THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF THE GAMESMASTERBy Doug "Wraith" Lochery dl_wraith @ hotmail.com
Thinking of gamesmastering? Are you already a GM but
struggling to run a game effectively? There are several
principles that all GMs should adhere to in order to run
an effective and fun game. These "commandments" are not
absolute rules, but guidelines that any GM should aspire to
for keeping his game on track. A lot of these commandments
are common sense, but even experienced GMs need a little
reminding once in a while...
1. Thou Shalt Create====================
GMs must create...what? Everything, of course! In case it
passed you by, the job of the GM is to weave some sort of
story that the players participate in and interact with.
Why must a GM create?
Because without any creation the game will break down. What
was that? You don't have to create because you use a
published game setting and adventure? GMs have to improvise
along the way all the time because no published supplement
can cover all the bases and players have a habit of doing
the opposite of what's written in the book.
I've never witnessed a game yet that the GM didn't have to
create anything for. To see what I mean, over the course of
a typical game session a GM has to create:
* Interest for the players
* Atmosphere for the game
* A locale for the player's characters to exist in
* A storyplotdirection
* Creaturespeople for the characters to interact with
* Create personalities for those creaturespeople
* Responses to the players' actions.
Phew! That's a lot of creation. Not all of these things need
creating all of the time though, but you get the idea. Other
than the usual in-game creation, GMs also have to create
mundane things to do with the nuts and bolts side of the
game.
* Spell rosters
* Reward tables
* Equipment lists
* Character sheets
* Adventure notes
It's a lot of work. I suppose this commandment could also be
entitled, "Thou Shall Not Be Work-Shy". So, why do we do it?
Because it's satisfying and, for the large part, fun (see
Commandment 10). There's nothing quite like having all your
friends immersed in an imaginary world of your creation all
having fun along with you. As a social exercise, it's akin
to watching your children gleefully explore a new and
completely safe planet.
Believe me, when your players turn
to you with wide smiles after a game and ask, "When do we
play again?" all the hard work creating will be worth it.You've just got to believe in that as you slog your guts out
creating.
2. Thou Shalt Be Prepared=========================
Be prepared--a good credo for anything in life and
gamesmastering is no exception. A good GM knows the value of
good preparation. When running a session for your players
make sure that you have the required game content ready.
For example:
* Maps
* Charts
* Books
* Notes
* Dice
* Tables
* Stationery
* Drinks
* Food
* Bribes
This will save you a lot of time and effort during play. No
player likes to have the game suspended for half an hour
while the GM looks up a disputed rule. And no GM likes to
pause his game while the players all run off to the fridge
for snacks.
In addition to this physical preparation, a GM needs to be
mentally prepared. Do you know there's a good chance you'll
need a special rule during play next game? Then mentally
prepare by memorising the rule. Is there some interaction
with NPCs coming up? Mentally prepare--review their
personality, goals, intentions.
Do you know the date of your next game session? Mentally
prepare--review your game notes and look forward to it.
So
many games crash and burn due to GMs running games when
tired, stressed, or preoccupied. Don't let it be yours. If
you are tired, don't worry, postpone the game or play
something else (cards, scrabble, wargames etc.). Your
players will thank you for it in the end.
A last note on preparation. As publishers and users of pre-
published games accessories already know, you can't prepare
for everything that the players might do. So don't try. If
the players go off on a complete tangent to the material you
have prepared, don't worry! You can always go back to
Commandment 1. And if you're good at "winging it", your
players will never know that they threw you a curve-ball.
3. Thou Shalt Be Glib Of Tongue And Quick Of Thought====================================================
Too often GMs rely solely on their notes. When the players
do something they haven't prepared for they just break down
in confusion for a few minutes while they figure out what to
do next. There is one universal fact that applies to any RPG
player on the planet:
Players will always do the very things you don't want them
to do.So what can you do? Improvise. Wing-it. Go with the flow.
There are no rules to this, but remember to take notes as
you go and always heed Commandments 5 and 6. Using your
wits, any situation can be dealt with and any adventure can
be put back on track.
When your players do the unexpected and go the wrong way,
you have two approaches to use so that your game gets back
on track.
1) Improvise a way to get the players to naturally select
the path you want them on.
2) Abandon your notes and improvise the adventure.
Both these approaches have pitfalls and benefits; the trick
to using them successfully is being comfortable with what
you're doing. If you opt to use option a), you must be
careful to still allow the players freedom of decision. You
must not force them to do what you want because that defeats
the object of the game. Let them go where they want and do
what they want.
