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Message: <blockquote data-quote="merelycompetent" data-source="post: 4692039" data-attributes="member: 33830">FWIW, I think it was handled well by the DM in question. Sure, some things probably could have been done better. Or not. I wasn't there. I certainly think an after-the-game chat with the players to make sure everyone's on the same page as far as game expectations goes would be a good idea. Because <a href="http://www.qrivy.net/%7Eender/Stories/dreadgazebo.html" target="_blank">misunderstanding and mistaken assumptions</a> have been around since the early days of gaming.As for DMing being a skill or an art, put me in the It's Both camp. DMing ability can certainly be improved through practice, greater understanding, and improved insight. Most people, IMO, can be good at it. A few can be great. Most of the time I just do the best I can, take as much advantage of the high points as possible, and learn how to avoid the low points. I imagine most DMs are like that.If your play style includes cooperation with the players, then the players bear some (or greater) responsibility for the game - all parts of it, including the not-so-fun parts. If your play style gives the players the freedom to have their characters insist on doing foolish, pointless, or suicidal acts, then it's up to the DM to determine how far he or she is going to go to keep them from throwing their PCs off a cliff. Or climbing up a sewage drain pipe.To me, the players made their choices to split the party, proceed along separate paths, and one group got bored and wasted time. They made the choices. If their playstyle is such that they expected the DM to alter the encounter/setting for more enjoyment, then a talking-to is in order. If no such expectation was set, implied, or understood, then I'm not going to try and tell that group how to play. (Although from what I've read so far, it looks like fun to me.)If Varis is open to a recommendation, here's a technique I use in my games to try and warn players that their character is about to do something foolishly suicidal or wasteful, in the DM's opinion:"Are you sure you want to do this?""Are you *SURE* you want to do this?""Alright guys, I'm asking you, the players, one last time: Are you really, really sure you want to do this? Yes? OK." At that point the dice fall where they will, I make no alterations to the situation, and if they complain about getting flushed off the side of a mountain, I refer them to the above three warnings.Please feel free to modify the above suggestion so that it fits with your play style and group.</blockquote>

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