The Four Agreements and Gaming

The Push and Pull of Scrutiny

  I have always been a reflective person.  I did it constantly in school growing up (defining what it meant to be a decent person while struggling to find my own place), in college (learning to be a musician and a teacher in deluge of philosophy and pedagogy), and now, as a Game Master, I do it even more.  
  I am constantly worried about the state of my players; their happiness, fulfillment, meaning, investment, and overall comfort levels.  And it's exhilarating, so I don't mind.  But sometimes I get days like this - where I feel like I failed somehow; failed to reach someone, or made them feel bad when that wasn't the intention.  And though teaching in a public school is a job that hones in on specific students; how they grow, change, question, etc. - THIS job of Game Mastering feels so much more...personal.  
  As Game Masters, we're really GUIDES above all else.  As John and I have stated countless times in our podcast, we work through Consequences, not Punishments, and this mentality must persist through every facet of our narration and storytelling.  We have to enable our players to reach their best selves.  Often, on top of a full working knowledge of the world and the game mechanics at large, we have to know those awesome abilities that each character has and help them realize their best options (in a kind way) on and out of their turn.  Be kind.  Always.  Support your players, don't punish them.
  That has always been my mission - but I dare say that I am slipping to some degree.  It comes from a place of improvement, but it could be I was pushing in the wrong direction.  My allowance in custom materials and interpretations is something that is never going away, but as we continue to grow and I build our Mastering Certification, I know I've been trying to curb toward following the core rules most of the time.  However, I have felt that I've made a few rulings that were not fair, and with me, I take each and every ruling I don't agree with like a punch in the face.  I think on it often, and then try my darnedest to automate my solution so it never comes up again.  :)

John Tanaka, one of our other Game Masters, does these cool live-streams each day over on our Facebook page, and in one of them he talked about a brilliant book called The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz.  I have consumed this book, and I've taken it up again, and I think it applies to all walks of life, but in our mission here at Game On - to become our best selves through gaming - it matches quite perfectly from a Game Master and Player perspective.
  The internet can be a swarm of rule lawyers, and though the "enlightened" point of view is gaining a voice - that it's a game, people, relax - there are still those keen on stating that "your fun is wrong."  To help deflect some of this scrutiny, I've rolled back some of my home-brews in favor of RAW (Rules As Written), and been much more up front (in speech and in writing) on the things that I have kept.  But so much of what we do ISN'T viewed by others; it is only viewed and experienced by the other players at the table - it's more intimate, and contextual, so the more amorphous the concept, the more circumstantial the ruling, and those will invariably change moment to moment.

  So, before I go on, let's take a look at those four points of understanding, as presented and paraphrased from Ruiz's book, with some personal reflection thrown in.

1) Be Impeccable With Your Word

  Do not speak ill of others or gossip.  Do not accept, internalize, or believe what others say about you, or your thoughts about yourself.

  I think on this and I realize that this was one of the points in High School, and school in general, that I happily failed at.  I don't archive, internalize, or hold onto ill will.  There's just too much going on in my own head, which opens the door for the latter, which is to remember that "not all the stories we tell ourselves are true."  We have to remember that our words have power, and can propel good or evil forward - personally or interpersonally.
  When we fill the world with our own voice too often, we use up our own well of words.  We need to be silent sometimes; both to observe, and to speak from a place of intelligence and kindness - never to betray ourselves by telling cruel stories.

2) Don't Take Anything Personally

  Any reaction implies that you have accepted (agree in at least some small way) with what was said or done.  Everything people say or do comes their own perception and paradigm of the world, and has nothing to do with you.

  Taking things personally is what made me a better teacher in the beginning, but it came from seeking to avoid perceived pain, as opposed to augmenting my craft.  Glad to say that the latter is now the common practice, but the former sneaks in at times when exhaustion creeps in (secret lesson: take care of yourself - exercise, eat right, meditate, you get the idea).  
  What really sucks is when we subconsciously hold onto perceived ill will.  It is rare if I do it now as an adult, but when I do, it's deep, and reveals a clear weakness in my inability to let it go.  I did this once in the last year, and though the experience propelled a lot of positive change and leveled up my business and game mastering and leadership - all good things - I was still holding onto the venom...only to discover through a third party that it was all a misunderstanding anyway.  That was months of wasted energy - whereas I COULD have sought out a solution by simply talking to this individual (see #1).  Perceived possible pain at the interaction held me back from a simple solution.

3) Don't Make Assumptions

  Don't operate from a preconceived understanding of the world or your relationships.  All assumptions are limitations and failures to communicate.

  This ties directly into a mentality that perplexed individuals in High School.  I had a mantra: Assume Nothing, Question Everything, Change Something.  It meant that I tried not to make assumptions about people and situations, would clarify (a lot, so much to the point that others thought me a dullard) understanding for myself and those around me, and make constant adjustments to my behavior and routines to try to be a better person.  Not sure if it worked, but thinking on it now, it still makes a lot of sense.  
  Not to say that you can't use intuition, and learning, to better equip yourself for certain situations, the key here is to KEEP LEARNING.  No single entity knows everything, and all knowledge deserves deeper understanding.  Don't take things at their face value; the details might open your mind in new and challenging ways - and that's a good thing.

4) Always Do Your Best

  Make your efforts all about what you can best accomplish in your current situation, so that you're always satisfied and happy with yourself.  Don't overwork, but don't work merely for a reward.

  This is what I strive for each day, but the most important component of this description is "in your current situation."  The things that you cannot control do not weigh upon your personal performance.  Do what you can with what you have, and make THAT the best it can be.  The rest will be learned over time and progress.

