@ReverbGamers Master List Number 11

#11: Have you ever played a character that was morally gray, or actually evil? Why or why not? If yes, did you enjoy it?

Again--GM--so yeah. From a player standpoint, I have played both morally gray and evil characters.

My morally gray character was already covered here.

My evil character was in a Planescape game. I was playing a psionicist named Mandrake (which, if I recall correctly, means “poison”). Mandrake was really evil. He would kill for nearly any reason. He was neutral evil, and so was capable of playing well with others, if it served his purpose. What was interesting was it was not an “evil” campaign, so Mandrake had to keep some of his activities somewhat private.

Honestly, I loved Mandrake as a character--I’ve re-purposed his personality multiple times over the years for villains in the games I’ve run--but I didn’t enjoy him as a player character. And that’s because, as a GM, I always play evil, and I’m usually the GM. So for me, a change is to play a good guy.

I do love to play morally gray characters. I think it’s because there’s a freedom in it for me. As a nice guy, there are a lot of things I’d like to do, but would never do. With a morally gray character, I can do those things. Again, see my write-up of Revenant for a good example.

@ReverbGamers Master List Number 9

#9: Have you ever played a character of the opposite sex. Why or why not? If yes, how did the other players react?

As a GM, of course I have! But I'm guessing that's not really what this question is about.

In 27 years of gaming, I have never seen anyone effectively play a character of the opposite sex. In every case I've seen, these characters end up being more caricature than anything else. I can tell you it's an area of discomfort for me as a GM (I never feel like I do women justice when I play them). When you're dealing with a game table that includes people of both sexes, people can get downright offensive. I don't completely disallow cross-gender play at my table, but I do discourage it. And when someone chooses to go that route, they're put on notice they may be asked to change.

Obviously this strong opinion is based solely on my experience. I'm sure it's been done well, somewhere. And I'd love to see it.

@ReverbGamers Master List Number 8

#8: What's the one gaming accessory (lucky dice, soundtrack, etc.) you just can't do without? Why?

Aside from what's needed for the game I'm playing, there's nothing I truly can't do without. I don't suffer from any sort of gamer superstition, and I try not to get too attached to anything.

That said there are two items that come close...

My iPad contains nearly every roleplaying book I own, and it goes with me nearly everywhere. I run games with the iPad--some games I run nearly 100% with the iPad (ICONS comes to mind). The more I use it, the more I need it. That said, I draw the line at dice. I will always use real dice. Dice rolling apps just don't cover it.

I own a Pentel Twist-Erase III mechanical pencil with 0.9mm lead. It's the perfect thickness for character sheets, it writes smoothly, and it includes a killer eraser. I get seriously discombobulated when I don't have this particular pencil.

@ReverbGamers Master List Number 7

#7: How do you pick names for your characters?

I have a ton of sources for names, mostly media-related. Some names come straight out of my head. For fantasy names I'll either use something "old sounding" and completely made up or start with a common name and change a couple letters--"Andrew" becomes "Andrel" or "Calvin" becomes "Colvyn."

My very favorite tool--indeed a favorite of the whole Blessing household--is Writer's Digest's Character Naming Sourcebook. It includes advice on how to name a character and names from a couple dozen nationalities around the world, past and present. Every GM and Player should own a copy.

@ReverbGamers Master List Number 6

#6: Describe your all-time favorite character to play. What was it about him/her/it that you enjoyed so much?

My favorite character... that's a tough one. Two characters immediately spring to mind, but I'll pick one...

(Much of this comes from an old Facebook note I wrote, and has been edited for content and grammar. The very last paragraph is all new.)

Revenant was a superhero with a dark past. He was once an investigative reporter, named Michael Mortis (the cheesy alliteration was a nod to comics), who learned too much about an organized crime group and got himself and his family killed. A major power player named Necromancer brought Michael back from the dead, endowing him with powers.

Before Revenant knew his true origin, he thought he was actually a revenant from mythology, a person brought back from the dead to enact revenge on those who did him wrong. Thinking it was his only ticket to dying and join his family, Michael sought out and killed his family's murderer. 

Then nothing happened.

Distraught, Michael eventually took on the Revenant persona in an effort to repent for the murder he committed, all the while searching for a way to die. Eventually he hooked up with Omega Force, a team he now leads. Since the beginning, Michael has learned that the self he knew did die, and his soul he knew went on to whatever afterlife was waiting. He was merely an imprint of the Michael he once believed he was. He changed his last name to Sinclair (his wife's name was Clair, so "no Clair"), and started his new life.

Revenant was fun to play because he was kind of a dick. I based his wit on Dr. Cox from Scrubs. I entertained the table, while cracking myself up on occasion, so that was cool. What I liked best about him, though, was he was going to do the right thing, no matter who he hurt in the process (especially himself). There was no compromise when he saw the "right" path. That quality led to a lot of fun conflict with villains and his teammates. If there was a dirty deed to be done, though, he kept his teammates out of it. He might kill, but he would never let his partners do the same--that was his cross to bear. This part of Revenant's personality started with Batman, but I dialed it up to 12. If the Joker encountered Revenant, there might be a second encounter, but never a third--he'd be dead.

@ReverbGamers Master List Number 5

#5: Have you ever introduced a child to gaming, or played a game with a young person? How is gaming with kids different than gaming with adults?

Yes. Yes I have. There are a couple differences when playing with kids.

• Kids have shorter attention spans. The typical game session for an adult group is about four hours (sometimes more). For kids, avoid going much past two hours--that way lies madness (and frustration).
• Kids are more creative than adults. If you're a GM, and you think your players have messed up your master plans in the past, try GMing a seven-year-old or two. You'll stop complaining about your adult players going "off course." A kid at the table will surely keep you on your toes.
• Kids are more honest than adults. If they're not having fun, you'll know it.

As a parent, I will close by saying nothing is cooler than watching your kid "get" roleplaying and want to do it with you.

@ReverbGamers Master List Number 4

#4 Are you a "closet gamer?" Have you ever hidden the fact that you're a gamer from your co-workers, friends, family, or significant other? Why or why not? How did they react if they found out?

I am not a closet gamer.

I am sometimes careful about how I introduce or talk about gaming to co-workers. It's not embarrassing as much as I hate having to explain. Everyone assumes I mean video games, and for some reason that annoys me. It really annoys me to learn how much people don't listen. I can give a full description of roleplaying after I've been asked, only to have the other conversant still talking about video games.

The reactions of people who learn I'm a gamer range from legitimate interest to simple weird looks. I'm surprised often at who I learn "used to" game. It's really funny when I'm occasionally told in secret by someone who just acted like I was an alien in front of other people.