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So, I am going to become a RPGA DM
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<blockquote data-quote="Emirikol" data-source="post: 3049843" data-attributes="member: 10638"><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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).</p><p></p><p>Three bits of advice:</p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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 <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />, 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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p></p><p>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 <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />. 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.</p><p></p><p>jay h</p><p>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</p><p>..</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emirikol, post: 3049843, member: 10638"] 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 .. [/QUOTE]
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