Natural 7

Show You Care

This is some very brief, but very important, advice that applies to not just playing tabletop roleplaying games with your friends, but also to presenting yourself in a way that makes others want to work or hang out with you.

Showing that you care about a hobby/person/place/thing can mean a lot of things, so I'm going to frame this specifically around playing tabletop roleplaying games with other people. There are different ways of showing that you care for other experiences. These are the ones that I think are the most important in TTRPGs.

Let's go through these in more detail.

Asking Questions

This shows curiosity. You want to learn more about the situation so that you can make informed, logical, or funny decisions for your character.

If you're confused: ask questions. Sometimes the rest of the party will have the same questions as you! This helps the GM know what descriptions/ideas/themes are coming across well vs. could be better presented.

When a player asks a question, it means they have stakes in the outcome. They want to understand why something is here, how something works, what they can do with the information.

Showing that you care about understanding the game and how you can interact with it is important at the table.

Having an Opinion

This shows investment. You have goals and care about how you achieve them.

If the group is presented with options, you first need to make your own decision about which option you'd prefer, then present that decision to the group on your own or when asked. This tells the other players that you care what happens within the game world, that you are actively thinking about the situation, and that you want a certain outcome from the adventure. The GM learns more about your character through the goals they seek.

When a player expresses an opinion, it (again) means they have stakes in the outcome of a situation. They want to achieve something, avoid something else, or show something about how their character interacts with the world.

Showing that you care about the different situations which arise in the game world is important at the table.

Active Participation

Not everyone likes the spotlight, nor will everyone enjoy speaking up in the game. I don't believe this is sustainable at the table where a group conversation is important to develop the game.

Active participation shows a desire to play. You want to progress the narrative, combat, or puzzle in a meaningful way. You aren't waiting for someone else to write the entire story. You want your share of the prize.

If there is a question presented to the group by another player or the GM: do your best to throw an answer into the mix. If you have an opinion about the question, it should be easy to develop an answer. You don't have to be the first to talk. You can wait for someone to ask you. Don't hold the group down if they're all waiting on a group agreement; give an answer and explain why you think the way you do.

Showing that you care about participating in the game is important at the table, especially online tables.

Final Thoughts

These are three simple ways to show that you care about playing a tabletop roleplaying game with your friends. These are separate from showing that you care about spending time with your friends or playing (any type of) game with your friends. They are specifically about playing the games where you roleplay and talk and make decisions and have opinions and speak to one another.

Showing that you care about anything is a skill that can take time to develop. Showing that you care can help in a wide variety of situations outside of tabletop roleplaying games. Showing that you care is important to the people around you. Showing that you care should be important to you too.

From me, to you. Have a monumental week.

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