Be A Better Player Updated

 

I updated 'Be A Better Player' just a bit. Added in some new pics and improved the layout a little. Put the 100% Human logo on the front as well as the copper medal the book has earned. It's over on DrivethruRPG and if you bought the original you can just download this version for free as I just added it to the original listing. 

I should have a few more blog posts starting to roll out in this next week as we're finally done moving the FLGS that I work at. Along with some amazingly busy first days there. The move has been nothing but an improvement for Aesop's Treasury that's for sure. 

Be A Better Player 21 - Don't expect Critical Role

 

Be A Better Player 21 "Don't expect critical role" and for damned sure don't demand it! 

DM - "Welcome to the table, glad to have you here."

Player 1 - "Yeah we need some new blood."

Player 2 - "Grab a seat, we can move around a bit if need be."

New Player - "Okay great, happy to be hear. Where can I set to face the camera better?"

Player 3 - "Face the what now?"

New Player - "The camera for when you stream the game. Where do you usually set them up?"

DM - "We don't stream our games."

New Player - "You don't?"

Player 2 - "Yeah we just play here at the table. For fun."

New Player - "Why would anybody want to even play if it's not being streamed? That's kind of dumb."

DM - "Maybe you should rethink what you think gaming should be."

While Critical Role has been instrumental in propelling the popularity of the gaming hobby to never before seen levels there have been some issues to come along with it. Before I start I'm in no way bashing the show, it's stories, or how they do things. I'm simply pointing out some problems I've seen come up because of the way people see the show. Also this isn't just limited to Critical Roles influence, there have been many successful streaming actual play shows which have caused some folks to develop a false sense of expectations. 

What you see, and hear, on that show is now how most gaming looks at the table. Matthew Mercer is a professional voice actor, many of cast are voice actors or work in the film industry in some fashion. These folks have been to acting school, or at least classes. They are professionals doing a job that has a production budget, editing team, writers and so much more. 

Most likely, you don't have any of that. 

So don't expect the person running the game to have all that. Don't expect all the players to have all that. Definitely don't DEMAND that they have all that. 

I've seen players tell folks who've been running games for decades that they shouldn't be a DM because they "can't do all the voices and accents". Or that everyone at the table should have to dress up as their character. Not to mention asking why they don't have a high end streaming set up so they can "become" famous with the game. Or act like you are auditioning for Critical Role at a table where nobody else is interested in that.

Being that jackass with over the top expectations from the other people at the table will likely get you uninvited from that table. As they should do. Let everyone have the fun the way they want to. If you can't do without all the extras then leave and find a group that does. Good luck with that. 

Be A Better Player vol 2 is now live.

Be A Better Player vol 2 is now up on DrivethruRPG.

The final eight articles of that series I did here many years ago PLUS two completely new articles I wrote just for this compilation.  So between the two volumes that brings the total up to an even twenty.

For those that don't know the Be A Better Player series of articles was an attempt at providing advice to players instead of GM's since there is GM advice everywhere.  Most included a short story of an example along with some humor, snark and actual real advice afterwards. 

Find it here on DrivethruRPG.
Or here on RPGNow.

Priced at only a buck forty nine it's not to bad of a deal.

Be A Better Player now up on DrivethruRPG.

Somehow I forgot to mention that the first volume of 'Be A Better Player' is now up on DrivethruRPG.  Collecting the first ten articles, some of which got a little polishing, of the series which appeared on this blog.  Working on the second volume now which will collect the remaining eight articles and two new ones together.  Hopefully I will have it done by the end of October.

CLICK HERE to get see it on DrivethruRPG.

Got more products in the works that will hopefully be coming along pretty soon as well.

Horror Games - Player Responsibility

Running a horror game is a bit of work. You have to do some things different than you do for a normal run of the mill dungeon crawl or shoot em up action affair. Pulling it off with the desired results is a bit of a reach for a lot of folks but when it happens both the GM and the players will remember it.

This article is no longer available for free and is part of Clandestine Societies Issue One over on DrivethruRPG. 

Be A Better Player 18 Sometimes you die

GM - “Well you failed your saving throw therefore your character takes full damage from the Magic Users attack. Which is (rolls dice) thirteen points.”

Player 1 - “What... wait... I don't have that many.”

Player 2 - “Don't worry man we'll avenge you, the rest of us will take him out in your name.”

GM - “Yeah I'm sorry but that does mean you have died from the attack.”

Player 1 - “But I loved this character!”

Player 3 - “That sucks man but we'll make sure you are honored for your sacrifice afterwards. Besides I'm sure your new character will be just as good.”

Player 1 - “I don't want a new character. I want this one. Can't you just say he's knocked out or something?”

GM - “I told you when we started this character death is final and we are going by the rules, it's more smash mouth, you said you liked the idea.”

Player 1 - “Yeah but that was before my character died!”

We've all been there unless you've been coddled your entire life as a RPG player. You get attached to your character, emotionally invested in it and then suddenly he takes his last paper breath as the dice do not go in your favor. All your goals that you set, all the ideas and all that times seems like it just went out the window.

