Hey GMs, it's time to build up a little self esteem! What is something you are really good at, as a GM? I'm really good at ending sessions on cliffhangers and shocking reveals that drive my players up a wall (in a good way). - ThreadSky

dungeonnewbs.guide • 16 days ago

Hey GMs, it's time to build up a little self esteem! What is something you are really good at, as a GM?

I'm really good at ending sessions on cliffhangers and shocking reveals that drive my players up a wall (in a good way).

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ragunaraiden.bsky.social•16 days ago

I'm really good at taking seemingly small details from my player's backstories and turning them into something that suddenly turns the whole campaign on its head.

Example: player had a one off line about his sister thought he was a terrible bard. She ended up being a rival bard and a main baddie.

jdnotjasondean.bsky.social•16 days ago

Weaving in memorable story moments that I came up with on the spot. I'm good at tracking the characters and themes of the story and finding points to build in significant and pivotal moments. Also collaboratively "yes and"ing with my players into emotional and sometimes heartbreaking moments.

pixelbismuth.ca•16 days ago

controversial but i pretty much only GM systems i made... so i guess my special GM skill is making cool systems. :)

diabolicaljazz.bsky.social•16 days ago

Mmm I'm good at developing background machinations for npc's and factions.

And at describing horrible monsters.

sheerspec.bsky.social•16 days ago

Weaving complex plots into solid storylines. I love Dickens, and I love to make players have these great "Aha!" moments when they realize who someone is in the scope of their campaign. It pays off so well.

innocentgoblin.bsky.social•16 days ago

Making stuff up on the spot that fits within the world, the characters, and most importantly the overarching plot.

The amount of amazing stories that have come from me going in a rogue direction as a spur of a moment thing would probably annoy the over-planners

colinaut.bsky.social•16 days ago

I love improv GMing. I sometimes prep ideas based on prior sessions but often it’s a lot of “play to see what happens.” Sometimes that means gather ideas from the table, but often I just run with what pops in my head and I’ve had players think I had it all prepped ahead of time.

innocentgoblin.bsky.social•16 days ago

It's great! I always start with a plan for the campaign and then slowly shift and edit it to incorporate player backstories and random changes on a whim

It's like a colouring page. The outline is there but between me and the players we decide what goes inside!

colinaut.bsky.social•16 days ago

Love the analogy of a coloring page!

axiomdelver.bsky.social•16 days ago

scary imagery (or so I wish)

unicyclegames.bsky.social•16 days ago

I've been complimented on my time management/pacing because I (KW, the soc. media person) run event games with very specific time slots both for Unicycle and at my LGS day job. Which feels like a silly thing to be complimented on but is apparently a challenge in the space.

alexrinehart.bsky.social•16 days ago

My biggest strengths are time management (ending on a satisfying note with minutes to spare) and endings. I leave myself enough loose ends to tie up in a compelling way that players chat about for years after

devilpants.bsky.social•16 days ago

Introducing mid-fight wrinkles that instantly wake the players up and get them interested again

This squad of enemy imperials is halfway wiped out, but oh no, one of them self-sacrificed to summon a nightmare hell beast that's firing MMO-style-telegraphed hellfire blasts!

nerdysimulation.titterpig.academy•16 days ago

I'm really fucking good at understanding and using the game rules in a way that illustrates the fun of doing that, instead of avoiding or ignoring them.

Often take what seems inconsequential/silly & weaving that into our agreed upon tone/setting in a consistent, often upsetting (affectionate) form.

colinaut.bsky.social•16 days ago

I enjoy the challenge of a con game. Pretty much everything I GM is “play to see what happens” improv. I’ve gotten pretty skilled at working with the players bring and creating a fun story with a narrative arch that fits perfectly into the 4hr con game slot.

kitsunekoji.bsky.social•16 days ago

From what my players say, versimilitude, at least as far as the rules and structure of the system I'm running at the time. Even random NPCs have some kind of inner life, there's something behind that wall or under that floor. My worlds are dense, and stand up to the knocks a party of PCs give them.

newsnerd.bsky.social•16 days ago

Improvisation. It's hard for my players to really stump me or cause things that really throw me off my groove. Whether it's adapting to the fact my players have severely restricted my monsters' movement or the sudden creation of new environments, I go with the flow.

lcfathom.bsky.social•16 days ago

Keeping my players alive...😅

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