“Warstories” is the name I gave to a series of short, quick articles that involve DM’s sharing exactly that: warstories from around the table. I see it as an avenue for griping and venting and as a way to share solutions and answers to little things that may creep up in your games. It could be a simple as food choice gripes, small playing spaces, or bigger issues like controlling problem players. As always, feel free to submit your own columns for future Warstories.
I’ll assume that at some point in our collective gaming careers, we’ve all been guilty of this. Heck, I know I have on more than one occasion. I’m talking about the player who shows up to his game with no pencils, 2 dice, a barely legible character sheet he scribbled on a napkin, and a few pages from a scanned copy of the rule book.
Yes, he’s the Unprepared Player. He’ll tell you that he left work in a hurry and couldn’t go home to pick up his stuff, he’ll say he left it at school, or he’ll just shrug his shoulders and say he’s sorry. Other players will sigh whenever it’s his turn to roll the dice, because he’ll have to borrow some from someone, just like he’ll need someone’s pencil all the time. Aren’t unprepared players annoying?
So what can you do as a DM to counter him? Well, there are several things, and really this should only turn into a big deal if the guy is constantly pulling this week after week, and the other players are getting upset by it. You can, and should pull him aside and say something. It is, after all, a little disrespectful to the other players to have a guy constantly borrowing dice, paper, and pencils. Tell him before it becomes an issue at the table.
The other thing you can do (and you’d be both a saint and a fool for doing so) is act as an office supply/gaming store and have an ample supply of dice and pencils available to lend out if needed. After all, you’ve planned your game all week, the last thing you want at the table is arguments over dice. You want to get on with your game, as I would.
Of these solutions, talking to Mr. Unprepared Player is the best one obviously. I can’t imagine anyone not being decent enough to shape up after being spoken to by his or her DM.
So, how many of you play with the Unprepared Player? What have you done about it?
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esspkay
April 16, 2010
I’ve got three, actually, out of my 6 players. My sister, my cousin and a mate. I don’t mind so much as I keep all of their sheets and info with my DM stuff and another player has a massive collection of dice she brings to every game anyways. They were roped in by me so I don’t expect them to be as into it as everyone else, but we all have fun and I usually get -most- of my pencils back, so that something! 😛
kingworks
April 16, 2010
I’m about to confess a deep dark secret:
I am a RPG enabler.
I walk them through building a character, make a folder for them, give them cards with magic items, list out all their powers w/bonuses – we have to use my books, because no else has any. I find excuses (birthdays, usually) to buy each player their own set of dice. I even built a digital game table that I can use MapTools with to enhance the experience – we’ve used it twice, so far.
In addition to that, we usually make dinner. They say they enjoy playing, but outside of those couple of hours per MONTH, it’s not something they think about.
Honestly, though, if I didn’t do everything for them, none of my friends would give role playing a shot & I’d have to invite relative strangers over to play. Board games are more their speed.
So, now you know.
yongkyosunim
April 16, 2010
I don’t have too much of an issue with players who forget a pencil or dice. It’s coming without their character sheet that gets my goat. I tend say out loud my displeasure and annoyance for players who happen to show up without their character sheet. It’s happened rarely and usually with the players who forget to bring dice and pencils, but we get it to stop before it becomes too much of a bad habit.
callin
April 16, 2010
I am a jerk. I do not loan my dice or pencils out to anyone (not even my wife). I’ve lost them in the past so to avoid that I don’t loan my stuff out; lost them to people when we were in a small group. But then, the people I play with know that about me.
We do have a generic can of dice people can pick from but its across the room. Quickly people who forget their dice, etc feel shamed. They seldom forget a second time.
Sentack
April 16, 2010
I can’t say i’ve had the missfortune to experience this myself as a DM, but I’ve been around the table when this has happened at least for some one-shots which are really annoying when it happens. Honestly I think you have 3 options in this case.
1. The Enabler. You provide the dice, pencils and character sheet for the player. Actually, I like holding the character sheets. It usually means that nobody loses his or her sheet and I can keep track of when they do things like buy new gear or level up. Some prefer to take their sheet, but I usually insist on keeping a rather recent copy.
