I know you guys just got your hands on the Rulebook, and I plan on getting mine this weekend, but this is the first RPG I have ever really had any interest in playing. I've dabbled with D&D but quit mostly because the group I tried playing with were a bunch of idiots. There is a group that plays Rogue Trader and the like, and I know the guy who runs it just got a copy of Deathwatch. I would like to start playing with them, but seeing as they are experienced players and I am a total newbie, I'm looking for tips so I don't embarrass myself.

Captain Blint said:

Anyone joining my group with this attitude would be most welcomed. Anyone who has the sense to ask for tips on how to play is sure to put in the effort, and that's all that is required. I'm sure that it'll go down well.

Deathwatch is a fairly complicated system, no doubt. See if you can get a basic understanding of the rules as they apply to your character, even if you learn nothing else. The GM and other players will appreciate it far more if you know your own character well than if you knew everyone's characters poorly . Don't be afraid to ask questions, especially out-of-game (e.g. before/after the main session). It's the GM's job to help things go fairly smoothly rules-wise.

My other tip is that you should enjoy the roleplaying aspect of it and don't feel stupid acting things out and generally being loud and "in-character". Unless you're playing with people who just want to sit and roll dice with no social interaction, the more into your character you get during play, the better everyone's experience will be. The absolute best roleplaying times I've ever had were GMing for a group of players that got into heated in-character arguments. But on that note, know where the game ends and real life begins, and don't hold a grudge for things that have happened in-game.

This doesn't apply to players so much, but a good tip for GMs in any system is to not be afraid to pause the game and gather your wits. The players will enjoy it more if you say "you've totally changed my plans, gimme a second to work this out" rather than making something up on the fly that later becomes boring or obvious (unless you're really good at improvising, in that case it's fine).

Umm... Sorry if the above came across as patronising, not sure really how much detail you wanted etc. Personally I have no experience running Deathwatch yet so I can't say exactly what I'd want to see in a player or GM, but enthusiasm really does help in any system.

youve already on the road to my first tip - get the book. deathwatch is complex, so having it handy will help a lot.

second, as stated above, learn the ins and outs of YOUR character. work out how big the bonuses are to resist psychic powers and toxins. work out how high he can get his BS with his weapon. work out how fast he can move. when you know this, my third tip will be made much much easier.

when you know everything your marine can do, you can start doing the GMs job. i find rpg''s much more rewarding when instead of 'i shoot the termagant..i hit...i do 15 damage.' you lay it on a bit. give it a bit of a flourish. dont shoot the termagant. execute the xenos abomination, blow apart his innards and scan the vicinity for a new target. really dotry to get into character - dont play the marine, BE the marine =P
this comes with a caveat - dont overdo it, dont infringe on the other players or the GM. eventually your guy is gonna get beat down, hard. make sure when you do, that its awesome. if you do want to try something off the wall, try to think up what that means in terms of the dice before you ask the GM. things go much smoother when you dont have to wait 2 minutes for him to determine stuff. if you want to make a hard (-20) acrobatics check to leap onto the back of the truck and a demolitions check to plant a melta bomb, he shouldnt have a big problem with that.

Captain Blint said:

Expect you and your players to overlook talents/traits/abilities frequently in the beginning. You and your players should be aware that it's a complex game and should be lenient towards yourself about this. The main thing is to have fun and to get it roundabout right. The longer you play, the better each player will be able to maximize the abilities his Battle-Brother has.

Alex

There are two elements to Role-playing Games; Role-playing and Roll-playing .

Role-playing . For some this is the easy bit, others not so much. Getting into the mindset of your character (and fellow gamers getting into theirs) will ensure a great game. Make sure you understand the personality of the character, in dw this is determined by chapter and demeanor. Read all information offered by the gamebook on these 2 key factors.

Stereo-typed. The chapter description is the stero-type and afterthousands of years on indoctrination, ritualism and propaganda it is unlikely that you will deviate to far from the chapter description, so utilise that to determine how your character will act and re-act.

Don't be afraid to go against the grain or dispute things whilst in character (ic) and avoid out of character (ooc) debates and arguments. If your marine disagrees with another character say so. All marines are on an equal footing and all are brothers in war.

First Person. Try and play your character from the first person, and concentrate sololy on what your character will say. Don't allow others to speak for you, or tell you what to say.

Example. "My character says something like I don't agree with matt's Ultra-Marine on the fighting of the hordes."

versus

"Eyes be damned Octavius, and Ultra-Marine you may be, but the forces we fight are pitiful, even with but 1 fellow Dark Angel amongst us would these hordes be stopped. The Dark Angels do not retreat in the face of such trivial forces."

Actions. Choose an action and stick with it, don't keep changing your mind. Also don't let ooc players tell you what to do. Obviously if tactics have been discussed in game, a polite reminder may be said.

Remember as a character you are an actor in a film, and consistency of an actor is what makes a good film, and this is so in role-playing.

Roll-playing . This is game mechanics, the character sheet, skills, abilities, and of course the dice rolls that determine success and failure. As above for some this is the easy part, for others the difficult part.

As above understand what your character can do. Your character will play a chapter and a speciality roll and this will determine stats, skills and talents/specials.

In DW stats and skills are pretty self explanatary. When attempting an action, you will be rolling dice versus a Stat (weapon skill, ballastic skill, intelligence, willpower etc) that may be modified by a skill. The roll will be either under 1/2 the stat or at the stat level and this can modified by a host of different bonuses and penalties.

Talents/Specials. These are powers that stand you out from the others. Many talents are shared by all marines, thought seperate specialities have differing talent choices.

It is very useful to understand what the talents and specials allow you to do, as these along with the characters personality will give the character life.

Example if your character has a very low weapon skill but very high ballistic skill you will want to fight at range all the time using cover etc.

Conversely if your ballistic skill was low and your Weapon skill was high you may want to close in on your enemies, stare them in the eyes as you slay them.

When both elements of role-play and roll-play are combined well, your enjoyment and that of fellow players and the GM (Game Master) will be greatly improved.

Finally: Never argue with the GM - his rule is law. Accept what he says as final (even if you know they are 100% wrong) and just move on. Arguing with the gamesmaster for whatever reason will bog the game down and lead others to wander off and drink way too much beer.

By all means kick off after the game session is over, after all people love post game drama.