Tips for New GMs

[Insaniac99]

I was thinking, how about we just create one thread that acts as a resource for first time GMs where experianced GMs share their insight.

 

i don't have much to add myself because i have never GMed but there is one tip that i think is VERY important:

 

Don't try and plan for everything: Everytime you try and plan for every occurence your players are likely to go a totally differant way than you expected which means either you have to quickly adjust for it or herd your players away from that course, it is better to have a genneral idea of the plot (Somoene is robbing banks but left the money and only took the contents of one Safety deposit box from each robbery, the players have to find out what was in it and why they want it and who is behind it) this way it allows your players total freedom and you the least stress because you can then listen in on their conversations about the games and get ideas for things to do( the GM overhears the players guessing what was in the safety deposit boxes and why they would want it one player says "Maybe the Mystic group DEMON has found some magic talismans that serve as the key to unlock a very powerful demon or something" and the GM thinks "hey not a bad idea, I'll use it" and the player is happy with himself because of his "good guess" )

[CrosshairCollie]

Even if the villains you're using are clustered together in the sourcebook, copy them onto separate sheets before the game, whether it's notebook paper or my old standby, creating the sheet on a computer document. Saves wear and tear on your book(s), you can arrange 'em in Dex order, write notes on 'em, flip through them easily, and my favorite, crumple them up and fling them into the air when they hit GMs Option.

[Starwolf]

I make copies of the PC character sheets and highlight rolls and abilities that I might roll in secret (i.e. good/bad luck, disadvantages, certain skills like stealth where a character believes he is being quiet but the bad guys hear him are setting up an ambush, perception rolls, danger sense, etc.)

 

I also have several sub-plots going on. I give the players clues by handing out news at appropriate times during each game session. This comes in different forms depending on the genre (i.e. town crier, bards tales, or rumors in fanstasy; Newspapers or news broadcasts in modern, Vidcasts in Starhero, etc.)

 

Don't compete against the players. It isn't the GM versus the players, it is the bad guys versus the PCs, and the GM is a nuetral referee.

 

Intrigue is your friend...

Mystery is your friend...

 

Be adaptable.

 

The devil is in the details, keep your players interested by having enough detail to make it real. I keep a list of names, and generic equipment price lists handy so that I can throw out prices or make NPCs seem more detailed by naming them.

 

I keep a log of events that have transpired, not real detailed by summarized. This gives me fuel for future adventures/plot lines.

 

Hope these help.

[Aroooo]

GM Advice

 

Hero combat can slow the pace of a game down, especially if its a supers combat. Make sure you, as GM, have a good feel for the combat rules, and don't use every little optional rule - those really slow things down. If you're unfamilar with a section, fudge the rule(s) during the combat. Any mistakes you may make will be well worth the time saved searching through FREd.

 

On a similar note, make sure you have something for everyone to do, either in combat or out. For instance, if your group gets split in two parties, spend 5-10 minutes with one group, then spend 5-10 minutes with the other group. Bored players are the GM's worse enemy.

 

Aroooo

[DrSavant]

Biggest challenge for new players/GM's

 

POWERS!!

 

The Hero System allows for GREAT creativity in this aspect.

Skills, perks, characteristics etc are almost neatly laid out, but powers are open-ended.

In some systems powers are cut and dry, by name and effect. Sonic Blast, Fire Generation, etc just to name a few.

But in hero system YOU choose the name and effect.

This can go into as much depth as you want, as even similiar power effects can have different causes and/or effects.

 

Example;

Energy Blast- Electricity

# 1- Creating a Bolt of Lightning by Weather Control

# 2- Gather static electricity, magnify and release

# 3- Projecting the body's own electrical energy

# 4 - Manipulating surrounding electricity ( wires etc)

 

The list is nearly endless.

[Old Man]

Don't get too upset when one of your medium sized villains gets hit in the balls on phase 12 stunning him then having the second attack knock him out.

[FTJoshua]

~ Bring plenty of (drink of choice)

 

~ Disadvantages are there for a reason; use 'em once in a while.

 

~ Have your players draw a thick, impervious line between what a CHARACTER says and how he/she behaves, and what a PLAYER says and does; likewise for a GM and NPC.

 

~ Know when to stop playing. Sometimes, an adventure gets so totally out of control that you have to say, "Sorry guys, I gotta stop it here. We'll pick it up next week." Better to think about what to do than risk ruining the adventure.

 

~ On the other hand, if you are flexible, roll with those PC punches and give them the appropriate consequences.

