![]() I am no expert GM by any means, but I have learned a few things that are ‘too much’ for any new GM. These tricks should allow your new campaign to go much smoother. Especially if you are just starting out role-playing and are thrust into the driver’s seat. 1. Pick a simpler system to start in I, mistakenly, took on a Palladium Fantasy game with very complex fighting rules and (not being a rules-lawyer myself) I had a hugely difficult time sorting through mechanics for the huge variety of character classes and various humanoid races. We spent far too much time flipping through pages and far too little time developing story. If I would have picked a known system to the group or even a simple system such as the old TSR Marvel RPG, I would have been able to spend more time on the important stuff. I could have had the clarity to find out more about their characters rather than how long it took the magic-user to use that spell. 2. Limit your player characters I know, I know, you want to please your group and give into their desires. But with your first crack at a campaign, maybe stick to one race. It will make it easier for them to connect. They could easily be from the same small village. You won’t have to create a world where it would make sense for an elf lord to interact with a human barbarian. Remind the players that small limits on their PC does not mean that everyone is the same old, bland character, but each individual will be their own special snowflake. Then, give them a paper snowflake non-ironically. 3. Ask a million questions I was given a wealth of knowledge from other GMs. Those that I had played with had allowed me to see what I would and would not do if I was in their seat. I absorbed that shit. And now with various groups online and articles and podcasts, there is even more of a plethora of people to steal learn from. Find ways to tap into that knowledge and make it your own. 4. Use modules (for real) After a hiatus of role-playing to focus on childrearing, I was sorely out of practice. I was able to start up something amazing with a group of women when I came back. It centered on a pre-made intro module to an updated system that I knew. I was skeptical at first, with my large ego getting in the way. I had my grandiose and limitless ideas for a world, but it never did match my very limited time. So I learned that even with the modules, you have the chance to put your own stamp on the adventure. And best of all, you can focus on the characters and having them buy-in to the story. 5. Question sessions This is part of my borrowing (stealing) from elsewhere knowledge. It was natural to include these short sessions with my group. It was an out-of-game question period that allowed their characters to express their thoughts and feelings about each other, the non-player characters, the setting, and the adventure. This allows you to tweak your plan and your group’s adventure to maximize the enjoyment and the interaction with your friends. 6. Be friggen flexible Don’t count on players to do what you would like all the time. Skeleton plan your adventure, but only hard plan those things that you know that they will encounter. Have some back-up ideas or ways to entice the players to think as you think (like candy… everyone loves candy.) With many characters and their multitude of goals, you never know which one will end up being priority for the group. And if you think of anything else, comment below. I always have need of other’s ideas! Vanessa is a sarcastic, 30-something wife and mother. She likes things and stuff, but not simultaneously. She thinks everyone should be roleplaying. ![]() It's really easy to get stuck in a rut, especially if you're a new player. When I fist began role playing, the first few games I played I had, essentially, the same character in every one. In one game it worked really well, but it wasn't long before my group, and our usual DM especially, got frustrated with me. Even looking back at some of my more recent games, after a 3.5 year break, I feel like I was still stuck in the rut with a few of my characters. So here are a few suggestions for what a player can do to keep from getting stuck in a rut, or to get out of that rut: 1. Someone creates a character for you. One of the characters that I enjoyed playing the most was one that my DM had created. My three past characters had been male fighters or Knights. Imagine my surprise when the DM hands me a female mage. Yes, it was a challenge, but looking back, I enjoyed playing the character and it did stretch me into playing a completely different character. No longer could I run into a fight, sword blazing, now I had to stand back and think a little bit more. The character had to change too, no longer a good, tough guy, but I was inspired to go with a "valley girl" type of character with some questionable, and sometimes contradictory, morals. There have been other games where the DM made the characters for me, and every time I've had more fun playing them than characters I had created myself. 2. Pay attention to your dice. This can be the hardest one to follow through on, but the best players are able to roll with their dice (I know, that one was pretty bad). We've all been there, you want to make a Rogue, but you just rolled an 8 on your dexterity, or a fighter and got a 10 on strength. Well, there goes that pipe dream. Now what? The temptation would be to force it, see if the DM will let you switch your stats around so you can salvage your dream. Or, you run with what you've got. Maybe you've got a great intelligence, or charisma. Ever tried being a bard? Neither have I, though I've heard it can be amazing fun. Or perhaps you become a Mage. Right away, the character that you always played is completely changed and something new and exciting can step forward. Now, this does mean that you have to listen to those dice that just killed your character, and you’ve got from the time that you created the character sheet to your first game to flesh out the character a bit. A challenge? You bet, but come on, you can do it. It all starts with that back story (and we’ve got another post in the archives that can help with that too). Don’t be afraid to go in a completely new direction, you never know, you might actually like what comes out of it all. 3. Ignore your favourites. I know you really love swords. And I know you love calling on the animals to do your every bidding. But this time ignore it all. It doesn't exist. Picture just a big white space where those options are in the book. Don't even look at them. You're working on something new, remember? Go with a character that has completely different items, weapons, spells, etc. This gets you into a different frame of mind, out of your comfort zone, and now you have to figure out how your character is going to use these things, what kind of temperament that's going to mean for him or her. I used to pick fighters all the time. The first game I played was called Rifts (a Palladium RPG, if memory serves), and I picked a Cyber Knight (I wanted to be like a Jedi). It didn’t go so well, by the way. I was told Cyber Knights are hard for rookies to play for a reason. Then I was a fighter in a D & D game. Then, it was a monk, in D & D 3.5. A little different from a fighter, but still a fighter. So next time, I went off the grid, a cleric. This guy wasn’t going to be a meat shield, a big fighter, or stuck in that “strong, silent type.” He was a spell caster, a healer, with some combat skills, yes, but he couldn’t even last one round against a paladin. He was a rotund spiritual leader with bad breath (like really bad, and he always stood close to talk to you) and chanted his spells. I enjoyed that character, and it got me into new territory that I hadn’t treaded before. 4. Read, read, read, read. Read books a lot. You can find so many characters in those books. Good writers will provide you with a wealth of characters that you can imitate and draw from. This has the advantage that you don’t have to come with something all on your own. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel, if you want to look at it that way. You can find a character right there in the pages of a book and plop him into your game. I found character in reading that I would love to play. He’s a wizard, but not the brave, “I can face anything with my strength of will, intellect, and quick thinking” type of wizard. No, this wizard’s a klutz, his feet are too big for his body, he’s uncoordinated, he’s bashful, he’s got absolutely no confidence at all, and has a habit of fainting in pressure situations (like random encounters, or when challenged violently). Unfortunately, he’s a quite powerful wizard and usually finds himself the wrong place, at the wrong time in order to do just the right thing. This character is totally different from anything that I’ve ever played before and I would love to have the chance to put myself in that character’s skin. You could do the same with TV, or movies, only there are likely to be a lot of people who will notice exactly what kind of character your playing, and who you’re basing that character of off. That can cause some groaners around the table, but if you can take it, by all means go ahead. But if the character is unique enough, and most of people at the table might not recognize him or her right off the bat, go ahead, give it a try. You might even find you can breathe something new and different into that character over time that makes him or her your own, and all of a sudden, you’ve got something incredibly brilliant. I've always admired other players who can create so many characters that are all so different from the other. I’ve found that I’ve struggled with that, not just in my role playing, but in my writing as well. Thus, I've created these tips for myself in order to get me out of my own rut and into a new kind of character. That way people don't get bored playing with you or you yourself getting bored with gaming. And then, after a while, you can go back to your favourites and breathe new life into an oldie from times past. And if you find a character that your DM pulls out for another game, you know you’ve found a winner, and the group will love to have that character come back for one more game, one more adventure. ![]() Children live in a wonder-filled world. Magic seems like a plausible solution to problems, fairies are potential allies, and the fantastical seems possible. However, as we grow up, many of us come to think that we’re smarter than all that. We turn to our rudimentary understandings of logic to allay our curiosities. Yet, there are some enduring mythical creatures, which even adults haven’t completely dismissed from their imaginations. These are powerful creatures with god-like abilities and… sometimes… dangerous moral alignments. I, your humble investigator, have detailed 5 mythical creatures from childhood. Each creature’s dossier includes a brief physical description, the circumstances surrounding their operations, an argument for their alignment, and finally, my verdict. Mythical Creature #5: The Easter Bunny Lepus paschalis. Quadrupedal creature appearing as common hare. When seen by humans, adopts mannerisms of the typical unintelligent lapin. Part of a large, uncoordinated distribution network. The Skinny Appearing as normal hares by day, it is around the celebration of Easter that these creatures begin a comprehensive candy campaign in North America. With human-like dexterity, they indiscriminately hide sweets and chocolates around houses, schools, offices and fields. Able to infiltrate even the most secure of locations, they leave a sea of confectioneries in their wake. No explanations are given, and only a few half-hearted questions may be heard above the sound of muffled masticating. The Argument It is well known the harmful effects that too much sucrose and glucose has on the human body. The incredible amount of sweets these industrious bunnies distribute on one day requires us to consider this a possible hostile action. Many children (and their parents) adopt this excessive sugar intake into dangerous lifestyle habits. This consequence seems a planned effect, but there is no strong evidence suggesting coordination of the rabbits’ activities. Distribution is uneven to say the least: sometimes candies are hidden in the most obscure of locations, yet other times they are in the same place, year after year… The Verdict Chaotic Evil. The rabbits’ extensive sugar bombing runs ensures that the obesity epidemic continues to plague North American society. Mythical Creature #4: The Leprechaun Profile Leipreachán. Bipedal fey creature. Ginger hair and beard. Male. Wears green or red coat and hat. Ostensibly appears as a shoemaker by trade. Interests lie in treasure hoarding and mischief. The Skinny Years of avarice, exploration and appropriation of long lost gold caches have resulted in many leprechauns developing small fortunes. It is rumored that their gold is squirreled away in cauldrons at the end of various indeterminate rainbows. Those who catch a leprechaun may barter 3 wishes in exchange for the creature’s release. The Argument Systematic dream crushing, mischievous devilry resulting in wanton destruction of property and outright lies define the leprechaun’s modus operandi. Their greed has taken them around the world, as they search for valuables lost in the sands of time. Fanciful tales about pots of gold and rainbows can only be assumed to be illusions meant to entertain the foolish and beguile treasure seekers. For those who capture a leprechaun and want to attempt to barter 3 wishes for their freedom, be warned of the legendary creative license that leprechauns take when granting them. They care for nothing save their gold and their own well-being. The Verdict Neutral Evil- Rules, loopholes and lies define the miserly leprechaun, a term synonymous with danger and mischief. Mythical Creature # 3 Cupid Profile Cupido. Humanoid god of desire, attraction and affection. Male. Slender wings protruding from dorsal muscles enable flight. The Skinny An expert marksman with bow and arrow, this prolific hunter is known to shoot one of two types of arrows into the hearts of his targets. Those struck with the golden arrow are overcome with amorous desires. Those struck with the lead arrow are likewise overcome with aversion to their suitor. The Argument Is he an agent of fornication and lust, or does he simply provide the sting of love alluded to in the “birds and the bees”. Some suggest his arrows are a product of his deranged mind meant to tempt humans towards vice. Others insist that he carries out his task of afflicting people with feelings of romantic love in order to encourage intimacy and ultimately, procreation. Interpretation of his motives seems to depend somewhat on the combination of arrows used on the person’s particular relationship (or lack thereof). The Verdict Chaotic Good. Being stung by love, and its concomitant physiological changes is a pleasurable sensation dulled only when the desire lies dormant. Mythical Creature #2 The Tooth Fairy Profile Dentem fairy. Bipedal fey creature. Male or female. Wings attached between dorsal muscles, enabling flight. The Skinny Quiet and reclusive by nature, the fairies’ desire to avoid detection has led to their development of unrivalled skills in stealth and infiltration. They are able to sneak undetected into any target’s bedroom under cover of darkness. Their excellent sleight of hand skills allow them to find and remove a single tooth, undetected, from under its slumbering former owner. The only evidence of their nocturnal activities is their calling cards: token monetary offerings left behind as a warning and reminder that they will return… The Argument: The economic ramifications from these coin collectors suggest one of two realities. 