What Kind of Player Are You

[TheOOB]

Out of curiosity, I was wondering what kinds of players we have here at the playground, so I figured I asked. Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering(http://www.sjgames.com/robinslaws/) is a great guide on how to GM. The book separates players into 7 broad types based on what kinds of things they are looking for in their RPGs. Each player, as a general rule, fits into one of these archetypes(along with having elements of others), and it's useful to know the archetype when planning the game.

Anyways, the archetypes are(and keep in mind this is a little simplified:

Power Gamer: These players want to feel strong and superior. They like the feeling of strength and power, and tend to enjoy both exercising their power, and gaining more power.

Butt-Kickers: These players want to fight, and possible kill stuff. Perhaps the simplest archetype.

Tactician: These players want to feel smart. They want to find unique or clever solutions to problems, and tend to not mind if things are a little anti-climatic if they found an ingenious way to solve an encounter.

Method Action: These players want to act. To want to express emotion and drama through their character.

Storytellers: These players want to tell a good story, and like a strong plot with a strong climax.

Specialist: These players want to play a specific type of character, and tend to always play that type of character(be as simple as daring rouge, or as complex as a green haired maiden who can talk to trees and has a limp).

Casual Gamer: These players just want to hand out with friends, and generally don't want to learn a ton of rules, make tough decisions, or have the spotlight on their character.

So anyways, using those broad categories, what kind fits you best, what other types also are part of your play style. Are there any types that don't seem to jive well with your play style.

I'll start:

Primary Type: Tactician
Secondary Type(s): Storyteller, Specialist(Spellcaster and/or social/mental manipulation)
Doesn't Play Well With: Method Actors

[Wraith]

Primary type: Tactician

(My GM doesn't even bother setting riddles in his games any more; either I know it already, or I *will* find a plausible solution that isn't technically the right answer, 'but'. )

Secondary type: Story-teller, Specialist

Doesn't play well with: Power Gamer.

(Nothing bitter against them, but I like to be creative and have a plan. 'I kill it in one hit' can make life so dull! )

[Doorhandle]

Butt-kicker by default. Default action is "I punch him!"

Secondary: Ethier power-gamer or loony. I do like building characters, even if I'm not great at it, and i would really enjoy doing half the insane stuff on the RPG stories thread.

Does not get along with: method actors. I'm happy for you, and I will let you finish but I'm REALLY bad at role playing.

[Phoenixguard09]

Primary Type: Storyteller

(I don't get to actually play a lot because I'm pretty much always called upon to GM. When I do though, I figure there's no use getting annoyed if the dice prevent me from succeeding so I'd better enjoy the story I'm telling. This position is reinforced by the fact that I consistently roll pathetically.)

Secondary Type(s): Tactician / Casual Gamer

(So I can contribute without having to rely on luck and it's such a rare occurance so I don't want to get hung up on rules and such. I just want to have a bit of fun.)

Doesn't Play Well With: Uh, Butt-kickers I guess. They tend to put me, and the group as a whole in situations we don't really want to get into.

[Jay R]

Simulationist. My goal is to create and react with a self-consistent world, playing a character who is a part of that world, trying to make his life in it.

Unfortunately for your characterization categories, that's 100% story-teller, 100% method actor, 100% tactician, and 100% power gamer, as well as butt-kicker and specialist when that fits the character.

[Incom]

Is it good or bad that I can relate to every one of those archetypes?

[Dienekes]

I have to say when I do play instead of GM I tend toward Tactician, Storyteller, and Specialist. With method actor a step behind.

Tactician: I enjoy planning out fights, and figuring things out so our group wins faster and easier than they normally would.
Storyteller: I GM, a lot. As such I know how much work goes into it. If I respect the GM I will try to make sure my characters actions will not interrupt the story too much.
Specialist: I enjoy non-magical characters, mostly martial but not necessarily. I just like the notion that my characters became bad asses through their own hard work, not because they happened to be born with the ability to cast magic.
Method Actor: Because I enjoy acting, I did it in High School and making a fun, engaging character is most of the fun of the game. However, when my base character gets in the way of the story I tend to let the Storyteller side win, unless the GM is off his rocker.

