Masters Workshop - Not everything works for you

 

This is something that many folks really don't seem to get. To me it was obvious so I never really thought much about it. But to others it seems like they really haven't grasped this idea. It's really a simple concept that I feel it's just not directly thought of. But here it is.

Not every bit of gamemaster advice is for you. 

The reason I'm talking about this is because I've seen an influx of folks getting all wrapped around the axle over things. Looking at every single GM tip as something they should use in their game. Then getting offended and upset when it doesn't work for their table, their game or their group. When reading the various advice columns you need to keep a few simple things in mind.

First. What game style is the advice giver speaking from? Take a look at what the person is running or supports all the time. If you're a hard core OSR and rules as written person then advice from somebody doing super narrative games with lots of hand waving probably isn't going to work. If you're a person who loves stripping everything unnecessary out of a game to the bare bones then advice from somebody who enjoys traditional style games with all sorts of fiddly bits won't be in your wheelhouse. So take a look at where the advice giver is coming from.

Second. How long has the advice giver been playing? Some people don't like me saying this one. Really it does make a difference. I can't tell you how many times I've seen some smug ass punk who's been running games for a handful of years telling somebody who's been running games for decades on how to do things. Yes there are some new folks who do a really good job of running games. Running them the way they want to. More often then not I've seen those same new folks having zero experience trying other styles or systems out. So if you're a decades long GM don't feel afraid to ignore something you don't like from somebody who is, themselves, a new GM. Especially when their 'great advice' is something we've all treaded over fifteen, twenty or longer years ago. 

Third. Not just game style but what game. Don't pay attention to DnD advice on how to run your Vampire the Masquerade game. Also careful taking advice when it comes to messing around with mechanics when it's for one system when you're running another. What you are running is important to the kind of advice you need to listen to.

Fourth. What does your table like? If you have a group that really enjoys things a specific way it may hurt more than it helps when you change things up. I've seen this at my own table on a few occasions. Think about those folks who show up every week just to spend time with you and engage in the games you run. Do they want more props, more narrative control, more whatever. Or are they more happy with what you have going right now?

That's all I have for now. Maybe some more later. We'll see. 

Two Centric Styles

 

This above post got me to thinking on something that happened in my game group recently. We had a really good player who was also a really good person. He was a great addition at the table and everyone enjoyed playing with him. Everything was great when we were playing a game that was heavily class based, in particular Cyberpunk 2020 and RED. 

But then when we moved on to another game that had no classes and was much more 'build your own' things began to not go so well. The new game, while still very trad based, focused much more on individual characters and being what you want to be. Instead of where you belong in a group or team. 

He had some issues which we tried to help him out with. Character creation was a hurdle. What his character should be doing. Things like that. Eventually he dropped out saying he felt 'rudderless' and had no direction of what he should be doing. Now there were other issues like he loved having games with lots of lore to fall back on. But I think this may have been the central issue. 

It wasn't until I read the above post that it clicked in my head. He hadn't game for over a decade at some point, only recently getting back into gaming. So I think the over all style of gaming he was used to had shifted somewhat. I never noticed because I stayed in the gaming hobby and never really got out, only burnt out a few times. So the shift was something that never caught my attention. 

Adventure-Centric really harkens back to the way DnD used to be. You played the Cleric, your job was to be the healer, back up combat person and occasionally turning the undead. The Thief found traps and unlocked doors. Etc and so forth. Premade adventures where designed around going in with a well rounded party with each person doing their part to keep moving things forward. Even with modern games that do have classes they are much more open to interpretation allowing much more room for them to built outside of a central focused role. 

Now while I don't think you can define gaming between just these two filters it does help provide a lens to see things through. Now understanding this I'm hoping I may be able to talk him back to the table for a bit. Just need to discuss ahead of time what his characters adventure-centric traits could be and giving a focal point. He may like it, he may not. But he's one of those guys I consider a friend and I hope to game with him again in the future. So I will give it a shot. 

In the end I think this lens of two styles of play will help me (and a few others) understand the people at the table a bit more. Seeing what they are looking for and what they want. By no means is this anything like an overall classification of gaming styles. Just something more to think about. 

