D&D 5E Anti-DM Tips (AKA what NOT to do!)

[Tony Vargas]

10. Run an old edition because nothing that came after it was 'Really D&D.'

 

[iserith]

11. Fill your game with tons of cagey, quirky NPCs that the PCs have to spend valuable game time awkwardly interviewing to find the adventure.

After a session of this and after they fail to find any sort of action, grin smugly and say,"That WAS the adventure. It's called ROLEPLAYING because there was no combat."

 

[Lanliss]

Based on my own "vast" experience as a DM.

12. Encourage inter-party conflict, especially if you keep secrets. Help all of your players screw each other over.

13. Bring a God NPC into the game, played by you. You have to protect your story after all, it is far more important than letting your players run around with no direction. Make sure your NPC is stronger than all the other PC's in every area of the game, and gets some cool unique magic items.

 

[pdzoch]

6. Try to DM your players in real life, and assume that your in-game authority translates to real-life authority. Encourage bribes.

Well, I still accept pizza slices....

 

[aco175]

Let the party break up as often as you can and promote individual side-quests like the thief sneaking off in the night to try to steal from someone not related to the quest. Make sure it takes at least an hour away from the other players.

Along the same line- let the thief steal from other party members. This is a sure-fire way to have hours of fun!

 

[OB1]

14. Never follow the basic assumptions of the game, and then complain loudly how the game is broken.

 

[Jer]

15. Never accept any player input on where he or she wants their character's arc to go in the game. Instead try to force their character into your vision for your gameworld, even if what you want is the opposite of what the player wants.

 

[jrowland]

16. Use real weapons to stimulate versimilitude

 

[alienux]

17. Remember the golden rule of D&D: It's supposed to be DM vs. players.

 

[jasper]

17. Let a player bully you into accepting something that makes you uncomfortable. Auto kill spell tactic, crazy class combo, etc.