Some Thoughts on Playing Games at Conventions

About 15 years ago (or thereabouts) I went to Gen Con for the first time. I'd never been to a convention of any sort before, and the group I attended with sort of tossed me into the deep end. While I had some positive moments that year, by the time I got home I felt more confused than I was elated. Given that so many people treated the con like something akin to a pilgrimage, I figured that I may have just missed something my first year. So I went back. Then I went back again. Still, that spark kept eluding me.

I figured maybe it was because Gen Con was too big, so I tried smaller gaming events. I've tried playing, I've tried running, and I've tried half a dozen different systems in my pursuit of finding good convention experiences. And now, a decade and change later, I figured I'd share some of my thoughts and the lessons I've learned as part of this search.

And no, I will not be at Gen Con this year for those who are curious. But for folks who are gearing up, or who might not be sure what to expect, consider learning from my experiences.

After all, I wish someone had talked me through this process.

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Thought #1: Prepare For Premade Games

All righty, I've got a cleric, a fighter, a wizard, and a rogue. Who wants what?

This seems obvious to a lot of folks, but it took me a good 2-3 cons for this to really sink in. Due to the "come one, come all" nature of games hosted at conventions, a majority of games are going to be premade. And this is not just in the sense that the GMs are going to be running modules (though that's typically the case), but it's down to which characters are available, all their stats and abilities, etc. While there are living games like Pathfinder Society or Adventure League where players get to make and bring their own characters, outside of those arenas it's usually just picking which PC you want out of the 3-4 available. Making your own character and telling your own story isn't something that usually happens at a con game.

There are reasons for this, ranging from ensuring a catered experience, to making things easy for volunteer GMs who are running a dozen tables or more over the weekend. But if you're hoping to sit down and make your own character, or play a unique, homebrewed experience, you aren't going to find a lot of that at these events.

Thought #2: You Get More From New Experiences

Well, I can't say I've ever heard THAT one before!

You know how when you go on vacation you get more out of trying the local restaurants and chains that don't exist back where you live? Well, gaming conventions are a lot like that.

Gaming conventions provide the unique opportunity to get a sample platter of a lot of different systems, settings, and worlds. While big conventions might make you buy a ticket to join a table (looking at you, Gen Con), smaller conventions often let you just turn up and play for free if you show up at the starting time. The reason for this is that the people running these games are often trying to give players a free (or at least cheap) sample of their rules and style in the hopes of selling more copies of their books (especially if they're independent game writers trying to drum up popularity for their products).

Even if you consider yourself a single-system player, or you don't think you're in the market for new games right now, you get a lot more out of doing something at a con that you aren't doing at your weekly dice tumbling sessions already.

Thought #3: Know Who You Want To Play With

This is often a make or break for a lot of us.

Who you share a table with can often define experience, which is why it's important to know what you need when it comes to convention tables. For example, if you're an easy going sort of gamer who has a lot of extra spoons, then you might be able to just join new tables and make new friends. On the other hand, if you're the sort of gamer who gets easily stressed out being in unfamiliar places and unfamiliar spaces, then you're better off bringing your own table to try something out... or even just making sure that you've got a friend sitting alongside you to help keep you on an even keel once the game starts.

I speak from experience on this one, as I'm the sort of person who organized my own table of players to try out new games and scenarios when I gamed in public or at events. To my way of thinking, whether I had a good or bad experience was easier to deal with if I knew I had friends there to share it with me. So reflect on this one, and consider it before you push off into the sea of fellow gamers.

Thought #4: Manage Your Expectations

There's a lot of chaff to the wheat you find.

One of the things I've run into time and time again regarding gaming at a convention (gaming specific or otherwise) is that folks often don't know what to expect. Perhaps one of the biggest issues I've seen is that a lot of folks assume that if they're paying to play a game that it's going to be the sort of thing they see on big-budget livestreams, with lots of props, impressive minis, terrain, rehearsed speeches, etc.

I'm not saying you won't find good Game Masters running tables at conventions, or that there aren't going to be carefully crafted setups with scenery, music, etc. What I am saying is that most folks who do this are here as volunteers, and we don't have a budget to work with. Most of us are maybe getting our badges for free, but that's it. We aren't making money doing this, except for those of us who are running demo sessions of our own games in order to make sales. Even then, most folks you see running games at a convention are going to run between 4 and 8 games by the time it's over, if they're actually getting any kind of compensation for their efforts.