It's how you handle it when this happens that is important.

First off, suck it up buttercup, shit happens and don't cry about it. That is part of the risk, the excitement and suspense of a lot of roleplaying games. You just never know if you will make it or not. It is what keeps people from going completely gonzo in the middle of a game and throwing away all caution. If you can't die then what the hell do you need to follow the rules for. Knowing that you can lose that character keeps you from walking up to the Ork King at level one and flicking him in the nose.

Second off, everyone else has probably lost a character before also. Stop acting like the unique snowflake you think you are. Nobody singled you out (except for maybe yourself by your choices) and there is likely no conspiracy among players and the GM against you (if there is then find another group). Sometimes you just don't rescue the princess and end up in a bloody pool. Look around at other gamers they'll tell you some of the same stories of how their characters died.

Third, use the opportunity to make a newer improved character. All the character generation choices you messed up on, the skills you wish you had, all that sort of stuff. Now is your chance to make a better character, or at least one that is just as good. Something new is also part of the excitement of roleplaying.

Fourth and finally, now you have a story to tell. “Remember that time my thief died while trying to sneak up behind the Magic User? That was so messed up!”.

Be A Better Player 17 Stop derailing the game... jackhole

GM - “Alright here is the map that the old man gave you give it a good look over.”

Player 1 - “Oh this looks nice. This covers most of the old city even the part that is partially underground now.”

Player 2 - “Hey did you make this using that program I told you about?”

GM - “Yeah been messing with it quite a bit over the last few days.”

Player 3 - “Looks like you're using it right this map is pretty good.”

Player 2 - “Did you check out that link I sent you last night? Some guy has made up hundreds of maps and put them up on his site for anyone to use.”

GM - “Really? I hadn't checked that out yet, sounds like something I can steal from in the future.”

Player 2 - “Yeah plus he has lots of tutorials on various functions, even a few addons he's done himself.”

GM - “Man I know I could use a tutorial of the reticulating spline set up. I've been banging my head into that a few times.”

Player 2 - “Oh it has several on that. Here fire up your laptop really quick and I'll show you where they are at. Plus his site is a bit of a mess so I can show you how to find stuff quicker.”

GM - “Sure cool okay.”

Player 4 - “Um... weren't we gaming just a few minutes ago?”

It's game night, you're at the table and things are starting to get going. Then something somebody says, usually the GM, catches your attention about something else. So you just have to bring it up at the table right then. Buying wine at the tavern reminds you about some tours the local winery has going. An adventure hook sounds like one for a game you played in three months ago so you need to tell everyone about that game. Oh and that other thing that was said reminds you of that one movie, be sure to point out the resemblance, in detail, and make sure they know what that movie was really about.

This is called 'Derailing'. For the other players involved it really, really sucks. It completely destroys any pacing and mood that had been set up. Plus it interrupts what is going on, what most of the others showed up for in the first place. It's like going up to a person while they are playing a video gaming and standing in front of the television screen while they are trying to play the game. For the folks who are there for only a certain amount of time it becomes increasingly aggravating.

Usually when I'm a player I only have so long at the table. Work is coming the next morning or I have to go home and take care of my kids after a certain time. So spending part of that time listening to you ramble on about a game you played at a con a year ago, complete with dramatic pauses, bad voice imitations and talking slowly, isn't exactly on my 'How I Want To Spend My Time' list. When I'm the GM I'll nip this shit in the bud and tell you to bring it up later and get back to the game.

That being said I've been guilty of doing it before. Along with being guilty of letting it happen. But y'know what? I recognized the problem that I was causing and corrected myself. Please, do the same with yourself.

Are you a loser RPG player?

This one is an oldie.  I wrote this one many long years ago along with a few other 'Top Ten' style lists.  I would have to say that this is probably a bit of a precursor to a lot of my feelings that went into the 'Be A Better Player' articles that I wrote years later.  You know where you are playing in a game and most of the time you are fighting the urge to just backhand the guy next to you.  Yeah those types of players....

Top 10 things that help determine if you are a Loser RPG Player.

1. Most if not all of your modern day characters have “and wearing a black trenchcoat” in their description.

2. Most if not all of your characters know how to use fully automatic weapons effectively. Even if their occupation was something as mundane as a Librarian. 3. You purchase your characters weapons based on which ones do the most damage not by what would fit your character the most.

4. Most if not all of your characters either have no family or they are all dead just so you don’t have any strings attached.

5. You know exactly how to play a Ronin Werewolf Demon Hunter but no idea how to play a Librarian.

6. You consider most if not all of your characters to be ‘departure characters’.

7. You know exactly how to work the game system to give you the most hit points, combat actions, extra abilities, etc, and you do it on every character.

8. Most if not all of your characters see money as the main driving goal of their lives.
9. Cheat on your die rolls when creating your characters.

10. You think your characters should always be the ones in charge and that all other PCs should listen to them and look up to them in awe.

