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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hjorimir" data-source="post: 2653826" data-attributes="member: 5745">I often look at these DM threads and think how much pressure there is to perform. Where does the pressure come from? I'm guessing from us as much as from the players. There are layers and layers of skills that attribute to strong DMing. As it is something I've done quite a bit over the decades - damn, I'm old - this is a topic that's been pretty close to my heart. How does a DM improve? What makes for a great game?When I look at those two questions together I see a hidden truth: A great DM or Campaign is subject to tastes. So, what is good for one group of gamers may not necessarily be good for the next.Am I a great DM? I'm not sure. Some of my players think so and that's enough to make me happy and continue running games. There have been a lot of very insightful tips in this thread already, which advocate anything from mechanical knowledge of the game system to having strong people skills. They're all right. However, one of the things that mark how a DM will be judged is how great the actual campaign is and there is a hidden factor there, which without you will never have a great campaign. What is the secret ingredient? I will tell you:It is having great players.I don't care how much of your blood, sweat, and tears go into preparation and study, without great players your game will be bland. I am quite blessed with some extremely insightful, talented, and fun-loving players. They allow themselves to be sold on my ideas. They accept the verisimilitude of the setting. They get involved with the plots. They care.I have quite a bit of dialog with most of my players outside the game about my gaming philosophies. Why I make certain decisions. It helps us get on the same page and sets us up all for success. Recently I wanted to run a different game for a change as we’ve played a LOT of D&D since the release of 3E. But my players are not really ready to play something different. One player even said, “You’re a victim of your own success…everybody wants to play in one of [Hjorimir’s] epic D&D games, not something else!”I had to digest that and think about it. While it was a very flattering compliment I realized that I have become trapped. As long as D&D is the only game my players want to play they will never be as passionate about anything different. Without that passion any other campaign will be flat in comparison. I know a good thing when I see it and having friends over who love the game they are playing is worth its weight in gold. Anyway, I've rambled enough and I would be surprised if this response is read in its entirety by many. Taking all of what was said here (and elsewhere) I would say combining the many suggestions together in order to give everybody the very best shot at a memorable, enjoyable gaming experience is more art than skill.In order to offer at least SOMETHING of worth to the thread I will leave you with this nugget: Don’t discount the value of players upset with a character loss or death as it suggests that you’ve at least created something worth caring about; it isn’t always about capitulating to the player’s wishes as they often only see the here and now of a campaign and not what lies ahead…you have to know when and how to say no. Granted, this is easier if you have the player’s trust.I’m a very lucky DM.</blockquote>

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