D&D 5E High 5 to those DMs

[TheSword]

Way back, Dragon mag used to run a series of small articles getting players to share the love for their DMs. Praise, even when not sought, is a great motivator and I always thought it was a great motivator. I remember one about Lance Hawvermale and it motivated me to buy a later module he wrote for Necromancer.
So let’s give some thanks, and details, about our hard working, dedicated DMs, the ones who make it happen.

I’ll start off with Rob ( better known on this forum as The Sword). Rob is a truly outstanding DM for so many reasons.
His preparation is awesome; battlemaps are all printed out in colour and laminated to allow for evocative combat.
Descriptions are engaging and full of empathy. Monsters are terrifying. NPCs have depth and motivation.
Rob handles his players well. Each session ensures everyone gets a chance to shine mechanically, and there’s a mix of roleplay, problem solving and combat so all the group get to exercise their preference for playing style.
Highlights? Numerous really, and I’d probably name different ones tomorrow, but a couple spring to mind. The sheer terror of the Ravenloft atmosphere he created ( I was scared, let alone my character, and I’m a former rugby player!). The sensitive handling of the Way of the Wicked campaign, where all the characters had different, and often clashing, motivations. The creepy township at the start of Slumbering Tsar........never go to the loo in the middle of the night in the inn......just don’t! And as if his 5E talents weren’t enough, Rob has also run superb Warhammer FRP and Rogue Trader campaigns over the years.

Any faults? Maybe his strange love of peanut butter with apples. Or perhaps his inexplicable (to me) preference for FR over Greyhawk.

So, thanks for everything Rob. Long may it continue.
High 5 to you.

Thanks Guy! Very kind words.

It’s worth saying that Guy is an amazing DM from whom I learnt a lot.

I played D&D as kid with a mate from school but stopped when he moved to the other end of the country. I went off to Uni and didn’t really see the game again until 5 years later I went down to visit my mate for a week and he invited me along to his weekly game where I first met Guy. Guy may not know this but I remember the session to this day… a dungeon magazine adventure involving highly trained rock hard goblin barbarians - a novel concept at the time.

After an occasional visit or two I was invited to Guy-Con, a 48 hour game extravaganza Guy hosted in the summer hols. I remember amazing chilli - playing D&D at 3 am in the morning and Guest-DMing the adventure Raiders of Galath’s Roost. We never got as far galath’s roost but I ended up using the second part many years later.

When Guy along with the most socially adept and invested key players form a spin off weekend group I started visiting for a full weekend once every 3 or 4 weekends. A lifelong friendship sprung up. A few years later I moved down to Kent and ended up house-sharing with one of the group. We made it through the dark days of 4e by switching to Pathfinder, then back to 5e when Pathfinder’s mass reached black hole proportions.

Highlights of Guys DMing included the Northlands campaign where I played a skald who seduced a goddess. The Carrion Crown where as a good aligned necromancer I became a vampire somewhere around 13th level, but got better in time to reach Gallowspire. Playing a very pompous sorceress in Rappan Athuk! Slaying giants in some Yawning portal nostalgia and now about to embark on Sinister Secrets of Saltmarsh.

Guy has the ability to absolutely captivate with details that bring the game to life. I’ve had a few GMs over the years but none that can convey so much weight with words. Making the sessions utterly immersive.

Thank you Guy. You taught me everything I know (apart from making handouts!) Barbarian goblins turned into 18 years of gaming!