Drinking and Dragons, everyone's experiences?

[Evil DM Mark3]

Hi, I should explain that I don't drink and neither does most of my social circle. The reasons are all in the cluster of It tastes bad - to - The hangovers aren't worth it - to - I get distracting cravings if I skip my breakfast orange juice, I'm not exposing my system to anything actually addictive.

We don't have any philosophical objections to alcohol, is what I am saying. We just don't drink it. This means the subject of alcohol at RPGs has never come up.

Recently I joined a friend-of-a-friend's game and the culture is, different. The DM drank, as did two of the players and the other one weas clearly not drinking because they didn't feel like it that evening, not because it wasn't an option. It was strange.

One of the players drank rather heavily and got more and more in character as he did, although a major factor in when the session ended was the point he started treating every dice roll anyone was asked for as one he had to make. The DM was drinking a lot less but by the end of the session things were getting a bit difficult with all of the NPCs reacting rather more strongly and violently than previous. Also I am 90% sure he showed us a clue that he meant to be secret.

I am still unsure about the group just due to how badly things fell appart in that last half an hour, but it was the first session too (and VERY exposition heavy and front-loaded with exposition, which isn't how I like my games anyway) and a lot of the rest of it had been fun. It got me thinking, do you allow drinking (or, indeed, other substances) at your tables? Does it go well? How do you deal with it going badly?

[NRSASD]

A couple of us drink, but generally very lightly. Never more than a single beer or so. It doesn't really have a noticeable impact on the game.

One time one of our players showed up high however. That was noticeable and caused all sorts of hell, since I (the DM) am rather allergic to smoke. Needless to say, we don't play with that player anymore.

[Imbalance]

Yeah, pretty frequently. As a player, I found it didn't really make much difference unless the hard stuff gets passed around, which becomes marginally distracting. I f'd up just as much on a given sober night, but was no less likely to get in character, didn't really feel like I was missing out on anything. I'm a very sporadic drinker anyway, but it's hard to say "no" when your friends are into making their own and sharing, really tasty and more effective due to my low tolerance. It's only a bummer if I end up having to walk home (don't drink and drive, kids!).

If I'm going to be DM'ing more, I might make a two drink minimum standard for myself.

[redwizard007]

Long time drinker and recreational drug user here, and I rarely partake while playing. I find that I get easily distracted and don't enjoy the game as much.
Several players and the DM of our regular Sunday morning game disagre strongly. It's not uncommon for them to be taking shots, pounding beers, or clearing a bong while we play. It's online via Roll20, so it doesn't affect me at all, other than more... loose... role play, and a bit less cohesiveness in the adventure. I find it less irritating than many other idiosyncrasies I've seen in groups.

[The Fury]

For the most part, it's gone OK for me. I don't think any of us have ever done more than three beers per person and we're responsible enough to pace ourselves.

There was one player that got a little tipsy pretty often, but usually just got more verbose and animated while in character, so I just started assuming that's what their character was like.

Honestly, a lot of the weirder behavior around the gaming table I've seen was due to sleep deprivation rather than alcohol.

[Amiria]

We play pretty long sessions, 8 to 9 hours. We drink beer or wine while we play and we know our limits. The one possible adverse consequence which we experienced is getting tired ... but if that tiredness is a alcohol-induced or just comes with our marathon sessions ... I'm not sure.

When I'm the GM I tend to drink less, not because I have to be sharp but because I'm usually to tied up with the adventure. I'm particular to red wine and like the heady stuff there. But I think I'm getting old ... gotten hangovers from amounts that I used to tolerate a few years back. Now it is either just drinking less or selecting lighter red wines and rosé wines.

We almost never drinks spirits, rarely a single shot to celebrate something like a birthday.

[Cygnia]

The games are held at my house, so I have a responsibility that people leave here sober.

Now, AFTER they've all left, I may have a tipple or two depending on how stressed/victorious I feel...

[Mr Beer]

I drink plenty, not while gaming though, I think it's suboptimal to get drunk and game plus I generally GM which is way harder when drunk. I probably would have a couple if the other players drank while gaming, but they don't. So it's a sober game.

[Telok]

D&D can make a good drinking game, but don't let anyone finish off the fifth of vodka because they feel sorry for the GM.

Beyond that it's all personal tolerances and the usual stuff.

[False God]

I did it before, depends on who you're drinking with. I don't enjoy it with heavy drinkers, but if we're having some beers while we're throwing dice at imaginary monsters within reason it's fun.

I enjoy social drinking, I don't enjoy getting drunk. I'm very picky about the quality of my alcohol, so I'd rather drink very little that's good instead of a lot of bilge-water.

[icefractal]

IME, being a little inebriated can be a good thing, especially in improv-heavy games. But too much and the game falls apart, unless you're playing something intentionally ridiculous like Toon.

