D&D General Dungeon Master or Referee?

[Reynard]

Anything but Storyteller, please.

I actually prefer "GM" because at this point we all know what it means and we can gloss over any authoritarian implications of the M part. We're probably friends around the table, and even if not (cons, store games, pro GMs) the goals still to create a satisfactory experience in the space of time allotted.

 

[jasper]

You obviously never watched any sport. A referee is neutral, not adversarial... otherwise he is fired!

HAAA. Looks the "referee" always called in support of your group.

 

[Stormonu]

Not a referee. I'm a Dungeon Master. I'm on the player's side to help them tell their story - except when I'm not.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I think it's a silly distinction. On the other hand, referee to me implies neutral arbiter that preplans everything and is generally in an adversarial relationship. DM means more than that.

But it's semantics, I don't attach any particular meaning or negative connotation to the "master" in DM. There are only so many words in the english language.

To me it is quite the opposite, referee suggests you are not adversarial, but meant to be fair and impartial. I find thinking of myself as a referee actually helps me not to be adversarial, because it reminds me to listen openly to what the players are trying to do and really think about it without allowing any biases I might have to obstruct them (for example the bias of wanting them to just get to the dungeon or to deal with the interesting situation in the north of the city, or the bias of them not killing an NPC I like, etc).

 

[jasper]

Hmm
Dungeon Referee. DR
Game Referee GR
Master Referee MR
Referee of Dungeon RD or RoD
Referee of Game RG or RoG
Dungeon Game Master. DGM
Master of Game. MG or MoG
Master of Dungeon MD or MoD
Referee Master RM.
Pick one

 

[jasper]

Person Willing to Put with our SH....BEEp Stuff.

 

[Marc_C]

Hmm
Dungeon Referee. DR
Game Referee GR
Master Referee MR
Referee of Dungeon RD or RoD
Referee of Game RG or RoG
Dungeon Game Master. DGM
Master of Game. MG or MoG
Master of Dungeon MD or MoD
Referee Master RM.
Pick one

World Runner WR

 

[jasper]

World Runner WR

Universe Runner UR. NOPE NOT GOING TO FINISH THAT JOKE>

 

[Burnside]

"In older D&D books the person behind the screen is often called the Referee"

Which books?

In the earliest printed rules books for D&D and Chainmail, the term "Dungeon Master" didn't yet exist; the person running the game is referred to therein as a referee.

I use Dungeon Master or DM if I'm playing Dungeons & Dragons, Gamemaster or GM if it's some other system.

I know some people prefer not to use Dungeon Master out of embarrassment or whatever? I don't really understand that. You're playing D&D, it's too late to try to be cool.

Now, "fighter" is a stupid name. Person who fights. How did we end up with "fighter" instead of "warrior"?

 

[Charlaquin]

To be clear I don't insist on anything. Players call me the DM. I view myself as a referee during play and an adventure designer outside to play (based on PC actions). I don't like dungeons in general.

Yeah, that’s not a red flag. Simply thinking of yourself as a referee doesn’t bother me at all, it’s when people pointedly use the term for themselves in place of DM or GM that I look askance, especially if they correct people who call them a DM or GM.