Rolling Up PCs	Providing Ideas for Adventures	-	Character Class Responsibilities	Controlling Henchmen,  Hirelings, and other NPCs
-	-	Dungeoneer's Survival Guide	-	-

Many DMs attempt to handle nearly all aspects of game
mechanics, concealing most die rolls from the players and
secretly keeping track of PC hit points and other statistics. Obviously,
a certain amount of mystery is essential to running a good
game, but if you are overburdened and your players do not have
enough to do, you become frustrated and they become bored.
The exact nature of the tasks that the players can help you with
depends greatly upon your desires, the players’ level of maturity,
and the type of game that you wish to run. As a rule, the more
things you allow the players to do, the more smoothly your game
will progress. No DM was ever bored for lack of things to do during
a gaming session!

The following suggestions include many tactics that you
should consider carefully. Certain situations such as tournament
play or highly competitive campaigns require more DM supervision
than an average game. In other cases, your PCs may be
mature and trustworthy enough to take on many of the responsibilities
of running the game.

Rolling Up PCs

This is usually fun for players, and with a cooperative party, PC
creation should require little or no DM involvement. Players may
be asked to supervise each other’s dice rolls, if you wish, and you
should be sure that they understand which procedure of PC generation
you are using for the campaign.

At the start of a new campaign, you can usually use the time
gained to add some final details to your setting. In an ongoing
campaign where only one or two new PCs are required, it will not
take long to generate the new characters, but you can still use the
time to attend to other details. If players are new to the group and
the campaign, have the other players explain the circumstances
of the adventure. More experienced players can also help novices
learn about the various character classes and races, as well
as lead them through the character generation procedure. This
leaves you free to answer the questions of other players, or to
complete any last-minute preparations you need to make.

Providing Ideas for Adventures

Employing the players’ ideas for adventures is a helpful tactic,
but in order to use it effectively, you need to think ahead (at least
to the next gaming session). When players are between adventures
or coming to the end of a story line, you might ask them
what type of adventure they would like to participate in next. Of
course, you must create the details, but allow the players to suggest
a general category.

For example, they might indicate a preference for a long underground
expedition. Perhaps they wish to discover a route to the
vast realms and wealth of a drow kingdom. With this in mind, you
can arrange for the PCs to gain a few clues at the start of the next
gaming session that lead them to a dungeon entrance. Beyond it
lies a tortuous maze that just might take them where they wish to
90.

This tactic is especially handy if you have difficulty coming up
with the kinds of adventures that your players find interesting. By
asking them in advance, you can be sure to create a story that
falls in line with their desires. You can also use player feedback
while you are playing a game-consider adjusting your story to
meet the players’ expectations as you go along.

Character Class Responsibilities

Characters of different classes may have obligations as a
result of game rules or campaign considerations. Although you
need to see that these responsibilities are clearly understood,
and you may occasionally have to remind the players to fulfill
them, these acts should primarily be an area of PC responsibility.
For example, the amount of treasure that a cleric must donate
to his deity may vary from campaign to campaign, but is a fairly
universal responsibility. Likewise, a thief might be required to join
the local thieves’ guild, and to donate a portion of his gains to its
coffers. It should not be necessary for you to record the donations
at the end of every adventure; the players should make the calculations
and inform you of the amounts involved. Of course, an
occasional investigation by the guildmaster or high cleric may be
used to keep tabs on the characters, but this can be made into an
interesting game encounter, rather than a routine bookkeeping
matter.

PCs are also responsible for acquiring the components
needed for spellcasting. Once the PCs are aware of the costs of
these items, they should be responsible for deducting the money
spent and noting the newly gained components. Of course, if the
components cannot be easily purchased, you must adjudicate
the characters’ actions. Indeed, missions such as a druid’s quest
for greater mistletoe can make for interesting short adventures, if
you care to develop them slightly.

Controlling Henchmen,
Hirelings, and other NPCs

As a rule, players should be allowed to control their own henchmen
&& hirelings, unless a situation arises where those NPCs
are being taken advantage of. It is completely within your rights,
of course, to step in and run these characters at any time. As a
matter of convenience, however, you should only do this when it
is necessary.

Taking over the actions of PC henchmen && hirelings is a
technique you can use to impart information to the players, as
well as to protect the henchmen || hirelings from being forced
into unusually dangerous situations. If neither of these situations
arise, however, the players are probably handling things well.
It is always a good idea to detail these NPCs as much as possible
when they are generated. You will probably find that, once a
player knows that his henchman is a selfish and whiny character,
he will portray that NPC as selfish and whiny.

You may also find it useful to require your players to keep track
of many NPCs and their usual locations. If they meet Olaf of the
Black Tooth at the Shaggy Mammoth Inn, then have one of the
players make a note of this. The next time they wish to visit Olaf,
the players are responsible for remembering where he can be
found.

It can even be useful to have your players aid you in stocking
the campaign with NPCs. If you are designing a community, for
example, you do not need to create a list of every inhabitant, his
or her characteristics, and most likely locations. Instead, wait for
the players to suggest the NPCs to you. If a player says “Where
can I find a blacksmith?” you can assume that such an NPC
exists, and simply create a persona for him. If the NPC who is
sought is not necessarily present, assign a probability based on
the size of the community and the availability of the NPC type
involved, and roll the dice.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ourph
Hey Gary. I hope all is well with you.

I have been pondering over the question of what makes a "good" RPG player.
Not necessarily what makes for a "skilled" RPG player, but what traits someone should have to make gaming with them a good and rewarding expe
rience. There are a few obvious ones and some definite traits which would undoubtedly exclude someone from the ranks of good players, but I'd be interested in your views (and any tales you might have to relate) on what attributes a good player brings to the table.

And Frank, since you're here too, I'd love to hear your opinion as well.

Thanks both!

A most subjective question...

About all I care to venture here is that a good RPGer has the following traits:

Extroverted in regards playing
Knowledge of the genre and his character's role
Playing to have fun with comrades
Pays attention to the GM
Knows and enjoys many things outside of gaming

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Col_Pladoh
Extroverted in regards playing
Knowledge of the genre and his character's role
Playing to have fun with comrades
Pays attention to the GM
Knows and enjoys many things outside of gaming

To be sure. By my lights tho I would put the "Fun With Comrades" first, emphasis on the With.

When I started the RPGA I hoped that my new voting system would encourage higher quality play. I felt vindicated while observing an early Master's-level tournament game. An outstanding player portrayed his role, and then deliberately set up another player with a straight line -- saying clearly (to me at least) "Good gaming isn't hogging the action or the DM, Good Gaming is doing your best on a level playing field... there, I did my thing, so here: gimme your best shot, I'll beat you anyhow!" Great stuff. If everyone is having fun, it works. If someone's not, the experience is tainted.

Frank
 

<note: could be placed in the Foreword(?) of the PH, if the above is not already there>