Games Mastering: My 7 Rules

Today I would like to take a look at a topic of interest to tabletop gamers.  I have been playing RPGs since 1984, 32 years in all.  In all of that time I have been the Games Master far more often than a player.  Currently I GM two weekly game sessions and one monthly one.  As such I have a lot of experience of sitting behind that screen and keeping the game moving.   So, today I would like to talk a little about a few golden rules I moderate my own GMing by.

Some of these are things you may already do (or your GM may do).  Some are things you may very strongly disagree with.  That's okay too.  There is no absolute right and wrong way to do it, so long as everyone is having fun (that includes you as GM as well as your players.  All too often GMs concentrate so hard on making sure their players are having fun that they forget they have to be enjoying it as well!).

I will be including these tips in my upcoming RPG 'The Entropy Effect' (due out in 2017), along with a few additional tips that are more specific to that game's rather unique challenges.

I openly invite debate and discussion on this article because no matter how long one has been GMing and no matter how good one may be at it, there is always room for improvement.  One step to improvement is debate with others, so if you have a strong feeling either way about any of these points, feel free to say so as vocally as you like!  Let's discuss it.


The role of Games Master is a challenging one in any tabletop RPG, since the GM acts as a moderator, referee and organiser of the game and to an extent, the players. The task is a balancing act, in which the GM must retain enough control to keep the game moving but not so much that the players feel they are not the primary cause of the narrative moving forward. It is the players that must solve the problems the GM presents them with. The GM must carefully balance creating challenging situations – so that the players feel stimulated and tested – with ensuring the players have a fighting chance of success.

Someone once said that “GMing is the art of letting the players win while not letting them know that you let them win”. Well, while this quote has some merit, the GM and the players should also keep in mind another truism of RPGs, that sometimes losing can be just as much fun and isn't necessarily the end. The PCs should always have an opportunity to recover from a loss or defeat and as long as the players are enjoying themselves, then all is well.

Walking this tightrope between creating drama and the sense of excitement that comes with the risk of defeat against the thrill of success and enjoyment of playing is always a test of any GM. As such the person taking on the roll of Games Master should always keep in mind the following guidelines;-

1. The GM is not there to play against the players. Role Playing Games are co-operative in nature, and while the GM should always seek to present the players with problems to be overcome, (s)he is not their opponent.
2. At the same time the GM should not forget that they are not there to make the characters lives too easy. Without drama and tension the game will seem flat. The players should always feel they succeeded because of their actions and decisions and to an extent the luck of the dice and not simply because the GM was always going to let them.
3. There should be a risk of failure, but that failure should never be inevitable (even when it may sometimes feel like it) and ideally need not be final. Even if the characters are all killed (What is known in RPG circles as a TPK or “Total Party Kill”) - the players can always generate a new party and be sent in to clear up the mess left behind by the fallen team. TPK situations should, generally, be avoided where possible. Sometimes they can happen as a result of a series of unlucky events but they are not ideal. When they do occur they should be rare. (In my 30+ years of gaming I have been GM twice when a TPK has happened. On both occasions it was, in retrospect, a misjudgement on my part that lead to setting the level of difficulty of an adventure higher than the party were able to handle). Of course, the occasional character death is something that will happen more often and although it is a moment of sadness, it shouldn't bring play to a stop.
4. When in doubt, er on the side of the most enjoyment for the most number of players.
5. Players will very often come up with ideas you didn't foresee when preparing the game. So long as the ideas are not utterly ludicrous or likely to ruin the enjoyment of the rest of the players – let them. Part of your job will be to add-lib from time to time. Don't let that intimidate you, it can be fun and rewarding for both you and your players.
6. You should always be fair.
7. The “Rules” are actually more guidelines. As GM don't be afraid to overrule them when needed, but remember rule #6. In saying that, consistency is also important, so if you do overrule a written rule, make sure you have a good and logical reason to do so, especially if you intend to use the rule in future.

By B F Irving