MATT: Hello! My name is Matthew Mercer, I am a voice actor and the Dungeon Master for Geek &
Sundry's Critical Role, and welcome to my silly video series on tips and tricks for game masters
and dungeon masters alike. Today we're going to be discussing a very interesting topic: player and
game master table setting and etiquette.
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I have questions often about this, inter-player and game master or dungeon master relationships,
and dynamics there, and I think this would be a cool discussion to have. First and foremost,
many RPG campaigns and systems are very different. Your experience at one table with one GM is going
to be wholly different from another, even in the same system. I think before you start or join a
game, everyone should be up front and discuss about the play style. Have the GM talk with the
players. Is he expecting to create it more RP heavy, more role playing heavy? Do you want to
make it more combat heavy, more of a balance between the two? Is it going to be created into
more of a Diablo style dungeon delve, kill stuff, get loot, or is it going to be more about
political intrigue, and dealing with the overarching political climate of a kingdom or a
space adventure? Is it a very high power campaign? Is it a low power campaign? Is it a note taking
mystery campaign? These are all the things you want discuss at the top of creating this game with
your players, so that everyone is on the same page about expectations. There will be some players
that will be into it for some elements, and others that will be disappointed if, five sessions in,
they didn't get at all what they wanted out of this experience. Being up front about it is a
really good way for you all to make sure you understand each other and if you have any
discussions about those tweaks in the future, at least you have a basis to build those discussions on.
Players, be respectful and appreciative of your game master and dungeon master. They take a lot of
their free time to create this world and this experience for you to enjoy, sometimes
thanklessly. When you're at the game, when you're present at the table, best to your ability, listen
and be attentive, and acquiesce to your game master's judgement. I'm not saying don't have fun,
don't forget your snacks and stuff, but for the most part when you're in the moment, when you're
in the game, try and pay attention, try not to distract from the moment at hand and be attentive,
because they put all this time and energy into it, it's the least you can do. With that said, don't
be afraid to debate a rule with your game master, or clarify something they may have forgotten, but
just remember ultimately the GM does have final say, and they may alter elements of the system or
of the rules to fit their story, their world, and that's how it is. Don't get too argumentative on
those aspects. If it really bothers you, you can take him aside after the game and talk about
it, and try to come to some sort of an understanding. Communication is the key, in most
things in life, this definitely being one of those.
Share the spotlight with your party. There will be moments and stories where your character will
become the focus, and you will be hoisted into the center of attention, and that's fine and embrace
that. If it consistently becomes that, and you begin pushing the rest of your party out of the
way, and you take charge and you want to be the answer to every solution, it can get a little
boring. If everyone else is like, "no, you're cool. You're the leader. You talk. You're the face
man of the group," that's different, but you want to make sure that you allow the other players to
shine as well. This is a classic rule for stage as well. You don't want to upstage anyone. You want
to let everyone have their moment in the light, make sure that everyone has an opportunity to be
part of this story you're all creating together. If you ever feel like someone in your game is
doing that, once again, after the game, take them aside and talk to them. In a very respectful, very
warm way, let them know, "we're starting to feel you're starting to take the spotlight a little
away. Just be aware, we want to play too, if that's cool." Sometimes people do it without
even realizing it. Even just having that conversation fixes the problem. Not always, and
sometimes when that happens, you know, either the GM has to step in and have a conversation, and if
it gets really bad, sometimes players have to leave the game. It happens all the time. But all
of you are putting your time and attention towards this, you want to make sure that everyone is at
least working together to make it as fun as possible. If it seems that you've unintentionally
commandeered the game, be open to feedback. Don't take it personally, don't have a bruise to your
ego because somebody gave you a note after the game about being maybe a little too heavy on
taking the game in your own hands. Just listen to it and say, "okay, I didn't know, I'm sorry. I'll
be more respectful of that in the future."
GMs, DMs, also be respectful and appreciative. Your players are the life's blood of your world. They
are the ones that make this story that you wrote, and bring it to life, and play it through, and
they hang onto your every word, and they’re essentially letting you scoop them up and take
them into your imagination, and that's a lot of trust there. Plus they're scheduling their real
life around you and trying to make sure that they can be part of this experience, so be respectful
and appreciative of that aspect, that they're putting their own side in this as well. Show equal
attention between players, even if one player tends to be a heavier role player than the others,
don't feel like you the just only focus on them. Some people can start off a little shy, or
especially if they're new role players, they may not know how to really engage directly, and so it
helps to coax them. Have an NPC directly refer to them and give them patience and let them find a
voice for their roleplaying character. It may take some time, but make sure that you're at least
trying to split your attention between the players, best to your ability.
Be open to being corrected and to gaining feedback. You're the game master. You rule the
world. You are the god of this whole experience, but you're not infallible. We all make mistakes. I
make mistakes constantly. And feedback only helps you to improve your narrative, to help how you run
the game, and being corrected sometimes helps you better understand the rule system that you're
running. You have a lot in your brain, a lot that you're constantly having to focus on, and
remember, and keep notes on, and keep working together, and working towards long and short
narratives. You have so much in your head, you're bound to forget some stuff. Don't be offended
or frustrated if a player corrects you with a rule or something like that. Be thankful, because that
just means that you probably have a better chance of remembering it in the future.
Players, GMs, be respectful of each other. Work hard and discuss if there's any weirdness going on
at the table, and work it out to the best of your ability. Because we're all there to have fun,
we're all there to have a great experience together, and I think following a lot of these
little guidelines should help maintain that quite nicely. Thank you so much for watching. I hope
this has been somewhat helpful for your GMing and playing experience. You can see more of these
videos on geekandsundry.com and I'll see you around.