Tag Archives: GM Tips

RPGs

GMs Reference Library

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Cavegirl has this to share on Twitter.

I don’t know what instigated this, but this was my reply. I thought it good enough to make a blog post out of it.

What fool said this?

My role as both GM and player is a hodge podge of every book, comic book, TV show, movie, play, conversation, random thought, and past play experience.

I’ve taken ideas from they way we ran our games BITD, plus ideas of bloggers, and other games.

I like advantage/disadvantage, usage die, and other simple tweaks that can make a game fun and flow.

I’ve tweaked my GM style with the way other GMs do things. It may be subtle, but I still learn something from every game I run and play.

In recent weeks, it finally sunk in to my old set in my ways self, that I have a passive/aggressive streak that comes out in all my characters when I’m frustrated with what another player is doing to drive the narrative.

Strongly outspoken people who will talk nonstop really bring that out.

It was like I’m naked under a floodlight in a crowded room when the lightly went off.

I’ve been playing over 40 years and didn’t see it til now.

This may seem like a segue, but this illustrates the player growth aspect.

Now I can work on not doing that and changing my timing by anticipating these things and using my player agency to improve the session.

What are your resources? You should have an enormous reference library in you memory.

Work on utilizing it.

Brainstorming, free association, just writing whatever comes out, daydreaming, etc.

My whole blog is built on using my ever expanding personal library. My ideas that become PDFs on DriveThruRPG use that same library.

It’s OK to play or just read other games. You might find something you like, or think about something in your favorite game and get an idea to improve it.

Change is inevitable. We can either waste our strength resisting change, or we can ride the wave and see what we can do with new information.

RPGs

Trust Your GM

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It is important for players to trust their GM and for the GM to explain how they use the rules and run games. GMs should be both clear and fair in their presentation and application of the rules. They should strive to instill trust in their players. This is a follow up to yesterday’s blog post on rules lawyering, and is an expansion of episode 11 of the podcast.

Two Way Street

The relationship between the GM and players at the table (real or virtual) is a two way street between the GM and each player, as well as each player between every other player. The GM prepares the campaign setting/world to host the adventures, and also prepares for each adventure. They have to run and voice all the monsters and NPCs and keep track of all the things involved to keep the game moving.

Players should each do their part. Just as the GM works to show the players that they can trust him or her to run the game, the players should work to show the GM and other players that they fit in at the table.

What should the players do?

The following assumes a veteran player.

  • Show up on time.
    • If you are late, it delays the start of the game, or causes a pause in the action to get you up to speed
    • If you are going to be late, it shouldn’t be a habit and you should let everyone know.
      • Life happens and the unexpected can derail the most firm commitment.
    • With online play this is also important.
  • Bring what you need to play, character sheet, writing instrument, paper, dice, PHB or similar.
  • Have your character sheet and inventory up to date and organized so the game can start on time, and you can find the information needed during play.
  • Be ready to declare your action when it is your turn to act.
  • Be familiar with your character’s class, abilities, equipment, and whatever else you need to know to play that character.
  • Be courteous and respectful of others. (I shouldn’t have to say that. If you don’t know what this means, a bullet point can’t explain it.)
  • Be welcoming of new players to the game. You are an ambassador to both your group and the wider RPG community.
    • This is both experienced players new to your table.
    • As well as new players who are new to the game. There are two variations:
      • Players who have never played an RPG. Their experience at your table is their FIRST IMPRESSION of the game. They will assume all role players are jerks if they are treated poorly and won’t want to play.
      • Experienced role players who are new to the rules of the game you are playing.
  • Be willing to step outside your comfort zone. The GM has to do this, so you aren’t the only one.
    • If you are a natural extrovert, play an introverted character occasionally. Encourage the less active players to take risks.
    • If you are a natural introvert, play an extroverted character, or one who takes risks.
  • Be willing to try your hand as GM.
    • Your GM needs a break to let their batteries re-charge. Run a one-shot or short campaign.
  • Do your part to help bring the campaign world alive. Suggest ideas for monsters, cultures, items, and more.
  • Tell your GM what they get right more loudly and before you tell them what they did wrong.
    • When you tell them what went wrong or you didn’t like, do it in a constructive way.
  • If there is a problem at the table be part of the solution. If you’re the problem, recognize it when everyone else calls you out.

