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I don’t know about you, but I run games for ROLE PLAY. “The rules say…” is not a hill to die on. A GM can easily come back and say, “The rules also say…” and it becomes a spitting contest. If we play 100% based on the rules, we may as well be playing a board game. I like board games with more…board. This is a pencil/paper imaginative game.
Let me start by addressing the GMs here. Yeah, you! If it sounds cool, let your players do it. It really is that simple. Sure, there are a few things that are game breaking (don’t let them just jump to the moon), but for the most part, they just want to do something cool or make it at least look cool. Your players thrive on creativity and the more you allow that space, the more they will open up to it. Once your players feel safe exploring their ideas, the story just flows, and the others will join in quickly with their own ideas. Now…the players. You just read that I encourage GMs to let you do things. Play into your character’s strengths and weaknesses, and feel comfortable with the possibility of getting it “wrong.” Remember, the GM is not out to get you, they are only controlling the reactions of NPCs and effects of the world because of your actions. Allow them to make the decisions of how best to handle what it is you would like to do. They are pulling from all sorts of options in a split second to determine any die rolls or consequences that will make the most of that which you are trying to do. I’ve said it before (and I’ll continue to say it until it sinks in), this is a game meant to be fun with your friends. If you are not having fun, it may be time to step away and do something else for a while, or have a discussion about expectations and style of game play. Ultimately, don’t be a stickler for the rules. Be flexible! The rules are there if you get stuck, but it’s not a code to swear allegiance to. We could all use a little reminder from Barbossa, “...the code is more what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules.”
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So I’ve done my fair share of puzzles, both as a player and GM. Passwords or numbers, combination locks, logic and riddles, and even pictures can draw in some players while leaving others bored. I find it hard to get a good balance of challenge level and fun.
Players can come to a stand-still when faced with a puzzle. The clues may seem obvious to you, the GM who made it, but be completely lost on the players. If you find that the game has come to a halt and they just don’t seem to be “getting it,” give them a roll to see if any of their characters would have the answer. Facing a puzzle can cause nervousness. Some players will want to work through the answers and have certainty before trying anything. For these players, it would be beneficial to add some sort of timed element. A swinging blade slowly cutting a rope holding open the next door or they face possible drowning as the room fills with water. This will prevent a group from sitting down for the next hour (or more) discussing the possible solutions. If you find the players are just trying things at random hoping to fall upon the right solution, you can add an element of danger. Each time they try a combination, have the puzzle react. Placing statues in the wrong alcove can trigger needles to poke into the character’s arm or turning the arcane symbol in the wrong direction sends out an electric shock that jumps from character to character. This will make the players pause and think about logical solutions and only try what they believe to be the best one first. Either way you go about this, keep an eye on your players. If they seem stuck, or getting frustrated, you will have to “throw them a bone.” Give them an obvious clue, or even change up your puzzle a bit. It’s okay to allow them to succeed even if it is not the answer you wanted. Remember, this is supposed to be a fun game with friends. I have been struggling with how to handle using tools. For many systems, there is a skill based around professions. Some of these are specific, while others allow you to “fill in the blank.” I often get lost when someone asks about using their tool kit for a job and never really know what to have them roll. I just shrug my shoulders and say, “Um, roll me a _ check?” Yes, usually as a question, not as a statement.
Recently I started to use the Performance skill in place of the old professions, but this is not good either since it directly relates to a character’s Charisma modifier. This is not good for most classes, it also does not make a lot of sense. This has stumped me for many years, and I feel like I’ve always done this wrong (even though I’ve gotten it right on occasion). After chatting with my sister, and re-reading the Player’s Handbook (D&D 5e), I think I finally figured it out! I was making it much more than it actually is. The rules laid out in 5e are straight forward, do this for that. Very rarely do you find a do what makes sense type of ruling other than when you set a DC for a check. One system that is extremely fluid is 2d20. A player in this system could make an augment over what ability/skill modifiers they should use in a given situation. If the GM agrees, then that is what is used. Well, tool kits work similarly. The Player’s Handbook says it quite clearly, but for some reason it just didn’t stick with me. “Proficiency with a tool allows you to add your proficiency bonus to any ability check you make using that tool.” This means that whatever ability makes sense, that is the check you use. If fine motor skills are needed because of the intricacy of the work, then use Dexterity. If it is going to take brute force, use Strength. If it takes intimate knowledge, use Wisdom or Intelligence. I don’t know why this took me so long, but now you don’t have to dig through it yourself. Hopefully I have been able to keep you out of the muck. No more dragging your feet and hoping you called for the right check. Say it with confidence next time, knowing how it works now. “Em-Fā-Siss on the Wrong Sa-Lab-El”*
I have always had some issues with speech. It started when I would mouth through the words I just spoke. I got called out on it several times by my family and eventually broke that habit. After that, I started slurring my words together. Let me tell you, no one understands you when you mumble. I have now found myself stumbling over words. If you have been watching, you have heard several misspoken words, wrong word order, and very bad grammar. Over the last year, I have learned to embrace it. Words just don’t work for me most of the time (hence why my novels are still tucked away). Scripting what I should say even fails me at times, and I am particularly bad and going “off-script” anyway. As a GM, there is nothing wrong with this. So what if I said “brassiere” instead of “brazier” (episode 30), we got a good laugh from it, and OMG the imagery! The discussions on how to pronounce “foyer” are endless. Even the professionals get twisted, just check out how Matt Mercer says “sigil.” Streaming has made me even more aware of this. All my mishaps are forever immortalized in video format for all the world to see. If you struggle with saying words, or have any speech issues, do not let that stop you from taking the GM role. Yes, it does require you to speak more to share the lore, set the scene, describe other characters that may be encountered, but go with it. The more you do this, the more comfortable you’ll become, and you may get a few memorable moments with your players in the process. * https://torawriting.com/english-is-weird/ Several people find it more comfortable to play via email, text messengers, or even Discord. These are “Play-by-Post” types of games. Text based and often slower, they can be valuable in learning a bit more about role play. I am involved in a few.
