Using Pro-Wrestling To Improve Your TTRPG Sessions.
Both Pro-Wrestling and TTRPGs are co-operative storytelling mediums.
They both weave similar stories of struggles and heroism and they tell them in much the same way. Of course, pro-wrestling doesn’t use dice and TTRPGs don’t include bodyslams.
But looking at how Pro-Wrestling tells stories can massively help your GM’ing and help make your stories more interesting and dynamic.
Heroes and Villains
In pro-wrestling characters are divided into two camps. Heels, the “bad guys”. And the Faces, the “good guys”.
Heels aim to get the crowd to boo them (this is often called “heat” in wrestling circles). However, a heel doesn’t want to be blindly hated.
They want the audience to hate them enough that they’ll buy a ticket to the next show in the hope they’ll get to see the heel getting their ass kicked.
Due to this, heels can’t just be evil without direction. They need to know how to make an audience hate them, while also keeping them engaged.
Thus, they must be three-dimensional and consistent in their villainy. Their evil needs to resonate with the crowd in such a way that the crowd will rejoice in their loss.
On top of this, a heel should always look like they could be beaten. Fans won’t buy tickets to foregone conclusions where they know who is going to win.
The crowd should always be on the edge, thinking that tonight is the night the face finally gets the big win, only for that hope to be dashed at the last moment.
Thus, when heels are in matches, they’ll often eke out a win via nefarious means. They could run away, get friends to help them, or blatantly break the rules.
The same is true of ttrpg villains. They have to be focused and consistent. They have to feel like characters as opposed to pantomime villains who kick puppies for no reason.
They must also seem like they can be beaten. Nothing demoralizes players faster than a fight that seems utterly hopeless. Dropping bread crumbs that suggest that the villain could be defeated helps motivate players to push forward.
Match Layout
Pro-Wrestling match layouts are also a good model for ttrpg action scenes.
A wrestling match aims to tell a story. Both an internal one and one that links into the grander narrative of a wrestler’s current storyline.
Matches are made up of “Spots”. Spots are big moments or major story beats. The end of the match, or “the finish” is its own special spot.
Picking the number of spots is very important. A match with too few spots will bore the audience. But one with too many will desensitize the audience, making it harder for other wrestlers on the show to get a reaction from the crowd.
This model is a good one for action scenes in ttrpg games. Think about what story each action scene is trying to tell and how that story links into the grander narrative.
Think about the major spots in the scene. In a ttrpg, a spot can be anything from an enemy using a special move or legendary action, something that changes the environment, or some a big spotlight moment for a certain character.
If you fill one scene with too many big spots, the players will grow tired and it will make all of the other scenes feel boring in comparison.
However, a scene with too few spots will feel like a slog to get through.
More Than One Way To Tell A Story.
Wrestling isn’t just the matches.
Microphone segments, skits, and other events play a major role in developing a wrestler’s character and their storyline.
The benefit of this is two-fold. Firstly, it gives the audience variety, preventing a show from becoming too repetitive. It also allows wrestlers to rest their bodies and avoid injury.
Of course, TTRPG characters can define their characters outside of action scenes. But keep in mind that there are all sorts of different scenes and situations you can throw them into.
Don’t feel restricted, let your imagination run wild!
Follow The Crowd
Even the best ideas may flop when they’re introduced to the crowd. Wrestling history is full of great ideas that just didn’t resonate with the live audience.
It is also full of people who became unexpectedly popular.
The same is true with TTRPG games. You never know what ideas will resonate with your players or lead to someone amazing. Be open and ready to run with your players’ reactions.
If they don’t like it, be ready to change or alter it. Sometimes things just don’t resonate and that isn’t anyone’s fault.
Jonathon Greenall is a freelance writer, artist, and tabletop roleplaying game designer who has written for CBR, Polygon, Nintendo Life, Gayley Dreadful, Enbylife, and many other publications. They have also published several popular and highly-praised tabletop roleplaying games including “You Have One Ability….The Ability To Fuck This Up,” “Macarons, Milkshakes, And Magic,” and “Wander Wizards.”
Jonathon has always been fascinated by media, from the big hitters to the small, obscure, and often overlooked titles that linger on the sidelines, capturing both the on and off-camera stories that make these shows so fascinating.
Jonathon is also a major anime fan, having been exposed to the medium through shows like Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena. Since then, Jonathon has maintained a passion for anime, watching most new shows each season and hunting down overlooked gems from previous ones.