Tryhard Roleplay: A Series for the Overachievin’ Fool
Mike’s Personal Rant: Yer Character Sheet Ain’t a Mirror, Lad
Let me tell ya somethin’. I’ve run more games than a lich has secrets, and if there’s one player type that drains the joy from a table faster than a cursed coin purse, it’s the tryhard.
Not the hard worker. Not the thoughtful one. I’m talkin’ about the overachievin’, spotlight-hoggin’, table-liftin’, backstory-sobbin’, pose-strikin’, scroll-thumpin’ drama goblin who’s desperate to prove they belong.
They memorize soliloquies. Bring spreadsheets. Do pushups mid-scene. Cry during every single tavern meal. One even tried to balance on a chair to “simulate rooftop stealth.” Nearly broke their neck — and the GM’s will to live.
So here. Here’s yer scrolls, ya drama-saturated cave bats. Five honest rants to bring ya back down to the dungeon floor and remind ya why we play.
Being Passionate Ain’t a Problem — But Proving It Every Session Is
👉 If yer roleplay’s startin’ to smell like burnout, panic, or desperate validation, Mike’s Tavern has a remedy for that. Learn to breathe again in the Player Tip archive or slap yer name on a scroll at the Contact Page.
The Five Scrolls of Overcommitment and Meltdown
These five scrolls are your cure — or yer warning label. Read ‘em in order, or just pick whichever one calls out yer most recent mistake.
🪓 Not Every Scene Needs a Monologue, Lad
Yer mouth’s been open for ten minutes. The rogue’s asleep.
This one’s for the scene-hoggers who confuse performance with participation.
🪓 If Ya Cry Every Session, It Stops Bein’ Special
We love emotion — until it’s every. Single. Session.
Learn to let others feel too, and stop weaponizin’ yer trauma for narrative control.
🪓 No, Yer Character Doesn’t Need Another Flashback
Yer meal ain’t a memory trigger, lad. It’s stew. Eat it.
Pacing matters. Let the present be worthy of attention, not just yer backstory.
🪓 If It Feels Like Work, Yer Doin’ It Wrong
Yer spreadsheet has tabs. Yer soul has none.
If yer game feels like performance pressure or narrative debt — it’s time to relearn joy.
🪓 When Proving Yer Worth Breaks the Game (and Yer Soul)
Stop doin’ squats to impress me — just roll the damn dice.
For the players who treat D&D like a gym mirror. Let fantasy be fantasy, and play like yer already enough.
Learn from the Best, Not Just the Loudest
If yer lookin’ to recalibrate, explore:
Player Builds & NPCs — real characters, real heart, zero tryhard fluff.
Tavern Etiquette — learn how to be welcome at a table without actin’ like yer buildin’ a shrine to yerself.
The FAQ — yeah, we’ve answered yer questions. You ain’t as mysterious as ya think.
Yer Effort’s Admirable — But It Ain’t the Game
👉 Mike’s Tavern is where the overthinkers, overwriters, and over-everythingers come to get smacked with a truth hammer and reminded to have fun. Quit climbin’ the furniture and start rollin’ for initiative. About the Tavern | Contact Mike Directly