 

 

Be A Better Player 16 - Find the right group

GM – You watch as the Ork raiding party surrounds the Inn. Their red eyes gleaming in the darkness as they prepare to attack.

Player 1 – Okay if all doors are all braced I'm going to a second story window with my crossbow.

Player 2 – Walking up behind the other people here who are at the windows with bows. Giving them a firm pat on the back as a sign of reassurance... it's not much but it's all I can do.

Player 3 – I'm going to drop out of the second floor window onto the ground below.

Player 4 – I'm... um wait... what did you do?

Player 3 – Going to try and reason with them. See if we can reach some sort of agreement here.

GM – You do realize these are the Orks that have been raiding the countryside for the last few weeks. They've left almost a hundred people dead in their wake.

Player 3 – Still it's worth a shot right?

Player 4 – I would say it's suicide actually.

GM – The Orks eye you very carefully, grins spreading across their faces as several ready their bows.

Player 3 – I hold my hands open and to my side showing I'm unarmed and slowly approach them.

GM – And they let lose with their arrows. Let me make some rolls to see how many of them hit.

Player 3 – What? Don't I even get a chance to talk to them? Try to work something out?

GM – I think I made it pretty clear over the last couple of games that these Orcs are killing everything they come across without hesitation. Even the survivors you have found have repeated this.

Player 3 – Well you should at least let us try diplomacy. You should run this differently.

You see what's going on there? A clash of play styles is occurring. The way the GM and the rest of the group are going about the game is different than the way player 3 wants. Instead of the action and combat approach to this situation he wants the diplomatic approach. Now the thing is neither play style is wrong. But sometimes they just don't work all that well together. This is where the problems usually come in.

The normal way this becomes a problem is when a new person who is used to one playstyle joins a group that enjoys playing with a different playstyle. At this point there seems to come a clash where either the player wants the group to change to match him or the group expects the player to change. Sometimes this works but other times it results in a lot of bad feelings between the two.

Now a bit of sit down and talking with the people in the group before hand can tell you what kind of playstyle they are used to. This also gives you an idea of how well you will fit in even if your ideas don't match up with theirs. A little variety in a group is nice and having people who think differently helps create some interesting games. Communication is key of course, let the others know what you think and why but also be prepared to hear them out as well.

If this still doesn't work out then you need to something different. You need to find a group that fits the way you want to play. This may be as simple as finding an existing group that you can fall into or putting one together a person at a time. Otherwise you will either be unhappy fitting into a group where you don't belong or they will be unhappy as you try to change the way they do things. Both can lead to somebody not having fun and having that fun is precisely what gaming is all about. So be prepared to do some looking to find the right people. You may pass through two or three or even more gaming groups before you find that one where you belong.

Gamers who hate other gamers... and what they write.

There is one little small sub group of gamers that I can't stand anymore. They are the ones who can't take anything as somebodies opinion and see it all as demands. The raving back at the person stating their opinion begins rather quickly and it all escalates to stupid levels. Afterwords they get smug and tell the person they should have stated clearly that it was just opinion and doesn't apply to everybody. Even if they did that they are told their tone was wrong or the way they worded it came across badly. Etc... etc... until you get sick of it when really the problem isn't with the person stating their opinion but with the jackasses taking everything so freaking personally.

Recently this has came up quite a bit over somebodies article on how to be a better roleplayer. Here is the link below for it:

11 Ways to be a better roleplayer.

This article got pretty popular among gaming circles pretty damn fast and ended up getting mentioned all over the place. It's a pretty decent article and it's about some of the same things that I've said before in my 'Be A Better Player' series. Although our tone of writing differs somewhat we make some of the same points. Of course there was discussion and disagreement over the points presented in this article and how they were presented. All of which is good as disagreement can lead to a lot of healthy conversation.

However at some places the disagreement turned into some pretty outright hate. As if the author is going to show up the next game they run and start holding a gun to their head to make them follow these 'rules'. No matter what anybody says (or how it's absolutely not going to affect them) they kept going on and on, over and over, bitching about the same points.

These people need to grow the hell up a bit. Nothing the author said in the article was wrong, nor was anything in there an absolutely right. It was an opinion/advice piece and nothing more. Not a rally cry to some imaginary war (we have enough of those in the hobby already) or a demand for all others to fall into lock step with the ideas presented. I agree with most of it, other parts I don't, I take what is helpful and discard the rest. So before people go on these weird tirades of anger over anothers opinion they should set back and think things over a bit. Will it the 'offending' opinion affect them in any way? Is it really worth arguing over in an aggressive tone? Will I be flying my dipshit flag high for all others to see if I get all bent out of shape over it?

Be A Better Player 15 - Hygiene, please be clean.

Player 1 – Sorry I'm late guys, had to some things to take care of before I came over.

GM – No worries, it's only a few minutes and I think we all know how it is sometimes.

 

Player 2 – Now sit down and pull out your fighter we have goblins to kill!
 

Player 1 – Damn Straight! Alright lets get the metal swinging. Um... what's wrong with you?

