It’s that special day. The day where we sit around the table after many hours of preparation. The food will soon be served, the drinks are plentiful, and everyone is ready to settle in for an evening of enjoying one another’s company. It’s a time to consider what we are thankful for, the little things that we treasure. The people who make our lives better, and the objects that make them easier.
Like the cleric, and my Vorpal Greatsword.
I’m sorry, did you think I was talking about Thanksgiving? No, I’m talking about game day, specifically role-playing game day. The pizza is on the way, the Funions are served, and the Mountain Dew is flowing. Conversation, when not out-of-character whining at the GM, will soon be rife with the groans of critical failures and showboating of natural 20s. Admit it, you’ve at least dabbled in role-playing games whether you’ve watched World of Warcraft over a friend’s shoulder, or whether you’ve been a Game Master since Dungeons & Dragons 1.0. You know, the one that came in a box? With the rules pamphlet?
But seeing as it is Thanksgivings, a time of reflection and appreciation, I thought it might be nice for all of us gamer geeks to remember what we are thankful, those critical aspects of our game that sometimes go under-appreciated.
The Healer: Because let’s be honest, even in sexy new systems like Pathfinder the cleric is still the afterthought class. Your GM asks you to make a character and, if you’re like my group, you always end up with a couple of sorcerers (gotta love those bloodlines!), a rogue, and some kind of fighter. And then everyone realizes you’re going to die against the first boss. Enter the cleric, with healing and buffs to spare. Too often this class goes unappreciated, ranked by some just above the old Bard as far as desirability. No one wants to get stuck being the healer while everyone else is out kicking butt. Should you be so fortunate as to have a cleric player in your party, remember to thank them for keeping you alive. You never know when they’ll “accidentally” run out of spells.
The Game Master: Beyond the individual members of our party, and the cool equipment that may have fallen into our hands throughout the course of the game, we have much to be thankful for. Next time you play, remember to thank your GM. They who spend countless hours preparing for each session, only to have you make a dumb decision that destroys their carefully crafted plans. For it is your GM who gives you the cool weapons, who fudges the die roll when your party would have otherwise been wiped off the board. Thank you GMs, we love you. Please be gentle.
The Rulebook Authors: Take it from someone who has tried to make their own system, it isn’t easy. Preventing broken classes and creating a play system that makes sense without requiring a PhD in math takes organization and planning on an epic level. That’s why all of your geek friends are excited about people the folks at Pathfinder who tweaked those rules to perfection. I know I’ve gone on about them too much already but seriously, if you ever gave up on tabletop role-playing because the rules were too difficult to follow you might want to check them out.
You probably won’t be seeing your gaming group or guild until after the holiday has passed, but when you do take a moment to thank them for their help and support. You never know, it might be what keeps your party alive the next time you critically fail against an ancient red dragon.
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