In the new hobby of MeinMMO editor Sophia Weiss, she fights alongside orcs, infiltrates pirate ships, and brews potions – and all of that in the real world. But what is LARP anyway, and how does it differ from pen & paper? We have the answers!
I have some strange hobbies and have reported on these a few times on MeinMMO. For example, about my visit to the One Piece Gym in Tokyo (working out for the Pirate King!) or my odyssey into working with epoxy resin.
As a fulltime nerd, I am also a passionate role player. I discovered Dungeons & Dragons in 2017 thanks to Critical Role and have since taken a few trips into Call of Cthulhu or the Avatar pen & paper game.
Since 2022, however, the meeting at home
and worshiping the dice gods
has not been enough for me. No, I need more. And that’s why I started with LARP, Live Action Role Playing. But what exactly is that?
From Tables and Dice to Battles with Foam Weapons
At its core, LARP is like pen & paper. But of course with differences: The players are dressed as their characters, everything happens in real time, and they rarely sit at tables and roll dice.
In essence, many enthusiastic role players meet at LARP in fancy costumes and create events that are a mix of festival, medieval market, and real-life game.
Of course there are not only (high) fantasy settings: If one wishes, they can enjoy themselves at vampire conventions or delve into the (zombie) apocalypse. There are events for every genre.
So: One experiences the adventures of their own hero in a very real way and is also responsible for portraying the character. However, since LARP is a collaboration between several players, game masters, and non-player characters (NPCs), you are not usually the main character.
For instance, one does not take part as Arthas from World of Warcraft, but rather as a somewhat lesser-known adventurer with their own backstory. Some also choose a culture that appeals to them – for example, Vikings may come from the Skellige Isles in the Witcher universe. Or one is a hobbit who has taken a wrong turn in search of the best leaf for their pipe.
Possible locations are diverse and chosen based on the size and type of the event. Many medieval or fantasy events are held in suitable restaurants or even castles. Apocalypse events, on the other hand, often take place in old factory sites or on former military grounds. The larger events like Drachenfest or Conquest of Mythodea in Germany, however, have a festival character with large camping areas and battlefields.
The games are led by a usually multi-member management team that takes care of the organization. They brief the NPCs. These are also portrayed by people, but as a real NPC equivalent, they only have the agenda set by the management, usually not one of their own – think of the nice tavern owner or the lord handing out quests.
While tabletop games take place at home at the table, in LARP worlds which most only ever imagine, suddenly come to life. And that with a lot of commitment, fun, and energy.
Trying LARP – What Do I Need for It?
No matter if you are on a one- or multi-day event: You need an outfit, a character name, and a concept. Once you know what kind of person or being you want to embody, you can get the appropriate clothing and equipment for it – whether bought, borrowed, or improvised, it doesn’t matter.
A knight, for example, will pay attention to noble clothing and, of course, armor. On top of that, weapons like sword and shield, with which they will adequately go into battle.
Yes, fighting does occur in LARP. But for safety reasons, no real swords are used in battle, but padded weapons. Thus, most fighters usually just come away with bruises. Important: It’s better for the weapon to break than your leg. One should only ensure that everything is safe – improvisation should generally be avoided.
Anyone portraying a character with specialization must be able to portray it. For example, I play an alchemist. Accordingly, I carry an alchemy lab with me. Part of my play at the LARP involves brewing potions of all kinds. This needs to be portrayed, for example, with baking soda volcanoes, color tests, and smoke effects.
Magic users face a similar problem: Anyone who wants to cast spells must have the appropriate incantations ready. Then there is the question of how to portray it – some whirl blue cloths for water magic or throw a red-dyed Styrofoam ball as a fireball. There are no limits to creativity, as long as no one gets hurt.
Each character gets a kind of character sheet similar to D&D: It states, for example, which armor one can wear and which weapons one may wield. Or also whether certain abilities have been learned.
