Okay, so I'm going to be the GM in a game of Dark Heresy for the first time soon-first time I've done vaguely anything role-play-ish. Do any more experienced escapists have any advice?
Advice for a first-time GM?
- Thread starter Sigma Castell
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I am a lazy, lazy bastard, so instead of giving you any solid advice I'll say Google something along the lines of Games Master beginners guide, tips for games masters or other such variations.
Here's one I googled earlier:
http://www.highprogrammer.com/alan/gaming/gmtips.html
Also...DH eh? Your players are going to be 40K tabletop players huh? Be prepared for them to be hideous roleplayers (and a bunch of power gaming, rules lawyers to boot). While they may be the exceptions, all the people I've seen come to RP from wargaming (including myself) have treated it as a game to be "won", like a kind of detailed personal level wargame and it'll probably take while to get out of that mindset.
Here's one I googled earlier:
http://www.highprogrammer.com/alan/gaming/gmtips.html
Also...DH eh? Your players are going to be 40K tabletop players huh? Be prepared for them to be hideous roleplayers (and a bunch of power gaming, rules lawyers to boot). While they may be the exceptions, all the people I've seen come to RP from wargaming (including myself) have treated it as a game to be "won", like a kind of detailed personal level wargame and it'll probably take while to get out of that mindset.
I've been playing D&D as a DM for a few years and I presume that my tips will work for Dark Heresy
1. Do everything you can to say Yes. Obviously keep it realistic (I'm a level 1 Gnome, what do you mean I can't use my Super Saiyan powers to level the castle!?!) but do your very best to let them do what they want.
Do they want to kick down that door even though you're "supposed" to listen through it? Kick that sum'***** down and let them deal with the consequences.
Does a player want to swing from a banister down below even though there are no rules for swinging down like that? Look at the rules and find something of similar difficulty and have them roll that.
2. Try to have enough dice for everyone
3. Read your campaign (or know what you want if you're creating your own) BEFORE you guys start. Nothing slows down the fun like a DM having to press pause because they don't know what's going on...
4. Try to know the rules
Ideally you'll have the rule books if you need them but if you're unsure of a rule and don't have a way to look it up, keep it consistent at the very least.
5. Don't be afraid to change it up. Did they walk through those five goblins without breaking a sweat and they're about to run into the same type of fight? Make it eight goblins. My rule for D&D has always been "Enough danger to make them fear for their characters lives". Walking through your enemy is boring and getting your ass handed to you is boring.
I hope this helps!
1. Do everything you can to say Yes. Obviously keep it realistic (I'm a level 1 Gnome, what do you mean I can't use my Super Saiyan powers to level the castle!?!) but do your very best to let them do what they want.
Do they want to kick down that door even though you're "supposed" to listen through it? Kick that sum'***** down and let them deal with the consequences.
Does a player want to swing from a banister down below even though there are no rules for swinging down like that? Look at the rules and find something of similar difficulty and have them roll that.
2. Try to have enough dice for everyone
3. Read your campaign (or know what you want if you're creating your own) BEFORE you guys start. Nothing slows down the fun like a DM having to press pause because they don't know what's going on...
4. Try to know the rules
Ideally you'll have the rule books if you need them but if you're unsure of a rule and don't have a way to look it up, keep it consistent at the very least.
5. Don't be afraid to change it up. Did they walk through those five goblins without breaking a sweat and they're about to run into the same type of fight? Make it eight goblins. My rule for D&D has always been "Enough danger to make them fear for their characters lives". Walking through your enemy is boring and getting your ass handed to you is boring.
I hope this helps!
Check out some sites and remember this is 40k.
Heroic Sacrifice: Encouraged in the Game Mastering section of the rulebook. The system is already pretty deadly, Player Characters have uncertain life-expectancy, and the GM is discouraged from softpeddling that, in order to underscore the brutality of the setting. However, the GM is encouraged to bend the rules a little when a character is facing certain death in order to make that death spectacular, with the explaination that a player should not be afraid of their character's death, but they should not feel like their character can expect to "die like a chump".
Heroic Sacrifice: Encouraged in the Game Mastering section of the rulebook. The system is already pretty deadly, Player Characters have uncertain life-expectancy, and the GM is discouraged from softpeddling that, in order to underscore the brutality of the setting. However, the GM is encouraged to bend the rules a little when a character is facing certain death in order to make that death spectacular, with the explaination that a player should not be afraid of their character's death, but they should not feel like their character can expect to "die like a chump".
