Combating My Own Boredom as a Player

[GMMichael]

I used to get bored and stopped playing. Then I was reading acting advice and came across a good tip: Focus on the other characters. What they're doing and saying. Get involved with the party, rather than focusing on just what your PC is doing.

This. Just because you're not the GM anymore, it doesn't mean that you can't help the other players feel special (a GM job). Interact with other PCs in-character, cheer/jeer the acting character as necessary, pass notes/tokens/hand signals. Keep that immersion up.

The mention for taking up one or more Player Jobs is a far second place, but it's there.

@Retreater, I know you're not trying to criticize your GM, but if combat ticks away like clockwork every time, something needs criticism. Let the GM know you're burning out before it's too late, and tell him/her why: you dread the combats. Give a suggestion on what can be done...

• Less combat, please! If the virtual world isn't making combat shine with its big assets (improved visuals and automation), then less fighting might be the solution.
• More chaos (please)! What if each player can introduce their own complications to the fight at the start, and get commensurate XP bonuses for overcoming them?

 

[Thomas Shey]

I have some of the same problems. I don't actually think there's much of a fix for it, honestly, though I at least endeavored to not be disruptive.

 

[Duke_]

I used to get bored and stopped playing. Then I was reading acting advice and came across a good tip: Focus on the other characters. What they're doing and saying. Get involved with the party, rather than focusing on just what your PC is doing. IME it enhances your gameplay experience and aids in immersion.

I love PF1's Teamwork feats: you set those up with another player's PC and it can make combat FUN. As a GM I used 'em with NPC parties to occasionally slam PCs. PF2 has teamwork built into several features, like Demoralize, Trip and Aid. Things your PC can do to give your teammates bonuses on their actions.

But again, making the other PCs important can eliminate your boredom.

Fighting boredom in combat as a player

Sometimes (as a player) I get bored during combat. At times I feel like all my turns are the same (especially when playing lower level characters) and when that is combined with no combat progress (

rpg.stackexchange.com

"Be a fan of the players" isn't just good advice for GMing, it's good advice for playing too!

 

[Queer Venger]

I'll admit it: I'm a bad player. Too many years of being a "Forever GM" has made me accustomed to playing multiple characters, controlling the pace of the game, shaping the story when necessary, adding complications, etc. As a player, I don't have enough to do, and my interest wanes. Also, we're playing online, so it's even more of a challenge to focus on the game.

As an example (and not criticizing the GM or system), I've been playing the same character in a weekly PF2 campaign for a year. We've just reached 6th level in an adventure path that has limited variety in the setting (we're stuck on a jungle island). I picked a character class that I thought would have a lot of variety in what he can do, but for a year of weekly play, every combat seems about the same. Move up, mark my target, attack. If I don't have to mark or move, I can raise my shield and/or take a second attack. Even if PF2 has a lot of varied things a player can do, it's not enough to interest me for 40+ sessions while I'm staring down just as many more to get to the end of the campaign.

Do other "Forever GMs" have this issue?
How do I change this?

they do.
I do tend to mentally evaluate and judge other GMs. That said, I also learn from them, things Ive not considered before.

Ultimately, for me it's about sitting together with friends to have fun, so don't really care too much about crunch and rules, (why I don't play PF2).

 

[MNblockhead]

I don't have an issue with boredom and really appreciate getting a chance to play. But since I got back into the hobby I've mostly only played one shots at conventions and find-a-game online. One exception is that I played in a WFRP campaign for a while but life got in the way and I had to stop running and playing in games during job change and move. I'm back to running a campaign, but I don't have the time to commit to another regular game. All of this is to say that I don't know how I would feel after playing in the same campaign for a year.

The main issue I've had is just shutting up. This may be partially due to being a DM you get used to talking a lot in games, but it is also a personality thing. Also, a lot of my good friends are "aggressive talkers" for lack of a better description. When we get together for a game we talk over each other, make comments and jokes, argue and enjoy it. It drives other people nuts.

