Ways To Help The GM Out As A Player

There are a number of ways that you can help the GM out as a player.  Lets face it, the GM needs a bit of help because they have a load of responsibilities already on their plate, and more than likely have spent a good deal of time preparing to run a game that you love for you.  So here are my insights after being a player for a couple of months on how you can help the GM do their job and make it fun for everyone.

Gaming requires an effort from everyone!

1. Turn up in the right frame of mind.  If you have had a crap day, or got out of bed on the wrong side and life just seems to have been a problem all day long it is not likely that gaming with you will be a fun experience.  If you have time, grab a nap or do something to get the agro out like play a video game, or go do some exercise and get the angst out that way.  Your GM will be none the wiser and you will feel better for it
2. Refresh yourself on what happened last game.  This might mean taking a couple of minutes during a game to take notes or meeting up with the other players to have a chat about what went on during the last session.  Is there some stuff that you could sort out before the game starts?  Divide the treasure pile up?  Work out who needs healing and do it?  Make sure you clear this with the GM first if you plan on doing this on a regular basis.
3. Table preparation: Get the table ready for when the GM arrives if it is at your place.  You have seen them run a game and know what they are going to need so get it ready for them!  If you are putting on nibblies for the evening prep them before hand or if the GM shows up with nibbles, take them and prep them for them!  If you order pizzas during the game, have a menu at hand.  Anything you can do to reduce interruption at the table is a good thing.
4. Know your character!  Inside and out.  The GM is unlikely to have a perfect working knowledge of every class or every archetype.  That is your job.  You don’t need to know all the rules but you should know the rules about your character.  If you are a spellcaster, know what the spells do.  If you are a fighter with bunches of feat bonuses, know how they stack.  Work out your most used bonuses beforehand so you do not tally it up every attack.  If you are an eleven armed tentacular alien from the planet Splod know how all your abilities work?  Just know your character.  it will make the game run a lot smoother!
5. The GM does not have to be the only one that manages behaviour too!  If one of the other players insists on starting a discussion about what they want to do on the weekend every single time the GM starts a description, take the initiative and ask them to listen to what the GM is saying, or tell them that you want to hear about what is in this room.  Why should it always be the GM that has to arbitrate this stuff?  

Happy gaming everyone!