So, I’ll be running a game in a week or so – mixed group of old-skool Pen & Paper RPGers who haven’t played for 15 years – and rank Noobs.
It’s also my first time GMing – though I have studied under some fantastic GMs, that ran D&D like the improvisational style of Dungeon World. I’m an old hand at P&P RGP – and have soaked up most of the rules.
I’m looking to avoid those “First Timer” traps that GMs and players can fall into.
What tips would you give for “Always try and…..”
or “Never try and….”
We should get a good 4 – 5 – 6 hour session; I want it to go as well as possible so I can convince them to continue with it.
Try your best to “Yes and” it’s an old improve acting trick. When a player comes up with an action where your not sure exactly how rules apply or completely destroys your plan, just come up with a simple adjudication that allows them to accomplish that task and keep moving. Don’t stop to find the right rule (this is less of a problem in DW) and do your best never to say “No you can’t”.
Your first time GMing is like making your first dinner. From your perspective is can seem very chaotic and thrown together, but from the players perspective you’re multitasking chef that planned the whole thing perfectly and it was delicious.
Be sure to stop the game 10-20 minutes before everyone has to leave, so you can ask what people did and didn’t like. This will help you tweak the game as you go.
I guess I would chime in on Joshua Cupp ‘s comment (Yes, AND….) — One thing I really like about the game from a GM standpoint is that I can stop thinking about almost all of the rules and just remember the scale… now I’ve modified it a bit myself based on discussions here….
12+ Amazing. Critical success.
10+ Success.
7-9 Success at a price
3-6 Failure at a price
2- Failure at a significant price.
And that’s all I need to remember for the narrative. I also turned ALL of the die rolling over to the group — and that made it a MUCH easier game for me.
The thing I’ve learned best from Dungeon World is: when you’re drawing a blank for what happens next, it’s okay to ask the players. You can ask the player of the character in question (“Ok, you’ve screwed up that spell. What happens when you do that?”), or you can ask the player across the table (“Ok, so the priestess is not impressed by his sad banter, but she’s not throwing him out yet. What do you think she wants to see him do?”)
You don’t have to take all their suggestions, but even if you don’t it’ll often trigger an idea you can go with.
Also, specifically Dungeon-World-related: If you don’t feel like you can just say “yeah, you do it, now what?”, make them Defy Danger. Can’t open a door? Defy Danger + STR. Need to climb a cliff? Defy Danger + DEX. Need to figure out if a guard buys their bullshit? Defy Danger + CHA.
colin roald That’s the great thing about the name of the move “Defy Danger”, it makes sure that there’s some stakes in the roll. Open door? Well, you might be loud enough to alert some guards. Defy Danger, could be a slip and fall. Bullshit? They could be arrested and/or outlawed.