GM Triumph is...


GM Discussion

Grand Lodge 4/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento

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Placing a piece of scenery, and having play stop while everyone runs around to the side of the table to get a picture of the piece from the best angle.

Post your GM triumphs.

Grand Lodge 5/5 ****

Have players leaving exited from the table - keep on talking about the adventure.

Especially if this happens under difficult circumstances - like have a player leaving the table, beaming, shake your hand and congratulate you of the most epic kill of his character.

4/5 5/5 Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Tampere

Having someone you respect immensely as a player and GM say you ran something well.

5/5 5/55/55/5

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Crushing your PC's and seeing them flee before you!

Dark Archive

Like Thod's, but after the fact:

Walking into a room to hear one of your players telling the epic tale of an adventure you ran, almost as enthused as the day he played it, especially if it didn't go well for his/her character

The Exchange 5/5

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This is kind of an extension of what Thod identified; overhearing a player talk about an awesome moment at the table you GMed the day before. Bonus points if you hear the player talking about it at the same convention a year later.

Another 'win' is when someone tells you they drove over an hour out of their way to play at a game because they saw you're signed up as the GM. A similar situation is at a convention when the same scenario is running at multiple tables and players come to the slot early just to claim the seats at your table.

When you know a scenario so well that you don't need to reference it to GM it. You can do the whole thing from memory.

The last one, and probably the best, is when all the players at your table are standing because they're too excited/anxious to sit down. I've yet to accomplish this, but I have jealously watched GMs from across the room who have.

The Exchange 5/5

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Receiving a message here on the boards from a brand-new player who is now hooked on PFS because he walked up and had a great experience at your low-level table at a recent Con.

There is nothing better in PFS than that e-mail.

The Exchange 5/5

Zandari wrote:

Receiving a message here on the boards from a brand-new player who is now hooked on PFS because he walked up and had a great experience at your low-level table at a recent Con.

There is nothing better in PFS than that e-mail.

The down-side is that player will be constantly disappointed with the GMs that follow because they won't measure up to the standard set. There's nothing that compares to when you are new to the game and everything is exciting. Then you learn the system and the metagaming starts.

4/5 5/55/55/55/5 ***** Venture-Captain, United Kingdom—England—Coventry

Ensuring my players use their change of underwear during the game.
I agree w=the best games are where you survive by the skin of your pants - they are the ones you hear abou.

4/5 5/5 Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Tampere

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BigNorseWolf wrote:

Crushing your PC's and seeing them flee before you!

And hearing the lamentations of their players?

Grand Lodge 2/5 RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

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terry_t_uk wrote:

Ensuring my players use their change of underwear during the game.

I agree w=the best games are where you survive by the skin of your pants - they are the ones you hear abou.

The GM for whom this is a goal is my least favorite type to play under.

Back on topic, I haven't GM'd nearly as much as some of you, but it definitely makes my day when a player compliments something specific about my running of the game, or when the entire table is laughing together. :)


A player asks you "My God! How long have you been planning this?" when the group realizes that the characters that bailed them out of a troublesome spot of a module was their own future selves only after they just bailed out a group of noobs in a weirdly similar manner in a strangely similar place.

Grand Lodge 4/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento

I'm with Jiggy. You don't *need* to do anything to make the game hard, the players and the dice will do that for you. It's more fun to give the players a challenge that makes them think.

Grand Lodge 5/5 ****

Sharing a taxi at PaizoCon with two strangers you haven't met before. Listen to them telling a story of a game they heard about that sounds strangely familiar.
Then imtroduce yourself - the GM you are talking about - well - that's me.

Silver Crusade 2/5

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Having no one leave the session upset or not understanding what just happened.

Sovereign Court 1/5

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Following the theme of many of these posts: Hearing a player you ran for the previous night, asking the coordinator if you were running anything that day.

Silver Crusade 2/5

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Hearing the table roar with laughter, because you properly set up a scene and they ran with it.

Hellknight's Feast, I will run that scenario any time. Just give me a six hour slot for it ;)

2/5

Seeing a wave of emotion sweep over the players, whether worry or joy, when no dice were rolled. Or when you do roll, and they collectively gasp at the outcome.

Having a car-full of players finish a con two hours away from their homes saying "That was a great way to end the con!" after you nearly killed several of them.

Having a player return hours later to learn your name and thank you a second time.

Having all the PCs on the brink of death, when I'm just as afraid for their lives as they are, and they pull it out without fudging.
Or to paraphrase a conversation:
Me: "Whoa, I almost wiped them out, but they all lived."
Other GM: "What did they do wrong?"
Me: "Nothing. That's why they survived."