While I know 40k, and I've played 40k RPGs, I haven't played Dark Heresy (it's way too mechanics heavy for me) so I can't help you there.
I can only offer you general GMing advice that I find useful.
Keep things moving. Fast.
Stay on the same page. If someone is going against the tone of the game, or is stupid, or they've misunderstood something, then don't just carry on awkwardly. Check in with folks to raise the issue, immediately, and don't make it a big thing, and then carry on.
Say yes or roll the dice. Whatever the players want, give it. (Unless it is stupid, see above), don't block or quibble or delay. Unless it is interesting for them not to have it, in which case go to the dice.
Cut to the action. Action doesn't have to be a fight, but it has to be interesting. There's no need for travel times and loading screens in a table top game, so don't use them.
Roll the dice ONLY when it is interesting. And it must be interesting regardless of the result, pass or fail. So, if there is vital info that would be totally boring if they didn't get it, then don't make them roll to get it.
You are just one player. Use the others.
Bring fun and enthusiasm yourself, but remember that -their- fun isn't -your- responsibility. Demand fun and enthusiasm from your players too, and use it to fuel the game. Lazy or disinterested players should be encouraged and poked.
Focus on the players, not your plot. Follow their interest. Reincorporate things that are important to them. Give them strong hooks so that play isn't directionless, by all means, but don't drag them along against their enthusiastic consent.
Ask questions and use the answers to colour your own narration. This can be little flavourful things to make the game richer, like, 'How does the Warp feel to you?'; 'What's your opinion on the Astartes?' or it can be more dramatic stuff like 'What was the first xeno you let live? Why?' or 'Which member of the group do you trust the most? Why?'. This is especially useful during character creation, to establish some background, themes and motifs for the game, especially the shared history of the group (if any).
Get players to contribute. This can be done in a more structured way too, like, whenever you go to a new area, go round the table and each player chips in a colourful detail about it. And if PCs aren't present in a scene, offer the players NPC roles to play instead. These techniques add richness to the game and keeps everyone involved.
Be practical
Take breaks, at least once every one and a half to two hours.
Assuming it isn't you, if someone is an expert on the rules, then let them be the expert on the rules. It's one less thing for you to worry about. If no one is an expert, then don't worry about it. Use the rules you can to serve the game. As soon as rules referencing and quibbling starts to bog you down and suck the energy from the game, then they're not helping you.
Make sure food and drink is available, if that's your responsibility too.
Good luck!
I can only offer you general GMing advice that I find useful.
Keep things moving. Fast.
Stay on the same page. If someone is going against the tone of the game, or is stupid, or they've misunderstood something, then don't just carry on awkwardly. Check in with folks to raise the issue, immediately, and don't make it a big thing, and then carry on.
Say yes or roll the dice. Whatever the players want, give it. (Unless it is stupid, see above), don't block or quibble or delay. Unless it is interesting for them not to have it, in which case go to the dice.
Cut to the action. Action doesn't have to be a fight, but it has to be interesting. There's no need for travel times and loading screens in a table top game, so don't use them.
Roll the dice ONLY when it is interesting. And it must be interesting regardless of the result, pass or fail. So, if there is vital info that would be totally boring if they didn't get it, then don't make them roll to get it.
You are just one player. Use the others.
Bring fun and enthusiasm yourself, but remember that -their- fun isn't -your- responsibility. Demand fun and enthusiasm from your players too, and use it to fuel the game. Lazy or disinterested players should be encouraged and poked.
Focus on the players, not your plot. Follow their interest. Reincorporate things that are important to them. Give them strong hooks so that play isn't directionless, by all means, but don't drag them along against their enthusiastic consent.
Ask questions and use the answers to colour your own narration. This can be little flavourful things to make the game richer, like, 'How does the Warp feel to you?'; 'What's your opinion on the Astartes?' or it can be more dramatic stuff like 'What was the first xeno you let live? Why?' or 'Which member of the group do you trust the most? Why?'. This is especially useful during character creation, to establish some background, themes and motifs for the game, especially the shared history of the group (if any).
Get players to contribute. This can be done in a more structured way too, like, whenever you go to a new area, go round the table and each player chips in a colourful detail about it. And if PCs aren't present in a scene, offer the players NPC roles to play instead. These techniques add richness to the game and keeps everyone involved.