1) The tooth fairy is involved in an organization larger than themselves, which bankrolls their endeavors. 2) The tooth fairy has an alternative form of income enabling them to ladle out enormous amounts of wealth. Either way, what is most concerning is that large amounts of human teeth are being collected, for reasons unknown. We can only guess at what mysterious purposes the fairies or their handlers have for them. The Verdict Chaotic Neutral- To what end is this harvest of enamel directed? The answer to this question greatly influences alignment classification. Stay tuned. Mythical Creature #1: Santa Claus Profile Santa Claus. Obese humanoid male. White beard obscures face. Wears a red coat and trousers trimmed with white. Head of an organization of Fey and woodland creatures, purposed for making and delivering presents in December. The Skinny He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good. He maintains a vast network of elves, capable of mobilizing considerable resources to reward those he categorizes as ‘good’. His stable of enchanted reindeer are capable of extreme speeds, which enable him to personally see to every person classified in his leger of deeds. For those he categorizes as ‘bad’, his visits at best result in a simple offer meant to insult. However, there are far worse things than insults to worry about should Santa turn the ‘bad’ name over to one of his darker associates to deal with... The Argument Judge, juror, and friends with the executioner, Santa is the big man on this list in more ways than one. Children everywhere would do well to mark the name. Capable of sublime infiltration, he continues to go undetected- sometimes through openly hostile territory- despite advances in modern technology. With a stronghold of manufacturing around the north pole, corporate sponsorship, loyal and tireless servants accommodating his every whim, and complete economic insulation from the fluctuation of oil prices means that the world’s imagination continues to belong to Santa Claus come December. The Verdict Lawful Neutral. Categorizes children according to their adherence (or lack thereof) to various cultural and moral standards. Dispenses rewards and punishments scaled according to socio-economic status, and cultural expectations. He is the balance between good and evil. He is in charge of lawful good elves that forge magnanimous gifts for ‘good’ people, and maintains associations with lawful evil creatures who punish the ‘bad’ people. Conclusion This article was written to inform people about 5 of childhood’s mythical creatures. The stories are usually given only cursory investigation. If we insist on maintaining these myths, we should be aware of the moral alignments attached to them. ![]() It’s fun to have all of the power, there’s no denying it. To crush one’s enemies underfoot as one steps on a bug is immensely enjoyable. Everyone wants to have the most powerful character at the table; however, not all characters are created equally ‘powerful’. RPG systems are so rich and complex that it is impossible for designers to create an entirely balanced system; some classes or features are inherently more ‘powerful’ than others (I’m using ‘powerful’ in a general sense to mean statistically preferable under most circumstances, i.e. most damage per attack). Granted, some systems are more unbalanced (particularly between classes) than others. DnD has done a relatively good job of keeping its classes relatively balanced, especially in comparison to other games such as the Rifts universe, which has much more variety in character classes which leads to great disparity in relative power levels (e.g. which class do you think is more powerful, the Combat Cyborg, part man, part killing machine which can literally have chainsaws for arms and comes with multiple class abilities, or the Vagabond, essentially a post-apocalyptic bum [without chainsaw arms] who’s only class ability is to, and I quote, “Eyeball a fella”). Even in relatively balanced systems, experienced players often know the most effective mechanics, i.e. which skills and abilities are the most useful, which feats are most potent, which powers and spells are most lethal, etc. My first ever character in a tabletop RPG was (gasp!) a vagabond in a Rifts campaign (bet you never could have guessed). Charra (or Char, to her friends) had limited powers (except for that Eyeball a fella, which allowed her to size people up, just by lookin’ at ‘em), average stats (but for physical beauty, which was a 23 when the average range is 10-13), and unimpressive gear (my most lethal weapon was a pistol which did 1d6 damage); what she did have was a few limited psionic abilities, her charm, and my cleverness as a player (or mind-numbing lack thereof). In most situations she was next to useless, as her peashooter hardly scratched enemies’ armor and she lacked the stats or abilities for anything other than persuasion. But for all that, she is far and away my favorite and most memorable character I’ve played to date. In the following paragraphs, I will tell you why and attempt to convince you to build your next character as a bum rather than a bruiser. 1. It increases challenge (and subsequent satisfaction). Playing an inherently weaker character will increase the challenge of the game, both for you and your group. The difficulty will depend upon the specifics of your character, but often it will most show itself in combat situations, as less powerful characters are often classified so due to their sub-par (or overly specialized) fighting abilities. This often forces the player into situations where he or she must act creatively (I’ve found that once I have a ‘powerful’ character, it’s easy and practical to just spam whatever ability makes that character ‘powerful’, i.e. my fighter’s sword arm). While this takes a good imagination, flexible DM, and solid understanding of whatever game’s mechanics with which you’re playing, pulling off an imaginative move that changes the course of a battle is incredibly satisfying. The lovely Char was often a liability rather than an asset in most fights. She did have minor telekinesis, though not strong enough to deal any damage in combat and as a result unhelpful in most fights; however, if grenades were thrown, those of the enemy mysteriously found their way back to explode at their owners’ feet when she was around. Her telekinetic push power allowed her to push an enemy back a few feet (so powerful, right?); however, those few feet were enough to send enemies hurtling earthwards when fighting in the back of a cargo jet in flight. As a player, having a weak character forces you to think outside the box and look for situations in which you can use your special skills and abilities to the advantage. When this is pulled off, the thrill of victory is all the sweeter. 2. It enriches your role-playing. Even though your character’s power level might be lacking does not mean his or her force of personality must be. On the contrary, the fact that a less powerful character is an active and valuable member of a party might suggest otherwise. Almost all games compensate for a character’s weaknesses in one situation by increasing their strengths elsewhere. For example, Char had many non-combat related skills, such as begging, radio, and a near flawless cooking ability; after a big battle she would sometimes cook up some delicious pies for the party, making her much more valuable to the group than any of those muscly guys in heavy armor with huge guns (anyone who truly loves pie should agree with me on this). Sure, in-game pie doesn’t actually offer any in-game benefits (not like out-of-game pie) but it enhances the gaming world for you and your fellow players and creates a better story than just mindlessly returning to a dull camp each night. That’s not to say your abilities outside of combat are merely for flavor (pie pun!). Use your abilities to their full advantage. Find situations in which your character can shine and own them. Is your character silver-tongued? Seek out NPCs whenever possible and use those skills to persuade and manipulate to your hearts content (the lovely Char traded on her looks on more than one occasion. Greasy, used car salesman showed a willingness to negotiate directly proportional to the amount of skin she showed. That has not been my experience). Can your character climb like a monkey? Make sure the rest of the party knows of their great skill and always look for opportunities to demonstrate it (even if it’s not strictly necessary. Even if shooting from a height offers no in-game benefits, have them climb anyways). Is your character a master of tying rope? Ensure that whenever rope is used in the party that you are either the one using it or voicing loud opinions about knot quality. In short, you have an opportunity to define your character’s personality by the abilities that make them unique, abilities which would be overshadowed in other, more ‘powerful’ characters. So what if you have the weakest character in the party? He or she can still be the best out of all of them (and it doesn’t hurt having your character reminding their fellow party members of that, preferably repeatedly). 3. It revitalizes familiar games. Once you have several years of adventuring under your belt, you may begin to become familiar with many of your game’s more ‘standard’ mechanics. Whether they be traditionally the most powerful spells (your burning hands, lightning bolt, fireball) or weapons (who among us wouldn’t be able to recite the damage of a longsword from DnD?), you soon do not even need to refer to any tables or charts to remember the basics. Now, how many could recite the weapon statistics for a DnD whip? Trident? Net? Kudos to you if you can rattle those off, I know I certainly can’t. Most players have not created many characters that have relied on those weapons; stat-wise, it just doesn’t make sense. However, therein lies my point: playing a less powerful character which defies statistical sense will open up an avenue for new experiences in a familiar game. In the example of the whip, I’m sure you won’t suddenly unlock some hidden potential for the whip to become a superweapon. You will, however, get the chance to trip, startle, and intimidate your enemies in ways that just aren’t possible with a longsword. Such is an example of exploring a game mechanic with which you’ve had little experience. As sexy as I’m sure most of you find game mechanics, it all boils down to a chance to feel some of the joy in the novelty that we experienced upon setting out on our first adventures. (You’ll notice no Char-related stories here. An over-familiarity with the Rifts universe is highly unlikely and thus not particularly relevant here). I hope I’ve conveyed to you at least part of the joy that can be found playing weaker characters. I’d like to say that Char lived happily ever after, but that is not the case. As she was my first character, I grew impatient at being virtually helpless most of the time; my DM took pity and granted her some legendary psionic powers. However, I can no longer remember what they were because she lost what made her memorable as a character and just became another super-powerful killing machine like the rest of my group. She was shot and killed a while later, super powers notwithstanding. R.I.P. Charra. Don’t be follow my example here. Be patient; enjoy (and play up!) what makes your ‘weaker’ character the best. Jake is an avid board gamer, outdoorsman, and low level role-player who lives in College Station, Texas. You can read his latest article about what sections of the D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook everyone must read here. ![]() When people ask what I do for a living, I tell them that, among other things, I study furries. Usually, their reactions fall into one of three categories: a) Positive recognition: “Oh yeah, I know about furries! They’re really cool! I loved The Lion King!” It’s always nice to hear this. b) Confusion: “Wait… what the heck is a furry?” An understandable response – many people have never heard the term “furry”, and I can’t fault them for it since it’s likely irrelevant to their interests. c) Negative recognition: “Ugh, furries… Yeah, I’ve heard about those freaks… “ This article is targeted toward the last category of responses, as it’s often the case that people who hold these beliefs base them on misconceptions derived from inaccurate media representations of furries. A startling number of people base their entire understanding of the furry fandom on a 7-year old episode of The Tyra Banks Show, a 15-year old article in Vanity Fair, or a 13-year old episode of CSI. And, in some respects, I can’t really blame them: if you don’t personally know a furry, or have any reason to look further into the subject, it’s tempting to believe that any information seems better than no information. On these grounds, my hope is that a lot of well-validated data on furries will overturn a lot of these flimsy, largely unsubstantiated misconceptions. Let’s start with the basics: What is a furry? A furry is a fan, just like any other fan. There are fans of pretty much anything: sports, music groups, television shows, celebrities, science fiction, model trains... the list goes on. So, what exactly are furries fans of? Anthropomorphic animals – a fancy term meaning “animals with human traits”. Examples of anthropomorphic animals abound in our culture: Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny are famous examples of such animals, walking and talking like humans. Other examples range from classic stories (Charlotte’s Web, Redwall, Watership Down) to sports mascots (the Toronto Raptor, Benny the Bull of the Chicago Bulls). So, in the same way science fiction fans like stories and artwork that feature science-fiction themes, furries are people who like stories and artwork that feature anthropomorphic characters. Despite being as simple as “fans of walking, talking animals”, a number of misconceptions exist about furries. 