Fairness

The GM is part storyteller, part actor, and part rules judge. You need to make sure that you treat all the players, and yourself fairly when wearing each hat. One thing that always sticks in players’ craws is being treated unfairly.

Before The Game

1. Don’t Pre-Judge? Players: Give everyone an equal chance.

During The Game

1. Players are Not the Enemy: Do not treat the players or their characters as your enemies.

a. Cooperative Atmosphere: You need to build an atmosphere of congenial cooperation at the table.

i. NPCs vs. You: Make it clear when NPCs are talking and when you are talking. The evil wizard being angry at the intruders is a different matter than you being angry at the players for screwing up the scenario. Make sure its clear which is which.

ii. You are in Charge: Games are like wagons. The PCs are the horses, and you are riding on the wagon, throwing down road in front of them. Most of the time, the PCs are go where they wish, but don’t be afraid to grab the reins if things are getting out of control.

iii. Keep Play Friendly: Don’t let a few obnoxious players spoil the game. Tell them straight what they need to do differently.

2. Let the Players Play: Your job is to come up with a way to let the players play they characters how they want to, not to make them play your game.

a. Enable their Ideas: Come up with a way to let the characters do what they want to, assigning appropriate difficulty. If they want to jump off a building onto a running horse firing their crossbow at the guy behind them, come up with what you think that entails, and let them try! Give them a fair and reasonable chance of success, and let them know what they are in for.

b. Suggest Gently: If they are unsure what to do (especially new players), give them a few suggested courses of action to get their thoughts going, but don’t be offended if they pick something else, even if you think it’s stupid. Don’t tell the players what to do. You have enough to think about.

c. Make it Memorable: Many of the best moments in games come from GMs letting the players try wild, cinematic stuff. Even if they fail, it will be spectacular!

5. Don’t Play Favorites: Don’t take certain people’s ideas more seriously, or worse yet, give them more play time just because they are:

a. Your Friends: You may know them and their play very well. Their style may mesh well with yours. But, everyone else at the table deserves your full consideration.

i. Start Low: If anything, start out paying more attention to the strangers at the table, so that you can get a feel for them. You already know your friends!

b. Attractive: Don’t pay more attention to certain players just because of their physical attributes.

c. Not Your Style: Some players just may not have the same play style you do. It is your job as the GM to set the tone of the game from the start, and adjust it to match the players as you go on.

i. Play the Field: The best GMs can expertly shift the game to suit each player throughout the session, so everyone gets a chance to shine.

d. Aggressive: Some players will try and dominate play. You need to help them share the game with everyone else. Don’t let them steamroll you. Make them talk to the hand if you have to.

e. Quiet: Very quiet players, A.K.A., “rocks”, or “plants”, deserve your attention too.

i. Prod Them: Go out of your way to ask them what they are doing, and don’t let obnoxious players talk over them.

ii. Praise Them: If they do something cool, point it out!