Reddit reviews Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering

I like the post and I agree with most of it. Some comments:

Healing is described in "Numenera", p. 103:

> You can administer aid through bandaging and other succor, attempting to heal each patient once per day. This healing restores points to a stat Pool of your choice.

From a realism angle, I favor one heal per patient, not one heal per patient per user.

> If the GM has fully read the rule book, and fully understands how cyphers work, then you will probably have a healing cypher on someone in the party, at any given time [...] You probably should blow through these pretty quickly, too. Why? Again, you want to save your own first rest period for mid-combat, if needed

Disagree a bit here. From a GM perspective I think the allotment of cyphers to players can be personal taste. If, at all, it should be based on the current story arc.

I also think the most efficient timing of the cypher use depends on its properties, the player's tier and the situation (a D6 heal cypher screams 'use me now', a heal +10 is best saved for combat).

> In fact, there is a rule on page ___ of the main book, which states that players can declare they are scrounging up new cyphers at almost any time

Numenera, p. 280.


> One of the best ways to feel comfortable about allowing your ability scores to drop down and fill back up is to make sure that one of your first 2 physical stats is huge.

I think it very much depends on how the game is played. I just finished reading Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering (ISBN 1-55634-629-8, recommended reading).

While you can certainly disagree a bit on his (or rather Glen Blacow's) player phenotypes, he makes a good point throughout the book that different rule systems appeal to different types.

Numenera is very much on the "Storyteller" side of his spectrum, while D&D, Pathfinder are on the "Tactician" / "Powergamer" side.

I think this sort of stat maxing is only needed if you come from a "Tactician" background and want that style to carry over to Numenera. However, if you (and the group) embrace Numenera for what it is, virtually any combination / stat pool can make sense.

In that respect, I would also vote for pinning [this great write-up]
(https://www.reddit.com/r/numenera/comments/58elpb/ive_played_this_system_for_quite_a_while_now_and/d902v4w/) from /u/OrangePhoenix which summarizes some of it in more detail.

> ...is that Numenera isn't about combat, and you shouldn't treat it that way.

Yes.


> you are doing it wrong at least in terms of what Monte Cook intended when he invented the game

To continue on the above, each rule system facilitates a certain play style. Numenera was, from the ground up, invented for story telling.

It is, in my mind, the "Agile Manifesto" of role playing:


> Interactions over processes.
>
> Story over 'documentation'.
>
> Collaboration over rules.
>
> Adaptation over plan.

It is a bit unfortunate that many RPGs couple rules and lore rather tightly (which, on a side note, makes the Cypher System Rulebook pretty refreshing).

However, regardless if they like the lore, I could only truly recommend Numenera to players who identify with the above.

If you are looking for comprehensive rules, maximizing stats, or 'predicting the outcome' rather than trusting your GM there are systems doing a much better job providing these.

There's been some good advice and links to good resources posted here already. I don't want to make it seem like I'm pushing for you to spend more money, but there are some really good books/pdfs on the subject which should not be overlooked.

I highly recommend Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering to any new GM who's looking for some well thought out advice on GMing and adventure planning. You can get it in PDF, print (or from Amazon). Another book to consider for GURPS is How to be a GURPS GM.

The Dungeon Masters Guide, which is coming out in a few months, should have a LOT of information about that kind of stuff. You could try looking at the Dungeon Masters Guide from previous editions for some general advice (but don't try to use the specific rules/numbers in them).

Also check out http://www.amazon.com/Robin-D.-Laws/e/B0034PURKG and http://www.amazon.com/Robins-Laws-Good-Game-Mastering/dp/1556346298/ref=pd_sim_b_10?ie=UTF8&refRID=0K4ECMWA3SBAW0K5KW0D

Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering https://www.amazon.com/dp/1556346298/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_boZFAbZ9NMS62 a great starting book. The teachers you would understand your players as you go about designing your game. It help shape your world into something that your players will enjoy spending time in.

Welcome!

As long as you are all having fun, you are doing it right.
Other groups may play different, even every single player may prefer a different style of the game. Robin D. Laws elaborately wrote about that in this book: http://www.amazon.com/Robins-Laws-Good-Game-Mastering/dp/1556346298/ref=la_B0034PURKG_1_37?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375252138&sr=1-37

Something I forgot to mention is the use of tension and relief. It depends a lot on how the story unfolds. You cannot completely plan it, but you should plan something interesting/exciting at the beginning to grasp your players attention. The end of the session should include a peak of tension, too. Especially if it is the great showdown of the adventure. There must be moments of relief, too. If you omit those, and go for a breathless 100% adrenaline rush, the players will lose it at some point. They will just produce relief at a random point where you don't want it.