Mastering The Game: Getting Started

Hello and welcome to (yet) another series here on Bearers of the Word!

This time, I'm going to try and do some stuff about running a tabletop RPG. What it takes to do it and what I've found that works. As I'm sure you know, these are only my opinions and what I've found that works for me. Which doesn't mean that it'll work for you. But, if it helps, great. That's what I'm here for.

Today's topic is an important one, especially if you're just starting out: Know The Game

The first thing, the very first thing, you need to do is buy the system. Don't pirate it, don't you dare steal it, take a deep breath and pay for it. I know that some people like to “try before you buy” which I can understand. But if you want that game to still be around and for the company to still produce supplements for it, you have to give them money. It's just the facts of a Capitalist society (note that I'm not saying I agree with such a system, we just happen to live in one). Some companies have sample versions of their games out there, and some will give away their core rules for free. But, as someone who does “artistic stuff” I fully support feeding starving artists. Also, companies need to make money to survive. If they're not making money, they're not going to be around for long. So, that means shelling out for their products. That said, if you are on a budget, I can't fault you for looking for used copies online or in your local book stores. If you can, buy the supplements for full price from a friendly local game store.

Now that you've paid your hard earned bucks for the system, what do you do with it? I always sit down and read the core book cover to cover. And then read it again. And again. Now, go over the parts you didn't understand and read them again. And then go over combat a few more times. And then make a few characters. I know, that's a lot of reading, but if you're going to be running the game, you need to know the rules backwards, forwards, and upside down. When you're going to be running the game, the players are going to be looking to you when the game starts. Speaking of which...

Try to join a group that's already playing this game:

I know that's not always possible, but you should make an effort. If you can't find a game to join, look for reviews (like the ones I do, shameless plug) or videos on YouTube involving the game. Not only can you learn some tips and tricks from watching or reading others and their experiences.

If you do join a game, don't try to tell the GM/DM what to do. Play to have fun (which you should be doing as a player or a GM). Try to make some interesting, but not too weird, characters. Experiment with combat rules, non combat rules, and other things. See what the system can and can't do. I suggest playing a caster, divine and arcane, a melee fighter, a skilled rogue type, and a face or charismatic character at least once for each, if possible. In D&D, I've never played an arcane caster or a rogue (neither one really appeals to me), but I've been part of enough groups to have seen their abilities in action to pick up what they can and can't do, as well as how to handle their abilities. If you can't play everything, at least observe and ask about how they work.

If you want to play the game you've picked, but can't find a group that's playing it (online or in your area), you might still want to join a group that is playing something else. It's okay. Most of the basics of roleplaying don't matter what game you're playing. But, it's up to you.

Also, if a group gives you a bad vibe or makes you uncomfortable in any way, leave. Don't try to suffer through it. Don't hope it'll get better. Just leave. Most groups don't change very much, especially if someone new joins. You can ask them or talk to them about what makes you feel uncomfortable, but don't be surprised if they just pay you lip service or ignore it entirely. I've heard my fair share of horror stories about groups and had an occasional bad experience, so I have no problem walking away. There's always someone better out there. Just look for them.

If You Can't Join A Group:

For whatever reason, you might not be able to find a group that's playing the game you want, or any game at all. It happens. Or, you find a group that sucks and you have to abandon ship PDQ. Don't worry about it. If you can, get a few friends together and sit down and make characters together. Then, just do an arena of sorts. You can just have the characters fight each other. This will give you a good sense of how combat works. Then you can have them try and make some social rolls to influence each other. Just do a bunch of things that use the very basic rules, but don't try running a game quite yet. Take the time to just experiment with the system and how it works. Because you're still learning the system, you'll need to look things up a lot, so you don't want to bore your players doing it. If everyone is there to just try things, it won't bog things down while you're just fooling around.

Once you've got a decent handle on playing the game, now you need to sit down and start working on figuring out how to run the game. I use GM's screens a lot to keep track of rules I need, but you should make your own notes and charts of rules you use a lot and the ones you have trouble remembering. I also make notes about any rules I'm not comfortable and jot down possible solutions for them. I'll warn you against making changes to rules right now, keep an eye on things and see how they work first. You'll want to know how combat works, how skills and abilities work, and what sorts of things common monsters can do. If you want, you can use my second suggestion above and have people make characters, and then run them against some low level monsters in an arena. You'll get a sense of what to expect when you start the game proper, but you can also do it by yourself.

