DMing DMs

[DWARF]

I agree with GenLang. I'm usually the DM, so when I play, I'm not their to "beat the game", I'm there to have fun. So I use my DM skills to build an interesting character and play that character. I'm not their to destroy everything or get all the gold, necessarily, I'm there to have fun, and enjoy a unique character.

Heck, one of my players was trying his hand at DMing with me as one of the players, and he'd keep asking me what to rule on situations, and I kept telling him "It's up to you, you know what's going on behind the scenes, I don't. It's your game."

Being a DM makes me a much better player, IMHO.

 

[Ravellion]

I can be a very hard player for DMs who don't follow the rules at all. If I have taken improved trip, doesn't it make sense to use the proper mechanics for tripping, or should I have just taken Improved Initiative instead? So I usually, ever so gently, butt in if I think the reason for someone doing it a certain way is not because he wants to do it that way, but because he doesn't know the rules.

On the other hand, a confident DM I can easily accept on the fly rulings from. I am like a dog... I smell fear

Rav

 

[Breakdaddy]

I
On the other hand, a confident DM I can easily accept on the fly rulings from. I am like a dog... I smell fear

Rav

As long as you dont start using fire hydrants for your own nefarious ends!

 

[Mystic_23]

I'd say I was lucky when I was DM'ing a game that involves my group's regular DM. He was always really good about helping me out when I needed it, and never did anything to overstep his character's knowledge of something simply because he, being a DM, knew it.

It might help to have a DM in your group...especially if you're an inexperienced DM, like I was. That is, if they are helpful and honest.

An example of my DM's honesty...he did a lot of house-rules kind of things...at one point (he and I were both DM'ing separate games at the time) he decided to change something back to the way it works in the actual books. Since I followed his house-rules, he made sure to let me know that he was changing the rule back, and why, and accepted the change (which affected his character quite a bit) as well.

All in all, I'd say he is an excellent DM, and a great player as well. It's these little details that makes him so good at both.

 

[takyris]

On the other hand, despite all these things to worry about, I think that there are some definite advantages to DMing DMs.

1) Creativity. Someone above mentioned this -- DMs like to do and see new stuff. They are more likely to use some of the sneaky tactics that they used as a DM.

2) Efficiency. As DMs, we have to be on the ball all the time, handling every round as quickly as possible. When we only have to play ONE character, we can often do so faster than ordinary players -- we don't need to spend a full minute thinking about our actions, because we figured out which spell to cast, looked up the range and secondary effects, and came up with a good placement for it, all during the other players' turns.

3) Roleplaying. This one may or may not be true. It's true for me, at least. As a DM, I try to tell a story, and nothing bugs me as much as players who a) don't take risks because their characters all share the same cautious and logical personality, b) don't really come up with any kind of different character voice, or c) can't roleplay anything that they the player know is a bad decision. Not all players are like that, of course, but many are. When I get a chance to play, I pull out the stops... Sean Connery accent, commitment to acting first and thinking second (ROLEPLAYING that Int of 8), and a willingness to get myself killed if it fits my character's personality.

-Tacky

 

[navriin]

I am the DM 99% of the time in games I am involved in. Because of this I have a hard time being just a player. I know the rules very well, and when another DM does things different it throws me for a curve. In part this is because I will make a character who is good at a specific aspect, and then I find out the DM doesn't use that part of the game at all, but mainly it is because I haven't found a DM who runs a game in a style I like. I find myself always on the verge of saying "that NPC is MUCH smarter than that, he wouldn't *action equivalent of commiting suicide*. But I suppose I rely heavily on logic and common sense .

Now, I can still play another's game and have fun however. No matter how much I dislike the DM's style I can always find ways to have fun with the other players. (and I don't mean my being disruptive, but by simply RP'ing more than is the norm, making interesting party relations, etc.)

To DM another DM I would say you have to put your foot down. If they disagree with you, remind them that it is YOUR game, and you run it how you want. If they don't like it they can play another game. (I've exercised this option plenty of times, just because I don't like a munchkin-style of game doesn't mean I have the right to demand everyone else to stop, gaming is mainly about having fun).

 

[Plane Sailing]

c) can't roleplay anything that they the player know is a bad decision. Not all players are like that, of course, but many are. When I get a chance to play, I pull out the stops...

I had to do this last Sunday. We're facing a gang of formians, The barbarian leaps down into the cave and gets his mind grabbed by the Formian taskmaster. A few initiative points later my sorcerer drinks a levitation potion - and levitates down next to the dominated barbarian, because although I the player knew all about it, my character didn't, and there was no logical reason for me to behave in any other way...

(I got lucky, the druid didn't)

 

[Tsyr]

snip

It wasn't really that funny the first time.

 

[Henry]

Intriguing question, because my experience has been the opposite. Players who are exprerienced DM's are usually easier to deal with than players who have never DM'ed. I put it down to two reasons:

1) A DM knows how hard it is to run a smooth game, come up with plot hooks all the time, promote roleplay, etc. - and are usually more than willing to help you out.

2) Most DM's do not get as many chances to play, by definition, so the times they CAN play, they do their utmost to enjoy the experience - which by natural extension means being model players.

One exception to this is when a person would RATHER be DM'ing than playing. In these cases, more disruption can occur, if the would-be Game Organizational Director wants to be running a scenario, but no one wants to currently - in which case slight envy or jealousy could occur.

But my general tenet is to get EVERY player the chance to DM as soon as they express an interest. It gives them a chance to broaden their game experience, it gives them the chance to grow into yet another spreader and promoter of new D&D groups down the road, and it gives them a chance to see JUST how hard DM'ing can be as an activity. (It's a variation of the "teach a man to fish" axiom. )

 

[fusangite]

I must agree with those who say that being a former DM makes people better players. I find that people who GM regularly are the best players not only because they relish the chance to be players but also because they can better empathize and identify with what you're trying to do. They generally tend to be the least likely to be over-focused on the rules because they know exactly how annoying it is to be surrounded by rules lawyers.

While agree that a minority of DMs make bad players for the reasons stated above, and others. I think that averaged-out DMs make better than average players.