In praise of Metagaming...

[Kahuna Burger]

Today I come to praise the Metagamer. Not the guy with the monster manual memorized who just happens to try his cold iron arrow first thing against the demon, or the one who decides to stay awake on Bob's character's watch because he saw that the DM and Bob had a flurry of notes... but the player who aknowledges that there is group of people who came to have fun and makes accomadations to their enjoyment as players and as a GM.

I praise the metagaming that says "Bob really wants to play a half orc, so I'm gonna figure out a way for my elven ranger to be OK with it." (and the metagaming that makes Bob say "I'd really like to play a half orc, can we work out a way to make this cool?")

I praise the metagaming player who says "I'll pick up this plot hook instead of nitpicking it to death because the DM says he's worked up something for tonight and I apriciate his work" and the metagaming DM who doesn't throw in an evil 'plothook' and mock the players for taking such an obviously bad deal without testing the veracity of the employer.

I praise the party that accepts John's new character as smoothly as possible and I praise John for making an effort towards that smoothness as well.

I praise the player who says "Jim, your kender-rogue type is making me a little buggy as a player, not just my wizard," instead of "Ohh, THAT looks like a good place for the cloudkill..."

I praise Jim for saying "Well, what part is making you buggy?" instead of "I'm just playing my character, and your character doesn't know most of the stuff I do so you can't talk to me about it!"

Not everyone wants to play a cooperative game where the party works together and gets things done. But for those of us who do, some consideration of the metagame can make game night a lot more fun. So here's a pat on the back for everyone who thinks about the players as well as the character and the metagame as well as the game.

This message was brought to you by the number 5 and the letter I'm gonna kill that guy next time he says "I'm just playing my character."

 

[DM_Jeff]

Ahhh, you mean congrats to the folks who don't use the "I'm in character" excuse to behave like a jerk. Yeah, I can go along with that.

*raises a cup in tribute*

-DM Jeff

 

[Doug McCrae]

I agree with you entirely, Kahuna Burger. Some praise acting in character as the acme of rpging but really, it's whatever makes the game most fun for everyone. In other words, there is such a thing as too much roleplaying.

This sort of good metagaming goes on a heckuva lot, I reckon. Another example is when a new PC joins the group. By rights the existing characters should be highly suspicious of the newcomer but mostly that's just unfun and slows the game down.

PS Excellent example with the solution to the kender rogue problem.

PPS I've seldom seen a$$holery at the gaming table (thankfully that's long in the post, my current group is fantastic) that wasn't justified by the "I'm just playing my character" excuse. Have you read ab3's wonderful stories of dysfunctional gaming? The horrible ninja guy uses it all the time when he's hiding from/attacking the other PCs.

 

[Nifft]

I too praise non-jerks.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I can drink to that.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Have you read ab3's wonderful stories of dysfunctional gaming? The horrible ninja guy uses it all the time when he's hiding from/attacking the other PCs.

hee hee! and the DM who "intepreted character actions like that Wishmaster horror film guy interpreted wishes" (or something along those lines...)

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Cheers! In whole-hearted agreement.

 

[Shadeydm]

Can we work that into a "Real men of genius" Budweiser radio commercial?

 

[Glyfair]

Metagaming shouldn't be a bad word. It's abuse of metagaming that is bad.

It's the extremes that have given it a bad name. One side are the players who try to gain any advantage they can. On the other are the "roll-playing isn't roleplaying" types who insist on being in character every minute they are gaming and make every decision as a character.

Metagaming can't be avoided, since it is using things outside the game to make game decisions. If you truly aren't metagaming at all then you have a severe detachment from reality and should get help (this isn't a put down, not reacting to the "real world" is bad and you should look into it).

This is one of the things that should be discussed by every group, as different people have different thresholds of "acceptable metagaming." Discuss what you feel is appropriate and where you begin to cross the lines. You'll save yourselves a lot of headaches.

 

[Midknightsun]

Yes, I agree, jerkism must be purged from the (meta)game.