On Being A Player

Desert Warrior by MrTomLong via DeviantArt

Yesterday I was invited to join a fantasy RPG campaign being played using the Rolemaster Classic system and Roll20. After the most pressured fortnight or so of my year, it was relief to be able to apply for the seat at the virtual table, and a delight to be accepted. We’ll be doing character creation later this morning.

For me, however, it’s very illuminating to once again be reminded of just how straight-forward “being a player” is for the majority of players. Instead of being the one making all those setting decisions, here I am simply reading about them and using them to conceptualize a hero worthy of play. I don’t even really need to know the rules very well (although I do know them well enough from past GMing) because I’m not the one expected to make rule decisions either. It’s really rather liberating.

And it reminds me of why I need to get into this saddle much more often than I do.

Three Things To Remember as a Player

On top of this new opportunity to play once a fortnight, I have been observing the play of newbies at the school hobby club. I extricated myself from their new game of Only War simply because gaming the 40K universe with gung-ho teenagers would bore me.

As I sit on the sidelines, prepping the Shadowrun game for the next batch of total beginners, I have been observing some things that needed coaching. In short, there were some really poor habits surfacing which make for less-fun gaming. Now that I’m going to be a player myself, here’s the top three things that I’m going to try to remember as a player.

1. Think “us”, not “me”.

I made sure that the first question asked of my new GM was, “What does the group need?”

When making characters for a game, think of the “us” and try to lessen the “me”.

Listening to four teenage lads, I noticed that there is a temptation to want to play the thing that most appeals regardless of what the group might need. Thus, you end up with the “odd character out” where one player has a hero that doesn’t quite fit the team.

As a player, especially having been a GM, it really doesn’t matter too much what I play. The suggestion that our group might need some ranged combat and survival skills has led to the concept of a light fighting, bow and sword wielding nomad who is hiring his skills as a guide to the city-slicker main group.

This allows me to insert my new hero into the existing group as well as adding new much-needed expertise to the team. For me, there’s the challenge of playing a warrior-type (I usually prefer thieves and magi) combined with the desire to freshen and spice up what could otherwise be a very vanilla choice. That sounds like a good situation… but it would never have arisen if I’d been overly concerned about what I wanted to play.

2. Listen more than you speak.

Judging from the jabber around the average gaming table, listening is a skill which is in surprisingly short supply among roleplayers. This is especially the case with younger gamers, but is a factor at my regular table too.

As GM, I have long-ago cultivated an ear for what is being said so that I can steal any of the good (or crazy) ideas that players throw out as they ponder problems. What I also realise, however, is that players can be really distracting to one-another if they jabber too much… even when it is “on-topic”.

Listening to the GM pays dividends because that person is describing the world and situation to you. Without the input the GM gives you have very little to go on. Yet, in most roleplaying sessions, the players are also generating description and ideas which invite you to say, “Yes, and” .

Listen. Two ears, one mouth… and all that jazz. But, really: listen.

Listening to my GM’s comments about another player’s hero threw up some small thoughts for my character.

One of the heroes is a Mentalist Mage from a land that is very Egyptian in flavour; as my character is from a land that is very Bedouin in flavour, I was prompted to consider how my hero’s superstitious nature might gel with a mind-influencing magic-user around. I can see room for slightly nervous respect and deference, and a desire to keep some physical distance, colouring the roleplay. An almost throw-away pair of details has really given me some nice ideas. Adding in the news that another hero is a typical city thief, I can see an element of wary disapproval for a “less honourable” way of life changing, over time , to earned respect for this hero’s talents as they benefit the group.

3. State your intentions.

The worst thing is where a player is stating an action but, as GM, you have no idea where they want to go with it. What is the expected outcome?

“I want to make a Perception check and look over the hull of the drop-ship.”

Where is a statement like that going to?

“Looking over the hull of the drop-ship, I want to inspect it for battle damage and make sure it looks fit for us to make the insertion safely. Last time, guys, we nearly didn’t make it because of that hull fracture.”

Isn’t that so much more helpful? And it is has less game-speak and more description.

As a player, try to remember that no one else is likely to be able to read your intentions. You’re not trying to “catch the GM out” either. You’re building a collaborative story, guys.

State your intended outcomes. Wait for the GM to tell you even if you need to roll. Ensure that everyone follows your thinking.

And it should go without saying, but…

Never dispute stuff with the GM in-game.

Something sounds screwy, or odd, about the situation? Cool! Now’s your chance to speculate about HOW it got to be that way.

Looks like the GM got a rule wrong? Ok. Ask them to clarify, by all means, but if they seem sure then just roll with it. You can ask about it privately later.

Didn’t quite understand the description? Just listen in on how the others begin to interpret the scene. Ask questions if you need to. Gently ease yourself back into the action.

Direct challenges to the GM just slow things down, create insecure feelings, and bore the other players.

Don’t do it.

Game on!