Live Action Role Play

a type of game where a group of people wear costumes representing a character they create to participate in an agreed fantasy world. Uses foam sticks as swords, foam balls as magic and other props to create the games world.
www.nerolarp.com
www.nwlarp.com
www.larp.com
are examples of a LARP


by Tailanna September 19, 2003
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Live Action Role Play. A LARPer is someone pretending to be something they're really not.

In the 70's and 80's LARPs were people dressing up like dungeons and dragons for Renaissance Fair. Since the dawn of YouTube and social media, LARPs are the new psyops. People LARP on YouTube as Truthers, Christians, Social Justice Warriors, and civilians.
govLARP = agents of the government pretending to be civilians. Crisis Actors = LARPers.
LARPwars = two or more LARPers in a social media pseudo-feud.
"I was on my way to Tucson, to get back into the LARP, when I lost my wallet and had to turn back"
"There's no such thing as #PizzaGate, that's just a LARP to hurt one side of politics"
"That channel says they are crowdsourcing the truth but they are just LARPing as journalists"
by LARPist August 6, 2019
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A fancy name for playing pretend.
Pretend:
Kid 1: let's play that I'm a wizard and you're a magic goblin
Kid 2: Ok, pretend I have a wand too! *wooosh!*~
-long, complex game ensues-

LARP:
Adult 1: Hey man, let's LARP! I am the Alchemy Wizard
Adult 2: Ok! We'll be in the realm of Wizardania. I'm the Gnome of Royal Order. I have a fire wand~
-long, complex game ensues-
by ichigodesuka September 28, 2009
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1) Basically children's make-believe but for adults. Often augmented to a significant extent in which there are costumes, props and setting elements specifically designed for it. Funnily, the adults will take the make-believe far more seriously than the kids, who—at the end of the day—will come back to reality.

2) An internet phenomenon where the anonymity of the internet allows individuals to masquerade as any identity as they so please, with a central theme surrounding it (often a controversial one). There is no real motive for LARPing other than "for the lulz" or "for the aesthetic". LARPing is similar to trolling in a way, but fundamentally different. In fact, you could LARP around as a troll, thus creating a double-walled identity.

In both forms of LARPing, the degree of immersion can range from frivolous to completely involved.
SENSE 1: "So I was just going for the usual hike in the backwoods until I was suddenly startled by these medieval-dressed men with toy swords who leaped out of the bushes yelling some weird phrase"

"Sounds like they were LARPing"

SENSE 2:
a) Tyler likes to LARP as a dream smp fan for the experience, but really he has no interest in it.
b) Some (but not all) of the conspiracy nutjobs down in the YT comments section are just LARPers who do it for the lulz.
c) Danielle often LARPs online as a dude with the pronouns he/him. In actuality, Danielle is a girl and identifies as she/her, but being a guy feels more exciting to her.

d) "Take the comment sections in The Hollywood Reporter with a grain of salt, the users there are known to LARP as trolls"
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Live Action Role Play (n)
Verb form: To LARP, LARPing, LARPed, etc.

LARPs are a category of game in which players create characters and, acting as those characters, interact with other players and Storytellers/Game Masters to complete some sort of challenge, quest, or adventure. LARPing traditionally has its roots in so-called "table top" games like Dungeons and Dragons or White Wolf's Vampire the Masquerade, however in table top games, the game mechanics are controlled by dice. In LARPing, game mechanics are usually controlled by rock-paper-scissors.

Although some forms of LARPs do include foam weapons (known as "Boffer weapons") and medieval/fantasy costuming, others take place in the real world with current clothes and can be played in public spaces so long as players have an identifying object such as a red button or other signifier to tell other players who is involved in the game. These games generally do not include actual weapons of any sort, foam or otherwise, and players wishing to use a weapon against another character must describe what they are doing and then play rock-paper-scissors to determine if they are successful.

Vampire the Masquerade is one of the more successful LARPs out there, having several groups throughout the United States. Large numbers of LARPers are therefore often walked past by unsuspecting passerby who think they've just seen a bunch of loitering goths. Although they are not wrong, they have also witnessed LARPing.


I was LARPing last night and my Toreador character became Primogen of her Clan. Then I was attacked by a Nosferatu and lost Rock-Paper-Scissors, so now I'm waiting for the Storyteller to tell me if I've been unstaked yet.
by GrammarLady April 3, 2009
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Live Action Role Playing.
As everyone said, it is mostly used by attention whores. However, it can be used, and often in some parts areas, to shitpost and shill.
nice LARP, cringeoid
by somerandoCigarGuy September 9, 2018
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Stands for: Live Action Role Playing. Most people who LARP are batshit insane, not to mention hambeasts as well. Many LARPers have a very weak grasp of reality, as the game usually carries over into their real "lives." There are LARPers who do it because they find it a fun pastime, which is okay. Then there are those who let it take over their lives, going so far as to have "in game" sex (often a form of infidelity.) They believe that all actions "in game" are forgiven, and those they may hurt have no right to be mad. Also refer to non-LARPers (normal people) as "plebians," suggesting that they possess greater intellectual capabilities than non-LARPers. This is usually not the case. LARPers are usually harmless to normal people, as they are easily beaten up. They may also put a "hex" on you, which shows just how deluded they are.
Man, I ain't gonna touch that girl. She's a buttertroll and a LARPer to boot.
by diabloknk February 24, 2005
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