Hey y'all.
So, first things first: I never thought I'd be writing this post. Like, ever. Literally, every time I mention tabletop gaming (alright, maybe not every time, but like, 97% of the time) I almost always get a negative reaction.
If it's not:
Then it's:
Or it's:
AND ESPECIALLY:
Tabletop gaming has become (and I think always started as) a major joke thanks to the media; especially the granddaddy of all tabletop games, Dungeons and Dragons (unless you count Chainmail, but come on). Most people tend to picture a bunch of overweight, hygiene-impaired hermits wearing helmets fashioned out of aluminum foil roleplaying sexual fantasies with elven maidens--and sometimes, that's completely the case. Which, is totally fine.
BUT!
What people don't realize is that that is a very small percentage of those who love the tabletop rpg genre. A lot of players are women of all shapes and sizes, younger kids, beefy looking dudes (like Vin Diesel, a lifelong lover of DnD), people of all races and nationalities... The list could go on forever; which, brings me to my next point: tabletop gaming isn't just about the game--it's about the people you play with, too. Personally, I have had many tabletop gaming groups come and go in my life. Some were great (like the time I created this totally badass Mayan superheroine made out of plasma who kicked ass and took names) and some were not so great (like the time I spent almost an entire session facebooking on my phone because the DM was speaking in a monotone, and his story was very poorly planned). But, the thing that they all have in common is that I remember my interactions with the other players, and it was a great chance to get together with friends and really let your mind loose. Now, if you're a person who lacks in imagination, has a hard time thinking of creative solutions to otherworldly problems and generally dislikes adventure, tabletop rpgs will NOT be for you. But, if you are the kind of person that enjoys those things, maybe this might be a pastime that can be an excellent complement to an already intricate mind.
SO! How do we do this? Well...
aw yea
If you're familiar with my 'how to get into and collect comics' post, you may already have a Friendly Local Comic Shop (or FLCS, for short). If said FLCS is also a gaming store (as are almost ALL FLCS's around here) then that's your first stop. If you have never visited a local comic shop, try typing in "gaming store" followed by your zip code into Google; you should have a list of the nearest gaming stores pop up almost immediately. If this is a good gaming store (I'll put up a post of what constitutes a good store next), there will almost always be a "Learn To Play X Game" night, or at the very least, a bulletin board with active games seeking players. If you can attend one of those event nights (if the store holds one) you should be golden! But, if you have to find a group to get started, there's a little more legwork involved.
Firstly, take a look at what game the group is playing. Typically, a group seeking players ad will look like this:
PATHFINDER GROUP SEEKING NEW MEMBER
Every other Thurs, Fri, Sat; 6-10 PM
Experienced group, open to novice players
Contact Dave at (123) 456-7890 or email
sexydaveslaysalltheogres@superfastemail.com
Now, there are a couple of different approaches to this. Some people will look at the dates and times first without even contacting the DM because the dates and times don't work for them. Others will make that first contact and see if anything can be arranged, and whether the DM seems friendly or somewhat controlling (you'd be surprised how much you can gather just from discussing play times with certain DMs). Regardless of what you choose, lets assume you read the above notice and think "Yeah, this sounds like a great fit for me!", talk to the DM, and are meeting this Thursday for your very first session.
i know, me too.
You'll notice the... er... notice (lol) was concerning Pathfinder (a very fun spin on traditional Dungeons and Dragons, or DnD 3.75 ed. if you will). It would definitely be in your best interest to pick up a copy (or try and order one online, last resort is looking for a free PDF [support your gamemakers guys!!!]) of the rule book and get started in learning about the game and how to make your character. It's in pretty bad taste to show up to a group without so much as an attempt to make a character (especially since the book is pretty straightforward), so try your hardest to make Aegwynn the Wanderer a reality on paper even if some aspects confuse you. Within the book will be a nifty character sheet that will prompt you to fill in blanks pertaining to all of the aspects that you'll need to play your character well in a standard game; instructions on doing so are always within the first few pages. See? Really simple.
But, of course, I forgot to mention: DICE!! Almost every single tabletop roleplaying game utilizes dice in one way or another. This is an INTEGRAL part of your gaming experience... And arguably, one of the most entertaining. Dice come in all shapes, sizes, colors and patterns and your gaming store will definitely carry a few standard sets (if they don't, like seriously, dafuq is going on there) which consist of a d4 (as in, ONE die with FOUR sides), d6, d8, d10, d12, and a d20 (the most infamous of them all). It's also a good idea to maybe get a few more individual d6s since some games are heavy on d6 use.
So, now that you've got your dice, your rule book, your character sheet printed and your character made (or as made as they're going to get), make sure you take paper and pencil to the game as well. Few things are as infuriating as players who a) brought nothing but dice and a character sheet so they have to scramble and borrow to be functional members, b) wrote everything on their character sheet in PEN so now the sheet is filled with scribbles and it takes them a thousand years to make out current stats or c) brought char sheet and pencil, but left scratch paper--so they borrow a sheet and write important information that almost always gets lost before the next session.
So, to recap: find a local gaming store, find out if there are games looking for players or if there is a "get to know x game night", make contact with said events or group, get to know the game (or a game, if you want to jump into something specific), buy your dice, make a character and show up prepared to the event/group with paper and pencil.
i'm trying, god
It seems like it's a lot of work, but it's really not; once you have that totally amazing character you love, it's totally worth it. Let me know if this post helps, and if you end up finding a group or a store that gets you into tabletop rpgs, I'd love to hear from you!
