D&D (2024) DMs, what makes running D&D fun for you?

[Shiroiken]

It's really hard to say. Sometimes being a DM is an ordeal, but with the right group it's the best experience. There's a lot about it I enjoy, but I think providing challenges for the players to overcome is what I enjoy best. I'm fairly evil in my design stage, but during the sessions I try to be as neutral as possible, allowing them a chance.

I used to really enjoy providing roleplay scenes, but looking back now, I think that my skills in that department have waned. I need to brush up on my RP skills some before starting up my next campaign.

 

[DragonLancer]

For me, it is partly world-building and partly telling cool stories with my friends. Although it's also the monsters. As a kid wanting to get into D&D I loved reading about monsters and folklore, and it was a part of what I enjoy most about being a DM.

 

[TheSword]

Getting to play multiple characters.
The prep is enjoyable and creative
I enjoy when the players enjoy - like cooking friends a tasty meal.

 

[Distracted DM]

Finding out what will happen next. My best ideas usually occur during a game, as I'm a very improvisational person. Either that, or someone else will voice a good idea that I'll steal and now that idea has become fact.

Everything in my setting is in flux until it's been established for the players- once it's established, it'll receive minor changes/curations at most.

My setting began with inspirations from a bunch of sources, but they're just ideas until they're cemented by play. I guess "emergent storytelling" might be the term for it? It's another reason I love random tables for encounters etc. Even if the rolled item doesn't spark ideas, other things on the rolled table might as I scan it.

Also, running a game forces you to be "on" the entire time- engaged. I think it's a good channel for ADHD.

 

[Seramus]

I love the joy and wonder on my player's faces. When I see them positively light up with happiness, or explode into a fit of laughter, or talk amongst themselves about how much they love something that happened on game day, or even just the implied interest when they sit around planning how to overcome a challenge.

Really validates my existence.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

I enjoy world building, creating NPCs and organisations and wondering how they'll interact with each other and the PCs. Obviously I can, and sometimes do, do that without actually running a game. But it's more satisfying when you get to run a setting for real.

I enjoy watching the players as they make realisations, good and bad, about what's going on. Or as they come up with crazy schemes. I also like the opportunity to play a variety of different characters.

I'm on board with the cooking for friends analogy. It's a very similar feeling.

 

[Kaiyanwang]

Create lands, people, locations, and traditions...
Play many different creatures.
But probably above all, surprise people. In both ways. Sometimes put them in a difficult position and see how reacts, enjoy their ingenuity.
But also observe their fascination with a magical place or with a wondrous item just found.

 

[Xamnam]

I could list a bunch of things, but at the end of the day, the number one aspect is that it's creative expression that brings fun and happiness to a table full of people for the evening.

 

[Tonguez]

My god complex needs to be satiated by the insignificant lives of the countless myeples (tm) that populate my worlds and respond to by whims, the PCs are merely there to add an element of chaos and chance for my amusement - and even they must acknowledge that at the end of the tings I am always, fundamentally, the arbiter of cosmic truth MWAHAHAHA

 

[Katarhas]

I enjoy the actual part of running the game and presenting players with challenges and watching them come up with shenanigans to deal with it. I also like that, as a GM, I don't need to wait for a session to start 'playing' DnD, since I see session prep as part of play, so I get to somewhat play whenever I want