When did DM's get lazy?

Von Ether · Oct 30, 2005

I was looking over the new PrC format WotC has and noticed the "Adaption" section, which details how the class can fit in Forgotten Realms, Eberron and homebrews.

I don't know about other DM's but most of these sections seem pretty common sense to me. Have DM gotten so lazy that WotC can pad a word count offering them advice they should figure out on their own.

What's next? Another sentence or two on how a XXX of Hextor fits in a Greyhawk setting?

Vigilance · Oct 30, 2005

I see that more as a step taken to help the learning curve of new DMs myself.

Chuck

Crothian · Oct 30, 2005

I think those are great as it shows support for Wizards settings.

Chunklets · Oct 30, 2005

There's probably no real harm in it in any case, and if it does help a DM who's suffering from "DM's block," then so much the better.

IronWolf · Oct 30, 2005

I think those sections are fine. A DM can take or leave the advice. For some it will free up more time to develop some other part of the story they are trying to weave...

Whimsical · Oct 30, 2005

It indicates that WotC is writing product for all levels of DMing, not just the experienced and self-powered. I think it's smart for them to do it. If they can "sell" DMs to use their product after it was purchased, then they will have increased the perceived value of the product and increase customer satisfaction. Which leads to more future sales.

Just keep in mind that you are not the target market for those suggestions. It's for DMs who need more help than you do. DMs in the gaming world run at varying levels of competance. And it's more profitable to adjust your product to be useful to the widest set of DMs possible.

jdrakeh · Oct 30, 2005

Von Ether said:
Have DM gotten so lazy that WotC can pad a word count offering them advice they should figure out on their own.

Note that some DMs have a life outside of their weekly game sessions - in fact, some of them have a very busy life outside of their weekly game sessions. Information such conversion advice is of great benefit to such DMs, as it allows them to make better use of their precious free time by doing some of the legwork for them.

Lazy often has very little to do with it. Advice such as the PrC conversions that you're complaining about allows many a busy DM to continue running a camapign when, without that information, they would likely have to pack it up completely because it infringes on other aspects of their life that are more important than a weekly D&D campaign.

ShinHakkaider · Oct 30, 2005

Von Ether said:
Have DM gotten so lazy that WotC can pad a word count offering them advice they should figure out on their own.

Yeah, I look around some of these threads and think the same thing. I'll admit that 3rd Ed CAN take a some prep time, but the complaints about how it takes an inordinate amount of prep? I don't see it.

That said, sometimes shortcuts are needed for beginning DM's. I dont see a problem with that at all.

Mercule · Oct 30, 2005

As has been said, not all DMs have oodles of free time. I've only got about 4-6 hours each week that I really should be spending on gaming. And that's split between world-building and campaign/adventure design. Other DMs are new to the job. Kudos to any benign support given to them.

Personally, I like the "adaptation" bits because I can pull ideas from them, even if I've got another use for the PrC in question.

Mouseferatu · Oct 30, 2005

Von Ether said:
Have DM gotten so lazy that WotC can pad a word count offering them advice they should figure out on their own.

Have gamers gotten so self-involved that they can't see that just because something doesn't help them, that doesn't mean it's not helpful to others?