My Gamemastering Credo

[the_gneech]

I recently read The Angry DM's Thy Game Mastering Commandments, in which he recommends establishing (and presenting for players to see) a "GM Credo," a set of principles you aim to adhere to when running games. Given that my game-mastering philosophy has been undergoing some evolution (or at least examination) lately, I think this would be a useful

Comments

[nicodemusrat]

Very nice! Seems we have a similar gaming philosophy.

Without any deep contemplation, two I could add:
1. You may min-max your stats if you can credibly (and enjoyably) roleplay the resultant character
2. No metagame speculation about the game (while at the table); speculation about what might happen is far better in character.

[the_gneech]

Really, "min-maxing" is not much of an issue with us. I'm probably the most dangerous optimizer at the table, so anything the players want to dish out, I can toss right back.

I'm not sure what sort of metagame speculation you're referring to; I just kinda work on the assumption that the characters are the players seen through a worldview lens, so anything the players are discussing, the characters are discussing in terms that make sense to them.

-TG

[nicodemusrat]

If you don't have players pushing the bounds on min-maxing that's all the better. :)

The speculation is when characters try to gauge what's happening as a game rather than a story/adventure. So things like talking about levels and points of monsters they might encounter in a given region, how there's only a half hour left tonight so there probably won't be any big battle tossed at them, etc.

[the_gneech]

Ah, okay. :) I tend to be fairly loose with the meta stuff, and I've become moreso lately. But some of that is because I'm moving back to a more naturalistic style, and so there aren't as many "game artifacts" in the setting to deal with.

-TG

Point 5

[hantamouse]

Point 5 has a big caveat: If the GM isn't into it, there is no game. We go where you lead or stay home.

Re: Point 5

[the_gneech]

Well, that's addressed in item 6 specifically. I am one of the players, and my buy-in is just as important as anybody's. :)

-TG