How do you convice your players to take a turn behind the DM screen?

[punkorange]

I DM full time in our group, and as much as I enjoy it I need a break every now and then. I don't want a break from gaming, just DMing. I would like to play occasionally but none in my group seem up for the idea of DMing. One of my players is going to run babylon 5, and it's cool that I will get to play something, but I would really like to get a game going on. There is stuff I would like to try, such as Iron Kingdoms, but do not feel like DMing. Do any of you have any tricks to convince your players to give DMing a try?

 

[reveal]

In my current group, I DM every Saturday. But every fourth Saturday, someone else runs a one-shot. So I DM for 3 weeks, play for 1 week and so on. It helps me avoid burnout and it helps the other players because, while they may not want to DM an entire campaign, this gives them experience if they do decide to run one.

 

[Harmon]

Getting Player to GM is like trying to get someone to buy a round of drinks at the bar- they are either going to do it or they are not.

Good luck, let me know if you figure out a way.

 

[Lhorgrim]

Thankfully my group doesn't have that problem. Three of the six of us like to alternate DMing our own campaigns, so there isn't much chance of burnout.

I think that one shot adventures are probably the best way to get someone comfortable with sitting "behind the screen". A couple of my old 2E groups did that for fledgling DMs.

 

[GlassJaw]

I'm not sure you can really convince someone to DM. They know if they are ready and want to give it a shot. Kind of like being the one. You just know, or something like that.

If you think one of your players is semi-interested, ask them if they could run a short module first and see how they do.

Getting Player to GM is like trying to get someone to buy a round of drinks at the bar- they are either going to do it or they are not.

That's funny because I like to GM but I probably wouldn't buy the bar a round of drinks.

 

[Jdvn1]

I most just prod the players until they finally give up and run something.

Not very effective, but fun.

 

[ssampier]

That's funny because I like to GM but I probably wouldn't buy the bar a round of drinks.

Me neither (I'm cheap like that). I like to DM most fantasy settings. I love Ravenloft and CoC, but I couldn't run a decent game in either. I can't maintain that horror and fear aura very long.

Convincing a player to DM is like convincing a ball player, basketball player, any sports player to coach. You have to honest and let them know how much you need them. Failing that, you're on your own.

 

[Agamon]

And some people don't make very good DMs, just like some athletes don't make good coaches. I get my fix of playing in Living Greyhawk, but when it comes to the home campaign, I prefer to be the one in charge, that way I know (or hope, at least) it's going to be fun for everyone (not just stroking my ego here, my players pretty much agree with this). If someone else wants to DM, it's usually in addition to the game I run.

 

[diaglo]

beer & pretzels gets them every time.

just scatter some behind the screen and see who bites.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

In our group we have the reverse problem with 6 DMs and 1 player. We have six games going but can only play once a fortnight (alas the hand brakes, I mean fun police, I mean wives, I mean celestials are only ever aligned at these intervals).

Really though for us, DMing is about letting our friends into "our" world. Each of us have a need to present our world to the others. If you don't have people wanting to DM, it could be that they don't have a world of their own to present. A set of ideals of how they think things "should" work etc. is key to this. Alternatively, it could be that they don't feel they have a good enough grasp on the rules or the confidence to describe their world and act out its people. To each their own. It's a shame that you have to drive everything as sometimes this can get a little stale. Being thrown back into the players seat is the best thing for reinvigorating your DMing.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise