The setting: A snack bar in the heat of
summer at a large university where a
gaming convention is underway. Several
subdued gamers file quietly in, grab
beverages, and cluster around a corner
table. After a few seconds of intermingled
silence and sighs, one ventures:

“Well, that was a bit of a disaster.”

“It sure wasn’t what I’d expected. Jeez,
succubi? I expected monsters . . .”

“Yeah, we go in like commandos and
we get charmed immediately. Nice plan.”

“Nice plan, huh? What kinda planning
were you doing? You guys just sat there
arguing about the party order.”

“Well, we had just about given up trying
to make suggestions, because all
you did was argue, and then go ahead
and do what you wanted anyway —”

“C’mon, guys, knock it off.”

Uneasy silence.

“It didn’t help that those two fighters
got killed off in the first hour.”

“Well, they just kept getting out in
front in every melee; then they hit that
trap . . .”

“Look, they had no business out in
front — thieves are supposed to check
for traps like that.”

“Sure. We were really that organized.
You jerks never even figured out that we
were supposed to go around the ambushes,
not through them.”

“I must point out that you wasted quite
a few spells yourself. If you’d tried a Find
Traps, or saved a few Heals instead of
being a warrior-priest, we might not have
lost four characters.”

“And I hate to mention it, but we did
take forever to get started.”

“Right. I hear the winning team finished
in only two hours, and they all
survived.”

“Oh, our ref was such a jerk. He didn’t
know what he was doing.”

“Yeah, you sure helped us by arguing
with him over that surprise attack. I don’t
blame him. We were terrible. We were
disorganized and careless, we wasted
time, we fought when we shouldn’t have,
and we never really figured out what we
were supposed to be doing. We didn’t
check for traps, we left the same guys
out in the front of the party until they got
croaked, we used dumb spells, we had
no plans — I’m surprised any of us
survived.”

Studied silence.

“I tell you one thing. No way I’m gonna
screw up next year. Aside from feeling
like a jerk, I didn’t have much fun. All that
arguing about plans, and that guy who
just wouldn’t cooperate . . .”

“Yeah, I learned something. You don’t
have to win to have fun, but you sure
have to be at least decent.”

Slurping sounds as the straws scour
bottoms of cups.

“I never even heard of a succubi . . .”

“A succubus, stupid.”

“If you’re so smart, how come you’re
dead?”
 

Competing in a fantasy role-playing
tournament can be exhilarating, but it
can also be very frustrating. On one
hand, play is intended to be at a high
level of concentration and intensity in a
mysterious and challenging adventure;
on the other hand, inept responses to
common obstacles can cause disappointment
and disaster. Poorly prepared
players may fumble around, disorganized
and confused, wasting playing time
in endless arguments and discussions
which never quite resolve into a plan or
strategy. When confronted with a hostile
encounter, the party dissolves into panicky
chaos, each player insisting that he
be heard first. Careless and ignorant
mistakes cause needless casualties and
frustration. Aggressive players push
others aside, hogging the action, while
good but less aggressive players sit
bored and restless with nothing to do.
Finally, at the end of a four-hour session,
exhausted and disappointed gamers discover
they had never even understood
their goal, much less achieved it.

It is not difficult to become a more
effective player in FRP tournaments,
through understanding the basic principles
and techniques of competitive play.
The small amount of effort required to
learn and practice these basic principles
and techniques will be amply repaid by
improvements in the quality of play. A
gamer can have much more fun playing
in competitive events, and may even
earn glory and prizes, if he can avoid
making elementary errors in organization,
conduct, and strategy.

The following guidelines for improving
play can be divided into five general
categories:
    anticipating the nature of the event; 
    preparing before the event begins;
    basic principles of effective play;
    learning and developing strategies; and
    handling common problems.
Each of these categories is described
and explained in the text that follows.

Anticipating the nature of the event
Examine the event description as
detailed in the convention brochure
or catalog, where there may be explicit
or implicit clues to the skills
emphasized in the tournament.

An event description may plainly state
a preference for dedicated role-players,
or may suggest a wargaming scenario
(“a siege to rescue the fair princess”). In
addition to examining written descriptions,
you should solicit personal accounts
from friends who have participated
in similar events. Major competitive
events run annually at large conventions,
like the AD&D™ Open Tournament
and the RPGA Open, tend to be similarly
organized from year to year, and many
gaming clubs have a distinctive personality
that can be recognized in the events
they sponsor; perhaps the group specializes
in “the thinking man’s dungeon,” or
the elaborately detailed underground
adventure. Careful observation of these
clues to the nature of the event will permit
effective preparation; it is most distressing
to arrive at a competition expecting
one thing and finding another.

Make yourself aware of the level of
play to be expected, and select only
events you qualify for.

Several conventions give keys to the
degree of experience needed for each
event, ranging from “no experience
needed, younger players welcome, rules
will be taught” to “players should know
rules and be experienced in the game.”
Additionally, there are varying levels of
complexity within each rule system. For
example, an experienced AD&D player
whose local campaigns are at low levels
may have difficulty playing in a tournament
where the characters are all established
at fifteenth level. Accounts of previous
practices in particular tournaments
provide helpful hints about the level of
play, though practices may change.
Being unprepared for the level of play in
a competition may lead to embarrassment,
and may deprive fellow team
members of necessary support; a player
who is only familiar with low-level spells
but has been assigned a tenth-level mage
may be a great liability to a competing
group.

Examine published scenarios from
past tournaments.

For example, TSR has published the
scenarios used for the 1980 GEN CON®
XIII AD&D Open in a series of modules,
A1-A4. These modules provide not only
a description of the scenarios faced by
the players, but also generally explain
the methods used in judging the participants.
Included are descriptions of the
prepared characters used in the event.
The modules are interesting and entertaining
in their own right, but they can be
particularly helpful to a novice player
intending to enter an AD&D Open for the
first time; he can see what resources his
character may have, and anticipate the
type of adventure he may encounter.
Also, by reading the notes on the tournament
rules and judging, he can preview
the kinds of rules and limitations he
may face, and recognize strategies that
are encouraged by the event designers.

