Is "GM Agency" A Thing?

[Reynard]

This came up in another thread and I want to see what folks think about the idea.

When we talk about "Player agency" (which we do a lot around here) usually we are talking about the ability of the players to make informed decisions that impact the outcome of play.

I am curious is folks think there is such a thing as "GM agency" with a similar definition. More importantly, I am wondering if folks think if there are styles or elements of play that limit "GM agency" in a meaningful way.

For my own part, if we are talking about traditional RPGs (like D&D or GURPS or whatever), I don't think "GM agency" is a meaningful term. It is all "GM agency" because the rules start with the premise that the GM decides on the rules, and all decisions ultimately flow from the GM. While a GM may decide to allow game mechanics, die rolls or player decisions to inform or usurp that decision make, the GM still ultimately has the authority to change any decision. There is no mechanism in traditional RPGs that can limit "GM agency."

There are other kinds of games -- story now, for example -- that I think do define the GM much more as "just another participant" and therefore include rules and mechanisms that inherently limit what options are available to the GM. In these cases, "GM agency" is just a different kind of "player agency" because the GM is just another kind of player. Granted, I am not overly familiar with games of this type and it is totally possible I am misunderstanding the nature of, say, GM moves in Apocalypse World as a mechanism that defines and restricts "GM agency" in a way similar to player moves. I am sure @pemerton and @overgeeked will be along to correct me soon enough.

So, what do you think. Is "GM agency" a meaningful term and worth talking about in a similar context to "player agency"?

 

[Yora]

I guess it's a thing, but it seems meaningless. I don't see how a GM could not have it or have it limited.

Apocalypse World has the principle "Disclaim Decision Making", where you decide to not pick what happens in a given situation but ask the players to make the choice for you, or roll dice to let the result determine one of several possible outcomes.
But these situations are always a choice to not go with your personal preference. In every situation, you still can simply decide what you think should be happening. Even when the game tells you that you have to have certain things determined by a roll or a player, you still always have the choice not to do what the game text impotently demands.

Choosing to let someone else make the choice is still agency.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I guess it's a thing, but it seems meaningless. I don't see how a GM could not have it or have it limited.

Apocalypse World has the principle "Disclaim Decision Making", where you decide to not pick what happens in a given situation but ask the players to make the choice for you, or roll dice to let the result determine one of several possible outcomes.
But these situations are always a choice to not go with your personal preference. In every situation, you still can simply decide what you think should be happening. Even when the game tells you that you have to have certain things determined by a roll or a player, you still always have the choice not to do what the game text impotently demands.

Choosing to let someone else make the choice is still agency.

It's not a binary, though. The GM runs a lot less of the show in PbtA than they do in D&D or GURPS, by any measure. It would certainly be reasonable for different people to find running games more or less fun based on how "in charge" they are of events.

 

[John Dallman]

It would certainly be reasonable for different people to find running games more or less fun based on how "in charge" they are of events.

To me, it's most fun when the players start coming up with better ideas than I have.

 

[Yora]

I feel that PtbA games advocate that GMs should give the players more agency than other rulebooks do. But I don't think that the mechanics of the games actually change that by themselves.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

To me, it's most fun when the players start coming up with better ideas than I have.

I ran a horror game twice this summer that was basically "here's a bunch of spooky ideas -- let's toss them into a haunted house." Both times I ran it, the two different groups of players assembled a whole working thesis for what was going on and why that I never thought of. I naturally ran with the ideas, though, which were really great and accidentally made me look extremely smart.

 

[payn]

I don't like the term GM agency because it is not similar to player agency in concept as folks discuss it here. Typically, one sees more player agency as being better, but in the case of GM agency, it seems limiting it is necessary for certain types of games to work. I'm already ambivalent about player agency and the mental gymnastics folks put themselves through to ensure the right amount. I dont want this to become another divide between trad and story now styles. Probably too late.

