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new GM asks for help.

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skarl Since: Jun, 2011
#1: Apr 17th 2012 at 11:40:27 AM

So me and my friends are going to try and play a tabletop RPG- something none of us has ever done before. And I am most probably going to be the GM.

[1]...

So I really need tips on GM-ing. I mean, which games are good for beginners, and well... general tips?

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#2: Apr 17th 2012 at 12:15:20 PM

D&D 4e might be a nice place to start. 4e has been specifically designed to be easier to DM, and...well, it's D&D. Every nerd has at least notion of what D&D is about thanks to Pop-Cultural Osmosis.

Here's an important hint for Game Masters: Always make sure that you and your group agree on what kind of game to play. If you want to play a more serious game, having a bunch of loonies doing all kinds of cartoony crazy stuff won't really help.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#3: Apr 17th 2012 at 12:17:55 PM

I have to ask a few questions.

1) How many players are you dealing with?

2) What are your interests? Fantasy? Sci-fi? Modern? Horror? Military?

3) How much are you able/willing to spend? A lot of games require/encourage the purchasing of supplements.

4) What sort of campaign are you into? An open sandbook? Episodic plots? Something else?

5) What level of detail and complexity are you going for? While its best to start out simple a lot of games have advanced rules that might eventually appeal to you.

With all those in mind there are a few general places you can go for help. Once you pick a game the companies usually have intro adventures that might even be free, plus you can check specific forums. Most rulebooks usually have a Game Mastering chapter as well.

[up]Agreed. Make sure you know what your players want (and make sure there is some level of agreement among them) before you start picking games or planning out plots.

edited 17th Apr '12 12:20:04 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
KyleJacobs from DC - Southern efficiency, Northern charm Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
#4: Apr 17th 2012 at 12:58:25 PM

I'd actually recommend that you start with the Legend Game System. For one thing, it's free. For another thing, it's incredibly streamlined, and first time players will thank you for it. As for actually running the game, here's my 2 cents:

  • Get a feel for the group's play style. Are they just interested in hack-and-slash dungeon crawls, or do they want a very character-driven epic adventure? Are they more serious, or more silly and laid-back? It'll take a few sessions to get things right, but hopefully they'll bear with you for that time.
  • Plan ahead. I can't stress this enough. Even if you're just killing a bunch of monsters, always have notes written in advance so that if something happens faster than you were expecting, you know what you need to do.
    • Addendum to the above: if your players meet an important NPC, have a few lines prepared in advance that they can insert into the conversation. This can go a long way towards developing their personalities and making the world as a whole feel more alive.
  • Be ready to improvise. I don't care how many rails you set down, your players will jump them at some point. You'll need to learn to either go with the flow or get them back on track.
  • Let the players feel that everything they do has an impact, even if it means you have to make radical changes. Don't say they can't do something just because it will mean you have to burn every single one of your notes.
  • Make your encounters memorable. Even if it's a hard fight, just walking into a room and killing spiders is boring. A few well-placed pit traps or hazards can make things much more tense - now instead of just dodging monsters, the players have to watch their footing. Clever ones might look to turn the battlefield to their advantage by pushing the spiders into the pits.
  • Put plot hooks everywhere.
  • A good soundtrack can go a long way. I personally recommend Two Steps From Hell, the Gladiator soundtrack, the Blazblue soundtrack, and the Mass Effect 2 soundtrack depending on the mood you're going for. Don't fidget with it, just leave a CD on in the background.
  • Try not to give concrete answers to anything. Example: "You don't see any traps in the hallway" vs. "There are no traps in the hallway." This gives you freedom to change things if necessary and keeps your players on their toes.
  • This last one is very important: Lie through your teeth. You are the GM. At the end of the day, you are the one in charge of everything. Make your rolls behind a screen (and if you don't have one, you can use just about anything that stands up and folds) and if you don't like the results, change them.

EviIPaladin Some Guy Or Something from Middle-Of-Nowhere, NS Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: Noddin' my head like yeah
Some Guy Or Something
#5: Apr 17th 2012 at 6:29:34 PM

[up]This man is a genius. Do everything he says. Also, reward characters for kissing your ass.

Jokes aside, I am in complete agreement with Kyle. Legend is a wonderful system and, while it gives a great deal of choice in character creation, it doesn't drown the players in feats, skills, equipment, etc. Shadowrun is a big offender in this case.

Other than that, I guess I can say a few things from my VERY limited history as a GM.

  • While it might take a bit of effort, try and make your NP Cs interesting. It might take a bit of effort to give something that differentiates them from their collegues, but it is always nice to hear your players discuss the NP Cs later, whether it is out of respect of the character, hatred of their attitude, etc.
  • Don't let your players get complacent. Whether it is through plot or battles, make it clear that your players will not be able to crush anything they want under their thumbs. This can be in the form of a plot twist (ie. 'bad' guy was actually on their side, they get framed for murder, etc.) or a big scary ass monster that, even if it doesn't kill them, at least makes them frightened that they might get killed.
  • Try and not dump the entirity of the plot out in the open. I happen to love large twisty plots so this might just be me yammering here, but being a player and finally realizing how everything slots into place can be a harrowing and humbling moment.
  • Roll d20s as when nothing is happening. It scares the players shitless and is a great deal of fun. You can make up a table for it if you'd like, but if you have a way of hiding your rolls, they will be none the wiser. This unknown factor is terrifying, especially to control freaks who feel like they are slowly losing all control of the situation.
  • As the GM, you are the rules. Because at the end of the day, as the GM, you decide the rules. This should be used to foster creativity. Player suggests something that, while awesome, doesn't quite work with the rules? Allow it as long as it doesn't break the game*.

