Build A Character For The Game You're Actually In (Square Pegs and Round Holes)

If you're a fan of RPGs, then you're likely familiar with the Character Assembly Line. This is a phenomenon that happens to both players and Game Masters alike where you start making character after character, and concept after concept, even though you don't have games to put them in right now. Sometimes you make a few notes on them, and sometimes you draw up an entire character sheet (just for the practice) and write dozens of pages of backstory, but a lot of RPG enthusiasts go through this process.

And there's nothing wrong with going back to that archive and snatching up a character when you finally get a chance to play, or when you're running a game and you need an NPC, an antagonist, etc. However, the issue comes when you choose a character whose theme, story, and tone really don't match the game you're planning on putting them in.

Which is why it's important you aren't trying to ram a square peg into a round hole... because no one is going to enjoy that.

Also, before we go any further, take a minute to check out the following supplements that have advice on this, and other subjects:

- 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better RPG Player

- 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master

Don't put the wrong concept down there...

As always, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Make Sure Everything Matches

Consider for a moment that you're starting a new campaign. It's going to take place in the deserts of the deep south, and you're going to be dealing with fire elementals, mummies, trapped tombs, and ancient devils long-buried beneath the shifting dunes. It will be filled with horror, tension, and dark secrets of an empire long past.

Now, if you decided the best fit for this campaign was to bring an awakened polar bear that tells dad jokes whose sole motivation is a search for the world's most epic cheese, your GM is likely going to feel like you're just being a contrarian. After all:

- Polar bears are going to suffer in the desert heat, leading to massive negatives for the player

- The character has a ridiculous goal that's at-odds with the campaign

- The character has a radically different tone from the established tone of the game

This doesn't make this a bad character. It makes that character a bad fit for this particular campaign.

The bear isn't the problem, here.

The example seems obvious, but we make these kinds of mistakes all the time when we choose our characters, and try to shoehorn stories, ideas, or even builds that just don't work into a campaign. For example, playing a happy-go-lucky bard is perfectly doable in most Dungeons and Dragons or Pathfinder games, provided the tone of the game works for that character. But you can't take that same concept and just port it over to a grimmer, darker game like Warhammer Fantasy or Zweihander and expect it to work either mechanically, or tonally (since magic tends to come with dark, dangerous repercussions, and joy is a thing found only in stories). By the same token, playing an inflexible agent of the law (whether that be a church inquisitor or a sheriff empowered by the regional lord) can definitely work in those grimmer settings where paranoia and brutal use of force are part of the setting and story, but trying to play that same concept in a group where everyone else is planning to run heists, defraud the nobility, etc. is going to create immediate, negative conflicts.

Every character concept comes with assumptions built into it, and if those assumptions are not true in the game you're trying to put them in, it's likely that everyone is going to have a bad time. Which is why before you choose a character concept, whether it's from your archive or made fresh, hold them at arm's length and ask what assumptions have to be true for them to work.

For example, if you want to play a character that's an orc, or a tiefling, or a goblin, do those creatures even exist in the setting you're playing in? And if they do exist, do they exist in a way that allows your concept to work? If you want to play a young wizard's apprentice who is growing into their own and trying to make their way in the world, that concept only works if magic exists in a setting. And even if magic does exist, it's worth asking whether wizardry can be practiced openly in the world, or if it's a black art that's as deadly to the user as it is to those around them, because that could drastically alter the story you're trying to tell.

And even if there aren't fundamental issues between your character concept and the setting, they might still be a bad fit for the job. If the campaign is going to be focused on investigation, mystery, and politicking with relatively little (if any) combat, then bringing a character that's a bloodthirsty berserker that lives for battle is going to be a mismatch for the game. If the game is going to be set in the middle of a war where constant fighting and strategy need to be utilized, that is probably not a great game to bring a soft-hearted poet with no viable combat skills to. And if the game is dealing with cults who worship eldritch fiends, and said fiends are an open and understood part of this world, no one wants to have an elven academic constantly trying to debunk the existence of the devils when they are very real, very present, and they go next in the initiative order.

Seriously, my guy... just cast something please?!

Again, all of these character concepts can work well in the right game. Players simply need to make sure they choose the character that is going to fit the campaign they signed up to play, and tailor that character to fit so they're a fun, engaging, and interesting part of that campaign.

Lastly, and this is just as important, if you don't vibe with the sort of game being proposed, remember that you are not obligated to play. If you're really jonesing for something upbeat, simple, and fun, but the groups want grim, serious, and complicated, that's not a game you're going to enjoy. If your creativity and your desires as a player aren't meshing with the game, or with the direction a group is going, it's perfectly okay to sit this one out. No game is better than a bad game, and when you aren't having a good time, that's going to send ripples through the rest of the table.

Find a character that fits the world and story, and find a table that fits for you and your needs as a player.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post. 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 Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the dark sci fi saga of The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and 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 Blue Sky, 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 Sure You're All Trying To Have The Same Kind of Fun at Your Table

No matter what game we're all playing, the genre we're playing in, whether we're tossing out a one-shot for the evening, or running a multi-year campaign, the point of any RPG is for everyone at the table to have fun. The players, the Game Master, everyone there should be having a good time.

However, "fun" is a slippery word... which is why it's important to make sure it means the same thing to all of you.

Fun looks like different things to different people.

Before we get into it this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron!

Lastly, to be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree!

What Does "Fun" Mean To You?

Think about all the friends you have, and the things they like to do for fun. Some of them might curl up in a window seat and read novels. Others might run marathons. Some will do karaoke, get rip-roaring drunk, or both at the same time. You've probably got a friend who's a foodie, another one that's a power lifter, and one who just likes to kick back, smoke weed, and watch silly comedy films.

What I can guarantee you, though, is that while some of your friends might enjoy the same activities, a lot of them don't. Not only that, but one friend's fun would be something another friend wouldn't enjoy at all. Whether it's your foodie friend who detests running, the lifter who can't stand alcohol, or the bookworm who gets nauseous at the very idea of getting up and singing in front of people, the old proverb, "One man's meat is another man's poison," comes to mind.

