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So, I am going to become a RPGA DM
- Thread starter Reynard
- Start date
Yeovil Andy
First Post
My top pieces of advice:
1) Don't wing stuff - as an experienced DM as well, my inclination is to do something approximating the rules if I think it makes more sense but that's going to get you grief at an RPGA gaming table. One example - I was running a Living Greyhawk at GenCon UK and there was a foot chase through some crowded streets. The rules call for a Dex check for crowds but as the weather was very hot I decided on Con checks instead - big mistake.
2) Don't worry about your player's reaction during a game - at my first con game, a guy was actually asleep at the table. That hadn't happened to me before and I was really doubting my ability as a GM, but you can't mix up the storyline anyway so you have to just go with it. The players said they enjoyed the game afterwards so I can't have been *that* bad.
3) Get involved - Email your triad people, regional directors whatever they are called for your campaign. Go and say hi at the conventions. The best thing about the RPGA is being in a huge campaign with thousands of players and hundreds of DMs, enjoy that comradeship to the full.
1) Don't wing stuff - as an experienced DM as well, my inclination is to do something approximating the rules if I think it makes more sense but that's going to get you grief at an RPGA gaming table. One example - I was running a Living Greyhawk at GenCon UK and there was a foot chase through some crowded streets. The rules call for a Dex check for crowds but as the weather was very hot I decided on Con checks instead - big mistake.
2) Don't worry about your player's reaction during a game - at my first con game, a guy was actually asleep at the table. That hadn't happened to me before and I was really doubting my ability as a GM, but you can't mix up the storyline anyway so you have to just go with it. The players said they enjoyed the game afterwards so I can't have been *that* bad.
3) Get involved - Email your triad people, regional directors whatever they are called for your campaign. Go and say hi at the conventions. The best thing about the RPGA is being in a huge campaign with thousands of players and hundreds of DMs, enjoy that comradeship to the full.
Barendd Nobeard
Explorer
Don't sweat the meta-gaming, power-gaming, cheese-weaseling, and/or munchkin tactics. You will see a lot of it in LG. That doesn't mean you can't have fun.
The most important thing, I think, is to be mindful of the pace of the adventure. Don't let the party waste time if there's not "free" time to be wasted. LG is all about *finishing* the adventure, so PCs can get the xp, gold, and (most importantly) item access. If they don't finish, because you let them spend a hour role-playing out a cool scene, players will whine.
Now, sometimes an RPGA mod *requires* some extensive role-playing (as opposed to just rolling dice). Sometimes, players itching to get to the next combat will fidget, whine, and complain that they're wasting time. But you're the DM, you've read the adventure, you know if this is time they are free to "waste" with extensive role play.
Some of the best RPGA judges I have had, have been people who allowed a lot of role-play, but knew when to "move it along." Also, they knew when to finish out a combat round by round, versus when to "hand wave" it and move the party on because they were demolishing the opposition.
Finally, be very clear (to the point of meta-gaming) about actions that will get PCs taken out of the campaign (either temporarily or permanently). I usually give a subtle hint ("You suddenly remember that the captain of the guard told you not to hurt anyone"), then a not-so-subtle hint ("hurting someone would be bad; killing someone--even in self-defense--will probably get you in jail and maybe even executed"), and end with a blatant out-of-game warning ("If you do this, your PC will be arrested, tried, convicted, executed"). If the player persists, so be it. They can't say they weren't warned. Most mods will not have situations like this, but a few do (because of where they take place, the NPCs involved in that story, etc.)
Now, having said all that, have fun! I have met a lot of great people through the RPGA, and played a lot of great "slots" at cons (big and small) and home gamedays. A good DM can even make a bad module great fun!
Also, Yeovil Andy's advice to "get involved" is very good. To more you know your region, and work within, the more fun you'll have.
The most important thing, I think, is to be mindful of the pace of the adventure. Don't let the party waste time if there's not "free" time to be wasted. LG is all about *finishing* the adventure, so PCs can get the xp, gold, and (most importantly) item access. If they don't finish, because you let them spend a hour role-playing out a cool scene, players will whine.
Now, sometimes an RPGA mod *requires* some extensive role-playing (as opposed to just rolling dice). Sometimes, players itching to get to the next combat will fidget, whine, and complain that they're wasting time. But you're the DM, you've read the adventure, you know if this is time they are free to "waste" with extensive role play.
Some of the best RPGA judges I have had, have been people who allowed a lot of role-play, but knew when to "move it along." Also, they knew when to finish out a combat round by round, versus when to "hand wave" it and move the party on because they were demolishing the opposition.