 

Player 3 – Nothing. Just moving over a bit so I can... stretch my legs out a bit better.

Player 1 – Oh okay. So let's... what are you doing.

 

Player 4 – Moving over a bit also, just to get the fresh air coming in from the door.

 

Player 1 – What are you trying to say man?

Player 3 – You aren't exactly smelling to fresh y'know.

Player 4 – Fresh hell, dude you stink.

Player 1 – Oh bullshit I do not.

Player 3 – When is the last time you showered?

Player 1 – Okay it's been a few days alright, it's not that bad.

 

Player 4 – Those clothes, when was the last time they were 'showered'?

 

Player 1 – Yeah okay I haven't done laundry in a while so I picked out something that was least dirty. Alright it's not that bad. Hey where are you going?

Eventually I knew I was going to do an article for players over this. Although in all honestly it can be applied to a few Gamemasters that I have met over the years as well. Because personal hygiene is a issue of discussion among many various groups of gamers and people outside of the gaming community when talking about gamers. It's become the stereotype even though it's not nearly as common as people make it out to be. However when you encounter it... it is an occurrence that you will not easily forget as it usually burns a pretty big mark into your memory that can't be undone.

 

I'm not talking about the big scraggly beards, disheveled clothing or ratty Miskatonic University ball cap you've had for years. Those things are nothing when measured up against an offense against anothers olfactory senses. This will drive people away from you, they will talk about you behind your back about for years to come, you will be known as 'that smelly gamer' and you help continue to spread the idea that gamers are unclean which so many of the rest of us are trying desperately to disprove.

 

Sometimes it's the occasional problem, you don't want to be late after doing something that causes you to sweat a lot, or even spent some time in a pretty smelly place. But trust me if you call up the GM and tell them you will be a few minutes late because you need to grab a shower after hitting the gym or flipping burgers at a crappy job I'm pretty sure they will be cool with. I mean what's worse? Waiting and extra ten to fifteen minutes to start a game up or having to sit right next to somebody who is a constant source of not so good fumes for three to four hours? I know what my choice on this would be.

For others this seems to be a constant persistent problem. They just refuse to bathe often (once a week doesn't cut it), don't buy deodorant and wear the same clothes for days on end. Please for the love of God stop doing this. It's fucking gross. I know the gaming community is quite open to people with a lot of issues, social problems and other such things. But there is nothing that says they have to be open to punishing themselves by allowing you at their table. If I'm running the game I will point out the issue and ask you to leave. I wish more folks would do this so you would get the hint. Shower, clean clothes, deodorant... should be just as essential as having dice when going to game.

 

Then there are the hardcore convention folks. They hit the con and don't stop gaming except to throw some food down their throats or catch a couple hours of sleep. Crawling from table to table nonstop. I can understand the obsession but trust me a few minutes back the hotel room, or a friends hotel room, in the shower actually makes the experience better. You don't feel grimy, you don't look grimy, people aren't talking about you and you are generally feeling more comfortable at the gaming table. Pack an extra can of spray on deodorant at least, maybe change that shirt in the bathroom and get a hooker shower if you have to. At least try and to do something.

 

So please if others smell you coming and then continue to smell the funk after you leave.... then something is wrong and it's not everybody else.

Be A Better Player 14 - This costs money

GM – Alright guys I'm glad to be starting up Deep Dungeons again. It's been a while since we've played it. Let's knock out characters and get this rolling.

Player 1 – Sweet, pass me the Players Tactics 2 book would you?

GM – Don't have that one, just the core books and none of the new stuff.

Player 2 – Well that works for me.

Player 1 – What? The new stuff has all the updated classes and new skill lists.

GM – Yes and a fifty dollar price tag. I can't justify spending that right now.

Player 3 – The regular books work fine man. Just deal okay.

Player 1 – How can you run a game if you don't have all the books? Explain that.

GM – I have what I need to run the game, I ran it fine for years with what I have. There is really no need for me to get the new stuff right now. Maybe if we really get to playing this game heavy again but until....

Player 1 – No need? Really? It's all the new stuff. The stuff people want to play.

Player 3 – Look just deal with it and make a character alright.

Player 1 – Fine but don't expect me to be happy about it.

GM – Geez man chill. Here's the character sheets fresh from the copy shop printer.

Player 1 – Oh now what the hell? The one page character sheet? Why can't you give us the four player character sheets with plenty of room to write everything on and keep it all organized.... I mean really.....

I've seen this one several times. Both as a player watching other players spout this off or as a gamemaster listening to a player go on and on about it. The one who thinks everything that is produced for the game should be made available to them. Only the best character sheets will do and don't forget to give them a sheet or two of paper to keep track of things on. All on your dime of course.

I just want to grab them by the stack and swivel, pull them over the table and yell in their face “This shit costs money dammit!”. Now I know the old saying about how roleplaying games are probably one of the cheapest hobbies to be into once you figure in the costs per hour of usage and all of that. But it still isn't cheap and it's not getting any cheaper. Expecting the guy running to game to shell out his cash over and over again for books just so you can have access to them. Well that's a bit delusional if you ask me.

