What is the GM's Job?

[MNblockhead]

4.Amen. I am an old fart now. I no longer go asleep reading the manuals.

I'm at that age where I'm no longer young, but still in the productive and busy work years. When I wanted to get back into GMing, one thing that held me back was fear that I didn't have the time an energy for system mastery and game prep. For at least half I year I just did world building as solo hobby and played in some AL games to get a better feel for the game. I also played out some combat to get a good sense of it. When I finally put together my home game, most of the other players have been playing regularly through all editions of D&D as well as many other TTRPGs. There was no way I would match their system mastery. Luckily there are all well-adjusted adults. I don't have issues with cheating, using system mastery against me, or metagaming because they are all there to have fun.

I see my role as a judge. The players are the lawyers. They are going to know their characters much better than me. Six brains are more likely to know a less-commonly used rule than my one sleep-deprived noggin. And if none of us are sure, or disagree, I make a judgement and move on, making a note to look it up later. Everyone is cool with that. Not having to feel responsible for an encyclopedic knowlege of the rules makes the GM experience much more enjoyable. I get to concentrate on the story, on the NPC actions, on tracking the various moving parts of the adventure and campaign. I think that makes it more enjoyable for the players as well.

In my next home game, I plan to take this a step forward. I used to be active in Toast Masters. In a TM meeting, different members of the "audience" have roles. Different things to help the speaker during the speech and to provide constructive feedback after the speech. So you have a timer, an "UM" counter, etc. This allows the speaker to focus on delivering the speech.

I've read a number of tips on ENWorld and elsewhere and some D&D responsibilities I would like to allocate (either rotating or dedicated based on player preference) are:

1. Initiative and time tracker. If I use tacticle console like Hero Lab, then I don't need this, but I wonder if I should delegate it anyway, to just keep the players even more engaged. Also, for 5e I often do not use HeroLab. For time tracking
2. Master of Music - I've used Syrinscape and Apple Music playlists, but it became one more thing I had to fiddle with, so I stopped.
3. Rules Lawyer - I have all the rules books on DnD Beyond that all my players have access to. If there is a rules question, they should be able to quickly pull it up.
4. Battle maps - I print out battlemaps on a large-format printer for large set pieces but for random encounters or unplanned for battles, I often tell the players the layout and have them draw it. 2-4 players with markers can quickly draw something up while I gather minis.
5. Condition tracking. Becomes more of a chore for me as character levels increase. I have various condition tracking tools (magnetic disks that are put under minis, little markers stuck to minis with blue-tak) that gives players something else to play with.
6. Determining areas of effect.
7. Tracking treasure and XP. I've been using milestone leveling, so XP hasn't been an issue and they already track treasure on their own. My next game will be the new Rappan Athuk mega dungeon which will use a mixture of milestone XP and XP for GP. And they can only level when they leave the dungeon and return to town. So tracking XP will be more involved. I'm thinking of printing out a form or using a Google Spreadsheet.


Things I've seen recommended that I really think of as more the GMs responsibility, which I'm not inclined to delegate:

1. Monster HP tracking. Removes some of the immersion and one of the most fun moments at the table is when you are surprised that the monster goes down---or you come to the realization that the monster able to take a lot more damage than you expected.
2. Note keeping. If there is a player who enjoys this, fine. But too much like assigning homework for some people, especially if you expect them to share it. Also, I like to have players rewarded for good note-keeping and I like it when note-keeping
3. NPC tracking...depends. If the NPCs are more like hirelings, then fine. But more story-driven NPCs are best played by the DM even when assisting players in battle.

 

[MNblockhead]

I'll throw another caveat out there, is to not fall prey to energy vampire players, only give as much energy as you get back. Of course one starts out initially energizing everything, except if you keep giving, they will suck the life out of the game. Sometimes I have noticed, these types are disgruntled GM's, that want to run a game their way, but can't keep a group together, or game going.

Are you referring to what I've heard referred to as psychic vampires, folks that just bring everyone down, or do you just mean that you are trying to build excitement and some players are too blasé to keep the energy going? In the first situation, in a home game, it is tough, but you'll all have more fun without that player around. At public games, it is tought to do anything if they are just being a downer but not violating and code of conduct. For the second situation, not everyone enjoys games the same way. Lots of people enjoy the games rather passively. Perhaps they are introverted. Perhaps their personality is very laid back. Maybe they are socially awkward. I guess if most of the players were like that, I would just stop DMing. But I try to be open to different types of personalities and ways of enjoying the game.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

As a player I tend to tax a weak GM, because I really work my character in the game and I spend all my gold building a residence, or small castle. Ideally, this will lead to even more in game chaos as now my secret hide away is a target. I would hope anyway.

Do you think it's the job of the GM to make interesting things happen to your character, because that's a protagonist? Or are orcs no more likely to raid your own castle, than they are to target the identical castle nearby?

One of my major pet peeves (as a player) is a GM who treats the party like they are the protagonists of a novel, and try to contrive interesting things to happen to them for the sake of plot. It really damages my immersion in this other persona, when it feels like the whole world is just a narrative construct.

