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I recently had a player of mine ask what advice I'd give him, if he said he wanted to GM a homemade campaign. Also, I remember seeing a few threads over the the last year, where would-be GMs came to ask for advice on how to be a good GM. While I, by no means, hold the secret to exceptional GMing, I do believe the advice I gave my player could benefit other GMs out there.
#1 Never assume your players will do as you've planned
#2 Your players will never do as you plan
#3 several small stories, can be just as good as one long story
#4 Players sometimes forget that running away is an option
#5 High CR does not a good villain make. A villain can be strong, or weak, as needed
#6 Wealth By Level assumes your players will do as you've planned. See rules 1 and 2
#7 Nobody likes being railroaded
#8 Nobody objects to a bit of cleverly concealed railroading
#9 A story with many settings, is a story with no settings
#10 Too rigid preparation is a waste of your time. See rules 1 and 2
#11 Preparation is necessary, so be utilitarian in your preparation
#12 Base the tone of your story on the characters, or let your players know what tone you want to go for, before they roll up characters
#13 A well-prepared, or clever, group can beat challenges that far exceed their APL. This is a good thing
#14 Stick with the dice. Every roll you fudge is a slippery slope to bad GMing
#15 NPCs make settings come alive. Use them dilligently
#16 Use GM tools
#17 No really, use GM tools
#18 "Brevity is the soul of wit"
#19 Learn the environment, travelling and settlement rules
#20 Talk with your players. Mystery GMing is reserved for the veterans, and they often screw it up themselves.
There's alot more to said about GMing, and there may be a time where you, as a GM, is not the one who needs to solve the problem. These advice cannot make you a good GM, or fix those problems, but it is my hope that they can be of help to you. So if this helps any GM out there, aspiring or not, then I feel like it was worth posting.
Have fun and roll initiative :)
-Nearyn
Nice and concise list, Nearyn.
Could you elaborate on #9?
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Thank you for the compliment. I'll gladly elaborate.
#9 A story with many settings, is a story with no settings.
If I could edit so far back, I'd have probably rewritten this to say "A story with too many settings, is a story with no real setting"
I've been playing RPGs for a little over 10 years, and on multiple occassions I've been participating in quests that took my adventuring group across land and sea, from sprawling northern settlements, to the golden spires of sandstone-towered southern cities. Or flying across star-systems, and travelling through planes of existence..
These things are staples of adventure and an absolute joy to experience. However, the more the GM has her group travel, the more the GM takes the plot from place to place, presenting the players with all these mindboggling locations, the less time each place to develop and become its own memorable part of the setting. Players can make so much more out of a setting such as a city than what you put in front of them. With only the slightest bit of prodding, players will form relationships with NPCs, take in the sights, give you ample reason to provide them with tons of lore. Given a week of time in a city, where you let them take some time to do stuff each day, the players will come out of it with people, and places firmly stuck in their memory, and if you give them the chance, they will revisit these places, or think of them as their travels continue.
But if you rush it, if the DM finds herself in a hurry to get the players from place to place, then the settings become merely another forest. Merely another plains. Merely another mountain, city, river or whichever location you may take them across.
So while it might seem prudent to cut travelling time, and make short work of certain NPC interactions (such as item shopping), I suggest you take the time every once in awhile to make sure a setting stays with your players. A good way to do this is to make sure your plot does not drag them all over the place, whether it be from city to city, planet to planet, or plane to plane, without leaving your players enough time to really understand where their characters are going.
That is what I mean when I say that many settings can be no setting.
-Nearyn
But if you rush it, if the DM finds herself in a hurry to get the players from place to place, then the settings become merely another forest. Merely another plains. Merely another mountain, city, river or whichever location you may take them across.
So I think you love kingmaker, has it ask the player to explore a fairly big but not so dispersive zone :)
Anyway, #16-17, of what GM Tolls do you speak? There are really much of them :)
In the end, nice list, good work. I want to add a #21, beacause it seems to me you didn't had said explicitly, and both because 21 is the half of 42, and when you mastered 21 points of DMing, you're halfway to the answer to life, universe, and everything :)
So:
#21 Learn and use the art of improvisation. As per #1 and #2, be always ready to pull a rabbit from the hat, to keep the things going.
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I've been begging my DM to run Kingmaker. Unfortunately it does not look like that is going to happen anytime soon. :C
Anyway, #16-17, of what GM Tolls do you speak? There are really much of them :)
A good question. I'll provide a little list:
Alvena publishing has alot of great and insightful articles about the game, thoughts on the interactions between magic and the world, as well as some really good articles on encounter design.
Mathemagician has an amazing town-generator that can save you so much mental work when you have to improvise or create a new town. It can generate NPCs, locations, even the menus of the local taverns. Just a wonderful, wonderful tool.
Finding treasure is the backbone of classic adventure, and getting cool loot is -so- satisfying as a player. The problem as a DM, is that generating a big pile of loot can take time. Enter the random treasure generator. This wonderful tool can cut tens of minutes off prep-time, and has options to include 'mundane' items of a certain value, that you can replace with whatever unique little things you want.