Emily, I appreciate you're a wine lover, but the rest of us don't drink.

So what does this have to do with gaming? Well, it's because you all need to want the same kind of fun if you actually want your table to be enjoying the game equally.

I talked about this in 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master several months back, but it's something that I re-iterated in the companion volume 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better RPG Players that came out recently. However, to re-iterate, just because you and someone else are friends, and just because you both like RPGs, that doesn't mean you're both going to want the same things out of your games.

As an example, consider the following:

- Do you like games with a lot of crunch so you can build and manipulate, or do you like simple, stream-lined rules that don't get in your way?

- Do you like games with a lot of moral dilemmas in them, or do you like your good and evil to be cut and dry?

- Do you like playing good guys, or bad guys?

- Do you want the whole table on the same team, or do you enjoy stories where jockeying for position and seizing advantage is part of the experience?

- Do you like stories with clear plots you're supposed to follow, or do you want to be in charge of creating your own destiny?

These are just a few examples of the kinds of things that can be major points of contention among players. I know several folks who love playing DND 5E, or even simpler systems, because they don't want to spend hours poring over mechanics, or to build a character from start to finish before the campaign even starts. For me, that's my jam, and when I can't do that it takes away from the experience for me. I've shared tables with some players who always wanted to have evil characters, and who disengaged when they realized there would be serious consequences for that sort of behavior (even if they were warned beforehand this was a heroic campaign). Some players want to get stuck-in running the numbers for making a profit wtih the shop the party took over, and only go out on adventure if everyone else pulls them away from their ledger. Some players just want to empty a quiver of arrows at goblins without worrying about the moral ramifications of slaying a sentient species... other players want the opposite of that.

Sometimes we can all compromise, and find aspects of a game that we all like. We might be having fun with different parts of the campaign, but we're all enjoying it as a group. Other times, though, it's possible that what's fun for other players, or for the Game Master, is what makes the game not fun for you.

Because it's all well and good to say to people, "Play whatever game you want, and play it how you want, as long as you're having fun!" But fun isn't a universal feeling, and we need to be sure that what makes it fun for us is also what makes it fun for the rest of the table!

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!

Players, Don't Assume That Rare Items or Resources Will Be Made Available

Most folks who have read this blog, even casually, know that I generally advocate for Game Masters to err on the side of not restricting player options. If a base class, mundane item, spell, or PC species exists in the game world you're playing, and the system you're using is designed to support that option, you gain a lot more by letting your players use these options than you do declaring them off-limits.

This week, though, I wanted to touch on the other side of that coin. Because while I firmly believe players should have access to all the base stuff the game offers as options, I think that far too many players assume they'll also have access to powerful magic items, relics, rare or restricted in-game knowledge, and so on.

And that kind of assumption is something that I think should be curbed as well. Because if you want that, you're going to have to work for it... and even then, it might still be beyond the scope of the game you're currently playing.

What do you mean I can't have the Aegis of The Eagle? Someone ELSE has it?!

Before we get into it this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron!

Lastly, to be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree!

Don't Make Assumptions Beyond The Basics

While I pointed it out in the introduction above, I feel it bears repeating here. Game Masters should make all base player options available that were designed for a particular game, and a particular setting, whenever possible. Sure you might sigh if everyone in the party is playing a full caster, or you might not personally see the fun in gunslingers or barbarians, but if they're a part of the game as it exists, and your players will enjoy them, there's rarely any harm in letting them have their fun.

However, this statement applies only to the things players are assumed to have access to. Any time there's something that's special, unique, difficult-to-acquire, or which has out-and-out in-game limits placed on it, players should not assume they'll simply be able to acquire said thing. Perhaps it will be possible, but if it falls outside the base allotment of resources you have as a player then you're going to have to work it out with the Game Master.

Wait... you want to find WHAT!?

As an example, players should be allowed to have paladin characters. Just because they have a paladin as a character, though, doesn't mean they should automatically be allowed to acquire a Holy Avenger for that paladin. A player should be allowed a warpriest of a storm god, but that doesn't mean they'll be allowed to wield the Maul of Storms. Someone might become a powerful wizard over the course of the campaign, but that doesn't mean they'll be able to acquire an infernal grimoire locked deep in the arcane library of an archfiend.

Again, however, I am not advocating for Game Masters to automatically restrict access even to powerful items, potent prestige classes, or rare and unusual spells. What I'm saying is that players should not go into the game just assuming they'll be able to get the exact magic items they want, that they'll be able to find teachers who fit obscure prerequisites, etc. Perhaps they will, and perhaps they won't.

That should be a conversation with the Game Master.

This is Where "Yes, But" Comes Into Play

Most Game Masters have heard that they should avoid just out and out telling players no whenever possible. Instead they should say, "Yes, and," or, "Yes, but," as a way of trying to meet them in the middle.

And when it comes to gaining access to these powerful options, whether they be prestige classes, relic weapons, feats with difficult prerequisites, etc., this is where I would strongly give that advice... because it gives you a carrot to use to motivate your players instead of just hitting them with a stick.

What are you willing to do for this boon?

Let's go to the paladin example. You have a player who really wants a Holy Avenger. That's a big deal, and you don't just make them pinch their gold pieces until they can buy one. Instead, pay attention to how they act, and who they help. Whether the sword was left with a mountain witch who was guarding it until a worthy paladin came to claim it, or they find it in the lair of the dragon who slew the knight they'd squired for, this can represent a big goal for them to achieve... but the nature of this item is such that they have to still be worthy of it in order for it to find them, and to allow them to use it.

But what about the wizard? Well, if they want this grimoire so badly there are many ways they can acquire it. Perhaps they show mercy to a devil, and make a bargain for it in exchange for the book. Or maybe they need to get several devils to sneak copies of the pages to them, making it a process that's more of a road instead of the culmination of a single event. Perhaps they suggest going to hell to rescue the rogue when they're damned by a fiend, and while going through this jail break they just so happen to swipe a copy of the book they want, as well.

