DM anger managment tricks, got any?

[Gospog]

Don't Run!

Running a game while angry is a bad idea.

Any chance of someone else running and you being a player this one time?

Playing might cheer you up.

Good luck!

Tom

 

[Warlock]

main problem with my gaming group is that we meet so rarely that we either game then or don't for a really long time. Well they don't goof off that much but they can get out of hand once in awhile. But i don't want to kill them all in one blow. Really Really bad week its been for me but i won't go into it.

 

[Zappo]

Ah, I know the problem. My players get rather disruptive every now and then. In those cases - after a while you get a feel for it before the game even starts - I simply run a combat-heavy session and have the monsters attack immediately the character of the player who will initiate an OOC dialog. No problem with the occasional comment or joke, but if I see someone is about to start talking about the latest movie they saw, they immediately become the focus of attention.

This is not out of revenge or anything like that, it's just that it's the best way to stop a serious disruption before it starts: the player has to stop talking and start paying attention to the game. If there are no monsters available, I'll have them appear as "random" encounters , or use traps instead (nothing like having to make a save every fifteen seconds to prevent someone from chatting), or, in extreme cases, have an NPC initiate an important (or at least, important-looking) dialogue with the irritating PC.
If these don't work, nothing will. However, I've only had to call off a session once in my career, which is not a bad result.

 

[Zerovoid]

I tell my players I have my own zero-rule.

If they irritate me, then I add a zero behind either:

a) The number of creatures
b) The hit points of one creature
c) The penalty taken from curse/poison/etc
FD

That's an awesome rule zero!

 

[Seaver]

My joke advice-

I tell my players I have my own zero-rule.

If they irritate me, then I add a zero behind either:

a) The number of creatures
b) The hit points of one creature
c) The penalty taken from curse/poison/etc

I only actually did it once, when I was a youngin.

Good Luck!
FD

I love this!

I've got to pass it on to my DM.

As far as the topic at hand first you need to ask yourself if you think you can enjoy the game at all right now or if you'd prefer doing something else to relax. If the answer is "something else" do what you have to do.

If your gaming group consists of friends both at the table as well as away you should be able to just vent for a bit before sitting down to game. It's not unusual if we play on a Friday for everyone to spend a good 30 minutes outside before the game beer in hand just venting about the day/week. Getting it off your chest helps.

 

[Deadguy]

I am reminded of a piece of advice given to Jim Hacker (Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister):

Never make a speech when you are angry; you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret!

I think the same can be applied to DM'ing. You might be immensely creative and innovative in your anger (I know that being annoyed can sometimes make me coldly shrewd at times!). But you will then have to deal with the aftermath - both personally and in the game.

So I would go with the advice which says: Don't Do It!

 

[Cullain]

I was in the exact situation last week. If you wanna blow off steam, without taking it out on your players, the best advice I can give is a one-off Call of Cthulu game. Yeah, all the players will still die, but it's CoC, they're supposed to. It's downright encouraged. But yeah, to echo what other people said, don't kill their characters because you had a bad week. If not CoC, try a game of Settlers of Cataan, or another board game.(or CCG, if you're into that kind of thing)


Cullain

 

[Maerdwyn]

In the same vein, I suggest a one shot of Paranoia, if possible. Again, the players are supposed to die, but everyone is also ROFL at the same time.