Be A Better Gamemaster - PCs are not the Players

 

Normally I stray away from giving advice for gamemasters. I did better at giving advice for the players. But every now and then I just feel the need to say something. So guess no better time than the present.

I'm going to start off this series with one of the things that really irks me. It's when the Gamemaster doesn't seem to understand that the Player Character and the Player are different. They are not the same and it's sort of supposed to be that way. So stop expecting the player to be the PC. 

What the hell am I talking about? Let me explain.

To many times I've been at the table and my uber charismatic character is going to try and schmooze his way past some guards. So I tell the GM that's what I'm going to do. Then the response I get is "Well what are you telling them, lets here it" or they want to roleplay the scene and let that determine success or failure. Well you know what? I'm not an uber charismatic mother fucker. Nor do I think of great thing to say right at the drop of a hat.

They don't let you make a die roll or test against your maxed charisma or social skills. You, the player, are suddenly supposed to have all those skills in real life. Then you get told "oh well to bad" when you don't. 

So, gamemasters, don't fucking do that. If you or them want to roleplay it a bit that's fine. But don't let that be the arbitrator of success or failure. There still needs to either be that die roll or you let them succeed. 

Just like don't expect the person playing a character with all sorts of mechanical skills do be able to tell you step by step on how to check through an engine for a problem. Or the player playing the law enforcement officer to suddenly know every little law and ordinance there is. 

This also goes for puzzles, riddles, and how the PC can solve them. Their super brainy magic user is smarter than the player. Let them roll to figure it out if they want.

The characters are different than the person sitting at the table. That's the entire idea of ROLE PLAYING. So let them play the role a bit and let those really good stats or skill help move the character along. Not just the wit of the player. 

That's what I got this time. Short, sweet and to the damn point. If you like it go over to my Ko-Fi page and show some support. 

Masters Workshop - Saying NO

 

For my first bit of GM advice that I’ve given in a while I’m going to be talking about a piece of advice that many often give. Something that I don’t agree with.

“Don’t say no”

Is absolutely terrible game advice to offer up to any GM before you know what kind of group they have. Especially to folks who are new to running the game or have players who aren’t very experienced. And yes I’m including adding in the “say ‘yes, but’ or ‘yes, and’” into this.

First let’s talk about not knowing what their group of players is like. Some of you all may be blessed with amazing groups who love to work together to tell great stories through the game. But trust me, you are a minority in that respect. I’ve seen enough to know this isn’t the case. You will run into folks who do crazy shit that makes zero sense, who do things just to make the rest of the other players mad, or just do what they think will help them ‘win’ at the game. To many times have entire games, or even campaigns, been derailed by one player doing whatever without the GM telling them to stop.

I’ve seen this from both sides of the screen countless times. The “but” or the “and” part don’t matter as long as they get to do the stupid inane action they want to. They don’t care about the story, or the other players having fun. Count on running into folks like this from time to time.

Also I’ve seen more new or beginner GM’s just give up after the players run roughshod over them. Imposing limits are important for a new person running a game for the first few times to be able to get their feet over them and get used to being in the head chair. Just saying “NO” can really help a lot. Even if it’s something as simple as saying “We are using stuff from the corebook only so NO you cannot play that class from another sourcebook”. Or to stop a situation from going in a direction they don’t know how to handle. It gives them a set of safety rails to hold onto. If a player can’t handle letting a new GM learn the ropes a little bit before going all out, then maybe they need to find a different group.

Not every group is an immersive shared narrative where each player is equally invested in telling the story. So this rule of “Don’t say no” sure as hell isn’t an amazing rule for all to follow. Feel free to toss it aside, maybe pick it up later if it you do get one of those groups going.

“Yes, and” isn’t the great D&D advice you think it is

Rules for asshole gamemaster number four

 

It's been a long time since I've done an asshole gamemaster rule post. Like ten years and two months of a long time. I still laugh at how I pissed one guy off so much he did a post on his blog about how wrong I was for what I said. That was fucking great. 

So anyways...

You have this player, or two, whatever, and they always give you their characters quick backstory. It's all fine but then you get the words that make you roll your eyes. "He's a lone wolf" or "Doesn't get along with others" maybe even "Trusts nobody at all". You know the excuses the player wants so they can be a jerk, not get along with a party and make everyone jump through hoops just to keep the party together. 

