Thursday, 22 May 2014

Having fun with GMing styles

I'm pretty comfy in my own GMing style and while I appreciate others do things differently (and don't mind even though I don't really understand it), I was having my morning coffee reading a couple threads over the WoTC forums when versions of the same scene began popping into my mind, handled using different GMing styles.
This is a parody of course and the names are totally made up since I'm really not up to date with the established nomenclature for these.

Don't go and rip my head off :)


TOTAL WORLD CONTROL
GM: The zombie slowly shambles toward you.
Rangus (Joe) looks for something heavy to bash the zombie's brain in!
Rangus (Joe) rolls Check(PER): 13 (success!)
GM: You look around quickly and your eyes land on a large heavy lamp on your right.
GM: Knocking down tables and chairs as he goes, the zombie is closing in on Rangus!
Rangus (Joe) tries to grab the lamb and bash the zombie!
Rangus (Joe) rolls Check(DEX): 6 (failure!)
GM: You grab the lamp and try to smash the zombie but you hit the torso and the lamp shatters.
GM: Knocked a few steps back by the impact, the creature quickly recovers, looks at Rangus and resumes it's slow walk, trying to grab him.
GM rolls Check(STR): 17 (critical success!)
Rangus (Joe)tries to roll away from the zombie and create some distance.
Rangus (Joe) rolls Check(DEX): 3 (critical failure!)
GM: Rangus is grabbed by the arm as he tries to escape and, after a quick struggle, the zombie manages to overcome him, then rips his throat open!


PARTIAL WORLD CONTROL
GM: The zombie slowly shambles toward you.
Rangus (Joe) grabs the nearby heavy lamb and bashes the zombie's brain in!
Rangus (Joe) rolls Check(DEX): 6 (failure!)
GM: You smash the zombie but you hit the torso and the lamp shatters.
GM: Knocked a few steps back by the impact, the creature quickly recovers, looks at Rangus and resumes it's slow walk, trying to grab him.
GM rolls Check(STR): 17 (critical success!)
Rangus (Joe) roll away from the zombie and create some distance.
Rangus (Joe) rolls Check(DEX): 3 (critical failure!)
GM: The zombie grabs Rangus as he rolls away and manages to overcome him, then rips his throat open!



SHARED NARRATIVE CONTROL
GM: The zombie slowly shambles toward you.
Rangus (Joe) backs up from the creature and grabs something heavy then bashes the zombie's brain in!
GM: You smash the zombie and it collapses, it's skull exposing the corrupt brain inside it, and suddenly, you sense something else behind you!
Rangus (Joe) turns around quickly, noticing the other zombie, and rolls away before it can grab him.
Rangus (Joe) rolls Check(DEX): 3 (critical failure!)
GM: Rangus rolls away and his left foot gets caught in the sofa and the zombie lands on him, then rips his throat open!


LOST NARRATIVE CONTROL
GM: The zombie slowly shambles toward you.
Rangus (Joe) backs up from the creature and grabs something heavy then bashes the zombie's brain in!
GM: You smash the zombie and it collapses, it's skull exposing the corrupt brain inside it, and suddenly, you sense something else behind you!
Rangus (Joe) turns around quickly, noticing the other zombie, and rolls away before it can grab him.
GM: Rangus rolls away but his feet gets caught in the sofa and the zombie lands on him.
Rangus (Joe) struggles with the zombie and pushes it aside, then stands and makes a run for it.
GM: As Rangus starts running, more zombies appear behind the windows of the room: the place is surrounded!
Rangus (Joe) pauses, making sure the zombie behind him is out of reach, then looks up and notices the ladder to the attic, then pulls it down quickly!
GM: As Rangus pulls down the ladder, zombies crash into the room through broken windows and slowly close in on him!
Rangus (Joe) pushing aside the closing zombie horde, he quickly climbs up the ladder to the Attic.
GM: As Rangus reaches the top of the ladder, rotting hands suddenly surge forward and grab him by the shoulders!
Rangus (Joe) reacts instantly, head-butting the zombie in the attic, knocking it back, then climbs up and closes the attic door behind him!
GM: ...
Rangus (Joe) seeing that the attic is clear, quickly moves the massive shelves over the attic trap-door to make sure zombies cannot climb after him
GM: ...Yes, and...
Rangus (Joe) then notices something in the corner, a shotgun! fully loaded with three ammo boxes next to it!
GM: ...Yes, wait, what?...
Rangus (Joe) then escapes through the attic window as all the zombies are trapped inside the house, and runs toward the airport, knowing his trusted Cessna 182 is there, ready to go.
GM: ...wait, no! crap, yes and...Oh!
GM: ...Yes, and as Rangus finally sees the airport ahead of him, a nuclear bomb dropped by the army suddenly explodes in front of him, finally ending the zombie threat! There!
Rangus (Joe) leaps into a nearby discarded fridge, barely escaping the nuclear blast and radiation because...fridge!
GM: ..really?



There, that made me chuckle all morning.
And in case you had any doubts....


very close depiction of myself GMing, so close it's actually scary :)






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