Roleplaying 101

A special thanks goes out to Father Lance for creating this guide to roleplaying.

Roleplaying 101 – A Beginner's Guide to Character Development and Writing Flashes.

Introduction.

When I joined a federation in The Wrestling Game for the first time, I found that many players are not very familiar with roleplaying, and want to learn what it's all about. Being experienced with many kinds of roleplaying, I decided to write an introduction to the issue for those who are not. In The Wrestling Game, you can, and definitely should, join a federation when you reach level 5 (or 4 for supporters), and federations are by far the best arena for roleplaying in the game. This guide is therefore written with federation use in mind.

In The Wrestling Game, roleplaying is not only entertaining, it is also useful for your wrestler. Many federation managers explicitly look for roleplayers when they hire their staff, and someone who roleplays is almost always given a better contract than those who do not. A roleplaying text made in a forum or on a mailing list is popularly called a «flash», because its most common form is a short clip of film starring your wrestler presenting his message to the world.


Contents so far.

Part 1: Character development and writing flashes

Part 2: List of personality trait suggestions

Part 3: Flash samples

Part 4: More on gimmicks, and ten gimmick examples

This guide reflects my own views, and not necessarily those of The Wrestling Game's developers, GMs or staff. I also collect a lot of inspiration from my fellow in-game wrestlers, so occasionally, I borrow details from them that I find especially creative or amusing. I also apologize in advance to female players and female characters as I will mostly be using the pronouns «him» and «his» in this text. If anyone is unhappy about this, feel free to beat me bloody in-game. In fact, you're welcome to if you like it as well.

Part 1: Creating a character and writing flashes

What is roleplaying?

Roleplaying means creating a character and living out his life in written text. Roleplaying is dependent on people working together, reading what other characters do, and reacting to it if it has an interest to your own character. To be able to do this, you first need to decide what kind of character you're playing.


Developing your character

When breathing life into your character, you want to think of as many details as possible to make him interesting and unique. If you're not like all the others, players will notice you and what you say and do. If they do, they are prone to respond to your roleplaying contributions, which is what makes roleplaying fun! Exploring the following topics is a good place to start.

Alignment: Is he a good guy (baby face), a bad guy (heel) or something in between?

Appearance: How does he look? Does he have scars, tattoos, or piercings? How does he prefer to dress? What ethnicity does he have? Hairstyle? Perhaps his looks reveal something about his past or match his personality?

Personality: What kind of person is he? Serious or playful? Organized or fussy? Emotional or stone faced? Friendly or reserved? Trustworthy or treacherous? In a follow-up post, I'm going to list a whole bunch of personality traits (borrowed from the Lord of the Rings RPG game). If you're not feeling very creative, or do not have time to think of something yourself, you can simply pick some of them and go from there. Also, what values does your character have? Does he have a catchphrase or motto he follows?

Biography: What brought your character into wrestling? Does his history bring him an edge on the competition? Does he have something to prove, a message to spread, something to avenge, and so on? Your character's history is very important when you roleplay, because it helps you find appropriate ways to behave in different situations. A character who has been betrayed before is likely to be very angry with someone who is not loyal to him. A character who is used to being poor might be very focused on the financial aspects of wrestling success. Spice up your character's history! Make it interesting! Keep in mind that if your character is too incredible, he might look silly to others, but this is okay, because being silly is a common, and often entertaining gimmick all in itself.

Advantages and Disadvantages: Does your character have special strengths and weaknesses outside of the ring? For instance, is he a social person or awkward around other people? Does he have a secret that bothers him, or something from the past that he cannot let go of? Be creative. If you cannot think of anything, look to typical soap operas and the kind of conflicts you find in them. After all, basically, wrestling is soap where the actors get to bash each other's brains out! Keep in mind that you WANT other players to attack you, and giving them a hint of what they might use against you might inspire them to take a shot at you. If they do, GREAT! That means you get to shoot them back! Many times if you want to. A good feud is not settled with one match.

