#RPGaDay: Day 25

25. What is the best way to thank your GM?

Answer: I'm going to answer this question as how I, as a GM, would like to be thanked which I guess is really the only way to answer. If I were only a player it would be hard for me to know the way my GM or GMs want to be thanked. I've seen some people give the response to this as, "give your GM a new RPG book they don't have," which I get, but to me that just represents an obligation to invest time and shelf space in a game that I may not be interested in. That might sound ungrateful, but I just think there are some simpler ways of expressing thanks that don't involve spending money.

For me, there are a few different things I would appreciate as thanks for running the game. First would be a simple, verbal, and genuine thank you. It might seem overly obvious or simplistic, but an explicit "thank you" said in earnest is something that is all too often mumbled or taken for granted. Even if you've gamed together once a week for the past two years, it's always good to recognize the extra planning and preparation that goes into game mastering.

Next, showing up on time, ready to play, and being willing to concentrate on the game is really better than a verbal thanks. It's showing your appreciation instead of just telling them. If you sincerely say, "thank you," at the end of every session, but you spend the entire game looking at your phone or talking about the anything else but the game - your verbal thanks doesn't really mean much.

The third way I appreciate being thanked is hospitality. This can be manifested in different ways, but for me, having the players host the game at their place is really nice. I have small kids at home so playing at my house is a total no-go, way too many distractions. Being able to go over to someone else place and leave when we're done is really nice. If they provide snacks and drinks, even better, but providing a place is the best.

A last, and best way to thank me might sound kind of strange, and it's almost more of a compliment than a way to thank me. Regardless, the best way to let me know that you liked what I've done as GM is to tell me after the game that you had nightmares or at least vivid dreams about the adventure the night after playing. That tells me that you as a player were able to become totally immersed in what I prepared that it invaded your subconscious. That's the validation that I'm really after.

It goes without saying that these should all apply to the ways that a GM can thank their players too. As a GM, it's always good to say thank you to your players, to plan and prepare the game beforehand, to bring snacks and drinks if they host, and to become invested enough in their characters that you consider what would be the most fun for your players, even when your not gaming.