Rulebook Familiarity

Some rules are worth memorizing

It can be very difficult to find time to read all the material to prepare for a campaign. Rulebooks of several hundred pages can seem daunting to tackle before running a game session. But learning a new game doesn't have to be an arduous task. Reading and preparation can be part of the fun for game masters, and is necessary for running a really fun campaign that your players can build a strong connection with. After you acquire a game and before you run it, there are a few things you should do so that you're not fumbling for the book when the game begins.

Decide how many times you can read the core rules.

Before running a game that you have not run before, I recommend reading the core books twice (the basic rulebook, players guide, or GM guide.) The first reading being a detailed one, paying special attention to the content and committing some of it to memory.  The second reading is a skimming of the text, skipping over less important bits and focusing more on whatever you feel uncertain about. If you don't have the free time, this second read through can be postponed, but you want to be sure that you collect some very good notes for reference (more on that later.)

Being a player requires less reading than running one. If you join a game as a player it can also help you interpret a lot of what you are reading through actual experience. If you get the chance to do this, it can really help make the learning process easier as well.

Learn the Core Mechanic inside and out.

Every game system has a core mechanic, a basic outline for how an in-game action is executed and resolved. It might involve adding a pair of numbers and comparing them to a target value, or it might involve playing cards or building blocks. It might involve rolling higher or lower than a target number. However it is built, it is the most important part of the game. It is the answer to the question "how do I do things in this game?"

A core mechanic will have many rules associated with it, so you want to know  these rules in great detail. Know all the different modifiers and exceptions that could effect the dice-rolling or how the basic actions are performed in the game world.

There are many rules that can be adjusted and retrofitted to the particular needs of your gaming group, but if you drastically alter the core mechanic, you're negating your own choice of gaming system.

Have the most important rules on hand when you run a game. 

I like to switch up game systems a lot, which means that I don't always have time to read through the books as thoroughly as I would like. I prefer to read through the core books entirely at least once, but there are times when even that might be difficult. That's why I always keep a detailed GM screen or reference sheets on hand when running a game.

In extreme cases, I allot myself about a half minute to a minute of flipping through rulebooks to reference something in particular. Any more than that risks killing the momentum, but I like to remain as consistent as possible with my execution of the rules so that the players can interact with them in a way that seems fair and balanced. There will occasionally be an instance where a player is more familiar with the rules than the GM. The player should still remain respectful of the game master and adhere to their rulings on the matter of the game mechanics. However, this is why it is so important for the game master to make a legitimate effort on their own part to know the rules as well as they can. A player can't help but be frustrated if there are numerous mistakes in a game, even if they politely abide by them. Be empathetic of players and try to take the time to correct anything you might be missing in your game running whenever you have the chance. (And of course don't let anyone bully you with their greater knowledge of the rules. Everybody has to learn sometime, there's no reason to make someone feel bad about it.)

Of course, some groups prefer to leave the books alone altogether during gameplay, and resolve any uncertainty about the rules through on-the-spot judgment calls.  This is a very valid approach, and may be best for your group if it tends to get bogged down with page-flipping and debates. Just remember to establish some kind of standard for correcting an error in future sessions so that you don't surprise your players by changing up the rules out of nowhere. And remember that part of the reason for learning the rules is so you can know how to bend them, or alter them as needed. It's better to understand when you are diverging from the rulebook than to bluff your way through a game session without reading it.

And remember this advice from West End's Star Wars sourcebooks.

Don't waste time studying what you don't need.

There is still a small subsection of information that you can gloss over even on a first reading. In some cases, the GM guide isn't even necessary to run a game. Generally, most RPGs will have a list of books required to run the game on the back cover or in the introduction. If it's not on the list, it is not technically a 'core' book and can be set aside for later reading. You can generally skip information if it is just game statistics, generic advice, or ideas and inspiration for campaigns. You don't need to browse through all the character classes or monster statistics either.

That's not to say this info isn't important or useful, but it's not as pressing for you to learn as the other content in the books.  If you have to learn the game in a hurry, you can leave out some of the extra fluff and stats that you won't need right away. Use your judgement to decide what you need to know right away.

Preparation like this is how you show your players you care about running a good game for them, and keep your campaign running smoothly on track. It is also a good rule of thumb to apply to any endeavor. If you're going to do something, it is most satisfying to to do it correctly and with a strong effort. Don't stress about preparation, just set aside a little bit of time to do it and keep these recommendations in mind when hitting the books. Soon you'll be an expert at the game table, and one heck of a game-runner!

Happy ventures!