 

[innerdude]

I'm . . . on the fence about this one.

In Irownsworn---which is a hybrid Powered by the Apocalypse / Forged in the Dark implementation with some of its own unique stuff---there are clear indications that the GM is supposed to follow certain aspects of the game.

From page 23-24:

If you are playing with a GM, they are the oracle. When you see a prompt to Ask the Oracle, turn to your GM. The GM is free to leverage random tools and creative prompts to come up with the answers.


Keep in mind that—even when playing with a GM—Ironsworn is about shared storytelling. Offer suggestions. Talk it out. The GM is the final arbiter of what happens next, but everyone at the table should participate in building the world and creating the narrative of your game.

TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS

. . . random generators will never replace your own imagination and intuition. If it’s interesting, dramatic, and pushes the story forward, make it happen. Too much reliance on random generators to answer questions about “what happens next” can kill the momentum of your game or make it feel disconnected and incoherent.


Keep it moving. Ask a question. If an answer leaps to mind, go with it. If you’re not sure, Ask the Oracle. Then, play.

From page 203-204:

LEADING AND FOLLOWING WITH THE FICTION

Without story, the game is an exercise in rolling dice. Without mechanics, your story lacks choices, consequences and surprises. An ideal session of Ironsworn leverages both the mechanics and the fiction, but leads and follows with the fiction.

What does that mean? Consider the fiction as the bookends to your moves. You start by picturing the situation. What is happening? What are you trying to do? How are you doing it? What opposes you? What complications might you face? If you are playing solo, envision it. If you are playing co-op, talk it out. If you are the GM, set the scene for your players and work with them to clarify any details.

Does the fiction trigger a move? If so, make it. Roll the dice. Deal with the mechanical outcome within the context of the current situation. If one of your status tracks—health, spirit, supply, or momentum—is adjusted as a result of a move, envision how this looks in the fiction. Don’t just move the numbers around. Picture what it means for your character’s readiness and well-being. Then, translate the result of your move back to the fiction. How does the situation change? What happens next?

From Page 205:

FICTIONAL FRAMING


Ironsworn does not emphasize situational mechanics. Instead, the details are often abstracted within your moves and are reliant on fictional framing.


Think of it like moving a chess piece. Is it a pawn or a queen? What square is it on? What other pieces are on the board? What is the state of the game? All of these considerations impact the move you make and what happens next. There are rules. You can’t simply decide to move a pawn three spaces or sweep the enemy pieces off the board.


Gameplay within Ironsworn is much less constrained than in chess, but is still framed by the rules of your narrative reality. Your actions and the events in your story need to make sense for the characters, the setting, and the fiction you have established through play. Your character’s background, skills, beliefs, goals, and equipment all contribute to the actions you can take and how you envision those actions—even when those elements aren’t defined by a stat or asset. NPCs don’t have detailed mechanical attributes, but are portrayed as appropriate to the characteristics and intent you’ve established through play.


Fictional framing is your polestar. It helps create a character, a world, and situations which feel authentic and consequential.


How does fictional framing impact play?


It adds texture to your story. Adding detail enriches your narrative, creates opportunities for new challenges and quests, and helps you visualize your character and your world.


It determines the moves you cannot make. If you are not properly equipped or positioned to make a move, you can’t do it. Without a very strong incentive, you can’t Compel a hated enemy to help you.


It determines the moves you must make, or those you can avoid. If you are unarmed and want to Strike a spear-wielding foe, you should Face Danger or Secure an Advantage to get in close. If you need information from someone and already have their trust and cooperation, you won’t need to Compel them before you can Gather Information.


It guides the outcomes of your moves. Look to the fiction when you have a question about the outcome of a move, especially when you Pay the Price. Do you suffer a mechanical result such as harm? Do you face a new narrative complication? If in doubt, Ask the Oracle and apply the context of your fictional framing to interpret the answer.