Can you find those kinds of elaborate games running at cons? Absolutely! However, they're usually by invite only. So temper your expectations, and be kind to the folks who are running your table. Chances are good you might be the 6th or 7th group of players they've run a particular scenario for since the doors opened, and that takes it out of you.

Something Else To Keep in Mind

For those who haven't seen it yet.

Whether you're running games this convention season, or merely playing them, let me recommend two entries from my meta supplements that have been making the rounds of late. For the Game Masters out there, consider 100 Tips and Tricks For Bring a Better Game Master! This book compiles everything that's showed up on this blog for the past near decade, and picks out all the wheat to help you run a better game. And if you're going to be a player, consider grabbing the sister book, 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better RPG Player! Whether you're brand new, or an old hand, there's something in there for everyone.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Make People Interact With Your Character (Not Your Class)

Karroun Valesh is not the sort of man one forgets easily. Broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, he bore the dark mane of a lion, and the winking smile of a rogue that wasn't helped by his single, gold tooth. He always bought the first round, and he never let a companion (nor even an enemy) go hungry. His hammer-headed horse was an ugly, cantankerous thing, but she was fierce in battle, and he always brushed and cleaned her with his own hands. He fought ferociously, his scimitar flashing in the desert sun, but he rarely fought with hatred in his heart. He stood by his allies, and made sure everyone was accorded a fair share of the loot they had earned.

The fact that Valesh was a paladin never once comes up in this description, because that shouldn't be the first thing the rest of the table sees when they interact with him.

Sick to death of catching shit for my samurai levels, too.

I've harped on this before in posts like What's In A Name? How Character Class is Limiting Your Creativity, but most of the time I talk from the perspective of the player. About how class name, and traditional character archetypes, can make it hard for us to step outside our usual preconceptions when we're trying to make fresh, new characters.

Today I'd like to talk about something different. About how you can bypass your table's preconceptions, and get them to see your character, instead of the stats on that character's sheet.

It All Starts At Conception

I don't claim to know how other players get prepped for a game, but when I join a table the only person I give the nitty gritty on my background and mechanics to is the DM. During Session 0 (more on this at The Importance of Session 0 in Your Tabletop Games if you're not familiar with the concept), I will refer to the role I picture my character filling instead of who they are, or what building blocks make them up. For example, I might tell the rest of the group, "I'll bring a beat stick," "I'll play the blaster," or, "I'll bring the healer," but I won't get more specific than that. That way my group knows what skill sets are covered, but they don't get to peek behind the curtain to see the details of what I'm putting on the table.

Whatever form it may take.

The next step is to pull my DM aside, and to confab with them. I lay out the character's history, the build I'm planning on using, and I make sure everything I want to do is kosher. If the DM has questions, or wants me to explain part of my plan, this is the time where I do it. Once I have the seal of approval, and the game actually starts, is when the magic trick begins.

Show Your Character (But Don't Tell The Table Who They Are)

So, the game is beginning. Assuming that you don't have pre-existing connections with other characters (you can, but that isn't a universal strategy), you need to decide what kind of impression you want to give when you introduce your PC. So you need to ask what they look like, but also if there are any details that might intrigue passersby. Does the character have a unique or exotic weapon, particular items of interest, unusual tattoos, prominent scars, or something else remarkable about them? Rope scar around the throat? Missing hand? A living, prosthetic arm? Freckles?

He has a rather... memorable face.

The most important thing you need to do, though, is create the impression of who your character is. For example, if the party sees a heavy-handed bruiser in a black, armored coat with messy hair and the sunken knuckles of a brawler, they'll remember that. If they note that he has a thick accent, city-dwelling habits, and that he can put a man down with a single punch, those are also things his companions will take note of. But it may take a session or two before the character casts a spell, revealing to the players that he's a warpriest, instead of a common brawler.

I brought this very character to a Pathfinder Society game. Despite looking over his sheet, the DM continually forgot he was a warpriest just because he didn't prosthelytize, never invoked the name of his goddess, and sounded more like a back alley thug than he did the sort of man the divine would choose to put their faith in. For more about him, check out Gaspar Dell'Amore, the Black Rose of Edme.

