I meant to post this yesterday for GM's Day but I got distracted. Anyway:
The GM wears many hats in a TTRPG, some of which are broadly applicable and others are specific to the game or system in question. I am curious what folks think is the most important thing the GM does, the job or responsibility that underpins the rest of the things they have to do.
For me, it is pacing. This is especially true with convention games and other defined experiences, but I think it is still true for most regular play. If pacing is ignored or, worse, done poorly, the whole game suffers and the experience for everyone at the table is unsatisfying. I suppose this is less true in games built ina way where other participants have a strong hand in the flow of the game and pacing, but I think for most traditional RPGs it is largely the responsibility of the GM.
Knowing the rules is a relatively distant second. I have run games I don't know particularly well, either in order to learn them or with the help of a player who knows the game well. As long as you can keep not knowing the rules perfectly from disrupting pacing, everything is likely to still turn out alright.
What do you think? In your opinion, what is the most important job or responsibility of the GM?
The GM wears many hats in a TTRPG, some of which are broadly applicable and others are specific to the game or system in question. I am curious what folks think is the most important thing the GM does, the job or responsibility that underpins the rest of the things they have to do.
For me, it is pacing. This is especially true with convention games and other defined experiences, but I think it is still true for most regular play. If pacing is ignored or, worse, done poorly, the whole game suffers and the experience for everyone at the table is unsatisfying. I suppose this is less true in games built ina way where other participants have a strong hand in the flow of the game and pacing, but I think for most traditional RPGs it is largely the responsibility of the GM.
Knowing the rules is a relatively distant second. I have run games I don't know particularly well, either in order to learn them or with the help of a player who knows the game well. As long as you can keep not knowing the rules perfectly from disrupting pacing, everything is likely to still turn out alright.
What do you think? In your opinion, what is the most important job or responsibility of the GM?