Nerdarchy on Why Game Masters Should Encourage Metagamers in RPGs
In this 13-minute video on Nerdarchy the YouTube channel Nerdarchists Dave and Ted explore metagaming in tabletop roleplaying games. Metagaming is often considered a negative part of the RPG experience but it doesn’t have to be — it can be a tool for players and Game Masters alike.
In the video they discuss the meaning of metagaming, why it carries negative connotations and get into the springboard for this topic in the first place. They also talk about the benefits of metagaming including the impetus for action, creating memorable encounters and overcoming indecisiveness.
They share some examples from their own RPG experiences too. In one especially great example Dave relates how a character he played lit up a torch for warmth and light amidst a large growth of brown mold, which is a classic D&D dungeon hazard exacerbated by fire. As a player Dave knew the deal but his character did not. This also illustrates how metagaming can be a positive thing for GMs too, since the one in that game of course put the brown mold there in the first place. Interacting with it through metagaming not only rewards the GM but also the players and their characters, who can interact in a bit more controlled manner.
In Trip to the Planar Zoo the Zoo Keepers employ a bit of metagame thinking as well, turning it on the adventurers for their Humanoid Exhibit. A trip to the planar zoo is no walk through the park when you wake up as part of the exhibit! Will the characters learn the truth of their captivity, or will the zookeepers’ perfectly constructed habitat keep even the sharpest adventurers in the dark?
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