Search for clues to the tone of the
event in event descriptions and personal
accounts.

Are players expected to respond with
traditional and conservative strategies,
or will daring and unconventional play
be rewarded? Is the tone grimly competitive
and serious, or is there a light and
recreational attitude toward play? If the
event promises to be a classic hack-and-slash
operation, there is little point in
devising clever tricks and innovative
applications of magic spells. On the
other hand, if the event is a free-wheeling
affair where ingenuity and deviant thinking
is rewarded, it is less profitable to
drill on the wording of the spell descriptions
in the rule books. It is also poor
form to arrive at a highly competitive
tournament without serious preparation;
being prepared is showing simple consideration
for those other players who
will adventure with you. Remember that
FRP tournaments are usually cooperative
ventures, and a poorly prepared
player can be a great liability to a serious-
minded group of participants.

Know the rules system to be used in
the tournament.

It is a good idea to review the rule
books, keeping in mind that the local
game may have developed many variant
rules and specific interpretations that
will not apply in a tournament situation.
In tournaments such as the AD&D Open,
the tendency is to rely on a strict and
literal reading of the published rules;
thus, review of the rules can prevent
careless play resulting from habitual
conditioning to local variant rules. Take
a good look at the books, then, both to
refresh the memory on rarely used sections,
and to recall the difference between
local practices and the published
rules.

Drill on things like spell lists and
commonly encountered magic items.

Many tournaments limit the opportunity
to refer to rule texts during the session,
and it is always better to have
information in mind than to have to fumble
with books during the game. Additionally,
prospective participants can
drill themselves on the types of resources
available in the rules; this may inspire
clever new tactics based on those resources.
These kinds of drills can be
accomplished individually, or they may
be a cooperative effort; this is an especially
good way to pass the time during
the long car trips to some conventions,
with the passengers posing problems for
the driver and reading aloud relevant
passages.

Anticipate the kinds of tasks and
problems to be faced.

For example, if wilderness travel seems
likely from the event description, what
practices and skills will be useful? If last
year’s tournament employed many riddles,
pick up a collection of riddles from
the local library. If the theme of the scenario
seems to be based on Greek and
Roman mythology, grab a textbook and
study up. If there is a hint that undead are
likely to be the major opponents, review
the appropriate sections of the monster
listings in the rule books to learn how to
best deal with them.

Develop pre-organized procedures
and tactics for typical problems.

For instance, whenever presented with
a situation where commune spells (which
permit asking the gods a certain number
of yes-no questions) may be used, it is
useful to have a list of generally helpful
questions at hand, such as “Are there
any secret entrances to the whatever?”
or “Are there any guards at this entrance?”
It is also a good idea to have
some standard combat drills in mind. In
Runequest, for example, prepare a list of
favorite spells to be activated before a
combat, and arrange the lists to reflect
priorities and varying tactical situations.
If opposing forces will not close for several
rounds, several spells may be cast,
and it is only sensible to cast first the
spell that may protect you from distance
weapons; if melee is imminent, perhaps
only one well-chosen spell may be
appropriate. Similarly, in any wilderness
travel, night watches are best arranged
with spell casters and missile specialists
inside a circle of well-armored melee
specialists, so a surprise night attack will
not suddenly result in a personal combat
between an unarmed magic-user and a
well-armed fighting man, with the spellcaster
unable to use his magic to protect
himself or the party. Preparing these tactics
ahead of time will not only yield valuable
tactical advantages, it will also
save the time lost during a session as the
group discusses possible tactics. Often
such discussions consume excessive
game time, while a well-outlined plan
delivered by a well-prepared player will
usually be quickly accepted and put into
action.
 

A group that is used to working together has a distinct advantage over a team of strangers.

Be conscious of your strengths and
weaknesses in the particular system
to be used.

Know the roles in which you will be an
asset to your team; likewise, know which
responsibilities you are poorly prepared
to handle. Be prepared to offer your
leadership in areas where you are experienced
and well-versed; understand
when you will need to defer to others in
matters where your background is weak.
A player who is adept at organizing and
leading a party, or who has a special
interest in magic or in combat tactics,
should expect to take special responsibilities
in these skills; he should also look
for fellow players who can provide the
particular skills he may be weak in.

Know your team members ahead of
time, if possible.

It may be possible to register and play
as a team in some tournaments, and
usually a group that is used to working
together has a distinct advantage over a
hastily organized team of strangers. Get
together and establish team goals, and
prearrange responsibilities for different
roles. Be careful, however: Certain tournaments
do not advance whole teams,
but only the top players from each session;
in this case it is better to avoid
competing against friends. Additionally,
in certain large cutthroat tournaments,
where individual awards are handed out
for the wealthiest survivors, it is a good
idea to arrange mutual non-aggression
pacts with friends; though such tactics
do perhaps put other individual players
at an unfair disadvantage, elimination
tournaments must be won by some
method, and this tactic is no more tasteless
than many other ruthless measures
which are often employed.

Preparing before the event begins
Get to the location early. Scout out
the talent. If you are already organized
as a group, but short a few players,
select people who will fit into the
party.

If arriving as an individual or small
group, seek out a well-organized and
experienced-looking group needing a
few players to round out a team. Even
before the event begins, feel out the
appropriate roles for the team members;
actively lobby for a particular role, if you
feel yourself well-qualified. Discuss preferences
for character classes and areas
of expertise. In general, begin the process
of structuring the group and getting
acquainted with other players.

Sometimes it is possible to speak
with the gamemaster before the event
starts.

This may be an opportunity to get certain
items of business out of the way, like
questions on methods of scoring or order
of seating. Consider, however, the risk of
antagonizing your judge before the
event, and don’t inundate him with a series
of unnecessary questions. The GM
will be trying to get himself organized for
the event, and your barrage of questions
may interfere with his concentration;
therefore, balance the benefits achieved
by saving time in asking questions before
the event against the liabilities incurred
by disrupting the GM’s preparations.

