Normies who don't take the game that seriously...

Why fight it? I’ll get stuck with one of each.

Accept A, tolerate B as long as I could, forget C’s phone numbers.

Powergamers. You can get them into the mood for SOME roleplay easily.
Of these 3 groups, the filthy casual normies are easily the worst. The neckbeards can be made to maintain minimum hygiene standards easily as well.

Turning normies from casuals into passionate players is the hardest road of the three.

That is a fair point.

Neckbeards every time. I can just hang out with my regular friends if I want beers and laughs, and the powergamers don't want to roleplay.
I just need to buy extra cans of air freshener and hose the fat bastards down until they get the hint.

Probably get along best with the normies. I see it a lot where they start out that way and then something suddenly hooks them and they're *in*.

Second group's most major flaws are things that are fixed by not playing in person with them, and I prefer text or video roleplay over IRL anyway. The critique... Well. I kind of assume that if they are so socially unaware they let themselves interact with the public while chronically smelling funny, they're probably not going to be able to critique something in a way that doesn't shit on the bed, so I'd rather not.

Third group, I don't mind the power-gaming part, because it feels a little subversive and clever. But I'm not at the table for combat and mechanics - I'm there for the story, and if they're not into it, I don't want to bother with the first part. Especially as they seem likely to want to play mechanic to my own character to suit their own fetish and shame/heckle for not souping up my numbers too.

Would...
Would anyone NOT want to play with the normies?

And to follow myself up:
>inb4 converting normies is easy
If that was the case, TTRPG would be a multi-trillion dollar industry right now and not a fringe interest.

Me. I'm not going to waste my time trying to play with people who don't want as serious a game as I do, and I'd rather hang out with my usual friends if essentially all we're going to is goof around and tell jokes but with intermittent confusion on how to roll a piece of plastic with 20 sides.

Yeah, why would you want to play with the normies? The worst thing is when you're trying to play the game and a decision that should take a minute lasts half an hour because some dudebro needs to get another drink or tell this one story about geopolitics and touchdowns. Why even bother with the game at that point? Why not just sit in a circle and talk about geopolitics and touchdowns? Some of us want to use our limited time together to actually achieve something in the game.

Converting normies IS easy, you just need to try and they need to have an open mind and an interest.
I fucking got seven new people into D&D JUST over Stranger Things first season, with the number of players I’m handling now so large I need to schedule separate games just to ensure quality of play.

If I can only choose one, normies. I prefer to engage in social activities with people who have actual social skills. Some campaigns are off the table, and that sucks, but I don't mind running silly stuff. Ideally I'd want a mix of A and B, though.
>Implying this happened
>Implying the other groups don't waste at least as much time arguing over the rules or muh realism

The normies, because they understand that it's just a fucking game

You best be taking them to the Vale of Shadows, user

>implying there's something wrong to taking a game seriously when you dedicate a good amount of your time to it

There's a difference between taking the game seriously and throwing a temper tantrum when you disagree with the GM. If I have to throw the former under the bus to not have to deal with the latter, I will gladly take it

One’s locked in a mortal game of kingdom-wide cat and mouse with an extremrly pissed off Death Knight.
The other group, and I can’t even believe I’m saying this, has moved on from D&D and are now the bridge crew of the USS Murakumo going on space opera adventures of exploration and heroism in Star Trek Adventures.

Again; it’s never been the group, in my 19 years of experience with this stuff.
It is ALWAYS the GM. If he can’t sell it, if he can’t read the mood, if he can’t see what they want, if he can’t see what they don’t even KNOW they want yet, then the game will always be shit.

Normies, 100%. I like socially responsible people who don't take the game too seriously. It's a game. You know, the thing we do for fun? What's the point of getting together with people if I'm just going to argue over rules or get frustrated at an overpowered party? I have the internet for that.

There's such thing as taking the game too seriously. Like, when you get to the point of screaming at your players for not speaking in character every second of you 8 hour session, or when you're doing these 8 hour sessions 4 days a week (just some of the reasons my previous group disbanded). That's too serious.