All of these things make up your wrestler's gimmick. Keep in mind that your gimmick can be changed at any time. For instance, in real wrestling, you'll find wrestlers switching from face to heel or vice versa, and changing their gimmicks as it suits them (or the storyline writers anyway).


Ripoff wrestlers

Whatever you do, please don't copy a real life wrestler. Why would you want to be Hulk Hogan when you can be YOURSELF, living the life of a great wrestling star? Feel free to collect inspiration from real wrestlers, but do not try to BE them. Use your imagination - that is what roleplaying is all about!

If you have given your character the name of a real wrestler and do not care about roleplaying, that is fine. However, if you want to roleplay, you should either find a federation where people actually play real life wrestlers (I don't know whether there are any), or (my suggestion) reset your wrestler and start anew with a custom made, way more interesting character. In The Wrestling Game, it IS possible to change your name, but the cost of it, 25,000 FE, is so high that most would not consider it.


The roleplaying itself – writing flashes

You have given your character a personality and a motive for doing what he does. Now is the time for making use of it. A roleplaying contribution (a "flash"), involves your character delivering a message to someone or an opinion on something. The message can be to everyone else in your federation, a group of wrestlers, or a single wrestler that you would like to ally or feud with. The most important thing is what your character says, but it does not hurt fleshing out your flashes to make them interesting, not only to the recepients of your message, but to everyone else who might be reading it as well.

A simple flash stars your wrestler in front of the camera sharing whatever is on his mind. A more advanced flash can describe your wrestler's whereabouts and what he does there (lounging in a park, making a statement at a press conference, doing paperwork in his million dollar office, etc), his company (life partner, children, manager, physioterapist, street gang, etc), his interest (acting, mountaineering, working out, etc). What is suitable for your character? What kind of people does he associate with? What activities does he indulge in outside of the ring? A daredevil high-flyer might climb a mountain top and deliver his message there. A dark and sadistic power tank might visit a friend in prison, telling him all about his plans for his career, right in front of the camera. Such scenarios make your flashes little stories instead of just monologues. It's not at all necessary spending time on this if you do not feel like it, but it will entertain your federation mates, and the practice will improve your creativity and writing abilities with time.

If you're feeling creative, but do not have a subject to write about, that's okay too! A flash doesn't have to be about anything important. I recently wrote a piece describing my wrestler, Father Lance Goodison, handing over his old teddy bear to a little girl at an orphanage. It wasn't to deliver a specific message. It was simply to show what kind of person he is. This is helpful for your competitors in the federation, because it gives them a lot of information about your character which they can use when they interact with you. You'll find examples of flashes with a message, and flashes without one further down.


The parts that make a flash

As I have mentioned before, a flash can have many different components. Below, I have listed some of them.

Dialogue: If you want to make a statement, dialogue is the easiest way. You can voice your messages without it as well, but that take more creativity on your part.

Setting: Do you want to describe the environments of your character? Environments can easily be used to underline your character's personality or strengthen the message you want to send.

Action: Is your wrestler engaged in some kind of interesting activity?

Other people: Does your character interact with anyone? Is he speaking to a sports journalist? Taking advice from an old wrestling star? Yelling at his kids who are making a mess? Proposing to his soon-to-be life partner? A simple flash will simply have the character presenting his message to the federation's interviewer.


What you can and cannot do in a flash

Keep in mind the following issues when writing your flashes.

NEVER, EVER abuse another player's character in your own flashes: This is very important. You can trash talk and threaten other wrestlers, you can stalk around their houses looking for them (even wanting to beat him them up), or you can leave a message on their answering machine, but you cannot actually describe attacking them, or humiliating them straight to their faces. You cannot control another person's character, and you cannot decide how he will react to something you do. After all, you wouldn't want someone else abusing your character that way? This is of course unless you have agreed on something with the character's owner. If he says it is all right for you to attack him in his locker room, do it! Nothing fires up a feud more than actual punches thrown. I wholeheartedly encourage you to make contact with your wrestling associates and discuss what your feud or alliance might be like and what is allowed and not allowed. If you are given permission to use someone else's wrestler, note this at the end of the flash ("Wrestler X was used with permission from Player Y") so that other players do not necessarily think they can do the same. If you must describe another wrestler as part of whatever happens in your flashes, do it in way that is either neutral or positive to the player controlling him. Make others look good, and they do the same for you.