 

~ Speaking of consequences...they are a fact of life. They must be a fact in RPGs as well, especially if you're a hero.

 

Did anyone mention "Have fun" yet?

[Guest Worldmaker]

Don't be afraid of background detail, because players eat it up with a spoon. But at the same time, don't make the background detail the point, because that's ramming the spoon down their throat.

 

Don't be afraid to let your players create some of that detail.

 

Last but not least, once you've created the background details, be consistent. Keep track of the details.

[Aroooo]

Something else I don't think has been mentioned yet. No matter how well you plan an adventure, no matter how well you plan for story possibilities, your players will invariably do something completely different, unexpected, or unplanned. Once you can accept that, your GMing job will be a lot easier. Well, maybe not easier, but at least you will not suffer big heartbreaks when your players ruin your perfect game. Because, no matter what they do, there is always a way to get back.

 

I'll tell you about the R2 unit who saved my storyline one day.

 

Aroooo

[ShelleyCM]

Just relax!

 

Always remember it's a game. Don't take it too seriously! If something's done improperly, don't stress, just fix it next time. If the players bungle the plot/beat the villain in two phases, who cares? As long as they're having fun, that's all that matters.

 

Relax -- and have fun!

 

-Shelley

[ShadowRaptor]

As a wanna be GM and somebody who is trying to get a group together, this thread is wonderful.

 

One thing I am curious about for you guys is how you plan your encounters specifically. Do you go by points? CV's? anything in particular?

[Guest Worldmaker]

Originally posted by ShadowRaptor

One thing I am curious about for you guys is how you plan your encounters specifically. Do you go by points? CV's? anything in particular?

 

Actually, I go by what the story requires. How's that for vague and confusing?

 

Seriously, I plot out my game as if it were a television series, broken down into "seasons", and then further broken down into 24 "episodes" per season.

 

I always open the season with a big, flashy "premiere" episode which establishes who the bad guy for that season is. The players usually encounter him (or them), and are able to stop the immediate scheme but not capture the bad guys... because that's not going to happen till the climax.

 

Out of the 24 episodes, 14 or so will deal with the main bad guy's story in some way. The players will learn about his plot, will fight his minions and flunkies, and become prepared to stop the villain that they could *not* fully stop in the premiere. All of this culminates in a big, flashy "finale" episode where the players finally get to put a stop to the big bad guy.

 

The other 10 or so episodes deal with other things, and are my "break" episodes. I bring in other villains, have fun with DNPCs and Hunteds, and so on. I usually lay the groundwork in these break episodes for the next season.

 

Anyway, whether they are "primary" episodes or break episodes, I usually have two different sorts of story: ensemble, which features everybody, and focus, in which the storyline is concentrated on one or two characters (for example, the main villain might kidnap one of the focus character's DNPCs, and the group gets to not only rescue the DNPC, but they get to explore the focus character's relationship with the DNPC, his/her feelings for the DNPC, and so on.

 

Its a pretty easy system to learn, and I and my players have gained a great deal of satisfaction from it.

[Nato]

Just "bookmarking" this thread so I can get the updates and remember to check out all the good tips. Cool thread.

[Fitz]

#1 GM Tip Of All Time:

 

Don't be afraid to ignore the dice. Sometimes the Bad Guys NEED to win to advance the plot; sometimes a player who's had a really shitty run of luck NEEDS to have something go right so that the evening isn't a complete downer. No crucial plot decision should be left to chance (unless chance gives you the answer you want).

 

The job of the GM is to entertain (and challenge) the players. The job of the players is to entertain (and challenge) the GM. Then everyone has a good time.

[Aroooo]

Planning

 

I tend to plan very little of my adventures. I prefer running 'off the cuff' so to speak. I have a general idea of plot, who the good guys and bad guys are, and what the goal is. But even then, sometimes I even leave the goal up to the players (depending on genre/game).

 

Another tip for new GM's: when creating a new party, especially with players new to role playing or your genre (supers, pulp, sci-fi, etc.) have an initial character building session. Make sure that all the characters have ballanced skill/power sets, and that they compliment each other's abilities. Its not going to be much fun if all the characters are good combat machines, but no one can tail the bad guy's thugs to their hide-out. Make sure everyone has a role to play, and that everyone can feel special and useful to the party.

 

And I second Fitz's tip about the die results.

 

Aroooo

[Yamo]

You don't need stats for everything. Don't be afraid to just throw whatever strikes your fancy at the PCs and make up the numbers as you go along. Whenever you need a value for anything, just make up something reasonable and go with it. The PCs will never know the difference.

