
dangerous character that you'll see in the world of wrestling. Being
entirely without compassion, empathy and respect for the health of other
people, you will often find the maniac rejoicing in the suffering of
others. Sometimes, he is even unable to control his urge to hurt others,
and will, unless kept on a tight leash, be the first wrestler to
seriously injure a competitor. The maniac is an enigma, and because
people are afraid of him, and because he cares little for speaking about
himself, others rarely discover what made the maniac who he is. What
they do know, though, is that when facing him in the ring, their entire
careers are at stake if they do not perform. The maniac will wreak havoc
on his opponents with finishers like the "End of Days" and the
"Mutilator". Frequency rating: Very common



The depressed
clown: The depressed clown is an interesting study. Once a fountain of
joy to all, he is now a broken man, his enthusiasm having been shattered
by some heartbreakingly tragic experience. Prone to break into fits of
crying during his performances, he now unnerves children more than he
entertains them, and his silly tricks no longer work the way they are
supposed to. The depressed clown is desperately trying to reignite his
love of life and knack for spreading happiness, but has yet to find the
inspiration that can make him forget his sadness. The depressed clown
masters moves like the "Joy Buzzer, and the "Tears of Joy". Frequency:
Very uncommon



The model: Beautiful and arrogant, the
model thinks of nobody but himself. The arena aisle is his catwalk, and
he takes his time walking it. Always with a mirror within reach, the
model makes sure he looks his best at all times, and he often insults
his opponents for their appearances or their lack of style rather than
for lack of strength. If he is especially self-absorbed, the model will
be rude even to his friends. The model wrestles as fashionably as he
dresses, and often pulls off visually impressive maneuvers. Nothing
infuriates the model more than having his hair ruffled by an ugly
opponent who has the upper hand. The model's stylish finishers, the
"Catwalk Drop" and the "Extreme Makeover" leaves the audience begging
for more. Frequency rating: Common



The Star Wars geek:
Dressed like his favorite jedi, the Star Wars geek is considered
ridiculous and unprofessional enough by his wrestling peers. He spends
much of his time revisiting old Star Wars movies or comic books, and
there is nothing he holds more dear than his impressive collection of
action figures, posters and other fan effects. If someone were to steal
any of it, he'll hunt them down, no matter what planet they hide on. The
Star Wars geek will usually be a baby face wrestler who considers
himself a person who others can rely on to keep order, and he will be in
strong opposition of anyone he believes has fallen to the temptations
of the dark side. Though they might not take him seriously, nobody would
want to be on the receiving end of the Star War geek's finishers, the
"Forceful Finale" and the "Jedi Driver". Frequency rating: Very uncommon



The
taxidermist: Comfortable mainly with his own company, and awkward
around people, the taxidermist is reserved and quiet. He will frequently
talk to the stuffed animals he keeps around himself, often having a
favorite or two among them who gets special attention. Not being the
sentimental type, the taxidermist often speaks of issues that others are
uncomfortable with, like the gory details of his trade, and what it
would be like to one day stuff a human being. The taxidermist will
collect his wins with moves inspired by his trade, like the "Embalmment"
or the "Roadkill Clothesline". Frequency rating: Very uncommon



The
old-schooler: The old-schooler longs for the old days of wrestling,
when wrestlers respected their peers, and everything could still happen
in the squared circle. He will often complain that wrestling has become a
ruthless business and that young whippersnappers do not see the value
of his experience. Often, he will take it on himself to teach
up-and-comers the ways of proper wrestling, and his quest for gold is
usually a quest to prove that he is still able and willing to dominate
his trade. The old-schooler will brandish moves like the "Veteran
Tribute" and the (cough) "Figure 4 Leg Lock". Frequency rating: Common



Still
not inspired? You'll find inspiration for gimmicks all around. As
mentioned before, our favorite real life wrestlers are the easiest to
imitate, but you can also look to ordinary people who interest or
impress you. Can you borrow their "gimmicks"? Remember that in wrestling
ANYONE can be a star, no matter their qualities or flaws, and often,
the most unlikely persons are the ones who become the most popular.