Comments on: The Perfect GM?

By: BryanB

BryanB — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:51:53 +0000

@DocRyder - Hey there Doc... Your statement truly applies. You should have seen the stack of mail on my desk when reality hit me on Monday!

By: DocRyder

DocRyder — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 05:59:50 +0000

@BryanB –

Back from Paradise? You poor bastard.

By: BryanB

BryanB — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:54:29 +0000

I think one of the most important things for any GM to remember is that there is no such thing as “the perfect GM.” We all make mistakes, even those of us who have been doing this hobby for decades. The key is to try and learn from the gaffes and apply the knowledge of experience into how we do what we do in future games.

Good post Scott. And ALOHA, I am back from paradise!

By: Martin Ralya

Martin Ralya — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:28:37 +0000

Scott, this is an awesome Gnome Stew retrospective in link form -- I love it! @Tony Graham - I like your way of looking at it, Tony. We're never going to be perfect, and even near-perfection probably isn't desirable.

By: Tony Graham

Tony Graham — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:03:52 +0000

I suspect a "perfect GM" would be dull, dull, dull. A competent GM running a familiar group of players - all dedicated to the game - is as close to perfect as I would wish for. All too often, the imperfections - the mistakes - create the most enjoyable and memorable moments. Give me effort, emotion, investment & warts every time, please.

By: Scott Martin

Scott Martin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:02:35 +0000

I agree with you all-- the perfect GM is a situational, group or player specific person. If you could master all of the stuff in the post, you still might not be the right person for a group. I know that I beat myself up for my imperfections sometimes, so sometimes it is nice to show just how much there is to the role. Besides, it gave me a chance to link to a lot of great articles-- some of them I didn't clearly remember until google brought them back.

By: SmallBlueGod

SmallBlueGod — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:20:58 +0000

Perfect is a funny make believe word. But like Rafe said, the closest your going to get to perfect is a GM who can play to his crowd/audience. For some of my players I have to write out intricate stories & sub plots which point where they need to go (essentially 'railroading' them along even though they don't know it) to keep them involved while others need an open sand box & a GM who can improvise to let them devise all their own turmoil & plots. To each their own. That being said when I get to play (as opposed to GMing) I prefer to play with a GM who has a story & a plot in mind maybe he even knows how it should end, but knows how to adlib and is inspired to more antics by the player characters actions. Not everyone can be quick all the time, but an inspired GM is fun to play with.

By: Rafe

Rafe — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:56:06 +0000

I hate to come off as way the hell out there but... The perfect GM = whatever the players and GM are most happy with. Some players like to be led, others like to lead. Some enjoy restrictions and focus, others love the sandbox (re: character options and setting/pacing). Some creative GMs know the rules well enough to run the game and leave rules referencing to their encyclopediae while others like to have a complete understanding of the system. Ultimately, whatever makes the group as a whole happy is what you go with. I know I change my style somewhat depending on the group of players I'm catering to and the system we're all enjoying.

By: Karizma

Karizma — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:33:00 +0000

For starters, I bet The Perfect GM is a gnome! Excellent post full of Link Love for me to munch through. The gnomes should get a vacation after today!