Comments on: Player Archetypes: What is the Best Mix For A Game Group?

By: Spellchrome

Spellchrome — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:53:46 +0000

I just wanted to say that I liked the article. Never really considered the role of the clown before. I liked the positive spin given to most of the roles / player types.

By: LiquidWeird

LiquidWeird — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:52:38 +0000

There’s the ‘Disinterested SO’ usually a girlfriend, but sometimes a guy, who is not interested in the game and is just there to be with their snugglebunch. This sort comes in two flavors: Annoyed and Snuggly. Annoyed ones sigh with exasperation, say ‘I swing my sword or whatever’, roll some random dice which may or may not be the right ones, and make it very clear they just want to be elsewhere. Snuggly ones are so focused on the other player who brought them that they both ignore the game in progress to be cute to each other and detract from the whole experience.

There’s also the ‘Goofball At All Costs’ who, unlike the Clown, is there to show off how funny he is and dress his male gnome character up as a Babushka, put on a bad Russian accent, and generally irritate everyone, regardless of how serious the scene or campaign may be.

By: Ravyn

Ravyn — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:21:04 +0000

What about the Puzzle Solvers? You give them something with no clear answer or path to take, within twenty minutes they’ll have a plan, a backup plan, and a couple of stopgap measures to keep from getting bored in the meantime.

Or Team Builders. This one takes it upon himself to make sure the group’s getting along as well as possible, making sure The Plan requires everyone’s skills or mediating the disputes between two of the others.

I’m a Dramatist/Storyteller/Puzzle Solver/Team Builder hybrid (I call them Currents), and most of my friends have strong Dramatist leanings. It makes for a pretty darn good game.

By: Swordgleam

Swordgleam — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:35:24 +0000

I want dramatists and storytellers, because I’m enough of a clown for all of us, and I’m not great at monster tactics. A bit of combat machinery is fine, but someone who is all that and no storyteller is going to lead to a lot of “You had your thing now sit and be bored while he gets his” compromises.

By: Niliin

Niliin — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:29:13 +0000

Where do I fit in?

By: Haaldaar

Haaldaar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:37:59 +0000

Don’t forget the “Crack-whore”. Those players who sole purpose it to get he most cracked out death machine of a character possible. Their skill at tactics and roleplaying maybe be good or bad, but their goal is to have the most efficiently built character as possible. All equipment, feats, traits, and skills go into place, not for story, but do deal out more then normal.