How to Be a Pathfinder Gamemaster without the mastery part: While in the long run you should want to be a GAME MASTER, it is unrealistic to expect a person to wait until they have a PHD or black belt in Pathfinder before the take the reins. For many, wanting to be a GM is in their blood. If you are one such person, you will have an inner need to push forward and seek a group of players to lead through the adventures in your head long before you become an expert. So until then, you will need to know how to fake the funk.
Here are my top seven tips on how to be a Pathfinder Gamemaster without being a Game Master, in no particular order:
1) Be Honest About Your Ignorance – Don’t pretend like you know it all – you won’t fool anyone. Rely on experienced players at the table. Have one of your players at the table dedicated to looking up rules in books or on the internet. If a particular rule is hard to find, make up a reasonable ruling in favor of the players. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Again, don’t sweat the small stuff. Later, figure out the answer to the rule question by posting a question on the Paizo messageboard or looking it up.
2) Buy An Adventure Module – There are plenty of Pathfinder adventure modules made by Paizo and 3rd party organization which will have ready-made adventures. Use a module to cut down on your preparation time, which will be considerable if you are a new GM. Later when you learn more tricks about how to be a pathfinder gamemaster, you may want to make your own adventures.
3) Be Honest About the Plot – You might state something like the following in a joking, but serious way. Hey guys, I am running a module. So, yes I am asking you whether you want to go off to the castle to fight the dragon. However, you should know that if you don’t go, that is the end of the adventure. They will get the point.
4) Pictures and Miniatures and Maps – Oh My! – Look up a picture of a swamp area on the internet if that is one of the places your group will be fighting in. Show a picture of the creature everyone is fighting. Use a map of the area the game is taking place in. Buy some miniatures so you can place them on the grid map during encounters and everyone can readily tell who is who. This kind of stuff makes you seem official, even if you are not quite there yet.
5) Collect GM stuff over time – GM stuff is not cheap, so for many GMs it will take time to build up a full arsenal of GM stuff. With that said, the more GM stuff you have, the more official you look. Until you can get the full arsenal, focus on the basics.
6) Capitalize on the Fun – Far too many Gamemasters get distracted by things that are not their true mission. They worry about things like whether the reflex saving throw on John’s character is calculated correctly. Who cares? Maybe politely say something if you think it is off base. However, really be focused on the fun and excitement. Was there a battle in the module that the players really liked? Repeat the same battle again later down the road. Oh you can change up things slightly, but the point is to always take note of what is making the players happy. THAT IS YOUR ONLY TRUE JOB AS A GM. Know this and you will know the most important thing about how to be a gamemaster.
7) Listen to the Passing Remarks of the PCs – The PCs are your customers. They will give you honest reviews about your performance if you listen to their passing comments. If you just ask them how you did, they will likely not be honest. I don’t know why. It is just human nature I guess. Address their passing comments in your next game sessions. Don’t call their comments out (they will deny the significance of their remarks), just address their issue. Remember Tip 6.
I guess I could go on, but they say giving more than seven tips is a waste of time because no one will remember them. Here are some other Game Master articles.
Gamemastering (The Art of the Chase Part I)
Gamemastering (The Art of the Chase Part II)
