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<blockquote data-quote="Raven Crowking" data-source="post: 2579223" data-attributes="member: 18280">I absolutely, positively disagree with the above statement.Ensuring that the game is fun is, generally, the job of everybody at the table.&nbsp; Although the weight of that job falls mainly on the DM (&quot;With great power comes great responsibility&quot; - Spidey's Uncle Ben), the DM has, quite frankly, bigger fish to fry.&nbsp; The DM has to think in larger terms than &quot;what would be fun for player X right now?&quot; if he is going to have a campaign that lasts.Having your character die?&nbsp; Not fun.&nbsp; However, the possibility of death makes accomplishment more sweet.Encountering roadblocks to what you want?&nbsp; Not fun.&nbsp; However, it is impossible to overcome roadblocks that you do not encounter, and overcoming roadblocks is a great deal of fun.Saying that the DM's primary job is to make sure everyone is having fun right now is equivilent, imho, to saying that the DM should give the players what they want.&nbsp; Again, imho, the DM should consider the long-term effects on the campaign world as being the foremost consideration (if he intends long-term play).&nbsp; He should consider foremost what style of play he enjoys (as the single person at the table who put in the most work, and as the single person at the table upon whom the game depends).&nbsp; Then, and only then, he should consider what the players want.Harsh?&nbsp; Sure.&nbsp; And ymmv, as always, but the DM does not &quot;owe&quot; the players anything.&nbsp; They are always free to go find another game, or start their own.EDIT:&nbsp; After suggesting, again and again, that no player should stay in a game they are not enjoying -- even if no other game is available, no one could possibly imagine that I would suggest that the DM has a responsibility to do so.&nbsp; Clearly, the DM has to be enjoying the game for there to be a game.&nbsp; Clearly, the DM has done more work than all of the players combined (in most gaming groups) and is more important than any single player at the table in terms of there being a game at all.&nbsp; If either the DM or Player X has to go, who do you boot?&nbsp; Saying &quot;it's the DM's job first and foremost to make sure everyone at the table has fun&quot; sounds good, I'll grant you, but is it realistic?Every player I have ever encountered would agree with you to say it.&nbsp; Almost every player I have ever encountered, when actually engaged in the game, has ultimately appreciated the double-edged benefits I sometimes present.I imagine that you don't use cursed magic items in your world?&nbsp; RC</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Raven Crowking, post: 2579223, member: 18280"] I absolutely, positively disagree with the above statement. Ensuring that the game is fun is, generally, the job of everybody at the table. Although the weight of that job falls mainly on the DM ("With great power comes great responsibility" - Spidey's Uncle Ben), the DM has, quite frankly, bigger fish to fry. The DM has to think in larger terms than "what would be fun for player X [I]right now[/I]?" if he is going to have a campaign that lasts. Having your character die? Not fun. However, the possibility of death makes accomplishment more sweet. Encountering roadblocks to what you want? Not fun. However, it is impossible to overcome roadblocks that you do not encounter, and overcoming roadblocks is a great deal of fun. Saying that the DM's primary job is to make sure everyone is having fun right now is equivilent, imho, to saying that the DM should give the players what they want. Again, imho, the DM should consider the long-term effects on the campaign world as being the foremost consideration (if he intends long-term play). He should consider foremost what style of play he enjoys (as the single person at the table who put in the most work, and as the single person at the table upon whom the game depends). Then, and only then, he should consider what the players want. Harsh? Sure. And ymmv, as always, but the DM does not "owe" the players anything. They are always free to go find another game, or start their own. [COLOR=DarkOrange]EDIT: After suggesting, again and again, that no player should stay in a game they are not enjoying -- even if no other game is available, no one could possibly imagine that I would suggest that the DM [I]has a responsibility to do so[/I]. Clearly, the DM has to be enjoying the game for there to be a game. Clearly, the DM has done more work than all of the players combined (in most gaming groups) and is more important than any single player at the table in terms of there being a game at all. If either the DM or Player X has to go, who do you boot? Saying "it's the DM's job first and foremost to make sure everyone at the table has fun" sounds good, I'll grant you, but is it realistic?[/COLOR] Every player I have ever encountered would agree with you to say it. Almost every player I have ever encountered, when actually engaged in the game, has ultimately appreciated the double-edged benefits I sometimes present. I imagine that you don't use cursed magic items in your world? RC [/QUOTE]

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