• Bring food!
• Pay attention. Don't fool with cell phones, or PDA's, or sit there reading a novel.
• Be ready for your turn and have an idea of what you want to do.
• Add up all the modifiers for attacks beforehand. if you aren't sure about the math (which modifiers apply, etc), ask at the beginning of the session - don't wait until combat.
• Don't cheat.
• Have fun! If you are not having fun, talk to the GM after the session about why that is. Together you can figure it out. Sitting there not having fun but not saying anything won't help.
• Know your character's abilities and something of how to use them. You don't need to be a tactician - just know that your Big Sphere of Hurt spell is a close burst, and so centers on you
before you go to use it.
• Try to limit the off-topic discussions. Keep pre-game socializing to a reasonable time before the game (whatever works for your group - half an hour or so for ours). Avoid it during the middle of the game please! You can talk during the dinner break if you have one, and of course after the session. It's good to talk to your friends about the latest movie you've seen, but don't interrupt a great scene or tense combat to do so.
• Don't expect to hog the spotlight; everyone needs to get their share of the limelight when their character is the focus of attention for that moment. That means some of the time, you will be watching the other characters do their thing. Be patient, try to enjoy the scene, your turn will come. If it never does, then talk to the GM (see
Having Fun).
• Don't refuse to go along with the story for the sake of being contrary. Don't demand to know what is off the edge of every map. GM's have only so much time to prepare information.
• On the other hand, don't be afraid to suggest things you would like to see happen. Do this between sessions and give the GM time to work them into the story. It's great when players are engaged in the story and have their own ideas, but they may need to be adapted to fit in.
• It's fine to politely question a ruling if you think the GM made a mistake, but once he has said "my decision stands", that's it. Talk to him afterwards about it if you really disagree.
• Don't tell other people how to play their characters. You could roleplay out your suggestions such as "Davin, get behind that orc so we can take him out!", but don't tell the characters which powers to use, or exactly how they should move. It's their character, not yours. It's okay to remind them to do something they may have forgotten to do like marking a target, unless you can see that it's annoying the other player.
• Stay engaged, do cool stuff, have fun!