DM Expectations
Canton Games hosts a variety of RPG sessions for our customers. We have a host of volunteer DMs that run these sessions, but we welcome new DMs of all experience levels and game systems. To ensure a fair and fun game for everyone, we ask all our DMs to follow the DM Expectations outlined below. These rules help us standardize our processes as well as make sure that our Code of Conduct carries through into the RPG sessions. If you are interested in DMing for the store, we just ask that you review these expectations and then email our assistant manager at Steph@cantongames.com to talk more.
New (to us) DMs will be asked to run a one one-shot as a trial for the store before being placed at a weekly table or added to our volunteer roster. DMs will receive $5 per paying player in store credit for sessions. After the trial one-shot, we’ll add you to our DM-only channels in the discord server where we coordinate all of our one-shots, and you can volunteer for any open games there.
Please note that to help our DMs and make sure everybody can enjoy their session, we also have a set of Player Expectations that we ask our players to review and agree to before each session as well.
1.
We manage sign ups
We generally place up to 6 players at every table, and there’s often a waitlist. We love for you to bring players in, but to make things fair for all players, all sign ups for sessions must go through the store. If you would like to bring a friend to play when there’s an open seat at a session, please let us know so we can keep our sign up sheet accurate.
2.
Provide staff with summary and content warnings
We require a small summary of your session and warnings for any themes that may be sensitive for certain players. No sexual content is allowed in store hosted sessions.
3.
Be willing to work with all types of people
We have players of all kinds, including all levels of neurodivergence, identities, race, religions, experience, and more. You must be willing and able to work with all players no matter their background, and make sure all players are included and treated fairly.
4.
Prepare for your session in advance
ALL one shot campaigns require premade characters. Long term campaigns don’t, but must have a session 0. We’re happy to print anything you need and help you with materials, as long as all prep is done before the session. We’re a small shop with our printer connected to our only POS computer so we ask that you send us any printing you need by the start of our business hours on the day of the session.
5.
All DMs are volunteers
DMs are volunteers and are not directly paid. We do ask that you work with us to help us with the store’s needs and we reserve the right to dismiss DMs when needed.
6.
Be reliable
If you sign up to run a session, you have to stick to your dates and times. But we’re all humans. If a change must be made, please make us aware as soon as possible so we can reschedule and notify all players.
7.
Don’t use your tables as a way to jump start home games
Again, we’re humans and we understand that Canton Games is a great place to make friends and meet people you want to hang out and play games with outside of the store. We don’t want to discourage that. It becomes an issue when you make yourself a direct competition and alternative to paying to play at our store while using our resources.
8.
Be champions of your players and their characters
Make sure your players are having fun and want to come back. Be the facilitators of your players’ stories, and check in with them early and often.