The 10 Commandments of GMing

[John T]

Corollary to the above: Fun means different things to different people. Talk to your players... discuss "fun"... and don't make assumptions. Fun for one can be intollerable hell for another.

Actually... (not to get too serious, but still...) taking John T's comment from above...
[snip]

It's funny, but they are basically complete opposites... so what is a "good" wringer for one, is "hell" for the other, and vice versa.

Oh, I'll definitely grant you all of that: hell certainly needs to be fun, in keeping with the most important rule of gaming. Like Greek mythology, my idea of hell is tailored to the player in question. Unlike the Greek version, mine is intended to be fun and doesn't last forever.

JOhn T

[rebeccared50]

Give your PCs hell. Seriously.

I've found that, for the most part, players are closet masochists when it comes to their characters. They seem to enjoy having their PCs put through the wringer and SURVIVING (and sometimes not) a lot more than simply "winning" handily.

John T

Speaking as one of Johns players, I can attest that, yes, he is quite good at stretching your PC to the absolute breaking point, yet we find a way to survive and suceede (I'm thinking of the trip we took to Coraths....) and it was great! I enjoyed every second of it, and kept coming back for more!

[Klytus]

Give your PCs hell. Seriously.

I've found that, for the most part, players are closet masochists when it comes to their characters. They seem to enjoy having their PCs put through the wringer and SURVIVING (and sometimes not) a lot more than simply "winning" handily.

I agree. The battle that the PC's win too easily leave them with the feeling of "That's it?" and are very unsatisfying. But the battles they survive by the skin of their teeth, and only buy pulling out every stop and using every trick they know, leaves them with the feeling of "Yes! We did it!" which is what they are after. Well, OK, a couple of my players hate it when a fight is too tough, because to them, worrying about whether their character is going to die spoils their enjoyment of the game... but this is the exception.

[RDU Neil]

I agree. The battle that the PC's win too easily leave them with the feeling of "That's it?" and are very unsatisfying. But the battles they survive by the skin of their teeth, and only buy pulling out every stop and using every trick they know, leaves them with the feeling of "Yes! We did it!" which is what they are after. Well, OK, a couple of my players hate it when a fight is too tough, because to them, worrying about whether their character is going to die spoils their enjoyment of the game... but this is the exception.

I do think there are two camps here. Those who enjoy the sweaty palmed tension and feeling of achievement... and those that find that tension to be the anti-thesis of fun. I do NOT agree that the latter is rare. I'd say this is a pretty much 50/50 split, and would encourage folks to not assume this. As much as I enjoy the tension, I also like the victory that "makes sense to be easy!" Sometimes the fight should just "go the PCs way" because they were prepared, effective, well planned and executed. These are "super heroes" after all. Part of being super is that certain things in life are much easier than it is for us normal people.

It makes it the impact much greater when a real challenge does appear.

[PhilFleischmann]

1. Thou shalt watch thy players for signs of boredom. Thou shalt be prepared to allow them to kick some booty just for fun once in a while, even if it temporarily diverts from thy storyline.

2. Thou shalt not bear false impressions of the world to thy players. They must understand the basics of how the world works. Thou shalt not portray mooks as masterminds, nor extras as central characters, nor shalt thy have any NPC behave in a way that defies all logic. For the PCs will respond in kind, as their experience shows them is best. Thou shalt order thy universe, even if it be incomplete or hidden from the players. Let there be clarity.

3. Thou shalt shine the brightest light upon thy players' characters, and let each shine in turn. Thou shalt know their names and their stats and their styles and their desires. Thou shalt provide puzzles for the mad thinker and tragedy for the tragedian. Thou shalt provide depth for the plumber and power for the empire builder. Thou shalt provide romance for the romantic and accolades for the hero. Thou shalt provide action for the combat monster and intrigue for the intrigant. Thou shalt provide all for which thy players game, and in measure, each according to his personality and degree of success.

4. Thou shalt not praise the wisdom of thy NPCs, nor shalt thou have one NPC praise the wisdom of another, for this is nothing more than thou praising thyself. This is foolishness and an abomination unto thy players.

5. If thou wishest to display the grandness of thy intelligence, creativity, or skill, then thou shalt cease to be a GM, and shalt become a player. For the GM's task is to challenge the players and allow them to display the full measure of their intelligence, creativity, and skill.

6. Thou shalt know at least as much about the genre in which thy game dwells as the players doth know. Thou shalt endeavor to avoid cliches and predictability and that which has oft gone before.

7. Thou shalt not place a quest before thy players that is too difficult, nor too easy. Although the quest that thou layest upon them may appear to be otherwise.

8. Thou mayest freely deceive the characters, but thou shalt not deceive the players. A wise GM knows the difference.

9. Thou shalt not set one player against another. If they struggle amongst themselves on their own, that shall not be on thy head, but let them learn though their failure that the task before them is best completed with the cooperation of all.

10. Thou shalt prepare thy games diligently and with patience. Thou shalt be prepared to welcome new players and part with those that must leave. Thou shalt not rush thy plot against the fear that thy gaming schedule will change. Keep faith and know that in the fullness of time, all thy plot twists may be revealed with their due impact.

[bblackmoor]

That's excellent, Phil.

[zornwil]

Yeah, I like it, putting it into the rep queue for sure!

[OddHat]

Repped, Phil. Well done.

[zornwil]

Phil's one of those guys we probably don't recognize enough around here, he should have more rep.

[bblackmoor]

This is as good a place as any to put this: the most recent "RPG Tips Weekly" has some very good advice on how handle descriptions, and some good tips on world-building for fantasy games. Johhn Four's "RPG Tips" nearly always has some very good advice, actually. It's one of the most consistently useful online resources I have found for when it's my turn on the other side of the table. Check it out, if you haven't.

[Ranxerox]

Thou shalt reward intelligent problem solving; even if they are barking up the wrong tree with respect to the problem at hand, intelligent and creative ideas should always bring the character a little bit closer to there goal.