Top it off with the expectation of character sheets. While I agree that getting quick copies made usually isn't that costly it still adds up over time. If you go bulk to get discount rate you run the risk of the game you are running falling out of favor for a different one or an edition change that makes the old sheet useless. Then you are stuck with a mountain of paper gathering dust. Then, as in the example, there is somebody who expects the top notch multiple page character sheets that are mostly boxes with the words “Equipment Carried”, “Family Members” or some such in them. Making up for those to lazy to organize their own notes themselves. Really how hard is it to keep track of your shit man?

If you're going to complain about this then be ready to step up and put your wallet where your mouth is. Not just for yourself either, do as you expect the GM to do and be ready to provide and share with the others at the table. You want those four page character sheets, the copy shop is right down the street or you can print them out from your computer on a printer (and get ready for it to cost, I think copier ink is the most expensive liquid on the planet or something) AND bring enough for everybody. That new book an absolute must have, then buy it and let everyone at the table use it.

As for being an ass to the game master about not providing all this stuff on his own dime. That would not be a good thing to do at my table. Just thinking about makes me want to write a GM advice article about when it's okay to be an asshole to some players.

Be A Better Player 13 - Don't hog the spotlight

Player one – Okay now that the security doors are now unlocked I'll jack out of the terminal and go back through the vents to hook back up with the rest of the group.

GM – While you vision takes a second to clear up after jacking out you hear a small soft slow clap behind you. Then with that so familiar voice of your bother he says “Very good sis, you work the net like an expert. Sadly for you though I caught you this time”.

Player 1 – Ah hell... okay I hold my hands up in the air just a bit and turn around to face him.

Player 2 – Do we know this is going on?

GM – Okay and... no, no you don't. Okay as you turn you see him standing there dressed in some high end business wear holding his katana by the scabard in one hand. “I'm not here to arrest you this time... I've grown tired of this chase. We need to...”

Player 2 – Can we hear any of this echoing down through the vents.

Player 3 – Dude chill man we're like three floors away.

GM – No you can't hear anything except the humm of the air conditioners running. Now he was saying “We need to finish this once and for all between us.” Then he grips the handle with his other hand and slides the blade free.

Player 1 – I reach over and pull my sword of my pack while I roll my head a bit to loosen up. “Alright big brother if this is how you want it.”

Player 2 – Alright her character has been gone to long I'm going into the shaft to climb down and check on her.

Player 4 – Oh bullshit man. It's her grudge match let her have it.

Player 2 – I can take the guy though.

GM – You have no reason to check after her, she said it would take about twenty minutes to get the job done and it's only been about fifteen.

Player 1 – Please just let me have this fight okay.

Player 2 – But I can take him down hardcore.

GM – Look it's her turn for a little time in the spotlight so just give it a rest. She has a commo if she wanted you involved she would've called for help. Now... back to where we were...

Player 2 – I'm going in there after her!

Everybody likes their share of time being the center of attention at the gaming table. Either being the one to save the day or having a one on one confrontation with an old arch nemesis. It's the time that most players strive for, when all eyes are on them and they are the main attraction for a few minutes. However some like that a bit much and try to be the center of attention at all time even when it means jumping into somebody else's spotlight.

So to make it crystal clear, you don't need to be in every single scene in a game. Your involvement isn't necessary in everything that happens. Sometimes you need to set back, sip your soda, shut up and watch as some of the other players get their time in. If not, well don't acting like an ass when people start to get aggravated with you or suddenly stop inviting you over to games at their house.

If you're wondering why this is important, well, it all comes back to one core saying I've always had about gaming. It's a game, we're meant to have fun while playing, ALL of us. Trust me I like some enthusiasm at the table it can really make things interesting and help keep everything rolling along greatly. Just sometimes you need to curb that enthusiasm just a bit before it starts to push others off to the side. Thus ruining their attempt at having fun.

Be A Better Player 12 - Don't split the party

Stay with the party. Four words that so many players fail to understand.

I'm not even going to do an example write up from a game session for this. It would take to long, pages probably, to show just how bad splitting up the party can be. It's much easier to get to the bullet points of the entire subject instead of making you read through all that badly done script writing that I do. Mind you this is something that is bad for both the GM as well as the players. But also bear in mind that sometimes it does work and I will cover that at the end.

Let's start off with why it's bad for you since that is what most players are concerned with... themselves. It will cut your game time down considerably. Let's say you play in a six hour session with four other players and you all split up and go do your own thing. Now instead of being involved in the same stuff at the same time the GM has to bounce from person to person. So you will be going from six hours of game time to about an hour and twelve minutes. All that other time you will likely be setting at the table waiting as the other players get their turn at being the center of attention... one at a time.

