Switching Gears

A few months ago I was invited to join a Pathfinder game a friend was running. I don't really play, I just GM, but he managed to convince me to join his game. I quit his game a week or two ago, but I enjoyed my time. This article won't be me ragging on my friend, and yes we are still friends, but rather reflecting on what I've learned from that experience and how it may be able to help more than just myself.

It was interesting to see how he ran his game, from dealing with players, to scheduling, to combat - It was a world of different. Getting perspective can only be good, and while I prefer how I do things, knowing how they compare with his style and where we both stand on various issues and topics helped. I don't think it will vastly edit how I run anything, but help in more subtle ways. 

For example, his games had more combat than mine, and although it was fun it wasn't really my kind of game. I understand that his group is more combat-centric, and we talked about this and other issues, but seeing that first-hand was a good experience

.

But really, my main point is that if you GM more than you play, or only GM like myself, it is good to get out and play. It lets you see so much more, giving you ideas of what you might be doing that players do or do not like, or maybe what you should be doing but have been missing it, being a GM for so long. The results might not be immediately obvious, but if you join a group with an open mind you can learn a lot, and grow as a GM because of it.

My other point is that it's good to have multiple groups ran by multiple people. I love my groups, but I'm happy I am not the only option in town. I like that I have players who want games how I run them, and if they don't they can go elsewhere and still enjoy a game we're both passionate about. This is a large reason why I love it when my players at least try GMing. I don't care what system, but if they give it a good shot then maybe they can find something they love as much as I do, or at least get perspective from my point of view.

Competition in this avenue, I would argue, is generally good. There are usually far more players than GMs, so ideally there will be enough to go around. Hopefully you learned something from my experience, and I wish you all the best of luck. If you have any suggestions for articles topics, I'd love to hear them in my ask box.

May you always get the best points of reference,

Taylor Shuss

Changing It Up

One big issue I've heard GMs talk of, and it's a hard one to pinpoint at that, is that they are merely content with the system they're using. Maybe they started with 4th Edition D&D, or perhaps GURPS, but the specific system isn't important - The main point here is to branch out.

I know for a good while I thought 3.5 was okay, and my groups wanted Fantasy so I gave it to them. But as campaigns went on and on, I began to realize that I didn't like 3.5 (or Pathfinder), I was merely content with it. Once I knew that, I began branching off and it has been a very fun journey. Don't get me wrong, Pathfinder can make for some fun times, but it just isn't exactly what I want in an RPG, and in a world with so many options there is no reason to ignore them all.

I hear of GMs that complain that their groups don't want to learn a new system. It's too hard. Yada yada yada.... No, don't take that. Or if they're really not interested, find a rules-light system. Ideally new systems can get started locally through interest alone, but sometimes the need to be pushed in order for people to care enough to give them a shot.

What's neat is that when you try out new systems with new mechanics, and begin to compare and contrast what you do and don't like. I like this rolling method, and these types of modifiers, and this random mechanic makes perfect sense - It is these kinds of contrast that many GMs don't have because they foolishly stick to one system. 

What I cannot understand is why one would restrict themselves like this. Would you read one book and then decide, "Naw, one was enough, I'm done."? Would you play one game and decide, "Naw, the rest of the trilogy probably isn't worth playing, or any other games for that matter"? No, people don't do this. It allows them to discover themselves, what they do and don't want, in all sorts of media, why should it be any different with RPGs?

So please, try out new systems, see if your players might want to try them as well. Maybe one will find that s/he loves GMing that game! At worst you find out you don't like a specific game, and there is nothing wrong with that. At best, you find a new staple for you and your friends to play with for years to come.

Adventures don't always need to be in-game,

Taylor Shuss