 

[MNblockhead]

1. providing snacks and beverages.

At my home game, I provide plates, plastic tableware, tables, D&D Beyond access, etc. I don't feel bad mooching off the players for sugary beverages and snacks. We usually break for lunch. A couple of us were into pot-lucks, but it was burden for others, so now we just take one or more carpools to whatever nearby takeout place we are in the mood for.

2. providing quality scenery.

I've come to reappreaciate wet-erase and imagination.

3. selecting and painting just the right miniatures to represent monsters and NPCs.

Do 2D Arcknight and paper minis count?

I feel so inadequate... ;-)

 

[Pauper]

You are in a cooperative improv play where you are the conductor and set designer and chorus.

This is a pretty good analogy, but I'd go in a slightly different direction.

A typical TTRPG, regardless of structure, is like a jazz band, and the DM/GM's role is to be the bass player -- to provide the baseline against which the other players riff and help construct the 'music' of the play sessions. The bass sets the tempo, the key signature, and the other parameters of the piece around which the other players will riff to produce the tune.

In narrative-style games, this generally expresses itself as the GM presenting the setting and adapting to the players' ideas of what's important in the setting, based on their characters' choices in-game. In more structural, gamist/simulationist style games like D&D, the DM also sets the parameters of play by enforcing the game rules, sets expectations for how NPCs will respond to character choices, and ensures that the characters face appropriate threats that the players can use their characters to deal with.

The band plays, the music moves, and the experience is entertaining for all involved. While the other instruments all get their chance to show off/solo, the GM should get a chance to do so as well -- to 'jam' along with the players, so that everyone has a good time.

--
Pauper

 

[dragoner]

Yes, energy, psychic, whatever you want to call them, they will suck the enthusiasm from you the GM, and other players.

But I try to be open to different types of personalities and ways of enjoying the game.

So do I, and sometimes there is a fine line between passive and active players, but usually one can tell. Passive players, while maybe not very involved role-playing, usually won't then talk forever afterwards about how everything is wrong with the game, and how they could do it better, and by the way, I wrote a 20,000 word blog post on it, etc.; or equally insufferable, except at the table they give a one word response. Also one gets players who are role playing for the first time, or this is their first time playing the particular game. Those people require the GM to devote some extra time showing them the ropes, it's good to help them in laying out what possible actions their characters can do, including what isn't listed by mechanics, being surprised by the players is great, one of my favorite things.

 

[smbakeresq]

This is a pretty good analogy, but I'd go in a slightly different direction.

A typical TTRPG, regardless of structure, is like a jazz band, and the DM/GM's role is to be the bass player -- to provide the baseline against which the other players riff and help construct the 'music' of the play sessions. The bass sets the tempo, the key signature, and the other parameters of the piece around which the other players will riff to produce the tune.

In narrative-style games, this generally expresses itself as the GM presenting the setting and adapting to the players' ideas of what's important in the setting, based on their characters' choices in-game. In more structural, gamist/simulationist style games like D&D, the DM also sets the parameters of play by enforcing the game rules, sets expectations for how NPCs will respond to character choices, and ensures that the characters face appropriate threats that the players can use their characters to deal with.

The band plays, the music moves, and the experience is entertaining for all involved. While the other instruments all get their chance to show off/solo, the GM should get a chance to do so as well -- to 'jam' along with the players, so that everyone has a good time.

--
Pauper

A jazz band might be a better analogy, but I have ZERO artistic talent. When I sing in the shower the water turns off.

 

[pemerton]

Do you think there is a "universal" role of the GM (at least in traditional RPGs) or is it entirely based on the individual game?

Not [MENTION=97077]iserith[/MENTION], but no, I don't think that there is a "universal" role of the GM. The idea that there is a "universal" role is (in my view) one major cause of bad RPGing expriences.

 

[pemerton]

Some common components have been mentioned above, like: Keeping things smooth socially, being fair, and presenting challenges.

I liked your post, but want to put counter examples to each of your points.

(1) Keeping things smooth socially is the responsibility of everyone at the table. It's a social activity, and all participants should be cognisant of that.

(2) and (3) I don't think "being fair" has much work to do in GMing a game like CoC. Nor does presenting challenges. In my Prince Valiant game there is a type of fairness needed (in setting opposed difficulties) but it's not really a game about challenges - as opposed to problems or situations - like a damsel in distress or a NPC knight who wants to joust - that the players then decide how their PCs respond to.

 

[pogre]

I liked your post, but want to put counter examples to each of your points.

(1) Keeping things smooth socially is the responsibility of everyone at the table. It's a social activity, and all participants should be cognisant of that.

True.

(2) and (3) I don't think "being fair" has much work to do in GMing a game like CoC. Nor does presenting challenges. In my Prince Valiant game there is a type of fairness needed (in setting opposed difficulties) but it's not really a game about challenges - as opposed to problems or situations - like a damsel in distress or a NPC knight who wants to joust - that the players then decide how their PCs respond to.

I hear you. I meant being fair as in even-handed with how I treat players - no favoritism. I would lump problems and situations in with challenges, but your points are well made and better crafted than mine.