3 Most Underrated Traits for Gamesmasters

[Ralif Redhammer]

Being open to being wrong, being able to admit when you've made a mistake, yeah, those are very important. Players will generally forgive a mistake (okay, so there might be some gentle razzing) if you own up to it, but if you double-down and refuse to admit to being in the wrong, that's something they'll remember.

* Humility

Being able to toss out (or rearrange) what you have planned if the PCs aren't interested in it is vital to bringing the world to life, to making it feel like a living place. And of course, not letting the players have any control over the direction of the game, holding to tightly, yeah, that squeezes the life out of the game.

I mean lightly in the sense of being willing to let the things you create go. Plot threads, NPCs, adventures, story arcs, entire campaigns, whatever. I mean being willing to lose control of the process and let things just go the way they want to go.

 

[hawkeyefan]

I think most of what I'd likely say has already been mentioned.....curiosity and collaboration being the big ones. I'd add clarity to that.

I think there's a lot of advice out there about evocative language and painting a scene with words, and I wouldn't say that's wrong or anything like that, but I would say that any such attempts at mood or creativity should never come at the expense of clear communication.

Concise language would seem much more important to me. And brevity is typically a good thing for play. Describe things quickly and clearly and then prompt the players. Make that transaction as quick and to the point as you can, unless there's a strong reason to do otherwise.

 

[ART!]

1. Not being married to your preconceptions of what's "supposed to" happen or what the game is "supposed to" be like. Games are living things that grow, and like raising a child you have to change a lot with them as you try to lovingly direct them.

2. Being aware of who isn't participating as much as others. Find out why if you can, or at least make room for there contributions.

3. Recognizing when you need a break, be it mid-session or mid-campaign.

 

[GrahamWills]

So it looks like there are three camps of answers:

1. People actually answering the question with under-appreciated skills
2. People saying to make the player characters the focus and be a fan of them
3. People saying to do the exact opposite of 2

 

[darjr]

Tried to make a joke but I really like this thread

 

[Campbell]

One of the most underappreciated skills for both players and GMs are presenting scenarios/characters that are concise and easy to understand. It can be all too easy to get wrapped up in mystery and nuance, to build complex fictions. It's far harder, but often more interesting I think to build things that are easy to understand yet still compelling. This is probably my biggest struggle as a player and GM - I get too caught up in the intricacy of convoluted relationships and intrigue that I forget that in order for the narrative to be compelling we have to understand it.

 

[Yora]

Intriguing mysteries are great, but everything that the players are not aware not might as well not exist.
I would say a trait of great GMs is to not be afraid to let the players the amazing things the setting of the campaign has to offer, even when those things are "supposed" to be content for high level character at the end of year long campaigns. Your campaign probably isn't going to be that long, so don't hide all the good and fun parts for later when there's amazing wonder to be had now.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

1. Sharing the spotlight - get everyone involved and encourage the players to do the same
2. Describing the environment - thoroughly enough to give the players options without them having to ask (too many) questions; briefly enough so everyone can maintain IRL concentration
3. Pacing - keep the action moving while paying attention to upward and downward story beats