It is also established how many hit points a character has. Unlike in D&D, these are not about 50, but rather 2, and in exceptional cases even 3. Depending on the rule set, armor points may be added, but these only absorb hits to the armor. In my experience, however, the vast majority do not take the hit points too seriously.
If you have a basic wardrobe and all optional accessories that belong to your character, you are ready for your first LARP. The major events in Germany include Drachenfest in Northern Hesse, Epic Empires in Saarland, and Conquest of Mythodea in Lower Saxony.
While large conventions have the advantage that you can fully immerse yourself and gather your first experiences, you do not always get much of the active plot. Weekend events or one-day LARPs are much smaller and offer more opportunities to actively participate right from the start.
But the easiest way to dip in is through LARP tavern nights. Here, you don’t have to directly save the world, just the cake.
The large events are widely known. However, finding smaller ones in your area is often more difficult. It is best to Google or specifically look for groups and events on Facebook.
One last point: Depending on the event, a tent is needed. Those who absolutely want to camp in style and appropriately will have to use linen tents like at medieval markets. However, many events also allow you to sleep on the edge of the camp with regular tents. So you don’t have to spend a fortune for a dry place to sleep.
For the big convention vibes, here is the trailer for Drachenfest 2025:
LARP for Beginners – Here’s How It Works
Once you are at your event, there is a common signal for going IT
. IT is the abbreviation for In Time, meaning the game world or game time. I am going IT now
means the person is now in their role and can be addressed as their character’s name.
Going OT
is the opposite: Going Out of Time
. Whoever is not playing (break, sleeping, going to the restroom, etc.) is accordingly OT and is addressed by their own name. Those who are IT usually ignore OT people and vice versa.
Regarding going OT
: There is no set signal for it. Those who need to go somewhere walk to the edge of the camp and thus leave the IT area. Or one retreats to the tent and is simply not there
. Essentially, one shows they are OT by moving around the playing area or leaving politely.
The LARP community is generally very friendly, and people watch out for each other. However, if things get too wild, one can definitely signal IT or OT that it is too much: Oh Mother
is a common signal at Drachenfest for Hey, it’s getting too crazy for me, please tone it down
. And should a fight escalate and someone gets hurt, one should definitely always ask for a medic.
Before you start, one last point: You do not win LARP. There is no king of Drachenfest. It’s not about being the prettiest, coolest, or best.
No More 100 Question Marks? Quests in LARP are Simple
In LARP, it’s about telling stories. Having a good time. Giving each other opportunities to shine. Trying out cool new things. And yes, now and then, a monster must also be defeated – together. Of course, one can also go on an ego trip. But that will never be as much fun as questing together.
One of my favorite tasks so far was a total side story: While collecting herbs in front of the casino, I was approached by the matriarch of the establishment. Because I seemed competent to her, she asked me to give her son marriage counseling.
He had apparently messed things up badly with his wife – the divorce was imminent! After an in-depth conversation with me and my IT sister, he wanted to try again to convince his wife. The mission was a success, and we were rewarded.
On the side, I also sneak into other camps, gently knock out opposing guards, and help with banner stealing at 3:00 AM. When the next morning you hear your fellow campers questioning how the second or even third banner ended up in our camp overnight, you do feel a sense of pride.
In reality, I am an editor. Sneaking around at 3 AM elsewhere rarely happens. One also gives marital advice much less often. And I catch myself even less frequently brewing a healing potion.
LARP gives me the chance to live out my wildest dreams and fantasies. And for that alone, it has become my favorite hobby. Not to mention that it has now started two more hobbies for me: Because I wanted a leather armor, I made one myself. And to ensure I wouldn’t look so amateurish on the battlefield anymore, I’m now training sword fighting at the club (HEMA). But more on that another time.
I have nothing else to add about LARP itself. Everything else is learned when you are on site – from the other players or from the respective rule set. So pack your adventure backpack, throw on the cloak, and let’s go! And if you need a bit of inspiration for a fitting character, you can find it here: 5 strong backgrounds from Dungeons & Dragons in the ranking that make your backstory advantageous in the game
