Cool things that players do for their GMs?

Today I found out that the players in my Zeitgeist game pledged for the GM's Day reward on Admiral o' the High Seas, EN Publishing's new naval combat supplement that was funded by Kickstarter a while back. I am the captain of the zeppelin-hunter Serenity, a precocious officer, a crack shot, and have a taste for fine ales. All perfectly accurate, of course! (Particularly that last bit.)

I also backed Admiral at the creative input level, and asked @RangerWickett to add zeppelins -- which he did with aplomb. So it's fitting that my players put me in charge of a zeppelin-hunter, which they certainly knew when planning this. And I must say, I do look quite dashing with my flintlock pistol. Now I know why my girlfriend wanted to take some 3/4 profile pictures of me in good lighting a few months back.

The player who came up with the idea said to "consider it a thank you for being such a great DM. <3"

So naturally, I'm having a pretty awesome day. New naval combat book with zeppelin rules, and I'm in it?

This particular group is mostly online apart from my girlfriend (who I live with), but we do get together occasionally, sometimes the whole group or sometimes just a subset. Last time two of the players came to visit, they brought me incredible nut brittle as a GM reward/inducement for levels.

It got me thinking -- fellow GMs, what cool stuff have your players done for you? Players, what cool stuff have you done for your GMs?

The best thing a player can do for a DM, in my opinion, is to provide plot hooks.

They help inspire creativity on the DM's part, and add color and texture to the game for everyone. Serious win/win situation.

You know ... I'm just happy when the group remembers to help pay for the pizza. It happens rarely enough....

Once, out of the blue, my players bought me a mug with' World's Greatest DM' engraved.

I was pretty touched.

Showing up on time is nice.

Most of my players just bring snacks or alcohol for me, since I'm the one that usually provides for the group (seeing that I'm the only one who drinks). With players how they are, which DM doesn't?

One of my players is constantly coming up with ideas of what he'd like his characters to do down the road, which offer great plot hooks and adventure ideas. I like that a lot, because it lets me tailor adventures to what he'd like to see, rather than shooting in the dark.

getting one into an rp supplement is pretty awesome. =D

i suppose one of the best presents i received from some players is a pair that i ran a particular adventure for, goodness, about 20 (real-life) years ago.

in a recent session a month ago, the party came upon a well in an underground setting. one of the aforementioned players deliberately has his character go over to the well and pick up the bucket. whereupon the second aforementioned player hissed at the first that he had better not even think of messing with the well. the first said he was just taking the bucket and had no such intention, just kinda treading on the edge a bit. a brief explanation was in order by the two players to the rest of the group.

slightly over 20 years ago in the aforementioned adventure, these two players discovered a trap based around a set of pools. it took them a couple of weeks (of real-time, several sessions a week) to figure the way out of the mess it caused, and they basically performed a full stop high dudgeon retreat once they got free of it, due to certain ah... pursuing elements of the trap.

ever since that time, neither of them has dared, even once, to mess with any enclosed body of liquid large enough to enter in any game or campaign i have ever run. somewhat over 20 years later and they still avoid it like the plague. they talk about it fondly from time to time, though.

now that is pretty cool to have managed to make an impression like that.

Crit-mas

I will get them a Crit-mas gift, typically a gift certificate to the store that we play at.