1.“Furries are people who think they’re animals.” Popular media often struggles when it comes to defining what furries actually are, because anthropomorphic animals are a somewhat unusual thing to be a fan of. Moreover, when you’ve only got a 2-minute segment in a news program or a 300-word article limit, it can be unappealing to spend half of your time explaining what a word like “anthropomorphic” actually means. Instead, people often opt for a simpler, if inaccurate definition of furries as people who wish they were animals, or who actually think they’re animals. This misconception is largely based on a conflation of the terms “liking”, “longing for”, and “identifying as”. After all, there can often be a correlation between the two: a person may be a football fan because they, themselves, played football in high school. But it doesn’t take long for the absurdity of this equation to become apparent: are Star Wars fans defined as people who believe they are Jedi? Are Harry Potter fans people who believe they are wizards? To be sure, these people may find it fun to entertain fantasies about being a Jedi or being a wizard, but it’s a far cry from saying that their interest is defined by such fantasies. They are, first and foremost, fans of particular content, and that’s exactly what furries are. That said, there is a group of people who self-identify with animals – that is, they believe that they possess the mind or spirit of a non-human animal “trapped” in a human body. The term for this group is not “furry”, however: they call themselves “therians”. And while 15% of furries would also consider themselves to be therian, the majority of furries do not, and most therians would not consider themselves to be furries. 2.“Furries are people who wear costumes / suits.” One of the most visually distinct elements of the furry fandom is the fursuit: a mascot-style suit which can be worn by a person to make them resemble an anthropomorphic animal character. Most media portrayals of furries feature fursuits because they’re often vibrant, eye-catching, and unusual. They visually encapsulate what many people assume a furry ought to look like, based on the definition. There’s just one problem: fewer than 20% of furries actually own a fursuit. Again, it’s illustrative to compare furries to other fan cultures. If I were writing a story on Star Wars fans, the first thing I would do is find a picture of fans dressed in robes wielding plastic lightsabers. If I were doing a piece on football fans, I would find pictures of cheering people who were wearing jerseys and who had painted their faces in their team’s colors. Such images epitomize visual elements of their respective fandoms, but it would be inaccurate to define football fans as “people who wear jerseys and paint their faces”, because this is only one of hundreds of ways a person’s interest in football could manifest itself: some fans collect memorabilia, some buy season tickets and attend every game, some participate in fantasy football leagues, and some casually watch a game every Sunday night with their family. Similarly, a minority of furries manifest their interest by dressing up as their own anthropomorphic character (known in the fandom as a “fursona”). But most show their interest by viewing, commissioning, or creating furry-themed artwork, stories, music, and games. Chances are you’ve walked right past a furry on the street or sat next to one on the bus and had no idea, because, like most fans, their interests lay primarily in the production or consumption of media content, not in playing dress-up. And, even when it does involve dressing up, it’s usually reserved for conventions or other fan gatherings, not day-to-day life. But a picture of average-looking people holding books or pictures from their favorite artists isn’t as eye-catching as a person dressed up in a six-foot tall fuzzy blue cat suit that cost a thousand dollars. 3.“Furries are people with a fetish.” People have an innate desire to understand the world around them. When we see something we don’t understand, we naturally try to explain it. And, when it comes to really unusual human behavior, we often fall back on one of two explanations: “it’s a sex thing” or “they’re crazy”. Given that most people find it unusual to be interested in anthropomorphic animals, they assume that those who are must have some weird kink or fetish. After all, why would a person go to all the effort of wearing a big fuzzy suit if they weren’t getting some sexual gratification out of it? Or why would an adult possibly like stories about walking, talking animals – something kids generally like – if they weren’t tremendous perverts? It’s informative to ask similar questions about equally unusual hobbies, like model train collecting. Do people who spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars building and collecting model trains do it because they get some sick, perverse pleasure out of doing so? Is it solely for sexual gratification? Clearly, the argument is an absurd one. But, to be fair, it’s not completely unfounded. After all, furry pornography does exist. However, it’s important to keep two points in mind: fandom-related pornography is not unique to the furry fandom, nor is it a defining feature of the furry fandom. Let me explain. People are fans of things, and they like sex. As such, people combine their natural fan interests with their sex drives all the time. If you like cars, then you’ll probably enjoy pictures of beautiful-looking, rare or exotic cars. And what’s better than a picture of an awesome-looking car? An awesome-looking car with an attractive model draped across it! What’s better than a football game? A football game with attractive-looking cheerleaders! What’s better than a video game? A video game featuring attractive-looking characters! In all of these cases, we can acknowledge that fans have a naturally-occurring sex drive without assuming that they have a “car/football/video game” fetish, and the same thing goes with furries. If people are fans of something, there will also likely be artwork / stories that infuse sexuality into that fan content, regardless of what it is. And while pornography is present in all of the fandoms mentioned above, no one would define these fans on the basis of pornography. Video game fans are not defined as “people who are sexually attracted to video game characters”, football fans are not defined as (but may be) “people sexually attracted to cheerleaders”, and car aficionados are not “people who are sexually attracted to cars”. In the same vein, while furry-themed pornography exists, it is not the case that furries are “people with an animal/fursuit fetish”, especially when the data show that furries report “community” and “belongingness” as the biggest draws of the furry fandom, and when fewer than 5% of furries say that sex/pornography is the biggest draw of the furry fandom – something you would not expect if the furry fandom were a fetish. 4.Furries are delusional / dysfunctional people. If unusual behavior cannot be written off as “a sex thing”, people may turn to a different argument: “they’re just crazy”. To this end, I’m often asked whether furries are delusional or suffer from some form of psychological dysfunction. Despite the prevalence of this belief, the data suggest otherwise: studies of furries suggest that they are no more likely than the average person to suffer from mood disorders (e.g., depression), anxiety disorders, attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder, to be on psychotropic medication, or to suffer from a physical disability. In fact, evidence suggests that there is only one condition in which the prevalence may be higher in furries than in the general population: Asperger’s, or high-functioning autism. That said, it’s worth noting that an increased prevalence of a relatively rare condition is not the same thing as saying that it’s common in the furry fandom: even the most liberal estimates of prevalence rates of Asperger’s syndrome in the furry fandom suggest that, at most, it’s still less than five percent of furries. To put it simply: a lot of things make the furry fandom the interesting and unique culture that it is – but psychological dysfunction is not one of them. 5.Furries bring bullying / ridicule upon themselves. Those who have heard about furries are likely to have learned about them from relatively negative sources: from media or internet sources that ridicule furries. Furries are often viewed as a punching bag for the internet, for the media, and for other fandoms, a group that can be picked on or trivialized with relatively little consequence – a position that, in previous decades, was held by Star Trek fans and, more recently, has been replaced by bronies (adult, largely-male, fans of My Little Pony). Much of the stigma directed toward furries is based on the belief that furries bring it on themselves: that they actively and openly flaunt their unusual fan interest or seek to make others feel uncomfortable with it, and receive negative responses from the media and from the internet as such. However, it’s worth noting that studies of furries suggest that, even early on in childhood, furries – before they self-identify as furries or even know what the furry fandom is – experience significantly more bullying, on average, than non-furries do. This is, in part, due to the fact that furries, like other fan groups, are largely “geeks” – including interests in other traditionally “geeky” subjects (fantasy, science-fiction, video games, comic books, science, board games, etc.) They experience significant bullying for having geeky interests, as other geeks often report experiencing. And, like other geek subcultures, furries find validation of their interests and emotional and social support through communities of like-minded others. Most furries report that finding the fandom was a life-changing experience, with some claiming that the community even saved their lives. It’s worth noting one important distinction for furries – unlike other geek communities, the furry fandom remains largely stigmatized. Other traditionally stigmatized “geek” communities have become less stigmatized and more accepted socially in recent years: the recent popularity of the Star Wars, Star Trek, and Lord of the Rings films have made it far more acceptable to be a science-fiction or fantasy fan, and the growing popularity of video games have removed the stigma of the “gamer” identity. But compared to other geek fandoms (e.g., anime fans, fantasy sport fans), furries still say that they fear being “outed” as a furry to their friends, family, and co-workers, and still expect significant social backlash if people discovered that they were a furry. In fact, far from being flamboyantly, in-your-face furry, most furries keep their furry interests a secret for years. It’s this experience of shared stigmatization that draws furries to one another and makes the furry fandom such a tight-knit and interconnected community. Conclusion Hopefully this article has helped to dispel some of the misconceptions you may have held about the furry fandom. Of course, it’s unlikely that a single article will undo years of bad press for the furry fandom – millions of people will continue to mistakenly assume that furries are people who wear fursuits, think they’re animals, or have a weird fetish, and it’s unlikely that the fear of stigma felt by many furries will disappear anytime soon. Still, if this article helps people to recognize these misconceptions when they see them, and cause people to speak up when a friend or relative makes an inaccurate statement about what furries are, it would go a long way toward helping furries dispel the negativity surrounding their fandom. And, in the end, if you’re reading this, chances are you’re a geek, whether you happen to like Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, or board games or computer games. And, as geeks, we’re in this together; we know what it’s like to be picked on for loving the thing we love. There are enough people out there picking on us and propagating misconceptions about who we are. Let’s not help them by throwing our own under the bus. About the author: Dr. Courtney “Nuka” Plante earned his PhD in social psychology from the University of Waterloo in 2014 and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Iowa State University where he studies the effects of fantasy activities on real-world thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. He is the co-founder of the International Anthropomorphic Research Project – a team of social scientists who have been studying the furry fandom for the past 6 years. He is also a furry. Only Bucky Stays Dead or 3 Points About How Comics Have Informed My Thoughts on Character Death25/3/2016 ![]() I’m not paranoid* but Corporate keeps messing with me, which is weird because I’m not even sure they’re a real company. Every time I try to write a post that isn’t a list some dude in a Minecraft t-shirt, making airplane noises, shows up and serves me with a “cease and desist” order. Additionally, and I’m not quite sure but I think the Fantastic Corporate Team at Higher Level Games™, might be helpfully editing my work. It’s killing me inside. Speaking of imminent death; for those of you who don’t know; death is a unilateral occurrence in role-playing, comic books, and real life. As both a reader and a player, I can see death is an important part of the narrative/game, and there are some remarkable similarities to how it plays out in both mediums. 