What is the GM's Most Important Job?

[Lanefan]

30 posts in and I'm rather surprised nobody's hit the real #1 GM's job yet:

Commitment to doing that job.

If you're not committed, week in and week out for however long the campaign runs, to doing whatever a GM has to do in whatever system or style you're running in order to keep the game going, you might as well not bother.

 

[TheSword]

I’ll throw in my two pence worth.

A GMs most important job is to bring the world to life. Structure and detail - whether prepared or improvised is key to the players being able to make effective informed decisions. It also makes the world seem more real, creates logical consequences to the players actions and allows the game to be more than just combat. Players can help but the job falls first and foremost on the GM.

There are lots of other characteristics that make DMs better or worse but being able to describe what the PCs see is pretty indispensable. Nothing else really matters if they can’t do that.

 

[aco175]

I feel the most important thing is to have a plan on where things are going, but be flexible to change it based on the players actions. I might think the PCs are going to visit the sewers and follow up on a hint, so I plan a few encounters and a NPC to meet to give them some information. Then something happens and the party wants to visit someplace else first. I need to be able to ad-lib some and deal with something I had not planned. This may eventually lead back to what was planned or lead to someplace I can plan for next week.

 

[Reynard]

I feel the most important thing is to have a plan on where things are going, but be flexible to change it based on the players actions. I might think the PCs are going to visit the sewers and follow up on a hint, so I plan a few encounters and a NPC to meet to give them some information. Then something happens and the party wants to visit someplace else first. I need to be able to ad-lib some and deal with something I had not planned. This may eventually lead back to what was planned or lead to someplace I can plan for next week.

Plans are over rated.

 

[payn]

Plans are over rated.

 

[aco175]

Plans are over rated.

I know, they never survive first contact.

 

[mamba]

Help me understand where we are disagreeing. We both say the game is about the PCs. We both say, the world doesn't revolve around them.

then we aren’t, I was replying to an earlier post of yours, the one you quoted now to show alignment is newer and I had not read it yet

 

[mamba]

Plans are over rated.

 

[Morrus]

Enthusiasm. If the GM isn't excited, the players won't be.

 

[Fenris-77]

Enthusiasm. If the GM isn't excited, the players won't be.

I was going to say having fun for the same reason.