[Tech]

Don't forget to go with the flow when a hero or villain is hit with a power that should hurt them because they haven't actually bought the defense, but the hero/villain concept says they shouldn't be. Make a fast ruling rather than stop the game and after the game is over, either think about it or ask the players. Most likely, if you ask the players, they'll agree with your quick decision. Your quick rule may also give the player a new defense to buy so it doesn't happen again.

 

Skills inevitably also go this route. Powers, too.

 

Don't get personally caught up with your villains. If the players defeat them, don't get upset. That leads to the feeling of 'you vs. them'. Instead, commend your players for excellent planning and good roleplaying. This encourages players to play their characters better and think out battles.

 

Don't always try to make sure your villains escape. This can frustrate players. It can also make it seem like every time they defeat someone, they're going to get away anyways so ... let's really pound the villain but good!

[Insaniac99]

Originally posted by Tech

Don't always try to make sure your villains escape. This can frustrate players. It can also make it seem like every time they defeat someone, they're going to get away anyways so ... let's really pound the villain but good!

 

one thing i would like to add to this is don't make the villians always be captured either, if every villian is captured then you either have to create more or let the others break out of prison, and if villians keep breaking out of prison then the heroes MAY start to think that it would be better to take matters in theri own hands, however that may be...

[Al_Beddow]

I agree with leaning towards more "winging it" than "hard planning." My caveat is you should plan out:

 

- Who the vital NPC's are.

- Generally what is going on where.

- A basic timeline so you can keep track of what is happening in different areas at any one time.

 

The idea is to have enough info to cover whatever the players may do, without being overly "ridgid". If you over plan, most of the stuff won't get used and you'll end up getting burned out. If you under plan, then the players go off in a direction you hadn't even thought about, have nothing on, and get to stand there going "umm..." while you think on your feet how to get out of this mess.

[Catacomb]

A flowchart is alwasy a good thing...not an outline, but a flowchart.

[Tech]

Originally posted by Aroooo

I'll tell you about the R2 unit who saved my storyline one day.

 

You haven't told us the storyline yet. Will you tell us?

[SuperPheemy]

Once you have all your scenario preparation completed, go out and buy a notebook. Then use it to jot down all your notes as the game progresses. If a player or character has a particulary keen insight, write it down. If something unexpected develops because of the whims of chance, write it down.

 

Give your locations and minor NPCs names and a phrase or two of detail. Like "Mr. Hong - Ownes Lucky Star restaraunt Downtown. Captain Supreme stiffed him for the bill in his Secret ID to go fight Mechanon during 5/6/03 game."

 

Or. "Jessica Lyon - Went into premature Labor during battle with Pulsar in the 5/6/03 game. Quasar helped Jessica with the birth until the Paramedics arrived. Jessica named kid "Quasar" after her hero."

 

This way, when you are at a loss for a story later on, you can flip back through all your past notes, and have the characters' past make an appearance. Also, your campaign world takes on a level of believability when people and landmarks remain consistient. You can also jot inspirations into the book during "downtime" if you're struck. Interesting names, cool places, maybe the weird drunk who hit you up for change at lunch.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Below is the text of a short article I wrote for an RPG club newsletter a couple of years ago. Several of the examples use D&D-type mechanics, but that's just because that's what most of the people in the club played...the spirit behind them should be readily understood.

 

This is just a cut-n-paste job, so if the formatting turns out funky, please forgive me.

 

-----

 

Gamemastering 101

 

 

Well, we’ve all seen, heard, or read various tips on how to GM or be a better GM, but I didn’t let that fact stop me when I decided to write this. Below are points that are my favorite ways of improving my GMing, as well as those I consider indispensable. I hope they prove to be of some use to you. Now, without further ado:

 

1. Keep An Open Mind

 

This is hands-down the most important of my points, because it applies to so many aspects of gaming. I’ll be mentioning this many times in later points, so I won’t list them all now. Instead of those specifics, let me talk for a moment about generalities.

 

The world is full of opportunities to enhance your gaming; you’ve got to learn to be open to them during day-to-day life and let them bestow their gifts upon you. This may take a while to become automatic, and at first it may seem that the world has deserted you in handing out free inspiration. Be patient; that first time may take a while, but when it hits, it’ll be an epiphany. Once the flash from the lightbulb fades, make sure to write it down at the earliest opportunity so it isn’t lost. After that first time, it becomes easier and more frequent.

 

Maybe a few examples would help illustrate my point. All of these are things that I’ve seen, myself, within the last week here in Columbia:

 

* A group of five people practicing karate moves on the lawn outside of one of the Stephens College buildings.