Stay in character: Don't write about your Strength statistic being a whooping 26. Your character doesn't know this – he simply knows that he can tear someone's head off if he wants to. If you bring the game's mechanics into your roleplaying, you rip apart the magic of roleplaying that allows you to BE a person in professional wrestling, not only for yourself, but for everyone else as well.

Proof-read your flashes: Somewhat correct spelling and proper grammar often helps your message come through the way you want it to. Before posting your flashes, eliminate mistakes you might have made when writing them to avoid misunderstandings. Niv pointed out to me that most good text editors tool will eliminate a lot of mistakes for you, and he's right! Make use of them! Even some web browsers can correct the texts you write. I use Mozilla Firefox, and it often helps me.

Part 2: List of personality trait suggestions

As I have mentioned before, this list is borrowed from the old Lord of the Rings RPG system (edited somewhat), where they've produced a nice collection of personality traits for players to choose from. This is helpful because it gets your imagination going, suggests options you might not have thought of yourself, and saves you a bit of time.

The list follows below. Traits are listed along with their opposites. Consider it a tool for exploring what your character is like.


Personality traits

Sullen, Somber, Serious VS Lighthearted, Cheerful, Joyous

Merciful, Compassionate, Kind VS Uncaring, Mean, Ruthless, Cruel

Sober, Restrained, Moderate VS Unrestrained, Indulgent

Martyr, Over-protective, Protective VS Intimidating, Overbearing, Bully

Radical, Liberal, Open-minded VS Orthodox, Conservative, Reactionary

Loving, Friendly, Amicable VS Quarrelsome, Hostile, Antagonistic

Prudent, Patient, Cautious VS Impatient, Impulsive, Reckless, Rash

Extrovert, Outgoing, Talkative VS Reserved, Shy, Timid, Introvert

Meek, Modest, Humble VS Proud, Cocky, Pompous, Arrogant

Lazy, Idle, Easy Going, Laid Back VS Vibrant, Energetic, Enterprising, Ambitious

Respectful, Courteous, Polite, Civil VS Impolite, Rude, Insolent

Docile, Pliable, Cooperative VS Stubborn, Obstinate

Confident, Secure VS Nervous, Apprehensive, Daunted

Pacific, Nonviolent, Peaceful VS Aggressive, Hostile, Destructive

Charitable, Forgiving VS Vindictive, Vengeful

Benevolent, Generous, Giving VS Selfish, Greedy

Honest, Direct, Trustworthy VS Shifty, Deceitful, Dishonest

Honorable, High-principled VS Dishonorable

Loyal, Faithful, Reliable VS Treacherous, Disloyal

Lawful, Just, Upright VS Unreasonable, Chaotic, Corrupt

Moral, Ethical, Principled VS Immoral, Unethical

Pious, Devout, Religious VS Worldly, Profane

Utopian, Idealistic VS Practical, Pragmatic, Cynical

Gullible, Trusting VS Skeptical, Suspicious, Paranoid

Curious, Inquisitive VS Apathetic, Incurious

Focused, Attentive VS Distracted, Absent-minded

Continent, Chaste VS Lustful, Sleazy, Promiscuous

Quiet, Reserved VS Flamboyant, Boisterous, Loud

Valorous, Brave, Bold VS Timid, Cowardly

Passive, Detached, Calm VS Forceful, Enthusiastic, Excitable

Calm, Even-tempered VS Quick-tempered, Hot-headed

Sociable, Companionable VS Nonsocial, Antisocial, Cold

Optimistic, Upbeat VS Uncertain, Cynical, Fatalistic, Pessimistic

Creative, Inventive, Original VS Conformist, Uncreative

Tolerant, Open-minded VS Snobbish, Prejudiced, Intolerant

Disordered, Messy VS Orderly, Perfectionist

Tolerant, Understanding VS Envious, Possessive, Jealous

Dependent, Clinging VS Self-reliant, Independent

Part 3: Flash samples

I will here present two sample flashes. My first sample is one involving my character, Father Lance Goodison, giving a message to his federation, as well as a few specific members on its roster to find someone to interact with. This is the flash that introduced him to the federation, and the messages are clear to all.

