"Game Master" or "Game Moderator". This is the person who is in charge of running the game, including having final say over how actions are resolved. Also referred to as Dungeon Master (DM), Referee, Storyteller, Master of Ceremonies (MC) or other titles, depending on the game.
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5answers
2k views
Tips for running a successful and engaging campaign WITHOUT combat?
I'm thinking of starting my own campaign with a few of my friends with me as DM, primarily because I wasn't extremely impressed with the campaign my friend was DMing. When I started thinking about the ...
18
votes
6answers
1k views
How can I murder people and lie about it?
My character is a Halfing Rogue specializing in lying and ranged sneak kills with a concealed crossbow. With the Childlike and Pass for Human feats plus max ranks in Bluff I'm crazy good at a ...
11
votes
8answers
443 views
How much plot guidance is too much?
I've played in many games that were extremely railroaded. There was basically only one feasible course of action and we, as players, were expected to take that route. (The GM would get very upset if ...
36
votes
9answers
4k views
How should I respond to a DM who unfairly plays the “rules-lawyer” card?
My question: How would you, experienced role-player, deal with this situation?
I was recently invited to join a 4e startup goup. I've RP'd a fair bit in my day, but not in decades, and never D&D. ...
20
votes
6answers
556 views
Any advice on how to politely approach a friend on problems with her character(s)?
I've been playing with a good friend of mine for a couple of games now (Exalted and Pathfinder) with another friend as GM. In a few weeks, I'm going to be running a new game because the GM is getting ...
31
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17answers
1k views
How to Handle a Powergamer / Munchkin
What are some strategies that I can employ to handle a power gamer that constantly outshines the rest of the party? This is a friend of us all and we don't want to boot him, but combat simply isn't ...
0
votes
1answer
222 views
Free action/no action encounter power available to all players?
The DM I play with for encounters passes out these power cards that are either a free action or a non-action (can't remember) encounter power that lets you add to a skill check roll, add a damage die, ...
12
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3answers
2k views
Does anyone have any templates for Scrivener?
I want to start using Scrivener to plan a game and am looking for some templates for characters, locations, encounters, etc.
18
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3answers
440 views
How does a GM fix the rules when they goof?
I think it happens to the best of us. I'm not the best of us, so I get to goof a bit more often. The specific example I'm going to mention was using Dresden Files (a derivative of FATE for those who ...
30
votes
9answers
1k views
How to deal with a Batman PC as a DM?
I'm running one of the D&D Encounters tables at the local game shop. In Chapter 3 the players can create their own characters.
Everyone had normal characters with the exception of one player who ...
8
votes
3answers
215 views
How much does the Sponsor help someone using Sponsored Magic in Dresden?
So, the party is in a fight with one of the Knights of the Faerie Courts (Winter, in this case) and a couple of wildfae mercenaries. During the fight, the Knight
started casting some unseelie ...
12
votes
5answers
359 views
What are some good sources for combat tactics for a GM to use?
My players are extremely strategic, and they're consistently (and too easily) defeating groups of enemies that I intended to present a real challenge. Probably for the same reason that I suck at ...
8
votes
1answer
218 views
How does monster hiding work when some players detect them and some don't?
In one of our battles in DnD Next, I had some bugbears hiding in trees trying to attack the players.
The bugbear rolled a 21 on its attempt to hide. Four of the players rolled less than 21 on their ...
8
votes
2answers
199 views
What essentials do I need on the site of my LARP?
I am planning on holding a 20-50 person LARP. I would like to know other than notifying the Emergency services (police/ambulance) that I'm holding the event and where it is, what facilities should I ...
3
votes
1answer
91 views
What should I use to represent the Stronghold point in my LARP?
My Sci-Fi Larp system is faction based, The team with the most territory at the end of the event (day/weekend) gains additional points towards character progression as well as in game Credits, this is ...
10
votes
2answers
499 views
How do you calculate damage for MM1 and MM2 monsters?
I realize this may be a subjective question, but I'd really like to know what the consensus is.
