Are you a good Dungeon Master?

[WhimsyTheFae]

Being a good DM is not that easy or simple. That's being an entertaining DM. While players having fun is important, it does not determine if someone is good or not. In fact one can be a good DM and the players won't always have fun.

I am going to have to disagree with you here. The measure of success should be related to the goals put forth. So, if the goal is to provide and entertaining game and the result is an entertaining game, then the DM is good. I realize that there are other factors, but player enjoyment should be foremost. I would rather have effective than technically sound any day (of course having both would be better, but that is when you become a GREAT DM).

 

[Crothian]

I am going to have to disagree with you here. The measure of success should be related to the goals put forth. So, if the goal is to provide and entertaining game and the result is an entertaining game, then the DM is good.

good at an entertaining game, not always good at DMing. While related I don;t see them as the same. And for most groups an entertaining DM, someone who allows everyone to have fun, is all that is needed.

 

[WampusCat43]

I absolutely suck at remembering the rules (of course, that's a self-inflicted wound. I'm nearly 50 and partied WAY too much in my younger days). I've been DM'ing 3.x since it came out, and still can't correctly handle surprise or grappling.

But my players never miss a session!

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

good at an entertaining game, not always good at DMing. While related I don;t see them as the same. And for most groups an entertaining DM, someone who allows everyone to have fun, is all that is needed.

I think that we are looking at this from two different angles. Your angle appears to be that a good DM has certain fundamentals that need to be pursued, while mine is that a good DM has one major goal, an entertaining game. Both approaches have risks, but both are valid.

I happen to see yours as a path to DM greatness and mine as a path to DM goodness. Remember, doing a good job doesn't mean perfection, it doesn't mean excellence; it means that you got the job done better than someone else might have, it means that you succeeded (good job).

I only comment on this because it seems that the bar is set too high for such a small level of accomplishment. Good. I am a good programmer. I am a good driver. I am a good father. I don't think that there needs to be a lot of criteria.

Great, superb, excellent, perfect, awesome, ungodly, etc. Those are terms that deserve a high level of expectation. Let yourself be "good" and strive for more, but don't discourage those who might very well be good DMs from thinking so.

Sorry, I am probably arguing semantics and mean no offense.

 

[Crothian]

I think that we are looking at this from two different angles. Your angle appears to be that a good DM has certain fundamentals that need to be pursued, while mine is that a good DM has one major goal, an entertaining game. Both approaches have risks, but both are valid.

Ya, more then likely

Sorry, I am probably arguing semantics and mean no offense.

You are a fickle GM

 

[Aaron L]

I am a bloody horrible DM.

 

[punkorange]

I was thinking about this, and I was wondering how you guys feel. I've been DMing for the better part of 16 years. I've had, on several occasions, been told by players that they really enjoyed my games, and I've been told moro than once that I was the best DM they'd ever played with. I put WAY too much energy into gaming, and I'm very passionate about it.

But at the end of the day, I always feel like I'm doing a poor job. I never seem to be as good as I want. Despite my best efforts, and the positive feedback of my players, I don't consider myself a great DM.

It's kind of funny, because if you change the 16 years to 7 years, then that is my exact same speech. I often wonder if the reason they consider me a good DM is because I'm one of the only DMs they have ever really had, but I know that I could be a better DM, because I consider myself a not so great DM.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Robin's Laws are not worth diddly imo

Now that is a statement that makes me wonder, what could you do better to help GMs out? I know many people, even experienced ones, that find the book useful.

If you don't like it, that's not a problem.

But as the old saying goes, "If you come up with a problem, you better have a solution."

So in that vein, what would you recommend?

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

By the way, I forgot to answer the question - I am almost a good DM. I am still too fickle and inconsistant. I also have a difference in tastes between what I want and what D&D provides. Unfortunately, this means that I may never become more than a good DM for my D&D group. My True20 group will get a better DM (or GM or narrator or whatever) as I put more effort into the system that I like more.

 

[sniffles]

I have only GM'd twice, and felt I pretty thoroughly sucked at it. But my players tell me I did all right. I think some of my GMs are very good, but I know that they constantly second-guess themselves. I suppose we are always our own worst critics.