It is useful to structure your flashes so that action and talking are easily separated. For instance, you can put the action of your flash in italics, or another color. Blue is a good choice. In the examples below, action has been italicized, while the names of the people that speak are in bold.


Sample #1: Father Lance Goodison enters a federation

The press conference is buzzing with activity. A few journalists have shown up along with their cameramen, as well as many, many Crimson Flow Wrestling Alliance fans. One of federation's new signings has invited them all to the local church for a brief statement, and as the bustle of people settles, you hear the soothing voices of a choir practicing somewhere nearby. Father Lance Goodison, dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a plain white shirt has taken a seat on a bench in front of his visitors.

Lance: "Welcome to you all. I am happy to receive you here, as this is a place where I have spent many of my finest hours. In happy times, I have united lifetime partners and welcomed babes into our world of wonder. In darker times, I have consoled those in hurt, and begged the above for answers to questions too complex for man to understand. As you might see, my life was once quite different. Yes, I walk an unusual path, a path that I myself once would have frowned upon, but which I have found later to be necessary. Though love and understanding are far more powerful artillery, in the face of evil, you must often use the simplest tools you have been given: Your fists. And that is why I am here. The CFWA reeks of corruption. I will stomp it out. I will bend it until it yields to the good that is in us all. Atonement shall come.

Do I have anyone in particular in mind? I do not even know where to begin!

Zilla Killa lives to bring pain and misery unto others. Not only does he thirst for blood - he even has the nerve to claim to crucify others before pinning them. The disrespect! The blasphemy! Zilla Killa is on my list, and I can tell you right now, it will take time to squeeze the sin out of that one.

In the same way, Dragonfly seems to thrive on bloodshed alone. I have a hard time finding meaning in such an existence. Perhaps I may reason with him. Perhaps I'll have to twist his arm. Either way, I hope we'll find time to have this discussion sometime. I look forward to discovering the complexity of his character. If there is any.

The Management Planner is a misguided soul. He is too caught up in himself to see what parts of life give true joy. Believe me, it is not financial success or popularity. I will try to tell him this, so that he may change his ways before he hits the wall of disappointment. Yes, I almost consider it my duty, for a bringer of good must often deliver messages of truth to those who do not see its value. You may not appreciate it, Planner, but I will have patience with you, and will aid you to a better life.

Last but not least, I have seen The Liberty Rock, and his crusade against impurity. It makes me shiver. Remember always that good intentions can turn bad indeed when they are not backed up by wisdom. I shall study you, Liberty Rock, and if you stray from the right path, I shall shove you back onto it.

Although I see many a threat here, I see many more friends. I foresee a great future for us all. I foresee harmony. Father Lance is eager to initiate his mission. I shall heal your hurts."

Lance Goodison smiles warmly to his audience. A few pictures are taken, and journalists and fans alike are invited to enjoy a cup of coffee in the church lobby.


The next sample is a flash that delivers no message whatsoever. I wrote it simply because I felt like it, and because I thought that "who knows, maybe someone will use it for whatever purpose". Any seed you sow can grow into a great storyline. In fact, I once introduced a young fan of my character to the federation, and he was later attacked by my rival, which led to a great feud between us.