I know that WotC changed the way they calculate monster damage from MM3 and onwards, but there's isn't ...
26
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9answers
377 views
Rotating the GM
Is it advisable to run a campaign where the GM occasionally rotates to be a regular player while a player becomes the GM? I've seen some mentions of this strategy to prevent the GM from getting burnt ...
5
votes
2answers
209 views
What's the best practice for an Indie-LARP?
I'm starting a Sci-Fi LARP near where I live and so far only my close friends are going to attend,
What would be the best way to increase my player-base?
Also it'll be my first event that I've ...
18
votes
5answers
394 views
How do I learn to do accents?
I've always enjoyed playing in games where the GM/DM/ST makes use of a variety of accents to differentiate between NPCs. I've always wanted to learn how to do that, but I realize that I'm not ...
14
votes
6answers
451 views
Where can I find artwork to inspire adventure design?
Often when I find a cool piece of artwork online, I build some scene in my upcoming adventure around it and then show the image to the players during the session. The more cool artwork I have access ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
How do beastmasters' companions work?
I am playing D&D for the first time, and working on being a GM at that. We had our first session today, and it was very fun and went very well. However, one of my players chose a beastmaster, and ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Guides to running a Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0 Game
I've owned a copy of the 2nd edition of Cyberpunk (Cyberpunk 2020) for years now but never had the ability or gumption to run a game (same for gurps). Lately though I've been playing and DMing a lot ...
27
votes
11answers
404 views
How to get better feedback from players?
OK, we started a new campaign yesterday and I really want to take quality feedback from my players. When I ask, "How was it? Do you like it?", I generally get some vague answers like "It was good, I ...
7
votes
1answer
799 views
Are there any rules or guidelines for creating original magic items and rituals?
I am running a D&D 4E campaign, and I particular enjoy that a lot of the 'man-made' spells that the PCs encounter--when for example, raiding wizards' hideouts--can be described as "you can get a ...
11
votes
4answers
459 views
How to challenge legendary characters?
As characters get to Legendary in Savage World (Fantasy) they abilities soon seem to out class the Powers the creatures have. For example, most powers are saved with a attribute, say Agility, if you ...
14
votes
6answers
1k views
Using the iPad as a GM-tool
Anyone have any experience using the iPad as a GM-ing tool?
If so, how did you use it?
Any apps that are particularly good for GMs?
12
votes
4answers
175 views
What are some tips for writing a novel from a campaign?
I am sure there are many GMs or player groups out there with this same idea of writing a novel out of their campaign, even if jokingly. I have been GMing a campaign for some years now and I am ...
11
votes
2answers
2k views
Good Star Wars game resources?
I'm working on a Star Wars Saga Edition game, and I was wandering if anyone has any good encounter or adventure sized resources? Particularly, I am looking for interesting locations (such as a droid ...
13
votes
3answers
467 views
Do marks go away when one of the parties is dead or incapacitated?
While DMing for DnD Encounters, I had an interesting rules concern come up, that I can't see handled in the rules specifically. We always assumed that when a character or monster goes unconscious via ...
6
votes
7answers
223 views
Need some recommendations for monster manuals
I run and play lots of indie-style games (Burning Wheel and Apocalypse World in particular). Perhaps the one thing they lack that I miss from my D&D days is the tomes full of monsters to excite ...
8
votes
2answers
212 views
How do I create a sense of Impending Doom?
I've been reading up on the rules and I've noticed that if the player rolls multiple ones on their action I can choose to either award a PP for each 1 and add a d6 for each opportunity or I can choose ...
5
votes
1answer
934 views
Practical use of Masterplan in first time DM
So, I have played D&D (and other RPG rules) off and on for a long time, and now have boys of an age that I could DM for them and have some good father/son/nerdy time. I have never DMed myself. I ...
19
votes
5answers
247 views
Dealing with leaving players
Somewhat similar to this, but this is a different case with different answers (Or so I hope).
I've been playing "the dark eye", my PnP of choice, for a few years now and have recently taken up GM'ing ...
20
votes
10answers
338 views
Campaign is on hiatus. How do I keep it on life support?
