Watchers In Your Campaign: Remember The Gnome In The Corner!

There are many kinds of players on the game scene. Some like to fight battles, some like to explore, some like to act out stories. But then there are players that express very little at all, who often blend in with the scenery and hang out unnoticed while others take action. Sometimes this may be the sign of an unhappy player, but for many people this is just their form of expression at the game table. These are the Watchers, players who prefer to observe the campaign as it unfolds without talking as much, and quietly monitoring its progress with only the occasional contribution.

These Watchers can still be included in your games, and should certainly not be removed as a player as long as they are attending your sessions. One of my most strictly enforced rules at game night is that everyone present is a player. Adding non-playing spectators a tabletop game is distracting and boring, so in my group everyone who is present on game night gets a character sheet.  This keeps both the new player and the group as a whole from being diverted or feeling self-conscious at having someone hanging around without being involved at all.

But keep in mind that some players glean most of their enjoyment from watching the game quietly. There are some players who are simply shy, and some who enjoy the company of the group and progression of the adventure without contributing frequently. This is fine, there is a place for these kinds of players at the table, as long as you know what to expect from them.

The number one challenge with watchers is keeping them from being a distraction for others. If they are not contributing when offered, or creating disruptions, then the game could easily fall apart. Try not to scold players for tangents and distractions, but direct the game back on track using your "DM voice." Describe something the players can interact with, and address them with questions to get them engaged and attentive. Get things moving again and put the onus on the players to point it in the right direction. I much prefer this technique to re-establishing order to enforcing 'no phone' policies and such. Too many restrictions at the game table can make things seem zealously authoritarian and not fun.

Watchers are the easiest to accidentally overlook or pass up during gameplay, so it is important to remember to actively engage them from time to time. Pace yourself when addressing the player. Don't pressure them to contribute exactly as much as others, but extend the invitation to participate. Being a watcher is simply a play style that is based on personality traits. Their enjoyment of the game isn't dependent on their frequent contributions. As long as the player is occasionally involved in the action, it is okay if their interactions are less frequent than some of their peers. If they are responsive when you call upon them to be so, it won't disrupt the flow of the campaign. Just remember to check in every once in a while to keep them connected to the game. 

It's good to have a very enthusiastic player seated near a watcher to provide them with some much needed energy and keep them involved. However, you want to seat a watcher far from any player who is easily distracted, or somebody whose mind tends to wander from the game. The attention of a watcher may be prone to drifting, and if more than one player becomes distracted by something, it is much more difficult to get things back on track. You can draw a player back in from answering a text, but two players carrying on a conversation about a movie they just saw will be harder to break away from. Avoid these distractions from the start by separating the players who often get involved in tangental conversation. Encourage your players to sit near people they don't know as well, to make new friends and grow as a play group. Let them get to know their neighbors!

For those who are especially invested in a game, watchers can be frustrating and difficult to understand. Make sure that your quieter players are actually enjoying their participation in the campaign and then help them to relate to the other players with your occasional prompts for action. As long as they are still actively responding to these interactions, the other players should feel more comfortable about the watcher's role in the party. And of course, remember that many watchers may simply be shy or socially reserved, so addressing them kindly and patiently will go a long way towards getting a positive response from them. After all, it takes all kinds to make up a party, and even the quietest gnome or halfling can make up the difference between victory and defeat.

Happy ventures!