Role-Playing Games have been in my life for decades now, and I still find joy in them today. Sitting around the table munching on bad snacks while rolling dice and laughing or crying at the outcomes, and the fun and interesting things that happen, are still a highlight of many a weekend. These days I don’t get to play as much as I used to, plus the snacks have had to become a little healthier to avoid cholesterol and health issues, but it’s still something I love to do. One thing hasn’t changed: I’ve always GM’ed (Game Mastered) as often as I’ve played.

Playing in a game can be a roller coaster of emotions, and is a different beast to GM’ing. It’s usually a lot more straight-forward as you’re only controlling one storyline: your own. You can be as serious about your character as you want, or you can choose to be a total loose cannon, just trying different things for the hell of it. Both of these play styles have positive and negative effects on the game depending on the mood, on your Game master, and on her/his remaining sanity.

So, after having run Games for a long time here are a few things I have learnt that I’d like to share. I hope they help.

Firstly, the fun factor and story are central.  In the end each player is responsible for his or her character’s decisions, their backstory, how they interact with the world and where they will take that character in the long run. Everything around that journey though is the responsibility of the GM.  Players will find themselves deeply immersed in what you’ve created when they feel attached to the story and the NPC’s and villains you put around them. 

In the end the story you weave can truly make or break a campaign or session, so give your side characters depth, give the villain interesting ticks and morals, and really involve your players in it. Give them loyal companions and friend NPC’s they become attached to, love interests, family heirlooms or lands they must protect, involve them and let them help shape the campaign. The more they feel a part of the world you started, the more attached and immersed they become, and the more fun you’ll have engaging and developing your NPCs alongside them.

This leads to another interesting note: NPCs are supporting characters. Never sideline the player’s characters for your NPC’s. While it can be fun for you to act out the NPC’s and villains, and you can become very attached to some, remember it’s no fun for your players to watch from the benches. Never let the story become about your NPCs, and not the players. Your NPC’s can and will have heroic moments, but should never completely steal the limelight from the players… and sometimes you have to let that favourite villain die. Not easily, not readily, but when the time comes, when the victory has been truly earned.

Victories, defeats and plot twists are all vital parts of a game, and a good GM must learn timing within the story and pacing. This comes with practice, but it will really shape the play experience, and you may have to meter your timing independent of dice rolls. For example, it may be too early to let one of the major villains die, and you must engineer an escape for them… or it might work out funny to let them die in a really awkward way. Always remember you are the GM so you can shape the world in whatever way you need. Rocks can cave in separating the villain from the Paladin who was destroying him in combat; a group of outlaws may conveniently ambush the characters and the villain as they are about to execute your perfect nemesis, and he buys his way out with the outlaws.  As the GM your options are limited by only your imagination.

On this note, shielding your dice from the players can be a good way to control the flow of play, by protecting your rolls if you need to skip one occasionally to let the story play out. Alternately, rolling the dice in front of your players can be a great way to increase drama at the right time in the campaign. The story progression, players, group, RP system and play style all determine whether dice karma or intentional design should lead your story at any given point. Note: there will always be one player who knows the rules a little too well, or has GM’d themselves, or played this system since year dot and knows every comma in rules. In such a case I like the line “They are really more like guidelines, anyway.” Most rule books specifically point out that the GM is the ultimate master of the game, and your word is law.

In the end, don’t let the rules get in the way of a good time; you can bend or break them if the game needs to keep the story fun for everyone involved. For example, you may have a player that creates very streamlined overpowered characters by crunching the system’s numbers. Remember, when this happens, when that power crushes your villain’s main gimmick at square one, and shuts down all player and non-player character tension… don’t let it. You are the GM, god of your own little universe. You don’t have to rob them of their cool gimmick or the hard work they’ve put into the character, but you don’t have to let them walk all over your NPCs and ruin the tension for the other players. As stated earlier, consider that rulebook as guidelines: the story, the players, and fun are the three main components of the game. Don’t be afraid to manipulate affairs a little to keep all elements balanced.

Last and not least, diversify.  Play in other people’s campaigns, read books and watch movies. Learning new storytelling techniques from other GM’s and from books and movies will really help you hone your craft. The bigger your repertoire of stories and experiences, then the more you can add to your campaign and how you guide it. Never be afraid to learn and then break the moulds, whether it be rules, campaign goals, or the scenarios you’ve laid out in your head. In roleplaying we are free of everyday constraints, and the GM most of all, so enjoy it.

Article by Brent Winter