 

* A man wearing a sleeveless t-shirt riding a bicycle. Both arms were literally covered with tatoos.

 

* A man in a business suit sitting in the park playing bagpipes (and he was good, too!).

 

* A clerk at Wal-Mart whose name tag read "Deena".

 

All of these are tiny little scenes/events, but my "gaming scavenger" latched on to them as things to possibly use later during a game. They could be bits of scenery described during a game, a seed for a minor encounter, or whatever. Learn to let your mind harvest these kinds of offerings that life makes, and you’ll never be at a loss the next time somebody asks you, "Okay, so what does this guy look like, anyway?"

 

 

2. Write It Down

 

I can’t emphasize this one enough, especially because it can be one of my own greatest failings. I’m not really talking about pre-game notes or preparation, either. What I’m talking about are those unplanned people/events that you have to make up on the fly during a gaming session. The reasons are twofold: First, you may want to use that minor NPC again (maybe even in a different game) or you may need to use him again (the PCs decide to go back and talk to him again). Let’s try a Shadowrun-style example. Say, for instance, that during a really late-night shadowrun a member of the party runs out of his favorite-but-hard-to-find ammunition. Desperate, the party casts about until they find a small weapons shop still open. Hoping against hope, they go inside to see if perhaps the owner has any of that ammunition in stock:

 

(You) "In contrast to what you might expect, the shop is well-lit and open, with wide aisles between the locked armorglass cases. None of the cases are more than waist-high on your average human. Some shelves without locked covers are near the back of the store, where the proprietor can keep an eagle eye on them. The man in question is a bit over six feet tall, and while he isn’t musclebound, looks like he works out on a fairly regular basis. Something in his body language says ‘You better not even think about trying something.’ His eyes are narrow and alert as he watches you come in, his heavily tattooed arms crossed in a relaxed-but-ready posture."

 

(Player) "Yeah, the store arrangement is probably so he has a clear field of fire if he needs it; this guy knows what he’s doing. Okay, I walk up to the counter and say, ‘ I’m looking for Max-7A "Cookie-Cutter" rounds with teflon-coated edges. You got any?’ And then I look around casually, trying to give the impression I wouldn’t expect a shop this small to carry anything that specialized; maybe it’ll cut down on the price."

 

(You, rolling dice) "His posture becomes just a touch more casual. ‘Yeah, I got it. But it’s expensive. And it’s cash up front. That’s my policy.’ "

 

(Player) "I gotta remember this place! ‘Okay, there’s "expensive" and there’s "suck blood from a stone." What’s your price?’ "

 

As you can see from the above example, it would be a real good idea to make a couple of quick notes about this shop: where it is, that it’s open late, what the proprietor looks/acts like, and that it carries this unusual ammunition. Also note that I used the glimpse of the guy on the bicycle as "filler" when I needed a description of an NPC that I hadn’t pre-planned. That’s what I meant about taking advantage of the bounty life offers you, if you can learn to pick up on it.

 

My favorite way to keep track of things that happen in-game is a small spiralbound notebook. I usually make hurried scratch-notes on the back page or two, then when the game is over I rewrite them neatly in the front of the book. After all, you’ll be reluctant enough to take a moment to make those notes during game time as-is; there’s no reason to try and be Shakespear at the time! Save the polishing for later; what you’re after in the heat of the moment are a few well-chosen words to spark your memory when you have the time to write out a more complete description.

 

 

3. The Cinematic

 

"Okay, Scott, give us the cinematic!" That’s an oft-repeated phrase from one of my long-time players. What they’re requesting is a movie-scene description of some important piece of the action. Not that I don’t usually do that anyway, but some people get a tad impatient! Even non-climactic moments benefit greatly from a little creative description. Like most of these tips, it may seem like a lot of work at first, but will become easier (almost automatic) over time. Once again, let’s use an example, this time from AD&D:

 

(You) "Okay, you’re facing the three bandits. They are swinging clubs; one has a sword. Your AC is what, 16? No, wait, you’ve got a shield - that makes you AC 17." [rolling dice] "Let’s see, AC 15, AC 10, and AC 16. No hits. What do you do?"