And for that player who desperately seeks to wield the Maul of Storms? Well, it's a potent relic weapon... which means it's not just laying around somewhere. They need to find it, they need to be able to lift it, and they need to deal with whoever it is that currently guards it... or whoever is currently wielding it! A series of tests to determine if they are a better bearer (or even if they'll be allowed to try to lift it at all) could be a fun culmination of that player character's arc, and it would give them a seriously powerful item to use for perhaps the last arc (or even just the final level) of the campaign.

The idea is not to flat-out ban players from getting the "good" toys out. Rather, if you work with them to create a path, and ensure it adds to the story, these things will flow naturally into the game's progression. It also puts at least part of the onus on the players, ensuring that they're willing to put in the time and effort to reach what should be big milestones for their character.

There will, of course, be some circumstances where Game Masters should still say no. A player might want to start the game already in possession of something huge and powerful. They might expect it to just be handed to them when they reach a certain level, or to get the prize regardless of the actions they've taken. However, assuming that your players are acting in good faith and genuinely meeting you in the middle, it is a good idea to use these desires as stakes to keep players interested and involved!

Additional Reading

Whether you're a player looking for additional tips, or a Game Master who'd like more advice along these lines, I'd highly recommend checking out the following:

- 100 Character Goals and Motivations: Whether it's finding a long-lost family member, being knighted by the queen, or being deemed worthy of wielding a holy relic, there's all sorts of motivations you can use to round out your characters in here!

- 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master: Just what it says on the tin. I've been peppering Game Master advice throughout this blog for a decade or so, and the best tips and tricks I've come across wound up in this supplement!

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!

Who Cares If Your Character is Cringey, Silly, or Basic? Play It Anyway!

For people who have never met me in person, I have a very particular look I tend to go for. From my combat boots, to my army surplus field jacket, to my beret and belt pouches, to the patches, pins, and innumerable numbers of skulls, I've often been mistaken for someone in cosplay at conventions. I have since been informed that this fashion choice is referred to as Warcore, and it is something I've embraced wholeheartedly. While it sometimes causes me minor issues (see my article I Was Never In The Military. Please Stop Thanking Me For My Service), it's both practical and aesthetically pleasing to me.

I also got sexy new masks for con season!

When I was younger I occasionally had people ask me why I chose to wear BDUs, or why I bloused my pants into my boots, or why I had a purse on my belt. Those questions became fewer and fewer as I got older, and the opinions of random strangers mattered to me less and less. Now during the time of Covid I've become the strange, wasteland wanderer that I always read about in comic books and saw in post-apocalyptic films.

What does that have to do with RPGs, though?

In short, a lot of us get self-conscious about the characters we bring to a table. We worry about whether a concept is too derivative, or too edgy, or too dark, or too silly, or too whatever. So we play something acceptable, or which has an element or two of what we want, but is really a watered-down imitation of what we would like to do. Like how a lot of us will wear something fun underneath our business casual when we go to the office, but we lack the confidence to show up with a cloak over our shoulders.

This week I wanted to deliver a clear message. RPGs are the playground of your imagination... go wild on that shit!

As always, subscribe to my weekly newsletter so you don't miss anything! And if you want to help oil the wheels so I can keep delivering you content like this then become a Patreon patron! Seriously, even small donations can make a big difference.

Seriously... Why Are You Trying To Be Normal?

I want to start this with a caveat; I am not suggesting that people reading this go and play a monkey wrench (a character who deliberately does not fit into the game everyone else is trying to play). Your character has to follow all the agreed-upon rules of the game, and they should still fit the agreed-upon tone and theme of the campaign you're playing. Don't bring a thunderously grim concept to a light-hearted game, and don't try to shoehorn in a happy-go-lucky concept into a game that's meant to be dark and serious. Don't try to bring in themes and topics that will make the table uncomfortable, or that people don't want to be part of. Don't bring characters who weigh down the party while making everyone else work harder.

With that out of the way... you should go absolutely nuts when it comes to what you want to bring to the table!

Seriously... sky's the limit!

RPGs are meant to tell stories, but more importantly they're meant to tell our stories. If you want to play an old-fashioned knight in shining armor as a paladin who is Disney hero levels of uncomplicated, that doesn't make you a bad gamer. If you want to play a dull-witted bruiser barbarian complete with Hulk-speak (or who is actually the Hulk if you follow my conversion guide), you shouldn't feel that you're being lazy if you're having fun. If you want a ranger with murdered parents and a vengeance-flavored chip on their shoulder, have a blast with it! A good-hearted member of a traditionally monstrous species who's out looking to prove themselves? Go for it!

Too often we look at the characters we want to play (thematically, at least), and we tone them down or change them because we think this or that concept is too immature. Or it's been done too many times. Or it's too similar to something that already exists in a different game, or a piece of pop culture, or whatever. Whether it's skull-painted vigilante with a full-auto crossbow, or a literal magical princess with animal friends and an enchanted voice, we tell ourselves that we shouldn't play these characters.

As someone who has had a lifelong love of grimdark characters, bleak settings, and harsh storylines, which are all things that get me the side-eye from people who consider those the ear-marks of an underdeveloped gamer, I'm here to tell you to free yourself from this judgment. Don't ask whether something is too immature, or has been played too many times, or is too silly or edgy for you to be allowed to have fun with. Instead, talk with your GM (and your fellow players if necessary), strap on that brace of daggers, and play that "ridiculous" character that would make you happiest to put on the tabletop!

And if you need character conversions for folks from John Wick, to Iron Man, to Ghost Rider and more, don't forget to check out my Character Conversions page before you go!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post!

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 thriller Marked Territory, it's sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent 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!