1) “I never saw it coming…” I once had a GM state, very eloquently, during an intensely fun session of D&D, that “[in-game] death should hurt” or it means nothing. While a death of a key character in comics can be used to signify the intensity and seriousness of a situation for the reader, it often highlights the emotional attachment that both writers and readers have for well-established and beloved characters. I have found that the same is no less true for my gaming and unfortunately influences how I play. I become attached to my characters on a personal level and even though I attempt to minimize my metagaming, it changes how I manage in-game risk. I want my favorites to live to fight another day; I want them to vanquish their foes, I WANT THEM TO LIVE FOREVER... but circle of life and all that crap. Anyways, I never see it coming. 2) “Oh man, that guy was awesome!” Often when I’m playing with my crew, something in game will elicit an, “Oh man! Do you remember when [insert character name here]?” The truly great characters we remember are those that have gone out guns blazing (or in muffled whimpers), their names and deeds etched into a lasting communal game narrative. In comic books I call this ‘Epic Heroics’. These deaths are so significant comic geeks still discuss the success of their execution years later. Whether it was Nightcrawler’s final sacrifice in X-Force #26 or my friend’s PC Augustine’s (that guy was so badass) last stand in the Ravenloft domain of Har’Akir, people talk about it. The difference is while in comics the discussion lasts a month, among role-players this goes on for decades. Alternately, going with a whimper can immortalize you as well; first edition D&D traps can facilitate the majority of these amazing yet embarrassing recollections. 3) “Yes, I know.” No one stays dead in comic books. Well, depending on the game this is true in gaming as well. A little ‘Gentle Repose’, a little ‘Raise Dead’ and you’re back in the mix. Not your thing? Well, necromancy has a bad rap. Sometimes you can be back faster than a speeding bullet, and sometimes not so much. Even if your character bit the dust playing Shadowrun in a Feral City with no light at the end of the tunnel, no worries. Like comic book characters, players just keep coming back to the table for new storylines. Sure banging out a new sheet 2 hours into a marathon weekend of gaming is annoying after developing a character for 4 years but things change. As a player I’m working on accepting character death more readily so that I can move on to try new archetypes in a single campaign. One man’s bad roll is the same man’s opportunity. Death: the great mystery, except in my downtime. It’s inevitable, I can’t read or play with any interest without it. If there is no chance of loss, then why? It’s an essential element and honestly, the more I think about it the more I’m beginning to believe some of us aren’t going to make it out of here alive. *Yes he is. -VP Quinn About Ryan: So I try to read about 50 comics a week, depending on my ability to pay the power bill. I try to read as much new and independent works as my tried and trusted favorites, and I’ve been doing this for years. Thus, I can roughly say that I am pretty decent at comicology, however I hold no formal degree. Luckily, degrees are no substitute for common sense and that’s how I got this gig. Read about his thoughts on how comic books can enrich your role-playing here. ![]() I admit a certain hesitancy to share my love of role-playing games with the general public. Even my best friend knew nothing about my time spent doing such games until well over a decade into them. There seems to be a set of unwritten cues to scout out other possible role-players. Once those cues are good and established, then and only then can you drop your own clues to your own love of such things. There isn’t always an easy way to decipher who would and would not be involved in such activities. But, I believe that more people should be role-playing. So this is my bid to convince the average person, the on-the-fencer, and you, the reader, to reach out and experience this form of gaming. First, I’ll give you my rudimentary description of role-playing. Role-playing is creating an unique character, with its own personality, story, and abilities. This character lives in a world with its own history, mythology, and problems. Your character comes alongside other characters to have adventures both great and small. It involves some imagination, some acting, some rules, and much merriment and laughter. These games can last for a short time or these stories (campaigns) can last for years. So these are the reasons that you should role-play: Reason 1: You get better at it. This isn’t the flappy bird of gaming. Nor is the mashing of buttons on Mortal Combat. You aren’t always terrible and hate your life for eternity. Your character improves their skills. They can do things better and cooler than before. You, also, improve your skills at role-playing. Why not try an accent? You use your backstory to convince others to go along with your plan. Maybe eventually, you even learn most of the rules really well (Sorry, Jake.) Reason 2: You spend time with friends and other such awesome people (or you meet new friends). Ideally, you want a group that you would already hang out with on a regular basis. You have a regular excuse to hang out with those people you like. Sorry honey, I guess I can’t have dinner with your mother… I have a game. Often your game involves your interests already, so those people have those same interests. Instant bonding! And, if the people you choose, the game you choose, or the timing isn’t quite right, then you can still find many more options for groups online at roll20. Reason 3: There is a game for you. Maybe you love the fantasy type worlds with dwarves and dragons and other mythical ideas. You don’t have to look far to find DnD, Pathfinder, Rolemaster, or 13th Age. Maybe you like the futuristic armageddon-type scenario and you could play Rifts, Apocalypse World, or Numenera. Maybe you prefer comics, then you could go with Marvel, Mutants and Masterminds, or Icons the Assembled Edition. If you like space, there are space games (Spacemaster specific franchise space games if you want). If you like zombies, they have zombies since All Flesh must be Eaten. If you want horror, you can find it in Dread. There is a game for any type of adventure scenario you can think of, and if they don’t have it yet, it may be having a kickstarter right now. This is by no means an exhaustive list of games in these genres either. If you like anything; you can play it. Reason 4: Even though it is similar to many things, it is unique. It is a collaborative game, like playing pretend, similar to writing a story, like hearing a radio play, it is acting, you have control over your own choices, but you cannot control everything. You never can predict what will happen, how it will happen, or where it will all take you. It is the roll of the dice and a role in your life. It’s worth trying out and experiencing, because there is nothing like it. Reason 5: This imaginary game creates real memories. Undoubtabley when you sit down with other seasoned role-players, your playing will be delayed at some point to tell the story of that last character, that beer-swilling bard that somehow threw aside her bawdy limericks to save her friends, or that ranger on a quest to meet her soulmate spending her treasure loot on fine clothing and perfume. Before you know it, you will have your own stories to tell. If you role-play already, then congratulations! What other reasons would you tell someone to try out the hobby? If you haven’t yet tried it, then seek people out! Vanessa is a sarcastic, 30-something wife and mother. She likes things and stuff, but not simultaneously. You can read about how her love of acting led her to become a better role-player here. ![]() When starting your own world for a homebrew campaign setting, what do you really need? A Cool map? No. Long, extensive world history filling up a note book (or four…)? No. So what do you really need? A little creativity and imagination goes a long way, but there is more to it than that. The DM Doctor has you covered with the five REAL tips you need when making a world for your own RPG group. 1. Start Small Starting small means many, many things. You can start in a single city, dungeon, region, time period, etc. Try focusing on what you would like your world to be like the first time you introduce it. The main takeaway is: Start Small. Avoid overcomplicating the timeline. Avoid having too many different nations and regional backgrounds. Do not put cities and towns willy-nilly all over the countryside because it looks “artistic” or like the world is more complete. You will find it easier to add new bits of history and a notable city or set of ruins versus overhauling previous “editions” of your world and confusing your players (and yourself). Consider focusing on a single area first. Include rival nations, allies, etc. if you think it will be important to your first adventure. By focusing on a single region, you grant yourself the ability to develop that region more completely. Look at the campaign setting for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game by Paizo. Initially, there were few areas with rich history. Though many regions have now been explored through different adventures, there are still vast regions that have hardly been touched upon. Start small. Everything else will fall into place. 2. Don’t Be Afraid to Say ‘No’ No does not mean you should be tyrannical in what you allow. But this is your world. If there is something you dislike or even outright hate, then you have the right to say no. Some people prefer high magic worlds, others low magic. There are many, many rants about “Keeping Kung Fu” out of their “European fantasy” games. It is perfectly acceptable (and highly suggested) to have a world that developed differently than our own or other fantasy campaign settings. No does not stop here, and for a good reason. You must also (and more importantly) consider, “No, but…” Think about the previous tip: Start Small. Perhaps a player asks to be from an area you have not created or worship a deity that does not exist (or maybe you don’t have a gods list yet). Maybe a players wishes to play a samurai, but there are no areas similar to the Far East (yet, if ever). It is okay (and preferred) to say, “No, but how about we try this.” By working with your players and group, the world can develop in ways you might not have considered. Which brings us to the next point… 3. Know Your Group This this world you are creating is yours to command. To control. To change and destroy on whim. Keep in mind one very important aspect—you are making this world to run adventures for a group of players. Tabletop RPGs are a collaborative-style game. Just like you, your players are playing to have fun. Remember that each person brings their own personal preferences to the table. You do not have to cater to every plea and wish, but do remember that your players will have their own likes and dislikes. Take into account some of your groups preferences. They will thank you with their (and your) enjoyment. 4. Put Yourself into the World This is not a literal statement. Okay, maybe a little bit. When finding that drive, that motivation to work on this world, or just to get that creative spark to light your fires of determination, think about yourself. Include a part of YOU into the world. Something signifying that this is your world because there is a part of it inspired by you. I have created three different main settings for different groups I have run. Two of those settings (the main ones) had a heavy emphasis on dreams. That dream aspect is something that relates to me personally. Both worlds were more developed and cherished by myself because I included a larger part of myself into those worlds. What symbolizes you? Are you a natural elements person? Love the occult? Egyptian fetish? Make yourself a part of the world and it will become a part of you. Your players will see that and understand how much this endeavor means to you. 5. Think of Your World Like a Living Story Finally, you need to think of your world like a story. Except, this story alive and always changing. Always adapting. What I mean by this is, there needs to be action. There needs to be excitement. There needs to be plot and themes springing up to be explored. Just putting some mountains and forests, oceans and deserts, decorating the landscape with cities and ruins is not enough. A few unique monsters? Yeah, fine. But you need something more. Unsolved mysteries. Broken timelines. Warring Nations. Jilted lovers. Forgotten Legends. If you were to put your world into a single book, would someone want to read? Or just use it as reference and a platform to roll their dice. Your world needs to be alive. This more than anything else you do, will create the adventures and enjoyment you and your group seek. There needs to be cause and effect. Protagonists. Antagonists. This may seem to counter the first tip, but remember, your world need not be built all at once. Your world should feel the effects of everything you do. Think about the ramifications of different events in your world’s history. What of the players? Make sure that whatever adventures take place, have those stories influence your world; no matter how small the actions may seem. If your world is alive and reactive, your players will understand their place. Where there is mystery and action, your players will find themselves there. When a villain needs to be defeated or an army faced head-on, your players will be there. Inspired yet? Let me know what issues you have faced when creating your own world. Have your own tips you’d like to share on a homebrew setting? Or do you just want to share exciting stories from your own world? Comment below, Like, and Share these tips! Donald Robinson first learned to play Dungeons and Dragons from his father. With more than twenty years of experience in various RPGs from both sides of the table, Donald took the leap into freelance game design. A Paizo RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32 contestant and freelance writer, Donald posts tips and free roleplaying game resources on his blog: www.thedmdr.com. You can follow The DM Doctor on twitter, facebook, and google+. ![]() Some of my favorite movies are set in high schools. Part of the appeal is the neat categories people get divided into. There are the bookish, the jocks, the rebels, the beauties, & the outcasts (Of course, depending on your region, there may be other variants of these). [The Sorting Hat put me in ‘House of Usher’… WTF … Vincent Price? ] Depending on your position on the actuarial table, chances are you