A survey about great GM's, What makes or breaks a great GM Options

[RunnerPaul]

The best GM I ever played under had the ability to send his players cowering under the table through sheer force of personality. More over, he had an instinctive sense for when to keep things light, and when to turn up the intensity full blast. It was that raw presence, tempered by his deep understanding of his players, that made for a fantastic bond of trust between group and GM.

Throw in the guy's knack for being able to do impersonations and accents at a professional morning-radio-DJ level, and a great many sins became pardonable. For example, I don't think anyone would advise taking a campaign that starts at low-powered street level, and advancing it to into the heights of epic level plots, in just 3 game sessions. This GM did just that, with complete and total buy-in from the entire group, to the point where we're still able to discuss that "one perfect campaign" 14 years later.

Sure he had contrived plot points at times. There were times where the combats were neither realistic or cinematic, the were just silly. There were scenarios where the balance between PCs and NPCs swung wildly in both directions alternating between us handing the NPCs their asses or the other way around. There were times at 4:30am on a Sunday morning when the GM would be half asleep and barely able to describe a scene only to be balanced off by the fact that over half the players were mostly asleep, and yet we would not be able to stop.

However, even with all those flaws, we didn't care. If I had to boil it down to something off the list offered by the original poster back in August, I'd have to say that this was a case of Immersiveness trumping everything else. Of course, to achieve that level of immersiveness requires a special kind of crazy on the part of the GM (like a fox), and a trusting relationship between Players and GM.

[Wounded Ronin]

That sounds really incredible. Can you share the overall storyline with us? I'm curious to hear what made such a big impression on the whole group.

[RunnerPaul]

First off, it wasn't a Shadowrun game, unfortunately. It was Mage: the Ascension. If that doesn't scare you off, let me know and I'll post it.

[Robotech Master]

The only thing a GM has to do is make a game fun. If he has to blatantly break rules to do that fine, if he has to do all kinds of wierd stuff fine, but as long as he can make a game FUN it dosn't matter.

[Wounded Ronin]

[Nidhogg]

[Kanati Synge]

For me, the Big 3 traits that make an outstanding GM are: Adaptability, Creativeness and Ingenuity.

[Dog]

Wow, great thread! As the usual GM, I'll take this all as useful advice.

Knowledge and preparation are very important to me, but enthusiasm is paramount. Everything else will fall into place if you throw yourself into the game with gusto.

Edit: ...and beer. Karma earned translates directly into beer.

[Ophis]

three words...

ALL THE BOOKS!

that and being creative and being able to make players feel under threat/challenged while making the session an interesting story.

[Wounded Ronin]

We never learned about that fateful session. *sniffle*