Game Masters, Stop Trying to Hide Things From Your Players

Chances are good this is one of those entries that people are going to see the title of, and just start commenting before they actually read the entry. As such, I thought I'd provide my clarification right here, at the top of the page.

What I'm not suggesting is that Game Masters stop putting plot twists in their games. I'm not saying to never use shape changers or disguised villains, or suggesting that we never have the face-heel turn where the party's benefactor turns out to have been using them for their own ends. All of those things are good, and when done right, they can make a campaign extremely fun and memorable!

What I am saying is that, as Game Masters, we need to stop trying to keep our players in the dark about things, or deluding ourselves that our settings, our stories, and our plots are so unique, so original, and so mind-blowing, that we need to ensure our players go in knowing as little as possible in order to properly experience things. Because nine times out of ten that we pull this it's going to blow up in our faces.

Trust me, going in blank is doing no one any favors.

As always, if you want to get all of my updates sent to your email just subscribe to my weekly newsletter. And if you want to help me keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Even small donations make a big difference.

No Spoilers!

As a Game Master you have to walk a fine line. On the one hand, you want to get your players psyched up for the game you're running, and invested in the campaign. On the other hand, though, you want to allow them to organically explore the setting, and to experience the plots you have prepared. It is, in a lot of ways, akin to getting your friends together for a movie night. You want to make sure your selection for the evening is something everyone is into, but you also don't want to give too much away regarding what's going to happen.

I've run my share of games, and chosen my share of movies. I can safely say that you should always err on the side of telling someone too much, rather than playing things mysterious and just telling them, "Guess you'll have to wait and find out!"

I guarantee you're not as clever as you think you are.

There's two major reasons that I say this.

The first reason is that when you clam up about stuff, it illustrates where the limits are going to be between you and the players as a storyteller. So if your player asks you questions about the genre, the setting, what sorts of general plots to expect, and you turn getting those answers into pulling teeth, it sets the expectation that there's not going to be a lot of communication going forward. You can negate this somewhat by being as open as possible about other aspects of the game, giving out details that players are going to run into anyway in order to get them invested, but it's generally better to be as honest and open as possible when your players ask you questions.

The second reason is that if your table is genre savvy in the slightest there is no trick you can pull from behind the screen that's going to shock or surprise them in a good way. However, something that a lot of Game Masters forget is that most players aren't actually interested in being shocked or surprised... most of the time they're playing games in a particular setting or genre precisely because they know it well, and they like engaging with it.

The second reason is what's responsible for most of the table blow ups, in my experience.

I Was Told This Was a Fantasy Game?

Yes, well, ah, about that...

A while back I warned Game Masters not to pull what I call a total-genre-shift in their games. This is, more or less, where you sold the table one genre of game, then after giving them enough time to get really invested and having fun you pull a lever and reveal it's been a completely different genre the whole time! The fantasy game is actually a sci-fi dystopia, the space opera sci-fi turns out to be a video game and now we're logged-off in a modern investigation game, and so on, and so forth.

This is the most blatant example of a GM hiding something that should be mentioned up-front, and which all players need to sign on for. Because this shift could work if you have player buy-in. It might actually get some players more excited about the game. But out of the blue it feels like you all agreed to get pizza, but when it came time to open the pizza box inside there was lasagna. It might still be good lasagna, but that isn't what the players were told to expect.

Think of player questions in that light. Because you might think getting onions on the pizza really brings things together, but if one player is allergic to them, and another just doesn't like the taste, then you shouldn't put them on. Same thing with game content, and player questions. Because some players can roll with anything, and they'll be happy as long as there's a good game. Other players have certain genres they really don't like, or they have strong feelings on story content, or house rules versus rules as written. And if you're worried that answering too many questions or giving your players too much information is going to ruin the game and make things less enjoyable, consider the alternative; you held something back that your players wanted to know, and then when you present it they excuse themselves from the table and go home.

You shouldn't be telling your players who the hidden villain of the game is. Don't lay out the duke's double cross around level 5, and don't tell them how many trolls they're going to be fighting in the Frost Moors. They don't need to know the hidden weakness of the vampire queen. But if your players ask you questions about the world, about the premise, or about what they should expect, it's better to risk giving them minor spoilers to make them feel you're going to be open, honest, and up-front than to play things cloak-and-dagger and misjudge exactly whether a surprise is going to stick the landing.

Also, if you're looking for more advice on running your games, make sure you check out 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master!

Have You Checked Out The Silver Raven Chronicles Yet?

I talked about this a month or so ago, but I'm doing something a little different over on my Table Talk page. I'm currently doing the write-up for my group's run through the Hell's Rebels adventure path, but instead of the roll-by-roll break down I provided for past games I wanted to go in another direction. This time around I'm writing a series of pulp-style short stories about particular moments throughout the campaign which tell the tale of how Kintargo's resistance was built, and the challenges it's faced.

Seriously, come check it out!

Table Talk is my least-read feature, and hosting these stories on Vocal has made them hard to get eyes on (particularly since Reddit blacklisted the site and made it nearly impossible to share content from). So I wanted to ask my readers to check it out, and if you want to see me keep it going (perhaps extending this format to future write-ups) to share it on your social media pages, and leave a tip if you feel so inclined!

- Part One: Devil's Night

- Part Two: From The Ashes

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!

Want To Get Your Character Involved in Plot? Remember Rule 303

One of the biggest issues I've seen around a gaming table is actually getting characters involved in the unfolding plot. Typically once everyone finds a reason to get involved, or a plot hook they're comfortable biting on, the game will be off to the races... but sometimes getting over that early hurdle can be a frustration.

For GMs and players alike.

Ogre raids? Sounds like a whole lot of not my problem.

That's why this week I'd like to introduce a concept that can really help make a game go more smoothly. Some folks might be familiar with it, but for those who aren't the term is Rule 303.

For those looking for another useful term, check out "Force Multiplication" is a Useful Idea For RPGs. And to make sure you don't miss out on any of my releases, consider signing up for my weekly newsletter!