Listen to the GM’s directions and
descriptions when the event begins.

Usually the GM will have some introductory
remarks or suggestions about
procedures which should be noted intently.
Then a description of the goals
and conditions of the adventure should
follow, with any necessary background
information. If this is given verbally, it is
wise to take notes for later reference. If
the GM gives out a single copy of useful
printed information, one player should
read the information aloud for the whole
group; thereafter, individual players may
examine the material at their leisure.

Before the session begins, make
certain that the objectives of the adventure
and the criteria for judging
have been clarified by the GM and
understood by the players.

Know whether the judging is for best
team or for best individual. Make sure
the task or objective is clearly understood.
How important is survival? Can
you win if you die ? Is role-playing or
wargaming emphasized? How important
is achieving the objective? Is time a factor
in judging? If a player is intent on
winning, he must know what he has to do
in order to do it well.

After the GM’s opening remarks,
the players are usually given a few
minutes to organize themselves; it is
critical to use this time efficiently.

Get guidelines from the GM for an
appropriate amount of time to allot to
organizing. This should take about half
an hour on the average, though more
time will be necessary for complex roleplaying
and ambiguous tasks. In general,
the amount of time needed for
organization depends on the detail of the
character descriptions, detail of scenario
background, and the complexity of
the objectives. During the organization
period, the players should select characters,
determine procedures and group
organization, and provide the GM with a
group marching order. In general, first
attend to the GM’s specific requirements,
then add further embellishments and
refinements as the circumstances permit.

The assignment of players to characters
is critical; the effectiveness of
the individual players and their enjoyment
may most greatly be influenced
by the appropriateness of their
character assignments.

The assignment of players to characters
is critical; the effectiveness of
the individual players and their enjoyment
may most greatly be influenced
by the appropriateness of their
character assignments.

Wherever possible, assign characters
according to player preference; however,
players must often deny themselves their
favorites in the interest of the party. For
example, if a player enjoys playing the
dumb, berserk, combat-happy fighter,
yet he recognizes that he is the mos
likely candidate for an effective group
leader, he would better serve the party if
he chose a thinking-type character who
might be able to organize and direct the
group, rather than the fighter who would
dash off into melee at the first opportunity.
Usually players who are good at
problem-solving and strategy should be
magic-users or cleric types, while the
pushy, impatient types should be the
fighters. Quiet, unassertive people most
often contribute best when they play
clerics and fighters who are held in
reserve. Thieves are often a subclass of
fighters, for practical purposes, but at
times this is a good role for free-lancers
who are unwilling to organize into tightly
structured units. These players can be
sent off on solo missions, or be given a
larger degree of freedom of initiative.

An organizational structure must
be selected for the players.

The GM may make certain requirements,
or he may leave party organization
strictly up to the players. Several
organizational structures are available
to choose between, each with its own
strengths and weaknesses in different
circumstances.

One common organizational structure
is “anarchy and chaos.” The principal
virtue of this system is that each player is
free to do his own thing, and with a very
small number of players, this system
may be effective. However, this structure
usually results in poor communication
and wasted time. GMs generally dislike
this style, because it typically means
several people talking and asking questions
at once, and it tends to be noisy,
with the most assertive and aggressive
participants ending up dominating play.

Another traditional method of organization
is the “caller” system. Here one
player becomes the sole channel of
communication with the GM. All questions
and actions are funneled through
the caller to the GM. Many GMs like this
system because they only have to deal
with one player at a time, and when the
caller is a good leader, the play is efficient,
with the caller helping the GM
maintain order and direction. The fault
of this system is that it gives more active
play to the caller than to the rest of the
group, and may permit a single player to
dominate the action. Also, the insistence
on formality may sometimes cost more
time than it saves.

An alternative system divides the caller/
leader roles among several players.
For example, one caller is designated for
combat, while another is designated for
wilderness travel. Individuals will accept
responsibility for different specialties,
and the GM will turn to them for their
specifications of actions in the proper
circumstances. For example, a thief becomes
the caller for scouting; the GM
will talk primarily with him while they
move along a path. Suddenly the party is
ambushed; the GM turns to the combat
specialist, who quickly directs the party
in a predetermined defensive strategy.
The advantage of this system is that it
permits each player a fair amount of
action and dialogue. Also, each player
becomes responsible for certain specialties,
and he may work independently on
developing and refining tactics while
another caller is busy talking to the GM.
Ideally, several players will be actively
planning in different areas at once, with
a resulting greater efficiency in time.
Additionally, a player will direct activities
in his area of special expertise; the
best magic-user will be directing the
spell-casting activity, while the best tactician
will be directing the physical
combat.

One other organizational structure is
the “shifting caller,” essentially a form of
polite chaos. In this situation each player
speaks for himself; the only rule is that
no more than one person speaks to the
GM at a time. The players may wait to be
acknowledged by the GM, or some player
may be designated as “director,” determining
who speaks and in what order,
or the players may simply work it out as
best they can. This style prevents the
distracting and irritating phenomenon of
two players trying to talk to the GM at
once, and with a quiet, considerate, and
well-balanced group, may be more efficient
than an overly formal structure.
The shifting-caller style may be improved
by making one player a clearing house
for notes prepared by other players;
while one player asks the GM questions,
other players may write a couple of notes
with questions or suggestions and hand
them to a clearing-house player. As soon
as there is a break in the dialogue, the
clearing-house player can read the notes
aloud or give them to the GM for answers.
This system keeps players active while
the GM is tied up, and it keeps a record of
all those good ideas and questions that
always get lost while waiting for a turn at
the GM. It also makes a reservoir of questions
for the GM that can be answered
while the party discusses other issues as
a group.
 

The GM is the information bottleneck; he cannot function effectively if he is interrupted or distracted.

