Meta Gaming

Strap in this will be long, I reckon. What is "Meta Gaming" From Wikipedia: Meta gaming describes a player's use of real-life knowledge concerning the state of the game to determine their character's actions when said character has no relevant knowledge or awareness under the circumstances As far as doing that in my games - go for it. Metagame to your heart's content. "But DM... y tho? Yeah, I hear ya. Maybe you just roped a friend who's never played DnD, and you're hyped to create an addiction. He made a sorcerer, and your friend recommended he split up his damage type - cause ya never know. You thought "he's helping that's nice, and he's right this is going swell!" The day of the session has started, everything going fine until the party runs into a TROLL. You can see it in your head, a whole session encounter, of your friend in horror as the troll keeps coming back and no idea why! He's gonna have to use almost every facet of DnD to figure it out! Parley with the troll even! Until as initiative is rolled, the PC - played by the helpful friend, who's well versed in DnD monsters. Despite being the Halfling offspring of dirt-farmers, now turned aspiring-adventure, he just shouted to the sorcerer who was reading the ice-knife description "USE FIREBOLT! Don't waste a spell slot one non-fire damage vs a troll" (don't do, that btw... Never punish a PC in-game, because you're upset with the player - talk to the player) But I get it, that does suck when that happens. But WHY, really ask yourself "Why did this suck?" Because he "meta-gamed"? Maybe, but I don't think it's why. If meta-gaming sucked, in and of itself, wouldn't it reason anytime someone metagames it sucks, then? If you are still thinking it would, you're either not thinking critically or not talking about DnD. The above encounter was a metagaming before the PCs even made a character. Why is a low-level party fighting a fucking troll? It's CR5. Why was the troll chosen, if somehow it even does fit the story, it's because the DM made it fit. So he could show his newbie friend, a cool encounter via this cool mechanic for his first DnD encounter - metagaming

When the party's thief decides to NOT steal from the party! NEVER?? - metagaming. Why the fuck would he not? When the DM or Players vow to "NEVER split the party" (which is dumb) - Metagaming.

The fighter PC, has full health, full everything - except his action surge and second wind. ..But he agrees with the warlock who is also at full health, they should take a short rest, in this dungeon FILLED with monsters, because "why not? We'd be tired after a fight" Yeah OKAY - metagaming. Notice how each example is getting harder and harder to accuse someone they're metagaming, or "that's what my character would do, bro". Not to mention the 100000 reasons, a player can come up with to explain away any type of metagaming. ANOTHER consideration for you (isn't this tiresome?) - Shouldn't my character be a savant when it comes to determining what's 25ft? I am throwing fireballs all day, and strangely- no matter the wind that day - always a 25ft sphere... Weird I know, but due to this wouldn't I have a savant-like aptitude for distances and spatial awareness? Wouldn't every NPC know a Troll is weak to fire? I mean, it's kind of a known thing even outside of DnD players, and it's not even real! Imagine if they were real. In the first example, let's flip the class roles even. Your new friend is the dirt farmer's kid, and your experienced DnD friend is a sorcerer. No talking has happened, the battle starts "I cast firebolt on the troll" - what are you gonna do get mad and claim he was metagaming? His character wouldn't know to cast firebolt? Why not, it's the strongest cantrip? What's he supposed to NOT cast firebolt out of fear of being called a metagamer or min-maxer - wouldn't THAT be metagaming?? Fuck all that. Just tell me what you're guy does, dude.