Help me kill my DM!

[CleverNickName]

Err...

Crud.

I'm the rogue.

See! I'm even doing it subconsciously! Arrrrrrrgh! And I was choosing between a fighter and a rogue. Maybe I could convince someone to switch... but then I'd be DM'ing... arrrrrrrrgh!

Hmm, that is a challenge indeed. But I stand by my original advice: be the muscle, not the brains.

I'd say make your rogue more of a thug and less of a treasure hunter. Let your high charisma be more of an intimidating, imposing air, instead of the charming, philanthropic sort. Be the "strong silent" type. You take and follow orders very well, but you don't like the responsibility and accountability that comes with being a "take-charge" sort of guy.

 

[Fifth Element]

I'd really like to not spoil the game by being a douche and stepping all over the DM's toes, but I find I just can't help myself. I automatically answer player's questions, correct them on rules, help them build characters, etc.

You should probably ask, would your DM actually mind if you did this? I'm a DM, but I also play in another campaign. The DM in that campaign enjoys having me in the game, he often asks me about rules etc (chances are one of us will remember), and some of the players are relatively new to 3.X so I help them with rules aspects as well. It works out nicely, since the DM doesn't mind me doing it. If he asked me to stop, I would, for obvious reasons.

But just be sure you aren't making a mountain out of a molehill before you take any drastic measures.

 

[pawsplay]

Just be a DM. But be quiet on rules issues. As a DM, I yearn constantly for players who take an interest in the world, who know the rules, who assist and collaborate with their fellow players. Most of the time, someone gets stuck being the DM because they are, in fact, the best player of the group.

Focus on your loving crafted PC. But don't set aside your valuable narrative experience out of some misplaced sense of humility.

You know what would be awesome? Being a player who interacted with an NPC and actually exchanged substantial amounts of dialog.

 

[Boarstorm]

I know that given the situation, this may not be as helpful to you as it was to me, but this is how I killed my inner DM:

I joined a game for a system I had never even heard of.

Not knowing the rules, I blundered through character creation like everyone else, I piped up to ask what skills might apply to the situation, I listened and ... after awhile, I was able to sit back and play. It was like a switch being thrown.

Once I discovered how to flip that switch, I haven't had a problem with it since.

 

[Ruslanchik]

Just be a DM. But be quiet on rules issues. As a DM, I yearn constantly for players who take an interest in the world, who know the rules, who assist and collaborate with their fellow players. Most of the time, someone gets stuck being the DM because they are, in fact, the best player of the group.

Focus on your loving crafted PC. But don't set aside your valuable narrative experience out of some misplaced sense of humility.

You know what would be awesome? Being a player who interacted with an NPC and actually exchanged substantial amounts of dialog.

I agree with this. Use your experience with narration and world-building to engage the DM's world deeply. Ask questions that might slip past the other players and engage yourself fully in the role of PLAYER.

I think that the hardest part about switching sides of the screen would be the tendency to question the DM's rulings. In this case you would not be a backseat DM, but a Rules Lawyer.

I have a bit of a tendency to be a Rules Lawyer and I can tell you that sometimes it helps because DMs make mistakes and, my DMs at least, appreciate help double-checking math and sorting out complicated questions. There are lots of times when it is inappropriate. I have had to learn when to interject and when to just accept a ruling.

Basically I have just accepted that the DM is THE authority at the table. To this end, I refer to the DM with goofy titles (Illustrious World-Builder, Lord of the Dice, etc.) and engage in ruthless flattery. This usually smooths things over.

 

[That One Guy]

ClverNickName has pretty much given you all the good advice you need.

However, I'll contradict him ever so slightly... just because you're charismatic and likable, it doesn't mean you're smart. ...if every now and then your character who's wheelin' and dealin' w/ the NPCs draws a blank and says something like, "Let me consider this with my allies" and then goes over to another PC (like the wizard or someone who knows things) and asks a question it could be quite fun, a little funny, and involving everybody in RP.

For the few times I am a PC and not a DM, generally the DMs are my friends and know me. I try to stay in character most of the time, but if a rules question comes up and I am asked for my opinion I will weigh in with rules knowledge. For years of dming I had one PC who knew the 3.x rules better than (I always cared more about story) me so I would defer to him for any and all rules problems. What I'm saying is having a guy (or gal) who is a willing resource can be useful.

The worst Dm-as-PC experiences I've ever seen were where a friend told another one of my friends that he wasn't role-playing his character right (even though the ACTUAL dm had no problem). Please, never be that person.

 

[hornedturtle]

One thing you can do is roll personal knowledge checks. Any time you wonder if your character would think of something roll a d20 and add the appropriate mental bonus. If you roll 11 or better your character has the idea if not it didn't occur to him. Several people I've played with haven't liked me doing this saying it's "role-playing not roll-playing" But it's better then the int 3 barbarian having all the ideas.