Whatever system is chosen, it must be
designed to perform some vital functions:
First, it must prevent more than
one player from questioning the GM at a
time, because the GM is the information
bottleneck; he cannot function effectively
if he is interrupted or distracted, and he
obviously cannot answer more than one
question at a time. Second, it must keep
each player as active as possible, and
give equal opportunities for play to all;
most everyone can relate to the tedium
and frustration of waiting for minutes, if
not hours, as other players hog the play
and the GM’s attention. Third, it must
allow each player to employ his strengths
as efficiently as possible; if responsibilities
are divided, they must be assigned to
those best able to perform them.

If various responsibilities are divided
up amongst the party members,
there are several useful roles that
individuals may assume.

It is generally accepted that designating
a party leader makes play more efficient;
however, the role of the leader may
be either a limited or expansive one. He
may be considered as a commanding
officer, or he may simply act to help
guide the flow of the dialogue. It is indecent
of a leader to hog the play; he
should assert himself whenever the party
is in danger of wasting a great deal of
time, or when a serious threat prevents
immediate dialogue and discussion, but
it is best if he uses his position to ensure
that each player gets an equal chance to
enjoy the play. 

It is also useful to have a mapping specialist,
and someone who makes it his
business to keep notes on any information
received. A GM may require a party
to recount important things discovered
in the course of the adventure, and notes
are very helpful at these times.

A tactical director can handle combat
situations; often there will be a player
who delights in such wargaming problems,
and who can help the party efficiently
use its resources and protect
itself in an organized fashion.

A magic coordinator can keep track of
the kinds of magical resources available
in the party, and help the party budget its
use of expendable spells and items; he
can also coordinate magical support for
combat, and suggest creative uses of
magic for unusual predicaments.

A scout makes a good caller for cautious
exploration and travel, while a persuasive
talker might be designated as
the routine ambassador for the group.

There is no reason why a specific role
should not be shared by two or more
players, when necessary. If each player
has a special responsibility, he will gain a
greater sense of participation in the adventure,
and more detailed attention can
be given specifically to each of these
important facets of successful tournament
play.

Once party roles are determined,
certain kinds of information must be
organized and provided to the party
and the GM.

If a blackboard is available, it is useful
to list the players by character name, real
name, and by other important descriptors,
like character class, hit points, level,
armor type, primary weapon, and so
forth. This list will help strangers communicate
quickly with one another, while 
providing a list of party resources. Information
about armor type and hit
points will be useful to combat coordinators,
and in determining the party’s
marching order. The board can also be
used to keep a running tally of injuries to
players, reminding the group who needs
rest and healing. If there is time and
room, list special magic items, spells
available, and special talents. This information
may be of great assistance in
designing strategies.

If a blackboard is not available, notes
on paper will have to do, and certain
characters may wish to keep special rosters
for their own use; for example, a
magic specialist might want to keep a list
of the spell powers and/or spell points
available in order to budget and coordinate
magic use.

It is also customary to specify the party’s
travel order. This may be done with
miniatures, as notes on paper, or on a
chalkboard. It is a good idea to keep a
written record of the party order, if figures
are used, to facilitate returning to
party order after engagements that disperse
the members. It is also useful to
develop several different party orders for
different circumstances. For example,
the scout may suggest one party order
for wilderness travel, and another for
indoor investigations. The combat coordinator
may suggest automatically assuming
a certain formation when the
party is ambushed, while the party leader
may have a system of night watches and
dispositions of party members around
the campfire. Arranging these ahead of
time may save valuable time during play,
particularly if one person can arrange
these formations while another player is
engaging the GM in personal discussion.
-

GM’s are human, too, and sometimes careless in their hurry to improve the party’s time efficiency.

Basic principles of effective play
1. Operate.
Do something, even if it’s wrong: Move
it! One of the greatest failings of many
tournament groups is the paralyzing
caution that prevents the players from
moving in any direction before thinking
and talking about it for 15 minutes. It
is often a good idea to start out with an
eager and decisive leader, while the analytic
and cautious minds keep their eyes
peeled for trouble. Most tournaments
begin with a series of “time wasters” (see
#2) that can fool the most inexperienced
competitors. Generally, the really dangerous
encounters are saved for later, on
a principle of increasing levels of difficulty,
and if party members cannot face
the early challenges when they are fresh
and unblemished, it is unlikely that they
will be very effective with later problems.
Parties that dither and harangue over
every decision will lose too much game
time to finish the scenario.

2. Avoid time wasters.
Don’t waste any of your resources on
an encounter if you can get around it.
Many player groups will choose to engage
a party of weak opponents, confident
that it can defeat them; however,
unless the combat is specifically part of
the objective, the time and resources are
utterly wasted. Typically, the first part of
a session will provide many opportunities
for the imprudent player to forget his
objective and squander his time and
resources on irrelevant matters.

3. Listen to the GM’s descriptions.
Get the picture: When in doubt, ask for
a diagram. Many players are intimidated
by the GM, and they assume that the GM
always describes accurately, and if they
don’t understand the description, it must
be their own fault. On the contrary: GM’s
are human, too, and sometimes careless
in their hurry to improve the party’s time
efficiency. Many a foul-up occurs from
misunderstandings about what the GM
feels he has described. The best way is to
make things completely explicit, preferably
in the form of a diagram. Preparing
a diagram doesn’t really take much
longer than reading the description, if
the GM knows the set-up, and it is less
ambiguous for the players. The GM can
also be held accountable for it; if the GM
omits an important detail when reading
from a text description, then is called to
account for it twenty minutes later, who
can prove that the GM read it incorrectly?
Who can remember exactly what
was said? Ask for a recap and summary if
the action becomes confused and complex.
Requiring the GM to be specific
may take time, but it may prevent serious
misunderstandings and time wasted on
straightening them out. Remember, the
characters are there, and the players are
entitled to their best opportunity to visualize
the scene as if they were actually
there seeing it.

