Referee Principles
These are our principles. The ultimate rule is simpler: if you’re enjoying it and your players are enjoying it, you’re doing it right.
Be the world. You’re not for the players or against them. You’re the environment, the NPCs, the consequences. React honestly to what they do.
Prep locations, situations, motivations. That’s all you need. Where things happen, what’s going on there, and what the NPCs want. The players provide the action.
Don’t have a plot. If you’re protecting an NPC because you have plans for them, you’ve stopped being the world and started being an author. Let things play out.
Let the world surprise you. Use random tables - encounters, reactions, what they’re doing. Discovering the world alongside your players is part of the fun.
Telegraph danger. The more dangerous something is, the more obvious it should be. Eight armored foes in formation tells players everything they need to know.
Reward clever play. When players think their way around a problem, let it work - no roll needed. If they’re being smart but there’s still risk, give them Edge.
Give out Boost Dice. Don’t hoard them. They reset each session and won’t break anything. Good ideas, playing up hindrances, making the table laugh - all worth a Boost Die.
Make rulings from understanding. When you know the motivations and the mechanics of the world, calls are easy. Ask yourself: what makes sense here?
The world isn’t finished. It develops during play. The players shape it. Tell them this upfront - it sets the right expectations.
Keep the rules in the background. The rules support player ideas, they don’t constrain them. “Do what you think is right, and we’ll figure it out.”
Before Your First Session
Tell your players:
- “The world isn’t complete - it develops during play, and you will shape it.”
- “Don’t worry about your character sheet. Do what makes sense for your character and we’ll figure out the rules.”
- “I’m not here to tell a story. I’m here to see what happens.”