It helps determine the rank of your challenges. The rank you give to your quests, journeys, and fights is influenced by the scope of the challenge within the fiction.

From 226-227:

GENERAL PRINCIPLES


SWEAR IRON VOWS, AND SEE THEM FULFILLED OR FORSAKEN


Your sworn vows are the narrative framework of your Ironsworn stories. You will introduce an urgent problem or personal quest, Swear an Iron Vow to set things right, and play to see what happens. As you pursue your quest, you may encounter situations which take your vow in surprising directions or inspire new vows.


PORTRAY A HEROIC CHARACTER IN A HARSH LAND


The default tone of Ironsworn is heroic but grounded. Your character is exceptional, but you aren’t a superhero or mythic figure. Add depth to your character by portraying them as a complete and imperfect person. You are flesh and blood. You will fail. You will get hurt. You will make mistakes. You will lose faith. You will act against your better instincts. Make decisions through the flawed perspective of this character.


You will also paint your world in shades of gray. The weather is hostile. Terrors lurk in dark nights and deep forests. Too often, Ironlanders fight and scheme amongst themselves instead of standing together against greater threats. But, there is beauty here. There is love and kinship. The people persevere.


Most of all, there is hope. The act of swearing a vow is an expression of that hope. Seeing it through—no matter the cost—is what makes you a hero.


BEGIN AND END WITH THE FICTION


Set every scene and action within the fiction. What is happening? What are you doing? What does it look like? If a move is triggered, make it. Then, look to the fiction to resolve the move and decide what happens next. Keep things moving forward, bookending the mechanics of your moves with the fiction.


Ironsworn rules, moves, and assets often use the term “envision.” This word is your reminder to visualize the scene or the action. Don’t rush through your moves with a focus on the mechanical outcomes. Let your story breathe. Go

beyond the surface details. Ask questions (or Ask the Oracle), and build on the answers.


When playing with others, describing your character’s intent and actions is part of the conversation you share at your table. When playing solo, take the time to imagine the scene and take note of important details.


To learn more about the fiction and fictional framing, see page 205.


GROUP PLAY


FORGE A STORY THROUGH CONVERSATION


When you begin your campaign, your characters are actors on an empty stage. At first, everything is hidden in shadow. Gradually, the stage is assembled. The lights come up, showing texture and details. Your characters reveal themselves through action and dialogue. Other characters—some important, some unimportant—are introduced. Elements that seemed little more than stage dressing become a focus of the story.


Because roleplaying doesn’t have the luxury of lights, sets, props, and actors, you use the conversation at the table to build your story and your world. The deeper the conversation, the more you reveal of what is happening onstage, the more opportunities you will find to take your story in interesting new directions. Ask questions of each other to help create a coherent, shared picture of what is happening in the fiction. Deepen your setting and your characters by adding evocative details. You’ll be surprised how often an offhand suggestion can snowball into exciting story possibilities.


When something is uncertain, you can Ask the Oracle and work together to interpret the answer. When playing with a GM, they are your oracle.


SHARE THE SPOTLIGHT


Be a generous, collaborative player. Within scenes, work to keep each character visible and each player engaged. Remember to use the Aid your Ally move to interact with the moves other players are making. Use the conversation to give everyone input into the narrative.


For your broader campaign, don’t let one character’s vow drive your story through every session. Mix it up. Give each character opportunities to explore their own motivations and quests, and find ways to give everyone a personal stake in your sworn vows.

From Page 229:

PLAYING AS THE GM


DELIVER ANSWERS, OR TURN QUESTIONS BACK TO THE PLAYERS


If you are the GM, the players will look to you to answer questions about the world and help determine the outcome of moves. When they do, you can answer their question, keeping in mind the fictional framing you’ve established through play. If you see a chance to surprise or delight your players, take it.