Be aware of what style of play the GM likes; be the kind of party he wishes he had in his own campaign.

4. Transmit efficiently.
Only one person can interact with the
GM at a time. As mentioned earlier, the
GM is the information bottleneck; understand
that principle, and try to work
around it. Use notes to the GM for questions
of secondary importance; these
can be handled during a lull in the action.
Use diagrams or written summaries when
a series of detailed specifications of
actions are required. Don’t split the party;
even though common sense indicates
that a party can SEARCH an area faster if it
splits up, the GM can only judge one
group at a time, so the whole group
might as well stick together for game
purposes.

5. Communicate with other players.
But in doing so, avoid noise and chaos.
Private communications can go on while
another player has the GM’s attention, as
long as the communication is by note, or
if the players move away from the table.
Don’t try to talk across another conversation,
and avoid interrupting someone
else’s dialogue unless imminent peril
looms. Sometimes when the GM is
locked in dialogue with a single player
for one reason or another, it is a good
idea to withdraw from the table for a
party caucus and planning session.
Subcommittees may be useful at times
to discuss tactics or specific problems.
Occasionally the leader should organize
group discussions of tactics and objectives,
and he should summarize options
and guide members in orderly methods
of expressing their opinions.

6. Analyze the GM’s style.
Does the GM perceive himself as an 
opponent, or as a facilitator attempting
to insure a pleasant experience? Does
he depend on a literal interpretation of
the rule book, or is he inclined to judge
from common sense? Does he encourage
discussion of his judgements, or is
he offended at the implied slur on his
authority? Is he well-prepared for the
scenario, or does he get confused easily
and spend time fumbling with notes?
Does he expect the group to organize on
its own, or does he prefer to help the
group run efficiently? Is he inclined to
offer hints when the party is stuck, or
does he patiently WAIT for the party to
sink or swim on its own merits? Be aware
of what style of play the GM likes, and
keep him comfortable. Be the kind of
party that the GM wishes he had in his
own campaign at home. Avoid antagonizing
the GM or making him defensive;
a hostile GM is far more dangerous than
the worst kinds of player blunders that
can be imagined.

7. Plan carefully, and have backup
plans.

The leader is crucial in guiding efficient
planning. He should encourage
brainstorming — but don’t judge or discuss
the suggestions initially, just list
them. Often the first idea offered is discussed
in detail, using up all the time that
should be used for planning, and none of
the other plans are even recognized or
discussed. As each plan is listed, the
leader should listen carefully, and attempt
to clarify any plans that are ambiguous
or poorly expressed or which
contain hidden assumptions. Once all
the plans are listed, the leader should set
a cutoff time for discussion of the plans
and the means by which the plan shall be
selected. It is not always a good idea to
depend on a vote to decide the selection
of a plan. Sometimes the selection of the
plan should be entrusted to the appropriate
specialist; for example, the combat
specialist might be best suited to
select an assault plan.

Always have backup plans. Keep plans
flexible enough to respond to unexpected
hindrances. Keep the plan as simple
as possible; it is an unfortunate truth that
people are often unable to do complicated
things, and a simple plan is much
easier to improvise or revise when the
unforeseen occurs.

The plan must take into account the
following: the objectives of the party; the
party resources; an estimate of the opposing
forces; an awareness of available
time to complete the plan; the deadliness
of the scenario; and the scenario’s apparent
level of logical consistency. The
more likely it is that characters will die
irreversibly, the more conservative the
plan must be, with ample alternatives
and escape contingencies. The degree
of logical consistency in the adventure is
very important; the less reliably logical
the scenario is, the less useful careful
planning will be. In those goofy, completely
illogical universes, it is often
futile to plan in any but the most superficial
fashion.

8. Don’t confuse real time with
game time.

Even though it might realistically take
your party hours to retrace their steps to
return to what may have been a better
route, realize that in game terms, since
the area has already been mapped, it will
take very little game time to go back and
start over at the better route. When the
choice is between two weeks of wilderness
travel and a month of sea voyage to
reach a destination, remember that the
two voyages will most likely take about
the same amount of game time. The
important thing is game time, a scarce
resource that must be conserved.

Particularly try to avoid the common
panic that can set in when players/characters
know the time for the event is running
out. Players who hurry will rarely
enable their characters to act any faster;
though six people simultaneously stating
their requests takes less game time,
the net effect is lost time, because the
GM cannot understand any of the requests.
Staying cool and organized is
the most efficient use of game time, even
though panic and adrenalin rushes might
be the appropriate role-playing response
as a character.

9. Innovate, but don’t overdo it.

Balance the possible benefits of clever
and unconventional procedures against
the risk of violently disrupting the typically
narrow focus of most tournament
dungeons. That clever idea may cost
valuable game time as the GM struggles
to find precedent and reason for his
judgement, and if the GM must consult
with the tournament organizers for a
response to the stroke of genius, the
time lost may far outweigh the benefit
gained.
 

Only tamper with an unknown item or artifact when it seems to be absolutely necessary, or absolutely safe.

10. Don’t yank on levers.
Avoid actions that imply that success
is simply a matter of faith in action and
good luck. Sophisticated GMs are scornful
of lever-pullers, and will often offer a
device designed to punish such RECKLESS
behavior. Only tamper with an unknown
item or artifact when it seems to be absolutely
necessary, or absolutely safe.
Don’t pick up that widget and push the
button, just because you detected magic.
It is far more likely to result in an untimely
demise than an instant dominion over all
enemies.

Effective tournament strategies
In addition to learning accepted principles
of good play, it is helpful to recognize
and understand certain widely practiced
strategies that have proven effective
in tournament competition.