Sample #2: Father Lance Goodison visits the orphanage

The camera view changes to that of the insides of a home for orphans. Children of all ages are running around shouting and playing, sometimes chased by women in black and white robes shushing them. The camera zooms in on a corner of the room, where Father Lance sits talking to a little girl. As he looks at her, she hangs her head.

Amelia: "Yes, Mr. Lance, I took Anthony's teddy bear. But see, I had to. He isn't taking care of it. He isn't being very nice to it."

The little girl sports an unhappy smile, and twirls at a strand of long blond hair. Lance Goodison tries to frown, but smiles instead.

Lance: "It is good that you're looking out for Anthony's teddy bear, Amelia. But thing is, there is someone who needs your love and care more."

The girl looks puzzled. Lance produces a brightly painted cardboard box, presenting it to her. Hesitant, she pops open the lid and gasps. As if handling something very tender, she lifts up a furry, white teddy bear. It bears the marks of several repairs, and one of its eyes has obviously recently been stitched back on. Lance Goodison smiles again.

Lance: "This is Tristan. His owner is grown up, and such a busy man that he cannot look after him all the time. But you can."

The girl hugs the teddy bear, eyes brimming with tears.

Amelia: "Tell the man that I will take good care of Tristan. Tell him thank you, and that he is safe with me!"

Lance pats her on the shoulder.

Lance: "He knows, child. You're a good girl!"

Father Lance Goodison rises and steps toward a door. Before leaving, he looks back, almost longingly toward the old, ragged teddy bear.


I spent a bit of time on these flashes, because I have trouble letting them go without proofreading them fifty times. That's what I do. You do not have to spend as much time on them - often simplicity is the best, and flashes are supposed to feel like fun, not work. Find your own style. If you prefer short talk-to-the-camera sequences, great! If you want to paint vivid pictures of what your character is doing, and work on intricate dialogue spiced with all the tools of the trade of communication, great! Find out what works for you and stick with it. Although I have made quite a few suggestions as to what you can do when you roleplay, my suggestions are but that: Suggestions. Everyone has their own way of doing things, and if yours is to disregard everything I write, that's good too! My hope is simply that I will get to see even more roleplaying in the future, and that we will sustain a lively and exciting roleplaying community in The Wrestling Game.

Part 4: More on gimmicks, and ten gimmick examples

Why spend time on your gimmick?

A wrestler's gimmick is what makes him stand out from his competitors. It is the very core of him. If someone reads of your wrestler's gimmick and thinks “My character will want to wipe the floor with this guy!”, you've hit the jackpot! For this to happen, though you need to be the only one of your kind, so that when someone is inspired by your profile, they'll harass your character, not someone else who resembles him. Look at it this way: If you go to a party, and find three other guys wearing the same shirt as you, you have a problem. Not only will you look funny to the rest of the party goers, but you will also have a harder time interacting with the people who share your look.

Luckily, if gimmicks do collide, there's no need to panic. It happens all the time, and it's not too hard to do something about. When my character, Father Lance Goodison entered his first federation intending to be its "cleanser" – the person who chases off its bad guys, he found that he was not alone. His gimmick is common enough, so someone else had picked it too. Fortunately, the two cleansers of the federation had very different behaviors and views on life, so he got away with it. If you find yourself wearing the same gimmick as some of your federation mates, either change it entirely or add more details to your wrestler until you stick out nonetheless.

Do of course feel free to steal bits and pieces from the gimmicks of your favorite real life wrestlers if you want to – they are our biggest inspiration. Don't be a copy of them though.


Creating a gimmick

When creating a gimmick, one way to go is to simply decide on a single thing you want to have flavoring your character the most. Is it his job? Perhaps he is a butcher, taking his profession and what comes along with it to wrestling? Is it his view of life? Perhaps he is a religious fanatic, pushing his beliefs on others and waging war on those who refuse to be influenced? Is it his origins? Perhaps he belongs to an unfairly treated minority who needs someone to speak for them? It can be ANYTHING! When you've decided on the main concept of your wrestler, go from there and add details you find appropriate for him. The butcher might be a big, sombre man, peaceful when treated with respect, and furious and destructive when provoked. Perhaps something in his past made him suspicious of, and unfriendly toward other people – a betrayal perhaps? Perhaps his wife left him for a younger guy, and now he hates up-and-comers, and handsome competitors?

