Hello, guys!

One year ago I began to play D&D and I fell in love with Dungeons and Dragons. I began to read PHB, Mosnters Manuals, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, etc. I avoid reading any adventure and books related to DMs. Beside I did searched builds from internet, since I have lots ideas for PCs and I want to know as many stuffs as possible about each race, their culture, how the different classes works, multiclassing synergy, map, histories, etc... I do not meta gaming or use my player knowledges to beat the NPCs, because they are boring and can ruin the gameplay. Character should not know what player knows. I prefer to create a characters with emotional motivations and flaws in order to experience the game from different perspectives while interacting with party members. For example, currenty I am using a wood elf monk collect enemies' bones as trophies.

You ask why bothering with learning? Because I want to be DM in the future and be able to play with my kid(s) or friends. D&D is a very good tool to teach teamwork, patience, problem-solving, kindness, etc. That´s why I want to learn as much as I can.

So, I want to know if you guys DMs and players think it´s good or not to have a player who really wants to learn? Advises?

So eventually, as you play often enough, you're just gonna have that knowledge.  It's hard sometimes as the person behind the character to separate the knowledge I have from the knowledge my character has.

I want players who are invested.  I want players who want to learn.  I just want my players to stay the hell out of the Monster Manual or the source for the book I'm running.

Yeah, I think nearly any DM out there will want a player who is invested and knows what the heck is going on. I'd also say that it's probably fine if you read through the Dungeon Master's Guide. 

Quote from Spideycloned >>

So eventually, as you play often enough, you're just gonna have that knowledge.  It's hard sometimes as the person behind the character to separate the knowledge I have from the knowledge my character has.

I want players who are invested.  I want players who want to learn.  I just want my players to stay the hell out of the Monster Manual or the source for the book I'm running.

 
Thank you for the advise. Noted. 

Totally agree, sometime it´s hard to separete knowledge of a PC and a player. That´s why I always try to 1) Ask if some party member has knowledge about things or 2) Ask NPCs 3) Ask DM if there is a way my PC can learn about things. Let me repeat, I try.

Actually, I don´t know how many months or years I can keep playing D&D since I got wife and kid to take care of.  I had to negotiate with my wife and luckily rolled natural 20 in persuassion, so she let me play one day per week. That´s why every minute or hour I can spend in this precious hobbie is so important to me. Additionally I did the some tests for fun  and it comes out that I am a Storyteller and Tactician as player. Very interesting. :)

What else do you guys think are important to do as good player?

Quote from Weatherguy >>

Yeah, I think nearly any DM out there will want a player who is invested and knows what the heck is going on. I'd also say that it's probably fine if you read through the Dungeon Master's Guide. 

Thank you for comment. I will definitely do that when I have more experience as player. This is because I want to Listen to different styles of DM and how each of them manage things, and in order to do that, I need to be a player.

For now, I am trying to save money and eventually buy DM´s set of stuffs and enjoying the game while my wife and life allow me. :) Thank you again, Weatherguy!

There is probably pages and pages of stuff I could write, but other people do that kind of thing better than I do.  There are loads of videos around that can be helpful.  I'll try to stress a bit of the things I have found important.

Remember at all times that D&D is a team game, and the team includes the DM.  Everyone needs to have fun.  The DM runs all the opposition and it is easy to forget sometimes that the *DM* is not the bad person.  They are doing most of the work there.  Don't hassle them if you can avoid it.  As a team game, avoid if possible using dice against other player characters.  PvP isn't fun for some people.  Be cautious about it even if people agree to it in advance.  The ones who get invested in their characters can get their feelings hurt.  Don't let arguments in character spread to out of the game either.

Talk to people in private about issues that trouble you.  Player or DM.  If you're dealing with something that affects everyone, talk with the DM in private first.  Let them decide how to deal with it.  If they want you to bring things up, so be it.

Reading the rule books outside of the Player's Handbook is fine, but there are things to keep in mind.  Both the DMG and the Monster Manual really aren't meant for players.  There may be surprises in there.  Spoiler: If you didn't know this already, Trolls regenerate unless you use fire to keep them damaged.  Most people know that, but there are other things in the books that are less than common knowledge.  Even if you don't mean to, you might accidentally use player knowledge your character shouldn't have when you encounter something weird.  Note that the rules in the DMG pretty much state that players should never ask the DM if they can make a skill check.  It's the DM's job to ask players to make those.  If you see a monster or magic item and you think your character might know about it somehow, talk to the DM in private about it; pass a note, send a text.  Don't just pipe up and say "Can I make a History check?"  The other players are alerted then that *something* is up.

One of my personal failings is that I'm a Rules Lawyer.  Decades of DMing have left me with a great fondness and respect for the Rules As Written.  I have to keep telling myself and telling myself to shut the heck up when I see them broken.  Yes, damage bonuses from scores are not supposed to be added to off hand weapon attacks.  I have to grit my teeth, but is that extra 3 damage *really* worth holding up the game to talk about?  After the game is fine.  There is also the chance that the DM changed things on purpose ,and they can't tell everyone every little thing they might have changed in advance.

The same problem that exists with rulebooks exists with Adventures.  That's obvious.  Less obvious is that setting books contain things your character wouldn't know.  What kind of government system do the Drow have?  How would your character know that?  If you're not playing in Eberron, would you know how Warforged were created?  Or the proper form of address for a noble in a far away country?  If you pick up a language at character creation, can you justify why you would know a language from somewhere your character never visited?  Even some of the ones on the standard list in the D&D Character Builder are from setting I haven't read.  DM's lift things from settings books and drop them into their own setting all the time.  90% of everything in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft is DM information.