Here's what you do. You ask them if you can see their character sheet. When they hand it to you put it in a folder and tell them that it will make a great NPC and hand them a blank character sheet and tell them to get busy. Then you go about running the game with the players who made characters who actually work well together while they crank out a new PC. If they do the same thing, then just repeat until they either get it, stomp away mad or just sit there and pout. 

We play games where the players are supposed to be working together as a group. Making characters counter to that is just being a jerk and they want to play a jerk PC to piss others off. 

Other options for their 'lone wolf' characters when they hand you the sheet include: wadding it up and throwing it into the trash, slicing it up with scissors, ripping it to pieces while saying "dumb" over and over again. The possibilities are endless here. 

Also, if you think this is some kind of 'sage advice' for every group out there then you really are clueless. 

How to Play: Cyberpunk 2020: Episode 1

A nice beginners guide to combat for Cyberpunk 2020. Now my games go by the rules, but not strictly by the rules. I tend to be fast and loose with a lot of things to keep the action going faster or to give a more hurried feel. 

Background music for horror gaming

 

Choosing the right background music can be crucial to establishing the right atmosphere for a horror roleplaying game. Here are some examples of music that can enhance the mood and create a sense of dread:

Dark ambient music: This genre of music is specifically designed to create a sense of unease and tension. Artists like Lustmord, Atrium Carceri, and Thomas Köner create atmospheric soundscapes that are perfect for horror games.

Movie soundtracks: Many horror movie soundtracks can be used effectively in a roleplaying game. Some examples include the soundtracks for The Exorcist, The Shining, and The Witch.

Classical music: Certain classical pieces, such as Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky, can be used to create an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.

Video game soundtracks: Many horror video games have excellent soundtracks that can be used in a roleplaying game. Examples include the soundtracks for Silent Hill 2, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and Resident Evil.

Ambient noise: Sometimes, silence can be just as effective as music. Ambient noise, such as the sound of a rainstorm, can help create a sense of isolation and unease.

Also some game lines have produced their own music for use with their games. Such as the original game soundtrack for the Kult RPG from Helmgast. 

Remember, the right music can enhance the atmosphere and make your horror roleplaying game even more terrifying. Experiment with different types of music to find the perfect soundtrack for your game. But also take into consideration what your group may like.

Horror Gaming - It's an aid not a crutch.

It has become a challenge among game designers to create the feeling of horror, stress, fear, etc in their games with actual mechanics. Which I do see a really good thing that leads to some wonderful creative systems. The Madness Meter from Unknown Armies is one of the first things that pops into my mind right next to the Mental Balance from Kult and lets not forget Sanity from Call of Cthulhu. They help players and the GM visualize just where they are along that downward slide from whatever horrible things are happening around them (or to them in some cases). However they do have one drawback from what I've experienced.

To often they can be used as the only indicator that it is a horror game.

Running a horror game the same way as you would any other dungeon crawl except that every now and then the player may loose a D6 of Sanity doesn't work out all to well. Your players just end up playing whack a mole with two forms of Hit Points instead of one. Even if there is a high mortality rate among the PC's that doesn't create a sense of horror except for having to take the time to roll up another character.

The mechanics are in there mainly to help the GM set the mood, they are essentially a GM aid of sorts. Use them as such right beside the rest of the bag of tricks that help make a game an actual horror game. You know like getting exquisitely descriptive about things that should send a chill down a persons spine. Covering all five of the senses, hell go and look up what something smells like so you can describe it better in the game. Go for that six sense even, that feeling of dread or tell them of a nagging thought in the back of the characters head. There are tons of tricks for horror games. Just don't get lazy and let a built in mechanic be the only one.

Masters Workshop - Books at the table.

At a local shop we have a monthly Gamemaster meet up called 'The Masters Council' in which we talk about various problems, ideas, solutions and rant about things.  One rule is that we don't tell anyone how they are supposed to run a game or tell them they are doing it wrong.  It's all about working together.  Here is one of the recent topics that came up.

