Alcohol and D&D
- Thread starter Undead Pete
- Start date
John Crichton
First Post
These days I will occassionally drink a beer or 2 (over the course of a 5-6 hour night) when playing a PC or DM-ing (I don't get a chance to PC much). No one else in the current group drinks while gaming.
There was one time in the past where I had one too many (we were at my place, so no driving issues) and I was playing a fighter-thief type in 2e. The session was going well and I was still in my right mind up until we saw some combat. I still don't remember the combat to this day, but I was told afterword that I was completely reckless and because of it we won the day. Evidently, I gathered up all the orc bodies into a huge pile and set it ablaze "as a warning" to the other tribes to stay away from our group.
Needless to say, I will not be doing that again.
There was one time in the past where I had one too many (we were at my place, so no driving issues) and I was playing a fighter-thief type in 2e. The session was going well and I was still in my right mind up until we saw some combat. I still don't remember the combat to this day, but I was told afterword that I was completely reckless and because of it we won the day. Evidently, I gathered up all the orc bodies into a huge pile and set it ablaze "as a warning" to the other tribes to stay away from our group.
Needless to say, I will not be doing that again.
ErichDragon
First Post
At the time I was kind of pissed off, but the retelling of this story at the gaming table has been fun over the years:
We were playing 2e. Our party was nominally working for one nation that was at war with another. Our job: to infiltrate the evil kingdom and find some thing that would turn the balance of the war, yada yada yada.
Our DM decided to make some white russians that one of the players girlfriends had the ingredients to in the kitchen. He starts pounding them one after another. This guy can usually drink but he had just worked a double shift and had only 1 1/2 hours of sleep. He is getting slurred speach and forgetting major things like the monsters attacks and stuff.
At one point he starts to nod off in the middle of a party discusion. When I notice I say "Hey Ed! what happens now"?
He looks up at me with one eye partly closed and drawls out "Have yoush guys met the Druids down by the river"?
Needless to say we had never met any druids in the whole campaign, not near a river or anywhere else. He gave away an ambush that we were supposed to walk into then passed right out. We all started laughing so hard we called it a night for gaming and got drunk ourselves.
Good Times!
We were playing 2e. Our party was nominally working for one nation that was at war with another. Our job: to infiltrate the evil kingdom and find some thing that would turn the balance of the war, yada yada yada.
Our DM decided to make some white russians that one of the players girlfriends had the ingredients to in the kitchen. He starts pounding them one after another. This guy can usually drink but he had just worked a double shift and had only 1 1/2 hours of sleep. He is getting slurred speach and forgetting major things like the monsters attacks and stuff.
At one point he starts to nod off in the middle of a party discusion. When I notice I say "Hey Ed! what happens now"?
He looks up at me with one eye partly closed and drawls out "Have yoush guys met the Druids down by the river"?
Needless to say we had never met any druids in the whole campaign, not near a river or anywhere else. He gave away an ambush that we were supposed to walk into then passed right out. We all started laughing so hard we called it a night for gaming and got drunk ourselves.
Good Times!
No real stories - we do just as much goofy stuff when we're sober. Usually we play long all day games, and by six or seven we're ready for a couple beers. Every once in a while I'll go for some scotch.
I wouldn't want someone getting hammered. I mean, I'm not too good to get drunk with my buds, but if we're going to do that why did I bother lugging the books over
.
I wouldn't want someone getting hammered. I mean, I'm not too good to get drunk with my buds, but if we're going to do that why did I bother lugging the books over
.SemperJase
First Post
About 10 years ago when I was in the USMC I got back into gaming as an alternative to drinking. The group I was in strictly prohibited drinking while gaming.
Now days, because of some health issues I am no longer able to drink any alcohol. For that matter I don't drink caffiene either (and Mountain Dew was my favorite).
I recently got into a new group where the participants do drink during the game. Thankfully, they don't drink much, maybe 2 beers during a 5 hour session. If they drank and I could see it effecting their behavior, I would leave.
Now days, because of some health issues I am no longer able to drink any alcohol. For that matter I don't drink caffiene either (and Mountain Dew was my favorite).
I recently got into a new group where the participants do drink during the game. Thankfully, they don't drink much, maybe 2 beers during a 5 hour session. If they drank and I could see it effecting their behavior, I would leave.
The current world I'm running began with these words, rolling out of a formless void; "Let there be gin."
And the gin was good.
And surprisingly, the inaugural session was pretty damn good as well. The mother of all gin and tonics really helped me go into pure dramatic narrator mode. I brought the sights and sounds and plot hooks of an imaginary city on an imaginary world to life. I was a liitle anxious, since my group has several 1st time RPG'ers in it.
But I wouldn't want to run to run a combat heavy session whilst gin-fueled. Expressiveness goes up, precision goes down...
I found that I loosen up in terms of authorial control with a little alcohol. It's not so much that I'm given to railroading, its just my NPC's actions are too-often flat and overdetermined.
But, I have to add, the real intoxication comes from breathing life into an NPC and a story... The feeling that you're not entirely in charge of the action, feeling the fire in the character, their motivations and emotions and schemes. Feeling like you've got a living thing on you're hands, not a dead, static script. Like good writing...
