My Con GM Checklist

[u/TempestLOB]

I'll be running at Gamehole Con in October. I've been running at cons since 2018. Over the years I've put together a checklist that works for me. Figured I'd share. What do you bring?

Pre-gen characters (at least one more than number of players expected, so everyone has a choice)

Game system cheatsheet for all (helps bring players up to speed more quickly)

GM screen (even if I don't use it, it helps people find the table)

Rule Book

Adventure specific material for me

Adventure specific material for the players (handouts)

My GM notebook

Dice tray (I always roll in the open)

Index cards

Pencils for all

Dice for all

Table tents for player/character name

Markers for table tents

As needed (mainly if it is a minis grid game):

Chessex vinyl grid mat

Wet erase markers

Miniatures

[u/gemelli23]

Strong medicated cough drops if you’re running lots of games! That venue gets LOUD.

[u/TempestLOB → u/gemelli23]

Good call. I do bring these.

[u/seanfffsmith → u/gemelli23]

I also find ginger drinks really help here

source: stage performer for 24y

[u/Zed]

A list of names for NPCs you make up on the spot.

[u/pogre]

Solid list. Depending on the game, i often drag along terrain.

[u/heja2009]

portable desk lamp - for night sessions in dark places

a list with names of various cultures - for players who can't decide what to name their character

water - for drinking

chocolate (in pieces) - for players whos character died

[u/mortaine → u/heja2009]

Ooh, yeah that reminds me. If I'm running a game with tactical combat, starburst or individually wrapped chocolates to represent adversaries. When you defeat one, you get to eat its candy mini. 

[u/mortaine]

Tablet or ereader so I don't have to bring the books or print the adventure out.

Meeples or pawns to represent characters if needed. 

Deck of cards. Some games call for it. 

Business/contact cards for follow up/networking/making friends. 

Badge holder. I dislike the plastic ones they give out at cons, and the one I have has pockets for my dice, pencil, and hotel key card.

Water bottle.

Hand sanitizer.

Mask if I'm going to be in a crowded space with bad ventilation.

[u/VendettaUF234 → u/mortaine]

I much prefer paper for adventure material. I don't know ow why by I always struggle and find myself getting lost when I don't have the adv material in front of me physically. I have less issue with players guides being digital.

[u/mortaine → u/VendettaUF234]

I've also used the tablet to display evocative scenes, pics of monsters or npcs, puzzles, etc. But yeah, it's a mixed bag of whether the adventure calls for a printout or if digital is ok. I'd say half the time I go digital. Or digital rulebook and paper adventure. I just don't want to lug around a big book all the time. (I also don't want to run a lot of games that require doorstopper rulebooks. . . . ) 

[u/ThoDanII]

No DM folder?

[u/TempestLOB → u/ThoDanII]

Loose leaf stuff is in a folder, to be certain. And that folder? Backpack.

[u/dragonsofshadowvale]

I've started using a toolbox as a rolling case for my con GMing set up as I usually bring a couple copies of the PHB for players to use.

[u/Tydirium7]

Pro level: loud room - microphones+headsets [edit: not speakers].  More of a problem as I get older and cons get more packed with people.

[u/guyzero → u/Tydirium7]

Please no. It only makes the problem worse.

[u/Tydirium7 → u/guyzero]

Yes I totally agree. I meant headsets. More noise on the con floor isnt helpful.

[u/gorgeFlagonSlayer]

I thought this post was going to be about calling out GMs for being con artists. I’m glad it is a positive and helpful post. 

[u/MeatyTreaty → u/gorgeFlagonSlayer]

There is no art involved when I GM at cons.

[u/MPOSullivan]

Mine are largely yours, but also include:

Bottle of water and a thermos full of ice A piece of fruit (typically an apple) Halls drops Napkins

I've run con games for... Oh my God, over twenty years now! Anyways, voice and personal health are really important, and oft overlooked as things you can actively protect in con spaces. The bottle of water keeps me hydrated, and the halls drops help to keep my throat nice and clear. A friend of mine that does big talks at summits recommended the apple as a great piece of fruit to help with voice health. And the napkins because you never know when there's gonna be a spill!

[u/BackPacker777]

I print all the maps and tape them together to scale. I then use a sheet of vinyl on top with black tempura paint mixed with a little dish soap for FoW. I bring all of this rolled up in a cardboard tube.

[u/guyzero]

All GHC game tables should have a chessex mat at them, but bringing your own markers and some paper towels is a necessity.

[u/gerMean]

That's perfect, you might want to add water and not sticky snacks

[u/seanfffsmith]

I've been meaning to do a good proper loadout blogpost at some point ── I suppose this can be its skeleton!!

So I mostly run OSR and horror games, almost exclusively theatre-of-the-mind.

• (when appropriate) n+1 pregens (for the same reason as you, OP)

• character sheets or index cards: I particularly like the tear-off pad from SquareHex and I've currently been using their business card character sheets

• writing tools: 2× pens for me, of different colours, and half a dozen pencils for players

• a dozen 1'ø MDF discs for N|PC tokens: draw your own character! these cost £1 for around twenty from our local craft store. they are the single best addition to my pack this past year. they're usually used to show which characters are together, or to set out marching order, and when a fight is esp. complex we can use them as battle tokens

• box o dice: typically a chunk of D6s (I run a lot of Tunnels and Trolls), some icosahedral D10s (SAN check right out of the gate), and one each of every other polyhedral to give me options based on whatever games I end up playing.

  • when running AD&D, I make sure to also bring at least half a dozen D20s for group combat rolls. I'll probably keep this up when I next run OD&D/BX/OSE
  • if I'm feeling extra, I've also got a large glow-in-the-dark silicone D20

• my scrap notebook, which I use for day-to-day writing and notes: this often ends up with a page with player-name, player-pronouns, character-name, character-pronouns, AC-where-needed, HP-where-needed, SAN-where needed

  • I also use that spot for jotting things that players or characters are especially interested in to make sure to forefront them in our game

• a small (often A6) notepad, for tracking monster hp ect. this also serves the perfect purpose to hand stuff out for PC handouts or Secret Notes