DM Style terms

[Sadrik]

For those styles where the DM decides where the plot goes:
Railroad
Linear
Lean forward
Stand up
Proactive
Preemptive
New-school
Storytelling
Plot driven

For those styles where the players decide where the plot goes:
Sandbox
Lean back
Sit down
Reactive
Old-school
Character driven

This is just getting silly. With all the terms running around, how do we even know what we are talking about. Some of these terms don't even makeany sense. LOL

 

[Vorput]

I'm definitely an old-school character driven DM, who prefers the sandbox while all the while utilizing linear storytelling and proactive (and some preemptive) plots. I usually am also sitting down.

That was fun. This calls for a random dice-based chart.

What kind of DM are you?!

Roll 1d10
1- Railroad
2- Linear
3- Lean forward
4- Stand up
5- Proactive
6- Preemptive
7- New-school
8- Storytelling
9- Plot driven
10- Roll twice, use both results.

Now roll 1d8
1- Sandbox
2- Lean back
3- Sit down
4- Reactive
5- Old-school
6- Character driven
7- Roll twice, use both results.
8- Just make something up, the terms are meaningless anyway.

 

[The Shaman]

Vorput wins the thread.

 

[S'mon]

Random tables are so Old-School.

I run a 4e sandbox using a 3e adventure, I alternate it with a 3.5e linear campaign using BECMI modules and C&C DCC adventures.

I don't Railroad though, that's the technique where the GM forces a particular outcome to events no matter what the PCs choose to do. Once an adventure in my linear campaign starts, the outcome is entirely up to player actions. In case of severe failure it could end the campaign with victory for the bad guys.

 

[Cyronax]

For those styles where the DM decides where the plot goes:

This is just getting silly. With all the terms running around, how do we even know what we are talking about. Some of these terms don't even makeany sense. LOL

Not to mention other descriptive DM style terms:

- Gygaxian (synonymous with many styles already mentioned)

- Monty haul DM

- Cat-Piss Man (can apply to players and DMs a like) Also enjoys hanging out at the manga section at Borders and making parents feel uncomfortable.

- Deus-Ex DMing - "A situation where the Dungeon Master screws over the players by pulling some arbitrary element the players "forgot to consider" out of his ass. Can be extended to any situation where the DM complicates the PCs' lives with something arbitrary that they haven't had to deal with until now."

C.I.D.

 

[Nifft]

Roll 1d10
1- Railroad
2- Linear
3- Lean forward
4- Stand up
5- Proactive
6- Preemptive
7- New-school
8- Storytelling
9- Plot driven
10- Roll twice, use both results.

Now roll 1d8
1- Sandbox
2- Lean back
3- Sit down
4- Reactive
5- Old-school
6- Character driven
7- Roll twice, use both results.
8- Just make something up, the terms are meaningless anyway.

I rolled 3d6 instead, and ended up with Storytelling Old-School.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Tav_Behemoth]

You can tell a good style name when saying it makes you want to move your mouth out of synch with the words. "Your Ten-Foot-Pole Paranoia is no match for my Rat Bastard style!"

 

[TarionzCousin]

You mentioned "Proactive," but you didn't mention "Proactiv." It's where you do anything, no matter how embarrassing, for the good of the game a million dollars.

 

[Vorput]

I rolled 3d6 instead, and ended up with Storytelling Old-School.

Cheers, -- N

With 3d6, you're never going to be able to become a linear railroader. Your poor players...

 

[jdrakeh]

FAIL. No list of DM styles is complete without "Viking Hat".

[Edit: Here's a reference.]