Tales from the Gazebo – Play on Playa


Play on Playa
By Cape Rust

This week we are going to look at how you, our awesome readers, can become better players. At first glance, this seems like a no brainer; however, as you start to look into it, you might find that it is easier said than done.  Because this is such a broad subject, I’d like to focus on a few things you can do to make you an asset, not an ass hat at the table.

First, as a player, you have to understand that to an extent, you will have to follow your GM’s lead. Your GM has quite a bit of responsibility to not only keep the players interested and engaged, but to run the entire world. That is quite a bit of work for someone who isn’t getting paid. If you have never been on the GM side of the screen, the first and best thing you can do as a player is run a game or two, even if they are just one shot games. You will start to see things from a different perspective. If you have a solid gaming group, they should support your fledgling efforts and no matter how good or bad the game goes, learning will occur. Some GMs are d-bags and seem like they are out to get you, and some just might be, but there is a good chance they are jaded due to bad experiences with players in their past. Remember, it isn’t always the GM’s fault. Players might be to blame. If you have a grumpy, non-collaborative GM, you have 3 options: Try to work with them, deal with them, or find a new GM.

When you talk with your GM, try to find a middle ground that suits both of your gaming goals. As you start to learn about some of your GM’s goals, you start to see what they may be trying to accomplish during his or her upcoming game. As a player, take your GM’s goals, place your goals next to your GM’s goals, and figure out how to integrate both sets of goals to achieve game nirvana. A good example of this is a GM who, before starting a new campaign, says “Okay, we hardly ever use mounted combat in our games so I want to explore that and I don’t want you to play the class you normally play.” Now you understand that this GM wants you to branch out, and some mounted combat skills or feats should be taken. I know some of you are saying, “But I want to play yet another thief named Rook who is afraid of horses!” This is when you have to look at your GM’s goals. He or she has told you what they are trying to do so roll with it. How about playing a halfling ranger who still can do some sneaky, sneaky things while still being able to hop on his or her trusty riding dog and reek havoc amongst the bigger folk? You still get to stay close to your comfort zone while not giving anything up. In the end, the game will be better for the GM and the players. A little compromise as a player goes a long way.

The best players tend to make character backgrounds. They take the time to get to know their characters as more than just a set of stats.  First, develop a good background that involves your character and other members of your party. Some systems like Traveller actually have this built-in. A good background will help you develop your character more fully, as well as explaining why you have some of the feats and skills you have chosen, or in reverse you can use those skills, talents and feats you’ve taken and build your background based on them. So here is how it might look: I took a talent that gives me a chance to make a roll to try any skill even if I don’t have levels in it. So how do I work that into my back-story? Maybe I had an uncle that fixed everything in town and he let me follow him around. Or I could have been an ADD kid who tried everything but didn’t specialize in anything. Wait! I could add the ADD thing! (You can see how this builds on itself.)  Work with your GM as you develop your back-story so that there isn’t anything in it that might not work in his or her world.

Smart players prepare for each session. Yes, preparation is not just for GMs anymore. This won’t take as much time at lower levels but will pay off at any level. I know you are asking, “How can I prepare as a player?” Well, here are a few more unsolicited tips for you. First, look back over your entire character sheet. Look at your stats, make sure they are right. If you have leveled up, double check to make sure all of your numbers are correct. After this, go back through your character sheet, look back over your feats, talents and skills, and make sure you know what you can do with them. Take a few minutes to figure out a new way to use those feats, talents and skills. Think about what you will change or improve when you level-up. Some GMs won’t let you level-up until the end of a session while others will do it as soon as you have met the requirements to do so. Be prepared! Refresh yourself on your weapons’ capabilities; know their range, type and the amount of damage they do, this will make combat go much quicker. If you use magic go back over your spells, write up your spell list and look back over spells you don’t normally use. While you are looking at spells, try finding at least one non-traditional use for one of your spells. It might seem like too much work but it pays off and makes everyone at the table happy.

The last part of this article is designed to make some of you feel bad. Really bad. Like, I just clubbed a baby seal bad. If you are guilty of these common infractions, get thee to a nunnery. First, turn off or at least put your cell phone on vibrate at the game table. There is nothing worse than a cell phone going off when you are in the middle of fighting three jacked-up street samurai. Let your loved ones and friends know you will be busy for the next few hours and to only call if there is an emergency. “I miss you boo!” and “Do you think I should take a bath or shower?” are not emergencies. Excessive texting is almost worse. If I need to send more than two or three texts to my wife, I excuse myself from the table. Laptops, iPads and other Internet capable devices can be a great asset, but they can be an MMO player’s worst enemy. For some, the temptation to farm while the tabletop game is happening is often too much. If you can’t resist running your convoy on Eve, keep those devices away from the table. Finally, be a good guest. Hosting a game at your house is a generous thing to do, always remember that. Bring some snacks for the good of the order. If there is a unique type of drink that you like, bring your own and if the rest of your group likes panther piss, (the cans say Mountain Dew) bring a sixer. Don’t forget clean up! Help your host clean up the table and room that you game in. Offer to take out the trash on your way out to the car and don’t forget to say thank you.

These were just a few tips on becoming a better player. I will revisit this topic because it is vast and important. Remember use common sense and prepare. Gaming is all about having fun and these tips should help you to make a great experience even better. Great GMs are often great because they have great players. The player-GM relationship is symbiotic and if done right can be synergistic. So, you guessed it… play on playas!

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