Means, Opportunity, and Responsibility

The short version, according to Beau of The Fifth Column, is that Rule 303 means that if you have the means to hand, and the ability to help, then that implies you have a duty to get yourself involved in a situation. The term sees a lot of use among military contractors, as well as active duty folks, but you can apply it much more broadly than just in the profession of arms. If you see someone choking in a restaurant, and you know the Heimlich maneuver, you go over and help them expel the blockage. If you're a tall person and you see someone shorter struggling to reach a top shelf, you offer to get the thing down for them.

If you're a musclebound barbarian with a greatsword, and you're on-hand when bugbears are raiding the countryside, you unsheathe that beast and go to work.

Something else to remember is that this trait can manifest itself in a variety of different ways. For example, a character might be genuinely altruistic, and their desire to help people means they can't just walk on by if there's a serious problem that they have the means to fix. A character might be getting involved because it's a good excuse to show off, or because they think there could be a reward in it for them. It might coincide with a vow they took, or a core tenet of their faith.

At the end of the day, though, the player should ask themselves the first two questions of the formula. Because if you have the means to help, and you have the ability to help, then that suggests you also have the responsibility to get yourself involved in whatever nonsense is going down. Justification beyond that can't hurt, but if you jump in with both feet it makes the game go a lot smoother for everyone concerned.

And for those who are looking for some inspiration for characters who may have sworn oaths, accepted contracts, or who are simply part of an organization that would make them getting involved in solving problems easier for you to spin as a player, you might find some inspiration in some of my following supplements:

- 100 Random Mercenary Companies: From disciplined ranks of sellswords, to free-wheeling soldiers of fortune, those who want to embody the origins of Rule 303 can find plenty of inspiration in these free companies.

- 100 Knightly Orders: Whether you're a protector of the realm, or you're a wandering knight errant seeking to help the needy and protect the weak, this collection is full of orders you can swear your service to.

- 100 Secret Societies: The world at large doesn't need to know why you're helping out in this matter. And if you want to have a little cloak-and-dagger fun, these secret societies are always a ball to add into your history, and your game.

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, 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!

Interrogations Can Be Tough (But Very Rewarding)

One of the biggest blind spots DMs have, in my experience, is that they forget not every enemy is going to be killed when the PCs roll initiative. The undead will fall to pieces, the constructs will be smashed apart, and the animals may be driven off, but what about the myriad of other foes they might face? Those human toughs sent around to rough up the party, the orc mercenaries hired to cut off caravans to a town, or the cultists trying to stop the PCs from meddling in their plans? Sure, some of them are going to get killed, because that's the nature of fast and furious combat when steel is swinging and spells are flying. But what about the rest? What about the enemies who get knocked out, captured, or who just plain surrender because they aren't willing to die?

Well, that's when it's time to run an interrogation.

Look, we're gonna ax you a couple of questions, and we'd 'preciate it if you was honest with us, okay?

Having been on both ends of the screen for these scenes, there are a few things I'd like to recommend both to DMs, and to players out there to really make these scenes shine.

DMs, Don't Just Stonewall Your Players

This is probably the most frustrating thing you can do as a dungeon master when the party manages to capture an NPC. You don't have to immediately tell the party everything there is to know about this NPCs' life, history, and actions, but give them something. A name, a face, a location, some scrap of evidence the party can use to go forward from this point. Reward them for taking the time to take prisoners, and question them to find out what the hell is going on.

The man you seek wore the threefold mask of the shadow jester. A pity you lived, for your death will be worse, now.

For example, let's take the group of street toughs someone decided to send at the party to rough them up, and discourage them from completing their current task. The code of the streets may very well mean the toughs keep their mouths shut when it comes to giving out information... but what can the party learn from what they do let slip? Does the bard's Linguistics check pick up an accent unique to a particular block in the city, telling the party where they could start looking for these toughs' friends? Does the rogue manage to get the thugs talking about the poison they were using, purposefully misidentifying it so that one of them blurts out it's actually red fang venom, which is the calling card of a particular cult, or order of assassins, giving a hint as to who hired them? If the paladin separates the survivors, talking to them individually, can he diplomacize his way into the lapsed faith of the younger prisoner, getting him to admit what little he knows as long as the others aren't watching?

Hell, the party might just provoke an anger response from one of the prisoners, who sneers and tells them, "Just wait till the Man Eater comes looking for you. He'll eat your hearts, and pick his teeth with your finger bones." At that point all it takes is a decent Knowledge (Local) check to know that these toughs are part of the infamous Butcher's Boys gang, and that if the party wants more answers they can work their way up the food chain.

The Man Eater, along with a bunch of other NPCs, can be found in my 100 Random Bandits to Meet supplement, for those who are interested.

The key to remember is that you need to give the PCs clues, and you should make allowances for all the various skill checks the party has. Whether it's the party face trying to open up a dialogue, the tracker putting together observations about the prisoners' weapons, tattoos, and the mud on their boots, or the muscle putting the fear up them by cracking their knuckles and making not so veiled threats, everyone should be able to get in on the action.

Players, Remember, Social Skills Aren't Mind Control

This is something I've said time and time again, but it bears repeating. Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate... these are all useful skills that give us a number we can use to measure how effective your interaction with a character is. This is particularly helpful if your character is far more frightening, persuasive, or just charismatic than you are as a player. At the same time, however, these skills are not on-par with magic. You cannot use the raw force of a social skill to compel someone to do something. You can only change their standing toward you, or persuade them to believe something you're telling them. What they do with that information is up to the DM.

They might kill you, deary, but I will turn you into a newt and feed you to my fox. Now, who sent you?

Also, while we're on this subject, too many players seem to think that torture is also just as good as magic. The problem is (and I so rarely say this so please listen) torture doesn't work in the real world, and there's no reason it should work in a fantasy one, either. Psychology Today touched on this fact, but generally speaking if you choose to try to beat the information out of someone they're just going to tell you whatever they think you want to hear so that you'll stop. And for the DMs reading this, you should absolutely have that kind of action reflect both on the alignment of players (as was suggested in the Inquisitor's Guide for 5th Edition), as well as in the quality of the information they're given.

