RPGing and Alcohol.
- Thread starter Raving Raven
- Start date
Deadguy
First Post
Reading through this, it starts to sound like ENWorld is home to the Gaming Temperance League! 
Actually I do understand the pitfalls of alcohol at the gaming table. When people've drunk too much their judgment fails, they get more aggressive and they lose their coherence of planning. But in the many groups I have played we have always allowed alcohol. Why? I think it's because the people I have gamed with are themselves gamers. They know the price of drinking too much, so they tend to police themselves. If someone drinks too much they tend to get ignored and their comments 'interpreted'. Not that it's much of a problem. I can only recall two occasions where anyone drank so much that they got really stupid. Once was in a Pendragon game, and in mnay ways the thought of a count starting a war with his vassals because he was drunk fit very nicely with the feel of the campaign! And the other time was the DM getting drunk enough (two bottles of mead drunk!) that he couldn't manage to to adhere to his adventure notes (we wrapped the adventure up for him!).
As a matter of fact I don't drink myself. I can't because I'm on longterm powerful painkillers. Of course that also means that sometimes I am in the same state as a drunk (they are that powerful!), so I can still know what it's like! I think to echo Wormwood, so long as you are gaming with friends there're no real problems with drinking and gaming.
Actually I do understand the pitfalls of alcohol at the gaming table. When people've drunk too much their judgment fails, they get more aggressive and they lose their coherence of planning. But in the many groups I have played we have always allowed alcohol. Why? I think it's because the people I have gamed with are themselves gamers. They know the price of drinking too much, so they tend to police themselves. If someone drinks too much they tend to get ignored and their comments 'interpreted'. Not that it's much of a problem. I can only recall two occasions where anyone drank so much that they got really stupid. Once was in a Pendragon game, and in mnay ways the thought of a count starting a war with his vassals because he was drunk fit very nicely with the feel of the campaign! And the other time was the DM getting drunk enough (two bottles of mead drunk!) that he couldn't manage to to adhere to his adventure notes (we wrapped the adventure up for him!).
As a matter of fact I don't drink myself. I can't because I'm on longterm powerful painkillers. Of course that also means that sometimes I am in the same state as a drunk (they are that powerful!), so I can still know what it's like! I think to echo Wormwood, so long as you are gaming with friends there're no real problems with drinking and gaming.
Viktyr Gehrig
First Post
My group is a bunch of lunatic boozehounds, but we've never drank while gaming. Part of it is that we used to play in my brother's grandma's basement, and she was very strict about such things. (She sprinkled me with holy water once.)
Also, it's like salmon and peanut butter. They taste great and they're both wholesome, but they wouldn't go well together. Our beverages of choice during gaming sessions are high in sugar and caffeine, and our foods are either loaded with sugar, salt, or both.
Also, it's like salmon and peanut butter. They taste great and they're both wholesome, but they wouldn't go well together. Our beverages of choice during gaming sessions are high in sugar and caffeine, and our foods are either loaded with sugar, salt, or both.
The basic function of alcohol is to put brain cells out of action.
The basic idea of RPGs is to put your brain cells to use in a particular way.
Thus, a fundamental conflict. Perhaps some folks can take in a bit of alcohol and still play effectively. Fine and dandy. My basic question becomes - if you can game well with alcohol in your system, how much more fun could you have, and how much more could you appreciate it, if your brain was fully operational?
The basic idea of RPGs is to put your brain cells to use in a particular way.
Thus, a fundamental conflict. Perhaps some folks can take in a bit of alcohol and still play effectively. Fine and dandy. My basic question becomes - if you can game well with alcohol in your system, how much more fun could you have, and how much more could you appreciate it, if your brain was fully operational?
mythago
Hero
<I>After</I> my last Delta Green game, I decided to go all crazy and have a drink. (Woo hoo! Katie bar the door!)
It was a nice evening, sitting around and post-game chatting with Sialla and Swack-Iron and Jquan, and I thought to myself "It's a good thing that I didn't try this DURING the game."
Not that I was much stupider than usual, understand. But it is a depressant and it does relax you--slow and mellow not being ideal qualities for keeping one step ahead of my players.
It was a nice evening, sitting around and post-game chatting with Sialla and Swack-Iron and Jquan, and I thought to myself "It's a good thing that I didn't try this DURING the game."
Not that I was much stupider than usual, understand. But it is a depressant and it does relax you--slow and mellow not being ideal qualities for keeping one step ahead of my players.
Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
My last DM put it best. One person getting drunk at the gaming table is rude. Everyone getting drunk is a party.
Note this is his thought, not mine. I don't allow alcohol during my games if I'm DMing. If I'm a player then I go by what the DM decides even though I don't drink (ok, once or twice in my lifetime).
Cheers!
Note this is his thought, not mine. I don't allow alcohol during my games if I'm DMing. If I'm a player then I go by what the DM decides even though I don't drink (ok, once or twice in my lifetime).
Cheers!
arbados
Explorer
Drinking is encouraged!! Hey I used to DM for a group of players who needed a keg each to keep them going. Did it affect the game? well maybe to a point of silliness, but we were all friends and have seen each other smashed many times before. The game is to have fun and whatever floats your boat is cool with me. hey I put away a six-pack in a 4 hour session when I DM...then I crawl up to my bed and cry that I have to go to work the next day!!!
It all depends on who you are gaming with and how they feel about it. be considerate to the others at the table.
It all depends on who you are gaming with and how they feel about it. be considerate to the others at the table.
abri
Mad Scientist
Well, I like to stay in character. And I tend to consider the game quite seriously.
So even though I'm a big and frequent drinker, no drinking while gaming.
Well there were a few unusual games of course:
We decided to roleplay the festival of the liberation of Tyr in Darksun. The celebration were wild. And to make it nicer, we played it live-action. So I cooked a roast piglet and two fowls, and we drunk wine/cocktail similar to what our character drunk.
Boys, were we drunk.
Nice game sessions though.
So even though I'm a big and frequent drinker, no drinking while gaming.
Well there were a few unusual games of course:
We decided to roleplay the festival of the liberation of Tyr in Darksun. The celebration were wild. And to make it nicer, we played it live-action. So I cooked a roast piglet and two fowls, and we drunk wine/cocktail similar to what our character drunk.
Boys, were we drunk.
Nice game sessions though.
Black Omega
First Post
No drinking at all at our table. It's not really a set rule, just common preference. And it would be kinda cruel to be waving alcohol in front of the recovering alcoholic.
