Godmoding

Godmoding covers a lot more matter than usually given credit for. It's a term used in many forms of roleplaying (Be they table-top, forum, IM, etc.) for any of the following problems:

1) When a character knows information that they shouldn't - this information could be taken from a forum they aren't supposed to have accessed, the user's prior knowledge on a subject (usually in fanbased RPs that follow a timeline), outside conversations about characters, or anything along those lines.

2) When a player takes control of another player's character (this is negated if there is some form of mind control involved, but even still permission for actually moving the character should be discussed). A common, though often accidental, version of this is when a character attacks another character and they explain that the other character was hit, not giving that person a chance to let their character dodge.

3) When a character is somehow invincible - if there's a GM, good luck getting this character through to the end. Everyone has weaknesses, your character should be included.


Should anyone out there still not get it - Godmoding is a bad thing.

In a written RPG, this refers mostly to a player controlling another player's character without permission or trying to rewrite the plot to suit themselves. In written RPGs, the owner, ie the person who started the thread in the forum, has control of the plot unless he/she gives permission.

This is something often done by noobs.

Creating a godmodder in a chatroom rpg.

Taking control of another person's character on a role-playing forum or chatroom. Sometimes done by mistake, when a player believes another player's character was doing something they weren't. Can also be used to refer to using out-of-character knowledge (information the player has that their character shouldn't) to gain an in-character advantage, though this is more accurately described with the term metagaming.

Godmodding and godmoding are often mistaken for being the same word or concept. However, godmoding (or power gaming) is, in fact, a separate concept with its own, distinct meaning.

To control another person's roleplaying in an Internet forum or chat room.

To abuse "God-mode" cheats.

To generally be a controlling asshole.

A common cheat in shooter video games, allows the player to be invincible.

When one plays a character that can never be destroyed, harmed, etc. The character, however, can hurt and/or kill the other characters without giving the other characters a chance.

This is highly illegal in most, if not all, roleplays.