GMs - Do you get bored when you're a player?

[Retreater]

Yeah, if you build a character to a shtick, it pays to know how that shtick actually works in the system.

True. To be fair, it was my first time playing the system - and it was a fairly complex one. Having the GM give advice would've been nice.

 

[Umbran]

True. To be fair, it was my first time playing the system - and it was a fairly complex one. Having the GM give advice would've been nice.

Of course. We here cannot diagnose your particular communication problem, as we weren't there. However, as a general comment toward the thread topic:

The Golden Rule applies. As a GM who is taking on a role of player, do unto your new GM the way you'd want your players to do with you.

That (probably) means that, if you are new to the system, you work with the GM on creating your first character. Don't just go through character generation on your own, hand the sheet to the GM, and expect the GM to just notice any and all issues. Separately express to the GM your intent. "This is the combat medic character I built, intending to play a party healer role. Do you think this will work?"

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

For me, this is Betteridge's Law of Headlines.

No. Absolutely not. Look, I am always DMing. It's like Glengarry Glenn Ross- except it's ABD- Always Be DMing.

When I get the chance to play, I enjoy it like certain graduates of a college in Cambridge enjoy dropping the H-bomb.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Of course. We here cannot diagnose your particular communication problem, as we weren't there. However, as a general comment toward the thread topic:

The Golden Rule applies. As a GM who is taking on a role of player, do unto your new GM the way you'd want your players to do with you.

This is why I kind of tend to admit I'm a bad player. I think I'd have distinct mixed feelings about what I do in a game as a GM, but unfortunately, I don't know how to fix the problem (my easy distraction).

 

[PeiPei]

I guess i am a good DM, but i dont enjoy being a player. I gave a try so many times, creating funny, serious or gorgeous characters, that i in fact wanted to play. However, being a player is boring. Your creativity is limited to the extend the GM allows, or your group accepts. Doing roleplay is fine, and i love to play in-game, but most others players dont think deeply about their characters, so either you know everything after 5min of roleplay, or they just dont develope.
Another aspect: when i DM, i prepare A LOT. Using AI for descriptions, battlefields, adding interesting NPCs, twists, dilemmas, multi-dimensional personalities and atmospheric music - most DM simply fail on some or all of these aspects. Storylines are sometimes not well thought-out, erratic or simply stupid. How can i enjoy that? Lacking thankfulness is not a virtue, i know, but i expect major efforts from my DMs to actually give me something to work on. It is his job. Or at least my understanding of what a good DMs job is.
So: i gave up being a player.

 

[jdrakeh]

Sometimes. A lot of it depends upon the quality of the campaign. I've been pretty satisfied with Curse of Strahd and the associated Ravenloft AL adventures, for example, but the Planescape campaign was incredibly unfulfilling (not just for me - our group took a vote and decided to drop D&D for awhile to instead play V5).

 

[payn]

Sometimes. A lot of it depends upon the quality of the campaign. I've been pretty satisfied with Curse of Strahd and the associated Ravenloft AL adventures, for example, but the Planescape campaign was incredibly unfulfilling (not just for me - our group took a vote and decided to drop D&D for awhile to instead play V5).

For sure. This reminds me of a conversation over in another thread. I mentioned I really enjoy 3E/PF1 because of the chargen and item collection mini games. They seem to offer a bit of insulation against boring GMs. One of the reasons 5E doesnt appeal to me, I dont have such insulation. I am very picky about my 5E GMs.

 

[Jd Smith1]

As someone accustomed to being a "Forever GM," I find myself growing bored when I'm a player. Having one character with one action with potentially minimal impact in a combat, waiting until my turn comes around again, possibly fighting a creature immune or highly resistant to my attacks - it's just not as exciting as controlling a squad of bad guys, shaping the story and world, controlling the pace of the game, etc.
Does anybody else feel the same way? Any tips about transitioning from being a GM to a "good player?"

Yeah, I have been gaming for 45+ years, and I haven't been a player more than a handful of times. I get bored or annoyed quickly.

 

[pemerton]

If I felt that being a player was often boring, that would make me wonder whether the players in the games I GM are bored.

 

[Retreater]

If I felt that being a player was often boring, that would make me wonder whether the players in the games I GM are bored.

Valid point. Most of my players don't want to GM when I've asked them. I try to make it as interesting as I can when I run and keep things moving at a fast pace.