CRB is a repository of all the creative things that float through my mind about the RPG Pathfinder. Two major features are random character generation and building characters based on the god they worship. Anything that seems like it adds to the creative aspects of the game will pop up from time to time, including location descriptions, adventure ideas and even short stories. CRB won't just be my own creativity, it will open the floor to anyone who has an idea sparked by what I present to you.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Tips for the Novice Game Master - Guest Article

I’m on vacation this week so I thought I’d let another voice grace the pages of the CRB. Today’s article contains some thoughts to share with a novice GM that come from a man who has run many games for me; a friend since high school, a great gamer, and a fellow writer. Without further ado I give you the words of V. Peter Collins:

TIPS FOR THE NOVICE GAME MASTER

by V. Peter Collins

“The essence of a role-playing game is that it is a group, cooperative experience.” – Gary Gygax

So says the heralded father of roleplaying. That group experience  is typically divided into two very specific, well, roles: the players, they who inhabit the heroes within the game’s story, and the game master – known as Dungeon Master, Storyteller, and half a dozen other game-specific monikers – whose job it is to provide the foundation on which this group experience is built. There are arguments for and against the GM being the more important of the two jobs, but one thing is for certain, it’s the one that requires the most diverse set of skills to pull off successfully. This can make the learning curve pretty steep for some. What follows are seven tips to give the first time or novice GM a leg up, and maybe help an experienced ‘master improve their bag of tricks.

1 – Full Frontal Background
           The first stage in playing an RPG is deciding what to play, which includes what system to use, such as Pathfinder, D&D, GURPS, or any of the multitudes of gaming systems out there. This can be the GM’s choice alone, or a decision made by the entire group. Once it’s time to create characters, it is essential that the game master inform the players of the specifics of the story environment in which they will be playing. Are there any house rules? Are there going to be special exclusions or inclusions of any of the major components? Is there going to be an augmentation to something previously established? Which source books are allowed and which aren’t?

           It’s easy to tell a group “We’re playing Pathfinder, using Lands of Conflict” and let them set off to make characters. But what if you decided to incorporate aspects of other campaign settings, such as Aquatic Adventures? The players will need to know that or you might end up tossing a group of land-lubbing adventurers into the middle of an ocean battle that neither players nor characters are prepared for. Or, if you decide that Elves were nearly extinct, that information would be critical for anyone wanting to play an elf or a character whose background is tightly interwoven into elven culture.

           An additional consideration is letting players know what sort of characters other players have made. This is optional, certainly, but can come into play if two players have made nearly identical characters. It can also come into play if have built backgrounds that are diametrically opposed, creating in-game tension that can potentially do more harm than good.

2 – “No” Is Not A Dirty Word
           Before there is a party and players become invested in the wellbeing of other characters, all players are out for themselves. This isn’t a bad thing; strong focus by a player during character generation can lead to truly excellent characters. However, sometimes players want something for their characters than can cause an issue with the ‘Master’s overarching plan, doesn’t fit the feel or genre of the game (such as a light sabre in a high-fantasy game), or the player is a classic Min-Maxer, trying to milk every loophole and reinterpret rules to grant their character an advantage that can jeopardize game balance. Sometimes, the GM has to simply say ‘no’.

           While it is important to help players make characters that they are happy to play, it’s ultimately more important to service the campaign as a whole. I once ran a Mutants & Mastermind game in an sci-fi/space setting with a player whose character could duplicate himself with a mental link between each duplicate and also teleport vast distances. This very quickly led to a scenario where the character was literally in all game-related places at once, upsetting the balance of the game so that all of the other characters became unwitting support for this one character. The players eventually complained that they all felt bored and unnecessary in the game. Even though the rules technically allowed for this, I should have imposed some sort of restriction on this particular concert of abilities in order to retain game balance, which would have allowed for a more positive experience for the rest of the players. This directly ties into point 7 coming up.

           On the other side, try not to squelch the imagination of your players too hard. There is a balance to be struck, a line where you have to decide if a player’s desires during character generation will serve the one character at the expense of the other players, or the story itself.