 

Now let’s add "the cinematic", using the same situation and the same results, in the same order:

 

(You) "The bandits have you surrounded; the one in front -- obviously the leader since he’s the only one wearing a helm -- taps his club in his left hand for a moment, an unpleasant smile playing about his lips, before he swings. The bandit to your left follows suit. You can’t see the one that’s more or less behind you, but from that metal-on-leather sound you just heard, he’s probably either drawing a really big knife or a sword." [rolling dice] "The leader brings his club down in a short, brutal, no-nonsense blow aimed at your head, but you manage to intercept his swing with your shield. There is a deafening ‘CLANG!’ as the club rebounds, and a momentarily numbing shock that races through your arm; fortunately, that’s the only damage. The other club-wielding bandit sees that you’ve exposed your side by raising your shield, and takes a half-step forward to take advantage of the opening. That half-step proves to be a mistake, though, as a small stone turns under his foot, causing him to stagger and his swing to go wide - the only thing you feel from his blow is a faint stirring in the air. Suddenly you feel as if you were in a belltower when the noon bell rang; your vision blurs and your ears feel sore. You stumble slightly but catch yourself. It occurs to you, when your head clears a second later, that the bandit behind you tried to behead you but luckily his sword hit your helmet and all you suffer is a headache, though I imagine that doesn’t do much for your mood. What’s your response?"

 

I know which description I’d prefer if I was the player! It hides the mechanics of the game system and gives more of the feeling of seeing/living the adventure to use a bit of colorful description. There’s no need to tell the players how well or how poorly the NPC villains did when attacking them; show them instead! In the above example, it should be clear there was one near miss, one real bad miss, and one that almost - but not quite - succeeded in being a damaging blow.

 

 

4. Bit Players Are People Too

 

A big disappointment for many players, though they may not realize it as such, is the soul-killing sameness that pervades so many game descriptions. How many times have your players walked into a tavern or inn, with a description like: "It’s an ordinary wooden building, just one story. Inside the door is the common room with maybe a dozen patrons; the tavernkeeper is behind the bar at the far side of the room."

 

Pretty generic, huh?

 

You can liven up the game, and give your world more of a three-dee feeling, if you just add a bit of personality to the places and people that your players meet. You don’t have to do it for every single person or place they pass by - if you do that, you’ve got a street map and AAA guidebook, not a role-playing game. Still, a modest amount of detail will let the player’s minds start to fill in more all by themselves, and that benefits everyone.

 

The next time they go to an inn or a tavern, let the signboard be hanging by only one bracket because the other is broken; let there be a large axe wedged so firmly between a couple of the wallboards no one has been able to remove it; or maybe the innkeeper is missing a finger on his right hand. These little details give a "real world" flavor to the game, and will help carry the players into the setting. (Just be prepared for the players to ask the innkeeper why there’s an axe stuck in his wall.)

 

One of the most important things you can do to give your world more depth is to add those details to the minor NPCs the players run into, both those you’ve prepared and those you haven’t. One of the most common things a player will say to a new NPC is "So what’s your name?" Blind panic time, right? Surely a real person would know his name, and you’ve got no earthly idea what it is! There’s only so many times you can blurt out "Bob!" or whatever. This is where a tiny bit of preparation can save the day.

 

Maintain a list of good names to use for such unplanned encounters/questions, and it isn’t hard to prepare. Oh, I know, I know...it’s possible to sit there racking your brain for hours trying to come up with just a few names. Yes, that’s true - if you did the work yourself. Here’s the trick: the next time you rent a movie, watch the credits at the end with notebook and pen at the ready and remote control handy. Ignore the actors - many of them are familiar to people. You’re looking for production assistants, caterers, make-up crew, and so on. You’d be surprised at just how many great names are there, ready for use. Let me give you an example from my own games. I have a Battletech mercenary unit, with six regiments of mechs, tanks, fighters, etc. plus assorted techs, support personnel, and so on. That’s over 800 names, and each one of those people are named. Do you think I sat down and came up with 800+ names all by myself? Nonsense! Movie credits to the rescue! Movie credits are a positive goldmine of names - don’t pass up something delivered to you on a solid gold platter!

 

Once you’ve used a name, cross it off the list. Then note the name, NPC, and place in the game notebook you keep handy while you’re GMing. You are keeping one handy, right?

 

And while a name is one of the most important things, a basic description or noticeable "bit" for minor NPCs helps as well. For example, when a fight is about to begin, many players will ask for a description of their opponent, trying to glean a sliver of useful information about probable skills or toughness from the description. You can use this to your advantage. Consider a Cyberpunk-style game with a PC about to fight a nameless street thug. You describe said thug as carrying himself with extreme self-confidence, and that he’s wearing an old military jacket, with a slightly darker spot on the shoulder where a unit insignia used to be, but it’s been removed. Your players may begin to wonder if perhaps the thug is ex-military, and perhaps they should negotiate instead of drawing weapons. Maybe he is ex-military; maybe he’s just a thug who’s too egotistical for his own good and bought the used jacket at a military surplus store or got it from the Salvation Army. Only you know for sure - let the player sweat a bit. It lends a lot of good tension to the game.