How to deal with players bringing books to the table.  As in the folks who pull out a Monster Manual at every encounter and tell the party everything about the creature they are fighting.  Or the ones who pull out a copy of a module so they can 'go the right way'.  Here are a few solutions and thoughts that were brought up.

Easiest one off the top is to ban them from the table.  Especially copies of the module being ran currently, that one goes without a doubt.  But monster guides as well.  Now this will lead to some players having issues since they spent money on the books.  Usually these are the folks that don't see how it drags some of the fun out of the game.

Another was to simply change things up.  Change the creature stats on the fly, better armor, more damage with their attacks or even a special attack tossed in there.  With modules you could do the same adding in more bad guys, having special items they were searching after simply not being there and the dude that is supposed to be aiding them switches sides and does the big betrayal. 

One suggestion was, in the case of monster guides, was to never tell them the name of the monsters they are fighting.  Give a rough physical description of what they are seeing.  It's not like they are standing there as if they were in an airport waiting for somebody holding up a sign.  Now eventually some will pick up on what it is and may flip open a book.  But some of the lesser used things will leave them scratching their heads.

Could also be worth it to pick up some third party books if such a thing exists for the game you are running.  I've found books like Teratic Tome or Lusus Naturae to be perfect for this.  Some of their entries being completely horrific nightmare stuff that they may not be expecting.

Hope these help somebody out.

Masters Workshop - Details don't matter

The details really don't matter all that much. At least not nearly as much as some people want to think they do.

Nearly everybody has something that catches their interest more than it does most others around them. Whether it be cars, firearms, science, etc; they have something where their knowledge goes beyond what most would ever care to know. Now of course who doesn't want to show off their extra trivia knowledge on their favorite subject right? Well sometimes you need to be a bit careful of that, especially when you are running a game.

A problem I've seen on more than a few occasions is a gamemaster who suddenly expect their players to have the same level of knowledge as they do. Or expects them to go out and research that subject until they do. Either for penalizing the players in game because they don't know what pick up trucks have four wheel drive and which ones don't. Or that a type of martial arts is more about grapples and throws than anything else. This gets becomes a double problem when the gamemaster expects them to have this knowledge because their characters do.

Don't do this, really just don't. Not only does it tend to piss off the player and sucks some of their enjoyment out of the game but the other players notice you doing this also. Unless you want to set up a whole 'me vs them' mentality at your game table... which I would never recommend.

Gloss over the details. When they decide to shift their truck into four wheel drive before running through a street full of walking dead guys just let them. It makes for more fun all around and nobody feels like they are being screwed because they don't happen to be as much of a gear head as you. Keep it simple and ignore when things don't match up to reality. Just have a good time.

 

Planescape Campaign Setting

Castle Falkenstein

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Horror Gaming and that damned line.

One thing most people tend to forget about when running or playing in a horror game is a line. Not the line that determines the limits of what kind of stuff should happen in the game. The blurry line that determines if it is a horror game or not. It's blurry because it can mean something different to each person... but it's still there.

This line really becomes apparent in modern day horror games. Take for instance how a lot of RPGs of the old White Wolf lines tend to go. They started out with an idea of horror but soon it turned into Dark Super Heroes or Dark Modern Day Fantasy (especially stuff like Changeling). They lost a lot of that early personal horror idea that was present in first edition Vampire and a some other works they did around that time. Now it doesn't mean you are playing it wrong by any means. If you and your group are having fun then you are playing it right and that's what counts.

But you need to acknowledge when it stops being horror.

What really tends to break that feel is when the PCs start having various powers to battle back at the darkness with. You become something more than human that can stand to toe to toe with the bad guys which isn't so scary all of a sudden. This is, as I said earlier, more akin to Dark Super Heroes. Playing Blade and the Nightstalkers or something.

The best single piece of advice I can give for running a modern day horror game is simple; keep the PCs human. If they become a vampire by being bitten or a werewolf or whatever then it should be game over for that character. Add them to the NPC list for the GM to use for the rest of the campaign. Place them in that vulnerable spot of being very mortal and unshakably human. They may gain knowledge, a few skills and maybe even an item or two. But never let them become anything like the things they are trying to fight.

