Hi!

I've never mastered any RPGs even if I've been a player for six years now.

In fact I could say this is my first time trying this new role.

As written on the title, I was just wondering if you have some tips and avoidable mistakes that usually a new master does.

Thank you all for your time and understanding!

Dario

Don't over think the entire story, keep your outline clear and let the PCs do as they will more or less.

Make good NPCs with character.

Don't stop for rule minutiae, make a ruling and look it up later if no one knows the answer.

If you're concerned with balance/challenge levels, do some test rolls using your player's characters before the session on your own to get a feel for the outcomes.

Have your story clear in your head, or if you're using a prepared adventure read it, read it again, then put it down, pick it back up and read it again.

Serve M&Ms and frosted animal cookies, mostly because I like them....

Wow! Thank you very much for your deep answer!

I've never thought some of those tips!

For now my players must still create their characters, maybe it's a better idea to don't over think the story

... And for the food don't worry, we usually have many snacks!

I would highly recommend running one of the prepared adventures for your first time. All of the Beginner Games are good ones to start with. The Compiled Resource List also has some good fan-made adventures that you can run through. Like 2P51, you're going to want to read through it a couple of times so you are comfortable with the story before you sit down and play through it with your group.

Don't stop for rule minutiae, make a ruling and look it up later if no one knows the answer.

This is an important thing (in my opinion) for both GMs and players. I have seen games bogged down with players and GMs 'discussing' a rule. It's not that they are out right arguing or that the player is refusing to take the ruling but they each have different points of view on it and start discussing it rather than actually going with a ruling, agreeing to look into it more deeply later and carrying on with the game. I personally tend to just take the ruling, I may ask if they are sure present how I think it works and if the GM says they think otherwise I carry on with their decision because I would rather play than be too concerned about rules, even if it means I fail when I shouldn't have. Then I will research it, present my supporting documentation and how I would rule it to the GM outside of the game.

I would highly recommend running one of the prepared adventures for your first time. All of the Beginner Games are good ones to start with. The Compiled Resource List also has some good fan-made adventures that you can run through. Like 2P51, you're going to want to read through it a couple of times so you are comfortable with the story before you sit down and play through it with your group.

Understood, I didn't know of the existence of those resources, thank you. I'll read the adventures right away!

Don't stop for rule minutiae, make a ruling and look it up later if no one knows the answer.

This is an important thing (in my opinion) for both GMs and players. I have seen games bogged down with players and GMs 'discussing' a rule. It's not that they are out right arguing or that the player is refusing to take the ruling but they each have different points of view on it and start discussing it rather than actually going with a ruling, agreeing to look into it more deeply later and carrying on with the game. I personally tend to just take the ruling, I may ask if they are sure present how I think it works and if the GM says they think otherwise I carry on with their decision because I would rather play than be too concerned about rules, even if it means I fail when I shouldn't have. Then I will research it, present my supporting documentation and how I would rule it to the GM outside of the game.

Unfortunately in the past I've assisted at scenes like this, and I agree with you. As the manual says "rules lawyering should be avoided by both players and GM". Nonetheless it's important to say that rules are important, but not so important than the enjoyment of both players and GM.

The most important thing for a GM of any experience to remember, is to seriously consider all feedback from the players.

Listen to any comments, concerns, or complaints, and if you can't acquiesce, at the very least try and meet in the middle. It's your table, likely, but its their time too.

The most important thing for a GM of any experience to remember, is to seriously consider all feedback from the players.

Listen to any comments, concerns, or complaints, and if you can't acquiesce, at the very least try and meet in the middle. It's your table, likely, but its their time too.

I actually use a Google+ site for organizing and herding the cats that are my players. The poll function is nice as it allows me to take their pulse and get a feel for what general sorts of games/story direction/PC advancement they're interested in.

The only useful comment I can add is that with regards to your NPCs, I would focus on their motivations and what are they doing off-screen while the players are off doing their thing.

It can help make for a more immersive experience when things change in the galaxy whether they are there or not.

Focusing on the motivations can also help you be more successful in quickly figuring out what the NPCs would do in a certain situation, and thus also help you quickly come to a decision regarding the ruling on a particular issue, so that you can move on with the story.

If you can do things that help keep you focused on the story and helping the players to help you build that galaxy for them, then IMO you’re all more likely to have fun in the long run.

The most important thing for a GM of any experience to remember, is to seriously consider all feedback from the players.

Listen to any comments, concerns, or complaints, and if you can't acquiesce, at the very least try and meet in the middle. It's your table, likely, but its their time too.

Absolutely. If the players are having a good time then I'm having too.

The only useful comment I can add is that with regards to your NPCs, I would focus on their motivations and what are they doing off-screen while the players are off doing their thing.

It can help make for a more immersive experience when things change in the galaxy whether they are there or not.

Focusing on the motivations can also help you be more successful in quickly figuring out what the NPCs would do in a certain situation, and thus also help you quickly come to a decision regarding the ruling on a particular issue, so that you can move on with the story.

