Crossroads MVP
Game Mastering UNFINISHED
Getting Started
The Gamemaster, or GM, is a very important role. This is the person that leads the Campaign and acts as the world and all of the NPCs.
This is arguably the most important role in any RPG, though it is sometimes possible to play without one.
Running a Campaign
As a GM, one of your main tasks will be creating and running a Campaign. This term is often used for the story the players are experiencing, as well as the world they are in.
For more information on Campaigns, see the Campaigns Section.
For an example adventure, see Example Adventure — Stoneport.
General Tips
Below are some general tips to assist new GMs with their first few adventures.
Skill Rolls
The Crossroads System is designed so that most of the rolling is done by the Players, but that the GM can roll if they want to.
When players make Skill Rolls, there are a number of outcomes. At first it may seem daunting to new GMs, so below is a table below of example outcomes that might make it much easier to begin, helping you to keep the action moving before you are fully able to improvise on the go.
Results can be summarised as follows:
| Success | Value | Name | Description |
| (2) | Great Success | Action Success, with additional benefit. | |
| (1) | Success | Action Success | |
| (0) | Partial success | Action Success, but with a complication | |
| (0) | Compensating failure | Action Failure, but with a benefit. | |
| (−1) | Failure | Action Failure, and possibly an additional complication. |
Example Benefits:
- Advantage on the next Skill Roll.
- Advantage on Damage.
- Reposition yourself.
- Learn something useful.
- Gain something of value.
- Put an oppponent in a Disadvantageous Position.
- Gain an Advantageous Position.
Example Complications:
- Disadvantage on the next Skill Roll.
- Disadvantage on Damage.
- Move to a Disadvantageous Position.
- Lose something important.
- Opponents learn something useful.
- Put an opponent at an Advantage.
- Fall down.
- Increase the danger.
Player Choice
Players should usually be given choices if possible.
When a player scores a 0 on a Skill Roll, they are given a choice between Partial Success and Compensating Failure.
When given a benefit or drawback from a Skill Roll, players can also be given a choice.
Example:
- A character's attempts an attack and the Result is 0.
- They may choose between Partial Success and Compensating Failure
- Partial Success - Pick one:
- The attack only partially succeeds and gains d1 on damage.
- The attacker is unbalanced and gains d1 on Avoidance Rolls until their next turn.
- Compensating Failure - Pick one:
- The attacker has lined up an attack and will gain a1 on their attacks next turn.
- The attacker has opened the opponent's defences and the opponent gains d1 on their Avoidance Rolls.
Something always happens
Even on a failure, something always happens. Characters should rarely try something only to get a "nothing happens" result. If this does happen and the action simply causes nothing to happen, have something else trigger.
If a certain action has assured success or failure, there is no need to make a Skill Roll.
Simple Example:
- A character attempts to pick a lock:
| 0 | Partial Success | The character picks the lock but their tools break. | |
| 0 | Compensating failure | The character fails to pick the lock but they notice a nearby window. | |
| −1 | Failure | The character fails to pick the lock and their tools break. |
Additional Example:
- A character attempts to climb into a guarded house:
| 0 | Partial Success | The character climbs the wall but the noise alerts a guard. | |
| 0 | Compensating Failure | The character fails to climb the wall but they overhear important information. | |
| −1 | Failure | The character fails to climb the wall and the alarm is raised. |
For more specific results, see the Tables Section.
Building Encounters
While Encounters should typically be built according to the story, some example Encounters can be found on the Encounter Examples Page. This may be useful for gauging the difficulty of certain encounters and deciding what enemies might be faced.
Examples of Play???
While Encounters should typically be built according to the story, some example Encounters can be found on the Encounter Examples Page. This may be useful for gauging the difficulty of certain encounters and deciding what enemies might be faced.
Also Character Examples Page. This may be useful for understanding how character creation works.