What are you best at in an RPG?

[randomling]

I'm not going to make this a poll, because I'm not sure where all the answers might fall. We've had a number of threads recently about what you do and don't like in games, players, DMs, whatever... but I'm curious about something else. What skills are involved in an RPG - for players, and for DMs?

So, tell me what you're good at in the game. If you're a player: are you the group's best roleplayer? Are you the go-to guy (or girl) when somebody's not sure which feat to pick or how best to multiclass? Are you a master tactician? Do you always figure out the BBEG's plan first? Or are you best at something I haven't thought of? If you're a DM, where do your talents lie? Cool NPCs, realistic setting, stylish tone, great challenges, creating a cool atmosphere for RP?

I want to hear!

 

[heimdall]

As a player, most off-the-wall character creator. For instance, in a current Shadowrun campaign, I'm playing Jorash!, an old school gnome evoker. Character is from a D&D world, complete with ferret familiar. Technology is a major problem, but at least Jorash! has started to master cooking in the French style. The ferret, of course, used to be a dragon but was polymorphed when he and Jorash! tried to raid a high-level wizard's tower. Before the ferret was a dragon, he was Jorash!'s best friend and a half-elf rogue. The ferret is known now as Toothpick because it carries a mithral toothpick and is not afraid to use it.

As a DM, very complex worlds with a lot going on. I enjoy throwing a lot of plotlines out there, many of which seemingly have no relation to the main plotline. NPCs must be fleshed out, with their motivations often non-stereotypical (Why does the evil mage want you to go sack the evil temple... what is his motive). A player who started last week said, "It was like a Final Fantasy game with so much going on." Good think he was a FF fanboy, I guess.

 

[megamania]

Coming up with ideas / solutions so off the wall that the DM isn't ready for it and thus it works. Also- comedy relief.

 

[Galethorn]

As a player-- rules-lawyering...well, sort of. I don't debate houserules, but I do seem to know the core rules better than pretty much anybody in the group. When somebody grapples, I'm the one that everyone turns to, and asks "how does grappling work again?".

As a DM-- world building...I'd say I have an 'average' in all the other areas of DMing.

 

[MonsterMash]

As a player - tactics, especially if using minis (showing a background in playing wargames with figures)

As a DM - planning and building situations with lots of potential hooks and stuff. In the old days improvising, but I'm not expert enough on 3e yet to really be comfortable with this in the same way yet.

 

[Aeric]

As a player, I'm a roleplayer first and foremost. I'm consistently told that my character backgrounds are the most detailed and interesting, and if there's bonus XP to be had for roleplaying, I usually get the most.

I also wind up in positions of leadership more often than not, but that has more to do with my real life personality than anything else.

As a GM, I guess I would have to say world design. People have said that the settings I come up with have a lot of detail. I'm also very organized, something that helps when getting ready for a session.

Why do I feel like I'm applying for some kind of crazy gamer job?

 

[Thanee]

Player - I think I'm fairly good at roleplaying (hard to rate that against others, everyone has a personal way of roleplaying, some are more actor-like (that's not so much me ), while others are more of narrative roleplayers (I would put myself into that category), trying to make for a believeable character with all ups and downs), very good at tactics (generally, I like strategic and tactical challenges, altho not necessarily when playing RPGs, I like the roleplaying better than tactical stuff there, but I also like to play some strategy games and, of course, I'm using tactics when it comes to combat during an RPG session (but only within the limits of the character, so there is the roleplaying again)). I also know a great deal about the system (comes from DM'ing as much as personal interest), I'm extremely fast to pick up new knowledge in general.

DM - I am especially good at improvising and challenging my players. I can run NPCs without notes (including hit point damage and other temporary conditions like bonuses or penalties from spells), only when the numbers get too high (depending on complexity, that's somewhere between 2 and 12 - of course with abstraction and grouping, these numbers could be way higher), I start to write down some information.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Umbran]

As a player, I'm one of those sad people who is best at being second-best at many things. I'm not the best rules-lawyer or power-gamer or tactician you'll ever see, but I'm not bad. I'm not the best in my group in deep-immersion role-playing, but only one person in my group usually beats me. And so on. Jack of all trades, master of none.

 

[Taneel BrightBlade]

I'm good at role playing and staying in character, (I'm surpised it hasn't killed me yet). I'm also good at powergaming but I don't like to much.

 

[shilsen]

As a player - tactics, being a rules-lawyer (the kind who saves time for the group by being able to come up with the rules when needed), creative thinking, and decent roleplaying.

As a DM - being able to think on my feet, not be flustered bay anything the PCs do, and to challenge the party consistently.