Over the last few years I've collected the wide range of "interesting" names rpgs give to the person running the show. To celebrate the end of this awful year and close out with slightly edited filler, I present an updated list of these titles.
GM’s my preferred term (because that’s what I do). On the other hand, to me a DM or Dungeon Master, is someone actually running Dungeons & Dragons. That's a matter of taste and experience I suppose (or I'm just plain wrong). For each I've listed just one example system, even when that name appears in several games (Storyteller, Narrator, Director). Additions in red. Many were suggested by my excellent colleagues on the original list at RPG Geek.
GM’s my preferred term (because that’s what I do). On the other hand, to me a DM or Dungeon Master, is someone actually running Dungeons & Dragons. That's a matter of taste and experience I suppose (or I'm just plain wrong). For each I've listed just one example system, even when that name appears in several games (Storyteller, Narrator, Director). Additions in red. Many were suggested by my excellent colleagues on the original list at RPG Geek.
Feel free to suggest any I may have missed!!!
With GM as #1 and DM as #2, here are 138 others...
Absolute Judge (Mechanical Dream)
Action Guide (World Action and Adventure)
Administrator (Top Secret/SI)
Action Guide (World Action and Adventure)
Administrator (Top Secret/SI)
Adventure Master (Dragonraid)
Airedale (Knights of the Road, Knights of the Rail)
Animator (Toon)
Antagonist (ΑΓΩΝ)
Ape Master (Terra Primate)
Arbiter (Archetype)
Author (Age of Empire)
Ape Master (Terra Primate)
Arbiter (Archetype)
Author (Age of Empire)
Bartender (Tales from the Floating Vagabond)
Big Mac Daddy (StuperPowers!)
Booker (Kayfabe)
The Boss (Low Life)
The Boss (Low Life)
Campaign Master (Star Ace)
Cannibal-in-Charge (Cannibal Contagion)
Caretaker (Small Things)
Caretaker (Small Things)
Castle Keeper (Castles & Crusades)
Cat Herder (Call of Catthulhu)
Cavemaster (Cavemaster)
Cavemaster (Cavemaster)
Chill Master (Chill)
Chronicler (WitchCraft)
Chronicler (WitchCraft)
City Planner (Nightlife)
Consul (Super Dungeon Explore)
Consul (Super Dungeon Explore)
Continuum Master (TIMEMASTER)
Control (Agents of S.W.I.N.G.)
Corporation (Merc)
Corporation (Merc)
Corpse Master (Rotworld)
Creative (World Wide Wrestling)
Croupier (Fastlane)
Creative (World Wide Wrestling)
Croupier (Fastlane)
Cryptkeeper (The World of Tales from the Crypt)
Dawg Master (Dawg the RPG)
Dealer (Dust Devils)
Demiurgo (Lex Arcana)
Demiurgo (Lex Arcana)
Director (Night’s Black Agents)
Dispatcher (Ninja Burger)
DJ (Spirit of '77)
Dispatcher (Ninja Burger)
DJ (Spirit of '77)
Dolphin Master (Everything is Dolphins)
Dorn Keeper (Dorn)
Editor (Pandemonium)
Editor-in-Chief (Rotted Capes)
Engineer (Steamfortress Victory)
Everyone Else (Everyone is John)
Evil Mastermind (Scared Stiff)
Excursion Master (Excursions into the Bizarre)
Excursion Master (Excursions into the Bizarre)
Fairy Godmother (I’m a Pretty Princess)
Fairytale Teller (Wiedzmin- trans. from the Polish)
Fate (The World of Synnibarr)
Fixer (Leverage)
Galaxy Master (Starfaring)
Game Control (Spycraft)
Game Moderator (Wild Talents)
Game Operations Designate aka GOD (The Legend of Yore)
Game Operator (Legacy)
Game Organizer (Dystopia Rising)
Game Shepherd (Spiritual Warfare)
Game Operator (Legacy)
Game Organizer (Dystopia Rising)
Game Shepherd (Spiritual Warfare)
Game Sheriff (Dzikie Pola- trans. from the Polish)
Gamekeeper (Tales from the Wood)
Gamesmaster (Victoriana)
Gamesmaster (Victoriana)
GeekMod (Way of the Geeky)
General Management (Time & Temp)
Ghostmaster (Ghostbusters)
Grand Master (Witch Hunter: The Invisible World)
Grey Eminence (Agone)*
Guide (Don’t Look Back)
Hand of Fate (The Secret of Zir’An)
Hazard Master (Perilous)
Hazard Master (Perilous)
Hollyhock God (Nobilis)
HōLmeister (HōL)
Host (Ironclaw)
Interrogator (InTERRORgation)
Journey Master (Dangerous Journeys)
Judge (Marvel Super Heroes)
Jump Master (Jumpers)
Karma Fate Destiny Master (Refuge in Audacity)
Karma Fate Destiny Master (Refuge in Audacity)
Keeper aka Keeper of Arcane Lore (Call of Cthulhu)
Kennel Master (Woof Meow)
Labyrinth Lord (Labyrinth Lord)
Lead Narrator (Valiant Universe)
Lead Narrator (Valiant Universe)
Leader (Shadows of Esteren)
Lejend Master (Lejendary Adventure)
Loremaster (The One Ring)
Maelstrom (Maelstrom Dreamers)
Maelstrom (Maelstrom Dreamers)
Magister/Magistra (Kata Kumbas)
Maim Master (F.A.T.A.L.)
