Drinking and gaming?

[AuraSeer]

The one time I remember actually drinking during a game we got so drunk we just stopped playing before very long because we couldn't keep it together any longer.

That's not drinking during a game. That's trying to play during a drinking session.

Alcohol is not uncommon in my group. Our sessions are at dinner time, so a few of us will often have wine or beer with the meal. Nobody has ever been too drunk to play. A few of us have gotten slightly tipsy on special occasions, like the end of a campaign-- or that one time I brought homebrew mead that was far stronger than expected-- but about the worst that ever happened was that we told more bad jokes than usual.

Of course, we're all adults. Most of our group consists of married couples in their thirties, with children. (One of our players hasn't had a drink in several months because she is currently pregnant.) We're probably more aware of alcohol's effects on us than a younger crowd would be.

The only time I ever saw alcohol stop an RPG was in college. Even then, it wasn't because the gamers were drinking, it was because of the drunken frat boys who decided to pull the building's fire alarm.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

It's rare that anyone has had alcohol at games I've played. Hong used to have a beer or two while DMing, but that's about it in my experience.

I'm not against it in principle, but on the other hand I don't see the point.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I don't drink. Not at the gaming table, nor anywhere else.

It's nothing religious or anything. It's in part a health thing (damn stomach) because of the way I always felt like hell the day after I got drunk. (Okay, so it's completely a health thing).

The rest doesn't drink at the table, either. It's partly because they all have to drive home (though they drive together most of the way), and partly because we have fun without the drink.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

All the people I game with are lovers of beer, Whiskey, and the occasionally other thing . So during every session we drink the following Amberbock, Becks, Budwesier, and follow it with Bushmills whiskey. I'm the youngest at 33 and we can all handle our booze quite well so it doesn't affect the sessions anymore than it should and we don't drink like we are pounding beers at the bar or during a ballgame. We also play an old school hack and slash type of game so a little frosty cold libation does wonders.

 

[Kestrel]

Go together like chocolate and peanut butter.

That said, all things in moderation, we play on a weeknight, so work doesn't allow for getting hammered.

(I've played in games where alcohol was frowned upon...once. I'm an adult and I don't need a GM to be my parent)

 

[billd91]

We've pretty much always got some alcohol at the table. Usually it's beer, everyone usually has one. A few of us have 2 or 3. Lately, wine has entered the mix as has a home-made blueberry cordial. Good stuff.
But it's all in moderation, with dinner, so the gaming doesn't suffer.

 

[Henry]

None of my current D&D has involved Drinking at the game table for the last 10 years or so. Prior to that, I had some friends who would break out a little hard liquor or beer at the table (and some who I suspected broke out a little more than that!) But rarely did anyone get drunk enough to affect gaming. On the other hand, there was one game involving Everclear that derailed in a hurry...

I prefer a "dry" table to a "wet" one - less chance of becoming unfocused.

 

[Darklone]

Certainly it depends on the group... but I think we never had a group where not even one person drank one or two beers during the evening... Other groups killed several boxes of beer per night and I love whiskey.

That does not mean we always drink a lot, but I think I can safely say that some people always drink something (if they don't have to drive).

 

[Pbartender]

I prefer a "dry" table to a "wet" one - less chance of becoming unfocused.

Oddly enough, a token amount of liquor tends to help focus my group.

We drink modest amounts, and never to the point where someone is drunk. Tipsyness happens only on occassion. It tends to lighten the mood and loosen the tongues of my quieter players, which suits the rollicking style of my game just fine.

We've never had to deal with a drunk player, but our agreement has always been that drunkeness is a problem with the person, not the alcohol. We will not ban alcohol at our table, because one person cannot control himself. That person can learn some self-discipline, or he can go find another game.

 

[Ozmar]

Love to drink. Love to game. Goes great together.

But not when I am DMing. I have too much on my mind. When I DM, its red bull or coffee. When I'm a player, I can relax a bit more. (Not too much, though! Its never cool to get killed because you weren't paying attention.)

Ozmar the Responsible Gamer