Cool things that DMs/GMs do in Roleplaying Games...

Started by Twisted Crow, November 11, 2018, 02:43:01 PM

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Twisted Crow

Or things you think are cool in a style of DM/GM-ing...

What comes to mind for me is Matthew Mercer (Critical Role) and "How do you want to do this?"** Where he basically allows his players to describe their victories to mark the end of an encounter. It is such a great idea, and it is one of those things that I am suprised I never thought to do before.

**Youtube link as an example. Warning: Some language (like an F-bomb or two) and mind your volume! The players tend to react... loudly when Matt asks the golden question.  ^-^

Munnin

A lot of DM/GMs I saw in my time did that :P (Lucky am I)

Some give you some bonuses to your actions if the description is very good and/or add that touch of epicness to it too.

In the end it alldepend of the playstile and openess of the peoples, some will be good with it, for others everything need to be by the book.
I'm still on my feet, so everything is not lost.
Life always teaches arrogant surrender first.
Not for the sake of trophies and awards. For the sake of triumph over evil and meanness! For the purpose of good!

No doubt! No worries! I know the price of victory and the bitterness of defeat.
In the moment of truth, on the path to enlightenment, I am ready to fight my shadow.

MasterMischief

It is not something that all GMs are good at.  However, I love when I am presented with three dimensional NPCs to interact with.  Some GMs are amazing at adding just one small detail that really makes they come to life.

Inkidu

I always appreciate a DM/GM who understands economy. It's more a mutual thing. I love being stingy with the liquid funds for players and I appreciate a DM/GM who does the same. I don't give you a lot of raw gold, and if you're plumbing an old ruin there will be coinage that you can't just spend but have to convert to modern currency. I encourage investment into local economies, because I think it makes people care about people and places.
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

clonkertink

Jumping in on player discussions with some in-game event. Often, players can get hung up on deliberating rather than doing, so just saying "Make a perception check" to the one guy who hasn't said much brings that person back into the game and reminds the players that "Hey! Stuff is going on!"



Teo Torriatte

My favorite tabletop GM's were the ones who seemed to have a very firm grasp on the world surrounding the player(s). The kind of thing where you could do something that wasn't entirely expected(or even entirely unexpected!) and the GM is able to react on the fly and keep the game moving no matter what the players throw at him. It's kind of hard to explain, and something that I was certainly never good at doing when I tried my own hand at GM'ing.

Twisted Crow

#6
Whoa, this topic is happening now! I thought it was dead once it began. I am pleased to see more people share on this.

To continue and echo Luna above, I was inspired to DM when I saw how one in particular was able to breathe life into their world. They did more than just give the layout of a dungeon and what is in it ("It's a 50x60 room, glossing over it having no light sources, there are two hobgoblins in the room...").

Really, a lot of good roleplaying is off the cuff... which pen and paper can be really good at teaching. Though for GM, it is really crazy when I see people like Matt just create an NPC on the fly and give them some convincing origin and purpose on demand. Even when it is obvious that the plot or group needs them at that moment, these guys can just will them and sell you on it.

It amazes me, really. I try it, but it isn't always as easy as they make it look.

MasterMischief

Quote from: Inkidu on March 25, 2019, 10:39:21 AM
I always appreciate a DM/GM who understands economy.

Oh wow!  I am the exact opposite.

clonkertink

I certainly appreciate the verisimilitude of not being able to by a vorpal sword in a little bumpkin town in the middle of nowhere, but there's a point at which I get bored of playing out mundane transactions. Converting treasure into usable currency? That happens offscreen unless there's something super plot-critical in the haul. Shopping is a little more fun for me, especially because not having an item in stock is a great way to get the players to travel somewhere I want them to go. "Sorry, you'll have to go to the city with plot point C if you want full-plate. We don't get enough big bruisers in town to carry it."

I do like investing in businesses and, more recently, the Strongholds from Strongholds and Followers. It invests the PCs in the game by giving them a cool thing that comes with lots of responsibilities attached.



Inkidu

Quote from: clonkertink on March 25, 2019, 01:14:42 PM
I certainly appreciate the verisimilitude of not being able to by a vorpal sword in a little bumpkin town in the middle of nowhere, but there's a point at which I get bored of playing out mundane transactions. Converting treasure into usable currency? That happens offscreen unless there's something super plot-critical in the haul. Shopping is a little more fun for me, especially because not having an item in stock is a great way to get the players to travel somewhere I want them to go. "Sorry, you'll have to go to the city with plot point C if you want full-plate. We don't get enough big bruisers in town to carry it."

I do like investing in businesses and, more recently, the Strongholds from Strongholds and Followers. It invests the PCs in the game by giving them a cool thing that comes with lots of responsibilities attached.
Of course it happens at an abridged pace, or if I'm feeling spicy an auction house or something, but economy is one of those grossly underestimated things in games that just get glossed over in favor of having rats spill gold when they die. How do you hobnob with the rich people? You frequent the same places they do? Economy governs every aspect of any world. It's always there and ignoring it for giving players an arbitrary thousand gold because they explored an ancient ruin is less effective than a few well placed art objects.

Not that you'd never see a magical sword, you're just not going to find one because the RLT says so.
If you're searching the lines for a point, well you've probably missed it; there was never anything there in the first place.

Twisted Crow

I like having reasonable consideration for economy, without going too much in the weeds with it. I admit, it is tricky to balance around the players success. I find myself sometimes trying to avoid an economy centered completely around the players.

Video Games do this a LOT, actually. Level 5, bunch of random NPCs roaming around in a hamlet with spears and leather armor. Exact same hamlet at party level 30ish? Everyone has enchanted full plate or elven chain or whatever, strolling around with premium weapons and magic.

Looking at you, Skyrim...  ::)

Munnin

Never thinked about the economy as a probleme XD

Usually Ive just used the luck roll for something basic, custom order for something rarer and special. Or my favorite for end game (depending of the game and the setting, cause need to be realistic too) meritocraty.
I'm still on my feet, so everything is not lost.
Life always teaches arrogant surrender first.
Not for the sake of trophies and awards. For the sake of triumph over evil and meanness! For the purpose of good!

No doubt! No worries! I know the price of victory and the bitterness of defeat.
In the moment of truth, on the path to enlightenment, I am ready to fight my shadow.

MasterMischief

Quote from: Inkidu on March 25, 2019, 02:51:31 PM
Of course it happens at an abridged pace, or if I'm feeling spicy an auction house or something, but economy is one of those grossly underestimated things in games that just get glossed over in favor of having rats spill gold when they die.

Rats spilling gold kills my immersion just as quickly.  Looting dead bodies is one of my pet peeves.

E1Alpha

Quote from: MasterMischief on March 27, 2019, 08:06:38 AM
Rats spilling gold kills my immersion just as quickly.  Looting dead bodies is one of my pet peeves.

I actually tend to just straight-up tell my players to not even bother looting every mook.
Every time my players begin looting every dead npc they find, they'll find the clothes they wore, etc... And if they're lucky, some pocket copper or silver.

In my most recent campaign, I actually warned my players "You are not going to find magic or useful items by random looting. You want shit? Go find out where they keep it." Surprisingly enough, they were all on board with this.

As for something I personally enjoy doing myself as a DM and enjoy seeing other DMs use is plain and simple continuity, but more in the details. For example, the players managed to steal something from a noble's house by bribing the guard. A few levels later, when hunting a dangerous criminal in the slums of that city, they find that same guard, now wearing scraps of clothing and shivering under a bridge, considering he fired on the spot and his possessions taken away for letting these thieves get away.
While being able to see the world breathe is nice, it becomes double so when you actually see it evolve as well.