CANCELLED! What Do You Do When Your Players Cancel?
Tonight as I write this is the first time in a long time I had to cancel a session due to multiple players having scheduling conflicts. It’s not unprecedented and it happens from time to time and sometimes I myself have to cancel sessions due to scheduling conflicts. But at what point is it best to call it and cancel the entire session? And what do you do when you have prepared an entire session and your players cancel? For me the choice was rather easy, use it as material for my next blog!
While I have run for only two or even one player, I must say that I don't recommend it if it can be helped. At this point too many players are potentially missing out and it can be very difficult to scale. . .
Obviously it can be very frustrating when your players cancel at the last minute (and I would advise having a chat with them if it becomes too much of a habit) but as Game Masters, it is in our nature to improvise! I will usually advise you to go on with the show if only one or two players cancel; however, you will know your players best, and if the story you had planned heavily involves or revolves around one of the characters who will be missing the session, it may be best to postpone the session until a later date. My tables are usually capped at around 6 players, that way if two players can’t make it, we can still move the story along with 4 players. Half the group cancelling is usually my soft limit and I will ask if the rest of the party wants to continue by doing a side quest or something similar--something that won’t cause the rest of the players who couldn’t make the session to feel as if they missed out. While I have run for only two or even one player, I must say that I don't recommend it if it can be helped. At this point too many players are potentially missing out and it can be very difficult to scale some encounters as they are written without some serious finesse. Sometimes as much as you have prepared and as hard as it is, it is just best to make the call and postpone the session to a later date. Just make sure you let your players know with as much notice as you can give them that you are cancelling the session. You don't want your players to show up to your house and find out that game night has been cancelled. That is not a great feeling for anyone. Communication is key.
Now is the time to flush out any of those ideas that you have sitting on the sidelines.
Okay, so let’s say you’ve postponed your session to a later date. Now what? Perhaps it is time to review your notes and plan the next major arc of the story. I would also advise taking the time to polish your notes so you have everything ready to go for the next session. You already took the time to prep, no reason to let it go to waste. Perhaps it is time to review all of the notes that you have for your campaign to see what other seeds you have planted that have not yet come to fruition. Now is the time to flush out any of those ideas that you have sitting on the sidelines. These story seeds could include subplots, side quests, or ideas plucked from character backstories.
If you are anything like me, you feel a sudden surge of creativity when prepping for and running sessions. Take advantage of the creative energy surge and create something! One of the things I have created for my groups in the past is a quick synopsis of “The Journey So Far,” where I recall some of the best moments from the campaign. By doing this, everyone is on the same page when we reconvene and it keeps the excitement for the story high as it reminds everyone how far they have come. Sometimes I will write this out as journal entries written in-character from one of their favorite NPCs or even the villain of their story. Have fun with it and make it your own!
If there is a one-shot that you picked up somewhere or a system you have always wanted to run for your players, now might be the time to give it a try.
This is all well and good, but what do you do if you’ve had some players cancel but a few still show up and want to play? I try to keep a one-shot in my back pocket that I can easily tweak for just such an occasion. If there is a one-shot that you picked up somewhere or a system you have always wanted to run for your players, now might be the time to give it a try. Something else you can do if you are running something in person is to turn the event into a game night instead and play that board game you’ve always wanted to play [I don’t talk about board games much on this platform but check out our Instagram page if you’re looking for some new board game suggestions].
Sometimes players will have to cancel and sometimes you as the Game Master will also have to cancel a session. Although it is never ideal, we all live in a world where things come up, priorities must be juggled, and we can’t always stick to the plan. However, a word of caution on cancelling sessions yourself-- as one of my longtime friends and mentors once quipped, “Cancelling plans is a drug and it can become addictive.” Be very careful as a Game Master when cancelling your sessions or your players may begin to view your game as unreliable. Cancelling should always be a last resort. Try to keep your players interested and engaged even if you have to cancel. Cancelling a session does not mean the end of your campaign. Take the time to polish up your notes and keep the story moving forward.
‘Til next time!
Take Heart!
Karington Hess
Game Master and Founder of Open Heart Games
