Player Archetypes

Everyone shows up to a game to have fun, but what fun looks like is different for different people. When preparing and running a game, the Narrator wants to know what the group enjoys and how to keep them engaged. Understanding what players like helps everyone have fun and feel included in the gaming group.

It’s common for players to enjoy many aspects of the game at different times, but each individual has specific motivations that really spark their imagination and immerse them in the experience. For convenience we use player archetypes to define what aspects of the game someone is particularly enthusiastic about: Character, Combat, Drama, Mechanics, Rules, Socializing, Specialization, Story, Tactics, or the World.

The player archetypes listed below are not immutable. Many players have motivations from more than one archetype, and their type might change depending on their mood, what else is happening in their lives, across different games and campaigns, or even based on who else is at the gaming table. Furthermore, none of these types are inherently good or bad—they are simply different ways of enjoying the game.

Character Enthusiast

Other Names: Actor, Roleplay Specialist

Preferred Pillars: Social

These players want to inhabit their character and come to the table with strong ideas about their character’s background and personality. They thrive when given the opportunity to roleplay and portray their character’s values, and tend to prefer social engagements to fights. They are easily led to adventure by a Narrator who incorporates PC motivations, backstory and relationships.

A character enthusiast is most engaged when they have the spotlight and are presented with situations meaningful to their character, and when drawing on their character’s place in the world. The Narrator should provide opportunities for character development and recruit them to create rich narrative moments that affect the campaign world. When they can play in character with other actors, they thrive—don’t be afraid to sit back and let them spend a session talking around the campfire.

Potential Difficulties: “But it’s what my character would do!” Make sure the player’s character gets along with the world and other PCs; otherwise they will constantly fight against the group and frustrate everyone. Be careful not to let them bore the rest of the table either by attempting to converse with everyone and everything! An occasional conversation with a squirrel is fun, but a whole session of talking to animals causes more action-focused players to switch off. Similarly, character enthusiasts will get bored with too few opportunities to roleplay and develop their character.

Combat Enthusiast

Other Names: Butt-Kicker, Slayer

Preferred Pillars: Combat

To this type of player, a huge amount of the fun of the game is combat. The power fantasy of being able to take down dangerous foes is core to their enjoyment of the game. This may be because combat feels the most like a board game, the player wants some catharsis to blow off real-world stress and frustrations, or some other reason, but whatever the underlying cause these players perk up when the dice hit the table and hit point totals start dropping.

A combat enthusiast is most engaged when adventures include regular combat encounters. Some like graphic or at least exciting descriptions of the violence playing out in the game (which may need to be balanced against the comfort level of the rest of the group). This desire for combat is typically not a big ask, but if more than one session goes by without some sort of physical confrontation these players may get bored and in some cases pick fights with friendly NPCs in an attempt to liven the game up. Another potential point of frustration for these players is when they are prevented from participating in a combat—use paralyzing attacks, sleep effects, and other agency denying mechanics sparingly on adventurers controlled by these players. The same goes for enemies with escape plans such as teleportation effects or vampires that turn to mist. 

Potential Difficulties: In addition to the potential for picking unnecessary fights, there’s also a chance that these players may disengage from noncombat portions of the game. Narrators may need to proactively point the spotlight at them from time to time. One way to do this is to make their martial skill an important bit of knowledge or respect that opens doors for the party as a whole. “You’re Grogthak the wyvern slayer! Yes, of course you and your friends can come in!”

Drama Enthusiast

Other Names: Instigator, Pot Stirrer

Preferred Pillars: Combat and social

Drama enthusiasts are all about making things happen! These players love to take crazy risks and deliberately make bad choices, thriving on the chaos they sow and creating memorable campaign moments. They usually love the immediacy of combat and dislike having nothing to do. Trust these players to take decisive action (pulling levers, attacking the guards, stealing the dragon’s gold from under their nose!) especially when the adventure otherwise grinds to a halt.

A drama enthusiast is most engaged when there is plenty of action and when they are in encounters that invite experimentation. Put them in a tight situation of their own making or offer high risk and high reward scenarios and they’ll be on the edge of their seats. They also love being egged on by NPCs or other players who encourage bold action.

Potential Difficulties: They don’t like over-planning, rules arguments, or anything that slows the pace of play, and can be disruptive to party unity by hogging the spotlight and making impulsive choices that risk getting everyone killed. Also beware the opportunity for dramatic betrayal! When the MacGuffin is on the table the drama enthusiast is tempted to attack other PCs or allies, or snatch it and run, undermining group trust and potentially derailing the campaign altogether. If you have an instigator in your group, make sure you cover expectations around group behavior and player versus player conflict.

