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<blockquote data-quote="clearstream" data-source="post: 8994287" data-attributes="member: 71699">Great post and I agree that played in the most common modes, there are distinct differences along the lines you discuss. One can picture a mirror phrasing for D&amp;D that might be illustrative (I won't get the words right here, but it's the idea that's important)Finally, there is the sacred and most holy role of the DM. In D&amp;D, dungeon masters have a number of duties:*Prime among them is the responsibility to offer hooks to the players in the form of dramatic plots, intriguing mysteries and provocative NPCs*Dungeon masters in D&amp;D must use their peoples, monsters, and supernatural forces to drive the story forward . . .* Use the mechanics! Dungeon masters are expected to call for a contest Cha Intimidation or to invoke the ranged combat and cover rules in a shooting match with a Dark Elf assassin. Don't wait for players to invoke a rule - invoke the damn thing yourself and get the story moving!* . . . If the story doesn't interest your players, it's your job to create interesting situations and involve them.It could be right to say that players also have &quot;a sacred and holy role&quot; in D&amp;D, so the above is incomplete in that regard. Anyway, I think the last point informs all those above it. I find myself reflecting on if it is right that participants have different roles or jobs to do in the game? Are there some jobs in common, and some better held by a subset of participants? Or better held by a subset in respect of the remainder, in alternation? D&amp;D offers one opinion on that - not the definitive one although in the past it has probably been taken as definitive by many. Or left unexamined.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="clearstream, post: 8994287, member: 71699"] Great post and I agree that played in the most common modes, there are distinct differences along the lines you discuss. One can picture a mirror phrasing for D&D that might be illustrative (I won't get the words right here, but it's the idea that's important) Finally, there is the sacred and most holy role of the DM. In D&D, dungeon masters have a number of duties: *Prime among them is the responsibility to offer hooks to the players in the form of dramatic plots, intriguing mysteries and provocative NPCs *Dungeon masters in D&D must use their peoples, monsters, and supernatural forces to drive the story forward . . . * Use the mechanics! Dungeon masters are [I]expected[/I] to call for a contest Cha Intimidation or to invoke the ranged combat and cover rules in a shooting match with a Dark Elf assassin. Don't wait for players to invoke a rule - invoke the damn thing yourself and get the story moving! * . . . If the story doesn't interest your players, [I]it's your job to create interesting situations and involve them[/I]. It could be right to say that players also have "a sacred and holy role" in D&D, so the above is incomplete in that regard. Anyway, I think the last point informs all those above it. I find myself reflecting on if it is right that participants have different roles or jobs to do in the game? Are there some jobs in common, and some better held by a subset of participants? Or better held by a subset in respect of the remainder, in alternation? D&D offers one opinion on that - not the definitive one although in the past it has probably been taken as definitive by many. Or left unexamined. [/QUOTE]

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