Combating My Own Boredom as a Player

[GMMichael]

Is changing games an option? It's probably not an option. Which is too bad because . . .

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?

Final Fantasy RPG 4th ed. encourages fantastic coolness, even if combat focuses on damage, elements, and status conditions. You could probably use one or two initiative dice to get to that brazier and treat it like a Fira spell (kind of a waste if you can already cast it, though).

Added bonus: navigating the grammar and the rules is an adventure all of its own!

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.

The rogue should be sneakier, then.

I've moved myself out of the witch's healing range.

Don't start your fights with low HP.

I've opened up the gunslinger to be charged by the enemies.

She should invest in running shoes.

I'm all about helping allies (and being a good teammate), but if my whole party insists I stand in one spot and take the pain, they can kiss my smooth, white balloon.

 

[aco175]

I'm confused if it is the DMs job to entertain or if the player has some responsibility. It seems to me that both share some. DMs can come is all abilities and we know some are better than others and some click with the players better, but it should not be up to the DM to dance for the players.

 

[Li Shenron]

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.

Ok, I give up!

Just quit the game and sell the books.

If you don't want to lose the company of your group, consider catering.

 

[el-remmen]

I too am mostly a DM but when playing I just try to be the kind of player I would want in the games I run: deeply engaged at best and not-disruptive and always ready on my turn at worst.

 

[Thomas Shey]

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

Out of curiosity, how long are your sessions? Because that feels like pretty slow progression to time for PF2e to me.

 

[Thomas Shey]

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.

"No choice" seem like pretty heavy hyperbole, but yes, playing a game that has a heavy team-oriented structure isn't going to make it attractive to just go off and do your own thing.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I'm confused if it is the DMs job to entertain or if the player has some responsibility. It seems to me that both share some. DMs can come is all abilities and we know some are better than others and some click with the players better, but it should not be up to the DM to dance for the players.

Keep in mind I don't blame my own GMs for my tendency toward boredom; I write that off to too many years GMing, and probably some significant ADHD. Its not their job to address those.

 

[overgeeked]

Ok, I give up!

Just quit the game and sell the books.

If you don't want to lose the company of your group, consider catering.

The other option is to play solo for the “playing the game I want the way I want” and letting go of everything but the social aspect of playing in a group.

 

[Scribe]

If you dont buy into the system, especially one that is as tight as PF2...its not going to work out. I would think.

 

[pukunui]

I know just how you feel, @Retreater! I get bored easily and want to change characters every so often as a player.

For me, something that compounds the issue is that I am familiar with a lot of the campaigns and settings that the DM was running, which meant I felt obliged to play fairly quiet, passive PCs so as not to risk using my meta-knowledge.