Try 2 GM if you can

#1

Exactly what it says on the can : Try 2 GM for a table if you can.

Maybe you have a little too much players for your tastes and it’s kinda hard to monitor everything, or maybe you’re tired of doing dialogues by yourself and switching voices and manners is draining, or maybe you’re lucky enough to have another fellow GM that wants part of the fun too.

Playing with 2 GM is rad because :

  • Dialogues are far more natural
  • It’s easier to remember things and to please everyone (“Wait, shouldn’t we get a little souvenir for the Rogue ? There isn’t even a lock to pick in our prep !”)
  • One GM can do the talking while the other do the ambient noise or music if it’s your table style
  • 2 crazy minds are better than a lonely one to think about cool prep and stay focused on what matter, whatever matters the most for your table

That’s all for me, I hope I’ll get some feedbacks from y’all as well

#2

A reddit topic about it, with good questions and exchanges bellow : https://www.reddit.com/r/dmdivulge/comments/uwcove/2_dm_is_better_than_one/

#3

This is a really interesting idea. I have played in games where someone was the “monster mind” or NPC player but have never tried to run a game with two GM’s. Hmm…

#4

It can be really interesting. I was on the path to the GM burnout and having something different that asked me to be on the edge and that offered me new interesting takes and even surprises in game was exactly what I needed.

There was this moment we prepared (an attack from an empire on a village guarded by a wannabe queen witch the PC just met) where being 2 really shined : The idea was that everything was going south in the village, and the witch couldn’t handle everything on her own, so the group naturally split in two to cover more surface. Well both group could act on their own with their own GM !

When the 2 group got back together, I was as hyped as a player of “my” group to discover what the other has been doing because I didn’t knew, I wasn’t there, and it felt so fresh !

The players were huge fans as well, the pace was that much better and we got more stamina when there’s less pressure on us because we can “juggle the spot light”

#5

Sounds cool, that’s a hyper version how we do it in the two Westmarchs games I’m involved in. One DM will listen in if able and help you look stuff or offer a tip.

However I’ve never seen any situation where I have enough players to play and at least one other that wants to willingly give up playing to GM too.

Sounds like one those wishful thinking “what if” posts on Reddit.

“… what if I had 50 players? I could run multiple groups through dungeons and they could compete”… yeah, in that imaginary world go for it, sounds great!

Sounds like it could work, though, and that’s how the “pro’s” do it anyway. Ever watch the Dungeon Dudes, or Critical Role - yeah they have lighting and effects, editors, even directors. I mean if you have enough extra people in support you could have them play separate bad guys or just townsfolk, or even 1 for each individual person!

#6

I only did it for a few month, and it was kind of a dream come true, kind of work mix of thing but yeah, I totally get your feeling. I’m player starved right now and 3 or 4 people would already be great haha

The 50 players make me think of the Questing Beast video about Westmarch Campagn and how they played back then, it’s really interesting to see what mecanics came out of it (the video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slBsxmHs070)