# Robin D. Laws: The 7 Gamer Types



## Mokona (Feb 16, 2012)

Butt-Kicker, Casual Gamer, Method Actor, Power Gamer, Specialist, Storyteller, and Tactician:

With regards to *Wizards of the Coast* designing 5th edition, which style is strongest for yourself? Are you more strongly associated with Butt-Kicker style, Casual Gamer style, or Method Actor style, Power Gamer style, Specialist style, Storyteller style, or Tactician style? You can answer 21 questions over at this link to get a simple quiz-based result for yourself.

If you're 34% Specialist, 33% Storyteller, and 33% Casual Gamer then you should answer Specialist because that is the single strongest element. Similarly, if you're 34% Tactician you should answer Tactician in the poll.

*Butt-Kicker*
You like a streightforward combat character. After a long day at the office, you want to clobber foes and once more prove your superiority over all who would challenge you.

*Casual Gamer*
You generally get left out when people talk about gamer types, but there's usually one in each game. You tend to be low key and come to hang out with your friends. But, you fill a very important and often underappreciated role of taking on the job nobody else jumps up at. And, typically, you also help to balance out some of the stronger personalities in the group. Good on you!

*Method Actor*
You think that gaming is a form of creative expression. You may view rules as, at best, a necessary evil, preferring sessions where the dice never come out of the bag. You enjoy situations that test or deepen your character's personality traits.

*Power Gamer*
The Power Gamer wants to make his character bigger, tougher, buffer, and richer. However success is defined in your game, that's what you want. You want the "game" put back into "roleplaying game," and you want the chance to add shiny new abilities to your character sheet.

*Specialist*
You favor a particular character type that you play in most campaigns you're involved in. Ninjas are quite popular. You want the rules to support your favorite kind of character, but otherwise, it's not a big deal. And, you want to be able to do your cool things in a game, like climbing on walls.

*Storyteller*
You're more inclined toward the role playing side of the equation and less interested in numbers or experience points. You're quick to compromise if you can help move the story forward, and get bored when the game slows down for a long planning session. You want to play out a story that moves like it's orchestrated by a skilled novelist or film director.

*Tactician*
You're probably a military buff who wants to have the chance to think through complex problems. You want the rules, and your GM's interpretation of them, to match up what happens in the real world or at least be consistant. You want challenging yet logical obstacles to overcome.

-Aaron

Take all four polls:

Timmy-Johnny-Spike-Vorthos poll
Character Actor-Power Gamer-Storyteller-Thinker poll
Gamist-Narrativist-Simulationist poll
Butt-Kicker-Casual Gamer-Method Actor-Power Gamer-Specialist-Storyteller-Tactician poll

Thanks to Greg K for the link over in this thread.


Greg K said:


> I prefer the Robin Laws break down
> 
> Robin's Law Quiz: Law's Game Style | Quizfarm.com



Notes:

Good polls and well formulated market research are difficult. Why force people to make either-or choices when they might answer "all of it"? By making respondents differentiate you get stronger signals that are more useful in analysis. Let me state, for the record, that I believe everyone has a little bit of most or all of the seven styles/types.

Further, each respondent will interpret the labels differently. That is not a problem. If Wizards of the Coast R&D ever uses this data they'll have their own understanding of the labels as well. It's better to get more data and additional poll responses than to argue definitions.


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## Mishihari Lord (Feb 16, 2012)

Voted method actor, but I'm really about 50/50 method actor tactician.


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## Henry (Feb 16, 2012)

I figured out a while back that I'm probably 50/50 Storyteller and Casual Gamer. I enjoy it best when a game session runs like a novel or TV episode, and I'll play darned near any system, and will only not play if the GM or players for a game are known by me to be god-awful.


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## bringerofbroom (Feb 16, 2012)

According to that quiz, i am predominantly storyteller. 

Storyteller	75% Method Actor 58% Tactician 58% Power Gamer 50% Butt-Kicker 50% Specialist 42% Casual Gamer 25%

Although i could argue about the validity of those values, i wont. 

BoB


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## Mattachine (Feb 16, 2012)

I'm not a fan of this classification scheme. I prefer the one in the 4e DMG (and 3e DMG2). I don't fit any of those categories very well.


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## Bedrockgames (Feb 16, 2012)

I voted specialist but it was a virtual tie between that and method actormwhen I took the test. Scored pretty high on tactician and storyteller as well.


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## Bedrockgames (Feb 16, 2012)

Mattachine said:


> I'm not a fan of this classification scheme. I prefer the one in the 4e DMG (and 3e DMG2). I don't fit any of those categories very well.