Conclusion

TTRPGs require an open mind, trust, and creativity for all concerned. Such games are a communal exercise in play. This type of play allows one to do things they can’t do in the real world. It is a communal activity that when players and GM come together, the fictional world comes alive. By trusting the GM and players buying in to the world and adventure presented, you will have memories as vivid as the ones you have of things you really did. Together you weave a story that will unite your group in a way that you can say, “Hey, remember that time?” and you will all laugh and no one else will ever quite understand.

RPGs

AD&D Invites Rules Lawyering

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In episode ten of the podcast I posited that AD&D 1e [Affiliate Link] invites rules lawyering. While the AD&D core books brought together rules, classes, and monsters introduced in the supplements and issues of Dragon Magazine since the original game did organize a lot, it was still not truly organized.

Some of the issues are:

  • Contradictions between the Player’s Handbook [Affiliate Link] and the Dungeon Master’s Guide [Affiliate Link] .
  • Similar rules are not grouped in proximity, especially in the DMG.
  • Instead of using an existing system, or developing a coherent engine to the game, there is a new system for many new things.
    • For example, the difference between regular combat and grappling is very confusing.
  • Too many fiddly bits.

How to address it:

I have a love and nostalgia for AD&D. I even like some of the fiddly bits. But as a player and GM both then and now, rules lawyering interrupts the flow of the game and kills the mood. For me to run AD&D as a campaign, I need a more comprehensive document that clarifies three things:

  • What rules are not used at all, such as weapon speed.
  • What rules are modified, morale by the book is a mass of number crunching. Simple is better to keep the flow.
    • Modification can vary from a simple modification or clarification to replacement by another method whether from another game or home brewed.
  • What rules are used as is, like turn undead.

If you clarify that your game is rulings over rules, then those who can’t stand anything but RAW (Rules As Written) will look elsewhere for a game to join.

Conclusion

Being on the same page about what rules are used and how they are implemented during play will enhance the experience at the table. Be open to revision of rules based on how things work at the table. Be consistent, and most of all have fun! Remember it’s a game!

RPGs

Child’s Play – Monster Creation

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My granddaughter turned three in mid-January. Last week she started a new game with me of “Talking About Animals.” She says, “Let’s talk about animals.” I ask what kind of animal she wants to talk about. She says things like kangaroo, horse, hippopotamus. I tell her something factual, and to her. interesting and amazing about that animal.

Today, she wanted to talk about animals. Unusually, she started off with cats that were blue, so I mentioned Persian cats that are sort of blue. Then she decided to talk about dogs. When I asked what kind, she said blue again, and I told her a bit about blue healers.  Next she said, “Monsters!” When I asked what kind, she said green. When I asked what they ate, she said, “Ceilings!” I went with it and talked about being able to see the sky and the clouds and the sun now, and then the stars and moon tonight. I asked where they lived, and she said in her shoe.

It was so cute and perfect I started up the web cam, made a test to make sure it had sound. We made a perfect one take on three monsters, green, black, and blue. Unfortunately, when I moved the microphone closer, I bumped the mute button, and a flawless take is a silent movie….

In the first take, she came up with the black and blue monsters,  their diet, and lairs on her own on the spot. She looked around to see what was around my desk for the new ones. She chose colors based on what she saw. My computer is black, and I have baby wipes because she wants to play when she has sticky fingers or a runny nose. I’ve managed to avoid the worst of what she’s brought home from daycare.

This simple exercise shows how easy it is to come up with ideas for monsters. One can extrapolate the look around your desk, bookshelves, kitchen, garage, etc. to come up with ideas for items, treasure, locations, NPCs, and more. Also, as a DM/GM it is OK to change your mind about something. For monsters, just make a variant that look alike/similar.  Don’t be afraid to GM. You just create starting conditions for your players and as they interact with it, you modify the environment to present new challenges and opportunities to the players. While it may seem artificial and awkward at first, as with anything, it gets better with time.

So below is the second take, not near as good, but lots of fun. Below that, I will have simplified stats for her monsters. Feel free to use her creations with attribution – Nikola Hamilton.

MONSTER STATS

Green Monsters

Lair: Shoes & Computers
Size: Tiny
Diet: Ceilings
Number Appearing: Blockbusters! (That’s a lot!)

Black Monsters

Lair: Grandpa’s jacket
Size: Tiny
Diet: Grass (not so much as to prevent grandpa from mowing the lawn.)

Blue Monsters

Lair: Cellphones
Size: Tiny
Diet: Used baby wipes