One trick when trying to create an interesting gimmick, especially if it is supposed to be humorous, is to choose gimmick elements that are in contrast to each other. The results often amuse people into interacting with you. How about the punk rocker who'll hum the tunes of boy bands when he thinks nobody is listening? How about the kindergarten teacher who hates children? The hulking mass of muscle who is afraid of mice? The preacher who drinks himself hammered after sermons? The depressed clown? These interesting twists can at the same time as entertaining your federation mates, often attract them to attack you, because they are weaknesses ready for them to exploit. If you are able to "lure" people into harassing your wrestler because of his imperfections, congratulations! Good job! Interesting storylines will come to you with no effort on your part!

Ten gimmick examples

In case you're not feeling creative, here are ten examples of wrestler gimmicks to get your imagination going. Some are very common, almost archetypes, while others are rarely seen. I have found inspiration in the federation that I belong to, the CWFA (apologies to those who feel I have used their characters). I'll toss in a frequency rating to illustrate how often you might find these gimmicks in the world of wrestling.

The avenger: Having been a peaceful and dependable person, the avenger's life was abruptly turned around by some kind of personal disaster. Perhaps he lost his job, perhaps his family, or perhaps he lost his good name and reputation. In any case, the incident and the consequences it brought was so unbearable that they absorbed the avenger entirely. Eventually, he decided that the only way of finding peace would be to get even. Whoever was behind his fall must pay for what they did. Often, the avenger's blind hunger for revenge makes him disregard everyone else, even if they want to help him. The avenger ends his matches with especially violent moves, like the "Destroyer DDT" and the "Payback Express". Frequency rating: Very common

The buffoon: The buffoon dresses funnily, wearing clothes with bright and mismatching colors. He seems simple to other people, and often, he carries around with him some object that he is attached to, like an old teddy bear or a poster of his favorite celebrity. Nobody knows why the buffoon has landed in the world of wrestling, and it is not easy to get the information from him. The buffoon lives in a world of his own, and although mostly well-behaved, he'll pout like a child when he does not get what he wants and will never give up his goals, not seeming to care what the odds are that he will ever reach them. More powerful wrestlers will be surprised and annoyed by how hard it is to break the buffoon, as he'll keep getting up again and again even though surrender might be a more reasonably and healthy option. The buffoon's most powerful moves are called the "Peek-a-boo Punch" and the "Wedgie Lock". Frequency rating: Uncommon

The businessman: Most often seen in his office, and always busy keeping his company running smoothly. Never without his cellular phone, he will often hold two conversations at once, multitasking even in front of the camera. His secretary accompanies him to the ring, and as the world of business is usually no holds barred, she will not think twice about giving unsuspecting opponents a taste of her steel briefcase. The businessman is efficient, cool in stressed situations and has a wide network of friends and associates who might help him out when he has gotten himself in trouble. The businessman will finish his opponents with maneuvers flavored by the world of economy, like the "Asset Buster" and the "Top Rope Recession". Frequency rating: Common

The hounded husband: Having married a no-nonsense woman with a strong will, the hounded husband longs for any excuse to get away from taking out the garbage and doing the dishes. However, whenever he's out and about, so is she, deciding for him which fights to pick, and yelling at him to keep his eyes off the blond on the front row. The hounded husband beats up his opponents to please his wife, but is rarely complimented on his efforts. If he wins a title belt, she will be happy to mind it for him, and if he protests, she will remind her husband that he would be nowhere without him. The hounded husband finishes off his opponent with the "Chain Gang Shackle Choke" or the "Patronizer". Frequency rating: Very uncommon