 

5. Master Villains Have Bad Days Too

 

You’ll sometimes hear players complain, "I just can’t roll to save my life tonight!" Bad luck in dice rolling does comes in long streaks like that. Be aware, it can happen to you, too. What I’m about to say may sound like cheating, and perhaps it is...but if everyone goes home happy, what’s the problem?

 

Suppose you’ve been building up the reputation of your master villain for many game sessions; the players have dealt with increasingly more powerful henchmen and hirelings, always looking for that elusive, shadowy figure behind it all. Finally, after a lot of hard work, the reach the showdown with The Man Himself. And he crumples after two or three mediocre blows.

 

That will disappoint many players more than losing a PC!

 

After all, what a let down, right? Your players come in, hyped for an epic battle, and they get a creampuff. Somehow, that really kills the excitement and heroic flavor. But wait! You protest the master villain wasn’t a creampuff...there were just some bad rolls back-to-back at the beginning of the combat, and you can’t cheat the players...right?

 

Wrong. You just did.

 

If you let that happen, you cheat the players worse - far worse - than you do if you are a slave to die rolls at the beginning of the combat. You’ve cheated them out of a hard-won victory, out of the elation of overcoming terrible odds, out of the joy of having survived and saved all of civilization as we know it - or at least the local barony.

 

If you’ve built up the bad guy to be a BAD GUY (or let the PCs get that impression), you’d better not disappoint them. Now, I don’t mean cheating on die rolls such that you "win" and the players "lose" and I don’t think I have to tell you all the flaws with that type of thinking. No, I mean giving the master villain a little edge at the beginning, if he needs it, so the battle is more properly epic. For example, let’s say the first couple of rounds of combat have gone really, really badly for our Master Villain. What can you do to try and salvage the situation?

 

* Guess what! A group of the Master Villain’s elite guards, attracted by the sounds of combat / summoned by the Master Villain shows up! There should probably be about two for each PC and they should be tough but not impossible foes. Those guards they already killed on the way in should do fine...just re-use the stats from those poor unfortunates. As the PCs are disposing of the guards, the Master Villain has a chance to collect himself, cast a healing spell, put up a defensive ward, or whatever (and your dice have a chance to stop this silly bad-luck business before you drop them down the garbage disposal).

 

* The Master Villain just happens to have double the number of Hit Points / Stun Points / whatever that you had originally planned.

 

* The Master Villain is using an improved version of Stoneskin / a more powerful forcefield / a better version of what’s appropriate - at least, better than what’s available to the PCs. The improvements should have a limited duration - say, until the dice start rolling according to a nice smooth curve again.

 

Of course these improvements should evaporate once the dice even themselves out; and a little bad luck near the end of the combat is just fine - after all, the villain is a Bad Guy, right?

 

Taking a few simple steps like these will make your players much happier and more satisfied, and can be done so smoothly and seamlessly they’ll never realize just what (almost) happened. Everybody goes home happy, with the knowledge of a job well done and a victory that is all the more satisfying for being hard-won.

 

 

6. A Leg To Stand On

 

This one is the tip that may seem like the most work for the least reward, but it’s one of those that I maintain is indispensable. Simply put, you’ve got to know why the world is the way it is, even if the players and/or PCs never find out or even know that there is anything to find out.

 

It’s also vital that the underpinnings of your world are consistent. They don’t have to be logical, at least by modern standards, but they must be consistent.

 

GMing without a consistent structure beneath the story world is akin to walking on a tightrope without a net. You may never fall...but if you do, it’s a long way down with a big SPLAT! at the end of it.

 

Over time, if you don’t have some basic notion of Why about the way your world works, little problems and inconsistencies will build up and eventually cause a system crash, with results for your game and gaming group similar to the results for you when your computer goes belly-up. I’ve seen this happen, and it’s NOT a pretty sight.

 

In some ways, this is a much more mechanical part of the game and, generally speaking, the mechanics of the game should be hidden from the players. Eventually, if it becomes important, the PCs may find themselves with the opportunity to peek behind the curtain - and if there’s no visible means of support, the whole game comes crashing down. It may not seem to be as important in a "modern" setting (Cyberpunk, Shadowrun) as it is in a fantasy setting, since we all know "how" the world works, right? Well, maybe you don’t have to create the ground rules for physics and such, but you still need to know the foundations of other things - governments and legal systems, behind-the-scenes secret organizations, Illuminati, and such.

