Random thoughts

I’m sitting at the computer, thinking (scary, I know). We have been streaming our “home” game for over a year now and I still feel like I’m flying blind. We still have moments where we get aggravated at each other for antics we drive our characters to do, but we brush it off and keep going. This makes me wonder, what keeps us going? Know your group. Every group has a few people in it (if you are thinking that your group doesn’t have one of these, it’s probably you). 

Rules Lawyer. The one that knows all the rules and will let you know them too. This person can become frustrated at homebrew, especially if there is no logic behind it. They are also easily aggravated by inconsistency. If the GM flips back and forth on how they handle a situation or magic item, they will begin to find loopholes to exploit. Do not be quick to dismiss this player though, they will often aid you in understanding what your own character or item can do (they tend to keep me honest).

Unpredictable Nature. This is the player who works their character according to how they feel that day. Often, they will attempt to stay within the nature of the character, but the decisions and actions take on a whole other level based on the mood of the player. Sometimes their actions will make sense while other times it will cause complete chaos (leaving others thinking “What the hell…”). This is an excellent player to have at your table, they keep things fresh and exciting.

Die Roller. They need to roll the dice and it doesn’t really matter if it is actually for combat, or just some skill check. Almost a compulsion, they will roll those dice simply because they are there in front of them…no reason needed. Give them only a few seconds to themselves and the sound of those things will be tumbling into a box (we hope they’re contained at least). This player tends to remind us all when we’ve hit a decision paralysis and it is time to just pick something and move on.

Wallflower. Keeping quiet and watching others take action, following the leader and not really contributing to the decisions made are often the way this player approaches the RPG. They often stay out of the role play aspect. In a group where they are most comfortable, they will come away from the wall a bit, but still only offer up a few words and thoughts. These players will often have tragic backstories for their characters, playing the “strong and silent” type to avoid any unnecessary talking. Listen closely to these players as they will often have the deepest insight to a situation.

Of course these can overlap. You might be thinking that you fall into multiple “roles” and that is okay. As a GM or player, having a general idea of who the players are can help to ease some tension at the table. However, it is also up to the players to realize these are friends who share a common interest. Together, they can create a story like no other…antics and all!