First Impressions Make All The Difference

First impressions matter, and they are really difficult to change. If the first thing someone learns about your character is their class, then that is going to be nearly impossible for them to shake. You may find that you're referred to as the barbarian, or the paladin, or the wizard, despite having a name, a background, and a history with people.

The longer you avoid tipping your hand regarding your class, the less of an impact the revelation will have. For example, if you go most of the first session as Hark, a former Nirmathan Irregular, woodsman, and expert archer, that's what the table will remember. Not that he has three levels of the Archer fighter archetype. If the party meets the handsome, broad-shouldered Prince Caldrain, the fact that he's a bloodrager isn't going to phase them. He has a name, and even a title, which are what will take precedence. No one is going to care that Dozer is a bard, because by the time they see his magic in action, they're already well aware of the motivational power a bellowing half-orc with a great ax in one hand can have.

Who gave you permission to bleed?!

Now, that might seem like a lot of work to some players. Like you're planning some kind of secret party, or something. If it's too much for you to do, that's your call. However, if you want to introduce deeper roleplaying into your game, and avoid using so much meta terminology for what's going on, the first step is to make sure people see your character, and not the class or classes you've put together behind the scenes to let them do what they do.

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday update. Hopefully you all enjoyed my thoughts on the subject, and I promise I'll give this particular dead horse a rest for a few weeks before coming back from a different angle. If you'd like to help support Improved Initiative, then drop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to leave some change in my jar. All it takes is $1 a month to make a difference, and to earn yourself some sweet swag while you're at it. Lastly, if you haven't followed me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter yet, well, why not start today?

Gaspar Dell'Amore, The Black Rose of Edme

Normally when I put together an Unusual Character Concepts article, that's really all it is; a concept. Sometimes it's a fun mechanical trick, like the Rage cycling in The Barbarian Samurai, and other times it's literally just character flavor, like in The Paladin in Name Only. This week, though, I thought I'd do something a little different. Instead of keeping things general, I'm going to lay out a specific character I created, and take you through my process. If you guys like it, then I may do a few more features like this in the future. If not, then I'll go back to my more generalized style.

And now, Gaspar Dell'Amore, The Black Rose of Edme

A Story of Love, in Rivers of Blood

Before the revolution in Galt, Edme was a city of learning and art. After the Final Blades were deployed, the only mediums people seemed to work in were pain, and blood. Henri Dell'Amore had been a student at the arcane college when the revolution swept the streets, and he had taken to the steps and soap boxes with the same zeal as anyone else who wanted their voices heard. While he shouted loud and long, Henri's message was one of understanding, and peace. One that said political divides could be healed. He spent years on the street corners and taverns, shouting himself hoarse even as Razor Jenni added to her long list of conquests. It was not a message many listened to, but there was at least one woman drawn to his passion. Faline Edenmere, who became his wife. It wasn't until after she'd worn her wedding veil that she revealed another mask she wore. A gray mask that hid her identity while she carried out her awful, bloody duties.

Nothing to lose your head over, of course.

 

Henri was hurt, but he also knew someone had to keep the peace in the city. So they learned, they loved, and enjoyed what protection her gray garments and his limited magic provided. In time they had a son. A son born with a strange birthmark on the back of his left hand. A black rose that seemed to grow from the confluence of his veins.

They named their son Gaspar, after one of the great heroes of Galt. The boy grew up listening to his father preach peace, and absorbing every lesson he could. His mother reminded him that peace was very well, but that it was better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war. One of the only jokes the two of them shared, and that she admonished him never to tell his father.

Of course, bad things come to all men who crow too loudly, and too often. Henri had made enemies, and when the petty came to power, they demanded Henri's blood to slake Jenni's thirst. Faline tried to stop it, and for her efforts they went to the final blade together. Their son, barely grown from boyhood, watched as the blade came down, and his parents' heads rolled down the gutter, plopping into the stained, sopping baskets.

