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Preferences (Art by Niels Vergouwen)
(pawb.social)
Source (Instagram)
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this post was submitted on 14 Jun 2025
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Why not?
Because they're valuable whether you're doing sexy romance or gritty realism or something else entirely. They don't factor in with the "various styles of play are all equally valid" conversation.
Yes, they do. Believe it or not, but most groups I play in have no use for safety tools. They're great for people who need them, but absolutely unnecessary for others who don't have a problem speaking up when they dislike something and who don't carry around significant amounts of trauma.
Even at tables that use safety tools, they're still optional. You can still speak up, but it's there for people who find that difficult.
I really don't understand the animosity against tools that help improve the enjoyment for all players involved.
If you, as a player, don't want to use them, then don't.
I think you misunderstood. I have nothing against safety tools. I just stated that the majority of players neither use them nor need them and if your group doesn't include a single player who needs safety tools, then there really isn't a point in having them. Im not carrying a spare tire while hiking. Doesn't mean I think that spare tires are a bad concept in general.
And exactly how do you know that none of your players need safety tools?
Nobody is asking you to carry a spare tire while hiking, but you do admit that bringing one extra bottle of water is a good idea while hiking, right?
Because of a simple yet very effective technique I call: "Asking them". I suggest safety tools for each new group I DM and to this date, all but one group have been open to the idea but after a quick discussion every single player told me that they see absolutely no use in having them and that they will let me know if they ever feel like the topics are getting too rough for them.
BTW, the one group that still has them active pretty much forgot about their existence. I'm a player there and as far as I can tell, the GM is the only one who really wants them.
It all comes down to group composition. If you're comfortable around the other players and the GM and know that you can just say "stop" whenever, then safety tools add nothing to your experience.