Great advice for DM's
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Alright First thing is first - this is not an implications that the DM's here need this advice. Some may, some may not. Some may not now, but may do well to read over it in 6 months. Some people who don't even DM on CoA may enjoy this because they run or participate in PnP games. This also serves PC's well in a place like CoA where they may have a great deal of IC authority to impact other players careers, or debate FD.
This is a collection of advice I am pulling out of a DM guide for Warhammer and posting because I think it's good advice.
**You're a partner, not an adversary
*****PC's are Heros. Bad luck should never strike down a hero. Villains may. Fate may. But bad luck should only be a fleeting obstacle in the bigger story.
**Fast is better than Right
*****When making calls during DM events, gut calls should generally side with the players. It's much easier to forgive helping them by accident, than hurting them by accident
**Does it Enhance the Game
*****If a PC has an idea that sounds interesting and would make for a good story, let it happen. Cards/dice/rolls don't always need to decide everything. Rule in favor of the player by letting it happen.
**Fixing Bad Rule Calls
*****Doing this mid session can break experience, and be jarring. Sometimes it's better to roll with it, and retcon the event. Let the story and immersion win out, and if the mistake really needs fixing, do it later
*****Did you screw up and make the encounter WAY to hard? Enemies can flee. Support can arrive in various forms, like roving bands of hunters. Rewards can go up.
*****It's often a good diea to keep players in the loop, so they don't expec thte high reward or special help to often.
*****Remember the bad luck line? Well, it isn't preventable. And if TPK happens to bad luck.. consider maybe hvaing them "Wake up" somewhere, and make a story of the escape!
**THE PLAYERS ARE THE STARS OF THE STORY
*****No matter how much fun you may have running an NPC, always remember they are guests in the saga. Do not let them steal the spotlight.
**Sometimes letting events, especially from stupid/ignorant decisions, run their course, is the best bet. Can't have a world of no risk.More to come later.