Sometime the players find ways to irk the DM or other players. Here is a list of items that players should avoid!

Deadly Sin of PCing #1: Don’t be uncooperative.

What I mean by this is if you’re playing a game where the characters are supposed to be a group of heroes it’s okay to bend the character a tiny bit. This happened in an Earthdawn game where I’m a player. Another PC played a beastmaster who for a great deal of the first adventure wouldn’t have anything to do with the rest of the characters. I know he was roleplaying, but it doesn’t help the game, or the other players (and GMs) enjoyment. In another setting it may be acceptable, even good, but not in this one.

Deadly Sin of PCing #2: Players who constantly interrupt play. Particularly loud or easily excited players should make a good effort to sit back and let the GM do his job and to let other players have a day in the sun. Players who are disruptive might find that the games will go much better if they sit quiet every once in a while. Nothing ruins a game faster than an irritated GM out to punish irritating players!

Deadly Sin of PCing #3: Hogging the spotlight. Everyone is there to play, so don’t try to be the center of attention exclusively.

Deadly Sin of PCing #4: Fading into the background. Everyone is there to play. If you’re there, presumably you are too. Not everyone is as forward or aggressive as everyone else, but the GM shouldn’t have to browbeat you to get you to participate either.

Deadly Sin of PCing #5: Don’t be a rules lawyer. I think this one speaks for itself.

Deadly Sin of PCing #6: Don’t constantly break the mood. Taking it easy, going out of character, and goofing around are an essential part of any gaming session. However, it shouldn’t get to the point where it becomes the whole of the game session.

Deadly Sin of PCing #7: Don’t be stupid, or to be more precise, don’t do stupid things. What I mean by this is don’t do things that make no sense for no reason at all. This goes beyond playing out of character to playing without sense. Like players who kill NPC extra’s for no reason. As I’ve often told my players, “I can run a game in which you spend the whole evening running from and fighting with the cops, but is that what you really want to do this evening?”

Deadly Sin of PCing #8: Don’t give other PCs special consideration unless they’ve earned it (Newbies should be cut some slack). If they’re acting stupid, let them know, if they offend your character, let them know, If they trigger a personality defect play it.

Deadly Sin of PCing #9: Don’t argue with the GM during play. Make your point, if the GM doesn’t buy it and you’re still not happy, take it up outside game time.

Deadly Sin of PCing #10: Make an honest effort to learn the rules you need to run your character.

Deadly Sin of PCing #11: Take responsibility for your own fun and your characters destiny. If you don’t like the way things are going, talk it over with you GM outside of play. GMs are not mind readers. If you’re not having fun, there’s probably something you can do about it other than harshing on your GM.

Deadly Sin of PCing #12: “Plan-Do-Check-Act When Making a New Character”

When I make a new CHAracter for a campaign, I like to get a feel for what others are making, so we don’t wind up playing similar CHAs. As a player, if you are asked if your CHA is going to have (for instance) Psionics, and you say “No,” then DON’T be surprised when I kick you in the head during the 1st session when you mention that your CHA has Psionics too.

In a recent Fantasy campaign, I had a low-power “Beastmaster” type mage and another player had a high-power “Fireball” type mage. I told the GM that my CHAs main motivation for adventuring was to research the Shapeshifting spell. Imagine my surprise during our 3rd session when the other mage turns into a falcon to scout the other side of the river. I was just a leetle mad.

GMs: Coordinate character creation! Get to know the CHAs as they are being made.
Players: Be original! Get info on the other CHAs and don’t step on their toes.

Deadly Sins of PCing #13: Always separate the *character* and the *player*.

There’s nothing as annoying as a fellow player who takes the arguments of the characters personally, or a person who thinks low of your moral values because of the life style of your character. Or people who cannot remember that the characters cannot know all that the players do know. Or who draw strong conclusions of your personality and opinions after having known you for three hours, all that time in character.

These were plucked from the newsgroups and compiled.