Roleplay genres describe the kind of story you want to tell: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, romance, mystery, historical, modern and more. Naming your genres helps partners with the same tastes find you, and helps you agree on tone before a thread starts.
This guide covers the main roleplay genres, popular subgenres, and how to use genres on RPL.
The main genres
| Genre | What it usually means in roleplay |
|---|---|
| Fantasy | Magic, mythical creatures, invented worlds. Ranges from high fantasy epics to small village tales. |
| Science fiction | Future technology, space, AI, other planets, cyberpunk cities. |
| Horror | Fear and dread: monsters, hauntings, psychological terror, survival. |
| Romance | The relationship is the main plot. Often combined with any other genre. |
| Mystery and crime | Investigations, heists, detectives, criminals, secrets to uncover. |
| Historical | Real periods of history: Regency, Victorian, Wild West, ancient Rome, wartime. |
| Modern | Today's world: jobs, cities, friendships, families, phones and coffee shops. |
| Supernatural and paranormal | Vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, usually in a modern or historical setting. |
| Comedy | The goal is fun. Banter, absurd situations, parody. |
| Slice of life | Everyday moments, small stakes, cosy and character-focused. |
Popular subgenres
Most roleplayers write in a subgenre, or a mix. A few favourites:
- Urban fantasy: magic hidden in a modern city.
- Dark fantasy: fantasy with horror, cruelty and moral grey areas.
- Space opera: big, dramatic adventures across the stars.
- Dystopian and post-apocalyptic: societies gone wrong, or the world after the end.
- Gothic: old houses, family secrets, dread and romance.
- Psychological horror: fear that comes from the mind more than from monsters.
- Political intrigue: courts, schemes, alliances and betrayals.
- Steampunk: Victorian-style worlds with steam-powered technology.
- Romantic comedy: love with laughs.
- Hurt/comfort: one character is hurt, the other helps them heal.
- Modern AU: fandom characters moved into the present day.
Some labels you'll see aren't genres in the strict sense but describe the feel of a story, like slow burn, fluff, angst, enemies to lovers or found family. They're just as useful when you're looking for partners. See Trope Prompts for Roleplay for those.
Mixing genres
Genres combine well. A gothic romance, a sci-fi mystery, a historical horror, a fantasy comedy. When you mix, decide which genre leads: is it a romance with a mystery in it, or a mystery with a romance in it? That changes what each scene focuses on.
Agreeing on genre with a partner
Two people can hear "fantasy" and imagine very different things: one pictures elves and epic battles, the other a cosy witch running a tea shop. Before you start, agree on:
- The main genre and any second one.
- Tone: grim, hopeful, funny, romantic.
- Content level: see Content Ratings in Roleplay.
Genres on RPL
- Your author profile has a Genres field. List the genres you like to write, separated by commas, so partners can see your tastes at a glance.
- Stories and posts have categories, including genre categories such as Fantasy/Mythic, Horror/Gothic, Sci-Fi/Futuristic/Cyberpunk and Slice of Life/Fluff. Tick the ones that fit, and add your own tags for subgenres.
- Public Explore shows the full cloud of genres our members write in, over a hundred and counting.
Need a starting point in your favourite genre? Roleplay Prompts by Genre has 60 ideas, and Worldbuilding for Roleplay helps you build the setting.