Know Your Role - Fluff Fanatic

Know Your Roll is a series designed to encourage discussion between you and your group about the different personalities gamers bring to the table. To read previous Know Your Role posts, check out the Rules Lawyer.
"There's no way that would make sense with the lore!" Who doesn't love hearing that when playing a game of options like Warhammer, Warmachine, or Dungeons & Dragons? It's not hard to find the guy who knows everything about the world's fluff: history, politics, the characters living there, and anything else that makes a setting come to life but has nothing to do with actual gameplay mechanics.

These are the people who buy the rulebooks to read the new bits of story contained within, who make a character or army based on what would really happen in this world, and may even get mad at others for not following the "fluff." When complaining about rules, their primary offense is that it doesn't make sense "in the context of the world," like who Iron Flesh makes you nimble in Warmachine, or how mortals can basically kill gods in D&D without any special deity-killing equipment.

As with all roles, many people can identify with one or more aspects of being a Fluff Fanatic.

Pros
They keep the game balanced. In RPGs like D&D, focusing on making an all-powerful character is fun in theory but can severely break a game and make it boring for the dungeon master and the rest of the players at the table. By encouraging people to understand why a choice does or doesn't make sense for their character, they encourage people to make fun, flavorful decisions rather than creating a powerhouse character. In more competitive games like Warhammer, bringing "fluffy" lists encourages people to have fun with their builds, rather than just bringing a bunch of plastic pieces with a pile or stats and rules attached to them.

They make the game come to life. What keeps drawing me to the 40k universe is their fluff. They have loads of interesting stories and characters, and it makes me want to experience this universe on the tabletop. When warcasters use abilities in Warmachine, knowing why The Butcher won't stop attacking until things stop dying, or why Cain risks blowing himself up to kill an enemy has more depth when you understand the characters themselves. Even in Magic, knowing why certain colors behave the way they do can add an appreciation for the different cards, rather than just seeing them for their abilities.

They are great resources for new or curious players. While FFs may not be rules junkies, they are great for people who are completely unfamiliar with the world. When I first joined my group, a few FFs talked my ear off about the fluff behind the factions I was interested in. Suddenly I wanted to play the game not just for the rules, but because of the stories crafted around the game I was interested in!

They can be a blast to play against. FFs usually want lists and characters that make sense to them. Even if a more powerful options exists, they put content over power level almost without question. As long as they have realistic expectations for how their decisions will play out in the game, they are a lot of fun because they're there to experience their creation, not necessarily to see it win. If you want to play a fun list, or just a relaxed game, these are usually your ideal players.

They want the game to look good. Most guys in my group will only play with realistic terrain. No felt circles to represent a forest, no Legos stacked like a wall, etc. The most hardcore FFs want painted models, finished terrain (including things like Zuzzy mats over cloth), and anything else that helps bring the game to life. While these things are time consuming, they also bring an appreciate and immersion to the game that people don't realize they want until they've experienced it themselves. After over a year with my group, I can't imagine using a book as a hill except in the most dire of circumstances.


Cons
They can dictate too much. If someone wants to play a powerful list against them, their immediate response is "Stop powergaming! That list has nothing but powerful things!" If someone wants to use a weapon in D&D that looks cool but doesn't fit their character, they'll be pressured to pass it up to stay "in character." While encouraging people to embrace more than rules and statistics is definitely in their favor, trying to pressure (or control) someone's decision with negativity is never cool. It's their game, their money, and their free time. Getting upset because someone isn't playing how a hardcore FF wants to play, without previously discussing the matter first, is just silly.

They can become stuck at their current skill level. If someone never plays a good army because they want a conglomeration of cool/flavorful models that don't synergize well, it will be difficult to progress as a player. While some may not care about this, I believe it will diminish the enjoyment of the game simply because everyone else gets better while the FF may be stuck with their fun list and no way to compete.

They can be frustrating to play against. It can become tedious to play a game with a guaranteed outcome. Playing fluffy is fine, but I also think it's important to construct a "fun" list that doesn't just roll over for the opponent. That's why I enjoy tribal support in Magic and tier lists in Warmachine. You can often get rewarded for playing a certain set of cards/models - even though more powerful options often exist, you are at least given a fighting chance to win.


Living with a Fluff Fanatic
Encourage their passion. Talk to them about fluff they've read, ask them what they think about a certain bit of fluff you've read, and ask them for input whenever you're picking a color scheme or making some terrain. If you're doing a league, they can be a great resource to build a story around the rules you've created.

Help them learn their limit. If FFs I've seen online are any indication, the idea of "powergaming" may not seem like a real gaming personality to them. If they're causing friction in the group, just talk to them about it and let them know what's up. Many times in any situation, a person may not realize that what they're doing is causing people to complain about them. Friendly communication is key to preserving friendships and keeping a group from complaining about someone when they aren't around.

Try to join their fun. I'm not saying read all the 40k novels, but there's nothing wrong with learning about about your own Space Marine chapter, or reading up on a favorite warcaster. This will help engage them in conversation and give them an opportunity to spew out all the stuff they love about the game. I know very little about the Star Wars or Warhammer universes, but I always enjoy listening to a friend tell me about a character or story that they really enjoy in it.


Surviving as a Fluff Fanatic
Remember that you're usually in the minority. Even in Dungeons and Dragons, most people are just there to have a good time and take whatever story they're given. It's unfair to expect people to know why a cleric shouldn't use edged weapons, or why a warrior shouldn't use an Orb of Bigsby's Grasp. People usually want to play what's fun, or play to win, so people usually won't be too on board with limiting their enjoyment for the sake of story coherency.

Get them involved without making them read. Making a Cryx-themed Warmachine league requires some knowledge of the world. Making an Ork piece of terrain can be done to perfection by someone who really knows Orks. Getting people to paint their models correctly, or at all, requires someone to lead the charge. Getting people excited about story isn't terribly difficult if you can do it without asking them to sit and read. Create things that get people interested in the world, look for opportunities to talk to your friend about his favorite warlock, and eventually they'll want to find out more on their own so they can better appreciate what you're doing for the group.

Find a balance. As always, getting along with others requires compromise. Some people won't appreciate your encyclopedic knowledge of the game, and you may not appreciate their ability to craft powerful characters. Let them help you improve your game, offer to help them improve their knowledge of the game outside the rules, and everyone wins!



I really appreciate Fluff Fanatics. Whether it's getting me involved in the broad story of a game, or throwing out some weird tidbit that was said by the game's story writer in an interview, they always help me appreciate the game I play. Rules and mechanics are important to me, but without a reason for them to exist I'm just playing a game of math. And I hate math.


See you tomorrow!





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