Does the GM Need To Know the Rules?

[CleverNickName]

How would you go about wording it? I was trying to get an idea of people's experience on how much knowledge of a system you need to run a good game.

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound caustic. It was just that options A and C are at the extreme end of the spectrum, with only one option for middle ground. So your survey is set up to give an accurate measure of outliers only...which might have been your plan all along. It was wrong (and rather rude) of me to assume otherwise.

There are a lot of levels between "rules expert" and "rules don't matter," but your poll only measures one. That's all I was trying to say.

 

[lamia]

I'm in the minority "What are these rules you speak of" category, but it may just be to justify myself!

I always wanted to run a game, but waited over a decade of playing to do so. Hard as I tried, I always found that the rules just didn't stick in my head. I'm a giant scatterbrain, so the fiddly bits in particular just refuse to stay in my head.

My boyfriend and I moved across the country this year, so we started running desperation solo games for each other as a stop-gap til we found a group. I found that I really enjoyed it, but felt my lack of rules knowledge still prevented me from running a game for an actual group.

But..some ladies at work hounded me to teach them to play, so I've been GMing for a few months for them. Honestly, everyone is seeming to have a good time. I just ask the boyfriend if I have a rules question. I make up stuff all the time, but I find that as long as I work hard at the parts I am good at, no one really seems to care.

I still don't think I could comfortably run a game for most of you guys, but for new players it works. I think being passionate about it and focusing on the bits you shine at are the most important things. And having someone you can trust who is a rules expert certainly helps!

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

The Game Master does not need to know all the rules perfectly in order to run a fun and engaging game. However, he certainly should make the effort to learn the rules as well as he can, because he is the final arbitrator of them.

I also feel that the players have a duty to learn the rules as well. They don't have to be masters by the first session, but it should be a consistent effort on everyone's part.

 

[Rel]

I guess I don't have a problem with learning the game as you go.

I do have a bit of a problem with refusal to learn the game as you go.





"Doesn't want to have to explain AoO's anymore" - Spikey

 

[Animus]

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound caustic. It was just that options A and C are at the extreme end of the spectrum, with only one option for middle ground. So your survey is set up to give an accurate measure of outliers only...which might have been your plan all along. It was wrong (and rather rude) of me to assume otherwise.

There are a lot of levels between "rules expert" and "rules don't matter," but your poll only measures one. That's all I was trying to say.

No offense taken . It was a genuine question from me. I was just concerned that I was over-simplifying things.

 

[Glade Riven]

This thread pretty much sums up my point of view

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I can say that after having DMs who really didn't know the rules either for the rules-heavy system or the rules-light system they were using, I'd really like them to at least have a decent grasp of it.

Seriously, how the (BLEEP)ing hell do you forget the rules for Amber?

Brad

 

[Piratecat]

Seriously, how the (BLEEP)ing hell do you forget the rules for Amber?

Well, clearly, it's not his fault. You won the auction for Intelligence compared to the GM. You just win every contest. Don't pick on him for that!