You should also look for opportunities to facilitate conversations at your table. Encourage your players to add details and ground every move in the fiction. Answer a question by asking questions. Work to create a shared world and narrative which everyone has stake in. If a conversation hits a dead end or drags on, take the question back, deliver an answer (or Ask the Oracle), and move on.


FACILITATE, DON’T IMPOSE


You are the guide for your players as they explore the world and the story of their characters. You set the scenes and portray the creatures and characters they encounter. When the narrative hits a lull, you make something happen. But, you are a guide with a vague map and an unreliable compass. Let the players choose their path. Moderate the conversation without dominating it.


For campaign play, you facilitate character creation and worldbuilding to create the framework for your shared story. For a one-shot session (page 231), you can come prepared with a quest outline (page 200) to make the most of the limited time available. No matter what the format of your session, don’t resist when everything goes completely and gloriously off-course.


EMBRACE CHAOS


Don’t overprepare for your session. Feel free to come to the table with absolutely nothing planned. The character-driven quests help you and your players build a story together. Anything that is not a player character or move has very little mechanical detail, and can be introduced on the fly.


Letting go of your plans leaves you open to the unexpected. Cheer for surprising successes. Seize the story possibilities of dramatic failures. Listen to the players and let their suggestions inspire you.


You can also leverage the oracles for answers and inspiration. Ask a yes/no question through the Ask the Oracle move (page 107), or interpret an response from the oracle tables (page 167). You can even collaborate with your players to interpret an oracle’s answer.

So, I realize that's a lot to parse.

From what I take away, Ironsworn's creator/writer (Shawn Tomkin) still expects that the GM remains "in charge" of "the game world." (S)he can insert backstory into certain parts of the narrative, insert answers without consulting "The Oracles," etc.

But if said GM is adhering to the game's principles, then (s)he is going to be constrained in approaches. Things shouldn't always be introduced arbitrarily; wherever possible they should follow from the fiction and resolving moves. The fiction should remain fluid in many aspects to represent player intent, action declaration, and resolution. Nowhere do I see any mention of the GM's ability to gainsay the result of a move. If a player declares a move and succeeds, the GM is not "allowed" / supposed to revise the result of the success; it's up to the GM to interpret the success and result coherently while delivering on the player's intent.

Is there "agency" taken away? Well, sure. In the sense that in choosing to play Ironsworn, the GM is bound by some set of the rules/principles to ensure the game proceeds as intended. These rules/principles are not to be changed/overwritten on a whim.

But that's largely inclusive of choosing to play Ironsworn in the first place. The GM knowingly accepts the limits to engage with the tools / ruleset as written. They've already agreed, via choice, to restrict future choices according to rules/principles.

But the overall setting/history/NPCs/locations, etc., are all still within the purview of the GM broadly, and situationally narrowly, depending on move / action declaration intent + resolution.

 

[Reynard]

But if said GM is adhering to the game's principles, then (s)he is going to be constrained in approaches. Things shouldn't always be introduced arbitrarily; wherever possible they should follow from the fiction and resolving moves. The fiction should remain fluid in many aspects to represent player intent, action declaration, and resolution.

This is true of nearly any kind of GMed game.

Nowhere do I see any mention of the GM's ability to gainsay the result of a move. If a player declares a move and succeeds, the GM is not "allowed" / supposed to revise the result of the success; it's up to the GM to interpret the success and result coherently while delivering on the player's intent.

This is the PbtA element I was originally alluding to. Do those games contrain GM Agency more than traditional RPGs because they tell you what happens when a roll is successful? If so, how and why? D&D tells you what happens when a PC hits or a monster fails a save. But, at the same, time, the GM in 5E has a lot of latitude to determine results from other kinds of actions and rolls.

 

[FrogReaver]

I don't like the term GM agency because it is not similar to player agency in concept as folks discuss it here. Typically, one sees more player agency as being better, but in the case of GM agency, it seems limiting it is necessary for certain types of games to work.

Can’t the same be said of player agency?