Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Research: What Makes a GM Great?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="HJFudge" data-source="post: 7617620" data-attributes="member: 6997593"><p>I can only answer for the style and type of game I like. That caveat in mind:</p><p></p><p>1- Someone who takes the game seriously. They put in the time and the effort to make sure that the game runs smoothly for all involved. They <strong>work</strong> (and thats a key word here) to develop the information they need for each session in advance, as well as in sufficient depth to cover a wide variety of actions we silly players might take. Obviously he cannot cover every possible iteration, which brings us to point 2!</p><p></p><p>2- Someone who can wing it in a way that remains true to the core of the game. In other words, they don't just pull stuff out their butt, they draw upon the well of knowledge of the system and their world and can create a reasonable situation based on almost anything a player decides to do, mid game. </p><p></p><p>3- Someone who does not fudge rolls. At all. Ever. As soon as they do, and we players find OUT they do? We feel cheated and the game world is lessened for it.</p><p></p><p>4- Someone who uses their own world and adventures. This perhaps I'd consider my most controversial point: GMs can run settings like FR, Greyhawk, Eberron, etc and do a good job. They can run adventure modules with their own spin on it. They can be good GMs doing this. Servicable GMs. The game can be fun. But they will <strong>never</strong> be a great DM if this is where they do the majority of their work. By all means. Great GMs can steal from settings and adventures, thats fine, but they cannot 'take a setting and then spin it/twist it'...they must take their OWN setting that they know, intimately, and add other things to it from differing sources if they wish.</p><p></p><p>A custom setting is crucial because it allows the GM full freedom and frees it from the pre-conceived ideas about that setting from the players. Even unconscious/subconscious ones. Does this take more work? Yes. But a GREAT GM doesn't use pre-made modules/settings for most their games. Maybe one shots, maybe intros to a new edition/system they are trying. But never for a serious campaign.</p><p></p><p>Edited to add:</p><p>5- A great GM is able to read the players at his table keenly and to engage them in a way that they find interesting and fun when they are getting bored. Subtle is best, but sometimes you have to be very not-subtle. A great GM will know. They will be able to resolve issues at their table quickly and to the satisfaction of all...and if there is a player who is not fitting at the table? They will politely but firmly ask them to go. (Note: A great PLAYER will recognize when he or she is not a good fit and excuse themselves prior to this happening).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="HJFudge, post: 7617620, member: 6997593"] I can only answer for the style and type of game I like. That caveat in mind: 1- Someone who takes the game seriously. They put in the time and the effort to make sure that the game runs smoothly for all involved. They [B]work[/B] (and thats a key word here) to develop the information they need for each session in advance, as well as in sufficient depth to cover a wide variety of actions we silly players might take. Obviously he cannot cover every possible iteration, which brings us to point 2! 2- Someone who can wing it in a way that remains true to the core of the game. In other words, they don't just pull stuff out their butt, they draw upon the well of knowledge of the system and their world and can create a reasonable situation based on almost anything a player decides to do, mid game. 3- Someone who does not fudge rolls. At all. Ever. As soon as they do, and we players find OUT they do? We feel cheated and the game world is lessened for it. 4- Someone who uses their own world and adventures. This perhaps I'd consider my most controversial point: GMs can run settings like FR, Greyhawk, Eberron, etc and do a good job. They can run adventure modules with their own spin on it. They can be good GMs doing this. Servicable GMs. The game can be fun. But they will [B]never[/B] be a great DM if this is where they do the majority of their work. By all means. Great GMs can steal from settings and adventures, thats fine, but they cannot 'take a setting and then spin it/twist it'...they must take their OWN setting that they know, intimately, and add other things to it from differing sources if they wish. A custom setting is crucial because it allows the GM full freedom and frees it from the pre-conceived ideas about that setting from the players. Even unconscious/subconscious ones. Does this take more work? Yes. But a GREAT GM doesn't use pre-made modules/settings for most their games. Maybe one shots, maybe intros to a new edition/system they are trying. But never for a serious campaign. Edited to add: 5- A great GM is able to read the players at his table keenly and to engage them in a way that they find interesting and fun when they are getting bored. Subtle is best, but sometimes you have to be very not-subtle. A great GM will know. They will be able to resolve issues at their table quickly and to the satisfaction of all...and if there is a player who is not fitting at the table? They will politely but firmly ask them to go. (Note: A great PLAYER will recognize when he or she is not a good fit and excuse themselves prior to this happening). [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Research: What Makes a GM Great?
Top