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Arbiter of Worlds: A Primer for Gamemasters
Arbiter of Worlds is the definitive guide to building and running fantasy role-playing game campaigns. This primer will teach you how to build living, breathing worlds for your players to explore; how to host game and manage game sessions; and how to create powerful experiences of adventure that your players will talk about for years to come. Learn the secret to becoming a judge, an adversary, a worldbuilder, and a storyteller and become an arbiter of worlds! “Every Macris campaign starts with a rich, open world; the edge of a massive map; and the ability to find adventure in any direction. After playing in a dozen of his campaigns, I can assure you that Macris is the best prepared, most thorough GM on the prime material plane. He balances “deadly adversary” and “the party’s greatest supporter” perfectly. I’ve been lucky to contribute to some renowned video game worlds, and to discus world design with some of the most accomplished writers alive. And I’m honestly not sure there’s been someone more thorough at and passionate for world building than Macris since ... maybe Tolkien? (Okay, maybe G.R.R. Martin, but he’s not as organized or efficient.) It takes organization, creativity, and careful technique to build a massive world efficiently and deliver it effectively, and Macris can show you how he does it.” - Dr. Michael Capps, award-winning videogame executive, writer, designer (*Gears of War*, *Fortnite*, *Unreal Tournament, Unreal Championship*) “Armed with decades of experience as both a player and a designer, Macris cuts to the marrow with razor sharp insights in an unapologetic and often painfully insightful analysis of every imaginable facet of being a Game Master. From implication of play inherent in a game’s design, to world building, to the often delicate nature of unspoken social contracts inherent in the hobby, the guidance found in Arbiter of Worlds is a much-needed breath of fresh air to veterans of the hobby and a forged-in-the-fire bootcamp for those taking their first steps behind the screen.” - James M. Spahn, Ennie and Origins Award Winning RPG designer “A superb read. He makes his points the way you would expect a Harvard-trained lawyer to do. If you read this book, you are going to come out knowing real things you did not know before that will help you run games at the table…” - Courtney Campbell, Hack & Slash
118 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2019
204 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 7, 2019
Excellent Extrapolation of Theory
This book is spot on for grasping the framework of being a GM. Marcris fleshes out the difference between Story driven by the GM, vs story driven by players, which I believe is quiet compelling. I was unaware that Marcris had law as his background, but after playing in his ACKS, I can see how what he has written here is completely practical to how he designs so well. This book adds names, description, and purpose to the bones of GMing. I found the instruction provided a solid framework to consistently good games, not things unknown, but firmly established the correct places each bone fits together between chapters. Thanks Macris, well worth the price of admission.
This book is spot on for grasping the framework of being a GM. Marcris fleshes out the difference between Story driven by the GM, vs story driven by players, which I believe is quiet compelling. I was unaware that Marcris had law as his background, but after playing in his ACKS, I can see how what he has written here is completely practical to how he designs so well. This book adds names, description, and purpose to the bones of GMing. I found the instruction provided a solid framework to consistently good games, not things unknown, but firmly established the correct places each bone fits together between chapters. Thanks Macris, well worth the price of admission.
May 24, 2019
From the alt-right douchenozzle who brought you Milo Yiannopoulos and Gamergate (1, 2)!
Alexander Macris really wants you to read this book. If you have tried to search for any RPG-related books on Amazon recently, it's probably popped up as a "Promoted" link. Literally like ten searches in a row for me. Pumpin' in those ad dollars. No, Amazon, you have not correctly intuited my tastes.
Anyway, if you really want an RPG written by a neonazi, Varg Vikernes's MYFAROG game is about a million times better than Macris's derivative AD&D 1E retroclone. And based on the inane sample provided for this title, I already feel confident in saying that if you're looking for a gamemastering book specifically, you'd be better served with Graham Walmsley's Play Unsafe, Robin D. Laws's Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering, or just Gary Gygax's original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide.
Alexander Macris really wants you to read this book. If you have tried to search for any RPG-related books on Amazon recently, it's probably popped up as a "Promoted" link. Literally like ten searches in a row for me. Pumpin' in those ad dollars. No, Amazon, you have not correctly intuited my tastes.