That's about all I got. Take with a grain of salt as everyone plays and G Ms for different reasons and they all have different styles. You'll find your's eventually as well as the people you are playing with.

Oh yeah, forgot the most important piece of advice/rule of G Ming.

  • Have fun. Not just you, but the players as well. That is what this is about so don't let anything come between it and you and your players.

"Evii is right though" -Saturn "I didn't know you were a bitch Evii." -Lior Val
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#6: Apr 17th 2012 at 7:04:03 PM

Another thing: Don't go out of your way to negate your players' abilities. They spent experience/skill points/feats on them and you are basically crippling them if you just strip them of these advantages unfairly.

You should also communicate with your players about the style of the campaign; that way a diplomatic type character doesn't end up rendered useless when you suddenly spring a combat heavy campaign on them.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Picheleiro Engrish scholar Since: Feb, 2012
Engrish scholar
#7: Apr 18th 2012 at 6:18:14 AM

Details. Lot of details. This is very important, specially in NPC. Common expressions. Hobbies. Political orientations and beliefs. Prefer food and stuff. It´s easy to do in a improvisation and give life to your world.

Doryna Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#8: Apr 18th 2012 at 7:43:59 PM

If you need help with aforementioned details, SeventhSanctum.com is a fantastic place to get last-minute names, characters, weapons, etc. That way, you don't have to go, "The guard is a mighty figure, obviously one of the best warriors at the palace." "What's his name?" "They call me...Bob. Bob Bob McBob."

(Yeah, that one happened to me.)

Other than that, be flexible. Be prepared, but don't over-prepare stuff. Your campaign is going to go off the rails at some point; you just have to be creative in getting it back on. And don't be afraid to use the book. Have a couple of monsters in mind you've chosen from the book for a sudden encounter you didn't plan, or borrow a set of stats from the book and slap a new name on it to make an NPC you suddenly needed.

And have fun. That's the most important part.

edited 18th Apr '12 7:44:25 PM by Doryna

drunkscriblerian Street Writing Man from Castle Geekhaven Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: In season
Street Writing Man
#9: Apr 18th 2012 at 11:28:35 PM

Others have commented on the big stuff, here are a few minor yet important things...

  • Show up on time. If you don't, your players won't.
  • Have all the shit you need, and have it handy. Dice, pencils (no GM can ever carry enough pencils), scratch paper, rule books and blank character sheets.
  • Know the rules. I don't mean memorize the rulebook, I mean read the thing until you understand the concepts that drive it...so you can improvise when (not if) your players do something the rulebook doesn't anticipate.
  • Get character concepts before you do any heavy plotting. Give them something vague to work with (so that you don't end up with massively dissimilar concepts) and see what they give you. Then craft a plot with their ideas in mind.
  • Never say "I don't know". The GM always knows what to do, even when they don't.
  • If a player points out a plot-hole or inconsistency in the story, don't deny its existence. Instead, say "Yeah, that is strange" and smile inscrutably. That way, you give them the idea that it was intentional, which will give you time to think of how you can make it all work out.
  • Be polite. Whatever else players may be or do, they are your friends. Remember to treat them as such.
  • Give them time to breathe. While they're doing it, you're doing it. Which leads me to...
  • While the characters are sitting around trying to figure out "what's going on" and "what to do next", listen. The things they're saying aren't just theories; they're subtle indicators of what that player would like to see happen.

If I were to write some of the strange things that come under my eyes they would not be believed. ~Cora M. Strayer~
BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#10: Apr 20th 2012 at 2:31:21 AM

[up] Or equally indications of what they don't want to see. Usually, you can tell the difference.

Some of my advice:

  • If it takes more than 60 seconds to look up in a rulebook, then wing it.
  • Be prepared to improvise. A good gaming group will almost always come up with something you didn't anticipate.
  • In the same vein, foro any planned scenario, have more than one solution. Depending on the game, of course, but usually have in mind at least combat/diplomacy/stealth ways to accomplish the same suggestion. If you want to try and pull your group towards a particular method of reaching their goal, put in positive rewards for doing so - negative punishments for taking the "wrong" path just tend to result in pissed-off players.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
GreatGodPan Gimmie the sit-rep. from The Woods. Where else? Since: Jan, 2011
Gimmie the sit-rep.
#11: Apr 20th 2012 at 4:43:54 AM

I'm fairly new to the D Ming scene myself. I just finished my first session last week, and have another coming up this Saturday. I'm probably not the best person to ask, though I try to make sure everyone in my group has a little bit to contribute. Like the Newbie really enjoys roleplaying and character arcs, the Previous DM, who ran our Deadlands and Dark Heresy games, though didn't really have any experience with Dn D, really liked thinking out of the box and breaking character archtypes, while the vets, who more or less knew the odds-and-ends of everything, liked exploring the world. I usually engineer situations that caters to all their likes.

Spooky.
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