[lady_arrogance]

Primary type: Method Action (I love drama, and good session can be one without single die throw.)

Secondary types: Storyteller, Specialist (either young and naive fightertype [often religious], or something rogue-ish with lots of charisma and way to get trouble by talking either too much or to wrong persons.)

Doesn't Play Well With: Butt-kickers (as they want to "kill it" and I'd like to roleplay with it...)

[Grail]

It all comes down to the character that I'm playing.

However, it would probably always be: Storyteller + Method Action
Secondary: Butt-Kickers (Varysh in my sig), Tactician (Ember in my sig), Specialist (Niassa in my sig).
Doesn't get along with: Power Gamer.... never have, never will.

[SowZ]

I used to be the loony, but it really depends.

In WoD or more narrative games, I am a storyteller/method actor. I will plan out dramatic sequences sometimes sessions in advance if I know my character is planning something elaborate and will confer with the DM on what works dramatically and I will always talk in character, (no, He says this,) and try and feel his emotions.

But in a group of hack and slashers, I am a tactician/power gamer. My roleplaying is present and I try and have a character but I care most about a really cool build and try and make plans to kill things above my CR and feel accomplished when I do.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Primary: None
Secondary: Butt-Kicker, Power Gamer, Method Actor (I like to play Solar and Infernal beatsticks with good social skills)
Can't stand: Casual Gamer (look, if you really want to spend time with us, we can play Poker. Or Small World. Or Settlers of Catan. But TTRPGs are something I take very seriously)

[Tengu_temp]

Primary type: Storyteller
Secondary types: Power Gamer, Method Actor
Doesn't play well with: Butt-Kickers, Casual Gamers

I consider the Specialist my opposite, but I don't mind (too much) when other players do that.

[WarKitty]

Primary: Tactician
Secondary: Storyteller
Doesn't play well with: Butt-kicker, loony (both of them tend to disrupt tactics, and the loony tends to ruin dramatic moments)

[Malimar]

Simulationist. My goal is to create and react with a self-consistent world, playing a character who is a part of that world, trying to make his life in it.

Unfortunately for your characterization categories, that's 100% story-teller, 100% method actor, 100% tactician, and 100% power gamer, as well as butt-kicker and specialist when that fits the character.

Subtract the 100% power gamer, and this is just about exactly what I was going to say.

[Togath]

Primary; Butt-Kicker
secondary: Tactician
Doesn't play well with; Method Actors(I dont enjoy talking to nameless merchant #768, nameless merchant # 769, and nameless merchant # 770 just to get between parts of the town the party grew up in[though that mostly just applies to method actor GMs, though i did once end up in a group with msotly method actors/incorrect rules lawers, though i didn't stay in it for long], I'm also not very good at roleplaying)

[Terraoblivion]

Primary: Storyteller
Secondary: Method Actor
Doesn't play well with: Tacticians and Casual Gamers. Long planning sessions and obsessive focus on minutiae just get so dull and rarely does much to really help the plot. On the other hand just sitting around to hang out with people tend to lead to rather tepid characters who detract from the story through their simple presence.

[gomanfox]

Primary: ????
I don't really relate to any of those as a primary. =/ I guess the closest would be Storyteller but I'm usually less interested with being a strong, active part of the story and more interested in watching it develop.

My favorite thing to do in a game is to learn about the world/setting and take as many notes about it as I can. My characters are just the tools I use to do that (which is why many of my characters are knowledge-seekers of some sort).

Secondary: Butt-kicker
I don't like simple "here's a dungeon, kill all the things, get all the loots" games, but I enjoy combat.

