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Gamer Girls Just Want to Kill

After one too many encounters with less than social gamers, the lovely Diana from Downtown has inspired an all new catagory in Geek in the City... The first of many articles regarding the unspoken, but very real rules when tossing dice or flipping cards with the Girls of Gaming... - AD

Think of this article as a beginning guide to successful interaction with dice-slinging babes.

I find myself sadly needing to write this article after some uncomfortable interplay at a local gaming store. I am hopeful that my gentle words will assist in friendly interactions between all gamers.

My most recent incident occurred at a July 4 event at Guardian Games. During a game of Magic: The Gathering; I had had a particularly poor Mana draw and had my head handed to me. Already unhappy that I couldn’t get a single Legendary Dragon on the board, I found myself at a complete loss for words as a young geek offered me a simpler deck with which to play. In retrospect, he clearly meant well as he. Sadly, this young man also exhibited some rather poor hygiene. Thus, the combination of his sticky paw on my shoulder, his wafting well-seasoned aroma, and the stinging insult combined into a perfect maelstrom of ill will on my part. (I had to give myself a time-out to ensure that I did not respond to his kind offer with the vitriolic words that had sprung to my lips.)

This example leads me to a few points that simply must be addressed:

A - Please do not touch me if you do not know me. This is a fine way to ensure that you will not touch me or anyone else again.

B - Soap impresses Gamer Girls – make it your friend. (I shall be much more inclined to hunch over a game board or dungeon map if you do not offend my olfactory endings) Oh, shampoo and toothpaste are fine companions too!

C - If you observe someone having a difficult game, try to assume that they are having a tough time at the fickle fingers of the Gamer Fates, as opposed to assuming that they do not know the game. Sympathy for poor rolls and poor draws can open a conversation. However, insulting a gamer will shut that conversation down.

In closing, Gamer Girls like to participate and they want to participate with you -but please know that you don't have to act like the archetypical geek. Yes, Gamer Girls do have vaginas but that doesn't mean that is all we bring to the table. We bring wicked senses of humor, mind-boggling strategies, and a furious love for gaming. All we ask for is some respect and will get snippy if we do not get it.

My final point - I do play a wild and vicious Barbarian in D&D, annoy me a second time and I might just smite you...

May all your die rolls bring you treasure and mayhem!