Another thing to watch out for is the preplanned GM encounters. Going off about by your lonesome in the wrong place could lead your character right into a group of monsters designed to be a challenge for a group. Being by yourself there isn't any challenge and you pretty much end up being lunch. This can be especially true if you have a GM who runs pregenerated adventures 'by the book' without doing any adjustments. I mean there are few things as fun for a GM as when a single player sends their character down the tunnel into the waiting arms of ten or so Gnolls.

Don't forget that in many games it takes the specializations of the entire group working together to get through a task. I mean it would really suck to get stuck behind a locked door and you're not the thief. Or run out of spells and that handy dandy walking wall of meat with sharp objects (you know the fighter) isn't anywhere around. Maybe even being that wall of meat and bleeding from several of your meaty locations and the cleric is wandering around three rooms away looking at old paintings. So keeping your skills and abilities pooled into one location is a pretty good idea.

Also let me point out the general hassle and headache all of this is for the person running the game. Keeping track of the locations of five different characters at the same time, not to mention remember what each one is doing and what NPC's are involved, etc. This has a chance of grinding that divided game time down even further if they resort to keeping notes. I'll be honest one time I had a player that always strayed from the party. Finally one game I was tired of it and he managed to get his character completely uninvolved from the entire session. So I told him his involvement in that nights game was at an end and he could leave or sit and watch everybody else play because he was done. He got mad and took off, but the next session he stuck with the group.

Now, as I said earlier, I will cover reasons when it is usually acceptable to break up the group.

When the GM makes it abundantly clear that you need to. Basically things like giving you two goals that must get done at almost the same time. Or suggesting that your scout type character could go ahead and see what the bad guys are up to. This means the GM is prepared for the extra headache and stress.

Setting up a trap. Personally if the players are splitting up WITH A PLAN than I see that as not splitting up. But just advanced working together tactics. You know that rare thing called 'teamwork'.

Also a lot of Gamemasters also allow it when the players are shopping. A round robin on the table giving each player ten minutes or so to take care of any purchases and whatnot.

Of course this list is not complete nor will every game be the same. Some folks just prefer things a bit different than others. Some actually prefer the players to be split up quite a bit but from my experience, and that of several folks I know, this is not the normal case. So again take my advice to the table but just be ready in case the person running it has different ideas.

Be A Better Player 11 - You don't know that

GM - “The guard falls to the floor in a dead heap his blood quickly pooling underneath him.”

Player 1 - “Okay now I spin around and shoot Tim in the chest, finishing off the clip, every shot.”

Player 2 - “What...? Why are you shooting me?”

GM - “You're what?”

Player 1 - “He's a spy for the other side, probably leading us all into a trap. I don't deal nicely with people who backstab us.”

Player 3 - “He's what? How do you know this?”

Player 2 - “He doesn't know that.”

GM - “You don't know any of that, your character has no knowledge of what his character has going on on the side.”

Player 1 - “No, I do know that. I heard you two talking before the game when I was getting a soda. So I do know it and you can't deny that it's true.”

GM - “No YOU know it, your character does not.”

Player 1 -”Huh?”


Out of character knowledge, also known in some groups as metagaming, it the topic this time. For those very few of you who may not know this is when you use information in game through your character that they do not know. This could be something as blatantly obvious as the description above or more subtle in the way your character treats or shares information with others. Either way it's still a pretty shitty thing to do and simply shows that you put your having fun above everybody else having fun.

Many times during gaming sessions, especially during long term campaigns, there are other small plot lines and events going on that not all characters are privy to. These can range from small mundane little things that are only of interest to that particular character, or things that will eventually lead to bigger things occurring in game. Used effectively this is a tool of multiple uses that a GM can wield to make things better for everyone. It allows them to take care of things that are only of interest to a single person without having to spending time using up group time at the table. Or they can build up plots to bring in using the characters that are 'in the know' as a way to introduce them.

By using this knowledge you have picked up you risk ruining other peoples fun as they are taking care of smaller things off to the side. Or by messing up things that the GM hopes to bring into the game in a logical fashion using other characters interests rather than just the blatant railroad into it. A lot of the urge to do this probably stems from the idea that somebody is getting off better than the rest or that they are trying to screw everybody else over. When you do this you have failed, at some point, to realize that role-playing is a game but not one of competition between the players, there isn't a single winner or loser.

If you over hear or discover some information out of game that worries you discuss it with the GM. Maybe they can let you in a little bit or let you know if it's something that will have an effect or not. Any GM worth his salt wouldn't let one player screw over all the rest in this manner because it displays the risk of only one person at that table of having fun.

Speaking as a player it really gets under my damn skin when somebody wants to get up in all of the things I have going on. Mainly because when they do they love to go around and tell everybody and then it pretty much ruins everything. Sometimes it's nice to have a few secrets going on, or to pull a bit of data or an item that you picked up they weren't aware of. Or when the captain of the guard greets on a first name basis, things like this. As long as you're not out to screw everybody else over then everything should be fine.

So in the end the way to deal with this is as simple as following the Wheaton Rule of “Don't be a dick”. If your character doesn't know it then that information isn't for them to use. Sometimes it's just funner to know what is going on and just watching to see where the pieces drop in the end.