[Kaptin Keen]

Alcohol works like this: Drink too little, and it doesn't do anything. Drunk just enough, and it's like bottled lightning, it's an almost magical catalyst for fun. Drink too much, and everything falls apart.

With experience, you can keep it at the bottled lightning for a substantial amount of time. Some of the best roleplaying (as in, the most fun during roleplaying, not necessarily the best in-character moments) have happened in a precisely measured state of inebriation.

That said, I'd advise not to get the experience required for maintaining the bottled lightning state. Alcohol is a poison with amusing side effects, but it's no less a poison. It should be used ... let's say sensibly. From the drunken binges of my youth I've landed on a much healthier enjoyment of fine wine, whisky and craft beer. I still do wonder how much damage I managed to do to my body in my 20's.

[Guizonde]

really depends on the game. for my pathfinder game? it's the entire point of the adventure, we worship cayden cayllean. so we will get very stupid and drunk. funny thing is, all it does is make us even more reckless, and it works. i'm not talking "going nova in the first turn", i'm talking throwing the door at the trapped hallway and catcalling the enemies to set off the traps reckless.

in my knights game, drinking is kept to a minimum, although we roleplay when our characters get drunk to fight against depression.

in my rogue trader game? no booze but there was a surprising amount of burgers and soda.

for my own homebrew? anything goes, just pace yourself because the session is meant to be over 10 hours long. i've seen a friend of mine smoke through his weekly supply of "aromatic herbs and spices" in a single session while being only slightly buzzed since he paced himself. hell, i knocked off an entire bottle of bourbon during one of those marathon sessions without being over the legal driving limit (trust me, i breathalyzed at the mid-point and end of the session).

[JNAProductions]

I play at a family-friendly gaming store. Plus I don't drink.

But, if you do decide to get smashed while playing, make sure everyone's safe, and have an awesome time!

[Max_Killjoy]

I hold myself to my overall one-drink limit when I'm gaming.

Have gamed with some players who get sloppy drunk during a session, and I can't say that I'm a fan of it, at all.

[Theodoric]

My current group's a drinking one; we're all in our mid to late 20's and usually play at someone's home. Some alcohol definitely helps ease things up, but with too much folks either get argumentative or just inattentive (ie. semi-conscious dice-stacking). We're definitely not letting it get that bad again. Rum and D&D definitely don't mix.

[AdmiralCheez]

Some members of my primary group have a drink or two while playing. It's mostly just a beverage choice because we're old and feel like being classy with our selections; it's not really much different than having a soda or water.

Now, if it's the game I help run for teens at the local library, that's a big no. Absolutely nothing even remotely close to alcohol for that one.

[Bubzors]

The groups I play with we are all in our late 20's, early 30's and yes we drink every time we play. Usually around 3-4 drinks I guess but I'm not actually keeping track of anyone's consumption. No one has really gotten wasted and been a problem. I dunno, never really considered if there would be a difference in play if everyone was completely sober

And for sure the weed is getting passed around, though when I DM I avoid it as I start to take too long in combat and with the numbers.

Generally when we get together to play it's a group of close friends hanging out for the evening, so a few drinks is expected. It's usually like 3-4 hours playing and 1 hour socializing before and/or after

[GrayDeath]

For me it depends.

If I am GMing I stay sober. Period. When I say I do something, and others depend on it, I owe it to my standards to be "fit" to do so.

When I am playing in "hardcore" Games (be it very dark, especially difficult, or in need of a lot of memorized details) I tend to avoid it completley, with the possible exception of one beer if there is a particulalry good one in the fridge (^^).

While playing in more ... fun for funs sake games, I ahve been known to drink qzuite a bit, but since I ahve yet to manage to get truly "memory loss/Blackout/Fall to the ground" drunk (and dont intend to) this usually does not hamper us TOO much.

So yeah, depends. :)

[Comaward]

I don’t drink alcohol myself, but about four years ago I was part of a 5e group where three of the other six people in the group drank.

The DM would drink exactly one bottle of beer during the game, as would one of the players.

And then there was a second player who would drink between three to five bottles each session.
Oddly enough, he was probably the only person I’ve ever met who was actually nicer, more humble, better behaved, and just an all-around better person while drunk off his behind.

[Galithar]

I DM (and host). About half of my players drink during sessions, plus myself. No one ever has more then a few though. I usually drink the most at 3-5 over a 4-6 hour session.

Occasionally one person will drink more and get a bit tipsy, but it's only been distracting once. Which was myself in the one-shot someone else was DMing. I blame it on me not being interested in my character, but I did get moderately distracting. (I was given control of the player who was DMing's character as he was running it inside my world with existing characters and we didn't have a coherent way to add a random person into the party. He plays a Swashbuckler rogue and I'm bored to death by anything that isn't at least a half caster... I need options!)

