this post was submitted on 12 May 2024
41 points (90.2% liked)
rpg
3150 readers
50 users here now
This community is for meaningful discussions of tabletop/pen & paper RPGs
Rules (wip):
- Do not distribute pirate content
- Do not incite arguments/flamewars/gatekeeping.
- Do not submit video game content unless the game is based on a tabletop RPG property and is newsworthy.
- Image and video links MUST be TTRPG related and should be shared as self posts/text with context or discussion unless they fall under our specific case rules.
- Do not submit posts looking for players, groups or games.
- Do not advertise for livestreams
- Limit Self-promotions. Active members may promote their own content once per week. Crowdfunding posts are limited to one announcement and one reminder across all users.
- Comment respectfully. Refrain from personal attacks and discriminatory (racist, homophobic, transphobic, etc.) comments. Comments deemed abusive may be removed by moderators.
- No Zak S content.
- Off-Topic: Book trade, Boardgames, wargames, video games are generally off-topic.
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
If he is in a group of like minded people, then all the power to them.
We have played with people like this in the past, it can get really old really fast. We constantly had to remind them what to roll, what skills / feats / abilities they had, etc. Sometimes there would be a side bar for a character or two for a quick 15-20-minutes. After the PC(s) involved would finish their actions, the player not invested would add what they want to do and we would remind them that they didn't go. Same thing as above, they were not on their phone or having side conversations. They were just a backseat passenger in their own mind when it came to the game.
We are far from a hardcore group. We regularly interrupt the session for other conversations, it is almost always parallel to a beer share so there is lots of distractions. Even then, the bare minimum for play is at least wanting to participate. The above post is the kind of play I need to do when hand holding my 5-year old along. They are just social loafing and want the "fun parts" (to them) to them at the rest of the tables expense.
And that is the important part! If everyone's having fun. If someone feels it's at their expense clearly it needs to change.
I think I'm interpreting the original Reddit thread poster as saying they like 5E instead of other games because they already know the rules. So they wouldn't be slowing down the table with not knowing the rules (stuff like what to roll) like you describe. If they tried a new game they'd have to put effort into learning new rules—which for some involves focusing on others' turns play out, because learning by example instead of just reading the rules is pretty helpful. In other words, I am thinking they are saying "with 5e I know it well enough to check out and not be disruptive, with other systems I have to actually pay attention and learn before I can hit 'non-disruptive without 100% focus' status".
I think there's a difference between the level of checked out you describe and what I'm taking away from this post. I do hope that poster knows their character sheet and isn't causing disruptions like the kind you described in your reply because I don't think most people find that fun, regardless of how casual the level of play at the table is. Past tense in your reply suggests these people who caused disruptions no longer play with you, so that's good.