Sentinel Comics RPG Core Rulebook

The GM’s Principles
As you run your games of Sentinel Comics:
The Roleplaying Game, there are a few main
ideas to keep in the front of your mind:
• Make the rules a way to deliver fun
• Drive play toward hard choices and sacrifice
• Players control the destiny of their heroes
Make Rules a Way to Deliver Fun
As the GM, it’s your job to apply the rules as the
game progresses. By keeping your mind on the
rules, you allow the players to immerse themselves
in the fiction of the comic book story unfolding
at the table. You need to keep track of things like
the scene tracker, choose from the correct actions
when taking a turn for minions, and make rulings
whenever questions arise. But you also need to
make sure that this is a thrilling experience for the
players! Here are some suggestions for how to use
the rules to frame a good time.
Teach the Rules
An often overlooked but absolutely vital role of
the GM is to help players learn the game. Some
enthusiastic players will buy copies of this book and
throw themselves into mastering the rules, but other
more casual players just want to have fun rolling
dice with their friends and don’t put a high priority
on learning the intricacies of the system. Different
people play for different reasons, and everyone
should be able to have fun. Be ready to help any
of the players with rules questions and guidance,
be patient with players who aren’t as motivated
to learn the rules as well as you know them, and
make sure players who do learn them well get the
opportunity to use that mastery.
Be Fair
While running the game, try to apply the rules
as evenly as possible. Don’t play favorites, and
work to ensure that every player gets a chance
to contribute. While different players naturally
engage at different levels, if someone gets talked
over or ignored, make sure to ask them specifically
what thoughts they have and what they think
should be done. Make sure the more rules-savvy
people (including you!) don’t steamroll other
players, even with well-meant advice. Each player
has the right to play their own hero, with final say
over what that hero does.
Sharing the Spotlight
If one or more players are hogging the spotlight
and not giving other players opportunities to shine,
step in to change that. In social scenes, it can help
to use a formal structure involving the action order,
as discussed in Social Scenes on page 169. In action
scenes, making sure everyone has equal amounts of
action order time and encouraging players to make
their own decisions on their turns helps. Players
should be confident that only they can decide what
their hero does; if that’s not the case, it’s your job
as the GM to step in and make sure they have that
level of control.
Sometimes a player might struggle with trying to
find the right rule or game mechanic to achieve a
result. In such cases, encourage them to tell you
their intent rather than try to work out how to
bring it about. Sharing intent tells everyone around
the table what players are trying to achieve with
their heroes and gives you or other players an
opportunity to guide them in finding the right game
mechanics to achieve their desired result.
There’s No Rule for That?
The game rules can’t anticipate everything. What
happens when you can’t find a rule to cover the
exact situation you’re in? When players try to
do something you or a pre-written issue didn’t
anticipate and you can’t find a rule for it, you need
to improvise. Techniques like these make it easier:
• Remember that the Overcome action is
specifically intended as a widely applicable way
to resolve the question “Hey, could I do this?”
• Look for a rule that covers a similar situation,
and apply it in this situation.
• Twists make for excellent consequences if you’d
like to allow whatever the player is asking for but
want a drawback.
• You can always just say “Yes.” Really. It’s powerful
and satisfying and easy.
When you’re faced with a rules question and you
don’t know what the answer is or what to do, ask
yourself, “What would be the most fun outcome
right now?” The game has a great level of flexibility
and leeway built into it, so don’t be afraid of getting
it “wrong.” Remember that GMing is a skill — the
more you do it, the easier this gets.
Make rulings that keep the fun going. Keeping
the game’s tone in mind, don’t shoot down wild
ideas or harebrained schemes too quickly — let the
heroes try things and see what happens.
The GM’s Principles
Intro
Playing
the Game
Creating
Heroes
M oderating
the G ame
The
Bullpen
Adventure
Issues
The
Archives
Appendices
177