GMs: Issues with Improvising During Sessions?

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What are your toughest issues when improvising during the game?

Looking up rules
1
4%
Generating quality minor NPCs quickly (players want to talk to an NPC you hadn't prepared)
7
26%
Genrating quality locations/maps quickly (players explore unprepared areas)
10
37%
Dropping in an unexpected combat scene (players attack guards, crime syndicate, etc.)
0
No votes
Dropping in an unexpected roleplay scene (players want to interact with prepared NPCs beyond what you prepared for)
2
7%
Generating handouts (players came upon a clue or quest hook you hadn't prepared for)
1
4%
Reacting to fundamental changes in the adventure (players bypass one or more prepared encounters, kill a key NPC, blow up a key location, destroy/sell/throw away quest items, side with the bad guys, etc.)
4
15%
Other (comment with more info)
2
7%
 
Total votes: 27
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brized
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Posts: 141
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:45 pm

GMs: Issues with Improvising During Sessions?

Post by brized »

GMs: While running a game session, what are your most frustrating issues relating to improvising or otherwise responding to unexpected things at the table? The sorts of issues that cause things like:
  • The play session stalls out
    You get worried about maintaining a good play session
    People get bored
    Negative after-game feedback
    You wish the players would just stay on the rails
This does not include responding to interpersonal conflicts at the table.

Feel free to comment with more info or standout stories, examples, etc.
Last edited by brized on Tue Apr 02, 2019 3:54 am, edited 4 times in total.
Tumbling Down wrote:
deaddmwalking wrote:I'm really tempted to stat up a 'Shadzar' for my game, now.
An admirable sentiment but someone beat you to it.
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