12 thoughts on “Anyone have any pointers for a gm running Lasers and Feelings for the first time?”

  1. Have you run Dungeon World or another PbtA game before? (It matters because some of the subtext of L&F is taken from the DW/PbtA agenda for GMs.) The basics are – don’t pre-plan, play to find out what happens. When you get stuck for an idea, ask the characters (not the players) questions! Often leading questions, like “When you left your home planet, you swore you would never go back. Why?” Or “What does every good space faring citizen most fear?” Stuff like that. Let them hand you cool ideas and then work them into the story. When they fail, push hard. Make bad things happen. When they succeed make them feel awesome (or better, let them tell you how awesome they look doing what they are doing).

  2. Have you run Dungeon World or another PbtA game before? (It matters because some of the subtext of L&F is taken from the DW/PbtA agenda for GMs.) The basics are – don’t pre-plan, play to find out what happens. When you get stuck for an idea, ask the characters (not the players) questions! Often leading questions, like “When you left your home planet, you swore you would never go back. Why?” Or “What does every good space faring citizen most fear?” Stuff like that. Let them hand you cool ideas and then work them into the story. When they fail, push hard. Make bad things happen. When they succeed make them feel awesome (or better, let them tell you how awesome they look doing what they are doing).

  5. Feel free to be stingy with the expert and prepared dice. Don’t assume they are expert or prepared, make the characters explain why or do things in the fiction to show they are expert and/or prepared. If the characters roll three dice all the time, there will be little failure and things will be less interesting/too easy.

  6. Feel free to be stingy with the expert and prepared dice. Don’t assume they are expert or prepared, make the characters explain why or do things in the fiction to show they are expert and/or prepared. If the characters roll three dice all the time, there will be little failure and things will be less interesting/too easy.

  7. You are correct. The GM does not roll dice. That’s right. If you run it like you run a PbtA game, you should be fine. It will be a little zany/campy just because of the way it is set up. If you don’t want that, talk to the group about tone first and maybe adjust some of the styles, goals, or story generator items.

  8. You are correct. The GM does not roll dice. That’s right. If you run it like you run a PbtA game, you should be fine. It will be a little zany/campy just because of the way it is set up. If you don’t want that, talk to the group about tone first and maybe adjust some of the styles, goals, or story generator items.

  9. One other thing. Regarding re-rolls after an insight. They can only re-roll IF they change what they are doing. That’s an important part of the mechanic. So it might go something like this: Character: “I try to repair the engines.” Failed roll, but with insight. Question: “What should I be on the lookout for here?” GM answer: “It looks like someone might have sabotaged the engines!” Character: “Dang! Okay. It had to be one of the Chtolians. I grab the nearest one by his fleshy lapels and shout into his face from about two inches away. Spittle spraying his cheeks. ‘WHAT DID YOU DO! TELL ME NOW!” Re-roll. Character escaped the failure for now. It could be that this line will lead to the Chtolians surrendering the radiation-damper coil that he stole.

  10. One other thing. Regarding re-rolls after an insight. They can only re-roll IF they change what they are doing. That’s an important part of the mechanic. So it might go something like this: Character: “I try to repair the engines.” Failed roll, but with insight. Question: “What should I be on the lookout for here?” GM answer: “It looks like someone might have sabotaged the engines!” Character: “Dang! Okay. It had to be one of the Chtolians. I grab the nearest one by his fleshy lapels and shout into his face from about two inches away. Spittle spraying his cheeks. ‘WHAT DID YOU DO! TELL ME NOW!” Re-roll. Character escaped the failure for now. It could be that this line will lead to the Chtolians surrendering the radiation-damper coil that he stole.

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