New GM needs a few pointers.
- Thread starter Raidak
- Start date
Run the first session without any dice rolling. Describe everything to the players and have them respond likewise. Get them to feel what they should do... thieves sneak, fighters pound and spellcasters cast. Getting players to feel what they should do, to act and react in character is more important than anything else. Afterall, game systems do come and go.
The_Gneech
Explorer
Uncle Figgy's stuff is good, but very familiar ... some of it is lifted (almost word for word) out of earlier works by Aaron Allston and Robin D. Laws. :\
Oh well, at least he plagiarizes from the best...
-The Gneech
Oh well, at least he plagiarizes from the best...
-The Gneech
Professor Phobos
First Post
Aaaragh!
Lost my post...damn computers.
Anyway, starting over...
GMing is learned via experience. If you suck at it, chances are you'll get better. Almost all new GMs suck, and those that don't are merely mediocre.
It takes time to get it right, and it takes good players.
Uncle Figgy (do a google search) wrote a pretty useful primer on the subject, and Unknown Armies and Call of Cthulhu D20 have the best GM sections I've encountered in an RPG, bar none. Particularly UA- if there's a single game that's influenced how I run other games, it's Unknown Armies.
I'm a Ninja GM now, skilled in all the deadly arts, and I can give you some rules of thumb.
1. Never just say No." Say "Yes, but..." or "Yes...if..." or "No, but how about..." or "Maybe...if you can..." "Go ahead and try..." If you have to flat-out say "No", explain why- good players are not selfish players, and if you have a good reason, they'll not have a problem.
2. Don't worry too much about it. If your players do not complain, or do not raise suggestions, then you're almost certainly doing a fine job. And if you aren't, you owe them nothing. They are just as responsible for giving you feedback as you are for giving them a good time. How can you provide fun if you don't know what "fun" means? A GM filled with self-doubt cannot have a good time himself, and a GM who isnt' having fun almost certainly ends up a bad GM, and even if not...why are you GMing if you don't like it?
3. Bad players are not worth it. I'm going to say that one again. Bad players are not worth it. One more time: Time and energy you expend keeping a jerk happy is time and energy you aren't spending making good players even more happy. If they in any way make the game less enjoyable for you and the other players, kick them out. Kick them out without hesitation, without remorse. No game can succeed without quality players.* Of course, warnings, talking about it, etc, before a kick-out are usually warranted, but I find that good players are never consistantly disruptive, even unintentionally.
*: By "good", I simply mean players who are considerate of the rest of the group. I do not refer to their ability to play a character, which is a skill, like that of a GM's, that takes time to develop.
4. "Railroading" is an overused term. It does not refer to a campaign premise or restrictions on character creation. If you want everyone to be cops in 1970's Las Vegas without supernatural power, that is not railroading. There are implicit contracts to games and explicit ones for campaigns; if they agree to play Call of Cthulhu, then they agree to all that entails, and if they agree to be Arctic Explorers, then they agree to certain limitations on things.
"Railroading" really only refers to a GM trying to impose certain choices on a character's actions. Your players have absolute control over their character's free will; you do not. If they aren't going to murder the prisoner, and all your plans were built around that prisoner's murder, then you need new plans.
However, there is a trick to getting around this: asking them. "Say, Bob, can your character be mad at Betty and storm out of the apartment? I want to kick-start a kidnapping storyline and have Bob feel guilty for not protecting her." Good players almost always either say "Sure!" or come up with a better idea. If they say no, they'll almost always have a good reason, and you should get new plans.
5. Corollary to that last point: Hat Tricks are an excellent GMing tool. Basically, you take a single player into your confidence for a specific set of events, like being demonically possessed. Eg: "Psst...Bob, your character is going to be possessed next week. Want to play the demon?" Players LOVE this stuff. You can't do it all that often, and don't do it only with the same player again and again, but it allows you to pull off stories you might not have been able to do otherwise.
6. No plan survives contact with players. Part of the fun of GMing is the "Herding Cats" aspect- the improvising to the sheer chaos of your players. They'll surprise you, and this is a good thing. As such, have only skeletons of plots and ideas for good scenes. Drop things at will- if you can't get something to happen, it doesn't happen. Try something else.
I usually have basic notes on scenarios, and the notes got sparser and sparser as time went on. You'll need a bit more if you have players who aren't proactive, but I find that once you get the game started, they're the ones who end up finishing it. Generally you need NPCs, their agendas, maybe notes on locations, and a general idea of "what kind" of adventure you want. Light-hearted? Dark? Dramatic?
Have an idea for "cool stuff to happen", but you'll more often than not end up with something entirely different.
Essentially, RPGs are a kind of collaborative storytelling exercise, and one of the biggest mistakes you can make is having the story done beforehand. That isn't the point- the story is there at the end, not at the beginning.
Lost my post...damn computers.
Anyway, starting over...
GMing is learned via experience. If you suck at it, chances are you'll get better. Almost all new GMs suck, and those that don't are merely mediocre.
It takes time to get it right, and it takes good players.