A last note,  (probably to your great relief) keep in mind that backstories are great to have, but usually better to keep short.  A couple of paragraphs is usually plenty.  The more you write, the more likely you are to have experiences in your backstory that make people wonder how you could be the level you are.  I have a character with the Soldier background, and a quick backstory to go with.  I have made up a lot more, but I don't share it.  I was also careful to avoid any mention of fights I have had, or what they were with.  I was in battles, but at first level I can't have been in all that many, or they were not that hard.  Whatever it was that happened, I wasn't slaying things in the dozens by myself.  If you must have a detailed backstory, don't tell anyone.  If something comes up and you have a bit of your story that is relevant, tell that and shut your trap.

In my groups we take turns being the DM. It helps spread the load around and sometimes it's nice to take a break from a campaign. Player knowledge isn't a big problem at our table because we often throw homebrew monsters at each other to keep everyone on their toes.

Sometimes the character knows more than the player, actually, this is often the case as I see it. To me it seems that a lot of people force their characters ignorant in order to prevent metagaming, and in the process going completely overboard.

My character can reasonable use dex saving spells vs big or slow enemies for instance without it being metagaming. Same with attacking trolls with fire, I don't find it unreasonable that it's fairly common knowledge in a world where monsters are semi-common. It all depends on the setting of the campaign of course.

Since I DM as well as play I know too much too. I use my character’s knowledge instead of mine though, especially in combat. I cast spells on monsters that Tim knows the monster is resistant to but that my character doesn’t for example. It’s the right way to play the game and it’s more fun too!

Quote from Geann >>

There is probably pages and pages of stuff I could write, but other people do that kind of thing better than I do.  There are loads of videos around that can be helpful.  I'll try to stress a bit of the things I have found important.

Remember at all times that D&D is a team game, and the team includes the DM.  Everyone needs to have fun.  The DM runs all the opposition and it is easy to forget sometimes that the *DM* is not the bad person.  They are doing most of the work there.  Don't hassle them if you can avoid it.  As a team game, avoid if possible using dice against other player characters.  PvP isn't fun for some people.  Be cautious about it even if people agree to it in advance.  The ones who get invested in their characters can get their feelings hurt.  Don't let arguments in character spread to out of the game either.

Talk to people in private about issues that trouble you.  Player or DM.  If you're dealing with something that affects everyone, talk with the DM in private first.  Let them decide how to deal with it.  If they want you to bring things up, so be it.

Reading the rule books outside of the Player's Handbook is fine, but there are things to keep in mind.  Both the DMG and the Monster Manual really aren't meant for players.  There may be surprises in there.  Spoiler: If you didn't know this already, Trolls regenerate unless you use fire to keep them damaged.  Most people know that, but there are other things in the books that are less than common knowledge.  Even if you don't mean to, you might accidentally use player knowledge your character shouldn't have when you encounter something weird.  Note that the rules in the DMG pretty much state that players should never ask the DM if they can make a skill check.  It's the DM's job to ask players to make those.  If you see a monster or magic item and you think your character might know about it somehow, talk to the DM in private about it; pass a note, send a text.  Don't just pipe up and say "Can I make a History check?"  The other players are alerted then that *something* is up.

One of my personal failings is that I'm a Rules Lawyer.  Decades of DMing have left me with a great fondness and respect for the Rules As Written.  I have to keep telling myself and telling myself to shut the heck up when I see them broken.  Yes, damage bonuses from scores are not supposed to be added to off hand weapon attacks.  I have to grit my teeth, but is that extra 3 damage *really* worth holding up the game to talk about?  After the game is fine.  There is also the chance that the DM changed things on purpose ,and they can't tell everyone every little thing they might have changed in advance.

The same problem that exists with rulebooks exists with Adventures.  That's obvious.  Less obvious is that setting books contain things your character wouldn't know.  What kind of government system do the Drow have?  How would your character know that?  If you're not playing in Eberron, would you know how Warforged were created?  Or the proper form of address for a noble in a far away country?  If you pick up a language at character creation, can you justify why you would know a language from somewhere your character never visited?  Even some of the ones on the standard list in the D&D Character Builder are from setting I haven't read.  DM's lift things from settings books and drop them into their own setting all the time.  90% of everything in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft is DM information.

A last note,  (probably to your great relief) keep in mind that backstories are great to have, but usually better to keep short.  A couple of paragraphs is usually plenty.  The more you write, the more likely you are to have experiences in your backstory that make people wonder how you could be the level you are.  I have a character with the Soldier background, and a quick backstory to go with.  I have made up a lot more, but I don't share it.  I was also careful to avoid any mention of fights I have had, or what they were with.  I was in battles, but at first level I can't have been in all that many, or they were not that hard.  Whatever it was that happened, I wasn't slaying things in the dozens by myself.  If you must have a detailed backstory, don't tell anyone.  If something comes up and you have a bit of your story that is relevant, tell that and shut your trap.

 
Amazing! It actually will help me lots!

I believe that my issue is that I play too hard because I am excited. Most of the time I begin to do other stuffs like rading facebook or instagram to avoid advising other players as player. But I do use my character to talk to my party members when I am near to them. I try. Haha!

For now, separating player knowledge and character knowledge is not so hard for me since I am pretty new playing D&D, and I will listen to you to not learn too much as player, and not apply what I know to my character.