DMs If you had to choose...

[hellbender]

For me, the most difficult aspect is streamlining. Too often I try to work out all the possibilities, which causes me to overwork a scenario. I don't like railroading my players, which causes me too many hours of writing up adventures.

hellbender

 

[Grim]

I just started DMing, and all I have is a vague idea, and some stats. Thats it. The only idea is that the party will be blackmailed by thier employer, a noble who sends them to kill things for him, "protecting the realm." Whether they actually earn the right to be called protectors, well...

Anyway, all I have is that idea, the idea of making them kill goblins, and a whole BUNCH of stats I outright stole from the goblin-a-day thread. Oh, and I helped them all develop backgrounds that are really easilly abusable adventure hooks. (WHAT? My evil father isn't dead? WHAT? My grandfather's quest item is this little ball of fluff? WHAT? That goblin tribe that kileld my family was taken over by the ranger's evil father?)

Thats it.

I've already run a few sessions, with maybe an hour of prep time each. It works pretty well, because since me and my players are all immature highschoolers, I can just throw something wacky at them (like nameing two of the goblins Jay and Bob, or a psudonatural goblin who sucks in her own skin (think that mirror scene in the matrix, but sort of funky)), and they take care of everything themselves. I only facilitate thier... "fun."

 

[Kai Lord]

Striking that balance between having enough relatable elements that players can immerse their characters into and presenting it in a way that is decidedly fantasy.

 

[Brisk-sg]

... players destroying it by attacking the *INSERT NPC(s) NAME*

Seriously, for me its not getting to use the material I prepare. Our group is currently running through another DMs D20 game, a L5R D20 Game, and a Game of Deadlands HoE. Until we finish with one of those games I won't be able to run my long anticipated (and well prepared) Birthright Campaign.

- Josh

 

[Nightfall]

Well once I get a place set up, or at least a plot, the only trouble I have is getting players that ACTUALLY want to role play and not just go on a thrill-kill.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Well once I get a place set up, or at least a plot, the only trouble I have is getting players that ACTUALLY want to role play and not just go on a thrill-kill.

I generally solve that problem by either not making it sufficiently clear to the PCs who should be thrill-killed so that they can argue about it, or use some threat that apparently can't be killed by their current weapons so that the PCs can argue about how it can be killed...

Some of my best sessions were when the PCs spent half the time arguing about what was going on...

 

[Buttercup]

For me the hardest thing is creating enough material so that whatever choices my players make, I'm covered. They have a habit of avoiding places I thought they would want to visit, or deciding to visit places I wasn't ready for them to get to.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

For me the hardest thing is creating enough material so that whatever choices my players make, I'm covered. They have a habit of avoiding places I thought they would want to visit, or deciding to visit places I wasn't ready for them to get to.

And this is why I rarely plan ahead for more than one or two sessions, and heavily improvise with the rest...

 

[Xarlen]

Saying No. Seriously, I have a problem saying no.

Or, making a fight that the PCs don't either A) Walk all over, or B) Get splattered ruthlessly.

This example is shown in a7th level party creaming an 11th necromancer at the 3rd round, but earlier that same day, were nearly all killed by 3 carrion crawlers.

And keeping NPCs, paticularly the party NPC active while other stuff is going on. Y'know, flesh out her character, instead of having her 'fade into the background'.

I game online, so it can take *forever* to get a plot done. Simply that about 5 hours of gaming online is slower then 5 hours of tabletop gaming. That can be annoying.

 

[Nifft]

The hardest part for me is improvising. I've got tons of ideas, but I need time to work out the nitty-gritty details.

-- Nifft