New GMs

Everyone starts somewhere, you are not alone. I know it can feel like a huge task to run your first game, but know that your game table is full of people who will help you. As a GM, it is easy to feel like you need to have all the answers to all the questions that could get asked, but that is an unrealistic expectation. So let me break some of this down for you.

Have you played in the system you are planning to run? If you have, then you will have a general idea of how the game should flow, and some basic rules already. If not, don’t worry, you will figure it out. I would suggest reading about combat and anything about the general concept of the world or genre the system is set in.

Have you got a concept or scenario to run? If you already have a general idea of the story to explore, great! Think about the points of interest and how those will work in the system you are running. If not, that is okay too! There are plenty of prewritten scenarios that can be found in the local game store or online, just find one you are interested in.

Is someone in your group more familiar with the system? If so, then ask them to help out with rules, and guidance when a situation arises that is not explicitly addressed in those rules. It is okay if none of you are familiar with the system though. You’ll all be learning together, so have patience with one another.

I find myself in this situation often. Some systems I am quite familiar with, others not so much. I run them anyway because I have a gaming group that likes a lot of different things (and I want to expand my own knowledge and experience). There are a lot of YouTube videos of tutorials and actual play in a lot of different systems. If you still struggle, or don’t like surfing the web, just ask the local game store. There is a lot more going on at that store than just selling gaming merchandise.

Bottom line: don’t give up! You do not have to memorize everything or even read it all before starting your first game. Things that come up during the session that you didn’t understand, you can look up and read about before the next game. Go with what you know and have fun!