Be A Better Player 10 - No you can't play that.

Player one – Hey I found this really good prestige class and I was wondering if you would let me try it.

GM – Well I'm trying to just stick with the base stuff out of the core books. Not wanting to branch out into to many other sources.

Player one – Awww, c'mon it's the 'Undead Slayer' prestige class it looks like it rocks.

Player two – Undead Slayer? We haven't even seen anything undead in this entire campaign.

GM – Yeah I'm not using undead in the current campaign at all, it doesn't fit whats going on in the least.

Player one – But it's really cool, just read it and you will say yes.

Player three – So how are you going to become and undead slayer when there are no undead to slay?

Player four – That would be some trick wouldn't it.

Player one – You guys are assholes, just don't want anybody to have any fun except for yourselves!

GM – What? How do you come to that conclusion just because I won't let you use a prestige class that's not from any of the books that I said we are using?

This is something that can happen in just about any game line where they have released a pretty extensive amount of material. Any edition of Dungeons and Dragons, the World of Darkness books, Shadowrun, and many more. Sometimes there is simply to much material to keep track of in your head. But when you try to limit it down to just a few books somebody just can't stand the idea of it.

I cannot say enough in these articles that most GM's put a lot of effort into the games they run. They have plot lines, lists of things that are going to happen, time schedules, lists of NPC's. It's no small chore. So when they try to make things a bit easier to control by limiting the scope of their game it's usually because there is more than they can handle otherwise. So they aren't out to stop you from having fun by not letting you play your current flavor of the month character type, they are trying to insure themselves that they will also have fun planning out and running the game.

Many times I've been a player in games where there were limitations on what we could choose from. It just made me be more creative with my selections. Also it never hurts to ask if you can use something, especially if you have a valid reason for it, the worst they can do is say no. If they do say no don't get pissy about it and move on.

Also don't let the discussion of this halt game play or carry a simple character creation session into an hours long ordeal. Asking about it should be fine and rather quick, but trying to get a full on discussion about why you should get to play a Lasombra in a Camarilla only vampire session can get really old real fast. Not just for the GM but also for those others who are wanting to play.

Be A Better Player... well nobody will be better player at the moment.

My new Be A Better Player will have to wait a bit. Life has been shoveling me some shit here lately and I've been busy digging my way out. Even when I get time to work on writing anything I'm not anywhere near in the right mindset to do so. So I would rather wait and write it right than hand out some half baked ideas. Hope you all understand

Be a Better Player 9 - Remember the rules.

GM – The black guardians slowly step out of the woodline around the campfire. They are on all sides effectively surrounding your group. The familiar sound of their blades being drawn, that high pitched scrape almost like screaming fills the air. It's very clear they aren't here to talk.

Player 1 – Oh hell here we go. I told you they would catch up to us.

Player 2 – Okay you were right. Arm yourselves guys it's time for a fight.

GM – I need some initiative rolls all around.

(sounds of dice rolling)

Player 3 – Um... how do I roll that again?

Player 1 – sigh... the same as last time.

Player 3 – I forgot. Tell me how it works again.

GM – Roll a ten sider, add in your initiative bonus. Don't worry about any negatives since your armor wouldn't give you any.

Player 3 – Ah okay. Where's the bonus at on the sheet?

Player 4 – We've been playing this for weeks now and you do this all the time.

Player 1 – Yeah man come on.

Player 3 – Relax, it's just a game. Chill out already.

Now we all know that the games we play have rules and at times they can become pretty essential. Especially for events like combat which can come up often. So learning at least the basics of rules can become a necessity to keep things rolling along. Nothing is worse than stopping every time to refresh somebody on how to roll to hit.

Before anybody gets riled up over this I'm not talking addressing people brand new to gaming or when you just start a new system for the first time. People new to the hobby usually take a bit of time getting the hang of the rules especially when, in the process of playing, you tend to go suddenly from amateur theater around the table to randomized mathematics at the drop of a hat. Nobody shouldn't expect a veteran player to suddenly know the rules for a system they never played before.

What I am talking about is when you've been playing games for a while and have been using a specific system for a while also. You should at least commit enough to remember how to roll for initiative, to hit, make a saving throw or a simple skill check. This alone will help save a lot of time and keep the game flowing along nicely.

If it's a system that is rather complex or you just have trouble remembering things then ask for, or make, a cheat sheet. Right down the basics of what you need to do on a spare sheet of paper and in a description that you can understand. Keep it right beside your character sheet during play for that fast reference. Hell I still have a couple of cheat sheets for some games I used to play, one even covered character generation so I could speed through it quickly. Personally I think a photocopy friendly cheat sheet in the back of core game books should be included right beside the character sheet. But that's just my opinion.

Be A Better Player 8 - Stop multitasking

GM – Okay you have the front guard taken out. All that is left are the two inside, what are you going to do?

Player 1 – Well first off I'm dragging the one we took out off to the side. Don't need anybody seeing him laying out there in the open.

