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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rassilon" data-source="post: 2513036" data-attributes="member: 15065">Sorry for taking a while to get back to this, Quasqueton your response in particular highlights something that I think is happening 'under' the "I AM THE DM" process.For those interested in the short version, I pretty much agree with Mercule in Post 9.Now the long version:I don't consider the call "I am the DM" to be tyranical as such, but rather just one of the many tools that the DM has at his disposal for dispute resolution and adventure facilitation. Of course, if it has to be used on a player ALL THE TIME then that is either a bad DM or a bad player - but I do not consider myself a bad player, and my DM is excellent (though granted we are both human and sometimes make mistakes). I am talking about it being used when, and only when, necessary as part of an otherwise excellently funtioning co-operative of people who are playing an RPG.So I argue the point, rather than just accept every ruling or interpretion that I think is flawed or wrong (luckily there are very few of these in my group). As Mercule hinted at above, sometimes a <counter> argument can produce:a) "You know, you're right! That is a 'bad' ruling. I change it." When necessary both I as a DM and my DM concede the point.b) An explanation, where previously none was, and I (as the player) understand that I am making a 'bad' assertion, and I say to the DM "aaahh! I see now ! You're so clever, let's play on!".or c) "I AM THE DM - [dalek voice] OBEY OBEY OBEY" Items (a) and (b) are exactly why we do question rulings - everyone learns, the game is improved, we learn more of each others world assumptions, etc.Item (c) is, it seems to me, telling me one of two things, both based on trust:c / i) "There is a reason, a good reason, but it will complicate / slow the game / ruin the suspense if I take the time now to account for your every concern. Trust Me ! I'm not out to get you, and I am in charge ! This is worth just letting go, we can talk about it after the seesion if you really want to."and c / ii) "There ISN'T a reason, but who ever thought that you would argue about this ? This is a WOTC prepackaged adventure / I was on crack when I wrote this / I am on crack now - but please stop making a problem of something I can't handle in a satisfactory manner and just be quiet!"(c / i) is based on trust very clearly, but I think (c / ii) is as well - but it is a call to the "player" as someone playing a game, i.e. metagame, rather than (c / i) which appeals in character more (because it effectively says that "no incongruence is apparent to your character, even though it is to you as a player"). And (c / ii) isn't all bad, I've used it in both the situations above - sometimes humourously ! It doesn't have to be adversarial. I do think that overuse of (c / ii) and for that matter (c / i) where things ought to be explained indicates a problem. What is overuse ?I think that 'overuse' is a relative amount that is different based on the particular group - with the caveat that if one is unsure if "I AM THE DM" is to frequent, then it is being overused.... WOW this got longer than I expected. I hope this explains a little better my position. Of course, this is my experience, with my group, the DM of which I have been playing with (DM and PC) for 10 years, so we know each other reasonably well. Other peoples' experience of "I AM THE DM" could be very different (and the use of it has changed in my group over the last ~13 years anyway).Rassilon</blockquote>

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