Recruiting GMs from amongst the players

[Indivar]

So here is a situation which we in our local chapter are trying to figure out. We have 2 tables a week, and about 5 gms. We get 10 - 14 attendees to our games, and its fun, but for us gms types, it can become a chore. Some of us gm 2-4 sessions a month, we can sometimes get 2 super crowded tables of 6-7, when we could get a 3rd table to thin the ranks if we had another gm. Over all, having a willing 'staff' of 8-9 would really be a better deal and provide a better experience for all involved. Gming 1 time a month would be optimal.

How do we handle this? We have considered our roster of players, and could possibly get 2-4 to gm, but it seems it would take some enticement. What have other societies done in this situation?

DO we try some reward system? If so what? Do we get draconic and start running 1 table a week, with gm priority?

[Mortifier]

I had the same problem when hosting a weekly game, I was lucky to get a small group of dedicated GM's (one of which went on to become the first VL of LA.)

One thing I never did do, and should have, was to start or end the session with a straight up honest question to my players. "Can any of you GM in the near future? We would like a break." I think I would have got a few bites.

Not sure if your hosting at a game store, but what a local game store does for game days is to have a small fee for players to sit at the table (a dollar per player) and the GM gets store credit at the end. It was a pretty cool.

[Jiggy]

About a year and a half ago, my local store coordinator handed me a printed scenario and said "The other GM cancelled at the last minute. Can you run this?"

Now I'm creeping up on my second star.

As Painlord will tell you, ask people individually; don't throw out a blanket request that people can ignore.

[Bbauzh ap Aghauzh]

Jiggy wrote:

About a year and a half ago, my local store coordinator handed me a printed scenario and said "The other GM cancelled at the last minute. Can you run this?"

Now I'm creeping up on my second star.

As Painlord will tell you, ask people individually; don't throw out a blanket request that people can ignore.

This, so very much this.

I can count at least 3 GM’s that stepped up to help because I personally asked them to, rather than waited for them to volunteer on a blanket request.

Now I just have to figure out how to find people who will be willing to step up as a game day coordinator, as we the three V-O’s in Minnesota are getting spread pretty thin between all the game days we have going on.

[Sarta]

I'd add to that:

Don't just ask folks individually to run a game. Instead, ask them to commit to running one game a month. If you play on Tuesdays, ask a good player if they can GM the first Tuesday of every month. Line up four regular GM's and scheduling games becomes much easier.

The folks who run every week are amazing. However, they can also be a weakness for a gaming program. They spoil the other players. They are also only human and may become burnt out or resentful if running without break. Should they suddenly stop, the program is jeopardized.

If you line up enough occasional, but regular GM's, your entire program becomes much more secure (and enjoyable for the GM's).

Pay attention to which scenarios are good for brand new judges to run. Hold off on scheduling those scenarios until you line up a first time judge. Convince them that they are amongst friends, who will be grateful to play and help out. PFS is a wonderful opportunity to learn to GM.

[Matthew Morris]

Another option I beleive is to 'audit' a game. Take a scenario you know well, grab an iconic if need be, and play. Let the new GM run, and let him ask for help if need be. (Don't offer unsolicited, you might make him uncomfortable.)

Afterwards, make sure you both have time so he can ask questions and you can comment away from the group. Praise his good moments and gently critique mistakes. Make him feel he did a good job (assuming he did, of course).

@Will, for the GM every week crowd, I know I worry about my (mental) health. And I like to GM. (funny voices for the win!)

So, besides first steps, what would people consider 'training wheel' GM scenarios? I'll nominate the Devil We Know series.

[Fromper]

Matthew Morris wrote:

So, besides first steps, what would people consider 'training wheel' GM scenarios? I'll nominate the Devil We Know series.

Definitely First Steps, but I don't agree about Devil We Know. It's not ultra complicated, but it does have enough variety to require some prep work from the GM. Also, being a four parter, the GM might want to do all four parts, which is a big commitment for a newbie GM.

We Be Goblins is a great choice for newbie GMs. Infernal Vault is a simple dungeon crawl. Assault on the Kingdom of the Impossible is fun and easy to run.

Generally, low levels are easier than high levels to run, and older seasons tended to have simpler scenarios that some of the newer stuff. And stuff with mostly humanoid enemies will be easier than lots of monsters with a variety of powers.

[Brian Darnell]

Mortifier wrote:

I had the same problem when hosting a weekly game, I was lucky to get a small group of dedicated GM's (one of which went on to become the first VL of LA.)

That was me! I miss you Mort, hopefully we can get Kingmaker going again soon!

[Draco Bahamut]

I never thought of round robin table, good idea. I am the only regular GM of my region, but i ll try to make a 0 season flashback one time a mounth to incentivate new GMs.

[Lady Ophelia]

I am adding on a chime in for Indivar's master post: (Since Indivar and I are tackling this problem head on in our area)

One of the other problems we have, is that we have quite a good number of GM's who are also available, but they are not available to GM on our main game night which is Wed. They are available on Tues/Thurs or Friday, but when Wed night rolls around which works for our players, it doesn't for our GM's, which causes some of our problems. Now our store is cool with us GMing whenever so I'm all open to games, but how do we meet the needs of our scheduled play, and our "un-scheduled" play?

[Matthew Morris]

Wanted to follow up on my experience.

Played last night. Citadel of the flame. First time GM. I told him up front I'd run it before, and was now playing. Also told him I'd be hanging back as a result, and that if he felt I was metagaming he was within his rights to deny me a chonicle.

A couple times I helped by looking up rules and clarifying things. I also made it clear, "Tell me when I cross the line from helping to being an ass." There were some rule confusion, and I explained the spy holes and the like. Even when I thought he was wrong, because my character wasn't killed, I didn't make too big an issue.* I tried my best to encourage him, and told him he did a good job. (He really did. We had two other experienced players, and two newbies. One was playing a level 4 iconic, the other his first level cavalier. Highlight for the cavalier was critting one of the encounters. Who doesn't like 29 points of damage at 1st level?)

He's interested in GMing again. :-)

*spoilers for Citadel of Flame

Spoiler:

I thought I had set off the trap, when I stated I was making the perception check. I forgot the LBEG used open/close to open the door. I don't think mechanically he can (no LOS/LOE) but that's the scenario. I'd forgotten because when I ran it, the party was kind enough to open the door for him.

[Jelloarm]

Mists of Mwangi! Great beginning GM scenario - it was the first one I ran, and it definitely got me hooked.

I would be honest but firm. Our bi-weekly group does a lot of e-mailing to coordinate, so I would probably send an e-mail saying "I am taking a break from running next week. I will sit at a table to help any new GMs run. Who's up for it?" A mixture of adamant that you're not GMing and supportive of someone who's got nerves about stepping up to the head of the table.

[JCServant]

Kinda learning the hard way myself here in Utah... and early experience is putting me in the same bucket as Jiggy, just on the other end. A recent car accident (which left me too injured to play for nearly a week) followed up a couple of weeks later by illness, forced me to do the whole "Hey, Bob, can you run this for me? If not, what about First Steps or something?" :P

Obviously there's an initial barrier to getting someone to step up the first time, and there's nothing like a little emergency to make that happen :) Now that I got another GM or two aboard, I hope to be able to spread them out so they don't feel pressured to run every week and burn out.