Fun is very subjective. This is why we have hundreds of thousands of games. Unlike a single-player video game, tabletop games require multiple people, so you need to try to appeal to a larger group of differing play styles.
I recently re-watched a view by Deficient Master D&D players SUCK. This is why. He dives into a few player archetypes he has come across and provides tips on how to better game master for those types of players.
This started to make me think about how a game itself accommodates these players. As game designers we can’t make a game that only accommodates one type of play style or player. So let’s dive into some of the most common player archetypes you can make sure your game will attract.
The Power Gamer
For me when I think of a power gamer as a designer; it feels like someone taking a sledgehammer to my game. Any unclear roll or combination you didn’t think about, they will exploit it.
The insane part about game design is that you want this. Power gamers are not rare. Balance in any kind of game is nearly impossible. The key is allowing everyone the
opportunity to power game.
If everyone has the ability to make power characters, this one creates a pseudo-balance and prevents the power gamer from playing the same way each game.
The Anarchist Gamer
If I placed a big red button in front of you that says “don’t touch” how many people do you think are immediately gonna press that button? In game, I like to call them the anarchist gamers.
This doesn’t mean there is an unpredictable wildcard. These are players you constantly want to be doing something. If your game has long turn orders, this player might get impatient and make a rash decision to get the game moving faster.
These players like to have options. It may sound like these are bad players, but they’re truly not. Sometimes you need an anarchist’s push so that the other players don’t get bored as well.
The Strategist Gamer
Let’s introduce the players with more creative thinking styles. The strategist gamer is not just one that’s thinking what is the best option. They like to think outside the box.
These kinds of players do not like to be tied down by rules. They try to look for other options or may even be that player in RISK asking for a truce.
They like to creatively interpret the rules. (I like to think I’m one of these players.) allow a little bit of flexibility into your game and these types of suppliers will thrive and have fun.
The Present Gamer
Long before I started making tabletop games, I was a forever game master. Sitting at the table, you may come across a player who doesn’t interact much.
This doesn’t mean your game is bad or boring. A present gamer is someone who is there for the social element. In game design, you don’t have to build around these kinds of players.
The main reason I bring them up so you’re aware of them during playtesting. Being able to recognize a present gamer will allow you not to take their silence as criticism.
The Hybrid Gamer
Four play styles listed above are just a mirror fraction of the type of encounter. More play styles emerge on the type of game that is being played. A certain place style you see for a tabletop RPG you may not find in a trading card game.
The ones that were listed here tend to be the most common and merge with each other across platforms. Keeping in mind different playstyles makes your game more fun as people can find enjoyment. If you do want to learn more about other playstyles, please leave a like and subscribe to my newsletter.
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