Anyway, if you really want an RPG written by a neonazi, Varg Vikernes's MYFAROG game is about a million times better than Macris's derivative AD&D 1E retroclone. And based on the inane sample provided for this title, I already feel confident in saying that if you're looking for a gamemastering book specifically, you'd be better served with Graham Walmsley's Play Unsafe, Robin D. Laws's Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering, or just Gary Gygax's original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide.
March 22, 2019
Easily Understood Methods
I am a old school pencil and paper gamer and gm. I bought this on a whim and I am certainly glad I did. I have been through other books with a similar taste, but this one stood out. The author eloquently goes step by step and gives examples that stay on point. This makes it a great short read with tons of insight with sound reasoning. You can tell he has passion about the subject matter and cares about advancing the hobby. To go one step further, having ADD, I found this book broken up well enough to not feel overwhelmed by the subject matter. Because of this I intend one checking out his ACKS system for gaming. Bravo, good sir!
I am a old school pencil and paper gamer and gm. I bought this on a whim and I am certainly glad I did. I have been through other books with a similar taste, but this one stood out. The author eloquently goes step by step and gives examples that stay on point. This makes it a great short read with tons of insight with sound reasoning. You can tell he has passion about the subject matter and cares about advancing the hobby. To go one step further, having ADD, I found this book broken up well enough to not feel overwhelmed by the subject matter. Because of this I intend one checking out his ACKS system for gaming. Bravo, good sir!
March 31, 2019
A very enjoyable and easy read!
Macris offers a number of useful consideration for DMing in a fluent and fun language. It makes reference to several philosophers in a way that is interesting and helps unfold the concepts discussed. It definitely got me hooked on running my own campaign again as well as reading more books on the topic.
Macris offers a number of useful consideration for DMing in a fluent and fun language. It makes reference to several philosophers in a way that is interesting and helps unfold the concepts discussed. It definitely got me hooked on running my own campaign again as well as reading more books on the topic.
February 25, 2022
An interesting look at the practicalities of running a game. Including how it differs from writing from the DM's point of view. He tends toward sandbox games, which emphasizes the difference. Though the chapter about abduction (reasoning from an unusual event to the principle that caused it) is something that applies to both.
A particularly interesting appendix on alignment.
A particularly interesting appendix on alignment.
July 7, 2019
To very briefly recap the ancient history of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), initially players would send their characters into dungeons, collect gold, and level up. But of course, players get attached to their characters, gamemasters (GM's) to their worlds, and dungeons get stale after a time. Thus play shifted towards simulating adventure in fantasy worlds. GM's paid greater attention to verisimilitude and providing "realistic" environments in their games. Often this manifested in a "sandbox" that players could move their characters around in, interact with, and influence to a greater extent than clearing out dungeon level 5. This flavor of roleplaying has been called sandbox play, simulationist play, or sometimes old school D&D. It's still around in the gaming world and has experienced a resurgence over the past several years, but for a long time it was eclipsed by a flavor introduced in TSR's Dragonlance setting, that emphasized telling a good story. Telling a good story with a sandbox game is possible -- story should emerge -- but often the GM served more as a director and author. When the GM is a director, the players cannot expect their characters to do whatever they want, and so story-heavy flavors of play tended towards "railroads" where characters were on a single track during an adventure and could not get off that track. Arbiter of Worlds provides gamemastering advice and philosophy of a distinctly "old school" perspective.
For instance, Alexander Macris gives a recipe for developing a campaign world that ends up with a 10-page "gazette" that should enable the GM to provide a veneer of ancient history and current events in motion to serve as a backdrop to and launching board for the player's actions. This recipe was great advice and offers a middle ground between obsessively writing up every element of a campaign and winging it as you go.
