Dwight D. Eisenhower on DM'ing
- Thread starter buzz
- Start date
Henry
Autoexreginated
Carl von Clausewitz was actually a pretty good DM, too. 
"Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating."
This rings pretty truly. While as players we desire the "low-down" on what a certain feat does, what prestige classes will make our PCs better, or what the enemy's stats are, and how they're able to do some fascinating trick they pull, when we CAN'T figure it out, we're still fascinated by what the secret is, even if we suspect it's the DM pulling it out of thin air.
"It is even better to act quickly and err than to hesitate until the time of action is past."
How many DM tips do we see about "learning to think on your feet", and learning to improvise if there isn't a clear-cut rule to handle a given situation? Most people seem to agree that one of the skills of a really good DM is to be able to take a game that's off-track, and steer it back to the rails -- or at the very least make it LOOK like it's back on the rails.
"Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating."
This rings pretty truly. While as players we desire the "low-down" on what a certain feat does, what prestige classes will make our PCs better, or what the enemy's stats are, and how they're able to do some fascinating trick they pull, when we CAN'T figure it out, we're still fascinated by what the secret is, even if we suspect it's the DM pulling it out of thin air.
"It is even better to act quickly and err than to hesitate until the time of action is past."
How many DM tips do we see about "learning to think on your feet", and learning to improvise if there isn't a clear-cut rule to handle a given situation? Most people seem to agree that one of the skills of a really good DM is to be able to take a game that's off-track, and steer it back to the rails -- or at the very least make it LOOK like it's back on the rails.
The Shaman
First Post
And who can forget Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke? "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy."
Anyone have some Sun Tzu they'd like to toss in the ring?
Anyone have some Sun Tzu they'd like to toss in the ring?
thedungeondelver
Adventurer
Man, I love Dwight David Eisenhower. Great man, probably the best general of WWII, great president.
A quote that applies:
"In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable. "
Pbartender
First Post
thedungeondelver said:
I refer you to the first post:
buzz said:"In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
Seems like good advice to me.
Here's a few more quotes:
"What an immense mass of evil must result... from allowing Player Characters to assume the right of anticipating what may happen." ~Leo Tolstoy
"It is dangerous to be right when the Dungeon Master is wrong." ~Voltaire
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed Player Characters can change the campaign world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~Margaret Mead
"...Violence as a way of gaining power... ...is being camouflaged under the guise of roleplaying, alignment [and] game balance..." ~Alfred Adler
"Unthinking respect for rules mechanics is the greatest enemy of roleplay." ~Albert Einstein
"Let not your zeal to share your house rules entice you beyond your edition." ~Marquis de Sade
"How could a Dungeon Master rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of Player Characters?" ~Lao Tzu
Drawmack
First Post
Some from Aristotle: Many of these make a good adventure hook in and of themselves
Evil brings men together - an evil society, should we take out the rulers or take our leave
It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen. - Ah, the bane of a lawful good paladin.
We are what we repeatedly do. - The #1 best explaination of alignment I have heard to date.
Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime. - poverty is great motivation for the populace to do all sorts of things in a game.
The gods too are fond of a joke. - The best answer to the question why I have heard to date.
Evil brings men together - an evil society, should we take out the rulers or take our leave
It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen. - Ah, the bane of a lawful good paladin.
We are what we repeatedly do. - The #1 best explaination of alignment I have heard to date.
Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime. - poverty is great motivation for the populace to do all sorts of things in a game.
The gods too are fond of a joke. - The best answer to the question why I have heard to date.
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