If they get magic then make it a ritual requiring long term effort to make it work. Kult is a great source of inspiration for this as well as Unknown Armies (just stay away from the other abilities). Make them costly to get and even more costly to use. So they become a tool of last ditch desperation.

Keep the special items down to a minimum also. Think of things that may allow them to detect a very specific kind of creature but it can't give you anything exact. An amulet that makes it harder for a vampire to hurt them... but not impossible. Or something that requires an activation of the users blood to work, or some other sort of sacrifice. Keep them to a minimum and very specific so they don't become a catch all for everything they run into.

There is my advice about how to keep the game on the horror side of the line.

 

 

Lusus Naturae

 

 

Dark Conspiracy 1st edition

 

 

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Rules for asshole gamemaster number three

There seems to be the common misconception that runs through a lot of the gaming hobby out there. That we have to accept everybody who wants in no matter what. We should greet them with open arms and friendly words despite of their actions or behavior.

This is, in my humble opinion, utter bullshit.

Now don't get me wrong here I am accepting of a lot of things. Social awkwardness, various quirks and odd habits, a lot of what gets some people ostracized from other circles I am fully aware of dealing with and allowing at my table. The ones I am talking about here are the ones who go far and beyond the average 'geek' who isn't familiar with interacting with people on a normal basis. The ones who continue, or in some cases increase, their strong anti-social tendencies even after you've sat down and had a talk with them about it.

The guy who seems okay at some points but hits on every female that comes around... as long as they are underage. I've seen this one at a local game shop, he was in his mid twenties and he seemed to like the ones who either weren't old enough to have a drivers license or just got one. Really creepy pedo factor every time I was near him.

Or how about the overly violent bully. He sees all the other players as inferior or stupid, usually the GM as well. Yells at other people for the decisions they make, threatens physical harm if they make a bad die roll. Usually states that he is the only one at the table with any form of intelligence quite loudly to the other people.

The drug addict who is always trying to get other people to join in with his habit. The kleptomaniac who thinks what is yours should be his and has no problem taking it. The guy who absolutely refuses to bathe that people on the other side of the room can smell. The ones who really push the boundaries way far and beyond their limits. Those folks are who I'm talking about.

What's my asshole gamemaster advice here? Kick them the fuck out, plain and simple. Their reputation will rub off on you and the rest of the group even if you don't want it to. Potential players may avoid your games because of a single individual at your table. Folks outside of the gaming hobby will notice the company you keep as well. Trust me, reputation is a big deal out there in the world. Not to mention legal repercussions from folks like the drug addict or pedophile types. Do you really want to testify in front of a court room that you've seen somebody dating underage girls for the last two or three years... and never reported it.

We don't have to accept everybody. Some people just cannot and will not fit in.

 

 

 

GM Advice: COPS slack off the realism

Now most people know there is a distinctive difference in the way police work is portrayed in movies and on television and the way it is in real life. This is something that anybody wanting to run a police themed game will also have to decide on. Do you go with real life or the movies? Personally my recommendation would to always put quite of a bit of the movie/television spin into it. Here is a bit on why I say this.
A good chunk of actual real world police work is boring. Mind numbingly boring with very little excitement and lots of repetition. Directing traffic, standing in one spot telling people they can't come any closer to a crime scene for hours on end, paper work until your eyes bleed. This doesn't make for good entertaining game time. Now while I do urge folks to work some of the 'routine' assignments into the game from time to time I wouldn't make an entire game of it.
Bend the rules a bit on what an officer can and can't do. Let them do some of the investigative work instead of the detectives all the time. Instead of reporting everything and hoping their superiors take care of it let them follow up their own leads. Is this realistic? No. But is it fun or the players? Yes. Remember everybody having fun is the important part.
Give them the action filled chase scenes that almost never happen in the real world. The jumping over the car, gun drawn and bullets flying action. The damn near Parkour level of rooftop and alley way foot chases. When the excitement hits then make for sure that it's exciting. Because in the real world the 'exciting' part we see in the movies almost never happens.

GM Advice - Setting the mood in a COPS game.

Setting the mood when gaming can be very important to some people. Anything that helps them 'fall into' the game while playing. So it's time to discuss some mood setters for a COPS game. Some of these are great to use every game while others not so much.