I've learned to shut up and read the room better. I find that what helps me keep engaged is to play characters that buff, heal, and have other support actions.

I also find I am more engaged as a player in games that have mechanics that support teamwork and planning. For example in WFRP, I much prefer group advantage over the original advantage rules in the core rulebook. Also, when I was running 5e, I like to add in rules like flanking for the same reason.

 

[MNblockhead]

I like Adventurer's Guilds or similar in-setting constructs that allow players to easily swap out PCs if they want.

In the campaign I ran before my current one, which ran for 5 years, we had something similar. Early in the campaign the PC cleared out a ruined castle, fixed it up, and there has other PCs taking care of things back at the castle while they were out on missions. Most of the players stuck to the same PC every session. Only one player regularly swapped between his two characters. But it was always an option.

 

[dbm]

I feel somewhat similar, though not from being an ever-GM.

I like to have a character who makes decisions every round in combat and can contribute to as many ‘scenes’ as possible. In systems like D&D this means building for breadth rather than optimising in a single thing. It’s become a cliche in our group but I usually plays bards as they are one of the most flexible classes in 5e with lots of options to buff the party. Wizards can similarly be very interesting if you load up on battlefield modifying powers, however the extra special elements of a bard include being good at social encounters and Jack-of-All-Trades giving you a chance with many skills.

Recently I played an Adept (aka monk) in Level Up 5e. By the time the campaign finished I had 17 martial- or chi-based abilities I could break out in combat, giving me a whole host of options every round. It was awesome, with the movement skills to get where needed then different options to stun opponents, make them prone, push them around and so on. Every round I would look at the current battle state and work out how to apply my bag of tricks to change the battle to the party’s advantage.

Great fun.

 

[John R Davis]

I don't mind games with "tactical depth," but they're not enough to hold my attention for a year. It's the same reason I don't listen to only Rush.
Playing the same character in PF2, going from scene to scene has basically been listening to "Tom Sawyer" on repeat.
We have roleplaying, sure, but the AP structure means we can't really influence anything. Our characters are rarely threatened in a meaningful way - even including our relationships with NPCs.
I just feel so passive in games.

Are you playing Serpents Skull Part 1?

 

[Theory of Games]

I don't mind games with "tactical depth," but they're not enough to hold my attention for a year. It's the same reason I don't listen to only Rush.
Playing the same character in PF2, going from scene to scene has basically been listening to "Tom Sawyer" on repeat.
We have roleplaying, sure, but the AP structure means we can't really influence anything. Our characters are rarely threatened in a meaningful way - even including our relationships with NPCs.
I just feel so passive in games.

Then why are you playing it? Have you talked to the GM about your dissatisfaction?

 

[Li Shenron]

Do other "Forever GMs" have this issue?

At least I don't: I am mostly a DM, and when I have the chance to be a player in someone else's game, it is usually refreshing... whatever kind of game we play. For example if it's an investigation game then (finally!) I have a chance at trying to solve a mistery instead of the burden of making it solvable but not too easy and also not too hard, make it different but also not too different, make it very reasonable/believable but not before the last minute... aargh! And otherwise if it's a combat game it's about time I can really exploit all my character capabilities to the fullest without feeling sorry for the resulting casualties! And if it's an exploration game, well that's always fun for me anyway...

How do I change this?

Other than moving to a different game, I doubt that PF2 doesn't provide enough variety, so maybe you are not seeing it.

Are you only looking at your character sheet? Try putting the sheet away and look up, start asking your DM more detailed questions about the environment and the opponents, so that you may get ideas on something else to do instead just the usual attack.

Are you mentally stuck on "the most efficient" action all the time? Some ruleset unfortunately end up giving some characters one thing that beats all other option, but it is still the players fault if they pursue some maximisation and then ruin their own fun doing so. If that's the case, try setting yourself some limits like not using the same tactic in two consecutive encounters, see how doing something else goes and my guess is that it would still work well enough even if not the best.