There are seven different player types identified in Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering.
PT | Player Type |
---|---|
PG | Power Gamer |
BK | Butt-Kicker |
TT | Tacticain |
SP | Specialist |
MA | Method Actor |
ST | Storyteller |
CG | Casual Gamer |
I ask two questions for every player-type pairing: one phrased such that a "Definitely" answer favors one of the player types, the other phrased such than a "Definitely" answer favors the other player type. Since each of 7 player types is paired to the other 6 player types, this amounts to (7 × 6 =) 42 questions. In the listing below, the first "PT" column gives the player type whose value will be added to for that question.
Each question adds a value to to the player types in the first column: Always=100, Usually=75, Sometimes=50, Rarely=25, Never=0. The final sum of each player type is divided by 6 in order to normalize the results so the maximum possible value for a player type is 100.
Here are the questions used in my questionaire to determine which kind of roleplayer you are. Click on a heading to sort by that column.
# | PT | PT | Issue | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | PG | vs | CG | I plan and know how to most effectively improve my character’s capabilities. |
2. | BK | vs | ST | It's my job to vanquish foes; it's the GM's job to provide them. |
3. | TT | vs | MA | Doing what is tactically sound trumps role-playing opportunities. |
4. | SP | vs | PG | I will sacrifice relevance to play my favorite character type. |
5. | MA | vs | BK | My characters engage—or don't engage—in combat out of inner, personal, motivation. |
6. | ST | vs | TT | Memorable actions are preferred even when they disrupt previous planning. |
7. | CG | vs | SP | I play whatever kind of character everybody else thinks we need. |
8. | PG | vs | MA | I see my character sheet as a collection of stats, not as a list of personality traits. |
9. | BK | vs | SP | All my characters are fighters, but I'm flexible on how they lay the whammy down. |
10. | ST | vs | CG | I would game with total strangers if the campaign was interesting and well paced. |
11. | TT | vs | PG | Overcoming in-game challenges is more important than leveling up. |
12. | SP | vs | BK | All my characters approach combat situations in the same way. |
13. | MA | vs | TT | I approach in-game challenges exactly as my character would. |
14. | CG | vs | ST | I don't care about the campaign setting; it's getting together with friends that's fun. |
15. | PG | vs | SP | Being the best in my niche/class is more important than what niche/class I'm in. |
16. | BK | vs | CG | My favorite part of role-playing are the no-nonsense combat/battles scenes. |
17. | TT | vs | ST | The GMs job is to provide obstacles, it's my job to overcome them. |
18. | SP | vs | MA | I prefer playing a character class/niche I've played before and am comfortable with. |
19. | MA | vs | PG | I prefer in-game social interaction to jumping through hoops for trophies. |
20. | ST | vs | BK | Combat scenes are no more or less important than any other scene. |
21. | CG | vs | TT | While others hammer out detailed plans, I’ll play host: freshen drinks, check kids… |
22. | PG | vs | BK | I fight as a means of acquiring treasure, skills, experience points, etc. |
23. | TT | vs | CG | It bothers me when other players don't take planning seriously. |
24. | SP | vs | ST | I have a favorite character type that I try to make work regardless of the setting. |
25. | CG | vs | MA | I forget/don't bother properly role-playing my character if it annoys another player. |
26. | BK | vs | TT | Combat prep beyond gearing up and getting in the first swing is unnecessary. |
27. | MA | vs | SP | I choose/design my characters to provide me a compelling role-playing challenge. |
28. | ST | vs | PG | I would sacrifice my character if it made for a good story. |
29. | BK | vs | MA | I'm more concerned with how well my character fights than his/her personality. |
30. | SP | vs | CG | I have trouble enjoying a game when I can't play my usual character type. |
31. | MA | vs | ST | Our characters are the story, the campaign setting is their stage. |
32. | CG | vs | PG | I prefer the GM handle any character related bookkeeping. |
33. | TT | vs | BK | The importance of intelligence gathering prior to combat cannot be overstated. |
34. | ST | vs | SP | I make sure my characters have fun backstories that connect them to the setting. |
35. | PG | vs | TT | I overcome in-game obstacles by developing a well equipped and prepared character. |
36. | MA | vs | CG | I try to never break character during a playing session. |
37. | PG | vs | ST | Character improvement is as important as adventuring. |
38. | TT | vs | SP | My characters are uniquely designed to effectively overcome the in-game obstacles. |
39. | CG | vs | BK | I'm happy to play a non-combat, support character if that's all that's left. |
40. | SP | vs | TT | I play my favorite character concept even when it means I'll be less effective. |
41. | ST | vs | MA | My satisfaction comes from the larger story, not my character’s personal story. |
42. | BK | vs | PG | I rush into combat even if it means a delay or set-back in character advancement. |
If you find any bias in this questionaire, please feel free to join the discussion on the Steve Jackson Games forums.