The muster room. Hill Street Blues always started off with this each episode. All the officers going on shift getting the run down on what's been going on and things they will have to deal with. I highly suggest starting off each game with this. You can then drop hints at upcoming storylines, update some of the ones which have gone stale and not to mention it gives you the ability to railroad a little bit without looking so much like railroading. Just remember be safe out there guys.

Also a nice collection of music helps as well. I used to start games with a different cop show theme song along as with playing one each time we took a break. There are plenty of others out there that fit the bill as well. Take a look around online for a few soundtracks or collected scores that are inspired by various shows like Dragnet.

Have a pot of coffee on for whoever wants some. Even for those who don't drink it the smell alone will fill the room. Go with the old police stereotype also and maybe put a box of Krispy Kremes out on the table as well. Only allow refills or seconds when the characters are at a location that would allow them to do so.

Many times I would run games where the characters were regular duty police officers. So they would be two to a car partnered up during the game. At the table I would make the players set beside each based on who they were partnered up with. The only way they were allowed to pass information to other pairs of players while on patrol was through the radio.

Whenever they grab the radio to pass along that information, get ahold of the dispatcher or call for backup they have to use the 10-codes. Don't expect them to memorize it, make a few copies and pass them around the table and don't rush them to hard. After a couple of games the commonly used codes will become second nature.

Props are pretty much limited by your budget. You can plastic badges and toy guns. Or you can purchase actual evidence kits online and fill them with all sorts of things. Examples of paperwork can also be found on the net with relative ease (just don't bury them in it as gaming is about having fun more than frustration), If you do get extravagant with the props be sure to take some pictures and send me a link!

Rules for Asshole Gamemaster number two.

Nearly every GM I've ever talked to has ran into this problem at the table. They are going along and things are starting to pick up in pace and excitement. Finally the action starts and things get fast paced and they are going from player to player asking them what they are going to do. Then they get to that one player, the one who looks dumbly up from doing something else and goes “Huh, oh what's going on?” and the pace comes to a sudden halt like a car hitting a reinforced brick wall. Finally one time I had enough.

I was running Sla Industries for a group who were mostly new to the game. Two of the players picked Ebb users. So I gave them a quick explanation of how it works and handed them a copy of the rulebook flipped open to he Ebb section so they could look over what they could do. The first one began checking it out as soon as it hit the table, she didn't waste a moment. But the other one, he started to draw a picture of his 'cool bad ass' Brain Waster character. He spent nearly the entire time doing that, almost no interaction with what was going on just following the other PCs.

Finally combat started up and I started going around for actions from the players. Everybody was on top of their game and ready to go... until I go to him. His words were “Okay... now what can I do with this Ebb stuff again?” as he finally looked up from his drawing. He had done zero effort to be involved or to look through the power list for his abilities. I was a bit aggravated at this so I simply called out “Okay you are trying to figure out how your Ebb powers work.” and went on to the next person in line. Needless to say his character ended up getting killed that game... then he made a second character, the brother of the first character, out to avenge his death... but that's another sad gamer story for another time.

But in that story I just told lies my point, my advice for being an asshole when you have to. When they look up from their cellphone, sketch pad, whatever and ask what's going on during the middle of the action you just pass their ass up. Their character stands there like a fool trying to figure out what to do. Do not stop the pace, especially once it's up to speed, just to explain what is going on to somebody who can't bother to listen when you're talking.

Now be prepared for all manner of crying and bitching from them. But you just have to keep moving and don't listen. If they want to disrupt the game completely over this tell them to leave. Stand your ground, be an asshole. Smart ones will learn from this, sit down, shut up, take their lumps and do better the next time around. Others may not, but those are probably the few that you would have to stop the game for repeatedly every game over and over again. So it's no big loss when it come to running a good game for your players. At least the players who can pay attention.

Funny hat characterization random chart

Funny hat characterization is when you give a character a noticeable sign that makes them stand out.  Commonly used as the first bit of description when that character is seen again later so the reader/player/viewer/whatever knows immediately who it is.  So here is a random chart to let you roll up a bit of funny hat for an NPC or three.