But Macris also provides reasoned arguments for why you should run a sandbox campaign, as well as an intellectual approach to doing so. The fundamental starting point for Macris seems to be that players will have more fun when they have genuine agency in the game. Macris wants it to be possible for players to attempt anything, but not have success guaranteed. In his way of running the game, a group of first level adventurers attempting to steal a dragon's treasure will surely be burned to a crisp, rather than be prevented from the attempt by GM fiat or be successful because the GM cheats heavily in their favor. Players should realize that neophyte characters will not be capable of that caper. But that (according to Macris) will make it even more sweet when the more experienced fifth level adventurers come back to the dragon's cave and succeed in stealing the treasure. If one character dies, so be it.
The GM will be the arbiter of this attempt. He or she will apply the rules of the game and of the campaign world to judge whether the adventurers are successful. This style contrasts with a GM who would fudge rolls in the favor of characters or the GM's own imagined story. Macris argues that players will eventually catch on to the fudging, and that it will make their successes seem illusory.
I am not sure that I totally agree with this part of Macris's argument. Sure, everyone agrees that railroads are bad, but there is a continuum from Macris's GM judge on one side to the GM storyteller on the other. It is not clear to me that every group be most satisfied / have the most fun at the Macris pole of the continuum. Nonetheless, Arbiter of Worlds's philosophical aspects do provide considerable food for thought.
For instance, Alexander Macris gives a recipe for developing a campaign world that ends up with a 10-page "gazette" that should enable the GM to provide a veneer of ancient history and current events in motion to serve as a backdrop to and launching board for the player's actions. This recipe was great advice and offers a middle ground between obsessively writing up every element of a campaign and winging it as you go.
But Macris also provides reasoned arguments for why you should run a sandbox campaign, as well as an intellectual approach to doing so. The fundamental starting point for Macris seems to be that players will have more fun when they have genuine agency in the game. Macris wants it to be possible for players to attempt anything, but not have success guaranteed. In his way of running the game, a group of first level adventurers attempting to steal a dragon's treasure will surely be burned to a crisp, rather than be prevented from the attempt by GM fiat or be successful because the GM cheats heavily in their favor. Players should realize that neophyte characters will not be capable of that caper. But that (according to Macris) will make it even more sweet when the more experienced fifth level adventurers come back to the dragon's cave and succeed in stealing the treasure. If one character dies, so be it.
The GM will be the arbiter of this attempt. He or she will apply the rules of the game and of the campaign world to judge whether the adventurers are successful. This style contrasts with a GM who would fudge rolls in the favor of characters or the GM's own imagined story. Macris argues that players will eventually catch on to the fudging, and that it will make their successes seem illusory.
I am not sure that I totally agree with this part of Macris's argument. Sure, everyone agrees that railroads are bad, but there is a continuum from Macris's GM judge on one side to the GM storyteller on the other. It is not clear to me that every group be most satisfied / have the most fun at the Macris pole of the continuum. Nonetheless, Arbiter of Worlds's philosophical aspects do provide considerable food for thought.
June 19, 2019
The author comes off as a bit smug. He is quick to mention he won't tell you how to have fun, but he will heavily imply that if your not doing things his way that you are not having fun the correct way.
I would not recommend this for a new GM trying to learn the ropes. This isn't as much of a resource to help a new comer figure out the role of GM as multiple essays to state the correct way (the authors way) to run a game. Which is a long term weekly game with no plot, just reaction to a list of locations and randomization.
This really isn't for experienced players either as there isn't much here to help. All that you can hope to learn is that your either doing it his way or your not and if not.
I wish I didn't read this as I think it stunted any fantasy of writing my own book of essays explaining any subjects I have opinions about. Gross.
I would not recommend this for a new GM trying to learn the ropes. This isn't as much of a resource to help a new comer figure out the role of GM as multiple essays to state the correct way (the authors way) to run a game. Which is a long term weekly game with no plot, just reaction to a list of locations and randomization.
This really isn't for experienced players either as there isn't much here to help. All that you can hope to learn is that your either doing it his way or your not and if not.
I wish I didn't read this as I think it stunted any fantasy of writing my own book of essays explaining any subjects I have opinions about. Gross.
February 20, 2023
This book is in a weird place. It has some useful information but only a completely beginner GM would find it useful. I think you would be much better off just running a game for a few months vs reading this book. It's more functional than theory which you can pick up just from a few months of experience.
