Dungeonmaster's Girlfriend/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Basic Trope: Someone who gets special treatment from the person in charge of an RPG because of an out-of-game-context relationship (romantic or otherwise).

  • Played Straight: Seamus O'Taku is put in charge of a Dungeons and Dragons game. His girlfriend's character is never allowed to lose and gets extra points added to the character sheet.
  • Exaggerated:
    • Seamus' girlfriend literally takes over the game.
    • Seamus lets his girlfriend start the game at the max level possible with max stats and knowing every spell in the game.
  • Downplayed: Seamus allows his girlfriend an extra reroll or two every so often, but that's about it.
  • Justified:
    • Seamus really cares about his girlfriend, and that's affecting how he leads the game.
    • Seamus' girlfriend is a real Tsundere and he wants to stay on her good side so she'll continue to stay with (and sleep with) him.
    • Seamus' girlfriend is new to gaming so he thought giving her some advantages would help her hold her own alongside veteran players and encourage her to keep playing.
  • Inverted: Seamus makes sure his girlfriend's character loses all the time, probably to avoid changes of favoritism.
  • Subverted:
    • Seamus, despite the expectations of the other gamers, plays fairly, and his GF's character loses a battle or two.
    • Seamus tries for this only for his girlfriend to call him out: "Seamus, we've both been playing this since junior high. I don't think I need preferential treatment."
  • Double Subverted: But when she gets upset and starts to cry, Seamus gives her a "special mission."
  • Deconstructed: This obvious favoritism ruins the dynamics of the table. Personal relationships should be kept out of RPG, especially if (let's say) Seamus is a much better/more experienced player than his girlfriend. Otherwise, other players feel slighted and the game is Ruined FOREVER.
  • Reconstructed: Seamus's girlfriend is new to gaming, and his preferential treatment encourages her to keep playing and improve her skills. Eventually, she doesn't need any extra help and he stops favoring her. Gaming together improves their relationship.
  • Zig Zagged: One session, Seamus gives his girlfriend favorable RPG treatment. Next week when they meet again, he plays fairly, or even really dumps on her character.
  • Parodied: Seamus literally puts his girlfriend on a golden pedestal while everyone else sits on regular chairs.
  • Lampshaded: "OK, Alice saves. Everyone else take 2d+4 damage."
  • Averted:
    • Seamus doesn't give special treatment to anyone.
    • Seamus is just another player, not the one in charge.
  • Enforced: The unspoken "Rules of Relationships"
  • Invoked: Seamus has a new Tsundere girlfriend, who has never played D&D before.
  • Defied:
    • Seamus refuses to give anyone special treatment, because it will ruin the game.
    • The girlfriend refuses to let Seamus give her any special treatment.
  • Discussed: "How come she always wins?"
  • Conversed: "Because she's his girlfriend. La-dee-dah."
  • Played For Laughs: Seamus's girlfriend is really, really bad at the game, and has dismal luck with the dice, but Seamus keeps going easy on her. "All right, roll to see if the arrow hits... roll to see where it hits... roll to see if you blinked... The arrow bounces off of your eyelid! No damage!"
  • Played For Drama: An argument ensues, and friendships are ruined.

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