7 Very Versatile RP Prompt Ideas

1. "Can you tell me how I can...?"

The idea: Your character calls or comes over to ask someone for some expert advice.

A few possibilities...

• Your character is starting up a superhero team and wants some tips from an old veteran.
• Your character is trying to take on some kind of supernatural critter and isn't sure of the best way to go about it.
• Your character is preparing to make a potion and wants to know the best ingredients for a potion of this type.

But try to avoid...

• Making it an obligation, such as by having an authority figure declare that the other person's character is going to help yours, no ifs, ands, or buts.
• Having your character ask for something super-easy to find the answer for - IE, something that can be Googled in about five seconds. (Unless you want your character to look selfish and lazy.)

If you want to take it further, maybe...

• Try adding in one of the ideas below!

2. "Can you come and give me a hand with...?"

The idea: Your character is in the middle of something and needs some assistance with it, and who else to ask but the other character?

A few possibilities...

• Your character needs help catching a mutant monster out on a rampage.
• Your character needs help hanging up some Christmas lights.
• Your character needs some help smuggling some contraband from Point A to Point B.

But try to avoid...

• Having your character overlook/ignore very obvious solutions that don't require any extra help.
• Putting all of the work on the other character, unless your character is supposed to look lazy and selfish.
• Making the other character's efforts end up being nearly useless, or having your character accomplish all of the really important or awesome things.
• Asking entirely the wrong kind of person for help.
• Asking a complete stranger for help with something highly risky with little to no reward attached.
• Making it an obligation.

If you want to take it further, maybe...

• Your character didn't tell the whole story at first, and the reality turns out to be something that leads to adventure or danger.
• Both characters discover together that the reality is something that leads to adventure/danger.
• Try adding in one of the ideas below!

3. "Can you help me find...?"

The idea: Your character is in search of something, and wants someone to help!

A few possibilities...

• A science project has escaped - and it must be found and returned without the characters getting caught.
• Your character inherited a home from a deceased relative out in the countryside, and is having trouble finding it .
• Your character's friend/sibling went missing and wants someone to help search.

But try to avoid...

• Asking for help in finding something your character could easily find without it. For example, nowadays people can just look up business locations on the Internet, so "can you direct me to the nearest coffee shop?" might not be a good idea.
• Asking entirely the wrong kind of person for help - IE, someone lacking the relevant skills and/or qualifications.
• Making it an obligation.

If you want to take it further, maybe...

• What the characters find leads them to adventure. For example, there might be something unusual in the old house - like a portal to another world or a mysterious message.
• What they're looking for just isn't there, and they're going to have to figure out what to do now.
• The search turns up a bigger problem - maybe the people who kidnapped the friend/sibling are up to something even worse and need stopped!

4. "Can I hire you to...?"

The idea: Your character needs to hire somebody to get a job done, and right person for the job just so happens to be... the other player's character!

A few possibilities...

• Your character needs a caterer for an event.
• Your character needs somebody to get rid of an ornery ghost haunting the basement.
• Your character's car has a problem, and needs someone to fix it.

But try to avoid...

• Hiring someone to do something that your character could realistically handle alone with ease or without putting anything else important off - unless you want your character to look lazy.

If you want to take it further, maybe...

• The job isn't as simple as it seems. Maybe the caterer is hired to serve a party of monsters and must try to blend in ala Hotel Transylvania. What happens if the guests find out the truth?
• The job leads to a mystery! Maybe the ornery ghost agrees to leave peacefully if they find out who the murderer was.
• Perhaps the car mechanic might find something in the backseat that raises some interesting questions!

5. "Can I interest you in...?"

The idea: This time, the other character is a potential customer! Your character has a product or service to offer!

A few possibilities...

• Your character is giving away free samples for a new line of doughnuts.
• Your character is a "Rent-A-Fairy-Godmother," and is offering a discount on a new line of "Until Dawn" ballgowns.
• Your character is an artist hoping to make a sale.

But try to avoid...

• A product or service that does something bad to the other person's character, or is an all-out scam. Few people enjoy getting into an RP just to have bad things happen to their characters.

If you want to take it further, maybe...

• Your character decides to offer the other a job. (Can you imagine the job training for a Rent-A-Fairy-Godmother service?)
• The product/service gives the other character a special power, or turns out to be a secret test to find out if the character has a special power.

6. "I'm here to tell you that you're something special."

The idea: Your character is here to deliver some news - the other character isn't like the other kids!

A few possibilities...

• The other character has magical potential and is being invited to join a magical school.
• The other character has an untapped ability that would be valuable in fighting against an enemy.
• The other character's skills have caught the attention of an organization who needs someone with those skills for a special job.

If you want to take it further, maybe...

• A problem pops up that the other character's abilities or skills can help solve.
• It could lead into all sorts of adventures that one might have at a superhero/magical/etc. school, ala Chilling Adventures of Sabrina or Sky High.

7. "Would you like to join me on an adventure?"

The idea: Your character is about to do something fun and/or exciting - and wants someone to come along with!

A few possibilities...

• Your character is going on a mission to track down and recover some stolen goods.
• Your character wants to explore the spooky old house on the hill.
• Your character built a portal to another world and wants someone to come along with.

But try to avoid...

• Making your character the "star" of the story and forcing the other to play second fiddle/sidekick.

If you want to take it further...

• Just make sure there's lots to explore and do! You might also check out Basic Tips To Create And Run A Good RP Plot article.