 

Knowing beforehand why things work doesn’t mean you can’t add to it or change the structure later - every world undergoes some revision. Just make sure that changes don’t invalidate what had gone before, because the players depend on what you’ve told them about the world and how it works...and they have a perfect right to do so. If something does violate the ground rules you’ve laid out, make sure you have a good reason for it. A real good reason.

 

I can’t give you a quick-and-easy example of this one, the way I could with some of the other points - world-building is just too complex for that kind of simplification. I guess I’ll just have to ask you to think about the consequences for yourself, and trust me on this one.

 

 

7. Handling The Unexpected

 

Sooner or later, things are going to go disastrously wrong. I’m not talking about the chief villain going down too easy, like I discussed earlier...rather the reverse. Sometimes, through no fault of their own, the PCs end up in too deep with no way out. Perhaps they all had a streak of bad luck with their dice rolling; perhaps your pre-created opponents end up being way more effective than you counted on (the difference between "on paper" and "in play"). It doesn’t happen often, but sooner or later it does...the PCs end up hurt, unconscious, exhausted, out of ammo/spells, or some combination of the above. So what do you do?

 

Well, you can carry things to their logical conclusion and kill the PCs. If they did something monumentally stupid, that may be a valid option. But that’s rarely the case, and usually not the ‘fault’ of every player / PC. If they all walked into it, it may just be bad luck or perhaps a valid but wrong interpretation of a clue presented in play. In those cases, killing all the PCs certainly isn’t justified, and will only frustrate the players. How do you salvage things without making it seem like you’re bending the rules to save the characters? That can be as damaging to player moral as unjust death; after all, there has to be the risk of PC death if there is to be the thrill of victory!

 

A couple of suggestions:

 

* Have the bad guys take them prisoner. They should wake up imprisoned, without their equipment and weapons. Finding a way to escape can be a real challenge, and quite a thrill for a player. It requires inventiveness and daring. Of course, it goes without saying it should be possible for them to escape, but not easy. Once they escape, maybe they can take on the bad guy again...or they may decide to withdraw and make better preparations before taking him on again ("Man! He’s a lot tougher than we thought!"). It can also be a chance for you to insert some interesting NPCs - the villain who comes in to gloat, or a fellow captive. This sort of capture can even be the springboard for a whole new adventure!

 

* Have the bad guys leave them where they are, equipment and all. When the PCs wake up they find a note: "I have defeated you and see that you are no threat to me. Do not interfere in my plans again. Leave, spreading word of my power, and I will let you live." That can be both humbling and infuriating. Usually, it makes the players/characters resolve to come back some day and settle the score. The next time they run up against this guy, or his minions, they may have to do some soul-searching before they can gather the courage to oppose him. This can lead to some really good roleplaying and character angst.

 

Of course there are many other things you can do; the above were just a couple of the possible ways to save the game. A little thought beforehand can prepare you as much as possible for the unexpected, if that’s not an oxymoron.

 

 

8. Become The Character

 

Once more, a disclaimer: I don’t mean you should go off the deep end and believe you are the characters that you, as the GM, are portraying. What I mean is don’t stop to think carefully about every response an NPC makes - it looks artificial and breaks the flow of play. Instead, try saying the first thing that comes to mind...if you let your subconscious help you out, it will sound more natural. Plus, you just may be surprised at what a given NPC will say or do.

 

This also helps the problem of your NPCs all sounding the same. If you give them a little leeway, a chance for some individuality, they come across as more of a real person. For example, if a PC offers to bargain with an intelligent enemy, don’t have them just mindlessly attack - use the "response without thought" technique mentioned above. Maybe they will attack anyway...but maybe not. A tense bargaining session can be just as rewarding and exciting for all as a combat.

 

By the same token, remember that most enemies aren’t unthinking machines that attack until they are hacked to bits, blasted, melted, or whatever else it may occur to the PCs to do with them. Both animals and intelligent beings may break off and flee to save their lives. Intelligent beings may beg for mercy, or offer information in exchange for not being killed. Most reasonable players will be quick to take advantage of this. For those that aren’t, gently point out that experience rewards are usually for defeating opponents, and this sort of defeat counts as surely as killing them.

 

Giving the NPCs a chance to "do their own thing" can be quite rewarding for the GM as well as for the players. Often times you’ll be surprised by what an NPC says or does if you give them the chance, and will only later figure out why they did it. Let your subconscious have a field day - it can be far sneakier than your conscious mind. If you can learn to tap that resource, you’ll never be sorry.

