"What do you want in a GM?" Topic

If you are a player in an rpg, what single quality do you find most important in a GM?

For me, it is the ability to maintain a fun and fast moving atmosphere. I could really care less whether he is experienced, knows the rules well, or even is particularly fair. If he can make me feel that I'm in a good story, that's all I need. I'll do the rest.

he must be able to suspend disbelief.

Good MPG. reliability and the journey should be as much fun as arriving safely at the destination!

MPG = memorable role-playing game!

and needs to be a good story teller and fudge the rules to work, to keep the game fun and going, no matter what the players try to do. They need to keep the game going.

Best campaign I ever GMed was rule-less and dice less. Tell me what you do I'll tell you what happened. There was actually some role playing in our RPG group!

I want a GM who is a good storyteller… a person with lots of imagination and a sense of timing… who can let everything go off the rails and without needing to railroad us back towards his scripted adventure.
Unfortunately, even with the most creative GMs… if the players are slack-jawed dullards, with no interests but combat and loot, the potential is kind of limited…

Consistency.

A sense of humor.

A delicious stuffing made from bread crumbs, spices, and various fruits and nuts. If cooked just right he'll be delicious!

I'd be very happy with this:

picture

Free beer.

Seriously though, someone who is running the type of game that I want to be playing. If I'm looking for a cinematic feel where we don't pay attention to details like encumbrance, then that's what I want him to be running. On the other hand, if I'm ready for a deep immersion into my character and the universe, then I want the GM to be providing that level of detail.

In order for a GM to succeed at this, he and all the players must be striving for the same type of game. You can't have one guy annoyed that he's getting bogged down in detail while everyone else is enjoying it.

Command of the game.

Needs to know the 'game' he is playing -- which does not mean he needs to know all the rules. Game must progress seamlessly and at a good pace so players feel engaged all the time.

mjc

No new ideas, but I agree with Inquisitor Thaken and quidveritas – I am not sure if they are one thing or two; or perhaps command is a prerequisite for fun and fast moving.

I'm in agreement with Irishserb on this one. You have to allow for laughs around the table as well as a good story.

Pictors Studio "I'd be very happy with this:"

Really? I'd be happy with this picture

I really want a GM that cannot be brow beaten by whiny players (or his wife, if she is playing).

So command of the game in every way.

The ability to think on their feet. I have known some gamers that really pull things out of left field when role playing.

On the other hand, a GM should not "pout" when a planned adventure does not follow the script. RPGs are supposed to be a fluid storyline with twists and turns.

I ran a campaign that involved time travel back to the 20's: and the PCs decided to rob a bank. (because they had modern equipment and they could pull it off easily) As the GM I let then take my adventure in a completely different direction, because they made all the checks when they had to.

As a player I gamed with a GM that wouldn't allow any deviation from his scripted story line and it was very boring.

"The ability to think on their feet. I have known some gamers that really pull things out of left field when role playing. "

Yep as the DM you really have to think on your feet I remember playing D&D and there was an ettin and Owlbear skeletons but the wizard had two command undead spells prepared so it made the adventure take an whole new turn as the party now had two powerful disposable fighters available. Until they ran into a couple of evil clerics who turned them back to the other side.

I remember for years running a COC adventures which were basically made up as we went along I had a basic a storyline and where I wanted them to be at certain points and just ad-lib the bits in between (making notes of ideas people taking bribes etc) then as one character went back to the haunted house and set it alight only to come back the next morning with the rest of the party to find it untouched was it all a dream? make an sanity roll please ;)

The important thing is to try and make it fun for both the players to play and the DM to run. If you have power gamers, find away to reign them in without making it less fun

Curse you Thaken, curse you.:)

Yep, coffee all over the keyboard. That was great Pictorstudio!

Erik

Command of the game.

Needs to know the 'game' he is playing -- which does not mean he needs to know all the rules. Game must progress seamlessly and at a good pace so players feel engaged all the time.

Quoted for Truth.

You need to keep everyone involved. Unfortunately, sometimes that means killing off the group because one player keeps picking fights with opponents he can't beat.

I hate having to do a TPK just because one player does something really stupid.