The Players

“A SM without players is like a car without tires.”

Gathering your Players

Setting Expectations***

As an SM, figure out what you want. What sort of SM are you? Do you like leaning heavily into worldbuilding? Or character interaction? Maybe complex combats or brain-busting puzzles are more your jam. Do you have specific conceits, gimmicks, or other canon-altering ideas in mind that you want to implement?

And what about the tone? Are you looking to run something serious? Or something memetic. Maybe you have a particular theme in mind and you’d request the players stick to it.

And what about consequences? Player death is left to you, the SM, as a tool to use in your narrative. Do you have a realistic, gritty session in mind where death is a real risk in every strife? Something else in mind that eschews death for your own, more creative fates? Or something esoteric or otherwise specific in mind?

Figured something out? Now say so in the signup post. Explain to the potential players signing up right off the bat. Yes, it might spoil your session to a minor degree, and there’s the chance your tastes change as you run the session. But tabletop games are cooperative experiences, and it’s best to set the record straight from the beginning.

Know Your Players

Every player is different. As an SM, it’s your job to keep the session entertaining for them.

• Some players like roleplaying. They enjoy interacting with NPCs, or they enjoy detailing their character’s thoughts and actions. These players prefer depth to their stories and characters, reading into them deeply, and value the plot highly.
• Some players enjoy exploring and problem solving. They like discovering, cataloguing, and shaping their world. These players appreciate detailed worldbuilding.
• Some players enjoy fighting and number crunching. They like seeing the numbers add up, and they like the turn-based combat. These players appreciate intricate, dynamic strifes and fulfilling mechanics.

Additionally, each character has a background and personality. Read into them, use it to determine their classpect, land, and running themes, and figure out what makes their character tick. Keep in mind, however, that many characters are prone to changing due to the world-shattering nature of the entry process and Sburb itself.

Furthermore, your players don’t exist in a vacuum. It’s highly likely some of them will know each other from elsewhere. Ask them who they like and they don’t like. If your players already play well together, you can use that. And if they don’t, then you know you need to account for that when picking them.

Lines and Veils

Something to talk about with your players after choosing them, and gathering together to set up the initial parameters of the session.

Lines are topics the session doesn’t bring up. For example, someone with an aversion to needles can ask that it isn’t brought up. Romance is sometimes a line, out of discomfort at roleplaying it, those that are disinterested or aromantic, or a hundred other reasons. It doesn’t matter what the reason for it is; if someone is uncomfortable with a topic, the game does not touch the topic.

Veils are similar, being topics that are skipped over, such as the common fade to black. These are skipped over for the benefit of all those involved, though like lines, disinterest can be enough of a reason. These topics can still be mentioned and happen in the game, but they should never be depicted.

Troubleshooting

RPGStuck, like any other tabletop, can be prone to the same player issues. Sometimes the player is busy or loses interest and has to slow down or even step out entirely, sometimes they roleplay their characters onto a path they, you, or other players don’t enjoy, and occasionally the player is toxic and a detriment to the session.

• If the player becomes busy in real life and is unable to keep up, it’s by no means a rare occurrence; sessions take a rough average of a year and a half to complete, and real life can change drastically in that time.
  • Immediately separate them from other players such that they won’t be slowed down by them as well.
  • If possible, figure out something the player can be doing off-screen, so to speak. Something with which the player’s character can be said to have been doing for the duration of their absence.
  • Discuss plans to catch them up at some later point in time by some means, or rewrite their plot arc to better fit their reduced time.
• If the player roleplays themselves into a corner, it is less frequent, but not unfamiliar. This happens often with new players, or players trying out a new character archetype.
  • Work with the player out of character to figure out an in-universe friendly way to rerail their character progression in a way you and they agree on.
  • If this behavior is how the player wanted to do it, but you or other players have an issue with it, sit them down and talk it over with them. This is unsettling to the other parties, and needs to be clamped down on.
• If the player is an outright menace or otherwise highly illogical in how their character is acting, in or out of character, there’s ways to deal with that.
  • Be firmly against it, and upfront in the opposition. State what is wrong, and what needs to change immediately, clearly, and with no indecisive language. Work with them to fix the problem.
  • If they refuse to change their ways, kick them from the session. If they refuse to work with you, they have forced your hand, and an immediate kick is the only option left.