Be practical
Take breaks, at least once every one and a half to two hours.
Assuming it isn't you, if someone is an expert on the rules, then let them be the expert on the rules. It's one less thing for you to worry about. If no one is an expert, then don't worry about it. Use the rules you can to serve the game. As soon as rules referencing and quibbling starts to bog you down and suck the energy from the game, then they're not helping you.
Make sure food and drink is available, if that's your responsibility too.
Good luck!
Have something planned, without some sort of structure it gets too hectic and less fun. If we don't have a campaign my group resorts to murdering each other for petty amounts of money. Let the players deviate from your plans though. Don't force linearity. Let the players make whatever choice they want as long as it isn't unrealistically overpowered for the character.
Try to gauge what your friends want and do your best to let them have it. I always through in some comedy because I play with a jokey bunch (one enemy turned people they killed into swords, so now one of my players wields a sword that is also an NPC). Also everyone in my group rolls evil characters so I need to be able to motivate them beyond "Do what is right." If I played it too dark they wouldn't have much fun and if I didn't make it so they could be evil they would revolt.
Try to gauge what your friends want and do your best to let them have it. I always through in some comedy because I play with a jokey bunch (one enemy turned people they killed into swords, so now one of my players wields a sword that is also an NPC). Also everyone in my group rolls evil characters so I need to be able to motivate them beyond "Do what is right." If I played it too dark they wouldn't have much fun and if I didn't make it so they could be evil they would revolt.
Lots of these suggestions are good ideas, I might add to that or elaborate:
1: Let your players have fun. The players want to feel like cool badasses, even at starting level. They will often come up with creative and oddball solutions to problems. If it doesn't screw everything up or let the players get off too lightly then go for it. Sometimes a player likes to see their creativity rewarded.
2: Don't let your players get away with everything. Ok this might contradict my first point but there needs to be a line so you retain control of your adventure. If you let your players get away with too much, they might start thinking the game is just the to think up solutions to problems and success is guaranteed. I remember playing the space RPG Traveller with an inexperienced GM and some of the more forceful personalities in the group got themselves an invisible spaceship that shot the most powerful lasers and had the best armour and fuel capacity and solved every problem because they could just bring it in and destroy the area with no fear of reprisal. Then they abducted the leader of an alien race and took over an entire Empire.
This was all in the first session, within the first two hours of play. They took over an entire alien race without making a single skill check because the GM never tried to stop them. The players knew they could get away with anything once they'd got the supership (I assume the Navy gives us this ship for our mission, right we're going then) and the GM didn't want to stop the fun.
Just know when to say no to your players, if you think a suggestion or request is too much you can always say no, try to give an interesting answer that lets the players know why. There's a need for the players to know they can't do everything they want all the time, or you will lose control of the game.
3: Let the rules slide from time to time. Once again I contradict myself, most of these pieces of advice depend on the situation and depend on your discretion. We all want to feel like we're being cool, playing a game lets us do that. Playing an RPG often has a rule that stops your cool idea. When a player says they want to do something alarm bells may start ringing depending on what it is. You might think it isn't possible or feasible or might break the game. Use your discretion and from time to time let the rules go and let the players have fun.
4: Enforce the rules. Noticing a pattern of contradictions here? Let the rules go from time to time, but most of the time make sure the players know the rules and follow them. You need a good knowledge of the rules yourself to know when someone is bending the rules when they shouldn't be. One of the hidden reasons why this is important is because your more confident players or those who know the rules are more likely to bend them and get away with it. Less confident players may feel excluded simply because they can't pluck up the courage to break the rules when others get away with it. Make sure people know the rules and follow them.
5: Let every player have their moment in the sun. You will have different kinds of players, some confident and others less so. Their skills or the part of the game that interests them will differ. Some will relish combat and others will like diplomacy. But this creates a bit of dissonance, the combat players will often lead the group and push the diplomatic ones to the front when some NPC comes up to talk to them. Instead let them all have a Crowning Moment of Awesome during a fight. Players who don't want to talk will not want to get involved in diplomacy but everyone wants their character to be a fighting badass in some way. Let everyone have an encounter where they shine bright and do well, give them a good moment they can be proud of.