Uncle Figgy (do a google search) wrote a pretty useful primer on the subject, and Unknown Armies and Call of Cthulhu D20 have the best GM sections I've encountered in an RPG, bar none. Particularly UA- if there's a single game that's influenced how I run other games, it's Unknown Armies.
I'm a Ninja GM now, skilled in all the deadly arts, and I can give you some rules of thumb.
1. Never just say No." Say "Yes, but..." or "Yes...if..." or "No, but how about..." or "Maybe...if you can..." "Go ahead and try..." If you have to flat-out say "No", explain why- good players are not selfish players, and if you have a good reason, they'll not have a problem.
2. Don't worry too much about it. If your players do not complain, or do not raise suggestions, then you're almost certainly doing a fine job. And if you aren't, you owe them nothing. They are just as responsible for giving you feedback as you are for giving them a good time. How can you provide fun if you don't know what "fun" means? A GM filled with self-doubt cannot have a good time himself, and a GM who isnt' having fun almost certainly ends up a bad GM, and even if not...why are you GMing if you don't like it?
3. Bad players are not worth it. I'm going to say that one again. Bad players are not worth it. One more time: Time and energy you expend keeping a jerk happy is time and energy you aren't spending making good players even more happy. If they in any way make the game less enjoyable for you and the other players, kick them out. Kick them out without hesitation, without remorse. No game can succeed without quality players.* Of course, warnings, talking about it, etc, before a kick-out are usually warranted, but I find that good players are never consistantly disruptive, even unintentionally.
*: By "good", I simply mean players who are considerate of the rest of the group. I do not refer to their ability to play a character, which is a skill, like that of a GM's, that takes time to develop.
4. "Railroading" is an overused term. It does not refer to a campaign premise or restrictions on character creation. If you want everyone to be cops in 1970's Las Vegas without supernatural power, that is not railroading. There are implicit contracts to games and explicit ones for campaigns; if they agree to play Call of Cthulhu, then they agree to all that entails, and if they agree to be Arctic Explorers, then they agree to certain limitations on things.
"Railroading" really only refers to a GM trying to impose certain choices on a character's actions. Your players have absolute control over their character's free will; you do not. If they aren't going to murder the prisoner, and all your plans were built around that prisoner's murder, then you need new plans.
However, there is a trick to getting around this: asking them. "Say, Bob, can your character be mad at Betty and storm out of the apartment? I want to kick-start a kidnapping storyline and have Bob feel guilty for not protecting her." Good players almost always either say "Sure!" or come up with a better idea. If they say no, they'll almost always have a good reason, and you should get new plans.
5. Corollary to that last point: Hat Tricks are an excellent GMing tool. Basically, you take a single player into your confidence for a specific set of events, like being demonically possessed. Eg: "Psst...Bob, your character is going to be possessed next week. Want to play the demon?" Players LOVE this stuff. You can't do it all that often, and don't do it only with the same player again and again, but it allows you to pull off stories you might not have been able to do otherwise.
6. No plan survives contact with players. Part of the fun of GMing is the "Herding Cats" aspect- the improvising to the sheer chaos of your players. They'll surprise you, and this is a good thing. As such, have only skeletons of plots and ideas for good scenes. Drop things at will- if you can't get something to happen, it doesn't happen. Try something else.
I usually have basic notes on scenarios, and the notes got sparser and sparser as time went on. You'll need a bit more if you have players who aren't proactive, but I find that once you get the game started, they're the ones who end up finishing it. Generally you need NPCs, their agendas, maybe notes on locations, and a general idea of "what kind" of adventure you want. Light-hearted? Dark? Dramatic?
Have an idea for "cool stuff to happen", but you'll more often than not end up with something entirely different.
Essentially, RPGs are a kind of collaborative storytelling exercise, and one of the biggest mistakes you can make is having the story done beforehand. That isn't the point- the story is there at the end, not at the beginning.
Professor Phobos
First Post
Sorry for the double. I'm impatient...
Anyway, there's probably a few more tidbits of wisdom I can impart.
For example, even if you're reasonable good at GMing and you have great players, there will still be bad/poor/mediocre or otherwise "off" sessions. You might be tired. You might be hung over. You might have been poisoned by a wizard and have only twenty-four hours to find the sacred relic so he gives you the antidote and are understandably distracted.
Don't worry about 'em. They happen. If you're doing your job right, the good will outweigh the bad. Players have off days just like you do.
Lesse...an enthusiastic GM spreads said enthusiasm to his players. Enjoy running a game for them and they'll enjoy playing a game with you.
Also, snacks. Keep that blood sugar up.
Anyway, there's probably a few more tidbits of wisdom I can impart.
For example, even if you're reasonable good at GMing and you have great players, there will still be bad/poor/mediocre or otherwise "off" sessions. You might be tired. You might be hung over. You might have been poisoned by a wizard and have only twenty-four hours to find the sacred relic so he gives you the antidote and are understandably distracted.
Don't worry about 'em. They happen. If you're doing your job right, the good will outweigh the bad. Players have off days just like you do.
Lesse...an enthusiastic GM spreads said enthusiasm to his players. Enjoy running a game for them and they'll enjoy playing a game with you.