Dorkistan has some good bits of info to help understand falling and grappling rules, as well as a range-finder-table for 3-dimensional combat.
We need look no further than our very own paizo-blog to find a little gold-nugget, also known as the stealth playtest v2. This little gem makes stealth useful, without requiring improv or homework on the DMs behalf.
and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Combat Manager. This tool can be used on handheld devices and contains a program for keeping track of initiative and combat in general, as well as containing statblocks for monsters and a list of conditions and other subjects that come up regularly during play. A great tool.
Presently I don't use Combat Manager all that much, because I run my games using Maptool, a crazily customizable mapping tool, that has a thriving and helpful community continuously improving it. I use it only for maps and initiative tracking, but it can be used for just about anything.
These are some DM tools I'd recommend for all DMs. They've inspired me, helped me improve my DMing, and cut down on my work, so that I can use my energy more focussed, for the betterment of my campaigns, and enjoyment of my players.
-Nearyn
I've been begging my DM to run Kingmaker. Unfortunately it does not look like that is going to happen anytime soon. :C
I'll start it in the next future as dm :)
A good question. I'll provide a little list:
Wow, I didn't know some of them, thanks!
As bonus I add a bit more complex but really nice random generator: Inspiration Pad Pro, from nbos software
Excellent list. #4 is unbelievably true. Even as I read that I thought, "Running away? That's for cowards!"
Another thing you might could add to your list would be: (this expands on your #11 and #19 a little bit.)
Know the rules. Nothing bogs down playing time more than having to stop and look something up every round someone has a question.
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I've found the single most important trick that can make you a good DM is this:
Every player character is built to do something specific. For some players, it's a game mechanic: a powerful sneak attack, a high diplomacy roll, a signature spell, etc. For other players, it's an activity, like flirting, gambling, or puzzle solving.
Figure out what each of your player characters are made to do and give them the opportunity to do it at least once every other game session. They don't have to succeed or have a huge impact on the adventure, just as long as they get the chance to do what their character was built to do.
No single DM tactic will generate more "oh, do you remember when that happened?" situations, and those are what make people think you're a great DM.
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#14 Stick with the dice. Every roll you fudge is a slippery slope to bad GMing
Yeah, no.
The dice are a tool, like any other. Sometimes they are necessary, sometimes they are a hindrance. A skilled DM will know when to use them and when not to use them. Learning this 'fudging' process is a key part of that.But, I think this is more because there is a hidden 'Rule Zero' at the beginning of your list, and not the one printed in the DM's Guide / Core Rulebook.
0: "All rules may be bent or broken when necessary to further the enjoyment of the game. The trick is learning when and why is it appropriate to do so."
Despite this disagreement, I really DO like this thread and can't wait to see what else comes out of it.
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My three best tips for new DMs:
1) Know why things happen, not just how.
As already mentioned, the players will throw you curveballs all the time. The best way to recover from that is to understand why things set up like they did. As in, don't just say there's a pickpocket, figure out why he's picking piockets. Is he a lone wolf, or is he working for a bigger boss? Is that big boss going to leave his man out to dry, or pull strings to save bim? What kind of strings does he have? Even if none of it ever comes up in game, knowing where all the pieces are and how they move beforehand means you know how they will respond to any given situation. Now, doesn't mean you need a campaign bible a thousand pages long full of what every NPC had for breakfast, but at least thinking through it all beforehand keeps you from being all "Uh, I dunno..."
2) Lots of unused plothooks and details.
If the PCS are investigating something, throw some stuff in that doesn't mean anything, but sounds like it does. Like a strange symbol carved into a pole, or named drop a tavern that has nothing to do with anything. And write down the basic idea of what it was, like "Symbol of moon and three stars tattooed on suspect". Then later on in the game as different stories come up, flip through your old unused hooks, see if anything might fit in. The attentive players will remember that it came up before and think you've been planning it for months when in reality you just thought it up last week.
3) Make the players do the work.
Pay attention to what your players come up with. Authors do this all the time. Readers see connections they never thought of, so they just go "Yup, you figured it out!". If the players come up with a crazy cool conspiracy theory from your vague unused hooks, then go with it! They will go through tons of obscure stuff you could never have orchastrated in your life, it makes them feel smart for having cracked the code, and makes you look awesome for coming up with it all.
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Oh!
4) Define challenges in broad terms.
Don't dictate how a challenge should be overcome, but just what the end objective is. For example, guards in front of a door the players need to go through. The challenge should be "Get into the room through the guarded door", not "Kill the guards". The players may fight their way through, they might bribe the guards, or they might climb through a window. All of which have successfully overcome the challenge and deserves to be rewarded. If you decided it was a CR 5 encounter, they should get the xp for a CR 5 encounter however they win it. Now, if those guards had money and magic gear that was supposed to be part of the reward and they sneak in, that's loot they don't get, but they should still get the xp.
