How Players Can Help the GM...Part 2!

Last week we focused on ways that players can help their Game Master by using their creativity, but this week we’re going to dive into logistical ways that players can help!

This one might seem like a no-brainer, but be ready! Sessions can get chaotic, especially during battles, so it really helps the flow of the game to be paying attention and keeping a general idea in mind of what your next move will be. Trying to decide what you want to do right when it gets to you is a lot of pressure and that never helps when trying to make decisions.

Another thing you can do to help is to keep session notes. Game Masters usually do this, but it can be useful to have some for yourself. Having players jump in during the session recap at the beginning of a new session can show the GM things that really stuck out during the campaign so far which can help them better personalize future gaming sessions.

Also important is keeping track of your resources! The GM already has so much to keep track of and plan for – the slog of keeping track of every players inventory is just not something that most would want to add to their load. But hey, some people really thrive with keeping track of inventory and if that is you, don’t hesitate to jump in and offer your services to to the other players! Some campaigns have the players use a communal variety of inventory and that might be a better option than trying to have each of the players track their own inventory.

Providing feedback – what you think worked and didn’t work – is especially important when a GM is trying something new (like a new magic system). A good GM will be grateful to hear the feedback and will adjust the campaign accordingly.

Are you the type of person that loves combat and testing out the limits of your character? Or are you someone that enjoys a more relaxed vibe and exploring the story and relationships? Maybe you’re a puzzle fiend? Let your GM know! And give them feedback when they include those elements in the campaign so that they can improve or keep on keeping on.

This is something you might not have considered before, but take responsibility for an NPC during the campaign. Each NPC is carefully crafted to add depth and dimension to the campaign and sometimes there’s an opportunity to add one of them to your retinue as a minion or an apprentice. Don’t be scared to adopt a friend and add a little of your own pizzazz to the character!

All of this can really boil down to active participation on the part of the players. There’s no fun in just mechanically following the trail of the GM’s plot and trying to speedrun the whole thing. The more involved in the side-quests, plot hooks, and _____ the easier and more fun things become. If the GM forgets a rule or is struggling to keep up with the mechanics of a puzzle, jump in and help! Fill in the gaps, and take part in helping the campaign to run smoothly and in the most colorful way possible.

Thank you for joining us for another blog post! There really are so many different ways to support your GM and we would love to hear from you any other suggestions! Leave a comment below or jump in on our Discord server at https://discord.com/invite/g2NBTssuMh.