rpg

4713 readers

9 users here now

This community is for meaningful discussions of tabletop/pen & paper RPGs

Rules (wip):

Do not distribute pirate content
Do not incite arguments/flamewars/gatekeeping.
Do not submit video game content unless the game is based on a tabletop RPG property and is newsworthy.
Image and video links MUST be TTRPG related and should be shared as self posts/text with context or discussion unless they fall under our specific case rules.
Do not submit posts looking for players, groups or games.
Do not advertise for livestreams
Limit Self-promotions. Active members may promote their own content once per week. Crowdfunding posts are limited to one announcement and one reminder across all users.
Comment respectfully. Refrain from personal attacks and discriminatory (racist, homophobic, transphobic, etc.) comments. Comments deemed abusive may be removed by moderators.
No Zak S content.
Off-Topic: Book trade, Boardgames, wargames, video games are generally off-topic.
No AI-generated content. Discussion of AI generation pertaining to RPGs is explicitly allowed.

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

Avogadro@ttrpg.network

sirblastalot@ttrpg.network

TripHammer@ttrpg.network

Primarch@ttrpg.network

BrentTaylor@ttrpg.network

What's the best GMing advice you've ever received? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 day ago by mr_noxx@lemmy.ml to c/rpg@ttrpg.network

29 comments fedilink hide all child comments

For me, it was: "If it's going to help your players have more fun, cheat. Fudge a die roll. Make shit up. The dice don't tell you what needs to happen, your players' reactions do."

Obviously, many people will disagree with this, but I've always appreciated this advice, and I believe it has made me a better GM.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] Susaga@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago

Unfortunately, the first lesson I learned from GMing is that the story I planned is shit. The only reason these stories are worth telling is because the players make decisions you don't expect and the dice send things in crazy directions. If there is no chance of failure, success is meaningless.

Instead, I let the dice tell whatever story they like, and I turn that into a better story than I could come up with. And if a roll would genuinely make things terrible if they didn't roll a specific way, I don't roll at all.

I tried fudging once. The players could tell, and the story lost all tension. Now I roll in the open, and every roll is exciting.