If you can do things that help keep you focused on the story and helping the players to help you build that galaxy for them, then IMO you’re all more likely to have fun in the long run.

Thank you, I'll make some NPCs and their motivations! Nothing too complex maybe.

Take the players to Tatooine at least once, allow them to go to the cantina... have the bar keep state the obvious line about droids, and there's a crazy looking old man and a farm boy looking for passge to wherever.

(He actually is a crazy old man, senile, forgetful, mumbles to himself and knows NOTHING of the force, the farm boy too is nondescript and in no way linked to the main plot you are running)

Take the players to Tatooine at least once, allow them to go to the cantina... have the bar keep state the obvious line about droids, and there's a crazy looking old man and a farm boy looking for passge to wherever.

(He actually is a crazy old man, senile, forgetful, mumbles to himself and knows NOTHING of the force, the farm boy too is nondescript and in no way linked to the main plot you are running)

This is genius.

I had my players run past Uncle Owen yelling at a young whiney Luke, lol. My force sensative exile character ended up getting some instruction from Obi and he gave my player a training lightsaber, which is why he didn't have one to give to Luke, lol

There's a lot of advice to be found online these days, which is good. Unfortunately for the new GM, a lot of this advice seems counterintuitive and even contradictory. So, my advice would be to remember Rule Zero: you're there to have fun. As long as you're all having fun, you're doing it right.

There have been a number of threads posted in this forum around the topic with a lot of very specific, helpful advice - definitely worth a search and some reading time.

A couple other things I would suggest are:

1) Don't be concerned about keeping players on script. One might say "this way madness lies" meaning basically, if you are going to try and keep your players on the rails that are the expected path of the module you are just going to drive yourself mad. Instead, read the module a few times and become familiar with it and what the key encounters are. Then, just find a way to work those encounters in regardless of what route they may choose to take to reach it. It's more work but you will find the experience more rewarding for yourself and your players.

2) I would also recommend, while reading the module, don't be afraid to bend and tweak things a bit (or even a lot). Makes notes about the NPCs and especially the interactions they have with the PCs.. Go back to these notes when reading and don't be afraid to pull an NPC from one of the other modules to replace one in the new one you are running. Or change locations to put them somewhere familiar but with a similar feel and theme to it. Recurring NPCs and finding ways to tie the adventures together into a larger story or revisiting familiar places will help the players feel more invested. Better still, if you can swap out NPCs for people from their backgrounds (just rename said NPCs really if they fit) or somehow give them connections to the players that takes it a step further even.

I'm a relatively new GM myself but there is something I do that work amazingly for this game but wouldn't work for others.

One thing to remember about this game is that everything is abstract. You don't need exact maps, layouts, or characters.

What I do is I make 3-5 encounters for each mission. An encounter can be anything from dealing with a merchant or politician, to a minor combat or a major combat. I usually have an idea of the terrain, planet, and characters that they will come across but I don't plan anything out extensively.

One of the biggest complaints I hear is that players always find some way to mess up a GM's plans or path. Well when my people play they can go whatever way they want, or do anything they want, but they will hit those 3-5 encounters. Maybe they will stealth past one, or flip a light side to help them make it easier, but they will have to deal with them all in some way.

This gives the players the feeling of agency and makes it a lot easier on you because you don't have to scramble to change your plans when they do.

Remember that during initiative, players can use advantages and triumphs to change the landscape to benefit them. They can flip light side points to make something be there that they need. They can have items like untility belts to make an item they need appear from thin air, and do similarly with a vigilance check (the the GM's discretion). Players in this game have a ton of leeway, so you can give them slack while still holding onto the rope.

This is all a lot easier than it sounds, lol. It took me a few games to get the hang of it, but once I did my group starting having a lot of fun with it!

I like this tip, instead of a scripted encounter just have an idea of the type of NPC you want them to encounter and then wait for your opportunity to spring him. Or event take place or whatever it is you are planning. This is a lot easier to move and shake with than saying Ok when they get to this building this happens, then they decide to take a detour when you describe the scenery and something you thought was not that interesting is really interesting to them. Or I've seen the opposite happen where I really lay into a detail I have described and they just glance over that for something beside it.

I think the TL:DR we are looking for is: Be flexible. This is a choose your own adventure not a script.

Thank you very much everyone of your support, tomorrow night we'll run our first session, I'm going to remember these advices

Thank you very much everyone of your support, tomorrow night we'll run our first session, I'm going to remember these advices

Please follow up here! I'm very interested in seeing how you do!

If you do mess something up, please don't stress! This is a game and is meant to be fun!

I'll chime in with my 2 credits:

1) Reflect on what you liked about GMs you've played with in the past and try to emulate them. Stealing is the sincerest form of flattery .

2) I also like the bit about pre-packaged adventures. I would also recommend keeping your sessions episodic (like a sitcom) rather than try to launch into a full campaign at first. That way you can play around with tuning encounters and creating NPCs that don't necessarily have to be more than one-off villains. You can also get a feel for your group's play style. Once you get the hang of world building and creating arcs on a small scale, you can begin to think bigger and plan arcs that play out over several sessions.