Of course, the best sessions I been in where that happens have been alchohol-free. Perhaps I just like the gin...
And vodka.
And I'm coming around on good Scotch.
And... ummm, I'm late for my 12-Step. Cheers....
And the gin was good.
And surprisingly, the inaugural session was pretty damn good as well. The mother of all gin and tonics really helped me go into pure dramatic narrator mode. I brought the sights and sounds and plot hooks of an imaginary city on an imaginary world to life. I was a liitle anxious, since my group has several 1st time RPG'ers in it.
But I wouldn't want to run to run a combat heavy session whilst gin-fueled. Expressiveness goes up, precision goes down...
I found that I loosen up in terms of authorial control with a little alcohol. It's not so much that I'm given to railroading, its just my NPC's actions are too-often flat and overdetermined.
But, I have to add, the real intoxication comes from breathing life into an NPC and a story... The feeling that you're not entirely in charge of the action, feeling the fire in the character, their motivations and emotions and schemes. Feeling like you've got a living thing on you're hands, not a dead, static script. Like good writing...
Of course, the best sessions I been in where that happens have been alchohol-free. Perhaps I just like the gin...
And vodka.
And I'm coming around on good Scotch.
And... ummm, I'm late for my 12-Step. Cheers....
Mark Chance
Boingy! Boingy!
Re: Amateurs
Awww. Did I hurt your wittle feewings? Go through all the trouble of putting in more than one to indicate that I'm just joshing around and still someone's got to get pissy. Ah well.
And my dad can beat up your dad. Should we throw out more puerile boasts?
Then don't drink when you play, right? Sensible enough for you.
Maybe your people do, but not mine.
Beer and whiskey are regular features at my games. Those players who do drink (about three of the eight of us) do so moderately and responsibly. No one gets drunk, and I would cut off someone who was on their way to getting drunk. If anyone tried to leave my house inebriated, I would personally call the police before they were out of the driveway and report license number, name, make and model, and my address.
The only way I would amend my alcohol consumption during a game is if (1) I was visiting someone's house and would have to be driving myself home, (2) that someone who owns said house doesn't permit drinking in the house, or (3) someone voiced their displeasure with the drinking and had a valid reason for their displeasure (i.e., I would consider it bad form indeed to knock back beers around a recovering alcoholic).
Maraxle said:
Awww. Did I hurt your wittle feewings? Go through all the trouble of putting in more than one
to indicate that I'm just joshing around and still someone's got to get pissy. Ah well.And my dad can beat up your dad. Should we throw out more puerile boasts?
Then don't drink when you play, right? Sensible enough for you.
Maybe your people do, but not mine.
Beer and whiskey are regular features at my games. Those players who do drink (about three of the eight of us) do so moderately and responsibly. No one gets drunk, and I would cut off someone who was on their way to getting drunk. If anyone tried to leave my house inebriated, I would personally call the police before they were out of the driveway and report license number, name, make and model, and my address.
The only way I would amend my alcohol consumption during a game is if (1) I was visiting someone's house and would have to be driving myself home, (2) that someone who owns said house doesn't permit drinking in the house, or (3) someone voiced their displeasure with the drinking and had a valid reason for their displeasure (i.e., I would consider it bad form indeed to knock back beers around a recovering alcoholic).
Re: Re: Amateurs
Hmmm... I'm guessing that I should have made it more clear that I was joking with the "screw you" part.
Also, if you'd read my post, you'd see that I never said that nobody should drink when playing. I said that I don't allow hard stuff at my table, as I find that the gameplay gets sloppy.
Mark Chance said:
Awww. Did I hurt your wittle feewings? Go through all the trouble of putting in more than one
Hmmm... I'm guessing that I should have made it more clear that I was joking with the "screw you" part.
Also, if you'd read my post, you'd see that I never said that nobody should drink when playing. I said that I don't allow hard stuff at my table, as I find that the gameplay gets sloppy.
Mark Chance
Boingy! Boingy!
Re: Re: Re: Amateurs
No problemo. I'm actually not at all offended. My skin is so thick you could hang sheetrock from my back.
I read your post. You insinuatin' I can't read?
I understand you completely. I did even say that if, for example, I was gaming at someone's house and they didn't allow alcohol, that I would be a polite guest and comply with the wishes my gracious host.
On a similar note, I don't allow smoking in my house. My daughter is asthmatic and wife is allergic to cigarette smoke. My mother goes outside to smoke when she visits, regardless of the weather.
Maraxle said:
No problemo. I'm actually not at all offended. My skin is so thick you could hang sheetrock from my back.
I read your post. You insinuatin' I can't read?
I understand you completely. I did even say that if, for example, I was gaming at someone's house and they didn't allow alcohol, that I would be a polite guest and comply with the wishes my gracious host.
On a similar note, I don't allow smoking in my house. My daughter is asthmatic and wife is allergic to cigarette smoke. My mother goes outside to smoke when she visits, regardless of the weather.
Barendd Nobeard
Explorer
Another player in a on-line game once told us this story. She was DM'ing, and had partaken of alcohol. At one point she says to the players, "There's a lethal trap on the door. Who's going to open it?" 
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