Game Master

Synonyms:	Dungeon Master
See also:	Tabletop RPG, Actual-play series, moderator
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(n.) The player in an RPG who runs the game.

In tabletop roleplaying games, the game master typically describes what the player characters experience, presents the player characters with challenges or obstacles, and uses the game's rules to decide whether the characters' actions are successful. The game master also typically plans the main storyline of the game and plays the part of various non-player characters that may be encountered in the game world. Different gaming systems may have different names for this role (for example, Storytellers in the White Wolf Games system, or Dungeon Masters in Dungeons and Dragons).

In online roleplaying (such as Fandom RPGs or Celebrity RPGs), game masters may be referred to as moderators. In many online RPGs, players have more freedom than in tabletop roleplaying to create storylines and decide the results of their characters' actions without direct involvement from the game master or moderator.