Post/Author/DateTime	Post
corcio 01-10-06, 03:33 PM	Ok well heres the story i about to join a new group. i need some ettiquete on this situation questions i should ask. things i should be aware of etc.
Dead_Karma 01-11-06, 07:54 PM	clean up after yourself, find out about any house rules (that way if you don't like them no ones time was wasted), snack policy, as in bring your own, or chip in for them. be nice of course, i'm sure that there are others out there, but can't think of them right now. course i'm sure that there will be others that have their own ideas and opinions on acceptable behavior.
Herald@Large 01-11-06, 08:04 PM	1. Arrive on time, or a little early. If you know you're going to be late, let the DM know ahead of time, and do your best to get there as soon as you can. 2. Bring dice, a pencil, scratch paper, your PHB and a blank character sheet. If you don't have a blank character sheet, let the DM know ahead of time that you'll need one. Also, bring your own munchies and drinks. 3. If you have a cellphone, turn it off or to "vibrate". Don't take calls during the game, especially during combat, unless it is an emergency. 4. Ask the DM what method he/she uses for character creation (point buy or dice roll?) Also ask what level your character is starting at. Also ask if the Dm requires you to roll up your character while he/she watches. Also ask what setting the campaign is in (city, desert, forest, Forgotten Realms, Eberron, whatever) 5. Ask the DM what races or classes or alignments he/she allows or prohibits. (No drow, no samurai, no evil characters, whatever) 6. Ask the DM if he/she has any house rules, and what they are. 7. Stick to what the DM says on #4, 5 and 6! 8. Most important -- HAVE FUN!
bob_the_great 01-11-06, 11:35 PM	show up with a kfc variety bucket. you could be stalin and i'd invite you back
ConfoundedReptile 01-12-06, 02:26 AM	dont expect to get much gaming done the first day. the first session in my experience has been mostly creating characters and getting to know the other people. but yeah, bring your phb cuz there never seems to be enough when everyone's looking up feats and armor weight. also dice, unless the dm (like most dms) has a 10-lb bag of dice already.
Kitfox 01-19-06, 02:43 AM	to add onto Herald's and the others points: Shower, shave and comb your hair before the game. Add a touch of deodorant and bring it with you to the game in case you need to reapply. Brush your teeth and buy a pack of minties or equivalent candy to keep you fresh. Dress adequately/appropriately. Dont come in your undies. Bring backup clothes in case the weather looks like its going to change. Dont expect the venue to have a heater. Bring a spare shirt in case you sweat alot and arrive sweaty at the venue before the game. I know these are basic things but in the rush to get to the game ontime and all the stress you may put yourself through about your character and the game it is very easy to overlook the "first impression". When you arrive at the game make an effort to shake everyone's hand and get to know their names. Even the most timid of people should muster this minimum effort. With all this done find a comfortable seat and let the game begin. I'm sure I may have missed something. But yea thats my 2 cents. --edit-- Yep I knew i did. I was gonna tell you a trick about the deodorant I have used on many occasions. Sometimes you may wreak on sweat because its a hot day and the venue does not have an air conditioning or a fan. Maybe its not you but somone else. Regardless of where the smell is coming from, once you notice it DO NOT IGNORE it. Simply undermine yourself jokinly and drop the guards of everyone else. The way I do it is by similar phrases to this one "Damn..Sorry guys I tend to sweat alot so I'm just gonna make myself less smelly in a sec." Grab the deodorant and spray yourself (even if u dont smell at all). Then just offer to anyone if they want to use it. At this point some ppl may but most people will reject your offer. So follow through with something like "well, ill leave it --insert location within easy reach and not interfering with gaming. Visible though--, help yourself as if it was candy. Make sure you say this jokinly throughout and not come out as serious cause it will send the wrong signal. Also this deodorant should be something cheap. Something u can pick up ina $2 store or something not your favourite 100 bucks a bottle stuff.
konrad_the_tall 01-19-06, 04:22 AM	Dress adequately/appropriately. Dont come in your undies. --edit-- Yep I knew i did. I was gonna tell you a trick about the deodorant I have used on many occasions. Sometimes you may wreak on sweat because its a hot day and the venue does not have an air conditioning or a fan. Maybe its not you but somone else. Regardless of where the smell is coming from, once you notice it DO NOT IGNORE it. Simply undermine yourself jokinly and drop the guards of everyone else. The way I do it is by similar phrases to this one "Damn..Sorry guys I tend to sweat alot so I'm just gonna make myself less smelly in a sec." Grab the deodorant and spray yourself (even if u dont smell at all). Then just offer to anyone if they want to use it. At this point some ppl may but most people will reject your offer. So follow through with something like "well, ill leave it --insert location within easy reach and not interfering with gaming. Visible though--, help yourself as if it was candy. Make sure you say this jokinly throughout and not come out as serious cause it will send the wrong signal. Also this deodorant should be something cheap. Something u can pick up ina $2 store or something not your favourite 100 bucks a bottle stuff. A) So THATS why I haven't been invited back to any games. DON'T come in my underwear! Thanks for clearing that up for me. B) If somone offerd me deoderent at a gaming table with a smile on his face, while he changes into his "back up" clothes I'd find that pretty darn creepy. No offense ment.