2. The Judge. You talk to the person, trying to perswade them them to change their ways. This can go badly, and I I’ve experienced something simular to this where I’ve had to ask someone repeatedly to please go back and read more on the class or his powers before the game starts, to avoid confusions.
3. The Executioner. You drop em. It’s the hardest thing to do, because we all hate to lose a player at a table, but sometimes you just go to say, “Sorry, it’s not working out.” Commitment is a big thing, and not taking the time to be prepared for the game is sort of the worst thing you can do at a table. This is an extream, I know. But we all know when it’s truely necessary but we hope we never have to do it.
You’re only other option is ignoring it, which doesn’t help anyone, really. Of course it’s easy to ignore the problem, but it has to be irritating every time it comes up. So honestly, something should be done about it.
Mike Leger
April 16, 2010
ive got plenty of spare dice, and penciles and characer sheets and books for all. infact when someone in our group buys a book, it usualy ends up in the pile in our d&d room. most players have access to the d&d program so they build characters like that.
with dropbox, iplay4e.com, and the character build showing up without a character sheet really should not be a problem anymore.
i also ask players to mail me a copy of their character builder file every time they level up, just in case.
this annoys players but they are great full when they accidentally garbed the wrong book and don’t have a copy of their character.
thadeousc
April 16, 2010
I know it’s just asking for players to repeat the offense but I always have a crash kit for players who do not bring what they need. I have a lunch box containing a full set of dice, pencils a note pad and a calculator.
If a player shows up every week needing to use my emergency supplies I would have to pull him aside to talk to him.
I also ask all my players for a character builder copy of their characters so I can look them over if I feel the need. So if someone forgets their character they can print it out. Again something I will talk to them about if they abuse my kindness. As of yet I have not had to talk to anyone about it.
Chuck
April 16, 2010
We have a player who occasionally forgets to level his character and forgets pencils or paper. But peer preasure works fine. Also goading the guy since his day job is as a teacher. “So you forgot your homework and something to write with.”
seth
April 16, 2010
underprepared player, meet the over-prepared dm. i always have a steady supply of pencils, scrap paper, extra dice, spare ready-to-play character sheets at our current campaign level, hero minis, and occasionally, the extra six pack of beer. my players are pampered to a fault. haha. i’m even about to buy a cheap printer just so people can quickly print out updated character sheets from their laptops if need be.
david schwarm
April 16, 2010
Hola, I had this experience recently. I joined a new group of guys that I did not really know all that well (worked with one of the six a few years back). I showed up with character sheet, dice, pencils, books, mini’s, standard stuff…These guys play maptools + iplay4e–all laptops–no dice, no pencils, no figures. I had a laptop, but an older version of maptools so I had to upgrade. Then I had trouble getting on the hosts network. Then I did not have a mouse with a scroll wheel (which is *required* for maptools). I had to upload my character sheet–I had not used any of the equipment, so I had to edit and reupload. Then I had to learn the language to roll in maptools.
Everyone was very patient with me, DM and other players–I was more angry with myself for not being ready…but when the table style is not what I am used to (at all, in this case), it can be a little frustrating. Thanks, David S.
dsowa
April 16, 2010
So the first week of D&D Encounters I was all prepared. Fresh new Dwarven fighter, pencils, paper, PHB. NO dice. After looking in my bag for 5 minutes (I was early), I realized I was in a game shop and just bought a set. Who doesn’t need another set of dice. As a DM I would much rather just have extra stuff than have everyone sit around looking at each other while someone tries to get their act together.
Jenny Snyder
April 16, 2010
While I don’t have a problem with unprepared players (sadly, I am usually the unprepared DM), I like the general idea of posting personal advice about playing DnD. It’s like Dear Abby for gamers 🙂
Kyle Ferrin
April 16, 2010
Pound of Dice, Pack of Pencils, and a few Level 1 Characters. I always have them when I DM.
