What if your choices didn’t matter—and the game still expected you to care?

In this episode of Masters of Pen and Paper, DG and Finny go Behind the Screens to explore one of the most essential pillars of tabletop roleplaying: player agency. Whether you’re running a gritty heist, a high fantasy saga, or a chaotic one-shot, agency is what turns a script into a story—and your players into protagonists.

We're diving into:
- What “player agency” really means (and how it differs from sandbox or open-world play)
- How DMs (and even players!) unintentionally strip others of control
- The fine line between guiding and railroading—and how to spot the difference
- Why asking questions beats writing monologues
- When it’s actually OK to limit choice—and when it’s not

Whether you’re a new DM or a veteran storyteller, this episode will help you build trust at the table, avoid burnout, and craft stories that feel alive.