Wraith

The 13 Golden Rules for Referees

1. The referee’s job is to facilitate the best game experience possible for the players.
2. Know the rules. You can’t bend them unless you know them. You don’t always have to abide by them but they should serve as the basis for your decisions.
3. Safety first. (At all costs.) Playability and commonsense second. The rules come third.
4. Always have access to a copy of the rules. Have them on you or nearby.
5. Like a football referee, you should always aim to play on. Don’t stop the action unless you have to or unless it enhances the experience for some reason. (Safety is the best reason to stop.)
6. Argue later. Keep the flow going. A decision can be reversed with hindsight and analysis. People can even be killed or resurrected if necessary. But don’t break up the flow of the game to argue about something. Make the decision first and then, if necessary, amend it later.
7. Use Time Freeze and Time Out sparingly. Brief asides and written notes can be used to communicate secretly and effectively without disrupting the game.
8. Stay in the shadows. The Ref should mostly be invisible. A servant-like eye and ability to pre-empt things is useful, but mostly the ref will simply respond to players’ questions.
9. Be clear and decisive.
10. Do anything if you think it adds to the atmosphere. (Calling fake Time Freezes to put the wind up the players if they are getting slack.) You are given liberty to mislead them if necessary. (Playing the role of their fears, thoughts and sixth senses is often effective.)
11. Know your players and their skills. Which have better gun skills? If someone has tracking, know exactly what you will say to them when they reach a certain area. Pre-empt their use of skills. Have their character sheets handy.
12. Be discreet about concealed PCs/NPCs. A simple glance or poorly chosen position can give away a hidden gunman/lurking horror.
13. Blackmarking. (Optional) If a player is given the benefit of the doubt early on you might like to blackmark them for later. You will know that the next 50-50 call can be given against them.

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