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<blockquote data-quote="Kannik" data-source="post: 5784722" data-attributes="member: 984">Hear hear.I have learned so much about Trust in my current stint as DM, especially well illustrated by a quote (paraphrased here) from one of the recent DM Experience columns on dndinsider:&nbsp; &quot;We [the players] have trust [that the DM] will guide the game/adventure to a place that is awesome.&quot;&nbsp; I take that to, at its root level, mean that the PC's trust the DM, and conversely the DM trusts the PCs, to guide the adventure through twists, turns, ups, downs, and even sideways, to a place that ultimately is satisfying to all.&nbsp; The adventure and the shared journey and creation is key, and we trust that we are indeed all on that same path.&nbsp; It is a sacred trust, and it needs to be generated 100% by the players and the DM alike, not 50% and I'll see if you fulfill your side of the bargain (that I've not told you about, or what you're being judged on, or being scored by, or what I want -- this would be the communication part).&nbsp; When both sides are waiting for the other to 'prove their worthiness of trust' then there's 0% trust and 0% ownership on both sides.With that trust, a DM can throw curveballs at the party and not be decried as unfair.&nbsp; If something doesn't go the way the PCs anticipated they can take it as a setback or as something consistent within the (campaign) world, not the DM just trying to thwart something.With that trust a DM doesn't need to worry about an arms race.&nbsp; If a player brings something weird to the table, the DM doesn't need to brace for impact.With that trust true communication can happen and anything that isn't working can be resolved.&nbsp; The players can express their uncertainty that the campaign is on the right track, the DM can express their concern for a PC's power level, and the communications can be received and something worked out.&nbsp; It is not about who has the 'power' in the relationship, as some might put it... DM vs Player.&nbsp; It is about the interplay between the world (DM) and the protagonists (players) and the journeys they travel on.peace,Kannik</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Kannik, post: 5784722, member: 984"] Hear hear. I have learned so much about Trust in my current stint as DM, especially well illustrated by a quote (paraphrased here) from one of the recent DM Experience columns on dndinsider: "We [the players] have trust [that the DM] will guide the game/adventure to a place that is awesome." I take that to, at its root level, mean that the PC's trust the DM, and conversely the DM trusts the PCs, to guide the adventure through twists, turns, ups, downs, and even sideways, to a place that ultimately is satisfying to all. The adventure and the shared journey and creation is key, and we trust that we are indeed all on that same path. It is a sacred trust, and it needs to be generated 100% by the players and the DM alike, not 50% and I'll see if you fulfill your side of the bargain (that I've not told you about, or what you're being judged on, or being scored by, or what I want -- this would be the communication part). When both sides are waiting for the other to 'prove their worthiness of trust' then there's 0% trust and 0% ownership on both sides. With that trust, a DM can throw curveballs at the party and not be decried as unfair. If something doesn't go the way the PCs anticipated they can take it as a setback or as something consistent within the (campaign) world, not the DM just trying to thwart something. With that trust a DM doesn't need to worry about an arms race. If a player brings something weird to the table, the DM doesn't need to brace for impact. With that trust true communication can happen and anything that isn't working can be resolved. The players can express their uncertainty that the campaign is on the right track, the DM can express their concern for a PC's power level, and the communications can be received and something worked out. It is not about who has the 'power' in the relationship, as some might put it... DM vs Player. It is about the interplay between the world (DM) and the protagonists (players) and the journeys they travel on. peace, Kannik [/QUOTE]

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