Enjoy.

1 – Severe overbite to the point where their eye teeth are constantly visible.

2 – Nose is crooked and bent from being broke multiple times.

3 – Missing a pinky finger easily visible since they move their hands when they talk.

4 – Scar across their forehead.

5 – Walks with a noticeable limp and sometimes uses a cane.

6 – Stands hunched over and complains of their bad back.

7 – Missing an eye and has a collection of colorful eye patches that they wear.

8 – Right arm is always bandaged up and they don't move it much.

9 – Their hair is balding in random patches.

10 – False teeth that are to large and very noticeable.

11 – Keeps clothes spotlessly clean, or at least attempts to.

12 – Missing an ear.

13 – Red gem embedded in their skin at the base of their throat.

14 – Always wears a worn out military uniform.

15 – Hair is always an unruly mess.

16 – Changes the color of their hair constantly, always to bright colors.

17 – Their eyes bug out and are always looking around nervously.

18 – Always wears some sort of dog collar.

19 – Never sits down, always pacing back and forth.

20 – Keeps an unlit cigar or cigarette in their hand, never smokes it.

GM Advice - Family problems

In a lot of games where you can take various 'handicaps' for characters most players will take advantage of these to no end. One common I have seen a lot of is games consider having a family or dependent to take care of is a handicap or something bad. That or they write up a character background where they have a family and then forget they even exist once play starts. This is a bit assbackwards in my mind but it seems to be the way a lot of games and players go. Well if they want to take them as a disadvantage or completely ignore them then by all means make them the biggest problem in their ass that you can.

Never ever kill the family. I know for some folks running games out there this is going to be really hard. It flies in the face of tradition of killing off the PC's beloved by the players. Problem is it is usually only effective for one game session and then it's blown off. Don't do that, keep them alive, that way they can continue to be a problem to be dealt with.

Now with that first bit out of the way lets look at a bunch of basic ways to aggravate.

Old debts come calling. Somebody owes somebody else a lot of money and they want that money now. Debt collectors come in many forms and sizes, from collection agencies calling up people related to (or responsible for) the debtor to more aggressive tactics like showing up at their front doors. Times this by ten if the person they owe money to is a criminal organization or massive gambling debts. Easiest way out of this is simply paying them what is owed... if they can. Otherwise it may build up to actual physical conflicts to be endured.

If their dependent is a child well then those cost money... trust me I have a couple. So be sure to hit them up for cash spent between game sessions. Food, clothing, school costs, toys, games, etc. This creates a constant drain to the pocket book and we Gamemasters know how important it is to separate a character from their money. Failure to provide a safe and healthy home is considered negligence in the eyes of the law in most civilized places.

If the character has a wife well then those cost money also... trust me I have plenty of broke friends to testify to this. Be sure to have them spending it for them as often as possible. New clothes, a car and all it's costs, etc. It doesn't have to be the rude stereotype of a 'money spending woman' either, but if they aren't bringing in income they have to be given something to survive on also.

Kids are a never ending source of headaches, some being worse than others. Make your PC's kids part of the 'worse' section. Calls from the police if they get caught shoplifting an angry shop owner if it's a fantasy world. Running away from home in the middle of the night. Having to go pick them up in east jesus when they are tired, cold and hungry. Be sure a lot of this suddenly pops up in the middle of the game so they have to take care of it right then.

Tag along. You can't always leave them at home and sometimes they just utterly refuse to stay there. Be it a baby sitter canceling at the last minute or a wife who thinks her riding along won't be any problem. Just put them there beside them for the entire game... talking... asking questions... doing the wrong things at the wrong time. You get the idea.

The borrowers. You get out on the adventure just to discover some of your rations are gone and that extra lamp oil is missing. Well you know, somebody back at home needed that, they just didn't bother to tell you. Same goes for finding your hard drive space filled up with downloaded movies or the extra fuel can being empty. Or when they do return something they took without telling you it's because there is now something wrong with them. The IR goggles are on the fritz (because IR goggles are damn cool to any kid out there), that computer has a virus from the downloaded movies or scope on the rifle is knocked out of line.