Player 2 – Trying to find an area near the door where I can see inside. We need to get a good idea of where they are.

GM – Hey Adam what about you? Adam!

Player 3 – Huh? Oh sorry I was answering an email real quick it was kinda important.

Player 1 – Aren't they all.....

GM – Guard outside is down, two left inside are left.

Player 3 – Ah okay, I guess I back up the others on whatever they decide.

GM – Look can you just put the phone down for a bit. It's really breaking up the flow here.

Player 3 – I don't understand.

Player 2 – Get your head in the game damn it!

Player 3 – Yeah... okay... just let me check on a couple of auctions real quick. Need to see how much they are up to.

GM – What...

Player 3 – I'll start paying more attention, really. Just got some stuff going on you know?

When you aren't chatting with people over IM's or downloading the 'perfect' song to play in case the group goes to a club you are playing the game. Well sort of, sometimes you get distracted and have to be reminded of what's going on at the moment. But that auction ends in two hours and you are sure somebody is going to try and snipe it. Oh and there is always a good argument going on over at the forums you frequent.

Yeah... you aren't a computer so keep the multitasking down. This all rolls around to breaking the flow and mood of the game rather easily. By not paying enough attention play has to stop and the GM has to repeat what he has just said. The GM is most likely getting aggravated by it and the other players are starting to line up right beside him with the same feelings. Thus turning an otherwise enjoyable time into an irritating one.

Let's also not mention the distraction. Ring-tone going off every time somebody send you a text. Alert sounds when that download is done. Even vibration mode still makes noise. All this adds up into a long continues string of interruptions and breaks down the flow at the table.

Now I'm not fool enough to suggest that you should turn off your phone when you sit down at the table to play. Emergencies happen, spouses call and sometimes you need to answer the calls. But put it on vibrate and stick it in your pocket. Don't flip it out and start cruising the net just when the attention on you drops a little bit.

Oh and on a related note, sending text messages back and forth among yourself and the other players isn't a good idea also. Not only does it cause many of the same problems but usually it's done in some effort to 'undermine' the GM. I mean, after all, trying to do this is basically saying that you don't want them running a game. Some will get that message and you'll be a bunch of players sitting around a table with their phones in their hands and nobody running the game.

So please, unplug for a bit, be social without a social network and get in the game.

Be A Better Player Seven - Enough jokes already!

GM – Okay guys enough jokes for a bit let's get back on track here.

Player 1 – heh heh... yeah okay you're right.

Player 3 – Sorry bout that.

GM – Okay now back to where we were. Your party finally makes it way through the rubble up to opening of the cave. There are the remains of a few previous adventurers like yourself lying about near the entrance.

Player 2 – Oh shit watch out for rabbits around here.

Player 3- hehe oh hell I didn't think about that.

Player 2 – “That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!”

GM – No that's not what....

Player 2 - “Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!”

Player 3 – Oh damn my sides hurting I'm laughing so hard.

Player 1 – I should have known better than to trust the gm to NOT pull out the rabbit.

GM – groan...

Okay I'll admit a little humor at the game table is welcome when I'm running a game. Getting a good chuckle over something while in the middle of some number crunching makes the numbers flow a little better it seems. HOWEVER... you have to stop at some point. You may have the best joke in the world suddenly on your lips, but there are times when you need to just shut the fuck up.

First thing it can throw off the enjoyment of others. Some people are there to play the game and not sit around for three hours playing amateur comedy club night. You need to understand that they are there to invest their time into something and you may be keeping them from doing that. These are also the kinds of players that a lot of gamemasters like and if it comes time to cut somebody they won't be the first on the list and will probably be whispering about who they would like to see gone.

Second thing is that all this joking stops gameplay. So if there is an 'stop point' planned for the night you are pushing it further and further away. Maybe even past the point to which the players are willing to stay for. When game play stops like this it has a tendency to stop dead in it's tracks and takes some time to get rolling again.

Third is the complete destruction of the mood. Not all games are dungeon romps through perfectly made corridors and shop keepers that are merely vending machines for arrows and rations. In nearly any sort of horror scenario the mood becomes very important. The intent is to keep the players themselves on the edges of their seats to try and make them feel a bit of what their PC's are experiencing. Suddenly busting out a song of 'Knights of the Round Table' when you find a dining room with a circular table can throw all that right out the window. In a high action game the mood is for fast thinking and quick decisions, making everyone giggle every two minutes destroys that as well.

Forth thing, well lets just face it, usually you are never even half as funny as you think you are. So not only is everyone else getting belted with jokes but they are bad jokes at that. You are not a professional comedian, if you were you would probably be up on stage at a club on Saturday night getting paid instead of at the gaming table. We've also seen The Holy Grail about a dozen times and can repeat the lines as we watch it, we don't need your refresher course.

So watch for the subtle signs. The gamemaster or other players glaring at you, the lack of anybody but you laughing and everyone suddenly having to 'other things' come up. Being to much of a disruption is a sure fire way to not be told that the game night is switching to Fridays starting next week.