[Mastikator]

IME, being a little inebriated can be a good thing, especially in improv-heavy games. But too much and the game falls apart, unless you're playing something intentionally ridiculous like Toon.

I was going to say this, having your inhibitions lowered has in my experience improved increased most people's ability to roleplay. The added focus on "fun" rather than "winning" is also I view as entirely good.

The only downside in my experience is when drinkers insist that non-drinkers partake.

[False God]

The only downside in my experience is when drinkers insist that non-drinkers partake.

Agreed, and to the reverse as well, noone should be pressuring anyone to enjoy the game a certain way, provided that their enjoyment does not come at the expense of the table as a whole.

[Vykryl]

My group's session are dinner and a game. I drink cider or beer and the gals tend more to wine (my core group is my wife and two of her friends, with me typically the only male). Sometimes we do mixed drinks. I usually do the cooking and bartending.

We did have one mishap and the girls learned to ask their easily distracted cook how strong his drink is before asking for the same thing. The victim of the mishap got overly tipsy and spent the night on our DM's couch rather than driving home.

I tend to nurse one strong mixed drink through such nights, the girls drink 2 or 3 weaker ones over the same period (adds up to about the same amount of actual alcohol consumed I'd guess) . Starting with a drink that equals your normal session intake and following it up with more isn't recommended.

[Maelynn]

We sometimes drink, sometimes don't. It often depends on whether or not anyone bothered to bring anything (since we all bring drinks/snacks to share). While I do enjoy drinking, I don't consider it a necessary component of a game night.

We're all responsible and mature drinkers, and we know our limits. If I had someone at my table (whether I were the DM or a player) whose inebriation had a negative impact on the game, then I'd most definitely call them out on it. Preferably the moment it happens, but if they're too far gone then as soon as they're sober. You're free to drink whatever and however much you like, but don't you dare ruin a game for other people.

[farothel]

In my regular group we don't drink alcohol during sessions in general. Sometimes when someone has his/her birthday there might be one drink, but nothing more. We all come by car anyway, and we don't drink and drive. And on top one of us is highly allergic to alcohol, so he doesn't drink no matter what.

Also for me personally, I get sick quite quickly and that's no fun at all, so if I do drink, I limit myself to one.

[Psyren]

We drink; our group not-so-subtly encourages the players who tend to drink more heavily towards simpler classes, e.g. barbarians, warlocks, mailman sorcerers and the like. The ones who can remain more cogent while under the influence get to play the more complicated stuff like Totemists or Druids.

It's worked particularly well for us because the ones who want to get sloshed typically don't want to do a whole lot of strategic thinking anyway. "Izzit my turn again? Chshain Lighting!"

[hymer]

My groups are non-drinking on regular game nights. Sometimes there will be a game attached to some other event, like a birthday. Those may involve light drinking. I have only been in games that involved drinking a few times, and it was very much not to my liking. If people want to get drunk or high, then that's their business. But they do not need to mess up game night with it.

[hencook]

I'm blown away by the responses in this thread.

So I've been trying to find the perfect D&D game. One where everyone knows what they're doing. They're not distracted/on their phones, they know the lore, everybody's built a 10 page backstory and everyone's been a good DM at one point. It just kills me whenever one person wrecks a game and the other players simply have to acquiesce.

When I read about the experience of other players online, I see all these smug players with how intricate their games get, or how they finish a combat encounter in 1 hour... and then there's this thread, where everyone is chillax.

No. I've been prepping this session for a week. You're going to be cognizant of your Faerun surroundings, or you're not going to play. I don't want your DM pizza, I want your attention. Y'all piss me off lol

[JNAProductions]

I'm blown away by the responses in this thread.

So I've been trying to find the perfect D&D game. One where everyone knows what they're doing. They're not distracted/on their phones, they know the lore, everybody's built a 10 page backstory and everyone's been a good DM at one point. It just kills me whenever one person wrecks a game and the other players simply have to acquiesce.

When I read about the experience of other players online, I see all these smug players with how intricate their games get, or how they finish a combat encounter in 1 hour... and then there's this thread, where everyone is chillax.

No. I've been prepping this session for a week. You're going to be cognizant of your Faerun surroundings, or you're not going to play. I don't want your DM pizza, I want your attention. Y'all piss me off lol

Yes, how dare people have a chill time with friends and enjoy themselves how they see fit! Oh, the horror!

It's totally fine to not want your players to drink. What's not cool is saying people are doing it wrong because they enjoy it differently than you do. This is a game designed to be fun-if you have fun by getting deep into the nitty-gritty and having everyone be focused on what's happening, that's great, you enjoy it. But other people having fun by drinking a beer and just rolling dice willy-nilly isn't wrong, it's just different.