Cheers, JMK


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David Bowles wrote:
Having no one leave the session upset or not understanding what just happened.

This, this is the most important thing because it means you can TPK and players don't feel cheated.

Right now, GM triumph is making players feel tense and near death without killing them. Level one and a four person party practically works itself, but pushing them to that next level of agonizing worry is that much better.

GM triumph is ... running everything and getting all the rules right - no table conflict and people be happy.

Dark Archive 5/5

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Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Maps Subscriber

Sitting down to run the special for a strike team of players that you chewed on hard last year at GenCon (Golden Serpent) and having them be glad to see you.

Excited players who weren't torn up overmuch when they TPK'd at Bonekeep 1, who you help get ready for their next adventure.

Going right to the edge of the line of squicking a group of players you know well enough to have that sense of the line, with an NPC that they needed to talk to but had no writeup in the adventure, just the right combination of no-questions-asked and their location.

Scaring the piss out of a table of complacent adventurers because they made some.... questionable choices.... but giving them crowning moments of awesome to get away with everybody alive by letting them dig deep and be scoundrels, but talented ones...

Running around in a major location with a couple of kids having an awesome time as the furniture becomes frightening.

Sczarni 4/5

When a single experienced pathfinder player told me that he respects me as a GM. I just don't hear that every day and it really made me feel special.

Dark Archive 2/5

Getting the party nice and bunched up so you can drop a maximized fireball right smack in the middle of them. To a lesser extent, having a scythe wielder great cleave in the middle of a party and land more than one critical. Sadly I have never gotten to do that second one, but I can hope!

I would also say being able to provide a challenge to players (this second one is less so true in PFS, since the only way we affect challenge is if a creature's AI gives us some leeway) that while fair, still poses a serious threat to the party. And having them enjoy it thoroughly.

Dark Archive 5/5

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Maps Subscriber

The first of those doesn't sound like triumph to me, Beard. The second has an even better yet subtly different triumph point: knowing the PCs aren't in terrible danger without you having to softball, but having the players feel appropriately challenged (which is subjective to them!) and have fun with their encounters.

Malag, though, definitely has a case. That's always a great feeling.

Dark Archive 2/5

I'm inclined to agree with you. Malag definitely has a case. I think I would add to it that being able to make sure new players react similarly is also a triumph in and of itself. Means you've made the beginnings of their PFS career more enjoyable. IE, more likely to continue playing.

5/5 5/55/55/5

TetsujinOni wrote:

Excited players who weren't torn up overmuch when they TPK'd at Bonekeep 1, who you help get ready for their next adventure.

They're still squeegeeing Shamus out of the floor... :)

1/5

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At this early stage of my GM'ing Career, making it through the entire scenario without saying "Ummm, I dunno about that... Hold on and I'll look it up." ^_^

Sovereign Court 4/5 5/5 ***

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
bluedove wrote:
At this early stage of my GM'ing Career, making it through the entire scenario without saying "Ummm, I dunno about that... Hold on and I'll look it up." ^_^

I'm a 5-star GM, and I never go a scenario without needing to look something up. A good GM isn't someone who knows everything, but someone who is willing to look up something they don't know (unless it starts to take a while, in which case they make a ruling and call it a day).

Sovereign Court 4/5 5/5 ** Venture-Lieutenant, West Virginia—Charleston

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One of my favorite moments as a GM is when I've written something fun on somebody's chronicle and my players later reference it.

Grand Lodge 4/5

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GM Triumph is: Everyone enjoying themselves, even (or especially?) the guy whose PC died (on those rare occasions when it happens).

Recent triumph: PCs actually wound up talking with some kobolds, which, I think, may have saved one or more of the PCs' lives, since they were warned of the nasty trap, instead of finding it with their bodies.

Grand Lodge 2/5

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I don't know if it was a triumph, but I had a session recently where I had one player standing at the end (the rest of the party was in varying levels of neg). Seeing the shock on the player who thought his AC and HP were high enough to make him safe and putting him down with back to back 20's on the table. Hearing players talk about it the following week.

Having the players thank me for running the session most evenings.

Having the players stabilize all the town guards they defeated in the party sneaks across the Horde city scenario.

Having a group of players see me, smile and drag me over to their table so I could run their scenario for the evening.

Being the first GM a new player has in society and seeing them come back again - That's probably the best.

**Yeah! I got my second start last night...**

3/5

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a game where all my players had fun.

Grand Lodge 2/5

The Fourth Horseman wrote:
a game where all my players had fun.

Yes!

My table rules:

Fun is Good. Not Fun is Bad.