I think it is better than GNS but has some problems of its own. Still these are actual types that I can identify from play, sonit doesn't bother me so much even if I disagree with its categories somewhat.


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## Jeff Carlsen (Feb 16, 2012)

Mattachine said:


> I'm not a fan of this classification scheme. I prefer the one in the 4e DMG (and 3e DMG2). I don't fit any of those categories very well.




Robin D. Laws wrote that portion of the DMG 2 for 3.5, so it's an updated and D&D focused version of the same concept by the same man. So, there's that, for what it's worth.


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## erleni (Feb 16, 2012)

Got 100% storyteller....


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## mkill (Feb 16, 2012)

Did the test...
75% Storyteller     
58% Tactician
58% Butt-Kicker
50% Power Gamer
33% Specialist
33% Method Actor
 8% Casual Gamer

I'd say that describes me reasonably well. I used to be less Tactician / Butt-Kicker, but 4E changed me because those Defenders are a hell lot of fun!

I also have strong Power Gamer tendencies, which I'm trying to keep in check by building more defensive / supportive characters rather than the megadamage spotlightstealer I accidently built in 3E. (I really didn't realize Artificers were that broken...)

Btw., I think it would help the 5E discussion immensely if people could get off their edition-partisan butts and think about what they like from the game, as in what they enjoy in the table experience. Because a great game is about how it plays, not whether Dwarves get Stonecunning or not (or whatever your personal pet peeve is)


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## Greg K (Feb 16, 2012)

Mattachine said:


> I'm not a fan of this classification scheme. I prefer the one in the 4e DMG (and 3e DMG2). I don't fit any of those categories very well.




Most of the player types line up between the two.  
Butt-Kicker=Slayer
Casual Gamer=Watcher
Method Actor=Actor
Power Gamer=Power Gamer
Storyteller=Storyteller
Tactician=Thinker
Specialist=
= Explorer
= Instigator



While I like 4e's Explorer as a separate category- it describes me better than method actor or storyteller, I am not sure about some of 4e's description:

I disagree with 4e lumping Power Gamer and min/maxing together.  Power gaming is just wanting to play a powerful character whether starting above the common person (degree can vary) and/or playing for the acquisition of power over  time (however, power is defined in the game).  You don't need to engage in min/maxing which is an extreme form of optimization ( many other types use optimization  to prioritize choices or resource allocation to create a to best represent their character ).  Many Powergamers don't know how, about or care for optimization or min/maxing. If it was about min/maxing, may power gamers would be drawn to systems that allow for it.  Playing  old school DND with a priority for leveling and its carrots and treasure acquisition would be power gaming as the player's emphasis is on gaining power as defined by the game.  This places Optimization (and, therefore, its extreme version min/max) on a different axis).

Instigator, in my experience, usually, comes from a player whose style is not being catered to and decides to take it out in a passive aggressive manner- I, especially, see people on WOTC and to a lesser degree on RPG.net stating that they are going to disrupt games by instigating rather than quit.  However, it also a tool of  Actors (it is what my character would do in the situation given their culture, values/goals, established personality in play, etc. ) and Storytellers (this would make for an interesting scene to explore or take the story in an interesting direction) and might be something certain casual gamers/watchers might do as they are there primarily for friends and not the game itself.

I also see Specialist as a good classification not covered by 4e's scheme.  I know a lot people that like playing the same type of character: Gishes, ninjas, spellcasters, sneaky types or, simply, dwarf fighters.  It is not about power, acting, storytelling, etc.  It is an archetype to which they are, strongly, drawn to and they, often, can't explain why except they find it it cool.  It, like power gaming and butt kicking, might draw upon heavy optimization towards high numbers to meet the concept or the archetype. However, unlike power gaming, it not necessarily about "power"


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## the Jester (Feb 16, 2012)

Needs multiple choice. I'm not strongly aligned to any one of these styles.


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## messy (Feb 16, 2012)

see my sig. 

but nearly all aspects of the game interest me to some extent.


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## NewJeffCT (Feb 16, 2012)

Oddly, I came up with Butt-Kicker as #1, but Power Gamer as last.  I guess it means I like to clobber my foes, but do it fairly and without stretching/bending the rules?

*You Scored as Butt-Kicker*

You like a straightforward combat character. After a long day at the office, you want to clobber foes and once more prove your superiority over all who would challenge you.