1. Send an appropriate party member
ahead to scout.

Common practice is to make a thief-type
invisible. Preferably he should have
special skills that make him hard to
detect, but good at perceiving things.
Infravision, for example, is very helpful.
Usually the scout is a character who has
little value in melee or magic; scouting
may be a relatively safe occupation for a
lightly armored and weak character. He
should be skilled at detecting traps, and
cautious by nature. By scouting ahead,
dangerous encounters and traps may be
avoided, and useful information will be
obtained that will make planning more
effective.

2. Magical concealment is almost
always useful.

Spells of invisibility and silence are
very popular, but illusion spells may
sometimes serve similar purposes. The
principle is avoiding undesirable encounters,
or gaining the element of surprise in
an attack.

3. “Carry your water in you,” as the
denizens of the desert say.

USE magical or perishable healing resources
early; don’t try to conserve them.
Otherwise, the spell-casters may die before
they can employ their spells, and a
character may perish because he was
not healed up to full capacity. It is a good
idea, however, to save a few potions or
salves that can be applied by anyone 
and provide a benefit which will not disappear
upon the death of the bearer.
These resources can be saved for discretionary
use in the later stages of an
adventure. In general, however, make it a
practice to stay as close to peak durability
as is practical; it is terrible to watch a
character die who might have lived if he
had not foolishly attempted to “conserve”
healing magic.

4. In all travel and battle orders,
provide for relief of the front line —
someone who can step in or interpose
himself between an attacker and a
sorely wounded comrade.

Often a well-armored but unimposing
character can hold off an attacker long
enough to permit the front-line juggernaut
to return to the fray fully healed. It is
foolish to wait for the front line to be cut
down before the second line tests its
valor in combat.

5. Don’t separate the party.
The GM can only handle one party, or
part of a party, at a time, and one group
will be sitting twiddling its thumbs while
the other group works with the GM. Even
though common sense indicates that a
party could SEARCH an area faster if it split
up into small groups, the practical fact is
that more game time is consumed, It is
also true, incidentally, that divided parties
are easier prey for marauders.

6. Don’t hesitate to use information
magic; become skilled in its use.

Most <wizards> tend to think in
terms of fireballs and lightning bolts, but
there are many useful spells that can
help prevent encounters or confer tactical
advantages that outweigh the value
of scorching a few bad guys. Such spells
as find traps, locate object, find the path,
augury, divination, and a host of detect
spells will help the party avoid perils and
achieve its objectives. One particularly
useful type of spell that is often poorly
utilized is the “ask questions of the gods”
spell, like commune, contact other plane,
and divination. These spells can often be
used effectively in the early planning
stages to obtain valuable intelligence
about the disposition of the opponent
and the layout of his defenses. Often it
will be possible to avoid the bulk of the
defenders, or at least to accurately assess
their strengths and weaknesses.
The ability to use this kind of magic
quickly and effectively is rare in FRP
gamers, and may provide the margin of
victory against a less well-prepared
party.

7. Ignore loot; first and foremost,
achieve the objectives.

GMs love to leave loot around to distract
the inexperienced gamer. Sometimes
casually encountered treasure may
yield a valuable tool, but it is just as likely
that it will yield a crock or a trap. While
one group is playing around with that
unmarked potion bottle (actually a potion
of plant control), another party is
forging ahead to accomplish its ordained
task. Particularly entertaining is the
character who can’t walk past a stack of
gold bars; it is comic to see him struggling
with the encumbrance in combat.
Ignore the simply attractive; seek only
the essential.

8. Don’t despair when hit points and
spell powers are nearly gone.

A depleted character must simply be
more clever. The gamer’s truly effective
weapons are his wits and his ingenuity,
and it is often very satisfying to be
stripped of all the usual powers and abilities
and left only with desperately contrived
resources. One excellent final
round of an AD&D Open left the characters
stripped of weapons, armor, spells,
and even torches at the beginning of the
adventure. Such challenges bring out
the best in players, and clever improvisations
will be recalled far longer than the
wielding of gross weapons and magics.

9. Don’t hesitate to use consumable
resources, unless there is a strong
hint in the background or objectives
of the scenario that seems to encourage
such stinginess.

It is very poor form to end the adventure
with unused powers and dead companions.
Many players hesitate to use 
their more scarce and powerful spells
until the adventure is almost over; then
they try to use them all at once, regardless
of their appropriateness. If a powerful
spell is used well and early, it may
permit the party to arrive at its destination
in good enough condition that the
task will be easily accomplished. Don’t
always assume that the toughest combat
is saved for the end of the scenario; the
climax of the adventure may be a difficult
puzzle, or a problem which cannot be
solved by simply using a bigger hammer.
Frequently enough, that fireball that is
carefully conserved will be completely
ineffective against the fire lizard that is
the final obstacle. Such ironic surprises
are the delight of fiendish GMs.
-

Better to have a less qualified leader than a struggle for dominance every time a decision must be made.

10. Maintain party unity at all costs.

Even in a scenario that encourages
treachery, try to keep as much of the
party alive, functional, and confident of
mutual assistance as possible. Last-minute
treachery is usually most effective,
anyway, and least depressing to the
betrayed character, who at least will
have had most of a pleasant adventure. If
no treachery is encouraged in the scenario,
avoid any divisive actions that cause
mistrust within the party. Ensure the
prospect of aid in extremity by assuring
others that aid will be given to them
when they need it.

11. When all else fails, play dead.

This cheap trick is terribly common,
and many ruthless GMs are unimpressed
by such tactics, but sometimes it is
simply the last resort of the doomed
character. Generally it is unusual for
opponents to meticulously finish off a
downed character, particularly when
there are other characters still standing;
a character in such dire straits should be
philosophical, and thankful for any opportunity
to avoid the fatal blow.

Common problems in tournament play
Certain typical problems must be recognized
and handled effectively, or the
entire game may be spoiled.

