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lrt: a thread on player etiquette from a player who loves to fuck shit up for their DMs
understand the type of game your DM is trying to run. understand the rules of their world. don't double down on something just because you want to do a cool thing. if they tell you something doesn't exist or doesn't work in their world, that's that
talk to your DM outside of games! respect their time and energy, but a lot of the time DMs really love talking about things at times when they're not playing
also, talk to the other people you're playing with. get to know them, not just their characters. build relationships with them out of game. it will make the game better
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE always give your DM a backstory for your character. this helps them to situate your character within their world and whatever plots they may or may not have planned
be aware of how much session time you're using for things that don't involve the other players. i'm guilty of this. if there is a way to involve the other players, do that. yes, individual character development is important, but this is not only about you
it's the DM's story as much as it is yours. they've planned things and while it's completely okay to go off script, do keep in mind that the more you do that, the more work you're making for them
(within reason) don't interrupt the DM. we get it, things happen, but there is no reason to be interrupting them more than 2-3 times per session, if that
during play time, i find it helpful to spend as much of that time as i can *inside* the headspace of my character. it helps me focus and reduces the likelihood of me distracting or disturbing the other players and the DM
if you're playing online/via video chat (as almost all of us are currently) and if the party is split and your character isn't in the current scene, mute your microphone, please
if you're going to do something in-game that you haven't discussed with the DM, make sure it isn't a potential trigger for them. know their triggers. know their boundaries and do not ever cross them
TELL YOUR DM YOU APPRECIATE THEM
tell your fellow players you appreciate them too!
this feels super obvious but i think it needs to be said anyway: the people you play with are real people with feelings and lives that impact what they bring to the table. this includes your DM. just remember that
when creating a character, be aware of the contexts in which you're doing that. i'm not saying don't create the character you want, i'm saying ttrpgs don't exist in a vacuum and your actions have consequences
