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General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Regarding DMG, Starter Set and Essentials kit: Are they good for the starting DMs?
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<blockquote data-quote="Imaro" data-source="post: 8808168" data-attributes="member: 48965"><p>So this is the information give in Heart on general GM'ing. There isn't anything I really take issue with though I might have minor quibbles as general advice for other games with some of the particulars... I think this just illustrates how hard it is to give general advice for running games while avoiding prescribing specfic approaches or mindsets...</p><p></p><p>GENERAL TIPS FOR RUNNING</p><p>ROLEPLAYING GAMES</p><p></p><p>If the rules aren’t working for you, feel free to</p><p>change them...</p><p></p><p>If you have a problem with something a player’s</p><p>doing, approach them about it (either at the table</p><p>or privately after the game) and talk to them</p><p>about it like grown-ups...</p><p></p><p>Ask the players questions, listen to the answers,</p><p>and use them to build the game...</p><p></p><p>Don’t make the players roll dice unless there’s</p><p>something at stake...</p><p></p><p>Nothing is static. Everything can (and should)</p><p>change as the player characters interact with the</p><p>world...</p><p></p><p>When you describe a person or place, you should</p><p>think about all the different senses...</p><p></p><p>When you play a non-player character, there’s lots</p><p>you can do to make them interesting and enga‐</p><p>ging. You can (and should!) put on different voices</p><p>and adopt different mannerisms to help set them</p><p>apart from others, but you don’t have to be a</p><p>master impressionist – you can achieve a lot by</p><p>simply changing the tone or pitch of your speech...</p><p></p><p>For some reason, many roleplaying games seem</p><p>to think that everyone talks like the narrator in a</p><p>fantasy novel...This is a</p><p>lie. Pretty much everyone sounds like “Okay so:</p><p>you, uh, you walk into the place. And it’s spooky, and</p><p>there’s sort of like – shining lights in there? It’s sharp,</p><p>like a crisp line between light and shadow. Anyway</p><p>there’s a guy in there – a priest, weird lookin’ guy – and</p><p>he says: ‘Hello! Come on in to the temple!’” It’s okay to</p><p>use a conversational tone...</p><p></p><p>Every NPC should want something that the</p><p>player characters might be able to help with, even</p><p>if they’re not saying it up-front...</p><p></p><p>Your NPCs can lie. No-one remembers that NPCs</p><p>can lie. Player characters are remarkably gullible,</p><p>and if you pull it off correctly you’ll look like a dra‐</p><p>matic mastermind...</p><p></p><p>Not everyone is going to roleplay brilliantly with</p><p>everyone else. Some groups just don’t gel, and it’s</p><p>no-one’s fault. Play with people you like and who</p><p>build a brilliant story with you...</p><p></p><p>Learn the rules as best you can. You don’t need to</p><p>know what every single ability does without</p><p>having to look it up (we certainly don’t), but the</p><p>better you understand the rules, the smoother</p><p>the game will run...</p><p></p><p>If you’re having difficulties working out what hap‐</p><p>pens next – especially when your players do some‐</p><p>thing unexpected – it’s a good idea to take a five</p><p>minute break to collect your thoughts...</p><p></p><p>There are no right or wrong ways to GM, and what</p><p>works for everyone else might not work for you.</p><p>The more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll be.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Imaro, post: 8808168, member: 48965"] So this is the information give in Heart on general GM'ing. There isn't anything I really take issue with though I might have minor quibbles as general advice for other games with some of the particulars... I think this just illustrates how hard it is to give general advice for running games while avoiding prescribing specfic approaches or mindsets... GENERAL TIPS FOR RUNNING ROLEPLAYING GAMES If the rules aren’t working for you, feel free to change them... If you have a problem with something a player’s doing, approach them about it (either at the table or privately after the game) and talk to them about it like grown-ups... Ask the players questions, listen to the answers, and use them to build the game... Don’t make the players roll dice unless there’s something at stake... Nothing is static. Everything can (and should) change as the player characters interact with the world... When you describe a person or place, you should think about all the different senses... When you play a non-player character, there’s lots you can do to make them interesting and enga‐ ging. You can (and should!) put on different voices and adopt different mannerisms to help set them apart from others, but you don’t have to be a master impressionist – you can achieve a lot by simply changing the tone or pitch of your speech... For some reason, many roleplaying games seem to think that everyone talks like the narrator in a fantasy novel...This is a lie. Pretty much everyone sounds like “Okay so: you, uh, you walk into the place. And it’s spooky, and there’s sort of like – shining lights in there? It’s sharp, like a crisp line between light and shadow. Anyway there’s a guy in there – a priest, weird lookin’ guy – and he says: ‘Hello! Come on in to the temple!’” It’s okay to use a conversational tone... Every NPC should want something that the player characters might be able to help with, even if they’re not saying it up-front... Your NPCs can lie. No-one remembers that NPCs can lie. Player characters are remarkably gullible, and if you pull it off correctly you’ll look like a dra‐ matic mastermind... Not everyone is going to roleplay brilliantly with everyone else. Some groups just don’t gel, and it’s no-one’s fault. Play with people you like and who build a brilliant story with you... Learn the rules as best you can. You don’t need to know what every single ability does without having to look it up (we certainly don’t), but the better you understand the rules, the smoother the game will run... If you’re having difficulties working out what hap‐ pens next – especially when your players do some‐ thing unexpected – it’s a good idea to take a five minute break to collect your thoughts... There are no right or wrong ways to GM, and what works for everyone else might not work for you. The more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll be. [/QUOTE]
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Regarding DMG, Starter Set and Essentials kit: Are they good for the starting DMs?
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