How good of a DM are you?

[MadMaxim]

Well, I see myself as a pretty good DM. I rarely get any complaints from the group and I'm the only one who wants to run games, so I guess they just haven't got anywhere else to go

But seriously, I prepare a lot and I'm very familiar with the rules. My biggest problem is making evocative descriptions of the locations the party visits, so I got to work on that.

However, one of the players in my group is currently running a Slayers campaign and it's pretty wacky. It's the same group so I'm in it and relaxing from the DM chair. I can't stay away from preparing for new campaigns, so I'm in the middle of writing plot and NPC stat blocks for an upcoming Eberron campaign.

 

[haiiro]

Pretty good overall. I know most of my strengths (improvisation, support material, good knowledge of the game, quirky adventures) and weaknesses (memorable NPCs, preparation, striking the balance between too much/too little PC freedom), and I like trying new things and working on the stuff I'm not so good at.

I love DMing.

 

[Neo]

hmm I wouldn't know where to rate myself.. in all honesty I think it is a question best asked of my players in order to get an honest estimation of my DM;ing abilities.

I would say "I am fine, but always learning, and with room for improvement".

I also think how good a DM is is tied to how good his(or her) players will allow him to be.. the relationship is a symbiotic one..with one requiring the other to some degree to prosper or flounder.

 

[Umbran]

I expect that, as usual, the majority of people will rate themselves as above average. Human nature - we tend to not see our own flaws. If you really want to know how good the DMs around here are, don't ask the DMs. Ask the players.

 

[haiiro]

I expect that, as usual, the majority of people will rate themselves as above average. Human nature - we tend to not see our own flaws. If you really want to know how good the DMs around here are, don't ask the DMs. Ask the players.

I think most better than average DMs ask their players this question, so I'd hope that many of the answers to this poll are based on that knowledge.

 

[Nifft]

I'd give myself a "meh" -- I'm much better at mechanics than characterization. Voted "average".

-- N

 

[DM JOE]

I'm not super awesome but I would have to say I'm very fantastic as a DM

 

[ThirdWizard]

As I've only been a Player once, and the DM is a regular group member, I have nothing to basis my ability on. Most of my players have never even had another DM besides me, so asking them produces the same problem. So, I'm not even going to venture a guess. I will say that a DM is only as good as his or her players, however.

 

[twofalls]

Horn Blowing

I'm not an immodest jerk, the title of the thread asks the question, and I'll answer it. Of all the things in my life that I do, the one thing I know that I do extremely well is to run role playing games. It's been my central hobby since I was nine years old (I'm 36), and I've always been the GM. Running games is still the center of my social life.

I have players who drive two hours one way to reach my game twice a month. I've been told any number of times that I run the best game a player has ever played in. I have a double digit number of people who want to get into my games whom I just don't have room for.

There is always room for improvement, and every game session I run isn't some jewel or masterpiece, but the only folks I've ever lost from my game table were folks that have been asked to leave. (Well, there was one time when I was a kid that I lost an entire game group due to a pretty stupid political move on my part, but it was a very good learning experience about life and people.)

I'd say the only thing I've done better than running games is to have had the smarts to marry my wife back when I was a teenager, rather than letting her escape.

BTW - I've met two GM's who I'd say were better at storytelling than I am. They've been inspirations to me. One is Steven Carter, the other was a kid whose name I no longer remember, and whose game I only played in once. He was the one who introduced me to this hobby.

 

[reanjr]

I said "Pretty Good". More than work, I could use some motivation to prepare. I always go in completely cold.