I have run three campaigns in this manner. One fizzled out pretty quickly unfortunately, but the other two are still going. I enjoy weaving a story and find it easy to go back through the posts to ensure consistency. I can take my time to answer, or direct the next scene. Sometimes it will take a while to run through several scenarios to pick the most optimal one for the players. I have time to process my thoughts and gauge my reaction, since it is not real time. The biggest downside to this type of game is the length of time between posts. Though it can be helpful for me, if I take too long the other players will get bored or lose interest. If one takes a good chunk of time off, everyone can forget what is happening and have to take time to read up on the campaign. If you are involved in a Play-by-Post game, when it is time for you to submit something do so in a reasonable time. Posting within 24 hours is generally preferred, unless otherwise discussed and accepted by others. If you decide to jump into one, remember these progress slower than an in-person game. It may take several weeks to get through the same amount of action as one session around a game table. Do not be discouraged! If this is your preferred method of play, do it. Much of the same benefits you receive through real-time gaming can be gained through play-by-post. You might even learn a little more as you take the time to work out several options before choosing the one you find best. I have felt it, though almost too small to notice. The growing pains of streaming. People actually watch, we have subscribers. I have been told our streamed game is refreshing. We are everyday people playing an RPG. We look up rules, chatter, table talk, break character, and rarely use any character voices.
Do we want more? Of course! We are well aware of the amount of people who stream their games. We do not expect glory, however we really enjoy playing and want to share this with others. None of us are entertainers by trade. To be fair, I probably come the closest (remember, I’m a bard on nights and weekends), but still only on a stage with several others around me doing the same thing. So what you see is what you get. If you don’t have a group to play with, we invite you to watch our games and hopefully give you a taste of tabletop gaming. Even if you are with a group, we hope that you will find some benefit to watching us and seeing how we play. I watch several videos of GMs giving tips, sharing ideas, and running games to try to improve my own games for my players. It helps me to understand my role as a player too. I know my players do the same. So here we stand, writing another GM Corner for you, working on our website to update town-criers, and trying to get in all the announcements of future conventions at least one of us will be at. This takes time. We do not have any dedicated employees. It’s just us wanting to share our love for RPGs with you. Ok, I’ve stated it before, I am no expert. I barely qualify as experienced. However, I do find myself wanting to share role playing games with as many people as possible. I want to become more versatile myself, and expose others to the benefits of these types of games.