“I didn’t bring a character?” “You can use this Level 1 Bard.” “But everyone else is Level 6!” “I guess you’ll bring a character next time, then, eh?”
Jennerosity
April 16, 2010
I’m not a DM, but since my husband and I host the gaming nights at our place, we are usually the enablers as well. Since we’ve got the most room, most books are left at our place. We have several sets of everything for 3.5 which is what is played most often. The DM of that particular campaign will bring a set of books home between gaming sessions in order to make sure he’s prepared. We’ve also got a communal set of dice that people can select from (or turn to in desperation if their own dice are not performing well). And, since I hate it when people borrow my pencils and erasers (which is odd, because the ONLY time I use pencil is when I’m gaming) I went out and bought a bunch of spares to keep in the communal pool as well. I almost went to the trouble of wrapping them all up with a little note that said “here’s a pencil & eraser . . . now keep your hands off MINE!” but ran out of time. And, usually the character sheets are all left at our place, so we don’t need to worry about anyone forgetting. This is also handy if one person can’t make it, or is coming late, we can have one of the other players step in for them and not have to be guessing at their stats, etc.
I think if you’re starting up a gaming group, the most important thing in order to avoid frustrations is for the DM to explain what his expectations for the group are. If you don’t have the storage space or capacity to be lending pencils and dice, let your players know they need to bring their own supplies.
Mazetar
April 17, 2010
Hello!
I have been DMing for well 4-5 years now:)
and I have had this problem a lot both the guy allways comming unprepeared and some other guy coming unprepeard for the first time, heres how I handle this:
1. Allways comming unprepeared:
I will talk to the player and tell him since we are ALLWAYS playing at my place I could keep his Dices and other stuff between sessions here (except when he needs them to level or sumthing:P)
I will also have a nice chat about comming in time and respect for the other players:)
2. The “first time” unprepeard player
Well this is new, one of my normally dedicated players had a stressfull day and show up totaly unprepeared, what to do? Well I have been introducing new players into D&D for as loong as I can remember so I have quite a few sets of spare dice as well as pencils he can borrow.
But I tell him to rember his own next time;)
This is how I handle unprepeard players, oh and the char sheet, if he forgot his well I got my fast fact sheet about the players most vital things HP, Saves, Attack options etc. he can get a small copy of that.
Now this comming unprepeared has taken to much time from our regular session already and it’s time to get out of this world and into my terrible mind xD
Misalo
April 17, 2010
I’m the DM in my present game …
My players leave their character sheets and a set of dice at my place (we play at my place).
My books and minis (I’m a collector so all’s good).
A keep a box of pencils, some erasers, paper, etc. with my D&D stuff.
All they have to bring is their snacks and a smile…
Totte Alm
April 19, 2010
We all have had those moments when you pick the “wrong binder” to the game, ending up with a character from another campaign, thats why we always try to have a copy of the character sheet in digital format, CharacterBuilder or a PDF in the possession of the DM, so he can just print it out. Several times when I DM, players pull out a USB stick asking for a computer to plug it into and print it, which is fine by me.
Having 2 pounds of worthless dice, the pure punishment to be forced to use my dice have taught my players to never forget dice, or they will be using some of mine, which post a constant threat to your PC as they roll so lousy.
Nicholas Cardarelli
June 26, 2011
LOL I must be control freak! Wait, I’m a DM so yes, I am control freak. But this is never an issue because when the players show I am the “host with the most”!
Your dice set is on your new copy of your character sheet with you writing utensil and miniature (I may or may not have painted for you.) Need to level up or be more engrossed in the setting here are some supplements to thumb through while you wait for us to begin.
I’ve created this format from always having new players at my table. And I don’t mean new to “my table” players I mean “never played D&D (or any other RPG) before” players. I’m almost a missionary of gaming because I have converted so many to the hobby. The major instrument I use is making everything smooth and light until you are good and infected… uh… I mean “enthusiastic” enough to bring your own dice, supplies, and carry your character sheet in a locked briefcase.
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Thomas Evans
August 26, 2013
I always have paper and dice ready. Most of the time pencils.
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