Finally, be very clear (to the point of meta-gaming) about actions that will get PCs taken out of the campaign (either temporarily or permanently). I usually give a subtle hint ("You suddenly remember that the captain of the guard told you not to hurt anyone"), then a not-so-subtle hint ("hurting someone would be bad; killing someone--even in self-defense--will probably get you in jail and maybe even executed"), and end with a blatant out-of-game warning ("If you do this, your PC will be arrested, tried, convicted, executed"). If the player persists, so be it. They can't say they weren't warned. Most mods will not have situations like this, but a few do (because of where they take place, the NPCs involved in that story, etc.)
Now, having said all that, have fun! I have met a lot of great people through the RPGA, and played a lot of great "slots" at cons (big and small) and home gamedays. A good DM can even make a bad module great fun!
Also, Yeovil Andy's advice to "get involved" is very good. To more you know your region, and work within, the more fun you'll have.
Festivus
First Post
Barendd Nobeard said:
Those are some of my most favorite RPGA games... but yeah, I sit next to some 13 year old kid who whines about how this isn't a very good adventure, the whole time I am enjoying the argument with the paladin (another guy my age usually) about the ethics of digging up a grave to confirm it's being empty.
smilinggm
First Post
1) Know the Campaing World that you are running.
(Every Campaing world has ist own flavor and nuance. There is nothing worse than a DM who does not know the flavor and nuance of the campaign. If a DM does not know the campaing then it is very hard for him to roll play the npc's and the encounters properly)
2) Preparation, Preparation, Preparation
A Prep'd DM is one who has printed his module several days before the event, one who has read the mod at least 3 times, and have made notes for each encounter at each APL. Study up on rules or monsters that you are unfamiliar with or may need brushing up on. Have your Certs/AR's ready. Have all of your campaing docs ready; ie RPGA tracking forms, log sheets, magic item creation sheets, supply runs, ect. Have the campain rules and the RPGA rules available as needed. Make sure that you have all of all of the books and source material required for the mod and for the campaign. Also make sure that you have everything that you need to DM a good game dice, Mini's battle mats are expected, but other tools/toys can come in handy too.
3)Have fun
Always Remember that the players are at your table to have fun. Make sure that they are enjoying themself. If they are not having fun, stop, take 10, figure out why they are not having fun, try to adjust the game so that they will have fun. Make sure thay you are having fun. Always remember this is only a game.
(Every Campaing world has ist own flavor and nuance. There is nothing worse than a DM who does not know the flavor and nuance of the campaign. If a DM does not know the campaing then it is very hard for him to roll play the npc's and the encounters properly)
2) Preparation, Preparation, Preparation
A Prep'd DM is one who has printed his module several days before the event, one who has read the mod at least 3 times, and have made notes for each encounter at each APL. Study up on rules or monsters that you are unfamiliar with or may need brushing up on. Have your Certs/AR's ready. Have all of your campaing docs ready; ie RPGA tracking forms, log sheets, magic item creation sheets, supply runs, ect. Have the campain rules and the RPGA rules available as needed. Make sure that you have all of all of the books and source material required for the mod and for the campaign. Also make sure that you have everything that you need to DM a good game dice, Mini's battle mats are expected, but other tools/toys can come in handy too.
3)Have fun
Always Remember that the players are at your table to have fun. Make sure that they are enjoying themself. If they are not having fun, stop, take 10, figure out why they are not having fun, try to adjust the game so that they will have fun. Make sure thay you are having fun. Always remember this is only a game.
frankthedm
First Post
Here is an important thing to remember. Many one-trick ponies need to "charge". As it happens charging has a few outs to shut those types down. A lot of folks don't even realize charging often places someone into a random space. And most who do tend to hand wave it, but when you have to let twinkmasters have thier ubercombos, it is nice to have a way to render those comboes DOA.
You must have a clear path toward the opponent, and nothing can hinder your movement (such as difficult terrain or obstacles). Here’s what it means to have a clear path. First, you must move to the closest space from which you can attack the opponent. (If this space is occupied or otherwise blocked, you can’t charge.) Second, if any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge. (Helpless creatures don’t stop a charge.) .
Closest Creature
When it’s important to determine the closest square or creature to a location, if two squares or creatures are equally close, randomly determine which one counts as closest by rolling a die.
You must have a clear path toward the opponent, and nothing can hinder your movement (such as difficult terrain or obstacles). Here’s what it means to have a clear path. First, you must move to the closest space from which you can attack the opponent. (If this space is occupied or otherwise blocked, you can’t charge.) Second, if any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge. (Helpless creatures don’t stop a charge.) .