have been influenced by the classics: Grease, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, Clueless, American Pie, Mean Girls, High School Musical, 21 Jump Street, Monster High, amongst others (feel free to comment). [I had such a crush on Alicia Silverstone; what happened to you Alicia?] Most readers will recognize a name or all on that list, and some of those movies probably sent nostalgia gremlins digging through your memories. Wouldn’t it be nice to create those same feelings in the players at your table? Making memorable Non Player Characters (NPCs) is kind of like figuring out what makes a person stay popular in high school. On behalf of players everywhere, here is the 2016 definitive guide to:“5 Ways to Make Your NPCs More Memorable” 1. G’day Mate: Accents = Instant Popularity Remember that boy/girl in high school with an accent? It was like they walked on rainbows the way people gravitated to them. I’m ashamed to say I had a crush on a voice in grade 11- South African to be exact. And you know why I had a crush on that voice? Well, besides the fact it belonged to a beautiful redhead who actually wore rainbow-colored shoes, it was because the voice stood out from the rest. Now, I know, my industrious Game Masters (GMs), that you already have enough on your plate creating endless scenarios that we, the players, will undoubtedly turn our noses up at; but hear me out. Voices make a big difference. We’re not expecting Mel Gibson in Braveheart here, but a little twinge of accent for your NPCs- even if you slip in and out of it- automatically sets them apart as noteworthy. Accents create associations for players with things in the real world. Use these associations to help create depth in your fantasy one. [It’s the difference between shouting: FREEDOM! , or (with a burr) FRRRREEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOM] 2- Hang Out With The Hotties or: Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery As mentioned in my blog last week, it’s important to “Find a Muse”. This does not have to translate into a lot of work. In the case of NPC development, you can use what you’ve “learned” as a couch potato over the years, and create a template for a type of character. To do this, find characters or actors (I’m looking at you Liam Neeson) that you like, or think would be interesting to try to play, and watch/remember how they deliver their lines. Copy and paste into your imagination. Repeat. [Remember Chandler from 'Friends’? “Could I be wearing any more armor”?] I harp on using inspiration from movies, books and video games, because it encourages you to develop a means of expression of yourself. Think of a favorite character from a movie you like- now deconstruct them into pieces, and find out what it is you like/ don’t like about them. A jigsaw puzzle picture of who you are as a person lies in those pieces of likes & dislikes. It’s important to know what these pieces are- otherwise, how can you use them? [Unfortunately, life’s puzzle doesn’t have a picture on the front of the box] 3 – Speak up, Speak your Mind Please, please, please tell us your NPC’s opinions on things. You might think having passive NPCs are what we want, but it actually gets boring after a while. Have them speak up on an issue important to the party. I’m not saying that you start going all Leo Tolstoy on the group (well, maybe sometimes). But when an NPC tells us their opinions on things as varied as the quality of the sword we just gave her, or where we made him sleep last night, it makes us sit up and take notice. Too many times, NPCs are little more than second-class citizens subject to the whims of the main characters. Cannon fodder, trap sense, poison testers and monster bait are some of the uses I’ve seen (though I’m sure there are many more- feel free to comment). But just doing those things shrinks the uses that this tool can possibly have for you. I know that you want the players to tell the story (and they should), but that doesn’t mean you can’t have opinionated NPCs. 4 - What’s Your Deal? Everybody has a context, real world or imaginary. If you can create an NPC that is something more than a one-dimensional, quest-giving pylon, then you may (briefly, mind you) have our attention. Are their political or religious opinions pressuring them? Do they have family in peril? Is the farmhouse that the Player Characters (PCs) are making a stand in, an NPC family’s only place to live? Let the players feel those moral questions. Another thing to think about, especially if it’s a recurring NPC, is giving them a motivator outside of the party. It could be a drive for fame, to get back home, or to avenge their brother’s death. If you’re feeling nefarious, perhaps they are feeling the twinge of that base human corruption: greed. It can be skimming off the top, straight up robbing them, or something subtler, such as selling information about the players, or trying to split up the party. [Bear in mind that some parties don’t need assistance to self-destruct] 5 – Don’t Wear the Uniform Vary your characters! I don’t care if you have a Jerry Maguire-like performance for your bartender NPC. If I see the same damn barkeep in every town I go to, sorry, I’m tuning out. Mix the soft with the hard, the loud with the quiet. Different accents, cultures, religions, and motivations scratch our neoteric itch. For example, it’s a contrast between light and darkness, which makes the light seem brighter, and the darkness blacker. Likewise, some DMs struggle with playing characters of the opposite gender they are. I sympathize with you…to a point. You don’t have to turn into Barbie or Ken to sell the fact that your NPC is male or female. But you can use your words to describe their actions, just like Sir David Attenborough does for the BBC. If you’re a woman playing a male NPC, you don’t have to lumberjack each line. Save trees. Likewise, if you’re a man playing a female, you don’t have to turn every woman the party comes across into a ‘Girls Gone Wild’ audition. Trust me, it will help you be able to maintain eye contact with your friends afterwards. This also would have the benefit of breathing some much-needed life into women’s roles in fantasy role-playing. In conclusion, what will make your NPCs memorable, like staying popular in high school, is more than just the way they look or the cool things they can do. It’s something esoteric, something associative, and something deeper. Think about what you want your next NPC’s ‘something’ to be. In the meantime, I gotta get back to work Dustinopolis, Devourer of Cheese, is an 11th level dreamer who has been rolling dice and playing roles off and on for over ten years. He currently “works” as Assistant to the Evening Custodian at the High Level Gaming Company, who “pay” him “regularly”. He prides himself on writing (*most) blogs fully clothed. If you can’t wait until next week’s post, you can follow him on Twitter @devourcheese for more questionable insights. ![]() I get it. Reading the player’s handbook is uninteresting. The rule stuff is for the DM to know. You just want to sit down and play already. Well, suck it up! In order to be a competent role-player, you have to be at least somewhat familiar with the game’s basic mechanics. This means reading at least some of the rules. Too many times have I played with people who have relied on others to tell them how to take even the simplest of actions. I’m not talking about knowing how to do every last thing; leave that to the freaks like me who are obsessed with such rules (shout out to my fellow freaks!). And by all means, if you don’t know how to do something, ask. I fully understand that our hobby is a vast and complicated one. However, you should at least have a rudimentary familiarity with the basics of how to play your character without needing to frequently ask for rules clarification. All material in all RPG core books can be broken down into two categories: reference and reading. Reference material represents the core statistics that make up everything in the role-playing universe and commonly appears in the form of tables, charts, diagrams, lists, or figures. Reference material is not meant to be memorized and players only need to know how to find the relevant chart when looking up certain information (such as how much damage a longsword does, the cone’s radius for burning hands, etc.). Most players are proficient in their use of reference material (5E pun!); indeed, character sheets are just a handy sheet of reference material commonly used by the player. It’s the reading material where some players have issues. These sections make up the majority of most core books (monster manuals excluded) and contain valuable information of which every player should be aware. I’m not saying that you must memorize the reading sections, for that is an absurdly tall order. However, a basic understanding, supplemented by having core books readily accessible while playing, will go a long way in improving everyone’s session. Thankfully for you, in the following sections, I will present three small sections of any player’s handbook that every player should read which will greatly improve their role-playing. I will also reference the page numbers for the D&D 5E Player’s Handbook for anyone currently playing with 5E. 1. Character development [Pages 17-112]. Hold up, I know that looks like a lot of pages, but all you need to read is the 1-2 pages describing your character’s race and the 5-7 pages describing your class. You made it through my first few laborious paragraphs, so 6-9 pages of actually interesting reading shouldn’t prove too difficult. It is vital to know the special traits unique to your race for building and playing your character. Not only does it affect the game’s mechanics but it should also inform how you play your character’s personality. The class description is of even greater importance. It will often contain class-specific actions that you will need to know how to perform as well as background information that will guide your character’s creation and can inform on how you bring their personality to life. I also strongly suggest reading how your character will progress through future levels. Not only does this allow for quicker levelling-up, but it provides players a frame of reference (I’ve got to stop using the word ‘reference’ so much) for how to play your character. Do you want your rogue to take the thief or the assassin archetype? If it’s the former, you could play your character as a happy-go-lucky gold-hog while if it’s the latter you could play them as dark, cunning, and dangerous. Will your ranger be a hunter or a beast master? Such a decision should inform on how he or she views animals. Such knowledge of your class and race not only instructs the player on how to play their character according to the game’s mechanics but also how to think and act like their character would in their fictional world. 2. Using ability scores and skills [pages 173-179]. All RPG systems have character stats, be they Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha or something similar. Players need to be aware what each represents and how they can use them. As this is fairly straightforward, most players understand this sufficiently. However, most players lack the knowledge of how to properly use their non-combat skills. For a D&D 5E example, do you know how and when to use investigation vs. insight vs. perception? Yes? Then skip to the next point because you and I are on the same page (handbook pun!). Non-combat skills are definitely not as glamorous as their combat brethren but they are of equal, if not more, importance. I cannot recall how many times members in my group have asked to do something and then, when prompted by the DM for a relevant skill with which to roll, they begin guessing skills which sound potentially relevant (history? Arcana? Survival?). This is especially important in simulationist systems like D&D 3.5 or Shadowrun which provide players with billions of non-combat skills to master (huzzah for Use Rope!). Don’t rely on the DM to tell you which skills you should use in each situation. Be proactive and know what your character can do. 3. Combat actions [pages 189-198]. The mechanics of combat are essential in every role playing system. Understanding the turn order and game mechanics surrounding combat will make the experience of everyone at your game table more fluid and fun. Learning the details of combat can change players from asking ‘can I do such and such?’ to declaring ‘I will do such and such!’ You see the difference there? Such and such is so much more epic in the latter than in the former. Be an exclamation, not a question. Having to frequently break character to ask whether or not you can do something slows down the game for everyone and distracts from the grand saga that is unfolding. Furthermore, characters have many different actions available to them in combat; being aware of everything your character can do makes for much more varied and enjoyable combat situations. For example, isn’t taking the ‘Shove’ action to force your opponent off a 1,000 foot cliff into a shark infested moat of lava alight with hellfire and damnation much more satisfying than just stabbing him to death like you did all those other guys? (Alright, I may have gotten a little bit carried away there). In addition, learning the available actions will also prepare you for anything your foes might do. The DM is often more learned in the rules than the average player, which can give them an edge in combat; take away that advantage! Learn your rules! Goodness knows they can kill us all in more ways than by merely being better at the game than us. Also, there other details important to combat located in this section, such as the importance of creature size, movement and positioning, holding actions, cover mechanics, and hit points to name but a few. Don’t just rely on the DM to notify you of those which apply to you. Bonus reading for spellcasters and other advanced classes- sophisticated mechanics [pages 201-205]. Bonus reading for all you mages and riggers out there! Don’t blame me: you brought this on yourself in choosing a complicated character. Don’t misunderstand me though, it’s the best choice you could have made. I always find myself drawn towards these classes when creating characters; the greater diversity in mechanics supports a character which can be much more adaptable and varied than a ‘hit-it-if-it-moves’ sort of character (not that I’m hating on barbarians, it’s just much more fun to be able to hit it if it moves using fire, ice, steel, lightning, or acid at my leisure, or, even better, to be able to force it to hit itself if it moves). If you play one of these classes, you need to understand how to use their advanced mechanics (i.e. spellcasting in D&D 5E). These will often have important mechanics that can cause these classes to become unbalanced if played incorrectly; these are often very specific mechanics which will only apply to your character. It is not the responsibility of the DM to know how to play your specific class. Again, IT IS NOT THE RESPONSBILITY OF THE DM TO KNOW HOW TO PLAY YOUR SPECIFIC CLASS. If a spell requires components, know what they are and know how to use them. You need to understand the saving throws required by your spells, their area of effect, duration, range, etc., and provide them to the DM as required. Spellcasters from all different games also need to be well-read when it comes their individual spells. I realize there are dozens of pages of different spells (78 pages in the 5E Player’s Handbook, to be exact) and one cannot possibly memorize all of them (unless you have, then kudos to you and could I interest you in going possibly outside once in a while?), but memorize those which you use regularly and keep a reference sheet handy with all those that you are able to cast. Look up spells which you are interested in attaining ahead of time so that you don’t slow the game down trying to figure out what you’ll take upon level up; it can also lead to character development as you experiment towards such goals. In short, what I’m trying to tell you is: READ YOUR PLAYER’S HANDBOOK (or any relevant core rulebook). Your role-playing, as well as the experience of everyone with whom you play, will improve as a direct result. Jake is an avid board gamer, outdoorsman, and low level role-player who lives in College Station, Texas. You can read his latest article about how board games can improve your role-playing here. ![]() I’ve been heavy into comics since I was 8 years old and my grandfather gave me some money in the drug store to buy a copy of New Mutants #87 (I kept it between the mattresses on my bed for years, my mom thought it was funny. I don’t know why). Anyways, fast-forward years later when this guy I barely knew invited me over to watch him role-play with his friends. At the time, role-playing for me was something that I knew people did, but I just didn’t know THOSE people. I sat in on a couple sessions of Marvel Superheroes but I knew right away that I would end up playing. I couldn’t resist, I mean who could? I could be Cyclops! (Someone was already playing Nightcrawler). Anyways the dude must have had a plan because he knew my drug of choice, and I need comics more than air. That being said, my hobbies overlap, and I often find myself reflecting on the 2 mediums and how they accent each other. Comics enrich my life, and more often than not, enrich my role-playing. This is how: 1) Avengers Assemble! (Otherwise known as playing for the team) By nature I’m a bit of a loner (as I sit in my basement and read comics all day). This became evident in my first Rifts campaign; I was a lone wolf in a pack of lone wolves. To say it was ‘Chaos Earth’ would be an understatement. I couldn’t figure out what was the missing cog in the equation was at the time, Marvel had worked out so well for me. It was playing out like a Spiderman/Punisher team-up; disjointed, lacking camaraderie, not so much “ha ha” funny as (bloody) clown funny. Over time I realized that I wanted the X-men or Avengers comrade in arms campaign, and by the time Rifts ended and we moved on to other things I was aware and ready. Rather, I was ready to be Colossus in a ‘Fastball Special’ rather than playing catch by myself. 2) Between the Panels My imagination paints out role-playing with relative ease. The breaks between combat and dialogue are incredibly similar to the breaks in panels in comic books, and the transitions between characters on the page and between turns on the table just make sense to me. Role-playing in my head plays out like a comic book that I experience on a deeper level; the settings, mechanics, and characters change, but the artist and the inks stay the same. 3) Rorschach (but what does this say about me) I know my favorite characters. I know their archetypes, I know what their thinking. I’ve come to a point in my gaming where I’m no longer playing to my strengths. I’m really eager to try new things, new classes, new games, especially now when the landscape of gaming is so diverse and growing. However, when I started out I invested myself in playing characters that I could understand, ones that translated from the page to the table. Cyclops was straightforward. My first rogue in D&D drew from a combination of Ninjak and the Eternal Warrior (I was big into Valiant at the time). Both characters jaded, having lost much and willing to go to any length for victory, Ninjak’s loss of self and the Eternal Warriors willingness to continue on brought forth a tough and gritty rogue who raised himself from serfdom in Kernland to hopefully some path of redemption. 4) Fantastic 4 #604 (Depth) I know which comics are going to make it and which ones will be cancelled by issue 8. The problem is lack of character development and lousy stories. When Image Comics started out in the 90’s, everyone got really excited about great artists like Jim Lee and Erik Larson getting creative license over their own ideas (insert your Rob Liefeld comment here). In the end, great art did not triumph over good stories, and good stories are only as good as their characters. The majority of Image material flopped (Side note: The Savage Dragon is still in production and still sucks). Likewise, for me a good character in role-playing is a character that is well fleshed out, and a solid campaign is one with a story relevant to the player’s characters. I’m lucky that I play with like-minded guys. Our best sessions are ones that bring out the setting and history of where and what we are playing, and our characters in game are three-dimensional. It’s the difference between playing a wandering paladin who just encounters a party of adventures and joins because he’s bored, or an Orc chieftain whose clan has been massacred by a monstrous dragon in a far northern realm who bands together with the clumsy wizard whose Orb of All-seeing as been taken by the very same dragon, which thousands of years ago placed a curse upon the maiden Shero, to outlive everyone she ever loved, who is now still hunting that very same dragon but is prevented from crossing the northern border by Stanvel the Chamberlain of Toldale the cousin of Playdar the Magnificent, who doubts himself constantly especially in the company of Orc Chieftains named Skog… I digress. It’s new comic book day when I’m writing this and I really should be reading right now. Game day is Sunday and still pretty far off, but the time spent now is the investment. Sunday will be the payout for a week’s worth of reading. We’ll gather our heroes to play their parts, moving from panel to panel, my thoughts will become not my own, and the epic will continue delving deeper. Creating the layouts for the latest issue… About Ryan: So I try to read about 50 comics a week, depending on my ability to pay the power bill. I try to read as much new and independent works as my tried and trusted favorites, and I’ve been doing this for years. Thus, I can roughly say that I am pretty decent at comicology, however I hold no formal degree. Luckily, degrees are no substitute for common sense and that’s how I got this gig. ![]() I didn’t spend my formative years role-playing. Honestly, I didn’t have much interest in it. I liked science fiction and fantasy, but these things didn’t drive me to create character sheets, roll dice, and hang out with nerdy friends. I got thrown into it. Mainly, I was dating a GM. I was in a new town. I was lonely. Hence, my foray into “rolling the bones.” The reason I stayed was not because of the boyfriend-turned-husband GM. It was simply an outlet for my creative side, the side that loves theatre and acting. So these are my thoughts on how acting made me a better role-player: 1. What’s my Motivation? (best said in a hoity toity voice) In acting you are taught to seek out what is driving your character; why they do what they do. Why are they in the play? Are they the conscience of another character? Are they the foil of the protagonist? Are they too legit to quit? These questions affect how your character interacts with the story and others within the play. This makes the backstory for your role-playing character key. For example, your role-playing character, Bob, is motivated by riches and power. He is the one who loots the body (maybe even before you have confirmed death.) However, someone else’s character, Chuck, just wants to find love. He may be introducing himself to the ladies that the group have just saved while Bob is arms-deep in looting the body. The difference here is in their motivation. 2. Have Goals Each line of a script can be broken down into goals. Your character has a goal in mind for whatever they happen to say or do. My goal is to woo that lady, get to school on time, or make a fine-looking sandwich. This is no different in role-playing; my characters all have numerous goals throughout a campaign. So often role-players will devolve into cheap jokes and ridiculous antics (not that there isn’t a time and place for that revelry, but it doesn’t need to be continuous.). Having a legitimate goal, gives you character purpose. They have small goals (try to get along with the obnoxious paladin, Geoffrey… oh sorry, Geee-awww-fray ) and larger goals (kill Geee-awww-fray; have it look accidental.) These goals are as realistic as our own goals. We adjust them, we add to them, we achieve them, or we abandon them. But they are always there…. like a fungus. 3. Improv: the life blood of thinking on your feet Doing improv is a great way to improve upon role-playing. You have to be hyper-aware of the group, you have to jump in when needed, and you have to take ownership of your words and your actions. A great game that role-playing always reminds me of is Yes, and. In this particular game, you are creating a narrative with a group (sound familiar?) and it helps you negotiate the differences in other people’s thoughts and ideas. It is a simple game where whatever the person says or does, your response is always, “Yes, and…” as you fill in the blank and keep going. You accept the narrative and then add to the narrative. You are creating together and supporting each other. In role-playing, this idea creates overarching story arcs and doesn’t put up walls in your campaign. . 4. The Idea of Team When cast in a show, the entire ensemble is a cornucopia of personalities. Some people are terrifying, to be completely honest. But working in those environments taught me how to work with others. Which is SO helpful in a long term role-playing campaign. No one is an island in role-playing, even when they are playing an island. They need to contribute to build for the good of the group. Even when tensions arise, there has to be a resolution or some kind of glue to hold it all together. I am going to assert that that glue is bacon, after all there is no ‘I’ in team, but there is ‘MEAT’. So after we feast, then of course we will work on teamwork skills like tolerance and the ability to move past problems and be solution-focused. I was taught those early on in theatre. 5. Supporting Role: It’s Not All about You One of the biggest things that I was taught in acting, was that I am an excellent supporting actor. I am not the best; I was never the lead in anything. This used to discourage me, but I soon realized that there were no small roles, just small pity parties to have after casting. In role-playing, my characters aren’t always the biggest and best and we are not always focused on my goals. My characters can take a back seat. My quest to find my long-lost brother can wait, so we can clear these goblins out of Blatherville. Did you hear how they burned down Elrick’s bakery? I can easily find a reason to stay and be a part of the group. My turn will come. I’m coming for you, Brother Jolya! Vanessa is a sarcastic, 30-something wife and mother. She likes things and stuff, but not simultaneously. ![]() I want to advocate for all of you that are building your own worlds out there to incoporate even the basics of economics into your worlds. Why? Good question! Well, if you don’t your world is unbelievable and kind of sucks. Basically, you are breaking the bonds of believability between GM and player by not providing a relatively rational world. And yes, I get the irony of wanting realism in worlds where you can vaporize your enemies from space/fly/cast fireballs/mana bolts/fight dragons. I get it. I also realize that your world may be radically different in many ways from our current and modern one, or even historical examples, possibly due to super science or the use of magic or even the intervention of powerful deities.But none of that lets you off the hook, it just adds levels of complexity. So start doing this, and start doing this now. But how? 1. Keep in mind the implications of the loot. You see, when you reward your players with that awesome filthy lucre for building amazing storylines or even just for being the baddest mofos around you imply a staggering amount of information about your world. In many fantasy worlds, there is an implication that a previous, far more advanced and wealthy civilization or civilizations existed. Think Tolkien. Smaug’s hoard is enough to not only make every dwarf in Middle Earth fabulously wealthy, but also to devalue currency and the price of gold to the point wherein mining and trade could essentially collapse across the continent. There could be massive political and even military implications for the entire world due to this wealth. But even more, it implies that an economy existed wherein this could be gathered and whatnot with trade not collapsing at some time in the past. And if this one exists, are there others? One of my favourite worlds is the world of Rifts. In that world, there was a previous Golden Age of science and economic prosperity that existed before everything completely collapsed. That means that even with the giant robots and laser pistols in abundance, the technology and economy of the pre-Cataclysm world outpaces anything that exists today. That means that finding a hoard of pre-Rifts technology is the equivalent of finding Smaug’s hoard. Sure, some might be old leavings from our modern time, but it is possible to find a hoard of preserved Glitter Boys or even an advanced variant of some mech that hasn’t been discovered in. All perfectly rational. But to switch to too many fantasy worlds there is seemingly endless supply of magic swords in crypts and dungeons for adventurers to find, with no corresponding reason why these were lost. Is the ability to craft these lost? If so, why? Answer those questions in your world, because your players are likely thinking them. And they can be awesome adventure hooks for later in the campaign. 