GMs - Do you get bored when you're a player?

[Black Dougal]

I'm of a forever DM of approx. 40 years. I do get bored at times, sure. It's been mentioned by others but I occupy myself with note taking, mapping, and preparing for my next turn if in combat. I'm a lore/explorer type of player. I also do all I can to assist the DM.

Boredom happens, for me it's mostly during combat but our groups are very good at moving things along quickly. Meaning we're always ready for our next turn before we get our next turn. Nothing like players who wait until their next turn to decide to figure out what they're doing for 2 minutes. This helps alleviate too much time to get bored I've found. Be prepared.

 

[hawkeyefan]

Eh. I was distracted throughout a couple of different campaigns. I still found them worth being there for. I'm distracted to some degree or another in a lot of things. The few that's never true are things I'm kind of obsessive about (one of the reasons I suspect I have undiagnosed ADHD).

Well, I said “bored” and you said “distracted”.

Are they the same in your eyes?

For me, they’re different. Though boredom can certainly lead to distraction. If I’m bored when playing an RPG… I mean, consistently bored, not just a scene or even one session… then I’m gonna do something about it. Whether it’s to discuss with the others or to change the way in which I participate.

Many comments in this thread come off as people like tolerating or bearing with play. That seems odd to me. If it was true of a book or a TV show or any other form of entertainment, I’d probably stop engaging.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Well, I said “bored” and you said “distracted”.

Are they the same in your eyes?

Not necessarily, but in this specific context, I'm not sure I have a good way to separate them (am I distracted because of boredom? How would I tell the difference, and what other cause of distraction would it be, especially since I'm usually actively looking for the distraction), especially since its only true in part of the game.

For me, they’re different. Though boredom can certainly lead to distraction. If I’m bored when playing an RPG… I mean, consistently bored, not just a scene or even one session… then I’m gonna do something about it. Whether it’s to discuss with the others or to change the way in which I participate.

I'd say its often a fifty-fifty thing, and I can't very well bring it up with others when I'm not entirely clear on the cause other than the fact I'm not directly engaged. Honestly, I don't tend to stay focused even when I should be (playing a PF2e Champion probably was not my best idea in one of the games I'm discussing).

Many comments in this thread come off as people like tolerating or bearing with play. That seems odd to me. If it was true of a book or a TV show or any other form of entertainment, I’d probably stop engaging.

But again. remember this isn't the only thing I'm that way about; it tends to be true of a lot of things I get some value out of.

 

[Neonchameleon]

It depends on who's DMing. I always have two questions in the back of my head "What can I learn from this for my own DMing?" and "What would I do in their shoes?" And even a bad DM provides some lessons (although you see the same ones over and over again).

DMing is always higher octane than playing. But a good DM doesn't leave me bored at all. 5e on the other hand has painfully slow combat.

 

[pemerton]

So much of the focus in this thread seems to be about combat. It's striking to me how large it looms!

 

[payn]

So much of the focus in this thread seems to be about combat. It's striking to me how large it looms!

To be fair, its a major focus of the OP in RPGs. The source of their boredom is combat failing to be exciting in every RPG they play.

 

[pemerton]

To be fair, its a major focus of the OP in RPGs. The source of their boredom is combat failing to be exciting in every RPG they play.

True, but that "major focus" doesn't seem to be confined to the OP.

 

[DragonLancer]

So much of the focus in this thread seems to be about combat. It's striking to me how large it looms!

That's because my RPGs are combat heavy. Even in an RP based game like the Call of Cthulhu game I am playing in, I struggle with drawn out conversations that my character is involved in.

 

[niklinna]

To be fair, its a major focus of the OP in RPGs. The source of their boredom is combat failing to be exciting in every RPG they play.

I absolutely find combat that's round-by-round, roll-to-whiff boring, especially when other players don't start thinking about their turns until...their turns.

On the other hand, I've recently been in a Stonetop campaign that's very heavy on talk and description, light on combat, and when it happens it's engaging and exciting even if I only take 1 action the whole fight. Maybe it's my GM.

 

[payn]

I absolutely find combat that's round-by-round, roll-to-whiff boring, especially when other players don't start thinking about their turns until...their turns.

On the other hand, I've recently been in a Stonetop campaign that's very heavy on talk and description, light on combat, and when it happens it's engaging and exciting even if I only take 1 action the whole fight. Maybe it's my GM.

Oh yeah, im not saying RPGs cant have boring combat systems, they certainly can. However, I dont view RPG entirely in the combat lens. For example, the OP mentions healer not being able to heal in combat, so cant do anything. Its like that role is supposed to make up the entire identity of the character. If they cant perform that singular action, the system isnt working or is boring. I dont view RPGs and characters in such a way.