Sacrosanct
Legend
No matter how many editions and rule revisions come out, there are always issues with the player class. With this latest edition, the problem is still pretty glaring. So here are my suggestions on how to build a better player:
* Instead of "The rules state it right here, so I must be allowed to do it.", say "The rules state it here, so I am under the impression that's how it works. Do you have a different interpretation? Understand that if we're playing under your interpretation as the DM, or your houserule that I was unaware of, I might have done something differently. Let's talk and come to an agreement."
* Have good hygiene. Seriously. Use deodorant and brush your teeth. And wear clean clothing.
* Be reliable. Be where you said you're gonna be. Cancellations and tardies happen. But they should be rare.
* Just because you stare at girls on your computer screen and on movie screens, it's not OK to stare at them in real life. Stop
* Just because someone is playing a female PC and you're paying a male PC doesn't mean your goal should be to have sex with them. This gets extra creepy when the sex/species of the PCs doesn't matter and the player is someone you're trying to sleep with and you're channeling it through your PCs. It's obvious what you're doing. Stop
* You are not the only player at the table. Everyone is there to have fun. If you're an optimizer and one player isn't, keep your mouth shut about how they should play their PC. Suck it up Buttercup. You'll get your turn.
* If you don't like how your DM runs his or her games, you have some choices. DM yourself, find a new DM, or accept it. Endlessly complaining about the DM's style is not an acceptable choice.
* Bring your own reference material. Like a PHB and dice. Borrowing occasionally is fine. But don't be that guy who always bums a cigarette every time he meets friends
* Know how your character works. You don't need to know all the rules of the game, but the DM can't memorize every PC's abilities on top of everything else. So know how your PC works.
* Offer suggestions instead of complaints after sessions. "Hey DM, I liked how you did this in the last game. This other part threw me off, can you help me understand what was going on? Ah, maybe this would have made more sense." instead of "Hey DM, that sucked. You screwed up and that made no sense at all."
* Assist new players. Help them along with how the rules work. The DM is going to be very busy running the game, and won't be able to devote the time the new player needs without really slowing the game down. So while your PC isn't doing anything, check with the new player to help them.
* Most important thing: It's a social game. Entertainment. A hobby. Have fun with friends, regardless of the style of game play. If it feels like a crappy job, then something is wrong.
this thread is a bit tongue in cheek about all of the other "build a better class" threads. I.e., every class can be good if you have good players. It all starts with the player.
* Instead of "The rules state it right here, so I must be allowed to do it.", say "The rules state it here, so I am under the impression that's how it works. Do you have a different interpretation? Understand that if we're playing under your interpretation as the DM, or your houserule that I was unaware of, I might have done something differently. Let's talk and come to an agreement."
* Have good hygiene. Seriously. Use deodorant and brush your teeth. And wear clean clothing.
* Be reliable. Be where you said you're gonna be. Cancellations and tardies happen. But they should be rare.
* Just because you stare at girls on your computer screen and on movie screens, it's not OK to stare at them in real life. Stop
* Just because someone is playing a female PC and you're paying a male PC doesn't mean your goal should be to have sex with them. This gets extra creepy when the sex/species of the PCs doesn't matter and the player is someone you're trying to sleep with and you're channeling it through your PCs. It's obvious what you're doing. Stop
* You are not the only player at the table. Everyone is there to have fun. If you're an optimizer and one player isn't, keep your mouth shut about how they should play their PC. Suck it up Buttercup. You'll get your turn.
* If you don't like how your DM runs his or her games, you have some choices. DM yourself, find a new DM, or accept it. Endlessly complaining about the DM's style is not an acceptable choice.
* Bring your own reference material. Like a PHB and dice. Borrowing occasionally is fine. But don't be that guy who always bums a cigarette every time he meets friends
* Know how your character works. You don't need to know all the rules of the game, but the DM can't memorize every PC's abilities on top of everything else. So know how your PC works.
* Offer suggestions instead of complaints after sessions. "Hey DM, I liked how you did this in the last game. This other part threw me off, can you help me understand what was going on? Ah, maybe this would have made more sense." instead of "Hey DM, that sucked. You screwed up and that made no sense at all."
* Assist new players. Help them along with how the rules work. The DM is going to be very busy running the game, and won't be able to devote the time the new player needs without really slowing the game down. So while your PC isn't doing anything, check with the new player to help them.
* Most important thing: It's a social game. Entertainment. A hobby. Have fun with friends, regardless of the style of game play. If it feels like a crappy job, then something is wrong.
this thread is a bit tongue in cheek about all of the other "build a better class" threads. I.e., every class can be good if you have good players. It all starts with the player.