Doesn't Play Well With: Casual Gamers
I can appreciate that people want to hang out with their friends and have fun... but when we all put time aside to do a specific thing (play a game) I'd like to stay focused on that instead of getting distracted with whatever is fun. When we have 8-hour game sessions, and I feel only 4 hours was spent in-character, focused on the game, there is a huge problem. >.<

[Rodimal]

Primary: Storyteller
Secondary: Tactician or Method Actor, it depend on the game
Can't stand to play with:
Butt-Kicker and Casual Gamer. I love the roleplaying aspect of RPGs and can't stand playing with people who treat it like they are playing a damned video game or can't stay on track and in character because they think their ooc stuff is more important than the game. Butt-kicker, If you wanna play a first person shooter or WoW stay the hell home and do so and stop ruining it for everybody else! Casual gamer, if you wanna talk about the latest movie you saw, or what happened to you this week, or just hang out, or whatever, DO IT ANOTHER FRELLING DAY, NOT ON GAME NIGHT!


out

[navar100]

Primary: Power Gamer

I want my character to be the best he could be. I want him to do cool stuff and have interesting decisions of options.

Secondary: Story Teller

I like to be involved in the gameworld. I want my character's actions to matter. NPCs take notice of him. I play the game to talk as well as fight.

Doesn't Play Well With: Casual Gamer

I like hanging out with my friends, sure, but I want to play the game already with them. I don't mind the occasional joke or anecdote about your day, but I don't want the game put on hold for 15-20 minutes so you can give your real life's story of the day, smoke, or talk about some movie you saw. Lunch time, talk all you want. Game time, let's play.

[Eldan]

Tactician/Storyteller, and I'm not quite sure which one more. I certainly like a good story. When it comes to battles, I don't like the actual fighting. I like using an ability in a smart way (or what seems smart to me at the time). The motivations for fighting and planning the fight are exciting. The actual hacking and slashing? Bores me.

[Slipperychicken]

Primary: Tactician

Secondary: Butt-Kicker, with interest in a meaningful story. I roleplay very smart/cautious people and have low Charisma IRL, so this is occasionally mistaken for power-gaming.

Does not Play Well With: Power Gamers (I don't care how OMG RIGGED your character is! Just shut up already!), people who constantly whine about roleplaying (I can appreciate numbers and story at the same time, thank you!), and people who need to loudly recalculate every damn number on their character sheet whenever anything happens (just write it on your sheet!).

[Dark Elf Bard]

I Am A: Method Actor.

Doesn't Play well with: Tactitians. They're almost like Power Gamers in the optimization sense.

[Gorgon_Heap]

I think I'm with Terraoblivion.

Storyteller/method actor. I hate letting crunchy details and indifferent players flatten a mood.

Some years ago, while discussing another PC's death in character, I literally brought myself to tears. Yeah. I method.

[valadil]

Primary - Tactician
Secondary - Storyteller/Method Actor (I'm somewhere in between. I like expressing a character, but only in the context of a story. Taking a break from a story to chat up a barmaid is pointless IMO.)

Doesn't play well with - Butt-kicker, specialist. (I can deal with games that are only about tactical combat, but IMO the difference between the tactical power gamers and the butt kickers, is that the butt kickers are only interested in winning a fight. They have no interest in a difficult fight or a situation they don't know how to deal with. I'm bothered by specialists for the same reason. Both groups just want to do the same thing over and over, whereas I want to solve new problems.)

[Averis Vol]

Primary Type: Power gamer. I don't want to just describe my character being one of the worlds greatest warrior, commander of the Warriors of Dawnhall and a ruthless diplomat. I want to actually be able to do those things. D&D is two parts character stats, one part role playing and one part each of the above mentioned types. It is a game for those who can both build characters and have them actually do the things they say they can do.

You want to be a world class archer who can pick off a copper coin at 150 yards. sure you can describe how your eyes narrow as you draw your bow, how you take in your breath in the same fluid motion you draw the bow string to your ear and how the world slows as you measure time by the beat of your heart and you let that arrow fly. But if you cant hit that diminutive AC with 5 range penalties you really arent a good archer, your some guy who could probably write a book. So your ranger may be able to look dramatic, but my Paladin\cleric\ordained champion\shiba protector will be the one who actually hits the mark. And hard.

