Combating My Own Boredom as a Player

[Knaves Quill]

Whenever I am a player, instead of a GM, I have to play the most complicated options possible to avoid being bored, no matter the system.

 

[aramis erak]

I'm not a forever referee, thankfully, but I still feel this when playing RPGs. There's so much to do when running the game that there's no time to be bored. But as a player you're expected to sit there and do nothing while waiting 20-30+ minutes for your turn to come around. Perhaps even longer if another part of the group is engaged with some important scene. Worse, you're expected to be fully engaged and pay perfect attention while waiting? Nah.

I have the excuse of ADHD, but I can't imagine anyone enjoying just sitting their doing nothing while watching other people at the table play the game. Ugh. I learned real young that the other players at the table get pissy when you check out, so I'd always dive into the rule books with the excuse I was looking something up, some spell or class ability, or whatever.

Now with phones it's even easier. As long as the referee isn't a jerk about phones at the table. If you want my undivided attention you better be entertaining as hell. And trust me, you're not.

The funniest part? Even while fully engaged with my phone or the rule book I can keep better track of what's happening in the game than most of the other players.

I've literally heard that half a dozen times in the last year... the two at my table, however, showed they cannot actually keep track. Including my wife.

 

[aramis erak]

I've found that, if the GM's not bad, i can cope. If they're bad, I just bow out, because I won't sit there and take it when they're breaking the math or intentionally unfair, or worse.

I had a good time at the con in the one session I was a player in; the GM was prepped, but it was clearly a railroad, and because it was an intro adventure, that railroad wasn't a big issue.

I do have either ADHD and/or HF autism... my last two therapists both say autism, my childhood diagnosis was ADHD. On top of that, bipolar. I'm well medicated for the bipolar. But that's not that big an issue for me as a player.

The issue for me is seldom boredom, it's remembering turn order. And overreacting when someone at table is being an ass to anyone else.

 

[Retreater]

Are you playing Serpents Skull Part 1?

No. Ruins of Azlant. And the past 6 months, it's felt like a series of side quests working for the colony leaders.

 

[dragoner]

I generally doodle, write, read the rules, or just listen to what others are doing. If we are at the tavern, I can wander over to the bar, which is acceptable for a lot of tables, with players getting called back for their turn. I do get bored though sometimes, c'est.

 

[Retreater]

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

I like the group.
And I have talked to him about my boredom, especially with my character. He's tried to respond by giving me some magic items with utility, so I can shake things up.
But the thing with PF2 is that such items are so underpowered and of limited use, they barely make an impact.

 

[Retreater]

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

The GM is very strict with the rules, and in Pathfinder 2, those are bad for improvisation, because there are rules for everything.
Theoretical example:
Say I want to climb onto a ledge to kick a flaming brazier on the surrounding cultists. That's one action to move to the ledge, one action to stow my shield and another to stow my sword. Then another action for every 5 ft I want to climb (assuming I make the check). Then another action to move to the brazier. An athletics check to push the brazier, and if I succeed, the cultists below are subject to a 15 ft cone attack. The save DC will be ridiculously low because the brazier is a low-level hazard.
So the cultists might end up taking 3-6 damage.
Do you know what's more effective? Just standing there fighting them with my sword.
Do I want to try to Bluff a group of guards before they hack us down? Can't do it because I don't have the feat that allows me to Deceive a group and the other feat to do it in less than a minute?

PF2, in its desire to make rules for everything, has limited the effectiveness and fun of improvisation.

But let's say that I could improvise effectively. I have high AC and hit points. I have reactive strike. I have high attack bonuses. If I leave where I'm supposed to be to go galavanting around the battlefield like Errol Flynn (with 20 ft movement), let's look what my selfishness has caused:
The rogue can't flank and get sneak attack.
I've moved myself out of the witch's healing range.
I've opened up the gunslinger to be charged by the enemies.

Not doing the optimized thing your class is designed to do violates the social contract. Paizo designed the game that you have no choice but to do it.

 

[Queer Venger]

why I don't play PF and have stuck with 5e, though lately 5.5 is starting to feel crunchy and for some time Ive been leaning more and more to play OSRs. I don't need a rule to tell me everything I can do, one thing I love about Shadowdark is its return to the simple style of narrative storytelling.

 

[The Soloist]

Weeks ago, your players force you to GM an RPG you no longer like. Now, you play a game you don't enjoy. Sorry to say this, but why are you doing that to yourself? I did that to myself for a while and it's not worth it. I stopped playing and later found a group that aligned with my tastes. Never been happier.

 

[Retreater]

Weeks ago, your players force you to GM an RPG you no longer like. Now, you play a game you don't enjoy. Sorry to say this, but why are you doing that to yourself? I did that to myself for a while and it's not worth it. I stopped playing and later found a group that aligned with my tastes. Never been happier.

To be fair, these are all different groups and systems, each with things I like and dislike.
I guess I stick with them because I like the company of the players and socializing. I also hold out hope that I can fix things, especially when I think some issues are due to my perception.