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These tips are excellent. I'd like to add a couple, from personal experience.
A: Be patient.
B: No, really, be bloody patient. Your players are unlikely to be a homogenous group of equal gaming-experience and rules-aptitude. They may even have different philosophies (Player 1 is a rules lawyer, player 2 is a munchkin, player 3 is there for the story and prefers to pay lip service to the rules at best, and player 4 is brand new and has only played any form of RPGs twice before in his entire life)
C: Never, -ever- blame the players. For anything. Ever. You are the GM. It's your game. If you lose control, it's your responsibility. Nothing will pull a game group asunder faster than a GM who goes off on a tangent about how his or her players don't do what they are expected to do.
D: Do not be afraid to let your players go off on a completely unexpected or unrelated tangent; "Hmm, according to the map, the great Dragon Snofflesplortz Hammerburp the All-Destroying von Spritzenfnytz III, Junior, is down the road to the right. Okay, we turn left!" is not a BAD thing. It's just unexpected.
E: Do not consider your players your enemies. Very few things are as exasperating as GMs who think that it's their primary duty to kill the players off. It's not. It's your job to make sure everyone has fun.
F: Be mindful of Quiet Joe Newbie in the corner.
G: NO! REALLY! BE MINDFUL OF QUIET JOE NEWBIE IN THE CORNER! He's got every bit as much right to have fun as your exalted uber-player who's been at this for fifteen years or more. The new guy may feel overwhelmed, shy or intimidated by the abilities of other players. Make sure he gets as much air-time as everyone else.
H: If you are not feeling up to playing, there is no shame in cancelling a game session. Your players would probably prefer to have you at your best, rather than you trying to force yourself through an evening where you really don't want to play.
I: Allow players to cancel for -exactly- the same reason. They're there to have fun. They don't need to produce a written affidavit in sixteen signed copies as to why they can't play. If they don't feel like playing, let them cancel that night. Do NOT guilt trip them about it.
J: If your players have created characters that you have planned your campaign for, do not stop them from swapping characters if they do not want to play that character after a few evenings anyway. It's alright to tell them to give their character a fair shot, as often they will learn that hey, the character they thought was useless really isn't, but if they genuinely do not want to play that character, allow them to swap it.
K: DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO SWAP EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU PLAY. If that happens, pull the player aside and talk to them about continuity, but calmly, politely and without blaming. Simply explain that it's impossible for you to run a continued narrative if you have to involve new people in that narrative every single time you play.
L: DO NOT penalize players who do swap their character. Players should not be made to roll weaker characters than those of their fellow group-mates, or they will resent the character before they even start playing it, feeling underpowered (which they likely are) and useless.
M: DO NOT allow players to swap characters simply based on the idea of "My character isn't as strong as the rest of the group". Rather, ask the player why they feel this is the case, and try to find a solution. Present the character, during play, with an item or one-time buff that will help off-set the perceived weakness, but only if you agree that it is in fact a genuine problem (this really relates to Nearyn's #20 about talking to your players)
N: Never, ever, ever be afraid of admitting that you made a mistake. Sticking to something that turns out to have been really bad for the campaign or destructive for the mood, even if it was entirely unintended, is not worth it. You're the GM. You're the final word on everything that goes in on your campaign. Be human at the same time ... it's perfectly alright to mess up. Even the most experienced among us do so routinely.
O: Have fun. Whatever the *bleep* else you do ... -have- -fun-.
I'll add a few from my experiences as well, and build upon a few others.
Starting with the last one... remember this is all about having fun. This includes both you and your players.
As for the original: #15 NPCs make settings come alive. Use them diligently. There is a maximum to the number of remembered NPCs, not every one of them needs to be detailed with extensive history.
For new GMs: This is not a contest, you are not there to beat the PCs. Ideally every, or almost each encounter, the PCs will win. Although I do believe you should challenge them and give away everything they want.
Talk about specific rules that come up in between game sessions. Assign a quick +/- 2 to a roll and move on. And later, figure it out for when it happens again. (unless everyone is a rules lawyer and likes that stuff I suppose)
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Listen to the other players at the table. This will tell you whether or not you're doing a good job.
- Hidden Corollary: "listening" isn't just hearing the words that they say; there's a whole spectrum of recognizing the players as individual people who express things in individual ways. Learning them is an amazing thing.
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#13 A well-prepared, or clever, group can beat challenges that far exceed their APL. This is a good thing.
13(a): Even if the players enjoy facing very difficult challenges 10% of the time, it does not necessarily follow that they will have 10 times the enjoyment facing very difficult challenges 100% of the time!
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#4 Players sometimes forget that running away is an option
#4.5 GMs sometimes forget that the players don't always have all the facts.
For instance, it might be obvious to the GM that a monster is too tough to fight, but often the players don't find out how tough an opponent is until it's too late to run (e.g. one or more party members are already knocked unconscious).