Golden rules for brand new GMs?

>>50091148
Links to resources also appreciated

>>50091148
Gestalt Vampire games are the best games.

>>50091148
challenges designed to have 1 player die are good. challenges that will TPK are bad.

>>50091164
Any particular system?

>>50091181
I'll probably be using Fate, but general tips are just as good if not better.

>>50091148
You will suck at the start
Your players will have fun anyway
This does not mean you don't try and improve

Any written rule can be overturned for the sake of making the story interesting and fun.

Consistency is important. If you allow a player to do something once, be prepared to allow them to do it again under similar circumstances.

Do not try to follow a linear plot, for the players will derail the best laid plans before they're halfway through. Instead, give every NPC their own set of tools and goals, and have them progress towards those goals as the players move through the story.

>>50091257
>Any written rule can be overturned for the sake of making the story interesting and fun.
If you change a rule it bears thinking about what that rule does in terms of affecting the narrative which you don't agree with and making a permanent change to something you prefer. If you need to bend the rules to have a good game, play by different rules.

>>50091148
>/TG/'s Ten Commandments:
1. Don't railroad the main plot.
2. Be reasonable towards fudging rolls for the sake of making someone feel awesome for managing to accomplish something or laugh at failing miserably.
3. Don't ERP or allow ERP beyond a certain point. If saucy things start happening, fade to black.
4. Don't let the edgy kid play an edgelord character.
5. Don't play a long-term game with more than 4 players. It gets hard to plan a
6. Don't let the edgy kid play an edgelord character.
7. Let the players determine the course of the game.
8. The PC's can be smarter than you. Reward this. Prepare to have your preparations destroyed in an instant.
9. Remember, there is always someone more powerful than your PC's and if you need to teach them a lesson, fudge the rolls if need be.
10. Don't be a dick IC or OOC. There is a time and a place for being a smartass, use it appropriately and you aren't a dick.

File: 1471135062783.jpg (757KB, 960x2158px) Image search: [Google]

757KB, 960x2158px

>Being a good person is most of what makes a good GM. Be kind and considerate, fair and encouraging.
>Don't feel disheartened if the game moves slower than you imagined it would move. Give players time to interact with each other and to breathe in the world.
>Rotate the spotlight. Don't focus too much on one person's character, and try to engage the quiet players without pressing them too hard.
>Most of the best advice you can get is right in the rulebooks. It might take a few games before you can really appreciate that advice though.
>Keep random lists available. Random NPC names and traits are the most useful, and the rest depend on the game you're trying to run.

Write down a list of possible NPC names on a piece of paper, if your players go in an entirely different direction than you were expecting you'll have to make up a bunch of shit up as you go.

Try to avoid taking control away from the players whenever you can, but make it very clear when they're insistent on doing something that won't get them anywhere.

That subtle political commentary you were planning on implementing is never as subtle as you think.

Make sure your party knows what the setting/campaign is about when they're making their PCs, make sure they work together when building their PCs so you don't end up with a "party" of 4 loners.

NO ERP OR DMPCs

File: GURPS Character Creation.jpg (56KB, 590x394px) Image search: [Google]

56KB, 590x394px

Don't play D&D.

>>50091380
he already said he'll probably be using fate

>>50091380
You might want to go see a doctor and have him look at that raging hate boner that seems to have consumed your entire life. It's not healthy.

>>50091148
>>50091194

Hola lightning

>>50091528
Excuse me?

>>50091702
i excuse you.

File: image.jpg (26KB, 155x276px) Image search: [Google]

26KB, 155x276px

>>50091725

falling rocks is a valid end-game mechanic that spices up your personal life