Mechanics Enthusiast

Other Names: Min-Maxer, Power Gamer, Theorycrafter

Preferred Pillars: Combat and exploration

These players derive a lot of enjoyment from the mechanical side of the game and spend a lot of time thinking about the interactions between various character abilities. If a player excitedly talks about their “build,” they may be a mechanics enthusiast. Another sign of a mechanics enthusiast is a focus on optimizing PCs solely for maximum effectiveness at combat (typically around a singular tactic), but exceptions exist where a player may design a character that is as competent as possible at a wide range of activities or a specific noncombat role such as stealth, making money, or diplomacy.

A mechanics enthusiast is most engaged when given opportunities for their carefully-crafted PC to shine. Don’t neglect character advancement either, as these players often have planned out their character several levels in advance and will be eager to realize the next stage of their plan. These players can become frustrated when they feel like the work they put into character creation was “wasted.” This can come up in a variety of ways, but generally speaking the player should be allowed to “do their thing” on at least a semi-regular basis. If the PC is a stealth expert, give them places to infiltrate. If the player has built a wizard that focuses on area spells, it’s only sporting to give them a tightly-packed group of enemies to blast now and then. 

Potential Difficulties: Power disparity between PCs can be a real concern. Characters designed for maximum mechanical effectiveness can often overshadow ones that are not unless care is taken by the Narrator to account for the differences. Be especially aware of multiclass builds that use a single primary ability score, as those can sometimes create a “whole greater than the sum of its parts” situation. There’s also the danger of “when all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail” with these players, who may try to solve in-game problems in wildly inappropriate or implausible ways just so they can use their character’s cool abilities.

Rules Enthusiast

Other Names: Rules Lawyer, Sage

Preferred Pillars: Anywhere to demonstrate rules knowledge (usually combat and exploration)

These players find satisfaction in their knowledge or even mastery of the rules of the game—when an odd circumstance comes up in the game and there are rules to address it, they either know the applicable game mechanics off the top of their head or at least have an excellent idea where to look for them. Consistency and fairness are very important for these players, and they may object to the Narrator providing mechanical bonuses for doing things in a fun or entertaining way (the so-called “rule of cool”).

A rules enthusiast is most engaged when their encyclopedic knowledge of the rules is put to work. The Narrator should proactively ask these players to look up and reference rules when there’s a dispute or lack of knowledge at the table. However, they can become frustrated if they feel like the mechanics they have spent so much time and energy learning don’t matter in the game.

Potential Difficulties: Rules enthusiasts can sometimes attempt to hijack the game by insisting on slavish adherence to the rules at all times, and in some extreme cases will even accuse Narrators of cheating if they roll behind a screen or have game events happen by fiat. Conflict can also arise when the player and Narrator interpret a given rules passage differently. These players can sometimes exploit their rules knowledge against the Narrator or other players in an effort to get their way when they are unhappy with something in the game. Establish clear boundaries with these players up front and don’t be afraid to revisit them as the need arises.

Social Enthusiast 

Other Names: Casual Gamer, Watcher

Preferred Pillars: The pillars are the friends we make along the way

The social enthusiast shows up to the game because they love being involved and spending time with friends. They might not care much for the rules, know the details of their characters, or keep extensive notes on the setting, but they are happy to hang out and focus on having fun. As such they are usually happy to fill a gap in the party roster and are great at reminding all involved to not take the game too seriously, helping calm disputes and raise spirits when the dice start betraying the adventurers.

A social enthusiast is most engaged when everyone is having fun, the stakes aren’t too high, and they can socialize in and out of character. They’re happy to be prompted as necessary to use spells and features they might otherwise not recall (especially during turn-based action), but prefer not to be in the spotlight, and hate to be forced to be more involved than they want to be. The Narrator should accept that they’re often happy observing. These players may also enjoy “fourth wall breaking” puzzles or riddles to be solved outside of the game, where they can feel involved without requiring in-game knowledge or actions.

Potential Difficulties: These players can slow the pace of play by not knowing the rules or what to do in character. Because they’re not as engaged in the game as they are in socializing, they can distract other players with out-of-game conversation, get lost in other activities mid-session (such as playing on their phone), or disappear from the table at crucial moments (or miss game sessions altogether). Don’t rely on these player’s characters to be movers and shakers in the game’s plot, and offer in-game reasons for them to drift in and out of scenes to avoid player absence derailing the campaign.

Specialty Enthusiast

Other Names: Archetype Specialist, One Hatter

Preferred Pillars: Combat or social (depending on what the player specializes in)

A specialty enthusiast has a particular type of character that they love to play and typically try to play in any game they participate in whether or not it’s appropriate or makes much sense. What form this takes varies from player to player—sometimes it’s a specific character class, other times it’s a broader concept such as “front-line combatant” or “healer”, or it may even be a personality type such as “edgy loner” or “paragon of virtue.” Depending on how specific the player wants to be, they may need to be told “no,” integrating their preferred character type into a setting or party may be trivial, or something in between. Sometimes these players also stick with a particular concept out of comfortable familiarity or anxiety about being able to play something else.

