Just how Bad R DMs?

[diaglo]

how many differ kinds of lousy DMs have you played with?

here are a few i've encountered... ask me more if you want details:

1) I am God and everything I do or say is Law and how the game should work.

2) I am a Storyteller. And everything the PCs do should contribute to the story. If it doesn't, I will railroad the PCs so they do.

3) I am a Player in the campaign also. And my NPC is the main character in the story. He knows all. And has all powers. But isn't sharing with the other PCs until they are almost dead. He always saves the day.

4) I am wishy washy. I want the players to like me. So I will not kill their PCs. And I will give them kewl Powz and things so they think i'm kewl.

5) I am not really paying attention. I have to dig thru my notes and scrap papers to find a clue about what just happened in game.

6) I am bored. And it would make my day to kill the PCs just b/c I can in really cool ways.

7) I don't really like this game and want to play another. So I will make this one suck. Thus making the players want to play another one. Even tho, I will be the GM of that one too.

8) I am above you. And I will tell you every opportunity I can how you should play your character better.

 

[Belen]

Is it a good or bad sign that I stress over whether any of those definitions apply to me?

 

[reveal]

Is it a good or bad sign that I stress over whether any of those definitions apply to me?

I would say it's a good thing. I did the same thing. If you didn't do that, you're probably a DM who thinks that they're great and the game is going great, never knowing your players hated the game but were too afraid to tell you.

 

[Walter_J]

1) to the extent that, no matter what the PC's come up with, the DM would "fudge" the encounter so that it didn't matter.

2) except that rather than railroad, he'd usually quit. This guy must have started at least a dozen campaigns, none of which lasted longer then 1 session. All because we didn't follow his "story".

I'll add
9) I'm moody, dont' know if I wanna play, don't know what I want to happen in the game, I'm not prepared, have no ideas, but I'll GM anyway.

 

[diaglo]

Is it a good or bad sign that I stress over whether any of those definitions apply to me?

always a good sign.

if you see those elements in your style... work for change.

 

[Thanee]

3) I am a Player in the campaign also. And my NPC is the main character in the story. He knows all. And has all powers. But isn't sharing with the other PCs until they are almost dead. He always saves the day.

Had one similar to that once... the player, sorry DM, had his character tag along - because it was utterly important to the story (i.e. he had to read some carvings in a stone wall, as if noone else could read ) - and in the end he often was very freegiving with stuff (extra attribute points (to Wisdom - his character was a monk...), levels of spellcasting ability for multiclass characters only (...and was multiclasses with psion...), bonus feats (...he also wanted to multiclass into fighter, but didn't after I told him, that his unarmed BAB would not increase...), BAB only for characters, that do not have full BAB already (...also was a weaker fighter than the paladin...), you got the pattern by now, I suppose.

Contrary to the obvious, the adventures were quite fun (altho some stuff was kinda ridiculous, most often when it was related to monks (also NPC) in some way), however, so we let him... *shrug*

Bye
Thanee

 

[diaglo]

I'll add
9) I'm moody, dont' know if I wanna play, don't know what I want to happen in the game, I'm not prepared, have no ideas, but I'll GM anyway.

shoot i knew i'd miss some.

 

[diaglo]

reading a little into Thanee's post... i'll add

10) I don't know a rule if it bit me. But I'll act like I do.

 

[PugioilAudacio]

(11. CHUGGA CHUGGA CHUGGA CHUGGA CHOO CHOO!!! <-My DM)

 

[Maggan]

Ouch!

reading a little into Thanee's post... i'll add

10) I don't know a rule if it bit me. But I'll act like I do.

Something bit me, and I don't know what it is! It hurts though.

Depressingly enough, five of these descriptions fit me as a DM. Not all the time, but I've been there, no doubt about it.

Well, the players keep coming back for more, so I guess I compensate in other areas.

I'll add one myself (which I am also guilty of):

12.) I don't need to prepare, I improvise and I ROCK!

Cheers!

Maggan