Lesson 1.1 — What Does a Game Master Do?

Lesson 1.1 — What Does a Game Master Do?

In this lesson, you’ll learn what a Game Master (GM) actually does during a tabletop role-playing game. We’ll explore how the GM guides the story, describes the world, plays the characters the players meet, and helps the game move forward. By the end of the lesson, you’ll understand the core responsibilities of a Game Master and how they help create a fun and collaborative adventure.

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Beginner Game Master

  • Lesson 1.1 — What Does a Game Master Do?
  • Lesson 1.2 — Tone, Expectations, and Table Culture
  • Lesson 1.3 — Safety Tools and Player Comfort
  • Module 1 Quiz (Videos 1.1–1.3)
  • Lesson 2.1 — When to Roll
  • Lesson 2.2 — Calling for Action Rolls
  • Lesson 2.3 — Outcomes and Consequences
  • Lesson 2.4 — Making Rulings
  • Module 2 Quiz (Videos 2.1–2.4)
  • Lesson 3.1 — Narration and Scene Framing
  • Lesson 3.2 — Spotlight and Player Agency
  • Lesson 3.3 — Ending Scenes and Ending Sessions
  • Module 3 Quiz (Videos 3.1–3.3)
  • Lesson 4.1 — What to Prep (and What Not to Prep)
  • Lesson 4.2 — Hooks, Scenes, Secrets, and Beats
  • Lesson 4.3 — NPCs as Tools (Not Lore Dumps)
  • Module 4 Quiz Videos (4.1–4.3)
  • Lesson 5.1 — Building Your First Location
  • Lesson 5.2 — Expanding Outward from Play
  • Lesson 5.3 — Creating NPCs That Matter
  • Lesson 5.4 — Creatures & Adversaries (Intent-First)
  • Lesson 5.5 — Environments & Traps as Choices
  • Module 5 Quiz (Videos 5.1–5.5)
  • Lesson 6.1 — What Session Zero Is (and Isn’t)
  • Lesson 6.2 — Running Session Zero
  • Lesson 7.1 — Opening the First Session
  • Lesson 7.2 — Handling Mistakes & Curveballs
  • Lesson 7.3 — Ending Proud & Looking Ahead
  • Module 6 Quiz (Videos 6.1–7.3)

Advanced Game Mastery

  • A1 — Intro to Advanced Game Mastery
  • A1.1 — Stories vs Scenarios
  • A3 — Player Choice, Information, and Pressure
  • Module 7 Quiz (Videos A1–A3)
  • B1 — Dynamic Dungeons
  • B2 — Mysteries That Don’t Stall
  • B3 — Node-Based Adventures
  • B4 — Raids and Heists
  • B5 — Cities, Crawls, and the Wild
  • Module 8 Quiz (Videos B1–B5)
  • C1 — NPCs as Agents
  • C2 — Factions as Engines
  • C3 — Adversaries That Evolve
  • C4 — Environments as Persistent Threats
  • Module 9 Quiz (Videos C1–C4)
  • D1 — Campaign Premises That Last
  • D2 — Campaign Arcs vs Player Arcs
  • D3 — Campaign Tracking and Status Tools
  • D4 — Ending Campaigns Well
  • D5 — Mastery and Specialized Play
  • Course Outro
  • Module 10 Quiz (Videos D1–D5)