Also, snacks. Keep that blood sugar up.
Last edited:
Caspian Moon Prince
First Post
This one is definetly true. I cannot count the number of times a player has done something that drastically changed what I was going to have happen, or do something I don't expect.
An art I have becomed skilled at is taking what the player does and twisting the cool idea I had with the idea. That also works with story ideas you have. Always listen to your players. Sometimes they will talk about what is going on and it can be much cooler than your original idea. When that happens..you an change things to that and tell the player "Wow, you figured it out pretty quick" or, like above, twist that idea with your idea for something else that is cool. Basically like the Professor said, never have your ideas set in stone.
Theocrat
First Post
Group Dynamics
Hi all-
To be a good DM you must first realize that not everybody is going to like what it is that you are doing. Some will not like your style and they will leave. Some others will tolerate your style and come to adjust to it and later enjoy it.
I always ask new players to give us 3 games before making a solid decision to stay or leave. This gives the DM time to learn how they play and what it is that they like, as well as the other players in the game.
I like to have lots of Role-playing in my game, while I know that 2 of my players love the combat actions. So I make sure to provide them with what it is that they like, and put a little bit of the role-playing in their too - because no matter what, you are playing too so that you can have fun. That's one of the problems that many of the players forget - your guys die every night, and your guys can never get the best of them all the time. The players often get caught up in their plight and their direction that they want the character to go and often forget or never knew what it is like to DM. As such, some may not be interested in what you are - so you have to be willing to accept that, and still find a way to get what it is that you want.
Role-playing and story line are important to me but to none of the players. I provide that story and background for me, and let the players act out those things in the story that I think would be fun. More often than not this works - for us. Some other DM's will tell you to make sure you act out NPC's - me I can't remember the voice of every different NPC - but I sure can keep a description of them in the city notes. So that helps me.
And finally - have a bad night or two....I have. So have all the DM's. I've been DMing (and no PCing) since 1990 - and it still happens. No biggie. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed in preparation - I was preparing 20-30hrs per week for a game that was every 2 weeks - allow the game to be every other weekend. Sure the players won't like it - but then tell one of them to run on those off weekends.
Remember it's your game too. I wish you good luck on your game sessions.
Hi all-
To be a good DM you must first realize that not everybody is going to like what it is that you are doing. Some will not like your style and they will leave. Some others will tolerate your style and come to adjust to it and later enjoy it.
I always ask new players to give us 3 games before making a solid decision to stay or leave. This gives the DM time to learn how they play and what it is that they like, as well as the other players in the game.
I like to have lots of Role-playing in my game, while I know that 2 of my players love the combat actions. So I make sure to provide them with what it is that they like, and put a little bit of the role-playing in their too - because no matter what, you are playing too so that you can have fun. That's one of the problems that many of the players forget - your guys die every night, and your guys can never get the best of them all the time. The players often get caught up in their plight and their direction that they want the character to go and often forget or never knew what it is like to DM. As such, some may not be interested in what you are - so you have to be willing to accept that, and still find a way to get what it is that you want.
Role-playing and story line are important to me but to none of the players. I provide that story and background for me, and let the players act out those things in the story that I think would be fun. More often than not this works - for us. Some other DM's will tell you to make sure you act out NPC's - me I can't remember the voice of every different NPC - but I sure can keep a description of them in the city notes. So that helps me.
And finally - have a bad night or two....I have. So have all the DM's. I've been DMing (and no PCing) since 1990 - and it still happens. No biggie. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed in preparation - I was preparing 20-30hrs per week for a game that was every 2 weeks - allow the game to be every other weekend. Sure the players won't like it - but then tell one of them to run on those off weekends.
Remember it's your game too. I wish you good luck on your game sessions.
Advice
I'd like to recommend -- especially if you're new to 3rd edition -- that you start the characters at 1st level (I suggest this when beginning any campaign, actually).
If you're not sure how to design modules, pick up an introductory module like "Sunless Citadel" or trying running "The Shackled City" Adventure Path from Dungeon Magazine. Or you could probably find a decent one available for free download online (such as Necromancer Games' "Wizard's Amulet.")
Simplicity is important. If you're designing your own campaign world, start with the basics of a region, perhaps a small farming community and the immediate woods around the hamlet. Don't worry about a big, over-arching plot just now. These simple kobold attacks on livestock could be part of something larger...but you don't need to worry about that right now.
Have fun with it is the best advice.
Doc
I'd like to recommend -- especially if you're new to 3rd edition -- that you start the characters at 1st level (I suggest this when beginning any campaign, actually).
If you're not sure how to design modules, pick up an introductory module like "Sunless Citadel" or trying running "The Shackled City" Adventure Path from Dungeon Magazine. Or you could probably find a decent one available for free download online (such as Necromancer Games' "Wizard's Amulet.")
Simplicity is important. If you're designing your own campaign world, start with the basics of a region, perhaps a small farming community and the immediate woods around the hamlet. Don't worry about a big, over-arching plot just now. These simple kobold attacks on livestock could be part of something larger...but you don't need to worry about that right now.
Have fun with it is the best advice.
Doc
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