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August 3, 2019Great primer
I thought this one was a great introduction to concepts a new dm hasn't considered. It's very well thought out and written.
I thought this one was a great introduction to concepts a new dm hasn't considered. It's very well thought out and written.
March 30, 2023
I was watching a YouTube video about running games of Dungeons and Dragons recently, and the host had mentioned this book. Not having heard of it, I ordered a copy online to check it out. As a relatively new DM of 5th edition D&D, I am always open for sources of potential tips to help me better run my games.
For the price of the paperback (under $9), I managed to glean a bit of useful information from the nineteen chapters (twenty if you include the appendix on alignments). The information itself is mostly game system agnostic meaning the lessons learned can apply to most any type of game one might be running. And though the word "worlds" is in the title, this book is not so much about building your game world but overseeing (thus the "arbiter" in the title) and managing sessions, players and such. A lot of this I knew from experience, but that just means that this book reinforces what so many have already said about running games.
For the price of the paperback (under $9), I managed to glean a bit of useful information from the nineteen chapters (twenty if you include the appendix on alignments). The information itself is mostly game system agnostic meaning the lessons learned can apply to most any type of game one might be running. And though the word "worlds" is in the title, this book is not so much about building your game world but overseeing (thus the "arbiter" in the title) and managing sessions, players and such. A lot of this I knew from experience, but that just means that this book reinforces what so many have already said about running games.
March 20, 2025
Curious how many people who rate the book poorly actually read and evaluated it on the merits of its gamemastering advice instead of just attacking the author for his political views and business dealings?
Arbiter of Worlds articulates well common pitfalls gamemasters sometimes fall into naturally or are encouraged by advice from popular influencers in the hobby (fudging dice, railroading, omniscient antagonists) and provides ways to avoid them. I also appreciated him pointing out that it is not the responsibility of the gamemaster to make sure the players have fun, but simply provide an environment where they could have fun if they so choose.
Plenty of functional advice in other areas with me finding chapters 7-9 especially helpful for top-down zoom-in world building with specific processes for doing so provided. I will definitely be revisiting this section next time while I'm crafting a world. The author's discussion on abduction (making random generated situations fit within the context of the game and what has gone before) was illuminating and I agree is " the quantum mechanics of the role-playing game world."
Arbiter of Worlds articulates well common pitfalls gamemasters sometimes fall into naturally or are encouraged by advice from popular influencers in the hobby (fudging dice, railroading, omniscient antagonists) and provides ways to avoid them. I also appreciated him pointing out that it is not the responsibility of the gamemaster to make sure the players have fun, but simply provide an environment where they could have fun if they so choose.
Plenty of functional advice in other areas with me finding chapters 7-9 especially helpful for top-down zoom-in world building with specific processes for doing so provided. I will definitely be revisiting this section next time while I'm crafting a world. The author's discussion on abduction (making random generated situations fit within the context of the game and what has gone before) was illuminating and I agree is " the quantum mechanics of the role-playing game world."
March 21, 2023
Some of the advice can be a little too high level: the book is generally too short, and I would have liked some more specific references ie "my favorite underwater encounter tables are from book x". The advice contained within is very strong though, lots of focus on setting design (again, at a high level) and getting yourself out of some tough DM situations (some of which I've seen, some of which I haven't).
Macris is a blogger/lawyer and he writes like a blogger/lawyer; I like blogs (and some lawyers), and I think DMing is more like blogging/litigating than noveling: so this style appeals to me. Each chapter could be titled "here's some general advice for x", with a general orientation away from story gaming and toward rule-following with heavy doses of "this is the most practical and efficient way to run your game in and out of session."
AoW also made me want to read/play ACKS, but I'll wait for second edition at this point.
Macris is a blogger/lawyer and he writes like a blogger/lawyer; I like blogs (and some lawyers), and I think DMing is more like blogging/litigating than noveling: so this style appeals to me. Each chapter could be titled "here's some general advice for x", with a general orientation away from story gaming and toward rule-following with heavy doses of "this is the most practical and efficient way to run your game in and out of session."
AoW also made me want to read/play ACKS, but I'll wait for second edition at this point.
