Game Master Tips

The Game Master (GM) is responsible for narrating the story, managing encounters, and resolving actions.

Worldbuilding and Adventure Design

  • Create a vibrant world with places, NPCs, and challenges.
  • Write a clear objective for your players to follow.

Running Combat

  • Manage initiative and keep the flow of combat smooth.
  • Encourage players to use the environment creatively.

Balancing Encounters

  • Use the challenge rating (CR) system to balance monsters and traps against the party’s level.
  • Adjust difficulty based on the party’s creativity and preparedness.

Rewarding Players

  • Provide XP for overcoming obstacles, creative solutions, and achieving goals.
  • Distribute loot that aligns with the players’ needs and the story’s tone.

Example Adventure - The Goblin’s Hoard

Synopsis

The adventurers are hired to recover stolen goods from a group of goblins hiding in a ruined tower.

Setup

  • The goblins are led by a cunning goblin chief who wields a magical dagger.
  • The ruins are filled with traps, hidden passages, and treasure.

Encounters

  1. Goblin Scouts: 4 goblins patrol the forest near the tower.
  2. Hidden Traps: Tripwires and pit traps protect the tower entrance (DC 12 Perception to detect).
  3. The Goblin Chief: The leader is in the tower's central chamber with two bodyguards.

Treasure

  • Gold and jewels worth 100 gp.
  • A +1 dagger (magical weapon).

Resolution
The party must defeat the goblins and return the stolen goods to their employer, earning 200 XP each.