The Man (Starchildren)
Market (Red Markets)
The Man (Starchildren)
Market (Red Markets)
Marshall (Deadlands)
Master Creator (The Secret Fire)
Master Creator (The Secret Fire)
Master of Ceremonies (Apocalypse World)
Mastercyb (CYB: Gioco di ruolo in un lontano futuro)
Mastercyb (CYB: Gioco di ruolo in un lontano futuro)
Mayor (Kobolds Ate My Baby)
Meister (Das Schwarze Auge)
Mission Director (Recon)
Moderator (Blue Planet)
Mutant Lord (Mutant Future)
Mythguide (Aria: Canticle of the Monomyth)
Mythmaster (Mythender)
Narrator (Houses of the Blooded)
Navigator (Mermaid Adventures)
Operations (Wilderness of Mirrors)
Operator (Qi: Living Energy)
Operator (Qi: Living Energy)
Overlord (Descent)
Overseer (Catacombs)
Parser (Parsely)
Parser (Parsely)
Playwright (The Play's the Thing)
Producer (Primetime Adventures)
Producer (Primetime Adventures)
Programmer (Engine Heart)
Project Director (Morrow Project)
Prophet (The Seventh Seal)
Project Director (Morrow Project)
Prophet (The Seventh Seal)
Puppet Master (Puppetland)
Quest Master (QuestCore)
Quest Master (QuestCore)
Rattenmeister (Ratten!)
Referee (Traveller)
Referee (Traveller)
Runner (Rune)
Scenemaster (Non-Essential Personnel)
Seneschal (The Riddle of Steel)
Sensei (Chi-Chian RPG)
Sherpa Guide (Sherpa)
Sherpa Guide (Sherpa)
Sholari (Skyrealms of Jorune)
SIEGE Engineer (StarSIEGE)
Skeptic (Dude, Run!)
SIEGE Engineer (StarSIEGE)
Skeptic (Dude, Run!)
StarMaster (Space Opera)
Story Master (Dungeons the Dragoning 7th Edition)
Storyguide (CthulhuTech)
StoryHost (Enter the Shadowside)
Storyteller (Vampire: the Requiem)
Superintendent (Panty Exposion)
Superintendent (Panty Exposion)
Superuser (Freemarket)
Troublemaker (Flatpack)
Troublemaker (Flatpack)
Umpire (Lace & Steel)
War Master (Weird Wars)
Watcher (Marvel Heroic Roleplaying)
Watchtower (Smallville)
WorldMaster (Adventure Maximum)
WorldMaster (Adventure Maximum)
Wulin Sage (Weapons of the Gods)**
Zargon aka Morcar (UK) (HeroQuest)
Zombie Master (All Flesh Must Be Eaten)
______________________________
*Eminence Grise in the original French
**If I were to run Weapons of the Gods, I would require that the players address me as the Wulin Sage at all times.
Others I missed?
Have a great New Year-- please, please, please be safe in this coming year.
Others I missed?
Have a great New Year-- please, please, please be safe in this coming year.
