Ignoring the 4e DMG

[Vartan]

An experienced DM can probably get away without the DMG.

But that stuff is vital for a newbie DM.

That. As someone who came into the game at the end of 1E/beginning of 2E I love the 4E DMG. It thoroughly explains the fundamentals of solid DMing, information that was only passed on by word of mouth and Dragon articles in the old days. WotC was very smart to bring Robin Laws on board for this DMG. Once the dust settles and a few editions have come and gone I think the 4E DMG will be counted amonst the crown jewels of our hobby.

Did I mention that I like the DMG?

 

[MerricB]

I have a game today and I'm thinking I might as well leave it at home, just bring a copy of page 42. I was wondering if anyone else has had the same experience? It seems a big change from the 1e DMG, which had the combat rules - or even 3e DMG, which still had the magic items in it. Is the DMG redundant? Does a 2-book model work fine these days?

If you have the DM screen (and you should get it), you don't even need page 42. (Why do you want the DM screen? Apart from page 42, it also has the XP awards, XP required and a list of all the conditions).

I've got to the point where all I really need is my DM's Screen and a copy of the adventure. Of course, having DDi at play also helps a lot, though mainly for looking up magic items.

Cheers!

 

[AllisterH]

That. As someone who came into the game at the end of 1E/beginning of 2E I love the 4E DMG. It thoroughly explains the fundamentals of solid DMing, information that was only passed on by word of mouth and Dragon articles in the old days. WotC was very smart to bring Robin Laws on board for this DMG. Once the dust settles and a few editions have come and gone I think the 4E DMG will be counted amonst the crown jewels of our hobby.

Did I mention that I like the DMG?

Exactly.

For someone like Kinneus who is an old hat at DMing, the 4e DMG would be a disappointment but the funny thing is, if you ask a DM "how did you figure those things out about actually running a game", the usual response is "oh, trial and error over a few years"

What?!?!

Shouldn't the DMG actually teach you how to run a game FIRST before it even bothers handing out crunch? Who cares about the design of a monster if the DM can't even run a fun adventure?

 

[fanboy2000]

I drag my 4e DMG with me to every game. This is more of a contingency plan than anything else, like if I want to use a DMG hazard or trap all of a sudden. Proper planning on my part would likely reduce this urge.

 

[OchreJelly]

I haven't felt a need to bring the DMG to sessions in quite sometime. Like others have said it's great for prep or inspiration, but doesn't have a huge need at the table, which is great IMO. Occasionally it's useful for less common rules like mounted or underwater combat, but otherwise I just don't need it.

For that matter you could say the same about the PHB. I could run DND bookless in this edition, assuming I have my creature stats prepared ahead of time in front of me.

 

[Storminator]

For that matter you could say the same about the PHB. I could run DND bookless in this edition, assuming I have my creature stats prepared ahead of time in front of me.

This is our game, more or less. We probably reference the PHB twice a session, the DMG only for disease rules (we've just run a wererat adventure... no more filth fever!) and the MM... never?

We spend very little time in the books in this edition.

PS

 

[karlindel]

Personally, I found the 4E DMG to be a good read, with lots of good GMing advice. Crunch-wise, I use the DMG for the treasure by level tables and encounter xp guidelines, as it helps me decide on appropriate rewards and to make encounters easier or harder depending on how I want them to be.

I don't think I ever reference the DMG at the table. Honestly, though, I rarely reference any of the books at the table, which is something I like a lot about 4E.

 

[arscott]

Last session the 1st level PCs ran into dozens of 9th level Orc Warrior minions (and ran away).

See this? This right here? It's dumb. This is why you should be using the DMG.

A 9th level orc minion does a whole six points of damage. And, being a minion, it goes down in one hit, even for a 1st-level character. And it's worth just as much XP as a normal 1st-level monster. Minions, even very high level ones, are just not much of a threat.

Admittedly at dozens, it's probably a TPK no matter what. But a DM who was more familiar with the system might instead throw a bunch of Orc Berzerkers and Orc Raiders at the party--These lower-leveled, normal monsters are much better representations of the threat that orcs should represent to 1st-level characters.

 

[LostSoul]

I actually consider 9th-level Orc minions to be 4th-level Orc Berserkers.

edit: That is, in the game world, they are the same creatures.

 

[Doom]

I used the game master's guide extensively the first few levels, for encounter design. But, the power creep of the books that came out since the guide came out has made the guidelines there more or less obsolete past level two parties, or so.

So, good for a little while, which is all you really want from such a book.