DM Tales

It’s almost Christmas, parties are happening, schedules are packed, and the cacophony of sounds and lights screams, “I am over-stimulating you!” Through it all you realize you forgot to get your GM a gift (which is not a requirement, but go with me for this list)! These are some gifts you can give your GM this holiday season, and most of them are free. You don’t have to gift all of these, it’s not a checklist for a “good player,” just some thoughts on ways to make your GM’s game-time a bit more fun for them. It’s time for semi-random TTRPG thoughts.

1. Take Notes. Folks play the game in different ways, and I appreciate that. So I’m not demanding that everyone pledge to be the group’s scribe, because that’s a specific style of fun. What I am asking is that you maybe jot down an NPC’s name after having a conversation, or what town you’re in, or where you ended the last session. Just a few thoughts can help you jump back into the game when it picks up later. When I started out I was the player who thought, “Oh I’ll just remember this.” I was incorrect. Jotting down some thoughts was really helpful.
2. Learn the rules. This doesn’t mean going out and buying a bunch of books, it can be as simple as looking up a YouTube video explaining how the system works. You don’t have to become an expert on the system overnight, but demonstrating that you’re interested in how the system works is a great gift for your GM because it takes some of the burden off their shoulders.
3. Be curious. If a GM describes something in a room or a town, ask questions. Wonder what’s going on in the world around your PCs. If you want to go somewhere, or look for someone, that’s not been described ask about it! A player’s curiosity makes them part of the world-building, which is what makes sessions amazing.
4. Say, “Thank you.” This is the only item on the list that everyone really should gift. A GM puts in time to make an adventure fun for folks. Sometimes they hit, sometimes they might miss the mark, but it’s good to acknowledge their hospitality. This is a good practice for life, not just for TTRPGs. 
5. Stay connected. Folks are all over the map when it comes to digital communication, but if there’s a group-chat, discord, or email list you use to schedule sessions make sure you check on it a couple of times a week. I find private back-channels where players share stories makes the game feel more special. And the more folks chat it becomes more likely that people will become aware of what makes their fellow players tick. It can be a boon for the table, which makes the GM’s life much easier.
6. Buy a book. Again, there are players who just enjoy the social aspect of the game, so owning the books doesn’t interest them. But if you are interested in the finer details of the game you’re playing buying your own copy of the rules is another way to invest yourself in the campaign. Your GM will appreciate this! Until you try to rules-lawyer them, that is, but that’s a risk I think most GMs are willing to take.
7. Embrace the danger. If your party enters into a high danger situation, either by deliberate action or by bumbling into it (let’s be honest your party bumbled into it), appreciate the stakes and the drama it invokes. It’ll help the GM to keep their energy up in high-stakes moments and that’s good for everyone.
8. Steer into failures. If you fail at a task dive into it! If you get caught sneaking explain how your character reacts, if you miss a swing offer up how it got blocked, if you attempted something amazing and fell on your face share how your character reacts. When players do this it helps build the narrative, and gives the GM something fun to work with as the encounter progresses.
9. Don’t ask, “Can I…[use a specific skill]?” Say something like, “My character is interested in…[some aspect of the world]…and goes to check it out.” If it’s appropriate, the GM will call for a roll on a skill or specific proficiency. Many times they may just tell you how much time it’ll take and tell you what you find, no roll needed. When you describe what your character is doing in a specific way, it helps build immersion and it makes the GM’s job a lot easier.
10. Pay attention. This one’s particularly for online groups. We all like to multi-task, I get it. I like to multi-task, as a way to bleed off nervous energy when I’m waiting for other players to go (it also helps keep me stay awake if I’m sleepy), so I understand. But don’t multi-task in a way that you just aren’t there. There are few things as frustrating to a GM than to have to grind a moment to a halt because a player checked out for a while and comes back confused.