>every game session starts with a prison-style delousing and brutal hosing down of the players
>then you hand out numbered uniforms, shave their beards and hair and their clothes are burnt
>their fingernail scratches on your bathroom wall are a testament to your determination as a DM

I'll take the powergamers. If everyone's powergaming it isn't a problem, I can just throw tougher enemies at them. The problem is when one or two players are powergaming and no one else gets to do anything.

2 > 1 > 3
low investment normies are no good. I play online and can't see why would you ever pick them op over neckbears. Well i guess depends on how weird is "talk weird".

You're right, there is a difference between those two scenarios. But "it's just a game bro" is just shorthand for "I don't care as much about this as you do and that makes you wrong."

Still better than Veeky Forums spergs crying No Fun Allowed because their fotm anime character wasn't approved.

There's nothing wrong with that, but I feel like more serious play is better for video games, where the rules are more strictly enforced

The some of my favorite moments in DnD involved the DM bending the rules to keep thing more interesting

And caring more than them makes you right? I'm fine with either sort of game, so I'll pick the less strawman caricature that's less likely to start drama

Normies are 3d6 fun
Neckbeards are 1d20 fun
Powergamers are 1d4, why the fuck i'm even rolling

None>2>1>3
There are party games for normalfags, designed with this sort of thing.
I hate bad hygiene.
I like roleplaying much more than hitting things.

That was pretty much my high school group and while it was fun and there were good moments, overall it was pretty unsatisfying. You'll never get to enjoy character arcs, player engagement, or real tension out of the game because Gmili Dorfson and Elf McPyromancer just want to club some shit or do stupid things. It's just not fun to run as a GM, and if it's a mixed group between people who are taking it semi-seriously and people who don't it'd disheartening to see the party engage in a tense moment while the druid turns into a triceratops for lulz.

I don't think normies are bad to play with overall, but for me I need to see either a genuine interest or at least the social awareness to match the mood of the rest of the party, and if they can't but still want to hang there's other stuff we can do.

>Not converting normie women into NEET goddesses

Normies. Is this even a question?

>reglar DnD sesions actually turned her into an elf

my sides

Despair? You want to hear despair?

>Started playing DnD like 5 years ago
>Same group of normalfags all the time but I like those people
>They are awful at roleplaying and not turning the game into a party full of ooc talking, i just want to play the game but i roll with it for a lot of sessions.
>The characters never get brought up again after third or so session so we start over...
>All those tales of amazing GMs who gave satisfying fun endings to characters and their goals as they developed as people are closed to me
>Stuck to DnD 3.5 because they can't be bothered to read few rules in their spare time. I wanted to try at least 5 systems and they always refused except.
>Oh god is it an exception? They agreed to read the rules and try it
>They forgot what it was all about and give up half an hour into the game and go back to cookie cutting in DnD
>Engaging story?
>GM teases me some things before games because he is a marvelous writer and I love his other works
>We have hard time touching the story around us or events of the world because barely anyone pays attention, GM has to railroad them onto something only for the campaign to be disregardad next month.
>That one fucker gets a GF and boasts about it all the time
>Invites her to the game
>She actually got really invested into it and is a really nice person
>He keeps interrupting her with stupid shit but at least she tries her best to stay afloat
>Others follow his example although the girl is clearly interested in the game
>Happend twice now

Literary no fucking point in creating characters, I won't ever use them much anyway. But hey it's a good time because they try to have fun.
I didn't left this group tho, GM got bored of it and they simply dont want to GM themselves.

I think I worded it all poorly but you get the idea, I don't have anything against those people but... Don't keep crushing my hope.
Yes,I tried talking to them.

>Powergamers are 1d4, why the fuck i'm even rolling
Nah, powergamers are 1d4 + Wisdom modifier + (2 * Charisma modifier) - 5 (add 10 damage) + 3.8 from [third party splat] - 2 (racial) + (2d6 drop lower) + 1, with a roll of 2 or lower treated as a 3.

That is probably the most disgusting thing I've seen in the last hour.

I think they meant less sticks to the rules serious and more gets invested and role plays serious. You can fudge the rules and still give a shit about he game

kek

Yeah, it's a shame woot has to include weight-gain into so much of his work, his BE is usually pretty good.

>going for math bonuses
It's all about control, effects, and save-or-die.

