Drinking at the Game Table?

[cignus_pfaccari]

I'm not sure which is worse (or better): alcohol or caffeine.

Most adults know their limits with alcohol and won't get trashed at a game session. Once the coffee and colas come out, it sometimes becomes a twitchy, motor-mouthed rampage of distraction.

Sometimes.

Caffeine crashes suck. I try and space out the two Mello Yellos I bring to the game with some Coke Zero...and, strangely, despite that being caffeinated, I don't start falling over until I get home.

None of my group is a big drinker. One of our DMs can't even metabolize alcohol properly. I suppose we'd allow beer at the table, but then we'd do stupid stuff, like NOT ALPHA STRIKING THE BIG BAD MAGE IN THE SURPRISE ROUND!!!!

Wait, we did that when non-drunk, at about 6 PM. Sigh.

Brad

 

[Hodgie]

When we first got our own apartments in college we were rather rude. There were a few sessions where we (the players) showed up drunk while the DM was not. This was usually a great sign that we should quit playing. There were even a few sessions where we showed up considerably worse than drunk. While those who were sober didn't agree, our constant laughter indicated that it was one of the funniest sessions ever.

Rude? Extremely. Fun? Extremely. Such is college.

 

[Steve Jung]

After a while with no drinking at the table, our group tried it once. Our GM got trashed, so ever since then, no drinking is allowed.

 

[Aeric]

Sometimes our host has a glass of wine, but we as a group don't drink while gaming. Not because we're not allowed, but because we choose not to.

Although there was that one time with the Deck of Many Things....

 

[fusangite]

I would never prohibit drinking in my game. If I had players who couldn't hold their liquor to the point where it interfered with the game, I would expect that they would notice and choose not to drink. It's never been a problem.

Of course, some games can handle higher levels of impairment than others. Paranoia is a game where limitless alcohol and drugs can improve it; it's just the duty of the happiness officer. On the other hand, intense tactical or investigative games probably can't handle more than 2-3 beers per person.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

During college, I DMed drunk a bit too much. After realizing that too many wishes were given out, I stopped. Years later, I allow it during my games. It varies entirely from group to group. Usually I have 1-2 beers, and a couple of others will. But, there's one group where we all teetotal, myself included. I don't allow it at conventions in the convention center however due to liquor liability.

 

[warlord]

As long as you don't get drunk I don't see a problem with it.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I played Quake 2 against a friend and he was creaming me. I started drinking and, by my sixth or seventh beer, I was wiping the floor with him. He was pissed and wondered how I was doing it. He knew I wasn't cheating cuz he was sitting right next to me. Apparently, I get better as I start to get drunk.

This happens to me too. Alcohol = whup-ass, apparently.