The Battle of The Black Rose

Gaspar was alone, one more orphan on the streets of Edme. He took shelter in abandoned classrooms, and quickly learned which corners and alleys had been claimed by beggars, thieves, and footpads. He begged for what he could, and stole when no one would give. His feet were faster than his hands, but it meant he could rarely stay in one place for long.

He found himself outside the courtyard where Razor Jenni stood, and in the sidewalk grew a black rose. It bloomed thick and full, despite all the filth and blood that coated the gutters. He crouched there, staring at it, smiling for the first time almost since his parents had died.

All good things must be paid for in blood.

 

Gaspar was so lost in his contemplation of the flower, that he didn't hear the snicker of the gaggle of street boys until they were nearly on him. They were older, and bigger, and thought it was the funniest thing how the little orphan boy was crying over a flower. One of them went to step on it, and Gaspar stood in front of him. The boy hit him, but Gaspar spit blood in the boy's eye. When he swung again, Gaspar ducked, and brought a knee right into his crotch.

One of them he could have taken, but there were too many. Gaspar clawed and bit, kicked and punched, but in time all he could do was lay on the ground, curled around the rose to keep it safe. The blows stopped falling, in time, and one of the band stood over Gaspar. He was tall, with the beginnings of a beard, and a cast-off nobleman's coat. He had two teeth missing, but he held out a hand to help him to his feet.

"You got stone, kid," he said. "Get up and walk, or stay down and bleed. What's it gonna be?"

A Two-Fisted Firebrand

Red Tom was the boy's name, and he took care of his own. The Firebrands, as they called themselves, were few in number, but they held whatever they took. Tom took Gaspar under his wing, and showed the boy another face of the city. Showed him how the stone palisades were just crumbling wilderness, and the people in it either those you fought, or those you fought for. The Firebrands were in the protection business, and woe be to anyone who did they or theirs harm.

Wednesday's children are full of woe, and they're all to happy to share.

 

The boys grew into manhood, and their reach broadened as they grew. Those who lived on their turf saw them as their boys, and were more than happy for them to be around. Gaspar, in particular, became something of a neighborhood favorite. With his crooked nose and sunken knuckles, anyone who started trouble around him often lived to regret it. Typically with a limp to remind them to stay out of his neighborhood.

As he grew, though, Gaspar heard the voice of the Rose. He heard her preachers in the alleys, and found secret meetings of her faithful. Milani's rose petals seemed to float in the gutters, promising there would be an end to the red rivers. He devoted himself to her, in his way, and to the half-remembered lessons he learned from his parents. He loves his city, and his country, but it will take more than a stiff overhand right to bring down the corruption, and to tear down the final blades. Which is why, rain or shine, he always stands near the stairs, and looks the latest condemned in the eye before they go up to lie on Jenni's bed.

"Tell Faline and Henri their son is still alive. Tell them Gaspar is here, and that one day he's going to break this blade," he says to them, before their souls are added to Razor Jenni's reddened steel.

The Bones of A Heavy Hitter

So what does Gaspar look like? Well, aside from being a broad-shouldered, blunt-faced man in an armored coat with a black rose in the button hole, Gaspar has a rather nasty combination of abilities.

His basis is warpriest, dedicated to Milani. His human feat went to Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike), and his 1st level feat went to Improved Unarmed Strike, so that his damage will always reflect his faith, rather than the 1d4 a fist usually does. He also has Two-Weapon Fighting, for those times when one blow doesn't send the right message. His background traits are Birthmark, for the black rose on his hand, and Magical Knack. His father, despite being only a student, had managed to rescue his teacher's familiar, and the creature often stood guard over Gaspar as a child, teaching him about magic and its elements.

After his first level, Gaspar takes two levels of rogue, for the sneak attack, better saves, and increased skill points. It also makes for a lovely combination with the Liberation domain power a warpriest of Milani can take.

What makes Gaspar truly dangerous, though, is the Boar Style feats. These allow him to deal a kind of rending damage when he hits with two or more unarmed strikes, it allows him to deal bleed damage, and it lets him use Intimidate to demoralize wounded enemies. When combined with a feat like Enforcer, that could have some truly nasty repercussions. In addition to, potentially, doing 5d6 of damage, plus bonus damage from his Strength modifier, in a single round at level 3. Assuming he hits with both fists, and gets his sneak attack in on the target.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a game master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!