Tabletop RPG Essentials

Welcome to this week’s feature on Tabletop RPG Essentials. Everything included in the body this article is a MUST for anyone looking to getting into playing any RPG, depending on play style; some of these items are so important that they will require (or have already) their own article. In the last paragraph I’ll touch on some items that are more optional than essential, as well as some for sure unnecessary items, no matter who or what you play. Let’s get into it!

For clarification, ^^^THIS^^^ is NOT what this article is about!

First off is the character sheet for your current game. This is pretty self explanatory, especially as to why; which is basically if you don’t have this, you really can’t play your character. I have yet to meet anyone who’s been capable of recalling from memory every single stat, inventory item, wealth amount and aspect of the character they play, on a whim. If you can’t do this, you need the sheet because you won’t be able to do it when you’re playing either; like when it will count and something or someone may be on the line. So if you don't have one, get one!  You’ll also want a pencil with an eraser to mark any changes or additions/revisions during the course of the game; (i.e. marking HP, damage, or XP) only bring a pen if you want to earn the ire of your DM/GM and the continuous heckling from your fellow adventurers! (Insider tip: you might earn bonus points for bringing extras for your group) 

Next up may cause some debate, and that’s the Player’s Handbook or equivalent for your game. I know there’s a lot of people out there who are quite hardcore when it comes to TRPGing, and in order to prove yourself to a DM/GM you may need to be able to recall common information from these books from memory in order to be allowed into a game with them. However in actuality, regardless of anyone that makes you do this, they still reference directly to these books, and often, during gameplay. The most well-prepared DM/GM or player will have most relevant information to their quest/character noted elsewhere in advance of any game night, but they will also have a stack of books within arm’s reach of the table as well. Do yourself the favor of picking one of these up and learning from it religiously prior to your adventure, the last thing you want to do is to rely too heavily on others’ knowledge. All in all, and I speak from experience on this; by knowing the info yourself you’ll make for a better gamer, and you’ll have more fun playing as well. 

Required Reading!

Dice are a huge, HUGE necessity for any game, regardless of what TRPG you play! If you don’t have your own, you’re gonna be in trouble. Seriously, there is no better feeling than rolling critical damage with your own dice, or showing a newly acquired set with your fellow adventurers! For me, and especially my collection, this item is an article in and of itself, seriously. If you want a primer, go [here] for a rather lengthy explanation of the best kinds, the worst kinds, and the worthless dice out there. Also included for your amusement are how to roll properly without a boot/tower. I will cover more on dice and dice accessories in my article next week!

These are so important to a successful campaign!
More on them later!

Now, of course you’re going to want something to carry everything in, and there are plenty of options here. I’ve seen everything from beat up, old gym bags to shoeboxes and then some. But really, this comes down to personal preference and how much you are bringing with you to game night. For instance, I put to good use the crate from the Call of Duty: Black Ops II Prestige Care Package for ALL of my books, plus a couple decks and a few extras and essentials, but this is typically either for one-off games I’ll run or when my DM says to have as much on deck as one can bring with with them. (In other words, we’re gonna get screwed, and will have a “race to find the info” during our game that night.) Otherwise, I had been using a messenger bag that was just too small for what I want to bring every game night, and recently received a Backpack of Holding as a gift! ThinkGeek also sells the Handbag (purse) and Bag of Holding (messenger) bags as well, never has a bag been more appropriate for any RPG setup!

"I know my dice are in here...somewhere..."

Finally, are a few “optional” items you may want to have on hand. Basically, these are all dependent on the style of gameplay your group favors. If you’re using miniatures and a large map, having your own mini in your possession will only ensure that your character’s continuity on board remains from night to night; just make sure you mark it in a way that it can be identified from any others, this again comes from experience. Props are only good for LARPing, and there are often very stringent rules regarding them; otherwise if you want to show off your latest armory acquisition, do so and take it out of the game area prior to the start of the game that night to preserve as many appendages and furniture as possible. In other words, just save it for a non-game night. If you want to keep your character sheet(s) as neat as possible, I would also recommend a folder or clipboard to keep them with; not only will either protect your paper, but it’s also a great portable surface as well! Depending on how many people are gaming with you, including the DM/GM, you’d better believe that precious real-estate will be slim to none once the game gets started; so a clipboard/folder to write on is really more handy than you’d anticipate, and having one will only help to keep the table as neat as possible. Lastly also comes down to how you and your fellow adventurers roll; snacks. For some, this is an all out do not do! Others will chip in for pizza and eat prior to sitting down and getting in-character, and even some will make full use of one’s kitchen and cupboard stock during the game breaks. (No kidding, I had a friend make us omelets mid-game before, it was nuts!) My only suggestion here is this, find out the plan before you even meet up, that way you aren’t doing something you shouldn’t or excluding/including others prior to everyone’s knowledge. Chip-in, share, bring extra if you’re going to feast and game. After all, even Vin Diesel agrees, “You gotta have snacks!” and he's been playing for a while!

So that about wraps it up for this week! Is there something I forgot/didn’t mention, or maybe something that I included that you didn’t think of? (Most are pretty reasonable to assume coming to mind for every game, though) Let me know in the comments below, and come back next week where I’ll preview the Rise of Tiamat and go in depth with what makes for good dice, how many one really needs, and how to go about carrying them!

Until next time, roll true fellow adventurers!