3 – Know Your PCs

           A typical Game Master spends a great deal of focus on the story being told and the non-player characters involved in the telling. One classic oversight, however, is not being fully cognizant of the player characters and the full extent of their abilities. A rogue with a significant Charisma bonus against minotaurs, for example, will change the way your players react to a minotaur encounter, which can change the experience from what the game master intended. Conversely, not being aware that a paladin is acutely weak against druidic magic can put that paladin in an unfair disadvantage and diminish that player’s enjoyment of the game should they find themselves alone against some ne’er-do-well druids.

           On the other side of it, some players will try to get away with using skills, abilities, and the like that simply do not appear on their character sheet. Sometimes this happens by accident, such as if a player conflates two separate characters of theirs, and sometimes it’s a conscious choice of a player trying to gain an unfair advantage.

           The best way to avoid these types of situations is to review your player character’s sheets prior to each session. Also, take copious notes as the campaign progress. This awareness on the part of the game master can be critical for everyone’s enjoyment of the game.

4 – Flexibility
           The game master’s story, be it a pre-written module or one hand crafted by the GM, is the driving force for any given RPG session and campaign. That doesn’t mean players will stay on the page. In fact, it is a frequent occurrence that the tighter a game is plotted, the more divergent the players can take things. Unless you’re a mind-reader, have a PhD in psychology, or have some other means of predicting your player’s choices 100% of the time, it’s imperative for the game master to be mentally prepared for the eventuality that the players will take the game off the page.

           This was perhaps the first lesson I learned as a fledgling Game Master. For the very first game I ran, I wrote a highly detailed story and series of interactions that were going to lead the players through a mystery and into an exciting confrontation with the antagonists. The game never made it to the second paragraph. Once they party had formed, they decided to go in a completely different direction from what I had planned yet was completely legitimate within the bounds of the game and the story. I spent the rest of that session ad-libbing.

           Ask any seasoned role player or game master and they will tell you stories of how modules – pre-written and GM-created – were played out of sequence, sections bypassed, and whole chains of events mangled because the players fell on a play that simply bypassed what was anticipated.

           Another example of this is puzzle-solving. Just because there is a dungeon with a single door in and out doesn’t mean the players are going to go through it. If the alchemist of the party uses acid on the hinges, bypassing the trap on the lock all together, or the party decides they’d rather dig a tunnel beneath or around the door, just roll with it. This sort of spontaneity can often lead to exciting moments enjoyed by players and game masters alike.

5 – Respect The Dice
           This is an offshoot of point 4 above. If you’re playing a game that uses dice (and there are quite a few that don’t), then both the GM and players have made an agreement to respect the outcomes dictated by the rolls of those dice. This includes quick and final defeats of major antagonists like a dungeon boss (frequently to the GM’s anguish), or character death. Dice will change, break, or create pathways during a game just as readily as any player’s decision, and with a suddenness and unpredictability that is often shocking. These can lead to great moments – like rolling a critical success when attempting to save the life of another character, or moments of tragedy – like rolling a critical failure on a reflex save when you’re down to your last hit point and need to avoid an explosion. These types of moments are remembered and talked about long after the campaign is over, and are, as often as possible, best left to play out organically.

6 – Player As GM
           If you’re an experienced player and are trying your hand at sitting at the proverbial head of the table, one easy guideline is to remember the negative experiences you’ve had that were caused by poor choices of a game master, and choosing to avoid making those choices. Everyone’s metaphorical mileage will vary, but ultimately your insights as a player will give you a strong base from which to learn the craft of game mastering.

7 – It’s Just A Game
           At the end of the day, the goal of gathering with a small cadre of people over food, drinks, and character sheets is to have fun and enjoy the day and each other’s company.

           Game Masters can become deeply invested in their stories and NPC’s. Players can become emotionally attached to their own characters as well as other PCs and non-player characters alike, especially deep into a years long campaign. Interpersonal situations outside of the game can shape how players role play character interactions. Disagreements over rule judgements can – and will – occur. These all have the potential for creating truly intense moments.  If it’s clear that everyone involved in a gaming session - or more importantly a campaign - is not enjoying themselves, then it might be time to reevaluate things.

           Relax, enjoy yourself, the company, and have fun.

-----

Usually I give my spiel here about contributing to my patreon and what not but these words are not mine so we’ll skip that. Mr. Collins doesn’t have any current work for me to pimp but you can find him on twitter. You can also find the CRB on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.


No comments:

Post a Comment