It's All About the 'Lee!!!

[Redmage]

This thread was inspired by the thread on whether or not feathers tickle. It seems as though about once a month a thread pops up in which someone asks "what's the best way to tickle?" or "does this, that, or the other thing really work?"

Folks, it all depends. There is no magic "best way," and any given thing may work great on one 'lee but not at all on another. So my answer to all such questions is the same: try it on your particular 'lee and find out. If you are just starting with a new partner, then ask him or her what works best. If your partner hasn't tried or doesn't know, then spend some time experimenting.

Your goal is to find the best way to play with whomever you're playing with, so they're your best source for information.

 

[LindyHopper]

Well, I don't think it's generally the people with firsthand experience who keep asking these questions. And I can see how someone who's never actually tickled or been tickled would want to know the answers, and mistakenly believe that they'd be useful.

That said though, you're obviously right. Asking for one-size-fits-all advice about tickling is misguided. No particular technique matters as much as an ability to experiment and pay close attention to the reactions of your 'lee, so you can discover what works best for him or her.

 

[lk70]

Even though experimentation is the best way to go, I can see some value to these threads. There are often several responses that contain information that a future ler can tuck away and use at a later date (see Lindy's hair/ear/feather thing in the other thread).

I've also been pleasantly surprised to find out that a ler I'm playing with at some point read and remembered something I typed in response to such a thread.

It's all about the research!

 

[Redmage]

Even though experimentation is the best way to go, I can see some value to these threads. There are often several responses that contain information that a future ler can tuck away and use at a later date (see Lindy's hair/ear/feather thing in the other thread).

I've also been pleasantly surprised to find out that a ler I'm playing with at some point read and remembered something I typed in response to such a thread.

It's all about the research!

Yes, you have a point. Don't think I didn't take notes from Lindy's post. 😉

Perhaps a good way to get such things out would be a perennial "Tickling ideas" thread or two. Not "What works best?" but rather "What have you tried that you really liked?"

 

[slacker2114]

Advice is always helpful whether you're a novice or a pro because you never know when someone will post an idea you never thought of. Tickling, much like sex, is not the same for everyone. Different people really do like different things. And as stated above, research is key. You never know when you'll stumble across a tidbit that you may find useful. I've discovered quite a few little bits that I experimented with on a certain special 'lee and they worked on her fantastically.

Either way, no harm in asking advice as long as it's understood that it's simply a guideline and not a rule of thumb.