Butt-Kicker 		83%
Storyteller 		75%
Method Actor 		58%
Specialist 		50%
Tactician 		50%
Casual Gamer 		42%
Power Gamer 		33%


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## Dracorat (Feb 16, 2012)

80% power gamer, 10% specialist, 10% tactician.


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## Mattachine (Feb 16, 2012)

I like the inclusion of Instigator and Explorer, perhaps because I tend towards being an Explorer myself. As a player, I always want to "see new things", and I love and appreciate the work writers and DMs put into interesting adventures.


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## rogueattorney (Feb 16, 2012)

My poll results, 

Tactician 	92%
Butt-Kicker 	75%
Power Gamer 67%
Storyteller 	33%
Method Actor 33%
Casual Gamer 33%
Specialist 	17%

...which is pretty close to how I would have ranked them on my own.

If I were to describe what I like doing, more than anything else, I'd say it's exploration and problem solving, which really don't fit exactly into any of the categories.


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## JRRNeiklot (Feb 16, 2012)

rogueattorney said:


> If I were to describe what I like doing, more than anything else, I'd say it's exploration and problem solving, which really don't fit exactly into any of the categories.




This.


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## Ahnehnois (Feb 16, 2012)

Definitely and far away, storyteller.

No surprises:

Storyteller 92%
Method Actor 58%
Specialist 50%
Tactician 50%
Power Gamer 42%
Casual Gamer 33%
Butt-Kicker 33%


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## Herremann the Wise (Feb 16, 2012)

I did the poll and came up with:

Tactician 83%
Method Actor 75%
Storyteller 67%
Specialist 67%
Power Gamer 50%
Butt-Kicker	33%
Casual Gamer 0%

That seems about right for me I suppose... good poll. 

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise


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## was (Feb 16, 2012)

needs an "all of the above" option


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## Mircoles (Feb 16, 2012)

I took the quiz some time ago actually and scored:

Tactician 58%
Butt kicker 50%
Storyteller 50%
Method actor 42%
Specialist 42%
Casual 33%
Powergamer 17%


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## TroyXavier (Feb 16, 2012)

My results
Tactician 	
	83%
Storyteller 	
	75%
Casual Gamer 	
	75%
Method Actor 	
	75%
Butt-Kicker 	
	67%
Power Gamer 	
	67%
Specialist 	
	50%

Seems about right really. Of course in the end it also depends what character I'm playing as well.


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## Minigiant (Feb 16, 2012)

I am a method actor. I play playing anything people claim are underpowered, the powergaming them, then crafting the a background for the weirdo character I created. 

When you play dashing halfling paladins, snobbish goblin wizards, orc rogues, gnome weredireweasals, and half-elven anythings... you are a method actor.


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## Aeolius (Feb 16, 2012)

Storyteller: 92%, Method Actor: 75%, Specialist: 67%, Tactician: 58%, Power Gamer: 33%, Butt-Kicker: 17%, Casual Gamer: 8%

But, to be fair, that described my DM style, as it has been decades since I was on the other side of a DM's Screen.


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## Mercule (Feb 17, 2012)

Mishihari Lord said:


> Voted method actor, but I'm really about 50/50 method actor tactician.



I've got the same divide, so I picked tactician. The equation balances, now. 

Or, this:
Tactician	        83%
Method Actor	75%
Specialist	        58%
Storyteller	        50%
Power Gamer	42%
Butt-Kicker	        42%
Casual Gamer	 8%


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## Dice4Hire (Feb 17, 2012)

Well, overall I would classify myself as DM, even when I play.


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## Stormonu (Feb 17, 2012)

I voted Storyteller, then took the test.  I was surprised Tactician rated so high.

Storyteller                                                              83%                                                                                                                                                
Tactician                                                              67%                                                                                                                                                
Butt-Kicker                                                              67%                                                                                                                                                
Specialist                                                              58%                                                                                                                                                
Method Actor                                                              33%                                                                                                                                                
Power Gamer                                                              25%                                                                                                                                                
Casual Gamer                                                              8%


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## Lanefan (Feb 17, 2012)

I see myself as all of those except Power Gamer and - to a lesser extent - Tactician.

Lan-"I casually like to tell stories and methodically specialize in kicking butt"-efan


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## Dracorat (Feb 17, 2012)

Dracorat said:


> 80% power gamer, 10% specialist, 10% tactician.




I was at work earlier and couldn't use the link. So now, I used the link.

Its result?



> You Scored as Butt-Kicker
> You like a streightforward combat character. After a long day at the office, you want to clobber foes and once more prove your superiority over all who would challenge you.
> 
> 
> ...


