4 of 10

Write now Article Tools

If you dont know anything about role playing games, or if you are a seasoned gamer, there are certain things you should to do in order to make the game as enjoyable as possible.

First, we have choosing your players. Its best to play with good friends, but this is not always possible. Sometimes you have to include people whom you may not know too well. Nothing kills a gaming session faster than a bad player. A bad player is either a power player, someone who plays strictly to become better and more powerful, or a rules lawyer, someone who quotes rules and technicalities while ignoring that the purpose of table top gaming is to be able to make your own rules and your own game. Avoiding these types of players will make your games go much more smoothly. Generally people with good imaginations and easy going personalities are good gamers.

Next, we have the gamemaster. The guy running the show. The gamemaster should be careful to steer his players through the world, but not control them. The great thing about role playing games is the unpredictability of it. Let the players make mistakes. Let the players die. Let the players go the wrong way, do the wrong thing, accuse the wrong guy. That is what makes the game fun. Do not be afraid to let your players win or lose, become heroes or villains. Let them control the story.

Finally, comes how to play your character. Remember this is your character, so play him/her how you want. Be consistent with your character's personality and actions. Its ok for the character to change, if there is a reason and its done slowly over time. Have fun with your character and dont be afraid of doing something stupid, saying something stupid, or failing. Some of the best gaming moments come when a character does everyone knows is a bad idea. From taking a nice shiny cloak out of a 1,000 year old chest in a dark, dank dungeon and deciding to just go ahead and put it on, to deciding to try to jump from the side of the cliff into the moving plane on your motorcycle, to hitting on your King's wife when he is in the other room, these things make great stories and add to the fun. Dont play it like you would a video game, play your character like it was a character in a movie you are directing.

Thats the basics, the rest is just knowing the rules and choosing a game.

Learn more about this author, Devin Savarel.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Guide to role playing games?
We want to hear your view. Write now!