I Skipped a Player’s Turn. Was I Wrong?

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I want you to tell me if you think this was fair or not. I did something recently as a game master in one of my games that I think was 100% justified, but we all know how the echo chamber of your own mind works. How you can justify things to yourself. How you can take a horrible act and somehow make it seem okay.

And game masters are certainly capable of that. We make rulings on the fly, hand out consequences, and sometimes do things that seem perfectly reasonable in the moment. Then later, once the game is over, you start wondering whether maybe you crossed a line.

That’s where I found myself after a recent Mothership session.

What Happened at My Table

Okay, here we go. I was running Mothership for my friends—that’s the game in person right here in my basement—and we were in combat against a Carc, a horrible monster. Absolutely terrifying. And the way initiative works in Mothership, all the players declare what they are doing at the start of the round, and then the GM, called the Warden, resolves everything simultaneously. It’s actually quite elegant, and I recently made an entire video about why it works so well.

At any rate, the players discuss briefly what the group plan is, and then I’m going around the table asking what each player would like to do. The first two players quickly rattle off what their actions are. Then I get to the third player.

Now, context: this player had been on their phone for the last, oh I don’t know, 30 minutes or something. Literally staring at their screen. Now, sometimes this bothers me, and sometimes I just don’t care. This was one of those “just don’t care” days, I guess.

I’m Not Against Phones at the Table

Actually, scratch that. Let’s update that. Now that I think about it, if I know the player is doing something game related such as looking up their abilities or spells or whatever, I’m usually quite okay with it. They are QUITE LITERALLY using their device to improve their gameplay and thus more likely to be ready on their next turn. We use phones and tablets all the time at my table, and I usually just trust my players to be responsible.

I think the most you’re likely ever going to hear me say to a player who is very absorbed with their device is, “Hey, it everything okay?” Because you know, sometimes they are literally putting out a fire at home with their family, and if I know that, it’s much easier to be understanding and supportive. Most of the other time their device use is game related. I think only once or twice have I seen players doing something else like playing a mobile game.

Now, I know that some folks have written entire articles or videos on the ATTROCITY that is mobile devices at the game table, and how it shatters the entire fabric of what makes a TTPRG a TTPRG. They will rant and rave and list hardcore rules such as no phones at the table or requiring players to leave their phones up in the kitchen before descending to the sanctity of the gaming lair.

Yeah, I’m not going to be ridiculous. First, we’re adults, not children. Second, our society revolves around these devices, and they can play a strategic role in improving our games.

Maybe the Phone Isn’t the Real Problem

And to be quite frank with you, if a game table struggles with players on their devices doing stupid horsecrap like doom scrolling Instagram or playing Candy Crush, then I would FIRST call into question the QUALITY of that game. In my experience, if the game is engaging and tons of fun, players are far less likely to turn to their phones for entertainment. So, if you got players doing horsecrap on their phones, the answer is not anti-device rules; it’s making your game better.

Then He Asked, “Wait, What’s Going On?”

So anyway, third player, on his phone. I ask him what he’s doing on his turn, and I CRAP YOU NOT, he literally looks up from his phone and asks, “Wait, what? What’s going on?”

Now, I’m an understanding guy, but something snapped in me at that moment. Here we are in a combat with a terrifying creature whose buddies have already KILLED other members of the group, and this player had no idea what was even going on at the table.

So, I instantly ruled with no hesitation that his character would not get to act on the first round. His character had been distracted and would instead spend the first turn of combat assessing his surroundings and getting up to speed on things. And, yeah, that’s how it went.

Want to Get Better at Making Tough Calls Behind the Screen?

Game mastering is full of judgment calls like this. When do you enforce consequences? When do you let something slide? How do you keep the game moving without frustrating your players?

The Secret Art of Game Mastery is packed with practical advice for handling situations like these, along with guidance on pacing, player management, preparation, encounters, and all the other decisions that come with running a great game.

If you want to sharpen your instincts behind the screen and become a better game master, The Secret Art of Game Mastery can help.

Where I Draw the Line

Look, as I said, I usually have no problem with folks using their devices. We’re all adults. I’m not your babysitter. But if you’re not paying attention AT ALL, and you’re going to slow the game down for everyone else at the table, that’s where I draw the line.

BE PRESENT. KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON.

And if you don’t, cowboy up baby, because you’re probably about to deal with the consequences.

And it’s not like they were life-altering consequences. He missed ONE TURN in combat. Lah dee dah.

Consequences Change Behavior

However, I bet you one thing: he’ll probably be paying attention next time. Because this is what I’ve found with things like this over 30 years of game mastering: you usually only have to bring the hammer down once or twice to correct undesirable behavior. Once folks know where the line is, they’ll strive to do better next time.

It’s almost like consequences and punishment works to correct undesirable behavior. Go figure.

The Irony

Oh, and for what it’s worth, the player actually was doing something game-related on his phone, in case you were wondering. He was making up a new character just in case his current character died. The IRONY is that not paying attention to the game exponentially increases the likelihood of death.

Go figure.