Basic GM mistakes

[robberbaron]

#33 (and the worst DM mistake I can think of) Don't be a jerk. If you want everything to be to your wishes, write a book.

 

[Bagpuss]

#13: Not Every Combat need be Challenging.

Dungeon: Adventure Path writers could do with reminding of that once in a while.

 

[joshuakanton]

#34) Use your players’ abilities
If your player has picked up an unusual feat or put every skill point since first level into a particular skill, add a few encounters that use that feat or skill. The characters are supposed to be the stars of the game, let them feel like the stars of the game.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

35) Don't be afraid to let PCs die. If you pull punches to ensure the PCs success, you may rob them of the sense of accomplishment.

36) But try to avoid having the PCs die in an anticlimactic way. I feel it is perfectly fine to fudge things to prevent a PC death that is completely pointless, unless the players brought it upon themselves through sheer stupidity. (e.g. Running a pre-written adventure the PCs had to climb over a rubble strewn area on a mountain. They needed to make Balance checks with a DC of 5. One of the players failed three checks in a row, which by the rules had them falling over the edge and pretty much plunging to their death. Pointless and unfun, so I changed it so they took non-lethal damage from falling rubble and were knocked unconscious).

37) When a PC is killed, avoid looking like it was malicious or that you are gloating over the death.

 

[IcyCool]

The number one basic GM mistake....worrying about making mistakes.

I've seen too many players who have the makings of great DMs---but because they fear making a mistake, they never even try and our pastime is the lesser for it.

QFT.

 

[Hussar]

37) When a PC is killed, avoid looking like it was malicious or that you are gloating over the death.

Oh, come on. I do a little end zone dance every time I whack a PC. Of course, since I play over OpenRPG, none of my players ever actually see this. (waves at Awayfarer)

38. Do not assume that your campaign setting is as interesting to your players as it is to you.

39. Have a coherent vision for your campaign, but, don't be afraid to try something different.

40. While it's fine to let the players flange around for a while, sometimes it just really helps to say, "Ok, guys, you hit town and head to the bar" just to get things back on track.

41. Don't sweat the small stuff. If you are off by a point or two on the bad guy's spot check, don't worry about it. It likely didn't matter that much anyway.

 

[hopeless]

GM Mistakes

#33 (and the worst DM mistake I can think of) Don't be a jerk. If you want everything to be to your wishes, write a book.

I tried that I prefer running games since I actually get enjoyment of seeing what they can think up and I HAVE rewarded remarkable ideas and have never just ignored or blatantly turned down or shown preference to others when I dislike certain players.
I have been annoyed just never saw any reason to kill off a character just to spite someone .

Forgot the number) Have fun and by that I mean so that everyone has fun and not at someone's expense because you dislike them..

 

[RedFox]

A list of advice to myself, were I able to send it back in time to when I was just starting out as a GM:

1. DON'T PANIC! Especially about prepwork and such. It's easy to lock-up and be too indecisive to just run something. Just run with nothing! You'll surprise yourself at how well you do on-the-fly.
2. It's not serious business, it's for funsies. Don't overthink things, just have a good time.
3. Whatever you have prepared, don't let it rule you. If something's more fun in-play than anything you've got prepped, don't be afraid to go "off script." Heck, do that if the script isn't engaging anyone anyway.
4. Speaking of, don't let anything anyone else says or does rule you either. Even if that's the rules or the setting or whatever. If it sucks, ditch it. Don't obsess.
5. Have the players write down their initiatve on an index card with their character's name on it. Do the same for your NPCs. Arrange them in order and flip the top card to the back of the stack as you handle combat. It'll save you so much time and effort.
6. Keep a list of names ready. Depending on the game you'll know which lists you'll need. NPCs, taverns, ships, whatever. You suck at making up names, so get them ready in advance.
7. Pick up Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering. Do not scoff. Read it, learn it, love it, live it, run it.
8. In the end, you're hanging out with some friends and playing a glorified boardgame mixed with "let's pretend." You're cooperating with a bunch of folks and what you create isn't going to be the next great fiction novel of our century. So don't worry if it doesn't measure up to your favorite books or movies.

 

[Henry]

Pick up Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering. Do not scoff. Read it, learn it, love it, live it, run it.

This really should be #42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, and #49, but that's my opinion.

Great book - about 16 pages long (I think), and a lot of its wisdom is reproduced in the DMG2 released a few years back. It gets you thinking about how to offer what your players like, as opposed to only what YOU like.

 

[Ourph]

A list of advice to myself, were I able to send it back in time to when I was just starting out as a GM:

1. DON'T PANIC! Especially about prepwork and such. It's easy to lock-up and be too indecisive to just run something. Just run with nothing! You'll surprise yourself at how well you do on-the-fly.
2. It's not serious business, it's for funsies. Don't overthink things, just have a good time.
3. Whatever you have prepared, don't let it rule you. If something's more fun in-play than anything you've got prepped, don't be afraid to go "off script." Heck, do that if the script isn't engaging anyone anyway.
4. Speaking of, don't let anything anyone else says or does rule you either. Even if that's the rules or the setting or whatever. If it sucks, ditch it. Don't obsess.
5. Have the players write down their initiatve on an index card with their character's name on it. Do the same for your NPCs. Arrange them in order and flip the top card to the back of the stack as you handle combat. It'll save you so much time and effort.
6. Keep a list of names ready. Depending on the game you'll know which lists you'll need. NPCs, taverns, ships, whatever. You suck at making up names, so get them ready in advance.
7. Pick up Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering. Do not scoff. Read it, learn it, love it, live it, run it.
8. In the end, you're hanging out with some friends and playing a glorified boardgame mixed with "let's pretend." You're cooperating with a bunch of folks and what you create isn't going to be the next great fiction novel of our century. So don't worry if it doesn't measure up to your favorite books or movies.

I couldn't agree more with 1-4 and 8. If there's one thing I've learned running games it's that most people are just happy to be playing, no matter what the game. That doesn't mean you shouldn't run the best game you're capable of, but nobody needs the "perfect game" in order to have fun.

A corollary to that is that if a player makes you feel that your best isn't good enough, find a new player.