gm-ing gms

If you have been watching our stream, you may have noticed that my players know a lot of the rules. They are really good at playing their character’s knowledge, which I am thankful for, so this makes my job a bit easier. However, they are all GMs themselves. Some are actively running their own games, others are not, but they all have run multiple games.

When you sit down at a game table full of other GMs, sometimes it is hard to surprise them. They know a lot of the monsters and items that are commonly available in the books, and will recognize them almost immediately in game. I do try to alter their appearance and/or abilities to give them a new challenge, but it does not always work.

Starting off with a good understanding that this is your table, and some rules may be bent or broken for story purposes, is best. Then, of course, building trust across the table is key. You have to trust the players not to pull a “that wouldn’t happen in my game” card, and they have to trust you not to shut down any “outside the box” attempts to accomplish a task. I like to allow my players to argue their point. How would you use that skill for this task? Why do you think this would work? What is your interpretation of the rule? These are great questions to engage your GM players and let them know you are open for these discussions.

Remember, they are there to play (or at least they don’t want to run a game this time). They want control of one character, and look forward to the pitfalls and accomplishments their character goes through. Besides, there is a bit of excitement at not knowing what is next. Just don’t be afraid to say “no” when it is necessary.