Welcome everyone, I’m Sol and today I’ll be giving you suggestions on why and how to build your own pre-game routine!
In my last article I talked about two things you can do before play that would set you up for success, and in this article, I will be diving a bit deeper. We are going to tackle the why of it first, and then I will walk you through some steps to building your own routine.
If you find that you struggle with anxiety before sitting down to play, or find your mind wandering, or even having to take a break and grab something to drink because your throat is sore, then a pre-game routine could benefit you. A pre-game routine or ritual is a selection of activities you do (alone or with the group) that helps transition you into play smoothly. It is often used to reduce nervousness, focus on the moment, and facilitate success. I will not say that everyone needs one, but I believe almost everyone could benefit from trying this trick out.
Having something consistently in place before playing a game can give you a very real sense of stability and control and having a short checklist that takes care of your comfort and needs will certainly come in handy for making the following time go by smoothly. By keeping to a consistent pre-play routine, you can really focus on the play in the following moments, and really eliminate any roadblocks to success before they show up later!
Before we jump into building a routine, I would like to point out a few things. Your own routine or ritual will be specific to your needs, and ultimately you are going to be the expert on what works for you. If something I suggest does not fit for you, throw it out with my blessing and put in something that speaks to you. All that said, how about we jump into it?
Yes! Game Night! But first…
The first critical steps is to build space and time before you play to implement a routine. I suggest blocking out about 15 minutes before you start to play to focus on this new routine. That generally gives you enough time to take care of what needs to be done, and even relax a little while. Sometimes this will be easy, but I find a lot of people are pressed for time to spend on relaxing and play. In situations like that you might have to take a small bit of time out of your planned play, but you will find that the time you are left with is going to be much more fun and fulfilling. Once you have a routine down you can also have everything you need for it in a bag or box near where you normally play at, so you are more ready to go in the future.
Need it? Note it!
The second step to building a routine is to look at what you need from it. If you are hitting some roadblocks with nervousness or embarrassment, then your routine is going to look different from someone dealing with chronic pain. There is no one size fits all routine and being self-aware is going to come in handy for building your perfect pre-game set up. So, my suggestion is to “Take Note of Needs.” Notice what you need during a game, things that are missing, or that you must interrupt play to take care of or retrieve. Jot those down in play and find a way to take care of those before play. By addressing your needs first, you will eliminate 80% of the barriers to good play.
Places everyone!
The third step is to implement the little things into a workable whole. You have established the time you need; you know what you need, now set about listing and gathering those elements together. I have a journal that I keep my routine in, and I go down it like a check list. I keep everything I need for a particular game in a single space, something I can grab and set down with. That might be character sheets and such, sure, but it also is a bin of tea bags right beside it. Gather the elements you need, keep them near at hand, and start using them.
It isn’t you, it’s me.
Lastly, evaluate the impact. After you have had the routine going for a few weeks, check in with yourself and throw out anything that is not working for you. If you feel up to it, replace it with something new! The main thing is to revisit the process and determine if it needs to change or not. Do not bash your head into a wall trying to get something to work that just is not for you! Laugh about it, toss it out, try something new, or just embrace that little spot of time you got back. Either way, make the review part of your long-term routine.
This is my routine, there are many like it, but this one is mine.
I will go ahead and share some of my routine here for when I am about to run a tabletop roleplaying game. With 15 minutes before game, I start by getting some hot tea going. Then I will grab my folder that contains session notes, NPC lists, cheat sheets, and all my other prep work. As I sit down, I start the soundscape for tonight’s game to give me the emotional kick I need. At most, I spend 5 minutes glancing over last sessions notes, and the night’s starting scene to get the feel of the last game back and build a connection to this game session. After I have reviewed the notes, I warm my voice up and stretch my neck and shoulders, this takes about 5 minutes normally. The last 5 minutes I spend setting the table up for everyone, setting out dice trays and the like. While I do this, I visualize each character and what drives them in the story, so that I can speak to the character rather than the player when we get started.
After that it is game time. We sit down, put on our character hats, and get started. My routine is customized to my needs and desires. I want to be comfortable and not have a sore throat, I know that I am going to have tight shoulders and neck from standing, sitting, and reaching. So, my needs are addressed there but more than that I want a particular feeling at the table. I set the mood for myself with music and by checking my notes highlights. I connect with the characters by setting out their dice boxes, their minis, whatever paraphernalia they have. I want to connect with them and provide that narrative, so my routine works to set me in that state of mind.
Any last words?
I hope this article helps you discover a routine that works for you. I am excited to hear what rituals and routines you have before you play. Do you roll your lucky dice until you crit? Do you clear your mind and meditate? Do you have a favorite snack and get all the evil laughing out of the way before the players show up? Drop a comment below!
If you enjoyed this article and found it helpful, please support me by joining my Patreon or tossing me a tip on ko-fi. You can find games I have developed on itch as well.
Sol's Roles 
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