Closest Creature
When it’s important to determine the closest square or creature to a location, if two squares or creatures are equally close, randomly determine which one counts as closest by rolling a die.
Emirikol
Adventurer
I've been running RPGA games for 16 years and eventually burned out for lack of home-gaming. RPGA gaming can be very anonymous until you've gamed with people for a while.
I'm going to presume that you're going to be running a Living Greyhawk game (as opposed to a Call of Cthulhu or other campaign..classics are no longer in existance).
Three bits of advice:
1. Run your scenarios AS WRITTEN but fill in the blank spaces. DO NOT EVER ABRIDGE BOXED TEXT. I know this seems like a sin, but if you ever have a dead character at your table, I guarantee that the player is going to appeal to the Triad and ask if you ran the encounter fairly. Did you miss an important part of the boxed text such as "A dragon sleeps in the room" ? Plus, scenarios are incredibly EASY to run. Don't make it more work than it has to be.
2. Establish your table rules and keep them posted on your DM screen. Mine are: 1) PLAYERS POLICE EACH OTHER (meaning, if someone is an
, I ask two other players to deal with it while I go get a soda..I'm not their parent). 2) Don't quote me a rule until AFTER you can point to it in the PHB. 3) I don't pull punches; if you're unlucky or stupid, you'll die; play cautiously 4) Be mature and have fun.
3. Don't EVER suspend disbelief about a scenario, no matter how poorly edited it is. Players are there to have fun. Tell them that you enjoyed prepping for the scenario and that you think it will be challenging. You can also WRITE IN THE MARGINS of scenarios to list what voice you'll talk in, or circle valuable things.
Running Games has introduced me to most of my current friends and I've met some really great people. There's always one idiot at the table that you need to ignore (and sometimes tell them that they're an idiot (or have another player do it like I do. NEVER let yourself get burned out so that you quit..it's true of any DM. If you need a break, be a player for a while again.
jay h
got burned out bad for a while..but realized it wasn't the idiot player at the table..it was just me needing a break
..
I'm going to presume that you're going to be running a Living Greyhawk game (as opposed to a Call of Cthulhu or other campaign..classics are no longer in existance).
Three bits of advice:
1. Run your scenarios AS WRITTEN but fill in the blank spaces. DO NOT EVER ABRIDGE BOXED TEXT. I know this seems like a sin, but if you ever have a dead character at your table, I guarantee that the player is going to appeal to the Triad and ask if you ran the encounter fairly. Did you miss an important part of the boxed text such as "A dragon sleeps in the room" ? Plus, scenarios are incredibly EASY to run. Don't make it more work than it has to be.
2. Establish your table rules and keep them posted on your DM screen. Mine are: 1) PLAYERS POLICE EACH OTHER (meaning, if someone is an
, I ask two other players to deal with it while I go get a soda..I'm not their parent). 2) Don't quote me a rule until AFTER you can point to it in the PHB. 3) I don't pull punches; if you're unlucky or stupid, you'll die; play cautiously 4) Be mature and have fun.3. Don't EVER suspend disbelief about a scenario, no matter how poorly edited it is. Players are there to have fun. Tell them that you enjoyed prepping for the scenario and that you think it will be challenging. You can also WRITE IN THE MARGINS of scenarios to list what voice you'll talk in, or circle valuable things.
Running Games has introduced me to most of my current friends and I've met some really great people. There's always one idiot at the table that you need to ignore (and sometimes tell them that they're an idiot (or have another player do it like I do
. NEVER let yourself get burned out so that you quit..it's true of any DM. If you need a break, be a player for a while again.jay h
got burned out bad for a while..but realized it wasn't the idiot player at the table..it was just me needing a break
..
Varianor Abroad
Explorer
1. Put your appendix with the NPCs/monsters/creatures on a clipboard. Remove all but the ones for your APL after you've determined the APL of the adventure and put them in a folder.
2. Don't use a screen. The PCs don't get to see the mods, but if you roll dice in the open no one ever argues about the number that you rolled. (They'll metagame, but as said above - ignore it.)
3. Predraw your maps if you can. This saves a lot of time at the table.
Good luck! It can be fun. (Although don't ever bother sending authors of Bissel mods comments about the excruciating amount of puzzles. They are not interested in constructive feedback. )
2. Don't use a screen. The PCs don't get to see the mods, but if you roll dice in the open no one ever argues about the number that you rolled. (They'll metagame, but as said above - ignore it.)
3. Predraw your maps if you can. This saves a lot of time at the table.
Good luck! It can be fun. (Although don't ever bother sending authors of Bissel mods comments about the excruciating amount of puzzles. They are not interested in constructive feedback.
)