Please follow up here! I'm very interested in seeing how you do!

If you do mess something up, please don't stress! This is a game and is meant to be fun!

Do not worry, I already planned to inform you guys on this thread! Right now all the characters are more or less outlined and interesting.

Now I only need to be myself and rock

I'll chime in with my 2 credits:

1) Reflect on what you liked about GMs you've played with in the past and try to emulate them. Stealing is the sincerest form of flattery .

2) I also like the bit about pre-packaged adventures. I would also recommend keeping your sessions episodic (like a sitcom) rather than try to launch into a full campaign at first. That way you can play around with tuning encounters and creating NPCs that don't necessarily have to be more than one-off villains. You can also get a feel for your group's play style. Once you get the hang of world building and creating arcs on a small scale, you can begin to think bigger and plan arcs that play out over several sessions.

Hahahahahaha stealing sure is

As for the first sessions maybe it's the best thing if they are single stories at first, it could help me to step into the this new role.

Episode I: Under a Killing Moon

The story begins at the docks of the sector 7-C of Nar Shaddaa.

The party is hungry for credits and action, so the Bounty Hunter decides to go to the guild's office on the planet.

Searching for various jobs, he finds two promising ones: a Bounty on a smuggler (called Mitch Ferrel) who stole black market's spices from a rodian merchant and a security job in RoXcorp, a little weapon industry.

In the meantime the Smuggler, accompanied by the Big-Game Hunter and Gunner, decides to look into the local cantina, where the barkeeper (for a few credits) whispers that a cybertech corporation is sereaching for a ship to smuggle their goods on an imperial planet.

They istantly accept the first two and keep the smuggle affair for later.

Using one of the computer of the docks, the Mechanic discovers that their acquisition has got a brother, Johnny, who lives in sector 1-C. Between some gunfights with some thugs on the way there, they capture him and coerce him into tell current location of the target (but Mitch is currently chased by some wanna-be bounty hunters).

The acquisition surrenders peacefully (better be alive than die he tought), and the Smuggler of the party deceives the chasers into leave their prey be.

Mitch doesn't talk about the stolen drug, but they find it in Johnny's house.

In the end they hand over the man and the drug to the rodian merchant, gaining extra credits.

EDIT : My players said (as feedback) it was a well-balanced session with the right amount of narration, fights, roleplay and negotiations.

In short, they were pretty satisfied with the results.

Sounds like a good time, man. Feeling a bit more at ease about it all?

Sounds like a good time, man. Feeling a bit more at ease about it all?

Sure it was I was a little preoccupied at first but when the session started, it only felt natural

Be ready for the players to go completely off the rails. Whether running a pre-made module, or one of your own creation, at some point the players will decide to 'attack the gazebo'. Let them run with it for a little bit...then pull them back around the to plot.

Try not to railroad the players, or force them to do This Thing rather than That Thing. In a past game of 'That Fantasy RPG', the group I was in skipped an entire chapter, if you will, of combat with clever use of spells and abilities. The DM laughed and went with it. Awesomeness was had.

Try running one of the beginner games, first. They are geared for first time players and GM's alike. Some players want to make their own characters and dive head first into the game. Thats all well and good, but running pre-gen characters can give them the opportunity to see what other races and classes can do, and may inspire them to try something different when they make their characters. Also, it gives the players a chance to see what combat can be like in the game, and speaking from experience, it can be pretty **** brutal on occasion. The beginner games also give GM's basic instructions of how combat works, how social situations can work and tips on how to 'present' the game to the players.

Every few games, ask the players for feedback. "Well...what do you guys think so far?" Ask the players what they like, what they don't like, is their character getting enough 'screen time'. Feedback from the players can help the campaign evolve, and help you mature as a GM.

Have at least one session where a character is the star. In a Jedi-heavy game, a bounty hunter may seem like a spare tire, and not have a chance to really show off what they can do, for example. Try to have at least one session where the bounty hunter can step up and shine. Or perhaps the Rebel spy has a session to strut his stuff. Or the jedi finally gets a chance to cut loose with their force powers. Whatever the campaign, give everyone a chance to be IT.

If a character dies, then a character dies. Part of the fun (for me at least) as a player is doing my damnedest to keep my character alive. Sometimes that involves combat, sometimes it involves fast-talking an Imperial. Your players are going to put a lot of time and effort into making their characters, but at the same time, if the dice says 'You're Boned', well, then thats that. While I'm not saying that you should smite a character to ash every game, you do have to make sure the players don't have an attitude of "Oh, we won't die. The GM won't let us die.", and start in with shenanigans.

Be ready to say "Yes, but...". Lots of times, the players will try to use rules in new and interesting ways, or manipulate a plot or situation to their advantage. Heck, its part of the fun. This is where "Yes, but..." becomes your best friend. "Hey, can we hijack a Lambda shuttle?" "Yes, but theres doubtless going to be tracking gear on the shuttle for the Imperials to locate it. And since its definitely Imperial, you may not find anyone who would want to buy the thing."