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## Elf Witch (Feb 17, 2012)

I voted story teller because I really enjoy watching the story unfold a good story is more important to me than say my character being awesome. But the quiz disagreed. 

You Scored as Method Actor

You think that gaming is a form of creative expression. You may view rules as, at best, a necessary evil, preferring sessions where the dice never come out of the bag. You enjoy situations that test or deepen your character's personality traits.

Method Actor 	
	100%
Storyteller 	
	75%
Tactician 	
	50%
Specialist 	
	42%
Butt-Kicker 	
	33%
Power Gamer 	
	8%
Casual Gamer 	
	0%

I don't think this is totally true of me. I do like developing my character. I do like tactics and I like butt kicking but I am no where near a specialist I like to play different types of classes.


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## mkill (Feb 17, 2012)

Minigiant said:


> When you play dashing halfling paladins, snobbish goblin wizards, orc rogues, gnome weredireweasals, and half-elven anythings... you are a method actor.



In 4E...
* halfling is a top choice for Paladin (no, really)
* goblins rule as sorcerers, but goblin wizard isn't bad, snobbishness optional
* (half-)orcs have an iconic rogue build, and are really good at it (no, really)
* some half-elf builds, like the twin-strike avenger, are f**ing broken

Gotta love 4E


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## Minigiant (Feb 17, 2012)

mkill said:


> In 4E...
> * halfling is a top choice for Paladin (no, really)
> * goblins rule as sorcerers, but goblin wizard isn't bad, snobbishness optional
> * (half-)orcs have an iconic rogue build, and are really good at it (no, really)
> ...




But that was in 3rd Ed. A time when small warriors are "bad", goblins shouldn't cast spells, orcs just rage, and half-elves were useless unless you wanted to play an elf only prestige class.

Imagine my surprise when I converted my "garbage" religious half-elf rogue/ranger from 3.5E to 4E.


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## Yora (Feb 17, 2012)

NewJeffCT said:


> Oddly, I came up with Butt-Kicker as #1, but Power Gamer as last.  I guess it means I like to clobber my foes, but do it fairly and without stretching/bending the rules?



Those "tests" are not actual tests, and are simply made up by people assigning abitrary values to checkboxes and then you get a result. That's not how questionaires work. The categories have to be created after everyone answered the questions and you then go looking for correlations.


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## AntiStateQuixote (Feb 17, 2012)

As a player: Tactician

DM: Storyteller


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## marleykat (Feb 17, 2012)

> You Scored as a : *Storyteller* Storyteller 75% Casual Gamer 58% Method Actor 50% Specialist 50% Butt-Kicker 42% Power Gamer 42% Tactician 25%



Storyteller, heavily so it seems.


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## Olgar Shiverstone (Feb 18, 2012)

D.  None of the above.

I refuse to acknowledge or accept any single label for my play style.


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## Meophist (Feb 18, 2012)

I got:

Method Actor	83%
Tactician	67%
Power Gamer	67%
Storyteller	50%
Specialist	50%
Casual Gamer	33%
Butt-Kicker	33%

I can't say I really agree with it. I like rolling dice, it's a nice abstraction layer between my abilities and my character's. I like game systems and I particularly like being able to express my character through the system. If my character is good at something, I would like to be able to express that through the rules. So I like rules that let me define my character how I want to define them. I think the rules can enhance my roleplaying, rather than get in the way of them.


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## outsider (Feb 19, 2012)

I am the dreaded Powergamer/Method actor.  I throw myself into both the mechanics of the game as well as the rp.  Unfortunately that can sometimes lead to me dominating both aspects, and becoming a spotlight hog.


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## Lord Mhoram (Feb 19, 2012)

outsider said:


> I am the dreaded Powergamer/Method actor.  I throw myself into both the mechanics of the game as well as the rp.  Unfortunately that can sometimes lead to me dominating both aspects, and becoming a spotlight hog.




Yep - I'm a 100% method actor and 80% Power Gamer and Butt Kicker.

The next is storyteller at 50% I think.

Casual was 0%

That is why I have the quote I do as a sigline "Build 'em like a powergamer, play 'em like a roleplayer"

I game to get into my characters heads and emotions, but there is combat in the game, and I will learn the rules backwards and forwards to make certain I am good at it.  When 3.0 came out - within 6 months 4 different groups would ask me rules questions, and live by my rulings... even though I didn't play in any of those games.