Now, with that said, what players should do is figure out how they participate in an interrogation scene, and what role they fill in what amounts to a social encounter.

Generally speaking there's going to be the "bad cop" and the "good cop" here somewhere. Perhaps the cleric or the paladin, speaking in reasonable tones and trying to make the prisoner think they are the only thing stopping the barbarian from crushing their skull, or the necromancer from using them for parts. However, instead of leaving the rest of the party as onlookers, get other people involved in the scene as much as you can. Have the rogue watching while they hunker down, acting as the lie detector with their high Sense Motive skill, watching how someone answers as well as what they say. While the interrogation is going on, have the ranger examining the corpses, trying to gain some insight about where the enemies came from, and who they are like a combination of Sherlock Holmes and CSI.

Give everyone a moment in the spotlight, and you'll have more fun, while also getting a more complete picture of what's happening.

Lastly, Mix It Up

As a final note to the DMs out there, mix up these interrogation scenes based on who is being interrogated, what they believe, and what happened before the end of the combat. Because the more organic the prisoners' responses are to what's happening, the more authentic and involving the scene will be.

And for extra points, include aspects of the party's Small Legend to show that the NPCs know who they are, and they've heard the stories about the PCs reputations.

Look, I've heard the tales. Just tell me what you wanna know.

For instance, does your fighter have a reputation as honorable? Do they bear the iconography and endorsement of a particular knightly order? If so, then a prisoner might invoke parley under the established code they're known for, agreeing to talk under terms of protection. Did the barbarian split two men in half with a single swing of their ax with a critical cleave in the last combat? If so, consider having the prisoners view that character with a substantial level of fear, having seen what just happened to those who opposed them. Do wizards or shamans have a particular reputation among the traditions of these prisoners? Or would a captured wizard consider talking to another master of the arcane arts when they wouldn't share their secrets with a common sellsword?

All of these things, combined with the unique history, personality, motivations, and fears of the particular characters who were taken prisoner can lead to unique, interesting scenes that will make an impression on the PCs. And in some cases these prisoners could be used as guides, as future informants, or even as converted allies.

For an example of how this can be used in text, check out my most recent module, Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh!

Good fun all around, this one.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday!

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 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!

Players, Make Sure Your Characters Actually Want To Be Here

I've been talking to the DMs a lot in my Monday posts of late, so I figured it was time to take a moment to address the players out there. Because there's a big trap that almost all of us fall into in our gaming careers, and it can ruin the game for the rest of the folks at the table... especially if more than one of you fell into it without even knowing it.

In short, a lot of us make characters who practically have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the adventure... and we should all take a moment to stop that.

Bandits, huh? Doesn't sound like my problem.

Apathetic Characters Make For Frustrated Storytellers

I mentioned this back in 5 Tips To Get The Most Out of Your Next LARP, and it was the tip that got the most love. As such, I figured it was worth repeating, and elaborating on, for the folks in back.

Do not make a recalcitrant character. Do not make an apathetic character. Do not make a character who is looking for absolutely any reason to abandon the party and go do their own thing. This is a cooperative game, and it works best if everyone has a character they want to play, and that character wants to be part of this story.

Have sword, will travel.

It's true that part of this relies on the DM working with you to make sure your character fits into the game. However, you are responsible for the final form your character takes, the drives they possess, and the actions they end up taking. Which is why it's important to think about not just what would make them fun to play, and what their personal objectives and goals are, but about how they interact with the wider world.

Lastly, it's important for you to come up with reasons for them to get involved.

You Have To Want To Be Involved (Even If The PC Doesn't)

Despite the title of this post, and everything I just said, I will admit that sometimes you want to play the reluctant badass character. The old campaigner who laid their sword aside, the wizard who's just too busy to bother with all this adventuring nonsense, or the monk who's trying to learn deeper meanings of the world instead of brawling with bugbears.


I get it. This is literally one of my favorite archetypes as a player. However, what I will tell you from experience is that if you are going to bring this character to the game, then it is up to you as the player to come up with a reason they are getting involved in the plot rather than putting that burden on the DM.

A blind old woman rolled the bones? Good enough for me!

Take the example of the retired hardass. Sure, he's got the skills, but he hung up his sword when he came back from the war, and he wants to be just a simple farmer now. However, if you want to be involved in the game, you need to provide a reason that Aethor takes that wall hanger down from over the fireplace and hits the campaign trail again.

It could literally be anything you want it to be! For instance...

- He Cares About Another Party Member: Maybe the wizard is his nephew, or the bard is an old friend that he knows gets into trouble when he's not around. Whatever the reason, he's not letting them risk their lives without him to watch their back. He still doesn't care about the bandit lord, or the goblin horde, because those things aren't his prerogative, but he's fully invested.

- It's The Right Thing To Do: Paladins aren't the only ones with a strong code of ethics. If the town is looking for people to make a stand, whether it's against a necromancer defiling graves to build an undead army, or gnolls raiding a settlement and taking people as slaves, somebody has to put a stop to that. Rule 303; you've got the means and skills, so you've got the responsibility to do something about it.

- He Owes Someone a Favor: This is particularly true for scenarios that I mentioned in Did Your Character Have A Former Life? Maybe they don't want to leave the farm, the forge, or the tavern behind, but they've got a debt to pay. It might be an old friend they would have helped for the asking, or a grim, John Wick-style blood debt, but whatever it is should get them out the door and on the adventure path to clear their ledger.

- Someone Ordered Him To: This is, perhaps, the easiest form of motivation in the history of a storytelling; you go to do the thing because it's your job, and your problem. Whether you're the local priest, a militia sergeant, a town guard, a sheriff's deputy, or a hedge knight charged with patrolling the highways, whatever is going wrong is something you've been ordered to fix. And because you like your job, you go do the thing.