Normie here. Just fyi, when you guys talk about having spent hundreds of hours on your setting and campaign, you really scare us off. Don't commit too hard when dealing with normies, or at least keep it to yourself. Also, "session zero"? Are you kidding me?

Sorry for being rude

>stop acting passionate about your hobby, just shut up and keep to yourself
This is good bait

fpbp

I know what you mean, but in the eyes of newcomers, your passion is easily mistaken for obsession. I know I sound like a dick but I'm sure most of you know how it feels to be turned off by someone else's commitment

>normie
>on the specialized tabletop game board of Veeky Forums

Also, I'm definitely not saying that anyone is going to be turned off from playing because they think you're a loser for putting effort into your stuff or anything like that, but I think alot of people get insecure because they're not ready to get on your level.

Well I guess I'm on the fence. Robots think I'm a normie and normies think I'm a robot.

>bashing session zero
That's literally the most important session. Talk about the system and rules, any house rules, discuss and create characters, talk about what players and GMs expect to get out of the game. 99% of all problems within gaming groups can be solved in session zero. I've seen too many groups and games fall apart because there wasn't clear and concise communication before everyone sits down for the game.

>tfw all my friends are type 3

I was nodding along with you in understanding until you picked the "session zero" as a thing to roll your eyes at.

My friend, that is *for* you so you can decide if you wanna keep going or not and gives you a perfectly socially acceptable way to go, "Bro, nah, thanks. Just not feeling it. Hit me up next game, yeah?"

It also gives potential GMs a chance to go, "Bro, you sure? What about it is turning you off? Maybe we can talk it through. It might not be something anyone cares about and we can switch it up and make sure everyone's on the same page to have fun."

Session zero is the best.

this looks super familiar but I can't remember where I've seen it before.

I can see session zero being useful to beginners, but I definetively feel that easing them into it is way better. Doing a oneshot where they make basic characters, taking it step by step as they're playing. I know I would never have gotten into the hobby if I found out that the first gaming night was just a couple hours of discussing the rulebook. Maybe I'm wrong about what session zero is actually supposed to be

The third, I don't have any interest in character personalities anyway.

I think you're a lawn gnome.

>You are forced to play with one of these groups.
>one

Those are pretty much all my players. Two 420 blaze it faggots who just drink and fuck around, one guy whos "ahkchtually" personified gets pissed when anything isnt to the letter but never wants to DM either, and 1 guy who does nothing but metagame and tabletalk the entire time and has had the character planned out from day 0 and flips out if his oh-so-perfect character faces any unforeseen hardships.

It's always one of these three as well. Been forever DM for almost a decade now and even after trying to talk to them afterwards, cutting out people who are too into their faggotry, or trying to have a few mini-sessions to gauge their personalities they always end up being one of those subhumans.

Only one of these can have their problems covered up by a $5 can of air freshener or just a working internet connection.
I'd still play with the normalfags but I wouldn't GM for them.

If "none" is not an option, then:
>hardcore, fat, neckbeard players that talk weird and smell funny but will take game seriously, while also critiquing your game seriously as well

I have no sense of smell, strive to self-improve, and, while slender, currently sport a neckbeard.

/thread

It's basically to make sure everyone is on the same page as far as tone and what you want out of the game. That way everyone knows you're running a heroic western fantasy game with a heavy emphasis on combat and make characters accordingly, so you don't wind up with an anime, an edgelord, and a guy who spent 80% of his points on being a well known stonemason. It really does help a lot.

I can work with 1 and 2. Normies aren't that hard to get into things and hopefully get them invested, and I've had to do enough grog taming that I can generally get them to behave like normal people. Mostly. Number 3, though, tends to be a lost cause. Dudes who are just there to jack off to numbers on a character sheet and treat the game like an mmo raid or a numerical puzzle to solve are the worst. I've played with enough to know I can't stand them. I've had multiple that actively mocked other people in the group any time they'd try to roleplay or be in character or even just do anything other than fight, and one guy who out and out stated that he viewed the group as a more advanced, dynamic crpg and wouldn't talk to people out of game at all because he didn't consider it interesting. He didn't give his characters names, descriptions, or any sort of fluff, and said his goal was to "beat" the system by designing the one true optimal character.