The Ultimate Call To Action

  The close of the book is probably the best - and simplest - fire to light under one's soul.  Ruiz calls you to be an entity that takes ultimate responsibility for your own suffering and level of happiness and fulfillment.  I interpret this into three focused mindsets: The Warrior, The Magician, and The Mystic.  Those three avatars are in a constant feedback loop at all times, no single one taking full control of us at any one time, and that balance of trinity is never more apparent than when I'm running a game session - and the sessions where I struggle is where I have forgotten these mindsets.  (I'm paraphrasing and adapting here, so don't @ me, bro)
The Warrior - the warrior is in control of his own behavior.  (see also: Bushido) A warrior IS NOT a berserker; we are not controlled by our emotions, instead we control ourselves, and how we spend our energy; we do not deplete it with fruitless things.  We have a limit of our own each day; a well that is pulled from as we engage in tasks and with others.  Some tasks drain us, while others replenish.  I have never built up my own energy reservoir more than in the last year - discovering the things and people that create that positive Feedback Loop of energy that helps me replenish my reservoir, and allows me to pour my soul into the people and elements that need it most - like my fellow players and their enjoyment of the game and their stories.  TL;DR - only spend your energy on the good stuff; that choice is something you're in complete control of.
The Magician - a magician is one who is tapped into her creative mind; she tells stories, paints pictures, and forms new and distant worlds at a whim.  She spends energy in creating, brainstorming, and seeing what could be possible - often in charismatic ways, taking others along for the journey.  The magician is called into being all those moments when we allow ourselves to imagine, to create, and to play using our open world as the canvas.  TL;DR - you're never too old to imagine new things, or bring them into reality; that's how invention is born.  Never stop imagining.
The Mystic - the mystic views the world through an augmented lens, always keen to continue growing and learning - never allowing herself to stagnate, or become stuck in the ways of others less enlightened.  This view of the world is not popular, but it saves our energy for the causes that matter.  The mystic shows itself any time we stop to listen before speaking, research before reacting, and decide to engage without betraying our own center.  You no longer rule your behavior by what others may think about you - a trait foreign to so many in this age.  How mystical.  TL;DR - never stop learning, and don't be afraid of adjusting the lens through which you view the world. 

Augment Your Games

Resolve interpersonal issues...personally, and kindly (#1 and 2).  If it's a topic that would benefit the group as a whole, and it stems from an interpersonal moment, deal with the latter, then address the former.  This avoids feelings of passive aggression, and doesn't place that player on the defensive in the company of the team.  

Made a mistake?  Own it (#1).  Most recent example for me: I got it in my head that order of operations mattered in 5E (some editions and other games rule that it does, but the elegance of 5E does away with that)...  It doesn't.  Hunter's Mark?  As long as it's still your turn, you can cast it before or AFTER your attack, and still gain its benefit (just roll a D6 for the extra damage).  Don't know why I got stuck on it so bad - I was wrong.  :)

Support Your Player Abilities With Kind Reminders or Suggestions (#1, 2, 3 and 4): I would do this often with my newer players, but as time has rolled on, I haven't been as consistently helpful.  I've been a little stuck in my own head lately, hence revisiting this awesome book, so I admit to dropping the ball a few times.  Even with veteran players, if it's once a week, especially nearing the end of a long day, they might forget stuff.  ANYBODY can forget their abilities; it's a lot to manage.  It isn't our job to make them feel bad about that - it's our job to help them be their best selves, even if doing so wrecks my monster/encounter/spell/NPC/Legendary Action/Supernatural Ability.  Group game, buddies.

Take a step back (#1, 2, and 3): It can be easy to get stuck in the trap of misreading a player's resting face as being bored, them in character to them actually being angry, and a high or low emotion moment coloring our actual perception.  If we're ever unsure, though, we can always communicate (#1, and #3) interpersonally, and hopefully learn from such a communication.  As these games are as much building trust and empathy as they are creating fun encounters and challenges, kind communication can only make the whole experience better.

Adapt and move on (2, 3, and 4): Maintaining momentum in a game is very important, so I try to have either a resource open or I've studied the rules enough to have them memorized to be able to respond to a player quickly and easily.  But it's impossible to know everything, so having that resource nearby is key.  If a ruling comes up in play and it isn't 100% clear from the RAW (rules-as-written), make a ruling then and there, and move on.  You never want your game to halt for a discussion on the "intended ruling" of a rule.  Then, also, see if you can err on the side of the player, not the DM, to put the power in their court instead.  Players aren't inherently combative; it's a product of feeling screwed over by bad DMs, so give them a little more sway and see what they do with it.  You can always have a discussion AFTER THE SESSION IS OVER.

Be KIND to one another.  Always.  No creature on this planet starts off cruel - these things are learned.  If you revel in making players feel bad for forgetting their abilities, punishing players for out-of-the-box concepts, railing against GMs who are learning, or rules-lawyering people to tears...please UNLEARN this mentality.  Kindness builds trust and empathy; two key components to any successful campaign.  It tells players that you've got their backs at the table, even if the villain of the story is out to get them.  That's the GAME, not the players and the GM; separating the two helps build immersion, and releases the tension of an involved story, without spilling over into the real world.  
​It's a powerful relationship - don't break it by being intentionally mean.  

I'm sure there's a lot more I could connect here, but I think that KINDNESS is the main theme here.  Your words have power.  Not all the stories you tell yourself are true.  Never stop learning.  Always do your best.  The rest...ain't worth the energy.  :)

See you at the table.
​-Adamus