The reason I suggest all of this is because when you're running the same, you have to keep things moving along. If you're looking up everything when someone wants to do something simple (like slip out of the back of the tavern when the guards enter through the front door), it distracts from the game. Knowing the basics of the rules is important. Don't stress about knowing every spell and ability right off the bat. When you do get your group together, feel free to make a note of what abilities and spells they're taking and look them up together. Go over them together. Then, when you're planning things, you'll have that list and some idea of what they do so you can keep it in mind. Noting the book and page number is important for quick reference. With all of this said, you're going to have to look things up (a lot in the beginning), so don't stress about it too much if you have to look things up. Just try to minimize it as best you can.

Now that you know the basics, you've either played some or fooled around on your own, what do you do? Well, I'd suggest looking up advice on YouTube or on other blogs. You can look up general advice on games or information for the game you're looking to run. Trust me, there's a video about every game out there, even if it's just one. If you're a regular reader here, don't be afraid to ask me questions about the games I've written about. Really, I don't mind...

The last bits of advice I can give you are these:

Start Small:

Not every adventure needs to be some grand epic from day one. There's a reason why people talk about killing rats in the tavern basement. It's a simple adventure for low level and doesn't require a ton of planning to do. You can go hunt kobolds in a cave, run down goblins in the woods, or fight some street thugs outside the church. I strongly believe in the KISS philosophy: Keep It Simple Stupid. As time goes on, you can build to the epics, but don't start that way, especially for your first game. Start them at low level and you'll progress with them.

Don't Be Afraid To Say No:

Early on in my days as a GM, I would allow anything and everything. Which lead to so many headaches. Now, I limit books and say “No” to things that I find unbalanced. Don't be afraid to do the same when you're just getting started. As above, Keep It Simple Stupid. Once you learn the rules and how things work, you can let people branch out more as you'll be better equipped to handle the wrenches they want to throw in your gears.

Expect The Unexpected:

When you're running the game, the players are going to throw you off. It's going to happen. It's a fact of life. Don't try to force the party to do what you want them to do, make them feel like they wanted to do it in the first place. There's tons of what ways to do this, but I think the “All Roads Lead To The Dark Tower” is one of the best. You want the players to go to Evil Tower, right? Well, no matter what direction they go, it leads there. But, they're going to do things you can't prepare for. So, just have a few ideas written down of what else you could do. There's still a chance that they'll avoid those, too. So, just be ready for anything.

Take A Break:

So, the party has gone completely off the rails, haven't they? Told you it would happen. Well, what now? Take a break. Give them 10-15 to go pee, get food, look over the books, etc. While they do that, you frantically scramble to pull something out of your hat and hope for the best. Don't punish them, but roll with what they want to. That's why you take a break. It lets you calm down and think about what to do. It's okay. As much as I emphasized not slowing things down, it's better to give everyone a break if you need it. That way, they don't feel like you're slowing things down. They have a chance to kick back and don't feel like they're waiting on you. Does that make sense?

Write In Sand, Not In Stone:

When you come up with an idea for an adventure, don't make it set in stone. The players will smell it and run the other direction. Okay, it's not that bad, but you get the idea. Your players want to have agency. Give it to them. Or at least the illusion of it. If they don't want to do what you think is fun, do what they think is fun. I bet you'll have fun, too. So, don't come up with a massive, through, completely outlined adventure. Instead, come up with a list of goals and different ways they can reach them. For example, you want the characters to discover that the head of a corporation is up to something dirty, give them several ways to figure that out. Hacking his email, digging through his trash, finding his mistress and questioning her, or putting the squeeze on his assistant, whatever else you can think of. The best way to put it is that adventures don't have right and wrong answers, they're multiple choice.

Don't Be Afraid To Talk To Them:

When my groups are going way down rabbit holes that I don't know if they're ever come back, I stop them and say “Folks, there's nothing here, it's time to look at other options.” Some people don't like this, because they say it ruins the narrative or whatever. I disagree. I get tired of letting them chase their tails around for the better part of two hours because it's not going to go anywhere. Just because there are multiple ways to find information doesn't mean that EVERY answer does. There's also taking the very, very, very long way around. Since they're heading towards a dead end, and no one is going to enjoy that, don't be afraid to take off the GM's hat every once in a while and let them know they're on the path to disappointment or on the road to nowhere.

Well, I hope that helps. If you want me to keep talking about this sort of thing, let me know. If you have something you want me to talk about in this series, feel free to leave a comment below.