Tips for a new play by poster and 5e player

[hatguy]

Hello everyone.

This is my first play by post game, and I was wondering if any of you had suggestions on things that I should be doing to make the game easier on myself, the other players, and the DM?

I read the intro suggestions on the new player forum, but I would appreciate if some of you could share how these games generally go.

Thank you, and I hope we start soon!

[harknail]

One thing I do differently than in a face by face game is to ignore the initiative order after the first round. Also, all monsters go at the same initiative. This means that players can post in any order and we don't have everyone waiting for the first player, then everyone waiting for the second player, etc.

So if you roll higher than the monsters, you get to go in the first player turn. Then it starts alternation between monster turns and player turns. I've found this helps in the games I run. Other GMs on the forum tend to stick more to initiative order.

Also, when your character speaks, "you should use boldface for what he says."

If you have an OOC comment, color it some shade of green.

[Wizard]

Basically:

Use typography. This is something you can't do face-to-face, and it helps mitigate the fact that we're not there to hear your voice, etc.

Look for opportunities to write a lot without stealing the show. There is an art to this, because sometimes you want to steal the show if dramatically appropriate. I wrote an entire side story to explain how Udjat and I wandered off from a campaign and then came back. You can do that kind of thing here, subject to DM approval.

Here's a character background I made for a LN alchoholic wizard:

* * *

"Ten silver, and not a copper more. You know very well that last week's candlesticks were gold-plated, and I'll not be taken advantage of again." Tracen scowled. One had to be firm.

The man in front of him scowled right back. "So what if they were? I needed the money. There are other buyers, you know."

"Yes, and be thankful that I'm not like them. Any of the others would have had you drunk as a dormouse by now, and they'd have thrown you out after going through your pockets."

Tracen held out the ten silver pieces. His counterpart grudgingly made the exchange.

The pawnbroker cleared his throat. "Now don't go spend it all on---"

"I know." And out he stalked.

Tracen passed him on the street a few days later---unconscious in a gutter at mid-afternoon. Unfortunate---but then, unsurprising.

* * *

"Yes, that's correct. One simply finds the appropriately magical sort to oblige a fellow with a delayed feather fall, and jumps off. Do you know how long it takes to fall a mile? Actually tragically boring after a bit, believe me."

Alicine giggled. Fredreick reflected that things were going well---a few more stories like that and he could probably invite her to the Ball he'd convinced the rest of the Council to put on next week.

All of a sudden, he felt the familiar rustle of a sending arriving. "Gold loan rates are at ten percent," it whispered.

Ten percent? He hated calculations. Perhaps he could get Alicine to do them for him. "Alright, here's a quiz for you, my dear. I've just been informed that any new investments I begin will grow at a ten-percent rate. They'll double in...? Well?"

"Seven years," she croaked. Fredreick looked at her, wondering if she'd become ill, but then realized she hadn't been the one to speak at all. "Seven years," came a decidedly un-Alicine voice. Fredreick looked down. There was a figure in rags huddled against the wall and clutching a bottle. "Say, got any change?"

Fredreick put his arm around Alicine's waist and hurried past.

* * *

Lockheart nearly cursed. Nearly being the operative modifier---it didn't become a newly ordained representative of Him of the Cudgel to curse. As if an acolyte's regular schedule wasn't tiring enough, now he was responsible for any "irregularities" that might crop up. Which included getting the door at whatever hour this was. The Saint never slept, but He knew that his priests needed to do so!

So he strode to the massive oak door of the temple, set down the candleholder, and slowly pulled it open, straining both arms. It swung to reveal a dark background (not normal hours, thought Lockheart), torrential rain, and a barefoot character holding a dagger straight out.

He took a few steps inward, Lockheart retreating to avoid the knife.

"Your money or your life," slurred the intruder---then he swayed---then collapsed in a heap on the cold stone floor.

* * *

Dartius strode down the hall, enjoying the feeling of militant order these sorts of tours gave him. He saw Conservator Tyrenicus coming the other way, was about to pass him, but thought better of it.

"Any progress?" he asked.
"It's been four days," answered his subordinate. "Still scrubbing the floors. He tried to bribe one of the messengers to bring him some, but we put a stop to that."

"Good," replied Dartius. "Remember, it's a kindness we're doing him."

He paused, considering. "Get him some decent clothes," he ordered. "And put him out front as a greeter."

Tyrenicus looked at him quizzically. "A greeter, Master? Do we really need...?"

"No, and yes. That pup Lockheart has been doing it---as is his proper responsibility---but he'll appreciate the rest. As for...well..."

He let his voice drop, then picked up again. "A man's got to have a reason to respect himself, Conservator. Something useful to do. As a matter of fact, put him in the gardens as well."

"As ordered, Master."

* * *

Order.

The great equalizer. Law binds every creature without regard for age, race, or gender. Through it, the weak are protected and the strong humbled.


Obedience.

The paradoxical yet sure pathway to freedom. Only the disobedient shy away from laws---they see walls, where the obedient see shields.

Knowledge.

The map of the pathway. None can obey without a knowledge of the law. It is both a duty and a privilege to learn, for this is the beginning of freedom.

Lannis finished reciting the Tenets, and went to bed at ten o'clock. Exactly as he had done every night for the past eight years.