1. Intransigent players.

Sometimes one or more players in a
group simply will not go along with the
party. Sometimes it is someone who just
doesn’t like being organized or given
orders; sometimes it is a self-styled leader
who is insensitive to the fact that he is
not acknowledged as the leader. Privately
attempt to explain the problem to
the player, and courteously ask him to
cooperate for the sake of the party; it is
seldom effective to employ negative
means with such a player. Usually the
reason he is a problem is that he is insensitive
to criticism or reason. Send this
player off on a separate mission; here it
is better to split the party than to try to
work around an uncooperative player. At
best the player may be able to aid the
party by being separated from the rest of
the members; at worst, time and patience
will not be wasted in arguing with him.

2. Ballhogs.

Some players have to be on center
stage at all times; they don’t give other
players a chance to share their thoughts
or perform useful functions. These guys
always push through the party and grab
the magic objects, or fire impulsively at
encounters, or insist on a lengthy explanation
of their point of view. An effective
party leader can channel action away
from such players and toward less assertive
players. Privately asking the player
to relax and give other players a chance
may help; finally, however, it may be
necessary to be unpleasant with these
players, particularly if the impulsive behavior
of the player is getting the party
into trouble. Sometimes a sympathetic
GM will assist the party, but it may come
down to ostracizing the character, or
knocking him over the head. It is easier
to take if the sanction can come in game
terms, and still allow the player some
ability to participate in the adventure.
For example, a charm spell may permit
the party to control the character’s actions,
or some other character can keep
an eye and a weapon trained on the
offender, with the promise of violence in
case of further problems It must be
observed, however, that a dead character
cannot be a ballhog.

3. The weak GM. 

Sometimes a GM will clearly be unfamiliar
with the rules or, very often in
large tournaments, unfamiliar with the
scenario. In some cases he will simply
not have much talent or skill at gamemastering.
It is very frustrating for players
who are experienced GMs to sit and
watch a judge fumble around, when it is
clear that the players could do a better
job of judging. It is useless to attack and
humiliate such judges, and they may not
be responsible for their incapacity; often
a judge may not see his scenario until the
night before, and he may find the scenario
emphasizing the very areas of the
rules where he is weakest. In this case, it
is best to try to help the GM wherever
possible, and to avoid pushing him beyond
his limits. If his ineptitude causes
particularly serious delays as he struggles
with confused scenario references,
or tries to make judgements, ask the GM
if he will extend the time limit to compensate.
The worst case of this predicament
is when the GM tries to cover his
ill-preparedness by being a ruthless
killer. Some GMs feel that killing a few
characters will earn them instant respect.
There is little that can be done in these
cases, other than discussing the problem
afterward with the tournament organizers.
A final resort might be to walk
out of the event directly, and confront
the organizers; I did this one time, and
received some sort of satisfaction, but
generally it is best to remember that it is
only a game and take the misfortune
philosophically.

4. Leadership struggle.

Sometimes two strong-willed players
will be equally qualified to lead the party,
and they will disrupt the action by constantly
arguing over who has the better
plan. If one of those strong-willed people
happens to be you, simply let the other
person lead. It is better to have a possibly
less qualified leader than to have a timeand
energy-consuming struggle for party
dominance every time a decision must
be made. If you are an observer in the
battle for power, it may be necessary to
put the problem before the party and
insist that a leader be chosen by vote or
by lot. Don’t hesitate to get tough with
leader types; they wouldn’t be assertive
if they weren’t tough enough to survive
criticism, and often simply calling the
source of the problem to the attention of
the contending leaders will eliminate the
difficulty.

5. Indecisive dithering and endless
planning discussions.

Often it will be possible to get the party
to recognize that time is being lost, and
suggesting a time limit on discussion, or
a limit of 1 comment per player, may
solve the problem. Sometimes it is necessary
to be the bad guy, and impulsively
perform an act that commits the party to
a plan of action. Taking judgements
affecting the whole party into your own
hands, however, is not likely to make you
popular, and even if the tactic works, the
party is unlikely to thank you for it.
Another option is to take off on your
own, with the GM’s help; the party will
often follow without reflection, simply to
avoid a party split. Recognize, however,
that some of the solutions suggested
here are listed as problems themselves
(see “ballhogs”), and it is best to limit
discussion and dithering to that which
can be done while maintaining the party’s
agreement and cooperation.

6. Treachery.

This is no fun for the victim, yet often
great fun for the betrayer. One effective
approach, when traveling with friends, is
to swear a mutual revenge oath: Any
character who betrays any one of the
oath-swearers will be pursued to the
death. Individually, it is best to establish
with the GM by means of a note that you
are constantly on the lookout for theft or
treachery within the party; this may
sometimes entitle you to some warning
when some rat directs the GM that he is
going to pull a fast one. A pragmatic and
ruthless approach is to kill dubious
characters outright; another approach is
to acknowledge a thief an extra share of
treasure in return for the courtesy of not
stealing from the party. Most effective is
the agreement of all members of a party
to punish treachery; sadly, there is little
to assure the value of such an oath. The
most effective way to avoid this problem
is to refuse to play with anyone whom
you do not know and trust; unhappily,
this is rarely possible in tournament
play.

7. Disputes with the GM.

It is difficult to generalize on this problem.
Some GMs invite discussion of their
judgements; others bitterly resent any
questioning of their authority. Usually
such endeavors consume a great deal of
time, and often they have relatively little
effect on the result of the game. After
analyzing the style of the GM, and considering
whether he is at all likely to be
amenable to discussion of an error or
oversight, weigh the possible benefits of
a reversed decision against the time lost
and the possible irritation of the judge,
and do what is necessary. Don’t forget
that you are a partisan critic, and that
your view of the judgement may be
strongly colored by self-interest. In the
case of a clear error or unfair judgement
where the GM is unwilling to listen to
reason, take it up after the event with the
tournament organizers; sometimes such
an error will be so obvious and so important
that some redress must be made for
the sake of the event and the peace of
mind of the players.

