Have You Used the Caller?

[scottanderson]

Have you used a Caller in your game? I have heard many people have never seen one used. I have heard of a few people who have used one.

What does a Caller do in practice? How strict are you? How much does it help?

I want to try a silent Caller system with declaration cards instead of a person calling to manage what may become a big table at my FLGS.

Tell us your experiences with the Caller!

[sixdemonbag]

I voted "never" but not due to any personal preference. I've just never been in a group large enough to require one.

[sixdemonbag]

I think related to a caller would be how "crosstalk" is handled as they often go hand-in-hand. Nice topic SA.

[ripx187]

Callers bridge that gap between player and DM. They act as lawyers to keep arguing down to a minimum, pay attention to continuity and point out errors, enforce and help others with rules and verifying player dice rolls. They declare group actions, are allowed to stop a scene to clerify descriptions and make sure that everybody at the table is on the same page, and they roll the group initiative. 

The caller helps the DM listen to everybody, and answers questions that perhaps the player didn't hear. As DM, I don't have to make everybody understand what is going on, just the caller. They are a huge help! Since using them we have not had a game stall and turn into an argument over who said what. My hearing has gotten worse, if I need help I can usually ask the caller and they can make sure that I heard it right.

It is all about communication and keeping the game moving. In big groups I'll have two callers, one for each side of the table.

A good caller is a good listener, understands the rules, and isn't a rules-lawyer in the negative sense. They enhance everybodies fun!

 

[Deleted]

Aug 7, 2017 19:02:08 GMT -5 sixdemonbag said:

I think related to a caller would be how "crosstalk" is handled as they often go hand-in-hand. Nice topic SA.

That's the way Gary and Dave did it, and taught us.

You sit around the table running your mouths,  your characters are down in the dungeon running their mouths, and the wandering monsters arrive by platoons and companies.  PENALIZE your players for not paying attention, don't reward them.

[sixdemonbag]

Aug 10, 2017 21:40:56 GMT -5 @gronanofsimmerya said:

Aug 7, 2017 19:02:08 GMT -5 sixdemonbag said:

I think related to a caller would be how "crosstalk" is handled as they often go hand-in-hand. Nice topic SA.

That's the way Gary and Dave did it, and taught us.

You sit around the table running your mouths,  your characters are down in the dungeon running their mouths, and the wandering monsters arrive by platoons and companies.  PENALIZE your players for not paying attention, don't reward them.

I'm a big fan of this. It makes an already immersive style of play (and game) even that much more so.

DM: The captured goblin sentry overhears you discussing his fate and immediately screams/attacks/runs away/swallows cyanide pill 
PCs: Oops.

[True Black Raven]

Always, the players give there input and then the caller brings it all to me and I get the benefit of consistent language each time and it eliminates misunderstandings.

[Robert the Black]

I've tried it, but my groups have never been big enough to really need it.

[Yaleric]

Always have used the caller, it reduces the chaos and helps the game not get bogged down.

[Warrior Twin One]

Never used a caller, but never had more than 5 or 6 players when I am the referee.

[Warrior Twin Two]

Aug 21, 2018 0:52:34 GMT -5 Warrior Twin One said:

Never used a caller, but never had more than 5 or 6 players when I am the referee.

Same here, our group is tiny.

[clooney]

Only used a caller a couple of times, seldom have enough players to need one.

[Ibizan Zamway]

Never needed a caller, never had more than 6 or 7 players.

[Q. F o s t e r]

Never used a caller, maybe we are too polite. Nah, that couldn't be it.

[Snuffy Smith]

Never used the caller.

[nobody]

Never, but my group never exceeds 7 players.

[Kujik]

I only use a caller if I have more than 10 players.

[The Man From Coventry]

You don't need a caller in a solo game.

[Morose]

Aug 17, 2022 16:30:59 GMT -5 The Man From Coventry said:

You don't need a caller in a solo game.

My thoughts exactly.

[Bartholmew Quarrels]

I have used a caller a couple of times, but we decided our group was not really big enough to need to use it.