A specialty enthusiast is most engaged when they get to embody the type of character they want to embody, whatever that means for them. Giving these players space to let them “do their thing” is the surest way to keep them invested. 

Potential Difficulties: Setting boundaries may be necessary with these players, especially if they’re dead set on a character that doesn’t plausibly fit in the campaign world (such as an actual ninja from feudal Japan), and some may need to find a different game if they are unwilling to bend. That said, if their preferred concept fits in the world, there’s no good reason to insist they play something else just for the sake of variety. But while insistence may be a problem, encouragement is another matter—if the Narrator feels the player has become stuck in a rut and could benefit from trying something new, convincing them to experience something different may be the best way to go.

Story Enthusiast 

Other Names: Storyteller

Preferred Pillars: Exploration and social

The story enthusiast is at the table for the unfolding narrative of the fantasy world. They support the story by bringing thematically appropriate characters and a rich backstory tied to an overarching plot, though they are less concerned with any one character’s motivations and personality than with a satisfying tale. Provide a wise mentor and enough clues of the antagonist’s misdemeanors and they will happily follow the call to adventure!

A story enthusiast is most engaged when participating in dramatic scenes with recurring characters and when given opportunities to develop the story through their actions and choices. These players work hard to make integrated characters and feel rewarded when their backstory is incorporated into the campaign’s narrative. They take failures and successes in stride as long as the narrative is interesting, and will often keenly record important events and encounters.

Potential Difficulties: If the campaign lacks plot (consisting instead of disconnected quests and combats) the story enthusiast will get bored. On the other hand these players respect the rules of the game so long as it supports the narrative, and if the rules get in the way, telling a better tale should win! An overzealous story enthusiast might try to force the story based on their preconceived notions, dictate other characters’ actions, or argue against the rules because they don’t support the expected narrative, while more character focused story enthusiasts might also insist on being the protagonist (trying to hog the spotlight during play).

Tactical Enthusiast

Other Names: Mastermind, Planner, Tactician, Thinker

Preferred Pillars: Usually combat (sometimes exploration or social)

Tactical enthusiasts get a great deal of satisfaction out of watching a plan come together. Some don’t mind having a plan come unraveled, but few among them would want that outcome all the time as the thrill of outsmarting the opposition is very satisfying indeed. Sometimes making the plan is almost as enjoyable to these players as executing it. 

A tactical enthusiast is most engaged when one of their plans goes off without a hitch. While it may seem strange, a lot of the time these players find a good anticlimax extremely gratifying. They’ll often become frustrated if nothing ever goes according to plan or the NPC opposition seems to be able to anticipate their every move. Constantly winning is no good either—they can easily become bored if they feel like the other side isn’t even trying—but they may also enjoy puzzles, riddles, and other cerebral challenges that have to be solved by the player rather than with skill checks.

Potential Difficulties: These players can be averse to risk and pessimistic, which can lead to excessive planning at the expense of actually doing something. If they start to bog the game down, introduce some time limits (in or out of game as appropriate). Also, while it is normal and fine for characters to fail, the Narrator should avoid rubbing the player’s nose in it when they do, whether they are a tactician or not.

World Enthusiast

Other Names: Explorer, Lore Expert, Setting Geek

Preferred Pillars: Exploration.

A world enthusiast is seeking new experiences through exploring the game’s setting. They love seeing new places, meeting interesting people, uncovering lost treasures, and learning facts about the world. The promise of exotic locations and different cultures is often enough to lure these players wherever the adventure needs to go.

A world enthusiast is most engaged when encounters call for exploration and their curiosity is rewarded with detailed information about the fictional world. They crave atmosphere as much as combat and story, and love rich descriptions, proper names, cool maps, handouts, and props. They’re likely to be delighted by opportunities to map a location on behalf of the party, and take notes regarding the game world’s history.

Potential Difficulties: A world enthusiast is likely to consume as much information about the game world as is available. Be aware of attempts to exploit player knowledge for advantage (particularly in the context of monster abilities). Worlds with a lot of published material might also become a source of disagreement when the Narrator invents or changes details instead of sticking to existing lore (“setting lawyering”). Their thirst for detail can also be overwhelming for a Narrator and boring to other players focused on other aspects for the game, and likewise they will lose interest in a setting which is inconsistent or devoid of detail.

Potential Conflicts

Certain combinations of play styles have fundamental incompatibilities that can cause conflicts.

