[Weekend Discussion] What I take to my RPG session

[Rob Lang]

Being a GM and a player, I do take very different things to my gaming sessions. As a GM, I run , so I need a fair number of supporting documents - new rules to playtest and the usual kit: dice, paper (squared), pens and a hard back book I record the campaign goings on in. We don't use minis. I tried to use minis for Icar but that turned into a farce - the game is far too dynamic for that. I don't use a GM screen, there is no need for it and the players don't need the rules except when choosing new skills.

Oh, and I take food and drink. The host provides cups and glasses but we don't call upon him for anything else.

As a player, I just bring my dice/pencil case and if we're playing a game for which I own a rulebook, I'll bring that.

So, what about you? What do you take.

[misterecho]

Playing, Doretos and dip, pencil, dice, paper, fizzy drink

GMing screen, notes, rulebook, char sheets, fizzy drink, doretos and dip maybe M&Ms

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

I've got a backpack for all my gaming needs. Its pretty much always "loaded" and ready to go, though we don't have sessions to often/at all these days.

The outer pockets contain dice, writing utensils, tape measures, bottle caps (for markers - we never bother with real miniatures) and a calculator. In the main compartment is usually two or three binders containing games I've printed out (such as Instant Thunder, my prototypes, Paper Tigers) character sheets, a few of my ever-present journals, and a couple of rulebooks (I've mentioned the 30+ games I own before, not counting 400+ downloaded right...), and possibly a few bags of paper-cut outs to represent terrain if we run a war game (once again cheap and lacking painting skills.)

About the only thing I don't bring is food and drinks. Those are usually the provided at the host's domicile. Or we go out for dinner at some point and avoid the excessive snacking.

[misterecho]

Excessive snacking is the hallmark of a quality session

[jeffmoore]

It's always been something of a tradition with our groups that the GM hosts the game, but because the GM has offered up his home and his GMing efforts, the players provide all the snacks. That system has always worked well for us. I can't think of any gaming materials I bring that aren't mentioned here. I do have a little tackle box full of plastic minis and dungeon terrain pieces rescued from an old game of Hero Quest and Advanced Hero Quest. Considering the vast number of electronic RPG's that I read, I have considered bringing the laptop, but I just can't do it. I prefer paper while gaming ... which is also why I tend to be much friendlier towards electronic RPG's with small page counts. It's the rules systems and innovative ideas that I value ... not page count.

Regards,

Jeff Moore