[Article] : How AI Can Be Used to Create a Custom Play-By-Post RPG

AI can significantly streamline and enhance the process of creating a play-by-post RPG, making it more accessible and exciting for both game masters (GMs) and players. Here’s how AI can be used for each stage of building and playing your custom RPG, using Aetheria: The Shattered Realm as an example.

1. World-Building and Lore Creation

AI can assist in generating detailed world descriptions, history, factions, NPCs, and more. By using natural language generation tools like ChatGPT, you can quickly create content that feels deep and immersive.

Example AI Prompt for World-Building:

“Generate a brief history of a world where floating islands were formed after a great cataclysmic event. Describe the ancient magic that caused the world’s fracture and the myth of the lost power that adventurers seek.”

Example Result:

“The world of Aetheria was once a unified continent, thriving with powerful magic and civilizations. However, a cataclysmic event known as the Shattering ripped the land apart, creating floating islands in the sky.

The event was caused by an ancient civilization’s forbidden use of magic, seeking to control the world’s very core. Now, centuries later, adventurers search for the ‘Aether Stone,’ a powerful artifact that could either restore the world or shatter it further.”

2. Generating NPCs and Factions

AI can create NPCs with names, motivations, and backstories in seconds. If you need unique NPCs with diverse roles, AI can help generate dialogue, personalities, and even side quests.

Example AI Prompt for NPC Generation:

“Create a faction of mystical scholars who reside on the floating island of Lysara. They seek to uncover ancient knowledge and hold key information about the lost civilization. Include the leader’s name, their goals, and a brief description of their base.”

Example Result:

“The Order of Lysara is a secretive faction of scholars dedicated to pursuing lost magical knowledge. Led by Archmage Elyria Var’ath, a brilliant but reclusive elf, the Order seeks to unlock the mysteries of the Shattering. Their base, the Celestial Library, floats above the island of Lysara, hidden by powerful wards and clouds. The Order believes that unlocking the secrets of the ancient magic will either heal the world or lead to its destruction.”

3. Character Creation

AI tools can help generate a variety of character backstories, designs, and attributes, ensuring no two characters are the same. AI can even suggest starting equipment and abilities based on class choices.

Example AI Prompt for Character Backstory:

“Generate a character backstory for a warrior who has lived most of their life as a mercenary. They are now seeking redemption after an event that caused harm to innocent people. Include their class, motivations, and personality traits.”

Example Result:

Name: Kaelen Stormblade
Class: Warrior
Backstory: Kaelen grew up on the streets, learning to fight in the brutal underbelly of the kingdom. As a mercenary, he worked for the highest bidder, often taking jobs that caused harm to innocents. His turning point came when he was hired to protect a village, only to be forced to watch as a rival group of mercenaries burned it to the ground. Now, Kaelen seeks redemption, using his sword to protect those he once would have exploited. His heart is heavy with guilt, but his resolve is unwavering.”

4. Action Resolution and Dice Rolls

AI can assist in generating action resolution mechanics by handling dice rolls and modifiers. Players can specify their desired action, and AI can calculate success or failure based on the system you create.

Example AI Prompt for Action Resolution:

“Calculate the result of an attack roll for a warrior with 4 Strength against an enemy with 5 defense. The player rolls a d6 and adds their Strength modifier.”

Example Result: “Roll: 4 (d6) + 4 (Strength modifier) = 8. The enemy’s defense is 5, so the attack succeeds and deals damage.”

AI tools can also handle complex checks like stealth, persuasion, or magic use, based on the character’s attributes and class abilities.

5. Combat and Initiative

AI can automate combat encounters, including tracking initiative rolls, determining actions, and calculating damage, making it easier for the GM to run encounters in a play-by-post format.

Example AI Prompt for Combat:

“Generate a combat encounter between a party of adventurers and a group of goblins. Roll initiative for each side and determine the outcome of the first round of combat.”

Example Result:

• Party Initiative Roll: Warrior (3), Sorcerer (5), Ranger (2)
• Goblin Initiative Roll: Goblin 1 (4), Goblin 2 (1)
• Round 1 Actions:
  • Sorcerer attacks with a Fireball: Rolls d6 = 6 (Success). Goblins take 4 damage.
  • Warrior attacks with sword: Rolls d6 = 2 (Failure). Misses.
  • Ranger attacks with bow: Rolls d6 = 5 (Success). Hits Goblin 1 for 3 damage.
  • Goblin 1 attacks the Sorcerer: Rolls d6 = 3 (Failure). Misses.
  • Goblin 2 attacks the Ranger: Rolls d6 = 4 (Success). Hits for 2 damage.

The AI can automatically track health points (HP), manage initiative order, and even suggest battle strategies for each side.

6. Magic System

AI can be used to generate spell descriptions, their effects, and the cost in mana. It can also handle spellcasting rolls based on the character’s attributes (e.g., Wisdom for Sorcerers) and modify the results accordingly.

Example AI Prompt for Magic System: “Generate a list of 5 spells for a Sorcerer character, including spell effects and mana costs. Include one healing spell, one attack spell, and one utility spell.”

Example Result:

1. Fireball – Deals 10 fire damage to all enemies in a 5-foot radius. Costs 5 MP.
2. Arcane Shield – Creates a shield around the caster, absorbing 15 damage. Costs 4 MP.
3. Mana Burst – Releases a burst of energy that deals 7 magic damage to a single target. Costs 3 MP.
4. Healing Touch – Heals 10 HP for a target ally. Costs 6 MP.
5. Teleport – Teleports the caster up to 50 feet. Costs 8 MP.

AI can help generate additional spell effects on demand and ensure they fit within the game’s lore and mechanics.

7. Encounters and Quests

AI can quickly generate quest lines, random encounters, and branching story paths based on the players’ current location or situation. This helps GMs keep the story moving without needing to pre-write everything.

Example AI Prompt for Quest Generation: “Generate a quest where the players are tasked with finding an ancient relic in a dangerous dungeon. Include obstacles, NPCs, and potential rewards.”

Example Result: Quest Name: The Relic of Eryndor
Objective: Find and retrieve the ancient Relic of Eryndor hidden deep within the Sunken Tomb.
Obstacles:

• Traps scattered throughout the dungeon (requiring Dexterity checks).
• Guardians of the Tomb, spectral warriors who can only be defeated with magic.
• A puzzle lock that requires solving riddles based on ancient knowledge (Wisdom check). NPC: Lord Eryndor’s spirit, who warns of the dangers but offers cryptic advice.
  Rewards: The Relic of Eryndor (a powerful artifact that grants the wielder control over time for a short period), plus gold and magical items.

Conclusion: How AI Enhances the Play-By-Post RPG Experience

By incorporating AI tools into your custom play-by-post RPG, you can speed up the world-building, character creation, encounter design, and more, making the game easier to run and more immersive for players. AI can take care of the heavy lifting—like rolling dice, generating lore, and managing NPCs—allowing you to focus on storytelling and guiding your players through epic adventures.

AI enhances creativity and can help GMs and players develop rich, engaging experiences in less time.

Whether you’re generating quests on the fly, crafting unique NPCs, or resolving complex magic systems, AI is an invaluable tool for both experienced GMs and newcomers alike.