Let me get personal. I started roleplaying when I was in middle school. I only played with my family, and only on holidays. We didn’t really talk about it with anyone outside of the family. As I got into high school, I did hear of a few people who played D&D and was invited to join them. I spoke to my father about it, and he simply warned me to be cautious with whom I played with. I went, but was uncomfortable and did not return. However, I continued to play with my family. I am thankful to my father for allowing me to explore. He never just let me run out the door, he would remind me of some of the morals and guidelines that I was already committed to. I believe he was right to be watchful, and since then, I have found several people I am comfortable playing these games with. The benefits of playing these games throughout my life helped me to refine who I am, and who I found as friends. I wanted people around me that made me feel safe to be myself. As I got older, and became a GM, I learned skills to facilitate a group of people, honed in on my leadership techniques and style, and continued to develop my empathy for others. So, what am I doing here? I’m enjoying a game with friends, and I want others to experience this too. D&D is the largest, most known RPG, but it is not the only one. There are several others that I have begun to explore myself, and would love to introduce to others as well. Don’t leave it to me though. Star Trek, Star Wars, Achtung! Cthulhu, Dune, Old Gods of Appalachia, Candela Obscura, and many more can be found online and in game stores. Pick one up, read through it, get some friends, and have some fun! Some weeks I prepare several pages of notes on possible NPCs or areas that my players may come across (more often than not, they don’t). Other weeks I’m throwing together last minute ideas and looking up basic info or creature stats to have anything for the evening’s session. This is true even though we are streaming. When I say we do not prepare ahead of time, I mean it. We come to this very raw, every week I read the summary from the previous week for my players. One of us does keep notes for the group (the big green binder), but the rest of us…
Unfortunately, this sometimes includes me. I get stuck in my everyday life, or other hobbies I’m involved in, and just don’t have the time. I still want to give my players a fun experience, and sometimes it works. Those times I generally feed off my players. What are they doing or talking about? Do they seem worried about anything in particular? Are they going someplace new? Now, I’ve been doing this long enough, and am comfortable enough with the system and my group, that I can pull something out pretty quick. That GM tool box sitting in my notebook or on my computer is a true treasure trove at this point. I’ve got old one-shots that I could incorporate within the story, NPCs I’ve been dying for my players to meet, or interesting monster ideas to try. Any of these things could make for a wonderful session. All those times I had pages of notes prepared, I will pull something from there to run the session. Like I’ve said before, don’t throw away unused material, it will be useful in the future. Keep those things in your own tool box so you can continue to game each week, despite not having prepared much. I’m sitting at the computer, thinking (scary, I know). We have been streaming our “home” game for over a year now and I still feel like I’m flying blind. We still have moments where we get aggravated at each other for antics we drive our characters to do, but we brush it off and keep going. This makes me wonder, what keeps us going? Know your group. Every group has a few people in it (if you are thinking that your group doesn’t have one of these, it’s probably you).
Rules Lawyer. The one that knows all the rules and will let you know them too. This person can become frustrated at homebrew, especially if there is no logic behind it. They are also easily aggravated by inconsistency. If the GM flips back and forth on how they handle a situation or magic item, they will begin to find loopholes to exploit. Do not be quick to dismiss this player though, they will often aid you in understanding what your own character or item can do (they tend to keep me honest). Unpredictable Nature. This is the player who works their character according to how they feel that day. Often, they will attempt to stay within the nature of the character, but the decisions and actions take on a whole other level based on the mood of the player. Sometimes their actions will make sense while other times it will cause complete chaos (leaving others thinking “What the hell…”). This is an excellent player to have at your table, they keep things fresh and exciting. Die Roller. They need to roll the dice and it doesn’t really matter if it is actually for combat, or just some skill check. Almost a compulsion, they will roll those dice simply because they are there in front of them…no reason needed. Give them only a few seconds to themselves and the sound of those things will be tumbling into a box (we hope they’re contained at least). This player tends to remind us all when we’ve hit a decision paralysis and it is time to just pick something and move on. Wallflower. Keeping quiet and watching others take action, following the leader and not really contributing to the decisions made are often the way this player approaches the RPG. They often stay out of the role play aspect. In a group where they are most comfortable, they will come away from the wall a bit, but still only offer up a few words and thoughts. These players will often have tragic backstories for their characters, playing the “strong and silent” type to avoid any unnecessary talking. Listen closely to these players as they will often have the deepest insight to a situation. Of course these can overlap. You might be thinking that you fall into multiple “roles” and that is okay. As a GM or player, having a general idea of who the players are can help to ease some tension at the table. However, it is also up to the players to realize these are friends who share a common interest. Together, they can create a story like no other…antics and all! I wrote that title and just shook my head. There have been several times that I expect my players to do certain things, and most of the time, they do something else. Planning ahead can only go so far. My titles are hopes, a tiny glimpse into the overall vision.
After many years of playing with this group, I have been able to adjust accordingly. Unless they have something they really want to do, they will linger in whatever town they happen to be in. Titling an episode with a hope is one of the only ways I know to say “Time to go” without actually saying it. The hardest titles to give are when I’ve already named the previous episode what I will end up accomplishing in the one to come. That is what happened with “Lorem Ipsum,” though that has become my favorite so far. What the group discovered during that episode, I was expecting them to get to during “Collections,” but you see how far that went. Then there are the ones where I think they will investigate something, but never do. Fellow GMs, I know you feel my pain. I just want to scream it out because I think it’s really cool, but then I never share it. To be fair though, I’ll forget about it later, well, most of it anyway. I just keep hoping they’ll ask about it. I might have to bring it up in a campaign wrap-up. Do not lose hope! All those ideas and story hooks can come back around. Re-skin them a bit to make it work later. Nothing goes to waste when you plan ahead. You’ll use it, trust me. |
AuthorJodie 
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March 2026
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