Those are just some of the most common instances I could suggest. However, the important thing to remember is that you need to be the one that provides this hook for your PC to get in on the action. This may require you to talk with the DM and hash out some quick ideas, but generally speaking anytime you're saving the person behind the screen the work of roping you in it's something they're going to appreciate.

You Are In Control of Your Character

One of the most frustrating things you can hear as a DM is the phrase, "My character wouldn't be interested in that." Any time you feel the urge to say this, stop, take a step back, and look at the situation from a different angle. Find a reason, even if it means you have to alter your character just a bit in order to smooth the way forward.

They took children, you said? I'm in.

Take Shadrick Vars, known to most as the Gray Man. He's a bad man to fool with, and it's said he won't so much as lift a finger unless there's a coin in it for him. Hardly the sort of character you'd expect to show up to help hunt down a set of kidnappers; especially if the bounty for them is hardly worth a day's work. But if you're the player at the controls, it's your job to ask why he's opted to take on this mostly altruistic task. Even (or especially) if it's out of character for him to do so.

Is it because Shadrick was taken from his parents at a young age, sold to a cartel boss and trained as an enforcer, and he wants to put that part of him to rest by helping this child? Does he know the family, perhaps suspecting they might actually be distant kin of his? Does he have a strict, "No spouses, no kids," rule, and he means to make an example of those who offend his sensibilities on his home turf? All of these are possible, and it wouldn't require changing the fundamental nature of the character. Each one of these reasons gets him out on the adventure, though, and give the character a compelling reason to see this arc through to the end.

The key thing is to take the initiative. Don't sit around waiting for the DM to give you personal attention to get you to come along, or for the rest of the table to ask pretty please; find a reason to set your character to the task, and get involved. Once you do that, the momentum builds, and everything gets a whole lot easier.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you enjoyed, and if you've used run these kinds of games before, leave us a comment to let us know what worked for you!

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 sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, 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!

5 Common Disruptive Actions in RPGs (And How To Counter Them as a DM)

When we sit down to play, most of us are here to have fun telling a story. Sometimes that story is dark and serious, and sometimes it's light-hearted and a little ridiculous. A lot of the time it's somewhere in between. And while everyone should be allowed to contribute to the story in ways that make them happy as players, there are those times when your players push the Don't button. Sometimes it's an accident, sometimes they don't know any better... and sometimes they do it just to see what you'll do.

Your move, "Dungeon Master."

Ideally, if someone keeps poking at that button, you'll be able to sit down and talk to them as an adult and to explain why it's becoming a problem in game. However, sometimes you need to be able to roll with the punches as they come your way. The most common punches I've seen, and methods of rolling I've found effective, are as follows.

#1: My Character Wouldn't Be Interested in That

I'm just gonna sit here in the bar. Drinking. Alone.

 

This is one of the most common irritations in gaming for a dungeon master. You spend a lot of effort putting together the story, the enemies, the plans, and then when you drop the hook in front of the party one player decides, nah, I'm not biting that.

It's hard to get the game going if someone isn't willing to get on the plot bus, and it's generally seen as good form for a player to find some reason for their character to go out with the rest of the party even if it's a bit outside their wheel house. Whether it's the money-driven mercenary deciding he wants to show the town that he's not such a bad guy, or the usually timid cleric finding his spine when other people are putting themselves in danger, sometimes you need to stretch a bit to keep the game going.

How To Roll With It...

Ideally, this is something you should take care of beforehand by making sure everyone's character has proper motivations that are driving them toward your game's goals. I even provide this for DMs who pick up my Critical Hits modules False Valor and The Curse of Sapphire Lake by making sure a "Why Are You Here?" section is the first thing in the module, after the introductory text. This ensures that everyone who is at the game table has some motivation to immediately jump in, and avoids this behavior entirely.

If you don't have that luxury (sometimes you just don't get a chance to preempt a problem), then take the player aside and ask what would motivate them. Ask for some knives, like I mentioned back in Build Your PC Backstory Using Knife Theory. If they're a merc, ask them if they owe anyone a favor, or have an outstanding tab anywhere in town; it might be as simple as the barkeep offering to wipe that bill they owe that gets them off their butt and into the game. If they're a noble PC who decides this isn't their job, you can literally pull in someone of higher status who tells them to go do it.

And so on, and so forth. You can even find examples of outfits to use, and NPCs to bring in, with 100 Random Mercenary Companies or 100 Nobles to Encounter.

Sometimes players have only thought of one, specific thing that will jump start their PC's actions. Sit down with them and try to get them to provide two or three, assuming you can't work up a personality profile that will let you know what strings to tug on before the game starts.

#2: It's Not Illegal, I'm a PC!

Haters gonna hate!

 

There's no two ways about it; the player characters are the central figures of the story you're telling. Whether they're heroes, villains, or somewhere in between, they are the individuals we're focusing on in this collaborative exercise. And sometimes players let that go to their heads, assuming that they can do what they want without repercussions.

One of the most common versions of this is the thief who steals anything that isn't nailed down. They pick every pocket they come across, and spend all of their time scheming on how to rob shopkeepers blind. Alternatively you have the hulking barbarian, the entitled fighter, or the haughty sorcerer who believes that they can crush any NPC who doesn't give them the respect they feel they're due.

This isn't always a problem, depending on the situation. But when it becomes a pattern of behavior, it can very quickly grow into a major headache for you as the DM.

How To Roll With It...

The first thing you should do, as a DM, is to give players who want to do what I call a Grand Theft Auto run a single warning. Even if it's just as simple as, "You want to punch a member of the town guard because he told you to peace bind your weapon? Even though you can clearly see there are a dozen soldiers at this gate?"

Nine times out of ten, a player will get the message letting them know that if something is a crime in the real world, it's likely still a crime in the game world, and it will be acted on accordingly.