8. Idle players becoming bored
while the spotlight is elsewhere.

Find some useful busy-work tasks to
keep players active and alert when the
GM is tied up with another player. Bored
players will let their attention wander
and break into private conversations on
unrelated topics; this can be distracting
and demoralizing. Encourage these players
to update inventories or battle plans,
or prepare night-watch lists, or to search
background materials for missed hints.
Though these activities are not on center
stage, they are at least clearly related to
the task, and revising plans for the final
conflict to reflect new information and
depleted resources may increase the
chances of a successful mission.

9. Uninspired team members.

Public contempt and humiliation will
not improve a gamer’s play; it will not
serve any purpose to make a weak player
miserable. If you can presume to judge
the quality of another’s skills, you should
be able to take responsibility for finding
tasks equal to his ability. Determine his
strengths (everybody has some) and
exploit them; build the player’s confidence
and self-worth; and even if he
turns out to have been little help in the
adventure, at least you will not have been
responsible for ruining another person’s
enjoyment of the scenario. Productive
criticism is usually best delivered in private,
and most easily accepted and appreciated
from an unvindictive source.
Be generous, be understanding, and remember
that you are playing a game
which is supposed to be for the enjoyment
of all.

10. Weak leader and/or disorganized
group.

Initially, it is most important to recognize
this problem; many groups founder
in organizing, planning, and discussion,
but are not conscious that the problem is
not the content or quality of ideas, but
the lack of a system to review and implement
them. George Johnson, an experienced
tournament judge, tells the classic
story of the group that was performing
horribly in his scenario; finally, after two
hours of confusion and disaster, one
player observed, “Gee, I guess we ought
to choose a leader.” Ironically, this problem
will often crop up in groups with
superior players; there are just so many
good ideas that no one can stand to
abandon his own concept to work with
the group. The final round of the Origins
82 Runequest tournament is a perfect
example. With eight excellent players,
there were (at least) eight very good
ideas about how to approach the party’s
task; no one plan was obviously better
than the next. The result was that the
party broke up into several small groups,
each intent on following their own ideas. 
Though their individual play was truly
superior, and thoroughly entertaining,
the party ran out of time before it could
complete the scenario.

Once the group recognizes its disorganization,
it is a good idea to pick a
leader and be as formal as a classroom;
once things settle down, the structure
can become less formal as the circumstances
indicate. A reliable and familiar
model for group organization is the
school classroom; a leader can borrow
many of the techniques of teachers in
organizing the group, relying on such
simple principles as waiting to be recognized
before speaking and listing important
details on blackboards. Though
some may resent such formal structuring,
it will be accepted if it solves a mutually
perceived problem.
 

It is not undignified to strive to win; the spirit of competition provides the best gaming experiences. However, never lose sight of the ultimate goals — to play hard, to play well, and, most of all, to have fun.

11. “The wrong leader.”

A typical complaint heard after an unsuccessful
adventure is “Our leader led
us to disaster,” or “We picked the wrong
leader.” This may simply be a matter of
undignified second-guessing; as often
as not, the leader may have been the best
choice, and the complainer simply looking
for a scapegoat. However, to the
extent that this is a valid complaint, several
principles address this problem:

A: Look for leadership qualities. A
good leader is usually older and more
experienced; inquire as to which players
have tournament experience and which
players have led parties in tournament
play before, and how often. A potential
leader will probably be doing many of
the things suggested by this article long
before he is officially designated party
leader. He will usually be an extrovert,
speaking easily with friends and strangers
alike. (Do not confuse the loudmouth
with the extrovert — a loudmouth
tries to do all the talking; an extrovert will
perhaps initiate the talking, but will also
listen to what is said.) He will usually
have his own materials (rule books, dice,
note pads, pencils) well organized, perhaps
even to the point of compulsion. He
may politely defer to others when leader
volunteers are called for; often a really
experienced leader is embarrassed by
his preeminence. He may be self-conscious
about constantly taking such an
important role, and he may eagerly encourage
other less experienced players
to take a shot at a party leadership role
— a generous gesture that should be respected,
since the veteran can always be
called on if things go badly later on.

B: Explicitly limit the leader’s role from
the very start of the expedition. Make it
clear that the choice of leader is provisional;
it may be necessary to choose
another leader later in the scenario if
problems arise. Do not promise or imply
complete obedience; do not sit back
passively, dumping the responsibility for
success on your leader. Such passivity
encourages or forces the leader to rely
on his own judgement, when he should
be able and obligated to consider the
contributions of the other members.

C: It is each player’s responsibility to
assert himself when he feels the leader
or group is not functioning properly. It is
in poor taste to sit quietly, critically judging
the party’s efforts, then to later complain
that the leader or rest of the party
blew it. A tournament is a team effort,
and each individual is responsible for the
group’s success or failure. Often a quick
critical appraisal of the situation can set
things back on the right track. For the
leader’s part, he must be positive and
accepting of criticism; he should encourage
anyone who disagrees to speak
out. As long as the leader encourages
the comments of party members, and as
long as they do not abandon their right
and responsibility to support and advise
him, the group can operate efficiently
without becoming a dictatorship with
the passive indulgence of the players.

12. Last-minute panic.

The last 30 minutes of a tournament
adventure often degenerates into chaos
as each player desperately seeks to expend
his remaining powers and grab the
treasure before time runs out. Even the
well-organized group will go crazy at the
last minute, abandoning their efficient
systems, in disruptive panic. Each player
insists on acting and speaking immediately,
with the result that no one can
act or speak effectively. Resist the emotional
urge to panic, and try to operate as
you have throughout the scenario — in
an orderly and efficient manner.

Effective FRP tournament play
As the gamer becomes more experienced
in tournament play, he will adapt,
revise, and perhaps discard many of the
suggestions offered above, and he will
devise his own set of principles to guide
him to increasingly effective and successful
tournament play. It is not undignified
to strive to win; the spirit of competition
provides the serious atmosphere in
which some of the best FRP gaming
experiences may be enjoyed. However,
never lose sight of the ultimate goals —
to play hard, to play well, and, most of all,
to have fun.

FEBRUARY 1983