My regular campaign has ground to a halt due to scheduling problems. At this point, we don't really know how long it will be until we play again. Everyone is still interested, at least for now. Is ...
12
votes
4answers
305 views
How do DM's avoid burning out? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do I deal with GM burnout?
Currently I am the single DM of a smallish group of irregular players. Although I enjoy DM'ing, I'm beginning to burn out and really wish ...
14
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5answers
293 views
Rules for player inventions
To illustrate what I mean, let me give a quick example:
In the-dark-eye, there is a Staff Ritual named Hammer des Magus (No idea what the term is in english). Its effect is that everything ...
24
votes
11answers
1k views
Should a GM be a Player?
Game Masters have plenty to do; no need to enumerate the tasks here. But should a non-player character be a 'regular' in a party?
By gaining a voice in the in-character interactions, the GM taps a ...
9
votes
3answers
246 views
New GM to a Laundry RPG game [closed]
What should a new (and not so experienced) GM watch out for when starting to run a game set in Charles Stross's Laundry universe? Note that all this could be applied to a Call Of Cthulhu game as well ...
11
votes
9answers
818 views
Best way to use a GM Screen nowadays?
This may just be me but I like the feel of having an old school GM/DM screen up. However, between laptops, mountains of books, and more frequently having to see the battle layout, I find that within ...
13
votes
9answers
379 views
How can I encourage my group to become more well rounded?
My gaming group tends to each go in their own direction for character creation. Sometimes this leads to great games where folks are strongly opposed on dramatic elements and character interaction is ...
10
votes
5answers
4k views
Calculating encounter level with mixed CR enemies?
In D&D 3.5 how do you calculate the Encounter Level of an encounter when the encounter involves elements (usually enemies) of multiple CRs?
For example an encounter involves
4 Zombies (CR1/2)
...
5
votes
4answers
562 views
Should I announce to the players they are in a skill challenge?
I am completely new to DMing and I am considering including a skill challenge in my next game. Most of the players are new to 4e and one of them is new to D&D in general. Should I explain to them ...
2
votes
3answers
743 views
What race/class combinations would you like to see in pregenerated characters? [closed]
I am running a one shot for the local gaming association and am making pre-generated level one characters for people to use.
So what Race/class combinations would work best in a group of ...
15
votes
7answers
482 views
Techniques for skimming through travel (fast travel) without meta-teleportation
In most of my group's campaigns, we spend a lot of time traveling. Unfortunately, this leans one of two ways:
Uninteresting or distracting obstacles. If you want to spend time but keep it fresh, ...
16
votes
6answers
319 views
How do I help create story around the table without writing it?
I love RPGs. I think they can create some of the most fun and enjoyable stories, both from an out-of-game and in-game standpoint.
I also realize that "story" is the result of the game played by the ...
24
votes
13answers
951 views
When would PCs choose to walk instead of ride?
I'm putting together an adventure where the PCs are on a time limit. As such, travel times become quite important and I want to make sure that I've understood the different means of travel beforehand.
...
20
votes
2answers
586 views
What are important things to keep in mind when converting a 3e/3.5e module to Pathfinder?
I'm interesting in converting one or more of my existing modules for 3/3.5 to work with the Pathfinder rules. I'm interested to know from others who have done this kind of conversion what ...
6
votes
6answers
252 views
Should a group keep the same GM, or choose different GMs for every new campaign/system?
The title is mostly the question. Is it good to give everyone in the group the chance to be the GM, or should the best do the job always for best play experience?
11
votes
3answers
257 views
Writing new campaign, is it fine to “make it up as we go along”?
Making new fantasy Dungeons and Dragons third edition game. Wrote out the entire first situation with most general situations in mind. Should I try and just "ole" the whole creative process and have ...
4
votes
5answers
470 views
What's a good text only adventure game to improve my storytelling for DMing?
I've been trying to think of good ways to improve my narration of scenes when I can't actually practice firsthand with my group. On idea I had was to find some old text-only adventure/RPG games and ...