Powergamers, I want to test my mind against theirs.

I'll take the normies that way when my campaign inevitably implodes we can all get drunk together.

GMing for normies right now. For the last 6 games I've only spent 3-4 hours for game preparation, all during the same day we play. Lots of beer involved and everybody is understanding the rules pretty well after a few sessions.

>shame
>tfw I'd kill for the chance to convert a normie girl into fat pure nerd goddess
>still don't know how to feel about that

Power Gamers.

Know the rules the best.

Bring Tasty snacks to bribe the DM.

Don't take 40 years to do one round of combat.

>entire party is powergamers
>DM gives us mostly puzzle dungeons punctuated by ridiculously challenging encounters
Imagine Myst but at the end of each Age you fight a Souls boss. Easily the most fun I've ever had in a D&D campaign.

Fuck off you twat. Punk is the music of the lower classes not being a pink haired screeching faggot.

youtu.be/mA8LSDo6Lfo

>shame
>that such a good artist draws such a good fetish

what planet are you from

Normies. They may not understand it well enough but they play for having a good time even if its not super serious roleplaying

>play with a group of newbies who were on Veeky Forums before ever playing a game
>everyone has mixed ideas about how they're supposed to "play properly" and looks to everyone else for queues
>end up with halfassed shitty roleplay that takes hours to get out of the pub which essentially ended in nothing

I already had these players. I also had someone send me their f-list.

It's bad and I have an extreme vetting process now.

If I had to pick one... Normies.

patrician choice of women, user

god damn garden gnomes.. the Goliath monk in our party keeps stealing all the garden gnomes we come across, no one can figure out why..

Ask him if he's seen the Yellow Sign

my girlfriend just passed 300 lbs and was freaking out about how much weight she's gained since graduating high school, and I was just nodding along trying to resist the urge to bury my face in her stomach. Am I salvageable Veeky Forums

That sounds fucking great.

Just add tasty snacks and I am sold

Gross. No.
That said: to each their own.

You are, but she's heading for an early grave.

GET OUT. Normies have no place in our hobby, and anyone enabling them should be named and shamed.

Powergamers. I'll throw the story out the window and make it a rule book competition.

What if I'm a normalfag?
How are you going to force me out of the hobby, nerd?

You are going to kill her.

>t. powergaming, edgelording, cheetofingering, womanhating, neckbearding, nofunalloweding fatty

Hey, it ain't MY fault. I hate the "I HAVE A CONDITION" meme but I've seen the doctors' notes, she's got some issue with a gland or something.

It's just a coincidence that it's also my fetish.

Everyone you play with is going to have the foulest, most malodorous stench possible, and their cheeto-stained fingers will rain orange dust all over your grandfather's prized mahogany table as they slam down their coaster-less drinks.

In my experience normies are actually more interested in just forging ahead and doing stuff, whereas your traditional "experienced" players will want to sit around and plan forever.

What are they going to do when I hose them down for smelling like shit, personally put gloves on their disgusting hands, and throw ceramic coasters at their head so hard that I give them cranial fractures huh, nerd?
What will you think when I get them fucking function as people after I've whipped them enough with my fucking hockey stick, huh?

normies are the best because they won't fight you on the rules, whereas the neckbeards and powergaming guys always will, even when they're consistently wrong.

She's going to live a life of near unending health problems and will never get to experience certain things to the fullest and will more than likely die of a heart attack with a long list of things she regrets not doing because she was unable to do them.

Just letting you know.

Since I'm about 3/4 normie, and all of my players are normies, it's gotta be option 1.

I've been playing tabletop games for ~10 years and for the most part, normies that are interested in D&D make far better players than "real nerds" or whatever the fuck, because they don't have the manifold genre expectations and autisms that come from being a dedicated long term member of the ttrpg/fantasy community.

I think you are just trolling us or a perv.

I had a normie show up to my games drunk.

The rest of them never RPed, it was so bad, I stopped playing D&D forever.

Two teams, eight players in all, almost no RPing.

The only person who RPed randomly wouldn't show up and was mean in game.

Get the police?

Or you could just play with adults who are capable of coping with the real world. Your call.