Sacrosanct
Legend
The other day I was reflecting on how I have changed over the years as a GM/DM (well, mostly as a DM, but this applies to any game, not just D&D). I think we all get better at little things, but are there any major changes where you had a complete reversal on how you viewed things?
For the record, I started playing in 1981. I think I first DM'd in 1983 or so. Basic D&D, and then AD&D. Then some other games and homebrew games I created. Most of this topic is on the game I play the most, D&D, so that's where I've noticed the most changes.
For background, 1e (with some 2e elements) has been my favorite edition. When 3e came out, I still played AD&D with the occasional 3e game. When 4e came out, I didn't touch it, and stuck with AD&D. I think I watched a half dozen 4e sessions, and played it all of one time over it's tenure, but that was it. So I've always considered myself an old school gamer. Pro-lethality, pro player skill, pro-improv, pro rules over rules. I've always held a distaste for unusual races, going so far to have had dragonborn and tieflings banned in my campaigns. HP were rolled. Stats were 4d6 drop lowest. XP was earned and tracked.
Now? Over the past few years? I've loosened up on many of my rigid ideals. I'm much more welcoming of unusual races as long as there is an in story reason for it. I use milestone XP more than tracking XP. And I use array instead of rolling more often now. And HP are typically standard. I've embraced bringing more diversity into my campaigns, when for years, it just didn't register on my radar. But there have been other changes as well that are more restrictive, like having rules of no CN characters, or evil PCs unless I know the player very well and know they won't be disruptive.
I can't really put my finger onto why. Maybe because others I game with do the same thing? Maybe because I'm older I want to spend less time on bookkeeping? Do I lose my grognard card (even though I still very much enjoy AD&D).
So what are some of the more major changes you've had happen in your own gaming style as a GM?
For the record, I started playing in 1981. I think I first DM'd in 1983 or so. Basic D&D, and then AD&D. Then some other games and homebrew games I created. Most of this topic is on the game I play the most, D&D, so that's where I've noticed the most changes.
For background, 1e (with some 2e elements) has been my favorite edition. When 3e came out, I still played AD&D with the occasional 3e game. When 4e came out, I didn't touch it, and stuck with AD&D. I think I watched a half dozen 4e sessions, and played it all of one time over it's tenure, but that was it. So I've always considered myself an old school gamer. Pro-lethality, pro player skill, pro-improv, pro rules over rules. I've always held a distaste for unusual races, going so far to have had dragonborn and tieflings banned in my campaigns. HP were rolled. Stats were 4d6 drop lowest. XP was earned and tracked.
Now? Over the past few years? I've loosened up on many of my rigid ideals. I'm much more welcoming of unusual races as long as there is an in story reason for it. I use milestone XP more than tracking XP. And I use array instead of rolling more often now. And HP are typically standard. I've embraced bringing more diversity into my campaigns, when for years, it just didn't register on my radar. But there have been other changes as well that are more restrictive, like having rules of no CN characters, or evil PCs unless I know the player very well and know they won't be disruptive.
I can't really put my finger onto why. Maybe because others I game with do the same thing? Maybe because I'm older I want to spend less time on bookkeeping? Do I lose my grognard card (even though I still very much enjoy AD&D).
So what are some of the more major changes you've had happen in your own gaming style as a GM?