Gaming Wisdom of the Ancients: Character Prep to Maximize Session Fun

Skim over this list within a few days of your most recent gaming session, while all the details are still fresh.

Use what you like, and skip what you don’t.

Some of the tips might be most useful just as reminders of something you might otherwise forget.

Update your Character’s sheet on OP

  • Changes in your stats
  • Changes in your inventory, items gained or items lost
  • New abilities
  • New entries in your Wish Lists and Goals
    • Notes about new enemies, new allies, or new interesting storylines
  • If your stats are stored somewhere other than OP, make sure there is a link to your stats in your Character so your GM can find them easily
  • This lets the GM know what your Character’s current abilities are, so that the GM can make sure the game is interesting and enjoyable for you

Write an Adventure Log from your Character’s POV

  • Could be paragraphs, or just bullet points
  • Give it a title that makes it obvious that it’s your Character’s POV, like “[Character Name]’s Journal Entry #1”
  • This gives the GM an idea of what you are enjoying and what to focus more on in the game sessions
  • This also gives you a record of what happened in the game that you can look back on and enjoy in the future

Check your Secrets tab for any Unread

  • Anything your Character should share with the other Characters?

Review your inventory, spells, and abilities

  • Are there things you forgot you had that require activation?
    • Wands, potions, rings, etc
  • Are there things that you don’t need any more because of a new ability?
  • Would it help the party if you gave that item to another PC?
  • Is there anything you should sell?
  • Is there anything that would be helpful to buy given your new abilities?

Check the other Player Characters’ sheets

  • Are there ways to collaborate and combine your abilities to be more effective?
  • New tactics your party can use?
  • Are they weak at something you could shore up?
  • Are you weak at something they could shore up?

Review the NPCs you’ve met before

  • Who could help you with the current challenges in the game?
  • Do they have resources you could ask to borrow?
  • Do they have a relationship they could use to help you?

Make a Combat Cheat Sheet

  • List your top 5 most likely combat actions
  • For each action, total up all the bonuses from your new abilities and items so you aren’t fumbling on your turn

Help the GM make the game even better for you

  • Send your GM an OP message, or post in the Campaign Forums about what you liked from the last session, and what you’re looking forward to in the next session
    • You don’t need to say what you didn’t like
    • Just by focusing your GM on what you did like, the less interesting parts will be pushed out of the game sessions
  • Tell your GM what plans you have for the next session
    • NPCs you plan to talk to
    • Locations you plan to visit
    • Actions you plan to take
    • You will have more fun if the GM knows what to prep for

Check for schedule conflicts

  • Are you going to be able to make it to the next session?
  • If there’s a conflict, can the conflict be moved?
  • If the conflict can’t be moved, let the GM know you can’t attend

Email support if you have an idea for something we should add to this list.