October 21, 2021
Clearly structured and well written. The author's legal approach serves the subject matter well by breaking down the facets of the gamemaster's role into easy chunks that provide an broad overview as well as detailed approaches to the various tasks. I would strongly recommend this title for any newcomer to the rpg hobby and look forward to other titles from Mr. Macris on this subject.
With that being said, I originally wrote my review with no knowledge of Mr. Macris or his other ventures and I want to add that I am by no means endorsing or supporting any other political views, internet controversies, alt-right bullshit, or trolling that may be associated with the author. I simply liked reading this book.
With that being said, I originally wrote my review with no knowledge of Mr. Macris or his other ventures and I want to add that I am by no means endorsing or supporting any other political views, internet controversies, alt-right bullshit, or trolling that may be associated with the author. I simply liked reading this book.
December 5, 2023
If you are a GM and want to run better RPG's, homebrew your own settings, and gain a deeper understanding of how to approach the role of GM in general, then this book is required reading. It will get you thinking about many facets of running a game that you may not have even given due consideration. From managing the group and the game itself to world building, this is a top-notch book and almost any GM, no matter how experienced, will benefit from reading this book.
April 11, 2024
An amazing description of how to, as a GM, provide the most possible fun for you and your players without taking away from what makes TTRPGs special-the ability to make meaningful decisions. The author uses he/him as default pronouns, which I find annoying, but the book itself is amazing and a must-read for anyone who wants to GM.
September 17, 2020
Gute Tipps um eigene homebrew Kampagnen zu entwickeln.
Außerdem hilfreiche Tipps um die Rolle und Aufgaben des DMs zu verstehen.
Ein Stern Abzug weil es ein paar mehr praktische Beispiele geben könnte.
Außerdem hilfreiche Tipps um die Rolle und Aufgaben des DMs zu verstehen.
Ein Stern Abzug weil es ein paar mehr praktische Beispiele geben könnte.
February 12, 2021
The Best Book of It’s Kind
Not everyone enjoys the same style of play but for those who enjoy the classic old school style, this book is the best of it’s kind. It not only teaches principles but explains why those principles are important.
Not everyone enjoys the same style of play but for those who enjoy the classic old school style, this book is the best of it’s kind. It not only teaches principles but explains why those principles are important.
March 3, 2021
A solid guide to how to create homebrew D&D adventures, though it suffers from many of the standard "self-published" issues, such as typos, which is a personal pet peeve. But the information is insightful and helpful to a beginning Dungeon Master like myself.
August 26, 2021
I didn't read every GMing book but I can hardly see how you can top this one.
Even if you're not a GM, and you might want to after reading, the book has interesting insights on things like alignment and law (not as in "lawful", but as in "civil and common law").
Highly recommended.
Even if you're not a GM, and you might want to after reading, the book has interesting insights on things like alignment and law (not as in "lawful", but as in "civil and common law").
Highly recommended.
May 28, 2022
As a newbie GM/DM, this was an excellent read and I would recommend anyone who is or plans to run a campaign to give it a read. Very useful and practical advice for keeping the campaign interesting and engaging.
December 31, 2022
A very helpful read for any current or aspiring GM
This book definitely makes Gaming games easier; I particularly liked the tips on world-building, such as the player reference for the lore in custom roles, as well as the gazetteer.
This book definitely makes Gaming games easier; I particularly liked the tips on world-building, such as the player reference for the lore in custom roles, as well as the gazetteer.
January 18, 2020
A little too final in my opinion.
June 1, 2020
He had some good ideas. Not completely earth-shattering, but still pretty good. I found some of the chapters were unnecessary though and I skipped a handful of them.
July 6, 2020
A helpful book for a budding dungeonmaster.
November 8, 2020
This book promised to be a book for GMs that would actually teach you something. Yeah, kinda, not really.
January 15, 2022
A wealth of knowledge
This book contains a wealth of knowledge that will enhance any DM/GM skill set. Read this book and improve your gaming.
This book contains a wealth of knowledge that will enhance any DM/GM skill set. Read this book and improve your gaming.
September 5, 2023
Pretty good stuff on topic
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews