Dual DMs?
- Thread starter S.Bense
- Start date
.I have recently done it. A few recommendations:S.Bense said:
1. Both GMs should be experienced.
2. GMs should define areas of expertise and knowledge so there is a clear default GM for any situation that comes up.
3. One GM is always the primary GM at any given time while the other acts as his assistant; there is a limited number of good assistant GM tasks. They are:
(a) GMing players whose characters have split off from the main group
(b) Producing detailed answers for player questions about the world
(c) Running one or more individual NPCs in a scene
(d) Handling PC shopping, item creation and the like
(e) Waiting his turn to contribute and not interrupting or contradicting whoever the primary GM is at the time.
4. Both GMs should be equally involved in the design of the initial world if it is a home brew.
I think dual GMing is a great thing to do. It can save time and energy and make games run better. However, do not even contemplate doing this unless your co-GM is a long-term acquaintance and you have thoroughtly debugged your relationship. Happy GMing.
HeapThaumaturgist
First Post
I sort of co-GMed a reasonably short run-through of RttToEE. I had run the campaign previously for the guy who was going to be GMing it, and I sort of wanted to see how it went on the OTHER side of the screen, so I decided to play and co-chair, so to speak.
I had a character, but initially I went ahead and created him to be interesting but non-critical. A Dwarven bard smith/Item-Creation specialist. I didn't want to take a major role in the party, of course. I helped set situations up, debugged the game, helped the other GM set up encounters. We'd occassionally step out of the room and discuss something upcoming, putting together some additional RP potential. He would occassionally change something to throw player-me a curve-ball in a combat situation, say. I would take over if he had to be absent, I'd also run PCs of missing players.
I think it worked out well. Eventually the mild dis-cohesion of the group started to wear on things, players had to drop for various reasons, and I found myself retiring the bard for a more critical alt-front-line role as a dual-weild ranger/fighter. Unfortunately I eventually became the MAIN tank for the party and things sort of stalled out when it became apparent the group wouldn't be able to pass many encounters for lack of a major damage-beasty.
I thought it worked out well. It was nice to sort of play a bit, even if I largely knew what was around every corner.
((Which, BTW, is tough to do if you're not very adept at keeping secrets and have a great poker face.))
I had a character, but initially I went ahead and created him to be interesting but non-critical. A Dwarven bard smith/Item-Creation specialist. I didn't want to take a major role in the party, of course. I helped set situations up, debugged the game, helped the other GM set up encounters. We'd occassionally step out of the room and discuss something upcoming, putting together some additional RP potential. He would occassionally change something to throw player-me a curve-ball in a combat situation, say. I would take over if he had to be absent, I'd also run PCs of missing players.
I think it worked out well. Eventually the mild dis-cohesion of the group started to wear on things, players had to drop for various reasons, and I found myself retiring the bard for a more critical alt-front-line role as a dual-weild ranger/fighter. Unfortunately I eventually became the MAIN tank for the party and things sort of stalled out when it became apparent the group wouldn't be able to pass many encounters for lack of a major damage-beasty.
I thought it worked out well. It was nice to sort of play a bit, even if I largely knew what was around every corner.
((Which, BTW, is tough to do if you're not very adept at keeping secrets and have a great poker face.))
Laman Stahros
First Post
I watched a dual-GM game once, (was going to join, but they didn't have room) it was a husband-wife team, she handled the city encounters and heavy RP sessions, while he was great at the outdoorsy combat heavy style. Seemed to work great. It helped that they seemed to be able to read each others minds.
Good luck and keep it fun.
Good luck and keep it fun.
Luthien Greyspear
First Post
I designed and ran a short In Nomine adventure with a good friend of mine, in which we both took half the party each session, ran our separate paths, then conferred after it was all over to see how close the two parties were to hooking up. One of us handled the angels, and the other handled the demons, and they were searching for a potential threat to the fabric of the Symphony itself.
After the two opposing parties were ordered to work together to get the job done, we settled down to an interaction DM/rules DM separation. My friend had a much better handle on how to run the NPCs, and I had the rules down pat. So, he would do everything up to the point where the guns got drawn, while I just adjucated combat and the use of powers. It worked out pretty well...
...until the Haballah of Kobol decided the Seraph of Laurence needed to loosen up, so he blew up his truck. In a crowded parking lot.. With the angels in the truck.
But hey, the dual-DMing worked out fine!
After the two opposing parties were ordered to work together to get the job done, we settled down to an interaction DM/rules DM separation. My friend had a much better handle on how to run the NPCs, and I had the rules down pat. So, he would do everything up to the point where the guns got drawn, while I just adjucated combat and the use of powers. It worked out pretty well...
...until the Haballah of Kobol decided the Seraph of Laurence needed to loosen up, so he blew up his truck. In a crowded parking lot.. With the angels in the truck.
But hey, the dual-DMing worked out fine!
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