Other Gaming Stereotypes

Apparently, folks want to hear what I have to say about archetypes apart from Munchkins and Power-Gamers, so once again let us head on over for a watch of The Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising, and I’ll go through each of the players in turn.

Cass: As already stated, here’s your “bad” power-gamer. He’s an overbearing, competitive rules-lawyer. It’d be tempting to say that he meets the Ieqological criteria for munchkinism as well, but we really don’t see him trying to steal any thunder from the other players: his douchebaggery is limited to the OOC realm, so it is a grey area. I myself wouldn’t label him a muncher, but others might (and Lodge does during the scene in the coffee shop).

Joanna: Three stereotypes shown here. First we have the benevolent power-gamer. Min-maxed to the nines, and ruthlessly pursuing the party’s goal, she meets every critical standard for power-gaming. She even took notes at the table! If she weren’t a northwesterner who would turn into a pillar of ash when exposed to the Tennessee sun, I’d marry her. Second, we see the “significant other brought to the gaming table”. This one actually gets turned on its head, since the stereotype usually involves the sig-other being disinterested, only showing up because her beau insists upon it. Finally, we have the popular conception of what girl-gamers are like: more interested in the roleplay aspect than metagaming, side interests in theater, and a loathing of in-game chauvinism. Had she had facial piercings and been playing a LARP instead of a real game, the stereotype would be complete. But then she wouldn’t be a power-gamer.

Gary: Where to start? Gender-bending for one: the nerd who plays female characters because he can’t get a real one. I’ll try not to mention his other stereotypical traits that might explain a penchant for roleplaying a woman, since some people might find it offensive. . . . Yeah, okay I couldn’t keep a straight face, either. But mostly he’s the munchkin, as I’ve already proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a previous essay.

Lodge: Oh, puhleeze! Have you ever known a GM who wasn’t a frustrated writer? That’s so obvious, it hardly bears mentioning. He’s also the focus of my envy because clearly he’s about to start tapping Joanna… More importantly, his journey--indeed the whole movie--is a great illustration of the bit of GMing advice I give more often than any other: Let your players do the adventure their way!

Leo: The portly fellow with a beard whose character runs around doinking everything in a skirt? If there’s a gaming stereotype there, it is well hidden…