Poor choice in friends. Your daughter is hooked up with a sleazebag who has a tendency to steal anything left out... and he's at your house when the adventure is on. Your wife has a friend who is constant trouble with the law... and your wife is always trying to help bail her out of trouble. Your son has been hanging out with some vandals... and they've all been picked up by the police.

Don't forget the old standby use of a family member in a game. Kidnap them so you have to rush to the rescue.

There is just so much you could use to stick it to your players with their family. Make that disadvantage one hell of a disadvantage. If you do it right they won't look at it as a fast way to get some extra character points next time. Just remember to keep them alive so they can be a pain over and over again.

Rules for Asshole Gamemasters number one.

 
Rules of the table for asshole gamemasters.  


Or...


Necessary rules to keep your sanity and your stuff. Number One. When they forget to bring a freaking pencil. You have this nice little stash of mechanical pencils in your bag. Because, as a GM, you are never unprepared. Problem is your players also know you have that stash of mechanical pencils and somehow seem to think that it falls into the category of 'Community Property'. So here they show up for the games without anything to write with and look to you as if you are the responsible party for them being ready to play the game. With a sigh you hand them one and another to the guy over there who evidently realize that writing shit down was something that happened in an activity involving dice, paper, books, etc.   But then when it's all over for the night you find the stash to be short a couple.


 Now most of the time they didn't up and steal them on purpose, it just slipped their mind when they were packing up. But you can almost bet that next weekend nobody will be showing up going “Oh here is that pencil you loaned me last week, sorry about that.”. Nope they are now lost to the world or claimed as the sole property of the person you lent it to. Now what's the rule for this? You see this pencil right here? You need this pencil? Okay then give me your car keys. Yeah that's right, give me the ring that has the keys to your car, house, whatever on it. I don't get my pencil you don't get these keys.


 This way I'm absolutely freaking sure that the usual 'slip of the mind' will be quickly remembered when you try to leave. If we're at a shop you better hope you remember before I load up and drive away. I mean your keys in my bag of stuff must have simply slipped my mind. For the record.


 Yes, I DO use this rule.

GM Advice - Let the players get to the adventure

“All right you are all in full battle dress power armor with weapons stowed and belted into the drop pods. They fire out of the ship like a bullet, hammering you back into the cushioning. As they pass into the atmosphere your teeth rattle as everything shakes and bucks. Suddenly warning lights come on; you are getting fired upon by anti aircraft weapons in an attempt to keep you from reaching the ground. I’ll roll once for each pod and if they are hit by the incoming rounds then it’s game over for them.”

“You mean for the NPC’s that are coming down with us right?”

“No for every pod, including the PC’s.”

“If we’re hit then we get a chance to pull out of it and make it though right?”

“Nope it’s game over like I said.”

“Well that’s just stupid.”

Have you ever been in a situation like this in a game? Have you ever put this situation upon your players in a game? In case you haven’t noticed it’s not exactly a fair thing and not really fun for the players. After all they’ve gone through all the trouble of generating characters and then suddenly BAM they may be killed off in a die roll that they can’t affect and usually before they get to do anything much.

The usual argument back from the GM is ‘But that’s the way life is!’ Yeah well this isn’t life we are playing is it. If all we wanted was life we would walk downtown for a while and shoot some pool. But we’re not, we’re playing a game and a game is supposed to be fun. That means fun for everybody. This responsibility is in the hands of everyone playing but it’s all under the control of one person.

The Gamemaster.

For the direction he takes the game and the obstacles he puts into the way are what makes everything work. He just needs to be aware of the way the players want to take the game and make it work for them as well. This is a little fact that is often overlooked by many GMs.

First thing off he needs to let the players get to the adventure. What is the point of all your planning ahead if nobody gets to fight their way through it? There doesn't need to be any 'roll against instant death' within the first few minutes of any game because then there is no point for people to waste time making characters. In the above situation, yes it's dangerous, yes if it were real anybody could be killed in an instant. Do kill off an NPC or two especially if you built up a bit on them so the players like that NPC. Make a point that it's going to be a rough game but at least let them make it to the damn game.

People joke about how you can die during character creation in the original Traveler rules. Don't become a joke yourself by killing off characters as soon as they hit the table.