Dark Archive 4/5 5/5 ****

Hearing, months after you ran Frostfur Captives that they are still talking about the goblin "hugs", and that one character in particular now carries around alchemists fire and rants in goblin because of what happened to him that day!

Grand Lodge 4/5

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Pathfinder Accessories, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Being thanked for running the game, not as an afterthought, but as a true and heartfelt emotion.

Sovereign Court 5/5 5/5

Hearing from your wife who subs as an art teacher that a kid who played at your table couldn't stop talking about his experience.

Someone telling you that they'd really like you to GM a particular scenario because they think you are a good GM or heard someone else describe how awesome a previous table of yours for the scenario was.

Sovereign Court 5/5 RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

Being asked to GM. Not as in, "We're short handed, can you step up?" More like, "Matt, I'd really like to play this scenario with you running it."

Having PCs hate any Reddywipple they see, because I GMed them through <redacted>

Oh, and "Ok Mr. Gnome, we'll free you!"

4/5 *

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
Ian Mitchell, Ministry of Fun wrote:
The Fourth Horseman wrote:
a game where all my players had fun.

Yes!

My table rules:

Fun is Good. Not Fun is Bad.

This.

Matthew Morris wrote:
Oh, and "Ok Mr. Gnome, we'll free you!"

Not yet. But I keep trying. :-)

4/5

Seeing a new player come back for a second or third game day.

Grand Lodge 2/5

Zandari wrote:

Receiving a message here on the boards from a brand-new player who is now hooked on PFS because he walked up and had a great experience at your low-level table at a recent Con.

There is nothing better in PFS than that e-mail.

This is why I mainly run the low level tables. I want them to have a good first experience. I tip my hat to the local folks and their GM 101 class. I took 3 points away from it on GMing.

1. Keep it fun.
2. Keep it moving.
3. Make sure everyone has a chance to show off their characters awesomeness. (everyone gets a chance in the spotlight).

Grand Lodge 4/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento

Ian Mitchell, Ministry of Fun wrote:
awesomeness. (everyone gets a chance in the spotlight).

In the nature of this:

At a table of characters ranging in levels from 1-4, playing in tier 4-5 (seven person table)

Having the first time player with a level 1 character manage to solo kill the bigbad. (okay, the level 4 witch debuffing it to impotence while the level 4 inquisitor drew it's fire helped, but she was the one who did the damage.)

The Exchange 5/5

My Triumph as a Judge? Learning a new Judgeing gimmick...

At the end of the game, when I ask the players for things they liked that I did as a Judge, or things they think I can do better next time, have them say "I really like the way you did XXX, do more of that". or even "next time, try this..."

And sort of related, seeing a judge at another table, doing something he learned from playing at my table. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"...

Scarab Sages 4/5 **

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path Subscriber
nosig wrote:

My Triumph as a Judge? Learning a new Judgeing gimmick...

At the end of the game, when I ask the players for things they liked that I did as a Judge, or things they think I can do better next time, have them say "I really like the way you did XXX, do more of that". or even "next time, try this..."

And sort of related, seeing a judge at another table, doing something he learned from playing at my table. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"...

I agree NOSIG - anytime another GM adopts one of my techniques it gives me a warm fuzzy.

For me, GM triumph is watching the players high-five (or fist bump...) after a particularly awesome encounter (whether combat or RP). It's great to watch a player plan work out awesomely as intended - even if it makes all my mini's fall down (I guess especially if it does).

GM triumph (minor) is having your players buy you beer before, during and after the game. I recommend Kublacon in S.F. for that reason. Getting to DM a table by the bar is a super GM Triumph!

Silver Crusade 2/5

grandpoobah wrote:

GM triumph (minor) is having your players buy you beer before, during and after the game. I recommend Kublacon in S.F. for that reason. Getting to DM a table by the bar is a super GM Triumph!

You're at Kubla? I'll have to say hi next time!

Dark Archive 4/5 5/5 ****

GM triumph?

Having a GM (or player) you greatly respect sit down at your table to play.

Better... Having one of those GMs (or VOs or players) ask you to run a game for them!

I don't know if there is a better feeling as a GM than being asked by someone you respect to run something for them. Well, except perhaps finding out that a new player is continuing to play pathfinder/PFS because He or she had so much fun at your table. Maybe those two are a tie?

4/5

For me, it's everything. Even having players dare to sign up at my tables is a triumph to me in of itself. Confession: I actually have very low self-esteem in myself as a GM.

The best feeling I've ever had as a GM was when I ran an entire table through the Penumbral Accords, with every single person at that table being new. It took a while getting through it with me trying to explain how actions worked and what their options were, but they all returned to play again. That means I'm doing something right, huh?

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