Transitioning from Player to GM - Gamerstable Ep85

[Jenerickat]

One of our listeners asked us for some advice on how to transition from being a player in a group to the gamemaster for the group.

As we do, we walk around the topic and may or may not actually tackle it.

Please click here to listen.

[nijineko]

a challenging endeavor.

creativity, adaptability, willing to let go of your creation and see it change in ways you did not expect, willingness to study the rules and norms for your baseline, a sense for when it is okay to slide off said baseline and how far, and an interesting choose-your-own-adventure in mind for your plot.

[Jenerickat]

All excellent points. I think that letting go of your creation and allowing it to become a group creation is something that many GMs struggle with. As they say, no plot survives contact with the players (okay no one says that, but it's true).

Choose-your-own-adventure! How did we not think to reference that?

[nijineko]

actually, i've said that many times; as do a number of dms in my gaming circles. though i usually phrase it, "no plot survives first contact with the pcs."

it's too basic. and few read them anymore but children. but they lurk in the back of our minds and memories, take new forms and shapes, masquerading as new ideas.

all roleplaying is ultimately that, a group conceived and agreed upon choose our adventure. from a child's first time on a playdate, or on the playground shooting down pirates, aliens, indians, or acting with dolls, to the melange of board, card, and tabletop games we have today... it is all the same activity. playing pretend with agreed upon rules and group consensus plot line.