Kitfox 01-19-06, 04:32 AM	A) So THATS why I haven't been invited back to any games. DON'T come in my underwear! Thanks for clearing that up for me. B) If somone offerd me deoderent at a gaming table with a smile on his face, while he changes into his "back up" clothes I'd find that pretty darn creepy. No offense ment. none taken. most venues should have the basic amenities so that where most people would change and or apply deodorant :) as for the undies. I went to a university club/session run by some guys from my uni and they played shadowrun. Alot of these people live on campus in dorms and nearby apartments. I had to travel 2 hours to get there. So I got dressed properly for uni and participated in the games fully clothed. Few guys who lived 2 minute walk from the room where we had the session decided to come to uni in singlet, slippers and nothing more than those colorfull boxer shorts. Sitting across one of these people is a disturbing sight especialy when you have to communicate with the said person. I never gamed with them ever again. I dont know seeing someone's private parts across the room by accident every time you try to talk to him is just a bit too much for me to handle. :)
Dag 01-19-06, 04:33 AM	- Find out from a person you know in the group if there are any topics you should steer clear of - When I was younger there was once a new player who made a bunch of your momma so fat jokes; then 20 minutes later the host's mother came in with snacks and she was a bit heavy. I felt like quite an ass. - I've also run into (and this time I was not the guilty party) a new player making gay jokes and one of our players was openly gay. So if you know anyone in the group you are joining ask about any topics to avoid. - Do not hit on the girls in the group until you know they are single. I thought I was charming the socks off a girl once and went home feeling pretty fine about my chances. The next night I met a few of the guys from the game at a bar. When one of them commented on his wife I said, "Oh, I didn't know you were married," and of course he replied "I didn't think you did or I would have been ****** off by how you were hitting on my wife last night." Ooops! Everything else seems to be covered. I like the variety bucket from KFC idea lol. You can sit next to me Mr. Stalin.
konrad_the_tall 01-19-06, 10:57 AM	Hey! I've just realised! My avater looks just like Stalin!
MageofMyth 01-19-06, 01:34 PM	I would advise playing conservatively, at least for the first few sessions. This is the time that your reputation as a player is established. If you bring up a lot of rules then you will be known as the rules-lawyer, from then on. I would also recommend not playing that cool concept character, just yet. Play something from the PHB, in both class and race. Play the other character after you have gotten to know the group better.
kraegor 01-19-06, 03:43 PM	Also one of the key things NOT to do: Make sure you play a simple character, simple class. In a new group I made the mistake of asking if I could be a Goliath Barbarian using a Goliath Greathammer and jokingly made the remark if I could have the feral template that would rock to. From that day on, WHENEVER I said anything about anything, or gave a suggestion, they called me a powergamer. (Which i am not). Gave me a bad label, I played with them for a few weeks, got sick of it and left.
Serrin 01-19-06, 09:37 PM	Keep your head down, pay as much attention to the other players as you do to the DM, be yourself, unless yourself has poor hygiene. Try to come up with novel, creative ways to play. Vampire who sleeps at the bottom of a well? Pour holy water down it. Or holy fire. Anything other than climbing down and getting jumped by it. Of course, make sure you understand the difference between creative ideas and stupid ideas. Try to get a reputation as a rational, creative, cooperative player. This is one of the best kinds to have. The other kind is to be the really outgoing, funny, off-the-wall guy. But if you were one of those guys, you wouldn't be worrying about how to act and asking these questions.
Dankind 01-24-06, 01:10 AM	I had a guy in my group who played in his underwear once....that was not a pretty site - literally.
Bladenite78 01-24-06, 01:20 AM	All of this is good advice. I wish that I had some of this information before i got into my last group :(
Tytalus 01-24-06, 01:51 AM	My personal advice (aside from the common-sense bathe/brush/deodorize hygenic suggestions) is to choose a character concept that does not hog the sportlight. At least not at first. Rather play a character that helps other to shine. Bards are good as that, as are buffing-oriented spellcasters in general. Things that get you a postive first impression: clever ideas, memorable PC concepts, good roleplaying, lucky rolls (can't do much about this), and to a lesser extent fairness and a 'for-the-group' attitude. Bad impressions can be caused by: mechanically complex and effective character concepts (i.e., many classes, strange feats/equipment--> munchkin/powergamer), aggressive referral to rules (--> rule-lawyer), aggressive looting/treasure claiming (--> greedy/antisocial), hogging the sportlight. From that day on, WHENEVER I said anything about anything, or gave a suggestion, they called me a powergamer. (Which i am not). Gave me a bad label, I played with them for a few weeks, got sick of it and left.