I always see new GMs asking for advice, so I wanted to put some discussions out there specifically targeted for new GMs. This one I thought should be first because it is a mistake that a lot of GMs make and never outgrow. Some folks will tell you that the GM is always right, and perhaps even that this old adage is rule 0. We can talk about rule zero in a different post, but here I want to address the problem with the GM being always right.
If a player engages in a game, there is a social contract between the GM and the player. A big portion of this social contract is the rules. As a player, I want to know the rules up front and not have them change during the game. I want to engage in the game both outside the gaming session where I am growing my character on my own, and in the gaming session where I am growing my character with others. If the GM either does not clarify the rules or simply overrides the rules at any whim in game, the rules contract is broken. This means that the player no longer can kmow what to expect, nor can they plan for it, because the rules aren't fixed. To be effective, rules must be clear, communicated, and static.
New GMs often get sucked into worries of overpowered characters and min-maxing builds. They find a better player has a better character than everyone else so they nerf it. They may even see people as breaking the game because they too easily succeed. There is talk of players needing punished. As a result these new GMs start house-ruling things.
Excessive house rules from a new GM is usually a result of a combination of things. 1) They don't understand the rules and so their players are making illegal actions. 2) They don't know how to play the enemies. Each class, monster, and scenario has an optimal way of being played. If they aren't played that way, the encounters will be severely underpowered. 3) They don't understand the controls on the game.
The bottom line is that the GM needs to understand the rules of them game. If a player is running a character of a configuration that the GM is not familiar with and it seems overpowered, the GM needs to become an expert in that configuration for the next session to make sure the actions are correct and legal. The GM needs to study up on the enemies he runs so they don't become used improperly and thus useless.
The final piece is for the GM to understand the control he or she has in the game. The GM controls every encounter, every bad guy, every plot point, every trap, literally everything but the characters. If one character is overpowered, use these controls to balance it. Build in encounters to exploit the weakness of the min-maxed character. Make conscious decisions about who is going to be attacked, if you need to. Let the enemies' knowledge of above average character work to the advantage of game balance.
The summary point is that there are a lot of options of how to control the game outside making rule changes during the game. Strive to clearly communicate the rules up front and try not to change them unless you really need to. It will make your players a lot happier.
If a player engages in a game, there is a social contract between the GM and the player. A big portion of this social contract is the rules. As a player, I want to know the rules up front and not have them change during the game. I want to engage in the game both outside the gaming session where I am growing my character on my own, and in the gaming session where I am growing my character with others. If the GM either does not clarify the rules or simply overrides the rules at any whim in game, the rules contract is broken. This means that the player no longer can kmow what to expect, nor can they plan for it, because the rules aren't fixed. To be effective, rules must be clear, communicated, and static.
New GMs often get sucked into worries of overpowered characters and min-maxing builds. They find a better player has a better character than everyone else so they nerf it. They may even see people as breaking the game because they too easily succeed. There is talk of players needing punished. As a result these new GMs start house-ruling things.
Excessive house rules from a new GM is usually a result of a combination of things. 1) They don't understand the rules and so their players are making illegal actions. 2) They don't know how to play the enemies. Each class, monster, and scenario has an optimal way of being played. If they aren't played that way, the encounters will be severely underpowered. 3) They don't understand the controls on the game.
The bottom line is that the GM needs to understand the rules of them game. If a player is running a character of a configuration that the GM is not familiar with and it seems overpowered, the GM needs to become an expert in that configuration for the next session to make sure the actions are correct and legal. The GM needs to study up on the enemies he runs so they don't become used improperly and thus useless.
The final piece is for the GM to understand the control he or she has in the game. The GM controls every encounter, every bad guy, every plot point, every trap, literally everything but the characters. If one character is overpowered, use these controls to balance it. Build in encounters to exploit the weakness of the min-maxed character. Make conscious decisions about who is going to be attacked, if you need to. Let the enemies' knowledge of above average character work to the advantage of game balance.
The summary point is that there are a lot of options of how to control the game outside making rule changes during the game. Strive to clearly communicate the rules up front and try not to change them unless you really need to. It will make your players a lot happier.
Comments
Post a Comment