The maniac: The maniac is probably the most dangerous character that you'll see in the world of wrestling. Being entirely without compassion, empathy and respect for the health of other people, you will often find the maniac rejoicing in the suffering of others. Sometimes, he is even unable to control his urge to hurt others, and will, unless kept on a tight leash, be the first wrestler to seriously injure a competitor. The maniac is an enigma, and because people are afraid of him, and because he cares little for speaking about himself, others rarely discover what made the maniac who he is. What they do know, though, is that when facing him in the ring, their entire careers are at stake if they do not perform. The maniac will wreak havoc on his opponents with finishers like the "End of Days" and the "Mutilator". Frequency rating: Very common

The depressed clown: The depressed clown is an interesting study. Once a fountain of joy to all, he is now a broken man, his enthusiasm having been shattered by some heartbreakingly tragic experience. Prone to break into fits of crying during his performances, he now unnerves children more than he entertains them, and his silly tricks no longer work the way they are supposed to. The depressed clown is desperately trying to reignite his love of life and knack for spreading happiness, but has yet to find the inspiration that can make him forget his sadness. The depressed clown masters moves like the "Joy Buzzer, and the "Tears of Joy". Frequency: Very uncommon

The model: Beautiful and arrogant, the model thinks of nobody but himself. The arena aisle is his catwalk, and he takes his time walking it. Always with a mirror within reach, the model makes sure he looks his best at all times, and he often insults his opponents for their appearances or their lack of style rather than for lack of strength. If he is especially self-absorbed, the model will be rude even to his friends. The model wrestles as fashionably as he dresses, and often pulls off visually impressive maneuvers. Nothing infuriates the model more than having his hair ruffled by an ugly opponent who has the upper hand. The model's stylish finishers, the "Catwalk Drop" and the "Extreme Makeover" leaves the audience begging for more. Frequency rating: Common

The Star Wars geek: Dressed like his favorite jedi, the Star Wars geek is considered ridiculous and unprofessional enough by his wrestling peers. He spends much of his time revisiting old Star Wars movies or comic books, and there is nothing he holds more dear than his impressive collection of action figures, posters and other fan effects. If someone were to steal any of it, he'll hunt them down, no matter what planet they hide on. The Star Wars geek will usually be a baby face wrestler who considers himself a person who others can rely on to keep order, and he will be in strong opposition of anyone he believes has fallen to the temptations of the dark side. Though they might not take him seriously, nobody would want to be on the receiving end of the Star War geek's finishers, the "Forceful Finale" and the "Jedi Driver". Frequency rating: Very uncommon

The taxidermist: Comfortable mainly with his own company, and awkward around people, the taxidermist is reserved and quiet. He will frequently talk to the stuffed animals he keeps around himself, often having a favorite or two among them who gets special attention. Not being the sentimental type, the taxidermist often speaks of issues that others are uncomfortable with, like the gory details of his trade, and what it would be like to one day stuff a human being. The taxidermist will collect his wins with moves inspired by his trade, like the "Embalmment" or the "Roadkill Clothesline". Frequency rating: Very uncommon

The old-schooler: The old-schooler longs for the old days of wrestling, when wrestlers respected their peers, and everything could still happen in the squared circle. He will often complain that wrestling has become a ruthless business and that young whippersnappers do not see the value of his experience. Often, he will take it on himself to teach up-and-comers the ways of proper wrestling, and his quest for gold is usually a quest to prove that he is still able and willing to dominate his trade. The old-schooler will brandish moves like the "Veteran Tribute" and the (cough) "Figure 4 Leg Lock". Frequency rating: Common

Still not inspired? You'll find inspiration for gimmicks all around. As mentioned before, our favorite real life wrestlers are the easiest to imitate, but you can also look to ordinary people who interest or impress you. Can you borrow their "gimmicks"? Remember that in wrestling ANYONE can be a star, no matter their qualities or flaws, and often, the most unlikely persons are the ones who become the most popular.