2. Watch your players’ spending. The average adventurer in most campaigns becomes fabulously wealthy. And the average campaign has no consequences for this. I was once in a campaign wherein we rolled into a small village in the frontier of a kingdom in decline and proceeded to drop thousands of gold pieces into the local economy. Of course, the people were very happy to take our money, but maybe they don’t have the resources to provide what we need, it is an isolated village after all. I mean, in that situation the DM was good enough to actually describe some consequences; we ended up making the local Baron a lifelong enemy because of our high spending ways. And since we were there previous to the winter, the good feelings of the townsfolk soon disappeared when it was realized that we left town with most of their food stores and a good number of their young men as hirelings and soldiers, leaving them in an incredibly precarious position to survive the coming winter, which did not go well for them. One cannot eat gold. That left a well-funded enemy at our back, with several soldiers whose wives and children had starved that winter as motivation. And we were the good guys! 3. How did they buy that? Everything that you describe as your players explore the world you have so painstakingly created implies a tonne of information about the people and places that you have created. For example, though there is no good and perfect means by which to calculate it for this period in our history, medieval societies were built primarily around food production - specifically how much food production it would take to feed the people present and provide for the hold, men-at-arms, and court of the local and possibly not so local lord. That is - using Western Europe for example - the early feudal system was built around local lords holding enough land for the support of a single knight. So an estate should have enough land and resources for that knight and his retinue so that that person could then go and fight for his liege lord. Of course, in RL this was complicated by religious obligations, food debts, taxation, etc. But you get the idea. In one campaign I was in, the DM had a secret army being raised under the nose of the local prince and that army was being supplied with magical swords, one for each soldier. In that game system each sword would then cost thousands of gold pieces. And if one assumed that an average peasant was willing to hire on as a soldier for 1-5gp/month plus equipment, room, and board, it raises some serious questions as to the resources of that organization to equip its troops. Its wealth would have to be, even for a modest fighting force, enormous. And sadly, having done the quick math our group derailed the adventure based on that understanding, looking for an organization that would have wealth that rivaled any two other kingdoms in the world. 4. How does the government work? In one great role-playing system, Traveler, there is an interplanetary government that spans huge swathes of the universe. Often, the implications of how that would work together though, feel ignored. And for a system that forces one to do that much math, it is shocking in its absence. The governments in that system tend to be pictured as having technology and resources that dwarf what in its own mechanics should be possible for its own worlds. The government, and everything that comes with it - from local to regional to national to galactic - everything they do costs money and resources. Every spacecraft, every soldier, every building, every road. We often build our worlds assuming a stable and wealthy government that has limitless resources. That by itself is not that realistic in most places and most times in human history, it is the exception, not the rule. For example if the city guard is 200 strong, each with plate mail and a warhorse and a good sword: do the math. That is an enormous amount of money. Where is that coming from? If we assume a peasant can feed themselves and their families and pay some taxes but not much else, how many people have to exist to arm every soldier? It doesn’t have to be mapped exactly out, but some justification would be nice. I mean, are these suits of armour passed down from generation to generation? Is that why they can afford it? They have been purchased over centuries? If so, how willing would that city be to risk even a small squad of soldiers for all but the most important tasks? Losing ten soldiers may be unrecoverable for decades. 5. What is life like for the average, non-adventuring, citizen? This may be the most important, and most overlooked, piece of world building. To start your world building, think of the average person. Think about their standard of life. Then extrapolate from there. Are they dirty peasants living hand to mouth on subsidence farms praying to not starve that winter? Or relatively comfortable corporate citizens living out their whole lives in a megacorps’ arcology? Or something in between? I mean, food production is critically important for figuring this out. In a medieval setting or setting wherein society and technology has broken down, remember that the vast majority of your people will be agrarian. In a medieval setting, a decent rule of thumb is that for every townsperson, there is around nine people in farms surrounding that place, with rational differences if food production can be done differently. Urban centres can be larger where fishing is good, for example. So your city of 1000 people implies an additional 9000 farmers in the surrounding countryside, give or take, who may owe fealty to the town, but likely will be encountered for a day or two before one even rides up on the town. In futuristic settings, ask how efficient food production is. How do they do it? Is it a matter of saying “Earl Grey, hot!” and food appears? Or are they dependent on Serenity shipping in a herd of cows? In the end, this will help imply a rational world, and knowing the economic underpinnings of your world will help you to understand the impact your players are having on the world you have built, which is kind of the point, isn’t it? -VP Quinn ![]() This week’s topic will be on creating a backstory for your character. If you’re like many people in the role-playing world, your character’s backstory is an afterthought. Its something to be done in a fraction of the time you spend creating the rest of your character’s stats, equipment spells etc. The danger of doing this is that the focus becomes centered on the “playing” aspect of the game, at the expense of the “role”. We’re all there to play the game, and what makes our hobby unique, is the creativity and imagination we can express in our roles. Think of it like a pizza. Those stats, equipment and spells are the cheese, crust and sauce- all essential ingredients. But having a motivation behind your actions makes that cheese pizza, into a 4-cheese, Sicilian sausage with tomatoes, anchovies and extra onions masterpiece. It’s the options that make both the pizza and the character unique and flavorful. Better ingredients, better pizza. {Insert Peyton Manning & Papa John’s ad here} So, my discerning reader, here’s what I consider to be the 3 must-do’s for creating a backstory for your character. 1 Raison d'être- “To be a raisin” This is something you absolutely must know before the dice hit the table. Your character exists (usually) as someone special, different and more powerful than the average person in the world. How did this come to be? More important for the party: why are you out on the road adventuring instead of something more relaxing? You could be curled up warm by a fire at home with a good book or telling the same old stories in taverns for free drinks! You must know the purpose your character has, otherwise you’re the Jean-Claude Van Damme of the group: too much action and too little plot. [Quiz time: Name a Van Damme movie other than Bloodsport] 2- Muse Clues Having a muse brings something real to your character. A real voice, a real walking gait, real idiosyncrasies that you sometimes can’t think up on your own. A muse gives your imagination a skeleton and wraps your ideas in silky smooth skin. They translate your character from an image search on a search engine to a person in a story. It can be a favorite actor, or a cool comic book character you read about, a funny co-worker, or someone from an obscure dramatic piece your significant other wanted to watch. Find the way you learn (visual or auditory only – kinesthetic not so much, unfortunately) and then find your Tom Cruise…I mean Tom Muse! I mean… What I’m trying to say is just like toilet paper, muses have multiple uses, and they can get stuck on your shoe, which is super embarrassing when going into a business meeting. Muses can teach you a new accent, execute sweet ninja flips that you can describe, or help you with turns of phrase in with the criminal underworld. Get creative, you say? I say: Why reinvent the wheel? [Tom Cruise does not endorse this blog] 3- Cova the Dubya’s School is in session, take out your coiled notebooks and come up with answers for the 6 question words of role-playing: Who, What, Where, When, Why and sometimes WTF. Who This influences how your character interacts with other people. Who do they like / hate/ find hot? What This influences what your character does during “down time”. What did your character do before deciding to take up the life of a wandering adventurer? What were their dreams? What’s something that they know loads of useless information about? Where This influences things like accents, background knowledge, and skills. Where did your character grow up? Travel to? Want to go? When This influences your character’s interests and point of view of events. When did your character hit milestones in their life: born, married, bar mitzvah, baptism, death of loved ones? Why Why did your character become an adventurer? (See raison d'être above) And sometimes, WTF What is something your character does that will be justifiable to nobody but you. No matter how hard they try to convince you otherwise, you find a way to let this quirk shine in the story. This is the part of character creation that I like to call “dipping your character in ink”. For better or worse, long after the campaign is ended, people generally remember these things about your character. Hey, the only thing worse than being talked about, is not being talked about, right? Well that’s all the time we have… I hear footsteps coming down the hall. Gotta get back to work! Dustinopolis Chief Assistant to the Evening Custodian I am Dustinopolis, Devourer of Cheese. I am an 11th level dreamer who has been rolling dice and playing roles off and on for over ten years. In High-level Games , my current position is as Assistant to the Night Janitor. I write my columns fully clothed. Usually. ![]() If I could give you one fact about myself, it is that I love games. Video games, sports (i.e. games with running), role-playing games, but most of all, board games. I have been playing board games since I was old enough to not swallow the pieces. I just couldn’t play enough; my poor parents could only handle so much Monopoly with a five year old, so I often ended up playing games against myself, typically playing all 4 players (and so great was my adolescent skill, I always won.) As I got older, the games got more complicated and my competitors diverse. Like many modern board gamers, I’ve played ungodly amounts of Catan, Carcassonne, and Dominion. I now find myself most drawn to deeper strategy games, (e.g. Agricola, Through the Ages), with a general rule being that the length of the rulebook is directly proportional to the enjoyment I’ll get out of a game (provided I can find people willing/gullible enough with which to play). I only began role-playing a few years ago, drawn to the tabletop by its preponderance of rule-books. A single role playing game offers hundreds (often thousands) of pages of game mechanics and interactions to learn and explore, all of which made me metaphorically salivate. However, I soon realized that there is greater disparity between understanding the mechanics and playing the game in role-playing games than there is in board games (i.e. a perfect understanding of the D&D mechanics will do nothing to bring a character to life). While I had much to learn, I realized that a lifetime of board games had prepared me for joining a role-playing group in several ways. 1. The capacity for make-believe. To fully enjoy any board game, a certain amount of imagination is needed. I’m not just pushing a tiny plastic tank and a bunch of gray chips across a board, I’m blitzkrieging into Russia in a war encompassing the entire world. I’m not just rolling some dice, I’m producing resources in support of my bid to control the continent. These aren’t just cards, they’re equipment, contacts, and programs used to hack a nefarious corporation. Without imagination, a board game becomes merely a banal collection of mechanics and rules, devoid of life and the spark that makes games inherently fun. This need of imagination is even more necessary when role-playing. Players are given a whole slew of mechanics and are expected to use them to bring to life a rich, vivid world without even board or piece for reference. Of course, there are visual aids used in RPGs, such as miniatures, maps, or pictures, but the vast majority of role-playing is seen through the mind’s eye of each player. I was already used to playing make-believe with my many games, whether I was becoming a rich mogul, daring general, or a dastardly spy. While I was initially thrown by my lack of physical representation within the game, I was able to quickly bring the world to life in my mind thanks to an imagination well-seasoned by the board. 