You have imagination. Your character has a fantastic back story, ripe for possibilites. And he’s got some pretty cool powers. Now, you’re in the game, getting ready for your character’s big moment, and…hang on. Let me flip through my book to make sure my character can do this. Hang on a second. Okay, there, I can. Can someone hand me a pencil? Hey where’d my character sheet go? Oh, there it is! How’d it get over there? Let’s see, I need eight dice…can I borrow eight dice from someone?

Nothing puts a damper on a smooth running campaign like a player who isn’t prepared. Everyone groans in frustration as Earl makes sure he has enough Pathos to cast that Castigate ability, and then gropes around the table looking for dice. Meanwhile, Bubba’s wandered off to the kitchen, so when Earl’s finally done, they still can’t continue because Bubba can’t find the cheez puffs. And then Betty Jo has to take a bathroom break...

If you’ve ever seen the web movie “SummonerGeeks” or heard the Dead Alewives’ “Dungeons and Dragons” sketch, you know exactly what I’m talking about. “Where’s the Mountain Dew?” “I wanna cast a spell!” “Roll the dice to see if I’m getting drunk!” If you identify with one or more characters in that movie, you need to get your gaming-self together and be the best PC you can be...organized and ready to concentrate on story and character. There are tons of articles on how someone can be a better Storyteller, but I’ve seen virtually none on how to be a better player. So, here are some simple tips to keep in mind next time you set off for adventure.

• Have all materials ready for play!

  If you are in a campaign, you should have, within your grasp, a pencil or two, a notepad or a few blank sheets of paper, at least 10 dice that are yours and no one else’s, a copy of your character sheet, the main book (if you have one) and any supplemental guides important to your character.

• Get comfy and convienent

  Some people don’t like gaming at a table, but the fact remains it’s the most convienent place to work from. People can spread out sheets and books, write with no problem, and roll dice with ease. However, if you like to roam around the room while playing, or you like to play in a comfy armchair, you need to be a bit choosey. Pick a spot where you can see and hear all the action. Try to sit next to a table for books and dice rolling so you don’t have to get up and walk across the room everytime a roll is needed. If that’s not possible, or you’re just lazy, bring a TV tray or something similar so you have a place to roll and write. If your group wants to compromise, bring a card table or two into the living room or bedroom where you’re playing and pull the sofas and comfy chairs around. That way, everyone is gathered around the same spot, but aren’t sitting on Aunt Myrtle’s uncomfortable dining room furniture.

• Take care of business beforehand or during breaks.

  If you are roleplaying at a gaming store or someone else’s house, try and get there about ten to fifteen minutes beforehand. Some STs will ask you to come even earlier. This is not only an opportunity to work out some last-minute details with the ST, but also make sure you’ve gone potty, you have your stuff set up, you have your drink over ice and a place scoped out for your jumbo bag of Doritos. Also remind the ST to ask every hour or two if anyone else needs a break. That way, everyone gets business taken care of at once and you’re not holding up a crucial scene because you spilled your goldfish crackers all over the counter.

• Make sure your ST has all info on you and vica versa.

  Make sure your ST has a copy of your character sheet, complete with things like your back story, merits and flaws, artifacts and allies, etc. That way, you and they won’t be passing sheets back and forth all night, and you won’t suffer from Where’s My Sheet syndrome or the dread Coke Spilled On My Sheet disorder.

  Likewise, if there’s anything you need from your ST, get in contact with them in advance. If you don’t have a rulebook, but need copies of your abilities, have him run them off for you or arrange to borrow the book to copy them yourself. Also ask the ST for anything else important you might need, like weapon charts, combat rules, or maps.

  And, remember that STs are only human, and probably has a few other players to deal with. Remember not to hog all of the ST’s time or constantly bring decisions into question. Not only does it slow the game down, but the ST may end up offing your character or ignoring something important just so the rest of the group can move on with the campaign.

• Know your character backwards and forwards.

  This one’s pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised how often it happens. Nothing slows down something more than someone who’s forgotten if they have a level one or level two ability. If you’re like that, write down your character’s most important stats (like the number of dice needed for inititive rolls, combat rolls, and perception checks, etc.) Also, make sure you understand what each and every ability does. If you have things like Arcanoi abilties that you are constantly confusing or forgetting, mark their place in the book so you can reach them quickly, write them down (including dice rolls, difficulties, etc.), or photocopy the pages so you only have to shuffle through a few sheets rather than flip through the whole book. Eventually, you won’t need these things, but keeping up with your powers along the way keeps everything moving in the long run.

• No visitors!

  This one drives several STs I know and me up the wall enough to merit mentioning it. Make sure it’s just you, your party, and your ST in the room. Don’t bring your girlfriend, your out-of-town buddy, or even people who know the game but aren’t playing. Trust me, they can derail a train of plot faster than anything else. Ones who don’t know gaming will get bored and find more distracting activities or constantly be asking, “What are you doing? Why? Can we go yet?” If you bring a non-gamer, be prepared to leave early. Gaming friends, unless they are unusually well-behaved, will annoy the hell out of you too. “What did you do that for? Did you know you could do this? Did I tell you about my character who did that thing? This system sucks!” and so on. If you bring them along, you’d better find a way for them to participate.

  The only exception to this rule would be people you are trying to get interested in the game. First, clear their visit with the ST. Perhaps the ST can lay off the main chronicle for a night and start a mini-campaign that gets the new person involved a bit. Or, the ST can help create an NPC for them to get the feel of the game. If neither is possible, be ready with something for your friend to do. Give them rulebooks marked with important chapters, so if they get bored they can learn while they wait. Or have them read along in the book as you use an Arcanoi, go through Combat, or some other seemingly complicated task. DO NOT have them create a character while you are playing, unless they are unusually perceptive or intellegent, or have played the game before. Trust me, new people creating characters will be a guarenteed source of constant interruption. Character creation is best done on a one-on-one basis with newer players.

So, don't be a SummonerGeek, or an annoying roleplayer. With these guidelines, you will not only make your ST love you (platonically) until the end of time, but they just might end all those distractions that keep you from being the best roleplayer you can be. Good luck!