Not every RPG party is a precision built, totally mechanically cohesive team. Our lives are busy, and a character creation session is time that could be spent actually playing. For gamers with jobs, kids, classes, or commutes it is often more convenient to make your characters and bring them to the first session ready to play. It can also be a lot more fun to discover who everybody is in that first scene, and you start setting up combat formation and marching order for the party as soon as you hear the class names.
After that first scene, the adventures begin. But do you remember to take the time to look at your relationship with the party? Beyond the party roles, which are clear and easy to guess. The party knows who to put in the spotlight when a bunch of zombies show up.
Image may be NSFW.
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Where is each person’s gaming joy? That’s the glue that keeps the group together.
I think that the more fun you’re having, the more in-game risks you’ll take. The more you’ll roleplay, act out, and respond. And I think those positive experiences and that responsiveness are what builds a team. You’re happy to be together, you pay attention to each other, and you serve up awesome game experiences for each other. That glue keeps a game rolling.
Sure, the paladins want to save the righteous and the rogues want to steal. But there will be times in game where you can see another player get that look on their face that says “THIS is D&D. This is why I play.”
And it might be totally outside of their party role and personality. Chances are it’ll be something someone else is doing. And I think that thought, that look and that appreciation are the addictive quality that good gameplay experiences tap into. There is nothing I enjoy more in life than watching other people have a complete blast at whatever they’re doing.
Take a moment to look for the signs of gaming joy in your DM and your fellow players, and then set them up for it. That’s the glue.
My previous post about my mom’s pathfinder experience is an example of me thinking I knew what would be her gaming joy… and being so completely wrong that my adventure was torn to shreds. But that didn’t matter – what mattered was that she lit up when she scored a critical hit. That critical hit was what showed her why I love these games so damn much.
Everyone has something that makes them feel strong, heroic or awesome. Appreciate that about them, and try to give them that experience. Even if it makes no goddamn sense to you why it would be any fun ever, you get to watch them have fun and know you were part of it.
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