What Makes A Memorable Tabletop Roleplaying Game Master
What makes a memorable game master in your mind? In tabletop roleplaying games, I often wonder how to improve at game mastering or playing, but recently, I thought about what makes a memorable tabletop roleplaying game master and think it can be summarized in two main points.
Icing On The Cake GM Skills
Voices, Acting, and More
Some would say that the most memorable skills a game master can have are roleplaying their NPCs, voices and actions. While these skills can be very entertaining and say, “This is real roleplaying,” as well as “This person is a real GM”, they are simply icing on the cake.
Learn to roleplay without feeling awkward in rpgs
Few gamers give enough credit to the true characteristics that matter: an understanding game master who stays outwardly calm and one that shows up over and over again.
Calm Conversation
When disputes and frustrations occur amongst players, it is the calm response from a game master that will truly make them memorable. As a game master, you will occasionally have moments where players dispute what you or other players say or do. During those moments, it’s crucial to keep a calm head even if you are livid or have had your self-esteem crushed.
Most disputes are the result of pure misunderstanding on the players’ part. Whether it’s a misunderstanding of the rules or what you or someone else meant, it’s a misunderstanding all the same. Keeping cool is easy when you realize we are all doing our best and want the same thing.
As a game master and player for the last 20+ years, I have had several moments where I misunderstood the intent of the game master or players. In every instance, when I took a breath and asked clarifying questions, I found that it was me who was incorrect. The game master was not out to get me, and the players were not trying to ruin the story or other players’ actions.
Allowing your players to ask you questions about the situation and remaining calm about it only increases your player’s trust in you and willingness to return for another session. It’s a good idea to get in the habit of reminding players that you want their input, you want to know what their ideas are, and you welcome a conversation about the rules to clarify differences of opinion and other similar statements.
Ultimately, The GM Who Shows Up Regularly
The most important aspect for a memorable game master is the one that shows up. If you start a game with other people (that is a key point- we are all people trying to have a good time, doing the best we each can) and only play a few times, eventually, you will be forgotten. The same occurs to players that join games and stop.
The game master that shows up session after session regardless of how they go is the GM that players will recall the most.
Here are some articles to help you improve at game mastering.
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