What is the real meaning of RDM in GTA 5 RP, and how does it work in 2023?

RDM is an abbreviation commonly used in GTA 5 RP in lieu of Random Deathmatch. Being accused of this term is not a good thing.

An individual who is said to be engaging in an RDM shoots or otherwise eliminates another player without reason.

Generally speaking, roleplayers on stricter servers prefer there to be a reason for any provocation. Here are two examples of RDM:

• An example of what a Random Deathmatch is: Randomly shooting a player in the middle of the road without ever talking to them
• An example of what isn't a Random Deathmatch: A cop shooting back at a criminal who fired first

Some servers will ban players who repeatedly abuse Random Deathmatches. Such punishments vary from one GTA 5 RP server to another based on their rules.

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Understanding RDM in GTA 5 RP

RDM is one of the most important things to avoid in a serious GTA 5 RP server. There is another term that is a subset of Random Deathmatch: VDM. The difference is that VDM stands for Vehicle Deathmatch. It solely refers to a situation where players use vehicles to commit RDMs.

All Vehicle Deathmatches count as Random Deathmatches, but not all Random Deathmatches are Vehicle Deathmatches. RDMs also include:

• Melee attacks
• Shooting
• Explosives

Here are some reasons why players despise Random Deathmatches:

• There is no way for a player to appropriately prepare for their character to randomly get murdered.
• It can seem unrealistic, especially since many offenders of Random Deathmatches can do it to the same victim multiple times.
• Some people do Random Deathmatches to others they don't like and purposefully wish to grief them.

The easiest way to avoid committing a Random Deathmatch against another player is to set up a roleplaying scenario where you make it clear that you have a reason to attack them. Don't just shoot at them first and ask questions later.

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Examples of RDM in GTA 5 RP

While some servers are lax on roleplaying, others aren't. Random Deathmatch is the most common rulebreaking activity to occur on these strict GTA 5 RP servers. The YouTube video above shows a FiveM staff member dealing with such rulebreakers.

Actions that can be taken against people who perform Random Deathmatches include:

• A warning
• Getting kicked from the server
• Getting banned from the server

It's pretty easy to read the rules for a GTA 5 RP server, meaning that there isn't much reason to do an RDM accidentally. Apart from pressing the wrong controls on a keyboard or controller, the main contributor to Random Deathmatches would be tied to Priority in Progress.

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Priority in Progress

An example of Priority in Progress (Image via Breach27 / YouTube)

Priority in Progress is a phrase that some players won't immediately understand. Some servers use this feature, which basically means that a major roleplaying crime is already being committed elsewhere. Typically, people outside of that crime aren't supposed to cause any trouble while it's active.

Not every GTA 5 RP server uses this feature, so make sure to look at the screen to see if it's active. Otherwise, it's pretty simple to avoid Random Deathmatch penalties, provided the admins and staff members for the server are competent (which sadly won't always happen).