Ok I've lectured long enough, I'll make one last point. This is your first time, it won't be perfect, so make sure to learn from the mistakes you will inevitably make. Don't worry about getting it all right. Your story, pacing and GM style will all need work and the only way to improve that is to play a few games.
1: Let your players have fun. The players want to feel like cool badasses, even at starting level. They will often come up with creative and oddball solutions to problems. If it doesn't screw everything up or let the players get off too lightly then go for it. Sometimes a player likes to see their creativity rewarded.
2: Don't let your players get away with everything. Ok this might contradict my first point but there needs to be a line so you retain control of your adventure. If you let your players get away with too much, they might start thinking the game is just the to think up solutions to problems and success is guaranteed. I remember playing the space RPG Traveller with an inexperienced GM and some of the more forceful personalities in the group got themselves an invisible spaceship that shot the most powerful lasers and had the best armour and fuel capacity and solved every problem because they could just bring it in and destroy the area with no fear of reprisal. Then they abducted the leader of an alien race and took over an entire Empire.
This was all in the first session, within the first two hours of play. They took over an entire alien race without making a single skill check because the GM never tried to stop them. The players knew they could get away with anything once they'd got the supership (I assume the Navy gives us this ship for our mission, right we're going then) and the GM didn't want to stop the fun.
Just know when to say no to your players, if you think a suggestion or request is too much you can always say no, try to give an interesting answer that lets the players know why. There's a need for the players to know they can't do everything they want all the time, or you will lose control of the game.
3: Let the rules slide from time to time. Once again I contradict myself, most of these pieces of advice depend on the situation and depend on your discretion. We all want to feel like we're being cool, playing a game lets us do that. Playing an RPG often has a rule that stops your cool idea. When a player says they want to do something alarm bells may start ringing depending on what it is. You might think it isn't possible or feasible or might break the game. Use your discretion and from time to time let the rules go and let the players have fun.
4: Enforce the rules. Noticing a pattern of contradictions here? Let the rules go from time to time, but most of the time make sure the players know the rules and follow them. You need a good knowledge of the rules yourself to know when someone is bending the rules when they shouldn't be. One of the hidden reasons why this is important is because your more confident players or those who know the rules are more likely to bend them and get away with it. Less confident players may feel excluded simply because they can't pluck up the courage to break the rules when others get away with it. Make sure people know the rules and follow them.
5: Let every player have their moment in the sun. You will have different kinds of players, some confident and others less so. Their skills or the part of the game that interests them will differ. Some will relish combat and others will like diplomacy. But this creates a bit of dissonance, the combat players will often lead the group and push the diplomatic ones to the front when some NPC comes up to talk to them. Instead let them all have a Crowning Moment of Awesome during a fight. Players who don't want to talk will not want to get involved in diplomacy but everyone wants their character to be a fighting badass in some way. Let everyone have an encounter where they shine bright and do well, give them a good moment they can be proud of.
Ok I've lectured long enough, I'll make one last point. This is your first time, it won't be perfect, so make sure to learn from the mistakes you will inevitably make. Don't worry about getting it all right. Your story, pacing and GM style will all need work and the only way to improve that is to play a few games.
DH? Okay so I know there is some rule lingo in there about why full auto is always better or something about guns so check errata or opinions to see if it's the tone you want or if it does need to be fixed
Basic bullet points
Tell people straight up if it's a normal/silly/or dark kind of game. DH plays dark well but if you decide a house rule of double crits always is a kill then expect one time in pure desperation when guardsman jimmy is firing over his shoulder at the chaos lord you had planned to be the BBEG he's going to get punk'd. So if that's what you want okay but if not...
Pull no (okay a few) punches. Make sure they know if they don't play smart or they do stupid stuff they're going to get slapped. Go toe to toe with a Ork Nob? Think it would be a good idea to start shooting tau when they are undergunned, outmanned and tyrnids are incoming? Don't try and save if they get cut apart or make dumb moves that don't pay off. Now yes there is fate points, but make sure they don't see that they are invincible. They should take on foes alright but every gun fight should be scary. Like...maybe that's when luck runs dry.
Don't get vindictive. While I said to play hard and make hostiles act like hostiles and you're a squishy meatpuppet in the emperor's service, that doesn't mean you should be player killing. Maybe Guardsman Jimbo did get that lucky shot, or they blew up a building you planned they'd explore and find a NPC in. That doesn't mean punishing them by having another chaos lord pop around the corner, but you could plan around it. If that building comes down maybe it's enough noise to have a few orks check it out, but then NPC is their captive. They got creative, you can have NPC show up, and feels natural that their actions have repercussions.