Drama Enthusiast and Tactical Enthusiast: A drama enthusiast wants something to happen now and doesn’t mind chaos and failure. A tactical enthusiast wants the satisfying anticlimax. The best way to resolve this conflict is to talk to the players and let them know that they need to give each other space to enjoy their respective styles of play.

Rules Enthusiast and Story Enthusiast: Rules enthusiasts put the rules first and want them adhered to, come what may. Story enthusiasts think the rules should take a backseat to interesting in-game fiction. To resolve this, Narrators should explain whether the game will stick strictly to the rules or treat them more as guidelines as early as possible in a given campaign so players know what they’re getting into—then be consistent to that baseline.

Problem Behaviors

Level Up is a shared activity, and sometimes players (including the Narrator) behave in a way that’s disruptive or disrespectful to other players. The best way to avoid these behaviors is to set expectations before the game begins (see Session Zero in Chapter 1: Introduction), but if they crop up during a game it is helpful to understand why players might be behaving the way they are, and to have a conversation about the type of game the group all wants to enjoy.

Forcing Control

Sometimes friendly advice on what a character can do becomes taking over another character’s actions, denying a player their own character’s agency. This behavior comes about from a desire for a specific outcome, often to avoid the unexpected (and stay safe). A story enthusiast might force control to ensure the story happens “the way it should”, and a tactical enthusiast wants everyone in a combat or heist to follow the plan. 

When a player is forcing control it’s important to set boundaries. Each player only controls their own character’s actions. The narrator might stop play if necessary to remind everyone of character agency, to allow players an opportunity to do what they think is best, whether or not that is the expected or agreed upon action. Some players (social enthusiasts) might be happy having another player give them advice or being swept along by a strong narrative, but be careful to check that the player feels they are still in charge of their own character.

Fudging the Numbers

When a player cheats—by lying about the results of dice rolls, or adding extra money, items, or abilities to their character sheet—they’re fudging the numbers. This behavior comes about from a fear of failure or losing the game. Character enthusiasts might do this to protect their beloved character from death, and mechanical enthusiasts might do it to ensure the viability of their build. 

When the Narrator suspects that a player is cheating it rarely helps to accuse or blame the individual. Remind everyone in the group that without the potential for failure, there is no challenge and little room for character development. Encourage openly rolling dice and regularly check character sheets. When discrepancies show up, ask for explanations and correct mistakes. Provide opportunities for failure to be fun—and include exciting consequences to abate that fear. If failure would be boring anyway, why ask for a roll? This can also be an opportunity to expedite the game by reducing the amount of rolls called for, moving the story forward based on proficiencies the characters have chosen. 

Murderhobos

A common complaint in online gaming communities are “murderhobos”, when adventurers essentially become extremely powerful wandering bandits who kill everything and everyone they meet, grab any loot left over, and then wander off in search of more prey. This can have several root causes. One is that if tactical enthusiasts feel like all NPCs are untrustworthy, they often decline to leave living enemies behind them and strike first. Another cause may be a lack of regard for the noncombat parts of the game. Combat enthusiasts or drama enthusiasts may pick fights just to liven the game up if they feel it has gotten boring. Finally, a lack of in-game consequences for PC actions can lead groups in this direction. 

When the Narrator realizes the characters are becoming murderhobos, the behavior should be met with out-of-game discussion and the group should try to reach a consensus about the style of play that is most appropriate for them and the campaign.

Spotlight Hogging

Some players love to be at the center of attention. When a player insists on making the narrative or action all about them, all the time, they’re hogging the spotlight. This behavior originates with a desire to be the protagonist of the story, or to prevent a slow down of pace through group discussion or indecision. Character and drama enthusiasts are especially prone to this, the character enthusiast wanting to maximize opportunities to roleplay their adventurer, and the drama enthusiast jumping from scene to scene (regardless of continuity) to give input on everything discovered. Narrators should also beware the lone wolf specialty enthusiast who wants to scout ahead while the rest of the party waits. 

When the Narrator notices one player hogging the spotlight, don’t be afraid to cut them off (once they’ve had some time to shine), to actively pass the attention to another player, and use turn-based action to ensure each player has a chance to be involved or give input to an encounter.

Zoning Out

At times players of any type will just stop paying attention to the game. This behavior can have a lot of root causes, and some may have nothing to do with the game itself. 

When the Narrator notices players losing track of what is going on, have a talk with them (ideally privately) and try to determine the root cause. If the issue is out-of-game, be as supportive as possible. If the issue is with the game itself, consider which player archetype is most relevant to the situation and use the advice above as a guide for what might be more engaging to them. Do not, however, crack down on distractions like a ruthless antiquated schoolmaster, especially given that some people actually pay attention better when allowed to fidget a bit—the game is a recreational activity and shouldn’t feel like knowledge prison.