Instead of forcing their decisions, change the adventure a
little to fit their new actions. That way they still call
the shots and you haven't wasted the adventure. There are
many ways of doing this successfully, but that is outside
the scope of this article.
If you opt for option
, be sure to continually make notes
so that you can integrate the party's unexpected actions
into the campaign. By making their new actions part of the
campaign, the players will be sufficiently fooled into
thinking that it was all planned in the first place and the
fun will continue.
Commandment 3 is not just for when the party does the
unexpected. You'll find yourself needing Commandment 3
whenever you roleplay conversations, NPC actions, and combat
scenarios. If the players ask the Duke a question you hadn't
planned for you have to think on your feet. If the players
use a sneaky tactic in battle that you hadn't counted on you
have to think on your feet.
All of this is Commandment 3's territory and it's advisable
that you begin to practise the skills required of this
commandment. Plan less in your games and improvise more to
give yourself practise at this and believe in your own
ability. This isn't as hard as you might think. As long as
you display confidence and don't let your players know that
you're improvising, the game will go quite smoothly.
4. Thou Shalt Bend, Break And Ignore The Rules When
Needs Arise===================================================
Rules. They permeate any RPG. GMs are told that they must
obey the rules and that players must play by them. This is a
myth.
As a GM, you are both custodian of the rules (refer to
Commandment 5)
and master over them (refer to Commandment 8).
Just as players must listen to you and yield to your
authority, so must the rules. What do I mean? The rules to
your RPG are made to give a fair and consistent mechanic by
which the game can function. The RPG is meant to be a fun
pastime for all involved. If those rules are causing the
game to be less fun, then as GM you have a right and a
responsibility to axe those rules or change them to suit. If
you doubt that you should refer to Commandment 10.
There is another reason connected to the first why you
should use Commandment 4. If some rule or other is getting
in the way of the plot (and therefore, the flow and fun of
the game), as a GM you have the power to temporarily 'bend'
the rules to accommodate your schemes. BEWARE! Your players
can consider this use of your power unfair, so you must use
Commandment 3 when questioned and always bear in mind
Commandments 5 and 6.
5. Thou Shalt Be A Fair And Impartial Judge===========================================
Don't worry. You needn't wear a floppy white wig for this
one. As a GM, you are in charge of the game. This position
brings with it many powers that you could abuse to get your
own way (especially of the Commandment 4 variety).
In order for the game to work effectively, though, you
must not abuse that power. GMs must always be fair. It is
your job to arbitrate proceedings and
make judgements based
on logic, common sense, and the rules of the game so that
actions can be resolved and play can continue uninterrupted.
Sometimes, you have to employ Commandments 1 and 4 during
your arbitration, but that's fine. The purpose of your
arbitration is so that the game can develop according to the
actions and re-actions of the players and provide fun for
everyone. In accordance with this commandment there are two
sentences that all gamesmasters must remember:
1) Gamesmasters are not trying to beat the players.
2) Players are not the enemy.
Here's where the impartial bit comes in. For your games to
be fun the players have to feel like their actions influence
proceedings. If you aren't impartial in the way you deal
with the proceedings of the game, your players will feel
like you are 'out to get them' or 'unfair' and will stop
playing. Avoid this by being fair with them.
6. Thou Shalt Be Consistent===========================
There are two ways that a GM has to be consistent.
The first way is to run fun and interesting games. Failing
to do this will result in high rates of player absenteeism.
A way of becoming consistently fun is to heed the 10
gamesmastering Commandments, especially Commandment 7.
The second way is how a GM resolves actions and rules calls.
For example, if a GM is running a combat scene and he rules
that on a roll of a 1 the character breaks his weapon but
then rolls a 1 for an NPC and ignores the weapon break
ruling, he breaks both commandments 5 and 6. He is neither
fair, nor consistent.
Other examples:
* The GM asks one player to roll initiative but lets another
get it automatically.
* The GM roleplays his NPC with a lisp one week but does
away with it the next.
* An adventuring character with no change of clothing is
wearing green one game but red the next.
* The characters can find herbs easily in the woods one
session but are told that the herbs don't grow in the woods
the next.
A GM should be consistent with his rules and details to
promote a feeling of fairness and to suspend disbelief. Make
notes when you're forced off the beaten track and deal with
rules in a manner befitting Commandment 5. Players notice
details, so if you include quirks and strange details in
people or places one time, be sure to include them next
time.