Secondary: Tactician,Storyteller,butt-kicker. I know a few of the fundamental truths of dnd. you need to be prepared, like the real world dnd can be unforgiving with dragons and mages flying around. You need to be able to defend yourself, yes, that guy is probably out to get you if the DM took the time to describe him in full. And you wouldn't legitimately survive as an adventurer without at least a 14 con score. period. I like to play cunning characters because it helps me avoid re rolling, and I like being able to stomp the guy who insulted me into the ground like he were no more then a fly is to an open fire, and lastly I want my character to be remembered as the hero\villain he is amongst the collective annals of time.

Doesn't play well with: Method actors, casual gamers, occasionally story tellers. I play with one guy who thinks hes the king of all roleplayers and will avidly try to describe a diplomacy attempt and expect his character to get away with anything without rolling. He, for lack of kinder words is a pain in my ass; he also constantly flakes and likes to distract from the game. we hang out for generally the whole weekend after we play, if you want to show us the latest cat video (which is admittedly D'awww worthy) you can do so in the next 56 hours when we aren't trying to stop this lich from destroying the kingdom.

My philosophy boils down to you better be able to back up everything you say your character can do. I'm a relaxed DM but I wont let you weasel out of a check no matter how hard you try, or if you knock up the barmaid, expect papa barkeep to come knockin' on your door with his great club. Also, as a PC, just because I can carry your dead weight if i waste all my resources, Doesn't man i should have to. the games a team effort.

[Tvtyrant]

Hmmm, I would say that I fall most deeply into the Power Gamer and Storyteller areas, with Method Actor as the third. I like to fiddle with the rules and make mechanically strong or interesting characters, but I'm primarily playing the game to roleplay that character. If there is anything that irks me in a game, it is the people who play flat characters who act as mechanical means to a mechanical end.

[Wyntonian]

Primarily: Storyteller, all day erry day. It's in my blood, and as fun as writing alone is, when compared to telling a story alongside others it's like.... Well, I'm sure my fellow storytellers can think of a metaphor, as my best one isn't forum-safe.

Secondary: Power-gamer. I find character creation, both the mechanical and fluff sides, to be a game of themselves, and I love book-diving and comparing ideas with friends on the forums and elsewhere. I also enjoy having a character that can mechanically fit the fluff I've spun for him or her.

Tertiary: Casual Gamer. I know, that totally goes against what I just said, but there's an explanation. I am pretty loose about refluffing and such, like making a frenzied berserker being a focused martial artist who loses themselves in zen badassery.

I follow the "If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?" school of refluffing. That is, if the change doesn't actually make an mechanical impact, even if it could hypothetically, it doesn't matter. When I compare this to some other people's views, I seem to be in the minority.

[talonhawk01]

Primary: Power Gamer
I have a tendency to make characters that overshadow the rest of the party.

Secondary: Butt-Kicker, Specialist
And they tend to so by killing anything in the area and having tricks to get around anything that causes problems.

Doesn't play well with: None
I actually really enjoy playing with people who have different styles. Some of it rubs off and encourages me to try to roleplay more or help move the story along and make it interesting (which I'm learning that it sometimes means not using my stupid tricks to get around a central obstacle).

If I had to pick, it would be Power Gamer or Casual Gamer. Power gamer is hypocritical, but I don't want to compete for the 'omg, most broken character' spot. Casual gamers can get under my skin, but it's usually when they don't bother to learn the what the different dice are after playing for over a year and use the excuse 'we switched from 4th edition to 3.5 edition and then to Pathfinder' for not knowing the dice. -facepalm-

[Zazax]

Primary type: Storyteller. Oh so much. I sometimes annoy my DM by consistently creating multi-page backstories for my characters, especially when compared to the couple of lines most of the other players do.

Secondary types: Tactician, and I have very recently (my most recent campaign) started picking up and enjoying Method Action.

I play nice with most of the types listed there (although Butt-Kickers, if they are extremely gung-ho, irk me somewhat), although I imagine Casual players might find me irritating since I sometimes try to get them more involved than they usually are (I have two such players in my group. One is now showing signs of Storyteller and Specialist, and the other remains a Casual. He's the one I imagine finds me sometimes irritating).

[Maxios]

I'm the guy who makes people laugh, and comes up with kick-ass battle plans.

Primary type: Tactician
Secondary type: Storyteller
Doesn't play well with: jerks