GM Mastery

“The attitude of the master GM is always positive. When he looks at a situation laden with problems, he sees opportunities instead – for every problem, no matter how severe, implies the existence of an opportunity in the form of a solution. He knows the game, his campaign, and the individuals and their PCs who form the group. He works hard to serve the group and is served in turn by each participant. The selflessness of the GM’s role is made satisfying by the accolades, spoken and unuttered, of those who enjoy his campaign. There is a special bond between GM and players, just as there is one between GMs who conduct campaigns based on the same genre. When the GM moves from being master of his own campaign to being a masterful GM, he extends himself to encompass all aspects of the gaming community. He might never attain the status of a master player with respect to tournament play, but in all other respects, the master GM is the epitome of both mastery in play and game mastering.” — Ernest Gary Gygax: Role Playing Mastery (1987), s. 52-53