Also as my DM says: "it's like 50% planning and 50% improv"
You should have and idea what they are going to do but don't force them into it. If they wanna hike and not take the boat you had an planned out, don't say they can't perhaps offer a reason why the boat is better and if they decide to hike then go along with it.
tl:dr Be firm but fair. Resist the urge to make your rolls better for you too often or fudge the PCs luck too many times. I mean, bad luck happens but that's some of the fun of RPGs. Have a plan in mind and stick too it, but if things go off the path a bit, that is fine too, just make things up!
Ultimately: You want your players to drive the story not the DM. They should tell you were the want to go and how it is done and you just tell them what happens. If you feel like you need to drag them from event to event ask them if something needs changing or what elements the like or don't like so they can feel like they are shaping your story, not just rolling dice to fight your monsters.
Unless you just wanna kill monsters. And that's okay too!
Basic bullet points
Tell people straight up if it's a normal/silly/or dark kind of game. DH plays dark well but if you decide a house rule of double crits always is a kill then expect one time in pure desperation when guardsman jimmy is firing over his shoulder at the chaos lord you had planned to be the BBEG he's going to get punk'd. So if that's what you want okay but if not...
Pull no (okay a few) punches. Make sure they know if they don't play smart or they do stupid stuff they're going to get slapped. Go toe to toe with a Ork Nob? Think it would be a good idea to start shooting tau when they are undergunned, outmanned and tyrnids are incoming? Don't try and save if they get cut apart or make dumb moves that don't pay off. Now yes there is fate points, but make sure they don't see that they are invincible. They should take on foes alright but every gun fight should be scary. Like...maybe that's when luck runs dry.
Don't get vindictive. While I said to play hard and make hostiles act like hostiles and you're a squishy meatpuppet in the emperor's service, that doesn't mean you should be player killing. Maybe Guardsman Jimbo did get that lucky shot, or they blew up a building you planned they'd explore and find a NPC in. That doesn't mean punishing them by having another chaos lord pop around the corner, but you could plan around it. If that building comes down maybe it's enough noise to have a few orks check it out, but then NPC is their captive. They got creative, you can have NPC show up, and feels natural that their actions have repercussions.
Also as my DM says: "it's like 50% planning and 50% improv"
You should have and idea what they are going to do but don't force them into it. If they wanna hike and not take the boat you had an planned out, don't say they can't perhaps offer a reason why the boat is better and if they decide to hike then go along with it.
tl:dr Be firm but fair. Resist the urge to make your rolls better for you too often or fudge the PCs luck too many times. I mean, bad luck happens but that's some of the fun of RPGs. Have a plan in mind and stick too it, but if things go off the path a bit, that is fine too, just make things up!
Ultimately: You want your players to drive the story not the DM. They should tell you were the want to go and how it is done and you just tell them what happens. If you feel like you need to drag them from event to event ask them if something needs changing or what elements the like or don't like so they can feel like they are shaping your story, not just rolling dice to fight your monsters.
Unless you just wanna kill monsters. And that's okay too!
If you're new to GMing, try running a premade adventure first, it's easier than making up your own setting and plot, and will help ease you into the experience, now for a couple of Dark Heresy specific things.
I'd advise against letting anyone play assassins, they are pretty overpowered in comparison to the other careers.
The DH psyker rules are kinda Bullshit, mainly the 1 in 10 frequency of some kind of side effect, best advice there, if 9s come up, roll again and only have psychic phenomena occur if you roll another 9.
The income system is crap, no-one accept the priest gets any money worth a damn, just ignore it and giev the players money/gear as you see fit.
Thise are the biggest issues I've encountered while playing and GMing Dark Heresy. Best of luck.
I'd advise against letting anyone play assassins, they are pretty overpowered in comparison to the other careers.
The DH psyker rules are kinda Bullshit, mainly the 1 in 10 frequency of some kind of side effect, best advice there, if 9s come up, roll again and only have psychic phenomena occur if you roll another 9.
The income system is crap, no-one accept the priest gets any money worth a damn, just ignore it and giev the players money/gear as you see fit.
Thise are the biggest issues I've encountered while playing and GMing Dark Heresy. Best of luck.