Game Master Best Practices
How to be the best
Why we Role-Play
Game Master Best Practices
Organization
World
Development /Atmosphere
Player
Trust
Character
Development
Inspiration

Audience Questions

But before we start, please understand . . .
IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!
Organization – Know the Rules

Do you know the combat system? – Do you know it well?

Do you have a feel for the genre?

How do non-combat skills work?

What kind of dice do you need?

How many of them do you need?

How do you reward experience?

How do you monitor character development?
Organization – Have your Materials Ready!
Things I bring to every game
o Calculator
o Sticky Note pad/Note cards
o 3-5 sharpened pencils
o Extra Dice
o Copy of Rule Book
o Page protectors
o Dry erase Markers
Organization - Have your Fodder Ready
Organization – Know your Villain
What Makes them tick?
Why are they Villainous?

Complex Villains are the best!

Is there a basic need not met in
their life? (Security, Love, Respect)

What are their weaknesses? (Lust,
Pride, Rage, Vanity, etc)

Is your villain noble? (Given the
right circumstances, would he/she
fight with your heros?)
Organization – The power Matrix
Organization – Power Matrix Examples
Forgotten Realms, AD&D
Champions Game
World Development & Atmosphere

Let genre come out in the descriptions.

If your game is a moody, horror game than describe the fog,
the darkness, the shadows

If your game is high fantasy, describe the epic landscape.
What makes your city interesting?

Make memorable Non-Player Characters

Give them their own manner of speaking

Ticks, physical features, scars,

NPC’s should have high morals, no morals, really smart, really stupid, extremes
World Development & Atmosphere
- Make Memorable Villains!
Villains should . . .
o
. . . have flaws & emotional scars
o
. . . have an air of flamboyance/arrogance/pride
o
. . . be physically memorable (7 ft. tall, in a
wheelchair, beautiful, ugly, missing a leg, etc.)
o
. . . be able to get under the players skin somehow
o
. . . be very dangerous to your heroes.
o
. . . have a little sympathy
o
. . . occasionally be redeemable
Player Trust – Player Types

The Actor

The Explorer

The Investigator

Power Gamer

Slayer

Storyteller

Thinker

Watcher
Player Trust
o
Give Players the Benefit of the Doubt
o
Respect their Concern for the Rules
o
Act like a judge, not a partisan
o
Create pyric victories to end sessions during a story arc.
o
Reward characters for being true to the genre, the story, & their character arc.
o
(Extra XP, special items, fulfilling character story, great soliloquies)
o Never say no to a players idea!
Character Development
o
Ask for short character backstories – use them in interesting & unsuspecting ways.
o
Ask players what they want – They will surprise you!
o
Weave relationships throughout your game. Relationships with . . .
o
Other characters
o
Non-player characters (either from their backstory or ones you introduce)
o
Villains!
o
Bestow character agency
o
Reward creativity and loyalty to the story, the genre, & the characters arc.
Inspiration
o
Literature (Game of Thrones, Shakespeare, Hunger Games, Star Wars Novels)
o
Comic Books (Avengers, The Walking Dead, Hellboy, 300, etc)
o
Television & Cinema (The possibilities are legion!)
o
History & Archeology
o
Liberate in the Name of the Republic! (Steal liberally, mix & match ideas)
Audience Questions
Just Remember to . . .
Slides will be at Jason-evans.net
The material on the Game Matrix, as well as other material can be found in:
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Go to Brett’s Webpage!
brettbaker.ws
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