7. Thou Shalt Listen To Thy Players===================================
RPGs are about fun and each person has a different idea
about what fun is. To find out what's fun for your players
listen to them. Ask them questions, watch their mood during
different parts of the game, listen to complaints, and keep
communicating with them. In this way you will find out what
they expect and what is fun for them. Once you know what
your players want you can put that into the games. Players
will not come to your game if they don't have fun so it is
important to cater to them. Remember that no player's ideas
are more or less important than another's. Listen well to
them and keep them happy.
8. Thou Shalt Stamp Thy Authority On Thine Own Game===================================================
This commandment might sound harsh or unnecessary, but you
will come across players who will argue with you, try to
bend and break the rules, be rowdy, pick on or annoy other
players, and generally do as they please. While allowing the
players freedom within the game is your responsibly, you do
not (and indeed, must not) need to let them hijack the rules
or the game session.
When running a game, you have authority to referee player
relations and behavior. Unruly players ruin the game for
others and you do not have to allow nuisance players in your
game. If you accept your authority and responsibility, your
confidence will be higher and 'misbehaving' players won't be
as difficult to handle.
If you find that you're unable to put your foot down, the game
itself will become bogged down by disagreements and
arguments. Using your GM's authority can put a game back on
track after a little silliness or dispute. If things aren't
going anywhere during a game for whatever reason, the
players usually see it as the GM's fault. Don't become a
scapegoat for player failings--put your foot down and get on
with the game.
A quick note about Commandment 8. If players are disputing a
rules call with you, always employ Commandment 7 BEFORE you
consider using Commandment 8. Sometimes the players ARE
right.
9. Thou Shall Involve Thy Players=================================
You can't have a game without player input. You should try
never to forget that. Most GMs write adventuresscenarios
for their games. Some GMs improvise everything. Whichever
way you play, make sure to involve the players. I'm not just
talking about letting them make decisions for the
character's actions ("Which way do you want to go?",
"Left"), I'm talking about
giving them a place in the game
and making them feel like part of the adventure rather than
just a participant.Games can become stale when players feel they aren't part of
them and players will lose interest. Because players are as
important to the game as you are, cater to them. Making
players feel fully involved with and integrated into a game
can be difficult, but there are a few simple tricks that
help.
a) Ask the players to provide a background for their
characters. Make sure you use that background for adventure
hooks, PC information, and locations for them to visit.
Talk to the players 'in-character' during encounters and
ask them do the same whenever possible. To encourage this,
give bonuses for good roleplaying.
c) Make a habit of giving players semi-useless information
and history about the areas that they live, work, and
adventure in. Telling the players that the Great Charge of
Drake's Cavalry took place on a field near Yarsbury may only
be flavour to you, but is a small window into a much larger
world for the players.
d) Occasionally ask players to physically act out actions that
their characters are performing. Get them up and make them
pick the front door lock with a paper clip, pick up the bowl
and simultaneously replace it with the lamp to avoid the
pressure switch, hide behind the door and grab the person
coming in, or any number of other actions that characters
perform. Disputed combat manoeuvres are especially suited to
this tactic and everyone will get a good laugh.
e) Give the characters responsibilities, jobs, or property
in the game-world; and occasionally threaten to upset the
responsibility, sack the character, and attack the property.
You could even make the players earn such things first
through some form of adventuring. Making the players think
about their character as having a 'normal life' as well as
their adventuring one makes them think harder and get more
involved with their characters.
f) Let the players submit ideas on game rules, locations,
races, and so on, and use their ideas. It gives you great
pleasure to create and your players are no different.
Letting a player encounter a tribe of HeebieJeebies that he
created is a sure way to make the player feel like he is a
part of the game.
There are numerous other ways to make players feel more
involved, but these are six of the best. However you choose
to do it though, involve your players at every step whenever
you can. It will increase everyone's fun and make the game
more memorable.
10. Thou Shalt Have Fun=======================
With all the work a GM does to make a game happen, this last
commandment is often forgotten. The game that you labour so
hard to run is not supposed to be a chore, nor is it
supposed to be just a habit.
The hobby of RPGing is supposed
to be fun. If you aren't having fun, then it's time to stop
roleplaying and try something else.
The other Commandments are tied to this one. Having fun is
the most important aim to any RPG. If you heed Commandment
10, living by the others becomes easier and the game itself
becomes a memorable experience for the GM and the players.
NEVER forget commandment 10. As soon as you do, your calling
becomes a ball and chain that burdens you and your skills at
the art of gamesmastering will suffer.
* * *
So here we are at the end of the litany of gamesmasters'
Commandments. Heed what you have taken the time to read
today and you shall be remembered by your players as being
one of a most elevated class of people:
A True Gamesmaster.And there's no higher accolade than the respect of those you
play with.
