You know talk shows as a group of 3-5 people, sitting around a table and talking over each other, while the host tries to reign them in. Does that sound familiar? In this article, I am going to compare the job of a moderator with the job of a game master, to see what lessons we can take from them!

Taking Spotlight

My interest in a talk show is heavily influenced by how much the host likes the sound of their own voice. Some moderators seem to think that they are the star of their own show, taking focus away from the guests. I do not like that kind of show, since I am usually there to see the actual celebrities talk about the topic of the day. In my home country of Germany, we have a terrible talk show host named Markus Lanz. He loves to interrupt and talk over more unassertive guests, while letting the attention seekers have their day in the sun. I really do not like his show for that reason.

This is not (only) about you. As game masters, we are in a similar position. We are certainly able to gobble up all of the oxygen in the room, but should we? Streaming shows like Critical Role and Dimension20 have conditioned us to the archetype of the celebrity game master, who wows the room with wonderful voices and beautiful descriptions. But we have to remind ourselves that ultimately, they are shows with paid actors, meant to be entertaining for an audience. You do not pay your players to listen to 5 minute monologues. Without that audience, there is no one to impress but your friends - and people like to hear themselves talk more than others. So with only the participants of your game at your hands, your best strategy is to let them talk as much as possible. Like a host, your job is to steer the conversation, give impulses and get everyone back on track if they steer too far from the game at hand.

Moderating the Spotlight of Others

Now once we have accepted to stay a little more low-key, it is time to look at the other players. There are more culprits than just the GM when it comes to the hogging of the spotlight. In a talk show, the host has to give each guest the opportunity to present their case and tell their story. This can (and often does mean) that they will have to reign in more active guests, in order to highlight the stories of the more timid participants.

At the table, the situation is similar. There are players who naturally take up more space, and players who are a little more cautious before making their voices heard. It can be fine to have a little imbalance in that regard, as long as everyone is actually cool with that. But if it is getting out of hand, it is your job to moderate and support that more introverted player. Well, in theory, that should be everyone's job at the table, but let us assume that no one else intervenes and it is up to you!

Soft Redirection. Firstly, you do not want to come off as rude. It is not necessary to outright state that someone is taking all the attention. Instead, you can simply ask the timid player what their character would like to do. This way, no one has to get embarrassed and you do give the player an in. Do that frequently enough, and the group might start to readjust to a new rhythm of play.

Private Talk. If this does not do the job, you can also just talk to the active player. In that way a session differs from a talk show, since you have the opportunity to play with the same people again and again. This means that you can take that player to the side and gently explain the issue at hand. If they are cooperative, you might even be able to get them to co-moderate a little for you.

Giving Context

A good moderator will provide the guests as well as the viewers with the necessary context to understand a given discussion. If someone starts to get into a complicated topic, a moderator might ask for clarification or give some context themselves. If someone starts to spread misinformation, a moderator might intervene.

Get Everyone On Board. At the table, people might get confused or lost at times. While you should be able to expect some attention from your players, recapping events and restating information you have already given out is a great way to keep everyone engaged. Sure, it would be nice if everyone remembered that NPC from 20 sessions ago, but it won't hurt you to just let them know. If you yourself do not remember, you can employ everyone's help to get to the bottom of this - you are in this together!

Clarify Rules. Sadly it is just a given that a lot of players are not that good at remembering rules, even for their own characters. Where a talk show guest might spread misinformation, players will misinterpret rules in varying frequency. While I do not want to outright state that you have to know the rules better then your players, you kind of have to know the rules better than your players. Because they are usually bad at it. If a moderator is well versed in a given subject, they might also employ one or multiple fact-checkers. You can do the same, just assign your most knowledgeable and reliable player to the role of the dreaded rules lawyer, taking some weight off your shoulders. If a rule seems unclear even to you, you can just ask your rules lawyer to get that information.

Even on Critical Role, a show with the best paid players in the world, Matt has to constantly look up and clarify rules for the cast.

Being a good host

The best moderators make their guests feel comfortable, so that they feel safe in sharing their deepest secrets with the world. They give the talk a structure, suggest topics and brighten the mood.

Structuring Game Night. First and foremost, you have to be there early, usually as the first to show up. This way you can welcome anyone who arrives, ask them how they have been and if they need anything. Once everyone starts chattering, you can leave them be until you want your session to start. Starting the game is an artform. You need to find the right moment to interject into the chitchat, and get everyone into the mood. Talk shows often have an intro that almost functions like a little ritual between the host, the guest and the viewer. In a similar manner, you could use musical cues or a similar start to ritualize that part of the game.

Create a Welcoming Space. More than that, as a Game Master, you are often not only the host of the game, but also the host of your home. Granted, this does not have to be the case. You can also delegate that task to one of your players, especially if they have a nice house or live in a central location. But it is your responsibility to make sure that there is a welcoming space, regardless if you are creating it or one of your players.

Eradicating bad vibes. There is one key difference to being any kind of talk show host - you do not want (real) conflict to emerge at your table. You want to be the kind of talk show host that enables "good vibes only" (or more realistically, "good vibes, mostly"). Continuous bad vibes can kill a campaign, even if they are subtle. The sad thing is that the player does not necessarily need to do something bad in order to kill the vibes. It could just be the way they talk to the other players, being super low energy from work or a slight case of murderhuboism.

Since it is nothing bad, you will feel inclined to give it a pass. I am struggling with this a lot, since it feels mean to confront someone about a seemingly minor thing. But speaking from experience, if you do not change it, other players might lose interest in the game over time. If one player is just bringing others down, it might be time for a little talk. It is important to recognize if they are actually doing something wrong, or if their current style just does not fit the kind of game you want to play. If the situation does not change, you might even need to gently remove them from the game.

Conclusion

There is a lot you can learn from talk show hosts to make ourselves better GM's! Here is a little summary:

• Limit your own spotlight and highlight the players around you
• Keep an eye out for the less assertive players, help them to get their day in the sun
• Double check rules and keep the game fair for everyone
• Being a good host by keeping your players hydrated, well fed and comfortable
  
• Eradicate bad vibes early, talk to or even remove disruptive players

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