2. The development of good game etiquette. People often take being nice for granted, especially around a game table. Everyone knows someone with whom they refuse to play games, whether they be role-playing, video, sports, or board, due to that person’s poor behavior. Some throw a fi(s)t when they lose. Others become insufferable upon winning. Some will not stop cheating, even when caught red-handed (I’m looking at you, Steve). Regardless of which sort of negative behavior is exhibited, it saps the enjoyment of the other players. In my years playing board games, I have played against each type of person and have even been that person myself. The best lessons are reciprocal. I learned not to be an arrogant, pompous bastard after winning when I was beaten by a pompous, arrogant bastard. I learned not to be a sore loser myself by defeating others who were. All of these experiences facilitated my development of good game etiquette. The idea is simple: don’t be a barbarian at the game table (even if you are one in the game). If you’re pissed at what happened in game, be pissed at yourself for the stupid decisions that led you there or the dice for their uncooperative behavior (and then melt them), not pissed at other players or the DM. Don’t cheat by rolling 20s when no one was watching or purposefully altering rules. These things make games less fun for everyone involved. These bad behaviors come out much faster in board than role-playing games due to their shorter nature and clear distinction between winner and loser(s), so play a few board games with your group if you want to discern players with good game etiquette from those with poor game etiquette. 3. The familiarity with rules and game mechanics. While not everyone may agree with this, the rules in a role-playing game are central to the experience; without rules, D&D would be a medieval Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book (not that I’m hating on Choose-Your-Own-Adventure, mind you. Anyone who did that would be certifiable). The rules and mechanics put the ‘game’ in role-playing game. The better each player understands the rules as they relate to their character, the more time can be spent playing the game and becoming a part of a legendary story (to see the opposite of this, watch a session of Shadowrun played by a group that’s never played before.) With a love of board games comes an inevitable familiarity with rules. Whether, like me, you love rules and game mechanics to the point where you will read the instruction manuals for games you don’t even have or if you hate rule-books and just want to dig right into a game without having to spend time among dry pages, board game players all are experienced in playing by the rules. This does not mean merely know how many dice to roll or how much Boardwalk costs to purchase, but also being able to work with multiple game mechanics to achieve victory. Even the most complex of board games, with an incredible variety of mechanics and features, pales in comparison to the complexity of game mechanics in an average RPG. Many years spent figuring out how to best manipulate board game mechanics allowed me to move quickly past the early role-playing stages of figuring out how to play my character according the rules (e.g. how many dice do I roll to shoot my pistol) and onto more complex concepts, such as learning how to develop and portray a personality for my character (e.g. thinking like a mob hitman and learning a Russian accent). 4. The honing of tactical instincts. Every role-playing group is different. Some are lax on adherence to the rules with a greater focus on building a great story. Others place more emphasis on simulation and playing strictly by-the-book. Combat is an inherent part of both of these role-playing styles. Regardless of whether combat is played out in a tense simulation with miniatures on a grid or is told as a tale of grand strokes and spells (or, more than likely, a combination of simulation and narrative epic), good tactics will often be the difference between life and death, between heroic and sad, bloody mess . Board games offer players the chance to hone their tactical skills across a wide variety of challenges. Admittedly, not every board game offers deep tactical challenge, i.e. you can’t lay an ambush for your opponents in Monopoly (though that might make me play the game again). However, even simple board games require decisions which affect the outcome of the game, e.g. whether or not to buy a particular property in Monopoly when your funds are low. These decisions can be boiled down to a benefit versus risk analysis by the player (often made without thinking in such terms). RPG combat requires the same type of decision-making as can be found in any board game, a risk-benefit analysis of what attacks/spells are most useful in each situation, which enemies to concentrate fire upon, when the tide of battle has turned, etc. I’m not saying that every board gamer is a born tactician or that veteran tacticians can’t be defeated by the simplest of enemies. However, a board game is a concise exercise in tactical decision making; many years spent playing board games is many years spent honing tactical instincts through practice in diverse scenarios. While I’m sure not everyone who board gamed before they leveled up to role-playing has had the same experience as me, I hope many of you can relate. Happy gaming! Jake is an avid board gamer, outdoorsman, and low level role-player who lives in College Station, Texas. ![]() I have been a proud consumer of anything gaming related for a long time. I am old enough to remember having to order cool gaming stuff out of the back of a new splat book I bought or be part of a great chain of people that would lend, borrow, and re-lend magazines, books, and other materials that dribbed and drabbed into our small town. I am also young enough that when the interwebz became a thing I delved in and drank deeply of whatever stuff was becoming available to me through the various new mediums. But I think that one thing has remained the same throughout all of this time; and that is a misunderstanding of what it takes to have a successful gaming group come together regularly to enjoy our hobby. You see, I think that most people believe that if you just have the perfect combination of rules, story, and fun then everything else will take care of itself. If this was the case then all of the posts I see on message boards, forums, and various social media platforms wouldn't happen. So below are the 5 things you can do to have a successful gaming group. 1. Have an organizer. This, in my experience, is typically the GM, as whatever makes a person want to take on that pretty thankless task is usually also a person who is willing to put in the extra time required. But it doesn't necessarily have to be. You see, someone has to text, message, call, or whatever to take care of scheduling, time, make sure people can make it out, and try and arrange for times and places that are most likely to work for most of the people most of the time. This is way too important to not be done. Someone has to gather intelligence as in "Sandi can't get a babysitter on Tuesdays, so we need to solve that problem for her or move the night we gather." And though everyone should chip in to handle whatever needs to be handled, from hosting, to food, to booze, or whatever, the buck has to stop somewhere. Listen; I don't think most people are trying to be dicks but if no one talks to them about this stuff or puts in the work to organize your events, expect less success. 2. Solicit and give feedback constantly. First and foremost: GMs, begin or end each session with a few questions asking what people liked about what happened and what people thought about it, take a few minutes to describe what you were aiming to get, and if people didn't like it, then seriously look at what they didn't like, why it is and how it can be changed. It could be things as simple as your aiming for a certain emotional response from your players and the moment falling flat. That moment is done - no do-overs - but if you can understand better what happened, from those actually involved, then the likelihood of everyone's experience getting better over time goes up, and further people are much more likely to be forgiving when they see that you are always trying to improve your craft. Of course, this doesn't let you players off the hook. You need to be doing the same thing. I have a buddy who recently joined a game online and started doing a voice for his lizard man druid and he was worried that his characterizations were turning people off so he asked people about it at the break. He got really good feedback and found out that their momentary silences were because they were playing their characters in response to his, not due to their not liking it. The second piece is something I invented and have now been doing for over a decade. I call it "Question Period." A the end of a session, if we have twenty minutes or so, I begin asking questions of the players, and they describe how their character feels about things. Usually, I start with the person on my left and ask him what his character thinks about the character to his left, and then the next one, and then the next one, and so on. When they get to where I am sitting, I usually have another question for them or ask them about an important villain or NPC. Then I move to the next player and repeat the process. I have found that a lot of character development can occur during this time, even from those that are not typically people who spend a lot of time "role-playing." I think we tend to underestimate what is going on in the imaginations of those that don't "get into character" that much at the table. 3. Confront bad behaviour. I know. I know that many of us can't stand to have any kind of confrontation and would rather just climb under the table than point out that the player across from you is incredibly sexist or that there is no way that a single human can roll that many Natural 20s in a row, or why that only happens when no one is looking. But it is important. Don't make the GM do it all, either. Step up, even if it can be handled quietly, in between session where you can say "Hey stud, I know that you think you know the rules better than anyone here, but that guy across from you knows them at least as well as you and no one gets annoyed by him because he doesn't argue or constantly interrupt and whine. They actually rely on him for advice. That's who you want to be, be like him." 4. Play with people you would want to hang out with anyways. Have you ever been in a group with someone you hated? It sucks the life out of the game, and at some stage the love of your hobby will be outweighed by your annoyance at that dickbag. Life is too short. It used to be far more difficult when you were stuck in small towns and the entire gaming community was like ten people wide. That's just not the reality today. People are playing games in huge numbers, and online platforms like roll20.net have a free and easy online way to find groups that are looking for players and GMs. Go find a group that's awesome. There are so many of them. Are they going to be perfect? No. Are they going to have off nights? Yes. Are they going to occasionally have someone that has a bad day and comes and takes it out on the game? Yes. But overall good groups exist. I have slowly and painstakingly put my current group together over the last 12 years and this was my mantra the whole time. If I can't sit down and watch a movie with you or have coffee with you without not knowing what to talk about or wanting to stab you in the eye with my pencil, I don't have you in the game. And every member, every single member, has a veto on new players. I usually have newbies come and watch a session or two so they can see our style, see how we play, and they can make an informed decision about whether they want to be a part of it and we can interact with them around the gaming table. Then we make a decision as a group, without them there, as to whether we want them with us permanently. If any member says they aren't comfortable or anything like that we don't do it. Period. 5. Commit. Whenever someone joins a group I am in, we make a commitment to each other. The group makes a commitment to continue to play a high level of the hobby that we all love and by doing so provide an environment for everyone engaging in this hobby to flourish. The players each individually commit to show up on time, stay engaged while there, and be there every session. I am currently involved in three separate campaigns: an ongoing campaign that meets every other week on Sunday afternoons that I GM, using D&D 3.5 rules and 2nd Editions AD&D adventure modules and set in Ravenloft. If people want in that campaign; they commit to being there. The second is on alternating weekends where we just wrapped up a Shadowrun campaign and are now embarking on a new Mutants and Masterminds campaign. The commitment for Ravenloft is to show up every second week and see it to the end. The commitment for the new Mutants and Masterminds campaign will be for the duration of a single module. I also am DMing a 5th Edition online campaign wherein we chose to play weekly on Friday nights and discuss if we wanted to end it at the four month mark. But during the agreed upon time, we commit. Hopefully this all helps. Happy gaming and take your games to the next level! -VP Quinn ![]() Of course here at High Level Games you know that we are huge fans of Ravenloft and all things Ravenloft related, hell the first episode of our podcast is a Ravenloft module, and we will be doing many more before the inevitable time when our souls will be taken by the mists. So I am excited as all hell (or whatever demiplane you favour) to announce that Wizards of the Coast has released the first Ravenloft adventure for 5th Edition FREE! It is released as a PDF here and is completely free. It is a short adventure taking place in the Village of Barovia and will be included as an introductory mini-adventure for the release of Curse of Strahd when that is released later this year. It is designed to be an introduction into some of the Ravenloft tropes and take a first level character to level three. Frankly, if you wanted to, it could begin a Ravenloft adventure if you use the Gazetteers that were produced as an imprint for White Wolf through Sword and Sorcery Studios for 3.5. In my humble opinion, those books are the high water mark for Ravenloft in any edition anyways. So, check it out, let me know what you think, and enjoy! -VP Quinn |
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April 2023
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