Knowledge & Stories

Everything you need to know about LARP — start here

Beginner-friendly articles, background, and guides for parents, the curious, and anyone stepping into a character for the first time.

We write these guides ourselves — a volunteer organising team from Dresden that runs LARP events across Saxony. They are meant for beginners who have never played a character, for parents who want to know what their child is getting into, and for experienced players looking something up. Every article answers one concrete question: what is live-action roleplay? What do you need for your first event? How do you build a character you enjoy playing? Why are latex weapons safe? You need no prior experience at all. Read whatever interests you — or follow the reading path from top to bottom.

Your reading path in 5 steps

Start with the basic question: what actually happens at a LARP event, and how is it different from theatre or cosplay?What is LARP?
Then the two bits of jargon you will hear at every event: who is a player, an NPC or a game master — and what being in or out of character means.Roles in LARP: Player, NPC, GM & Organiser IT and OT: Staying in Play Without Breaking Immersion
Now it gets personal: an idea turns into a character with a name, a background and a reason to leave home at all.LARP Character Creation & Backstory
Only then is it worth shopping: costume, armour and weapons — what your character really needs and what can wait.LARP Costume & Kit LARP Armour: Beginner to Prestige LARP Weapons & Safety Rules
Finally the practical side: the packing list, getting there, the unwritten rules and the no-gos worth knowing on your first evening.How to Start LARPing: Preparation & No-Gos

DIY · 8 min read · Nils JäkelBuild a Tent Cover

How to build a cotton tent cover: around 100 euros, under 7 kg, one day of sewing — and not a single seam needs to be watertight.

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LARP camp on a meadow by the woods: rows of pale canvas tents and a beige sun sail shading a table

All guides

Beginners · 6 min readLARP Character Creation & BackstoryHow to turn an idea into a character that comes alive in play.Read →Get Involved · 5 min readHow to Start LARPing: Preparation & No-GosHow to prepare properly — and what is simply not acceptable in the LARP community.Read →Gear · 6 min readLARP Costume & KitWhat fits the setting doesn't have to be expensive — a great first kit is simpler than you think.Read →Gear · 6 min readLARP Armour: Beginner to PrestigeWhat you actually need — and what only makes sense over time.Read →Beginners · 5 min readFAQ — Frequently Asked Questions about LARPThe most common questions about LARP and our events — answered briefly and honestly.Read →Gear · 12 min readGambeson: Buying Guide & HistoryWhy you should buy one before the mail shirt — and how to spot a good oneRead →Reference · 6 min readGlossaryThe most important terms from the LARP scene, briefly explained — from A to Z.Read →Safety · 5 min readIT and OT: Staying in Play Without Breaking ImmersionThe difference between character and person — and why it is the foundation of good LARP.Read →Background · 5 min readLARP Worlds & SettingsWhat game worlds exist — and what makes each of them distinctive.Read →Background · 3 min readPlot & Storytelling in LARPHow good stories emerge in LARP — and why that is never solely the game master's job.Read →Background · 6 min readPost-LARP Blues & BleedCon drop, bleed, the grey Monday after — why the emptiness comes, and what actually helps.Read →Reference · 5 min readRoles in LARP: Player, NPC, GM & OrganiserWho does what — and why every role carries the game.Read →Background · 4 min readSocial LARP: Group Play, Politics & Camp LifeWhy the best LARP moments rarely happen in combat.Read →Gear · 17 min readTent & CampWhich tent suits you, why a new one needs a soaking before its first event — and how to sleep warm, dry and safe in camp.Read →Safety · 6 min readLARP Weapons & Safety RulesHow foam combat works — and why safety is anything but bureaucracy.Read →Beginners · 4 min readWhat is LARP?Roleplay you can touch — no dice, just real places and real moments.Read →

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Trying beats reading

In the end nobody learns LARP at a screen — you learn it in one evening among other people in costume. Our tavern nights are made for exactly that: short, affordable from 5 euros, and playable without owning any kit.

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