DM as Facilitator or as Adversary?

[Gold Roger]

Facilator.

The DMs prime responsibility is to get the players engaged with the game and have good feelings about it

Sometimes this can take adversial turns though.

(for example, I fully believe sometimes the DM has to frustrate his players. Because there's few feelings that are better than frustration you finally reliefed through your own actions and as a DM I want to give my players (who are my friends) a chance to attain that feeling.

 

[shilsen]

All of my players are also DMs, and specifically have DM'd me either a lot or at least once. For us, the illusion of "Rrarrr! I'm the adversary!! Wink-wink!" doesn't fly because we know all of the tricks of the trade. It's like designing a funhouse for guys who design funhouses for a living. We admire a good solid design, we ooh and ahh over something innovative or different, and we sympathize when something doesn't work out as well as planned.

I get the greatest pleasure, as DM, out of setting up a challenge and seeing the players stretch their tactical thinking, use their available resources (including things like environment/terrain) to their advantage, make gutsy choices, and utlimately I like to see them victorious. Doesn't mean I hand it to them. But I'm definitely rooting for them and excited when they succeed. I'm certainly not interested in beating/defeating them -- that's not part of my DM vocabulary.

You pretty much summed up my approach to DMing. Once I set the parameters for a challenge and am running the opposing NPCs, I run them as effectively as I can (to the limit of their characters and abilities). Usually the PCs win. Sometimes the NPCs win. But I'm always rooting for the PCs, and even more the players. Facilitator all the way.

 

[painandgreed]

How about impartial judge?

But over all, it depends on the players and the game as well as what role the DM is acthing under. In designing the adventure, he has to be somewhat adversarial just so it's not a Monty haul adventure where everything dies with one hit and rolls over coughing up treasure. If he's not, it's a boring adventure that will lack versimilitude. In running the adventure, he needs to be an impartial judge although most act more one way or the other according to style or the current ease or difficulty the party is having. While working with the players on developing the character, either in backstory or narrative, it's usually better (IMHO) to act as the facilitator to help the player get what he is happy with.

 

[EricNoah]

If by "frustrate" you mean introduce challenges where typical strategies/tactics/choices won't work, I'm right there with you. Requiring some out-of-the-box thinking is definitely part of it.

 

[Treebore]

Pretty stupid question. I'm playing the monsters and NPC's out to KILL YOUR CHARACTERS!!

Its got adversarial overtones to it by default.

The problem is when a DM is screwed up enough to make sure your PC's die.

The good DM makes sure you have a fair shot at surviving, as long as the players aren't stupid.

 

[Mark]

Pretty stupid question.

Which question is that?

 

[Rel]

Treebore, I don't think we need to be going around calling anybody's question stupid unless they're asking something like, "Is Rel really as sexy as I think he is?"

M'kay?

 

[Treebore]

Sorry, but asking if being the DM is adversarial is stupid because the answer is obviously yes. I see the actual question is does it tend to be more of one or the other. Read too many of the answers before I reread the question that was actually being asked.

My answer is that yes, it tends towards the adversarial position simply because most of the adventure is the players PC's overcoming the obstacles the DM puts in the way. totally and adversary situation.

I see people want to add political correctness by trying to claim they are a facilitator, but that is just utter delusion. Your there to challenge them, nominally the PC lives are on the line in one way or another. Totally adversary types of conditions. You can dilute the reality of that with flowers and sunshine, but it still comes down to PC's versus the DM's world. ADVERSARY!!

 

[Rel]

Sorry, but asking if being the DM is adversarial is stupid because the answer is obviously yes. I see the actual question is does it tend to be more of one or the other. Read too many of the answers before I reread the question that was actually being asked.

My answer is that yes, it tends towards the adversarial position simply because most of the adventure is the players PC's overcoming the obstacles the DM puts in the way. totally and adversary situation.

I see people want to add political correctness by trying to claim they are a facilitator, but that is just utter delusion. Your there to challenge them, nominally the PC lives are on the line in one way or another. Totally adversary types of conditions. You can dilute the reality of that with flowers and sunshine, but it still comes down to PC's versus the DM's world. ADVERSARY!!

[In Case It Wasn't Clear, MOD HAT ON]You can hold whatever opinion you want about the question so long as you hold it nicely or silently. Saying that the question is stupid is NOT doing either of those.[MOD HAT OFF]

 

[Nifft]

I'd say "yes".

I facilitate play for the players.
I play the adversaries of the PCs.

Which am I? Depends on if you ask a Player or a PC.

-- N