 

 

9. The Magician’s Force

 

Sometimes the players don’t know what to do or where to go next. Perhaps they haven’t figured out the appropriate clue, or there wasn’t a clue and you realize now there should have been. So how do you "direct" the PCs without resorting to GM intervention? Simple: the magician’s force.

 

The magician’s force is a trick stage magicians use to apparently give the audience a choice without really giving them a choice; the outcome is preordained. A small example:

 

A person watches you seal a $1.00 dollar bill into an envelope and a $100.00 dollar bill into a different, apparently identical envelope. You now shuffle the envelopes repeatedly, and tell them that you are going to tear up one envelope, based on their decision. That should get their attention. (Of course, you have some means of telling the envelopes apart.) Laying the two envelopes back down in front of them invite them to choose an envelope.

 

* If they choose the envelope with the $100.00 bill, say "By your choice shall the contents of this envelope be spared!" and rip up the other envelope.

 

* If they choose the envelope with the $1.00 bill, say "As you command, big spender!" and rip up the envelope.

 

Afterwards, invite them to open the remaining envelope. Of course they find the intact $100.00 bill - you arranged it that way, despite inviting them to make a decision. A similar technique can be applied in role-playing games. Say the party comes to a river, and must turn either north or south along it to reach their goal. They have a discussion about it, comparing what they remember of what various NPCs have said that could give them a clue. Finally, after much discussion, they decide to go south. Now, you know their destination is to the north. As long as it’s not absolutely vital it actually be in the north - and usually it won’t be - then let them find it as they travel south. This is a trivial example, but I trust it gets the point across.

 

This point is an important one to me because I once gamed with a GM that, if you didn’t do something he had planned on, killed your character. Period. End of story. In other words, don’t be that guy or you won’t have a gaming group for very long. The magician’s force can help you avoid that problem.

 

10. Keep An Open Mind (Part Deux)

 

This is really a continuation of the first point I made, and again let me state this is in my opinion the single most important point. In this case, the open mind I’m talking about is being open to changing your plans in mid-stream. It doesn’t have to be a big change, mind you, but you’ve got to be open to it if you want to avoid frustrated players who feel they’re being railroaded. The previously-mentioned magician’s force may help you out, but sometimes it’s just not enough. So what do you do?

 

Well, when you plan out any given adventure or encounter, remember there are always three ways to deal with it, or three possible outcomes:

 

1) All the PCs can die.

2) The way you planned as the proper solution

3) Whatever the players come up with that you hadn’t planned on.

 

Of course #1 should be a very rare outcome. The second option will often be exercised, as the players will usually manage to figure out what they’re supposed to do. On those occasions that they don’t, or can’t, keep an open mind. Go with the flow. Appreciate the inventiveness of the players, even if it wrecks some of your carefully-laid plans. After all, no adventure survives contact with the players anyway, because they are so inventive. If you can take delight in an inspired solution, and work with it, you will be as happy about the outcome as your players...even if your bad guys got whomped! After all, you and the players are ultimately on the same side, with the goal of having fun.

 

 

I realize that some of these points are rather nebulous, without hard-and-fast rules; remember, though, any set of role-playing rules are just guidelines to help everyone have a good time and tell an interesting story. These suggestions of mine are the tools I use to further that cause in my own GMing efforts. May they serve you as well.

 

Good gaming,

 

Scott

[Aroooo]

OT Story

 

Originally posted by Tech

You haven't told us the storyline yet. Will you tell us?

 

I was running a published WEG Star Wars game (the title escapes me at the moment). The short version: The players were on a ship transporting medical supplies, and there were some Imperial operatives on board. The story called for the ship and the players to be captured by the Empire. At one point the PCs locked down all the escape pods so the Imperials could not escape. The fight was not going well for the PCs, so they decided to abandon the ship and set the self destruct. They figured if the Rebels could not have it, neither could the Empire. This of course was totally contrary to where the story had to go, but being a good GM, I went with the flow. In the final stages of preparation, one of the players told their R2 unit to "...release the escape pods." They wanted to unlock the pods to escape, but since R2 units can be very literal (it was a relatively new one after all), I took the opportunity to get the game back on track and literally released (launched) them.

 

Just goes to show you how players can hinder or help the GM's story along.

 

Aroooo

[Wormhole]

If it hasn't been said already...

 

Sit down with new players one on one and run them through a training senerio or two before they join your campiagn. Make sure they've got a firm grasp of basic concepts and maybe award a couple points of XP if they do especially well in "basic training."