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## Eric Tolle (Feb 19, 2012)

I got:

 Method Actor 100% Specialist 92% Storyteller 83% Tactician 67% Butt-Kicker 58% Power Gamer 50% Casual Gamer 8%

Which is fine as far as Method Actor goes. I would have rated Specialist lower...but on the other hand I do play a lot of mages.


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## Ourph (Feb 19, 2012)

I am unable to vote because there is no poll option for "I find Robin Laws' categories to be completely unhelpful and inaccurate and wish RPG authors would stop referencing them in their design decisions.".


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## El Mahdi (Feb 19, 2012)

My rating usually comes out equal parts Storyteller and Method Actor.  So:

Storyteller when DM'ing.

Method Actor when playing.


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## jbear (Feb 20, 2012)

I didn't participate in  the poll as it isn't multiple choice. I'd be a pretty broad mix of most of those things except casual gamer (cause I'm right into it), method actor (but not that much ... I like it to be a game ... with dice) and specialist (I like to try new stuff, but I always play humans ... so kinda but not really).

I'd want instigator and actor on the list (just not method). I don't like the game to get too bogged down. If that means my character has to step into the lion's mouth, then bring it on, but pace is good. I also like to play my character, act it out. But not to the extreme that that becomes the be all and end all of the game. 

But I think I'd be primarily tactician, storyteller, powergamer (so long  as the mechanics reflect the character ... really I just  want my  character to be good, doesn't have to be the best) but with a healthy does of instigator.


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## Neonchameleon (Feb 20, 2012)

Ourph said:


> I am unable to vote because there is no poll option for "I find Robin Laws' categories to be completely unhelpful and inaccurate and wish RPG authors would stop referencing them in their design decisions.".




Which categories would you like?

What I wonder is whether Robin Laws' categories came before or after the WoTC survey on gamer types.  Because that's the only empirical model we have and Robin Laws' types are a good match for it.

Character Actor = Method Actor
Storyteller = Storyteller

Power Gamer, Butt Kicker, and Tactician map onto the Thinker/Power Gamer continuum.

And specialist and casual gamer are orthoganal to the scale, but both there for a very good reason - I know both types of gamer (and seriously, specialists exist and casual gamers both need a slot and _do not fit_ on the WoTC scale).

I'll take Robin Laws types over GNS any day of the week.


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## Mokona (Mar 1, 2012)

Is there a typing methodology or classification system for playstyles that's not already covered by this list of four polls? If so, please post a link.

1. Timmy-Johnny-Spike-Vorthos poll
2. Character Actor-Power Gamer-Storyteller-Thinker poll
3. Gamist-Narrativist-Simulationist poll
4. Butt-Kicker-Casual Gamer-Method Actor-Power Gamer-Specialist-Storyteller-Tactician poll _(above)_


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## Evilhalfling (Mar 1, 2012)

As a player I'm a Method Actor/Butt-kicker. 67/67% 
I want personal growth and a bloody blade.  

Although more than blood what I want is ACTION!  diving through windows! turning into an eagle and fighting someone on a roof! Hanging upside down from the ceiling over certain death! 

the method actor is more of redirected storyteller (I DM a lot) My character needs to grow and change, preferably every few sessions.  Having involved conversations is unimportant. 
The test also said I am as much specialist as storyteller (58/58), I'm not sure I agree with that at all.  If anything, my specialty is a dumb young hero (-ine) who grows up. 

As a DM I am far more a storyteller / butt-kicker
 I want to tell the story of a world, and the PCs interactions with it.  It doesn't especially matter to me where the story goes, as long as it keeps moving.  The story should involve plenty of violence and action.


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## Marius Delphus (Mar 2, 2012)

Storyteller 92% 
Specialist 67% 
Tactician 58% 
Butt-Kicker 58% 
Power Gamer 50% 
Method Actor 50% 
Casual Gamer 17%

I'm not sure what to make of this, unless it's "Story is paramount, and I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen, except sit idle!" That's not inaccurate.


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## kitsune9 (Mar 2, 2012)

Power gamer is me. Creating one-trick ponies is probably the few things that I enjoy in playing a rpg. However, I rarely play and I haven't played a character in the past 4 years. I enjoy DMing the most.


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## Derren (Mar 2, 2012)

Tactician

But I dislike the military/combat stereotype this name has.
Personally I see me more as a storyteller who doesn't want a Hollywood like story with all the tropes it entails but a "challenging yet logical" story which is consistent to what the game rules represent.


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## Boz Shulun (Mar 6, 2012)

Just to let everyone know, we talk about this thread on our 47th episode.

Please click here to listen.


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