Sometimes players will nod, accept your warning, and attempt to go through with their action anyway. When this happens (and it will, sooner or later), you should let it. And then follow the natural consequences of the action the player chose to take.

I talked about this in Let Them Reap What They Sow (Actions and Consequences in RPGs) a while ago, but it's worth repeating. Players need to have agency, and that includes agency to do things that are ill-advised, or which you find annoying. But the actions they take should have appropriate consequences. The thief might get away with stealing a purse or two, if they roll well, but if they get caught stealing, make sure there are consequences for that. If the party bruiser decides to beat up the innkeep because he didn't like the man's tone, ask who saw that, and what other dominoes start to fall. Do the party find there's a bounty on their heads, and that they need to flee the town? Do merchants refuse to sell to them? And so on, and so forth.

Actions have consequences, good and bad. Make sure your players know that before you start, so they aren't surprised when things happen.

#3: I Seduce It!

What's a lich like you doing in a crypt like this?

 

This is one of those old jokes that, deep down, has some truth in it. Maybe it's because a player is new, and didn't get that this bardic trope is not how you're supposed to play the character. Maybe it's because your player has an inappropriate understanding of your game's boundaries, and figures what's the point in having a huge, ugh, charisma if you can't throw it around a little bit?

Whether you are willing to allow this sort of action to work in a place where it fits the game (the sorceress acting as distracting arm candy so the rogue can work the room and steal the major's dungeon key, for example) is up to you. However, if this is becoming disruptive, you should probably have a talk with the player about it.

How To Roll With It...

Aside from having that talk with your player, the other thing you should make clear is that seduction is a very personalized thing. Just because you have a high Charisma score, or a baller skill check, that doesn't mean you can get an NPC's interest. Especially if they're really not into the sort of thing you're offering (the NPC is attracted to another gender, is asexual, or simply prefers a body or personality type that a certain character doesn't fit). And in the case of some of the more ridiculous scenarios (the ones involving vampires, demons, hydras, etc.), simply make it clear that no matter how high the player rolls, that isn't going to work.

Social skills aren't mind control, and they don't allow the PCs to tug NPCs strings like puppets. If your player wants to go with a femme fatale sort of PC, or a smooth-talking secret agent, don't rain on their parade... but make sure they understand the limits of their build, the game's rules, and the tone you're going for.

#4: That's Not How That Works!

According to the errata on page 116...

 

I will fully admit that when it comes to players who read rule books from cover to cover, I am definitely one of those folks. More often than not, I'm the person the rest of the table asks about how certain mechanics work, because it's sort of my job to know those things at this point in my life. However, there's a difference between being asked how a certain thing works, and telling the DM how something works. Especially because you, as a player, don't have the entire picture from your side of the screen.

On the other hand, if you are running a game mechanic differently than it's written in the book (or ignoring an ability that a player has which can interrupt or alter what your monsters are doing), then that isn't something you want to shout-down or ignore. It can quickly erode trust in you as a DM, and it can make the players feel like the rules don't matter. Striking a balance can be difficult on this one.

How To Roll With It...

That doesn't mean it can't be done, though.

The best thing you can do in this instance is to set some ground rules for how the back-and-forth on this goes. It may even be necessary to go back to your classroom days and ask that a player with an objection or a question raise their hand, and wait for you to call on them so you aren't constantly getting interrupted by, "Actually, according to..." from the other end of the table while you're in the middle of resolving something or trying to do math.

The other thing I recommend (which has worked out very well at my tables) is to insist that before a player raises an objection that they look up the associated rule or ability first, and re-read it. This cuts out all arguments resulting from a player mis-remembering something, and often times the refresher is important. It also means they have the chapter and verse right there for you to look at when they raise their objection.

Lastly, make a ruling based on their question. Sometimes it might simply be, "Yes, according to that ability description, you should take half damage from fire. The fire from this particular salamander, though, deals you full damage." This lets them know you didn't forget or overlook a rule, but there is something at play behind the screen that they don't know about.

All rulings will stand until the end of that night's game. If it turns out you made a mistake (say the PC instantly died, but really they should have simply been knocked out), then you can work with the player to rectify it. But in the heat of the moment is not the time for an argument, and after the, "Question, relevant section of the book, ruling," steps have been taken, that's it. No more objections, no buts. That conversation will (and should) happen later, preferably between game sessions if possible.

 

For more on this approach, I'd recommend taking a look at Table Attorneys Vs. Rules Lawyers: How To Be Fair Without Bogging Down Your Game!

#5: But That's What My Character Would Do!

Yolo, scrubs!

This is, without a doubt, the most irritating thing you can hear out of someone's mouth as the DM. As I said in The Dangers of The Phrase "I'm Just Playing My Character", most players who fall back on this defense are trying to have their cake and eat it, too. They get the fun of doing something mean-spirited, selfish, stupid, or otherwise disruptive, but they want to hold it at arm's length and claim they weren't really responsible.

After all, it's what the character would do.

How To Roll With It...

No. Straight up, flat out, no.

Staying true to your character is all well and good, but you, as a player, are the one who decides their actions. You are also the one who chose to bring that character to this game. And, as with the, "my character wouldn't be interested in that," example up top, you can almost always find a reason for your character not to do whatever mean-spirited, selfish, stupid, etc. action you're about to take if you think about it.

Fiction is filled with these little moments. The Phantom shows mercy, and allows Christine to escape with Raul. Frankenstein's monster sits at the side of the creator he loves and hates, mourning his passage. Jonah Hex decides to clap a bounty in irons and haul him back to town thinking what the hell, let's try bringing someone in alive for once.

Complex characters are capable of being many things. If the character you brought to the table is solely motivated by being a jerk, causing problems, or taking the piss out of other people's fun, that's on you for choosing to play that character. And as a DM you should make it clear that players don't get to sidestep blame when they're the ones behind their character's actions.

In Closing

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you enjoyed the film, and it provides you all with the same sort of inspiration it did me!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, 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!