tigolbiddiebabe

By taleashieldsong

• April 18, 2025
Rules: Yes
Referral: Other
Discord: clementinejubilee
In your own words, what is powergaming, and why should it be avoided in roleplay?: So, outside of Minecraft I DM a number of TTRPG games (currently in 5 different systems). I have had a number of power gamers over the years, who try to force their will upon a party. There are a number of steps I tend to take to mitigate this, both before a game ever begins, then before our first session, and throughout roleplay (and I imagine my approach would be similar RPing here, as I have also done this in RP forums over the last 15 years). I believe that clear cut expectations before a game ever begins are incredibly important. I've seen that not only does LOTC have general rules, but community guidelines and roleplay guidelines as well. I love the detailed nature of this, as it clearly sets up the expectations and roles of each player before a game even begins. We (the potential players) are informed of what we can/cannot do before things even happen. We know what is and isn't acceptable, or achievable, before we get the chance to RP. Having a DM (or in this case the moderators) lay out the physical law of the realm gives us barriers that we know we can't surpass. Beyond that, once we get to get into play, before a session truly begins, I reiterate those things to my players. Then, I always host an after session chat where anyone can privately come to me with any concerns, so that I can address any sort of power gaming privately in a one on one session. If I ever DO need to confront metagaming during an actual RP session, I do it through roleplay and narration myself. I use my own words and skill as a DM to illustrate how and why what they are trying to achieve is impossible. And sometimes I do let those players attempt what they are attempting to do, but clearly lay out the potential consequences if they do. To sum up, talk about it beforehand, lay out expectations, and be communicative. And most importantly, keep things focused on the RP!
In your own words, what is metagaming, and why should it be avoided in roleplay?: Metagaming is truly the bane of my existence as a DM. Nothing takes away the agency of other players than one player violating that trust by using their outside knowledge and resources to impact gameplay. I think that is the biggest thing about metagaming. Sure, we can talk about how it can spoil the fun, give a player an unfair advantage, or create unrealistic encounters during RP, but to me, the biggest and most offensive part of it is the violation of trust. When we roleplay, we establish a trust between ourselves and the other players that we are roleplaying in good faith. That we are dedicated to creating fun, unique, and interesting stories in a collaborative manner. By metagaming, we violate that trust by bringing something into the game or RP that is not of it. There are many avenues to gain knowledge or information in an RP situation, which is what creates the urgency of a narrative. There is nothing better as a player than when you have to solve a mystery, when you're pursuing some sort of intriguing situation and you have to unravel it and collect the facts. Or, when you are in a difficult situation, having to use your nerve and cleverness to find a way out. Metagaming ruins that, because it takes away a player's ability to be creative. To use their heart and mind to overcome the RP challenges.
Status: Accepted