Major DM Burnout...

Andrew D. Gable

First Post
Just tonight, I began noticing the onset of another case of DM burnout. I'm feeling astoundingly uncreative right now and in fact don't even feel much like playing anymore. This'll be my second case of burnout since we started playing 3e (the November after it came out).

I just hate when I get it...

Anyone got any suggestions on how to deal with it?
 
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Hmm, how often have you been playing? I recently took a haitus. I was running two weekly games and playing in a third. Ya, that lasted about three months. But, I'm running a new campaign and have been for the past three months. All, is well... so far. :)

Good luck.

BTW, do you DM or play?

Azz
 

Well, we originally were playing basically whenever we had the chance. After I got the first case of burnout, we took about a month or so off. When we started playing again, we cut back drastically, to only once a week. Which is why this second case of burnout is so distressing...we're not even playing that much.

In answer to your other question, I DM almost exclusively. I love worldbuilding, etc., though.

I think (and I don't know how to talk to them about this without sounding harsh) that another problem is the players. They're very combat-centric, which isn't really anything to worry about, since honestly most DnD players are. But I really think I want more out of a campaign - I'd like some roleplay-heavy game like COC or Ravenloft.
 

When I get burnout I watch a lot of movies that fit the genre I'm running, and read a few books that suit the genre well also. Focusing my attention on the backgrounds, the minor characters, how the streets wind and the sounds of the cloppity clop from the horses that pass along really do well to get me back in the mood to run games.

Mostly, burnout for me comes when I've (or those I dm for) lost sight of what I'm aiming for when I run games... most often that happens when I'm reducing things down simply to stats, numbers, templates, and rules.

As for getting away from the above, it can be handy to show the power of the word over the sword in gaming. If the party successfully routs a warlock from his lair in the far reaches of the kingdom, have that warlock approach the court-- shoving the players into a situation where they have to defend themselves without the help of their feats.
 
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When I get this, I change gemres. That CoC game might be a great idea. Run a modern game. Smack your players around for a bit and let loose. :D Then, return to your regularly scheduled game. A change of pace always helps me. When Burnout comes to me, I change systems for awhile, to Vampire or more recently Exalted.
 

My fix on this is what I am about to run, a Modern game that is basically going to take my players through every d20 system setting (such as Deadlands, Dragonstar, various 3e worlds, Star Wars, etc...). basicaly whatever I can throw at them realstically (sic!) and get away with.

If its different every week, burnout should not be a problem.
 

Andrew,

Here are a few things that worked for me when I got burnt out recently:

1. Let one or more of the players run some games. This need not be a campaign in it's own right.

2. Change games. Several times. You may end up missing the "main game".

3. Play a boardgame. I reccomend, Frag, Warhammer Quest, and the Buffy boardgame. Depends on you all are into.

4. Take a break. Go to the movies. Fly a kite. ;)

Good luck!
 

bob dylan....

Standing on the waters casting your bread
While the eyes of the idol with the iron head are glowing.
Distant ships sailing into the mist,
You were born with a snake in both of your fists while a hurricane was blowing.
Freedom just around the corner for you
But with the truth so far off, what good will it do?

Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.

So swiftly the sun sets in the sky,
You rise up and say goodbye to no one.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread,
Both of their futures, so full of dread, you don't show one.
Shedding off one more layer of skin,
Keeping one step ahead of the persecutor within.

Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.

You're a man of the mountains, you can walk on the clouds,
Manipulator of crowds, you're a dream twister.
You're going to Sodom and Gomorrah
But what do you care? Ain't nobody there would want to marry your sister.
Friend to the martyr, a friend to the woman of shame,
You look into the fiery furnace, see the rich man without any name.

Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.

Well, the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy,
The law of the jungle and the sea are your only teachers.
In the smoke of the twilight on a milk-white steed,
Michelangelo indeed could've carved out your features.
Resting in the fields, far from the turbulent space,
Half asleep near the stars with a small dog licking your face.

Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.

Well, the rifleman's stalking the sick and the lame,
Preacherman seeks the same, who'll get there first is uncertain.
Nightsticks and water cannons, tear gas, padlocks,
Molotov cocktails and rocks behind every curtain,
False-hearted judges dying in the webs that they spin,
Only a matter of time 'til night comes steppin' in.

Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.

It's a shadowy world, skies are slippery gray,
A woman just gave birth to a prince today and dressed him in scarlet.
He'll put the priest in his pocket, put the blade to the heat,
Take the motherless children off the street
And place them at the feet of a harlot.
Oh, Jokerman, you know what he wants,
Oh, Jokerman, you don't show any response.

Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune,
Bird fly high by the light of the moon,
Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman.


or whatever works musically for oyu, but this guys lyrics make me wanna play, create worlds, make pots, paint, everything :)
 

My feeling on the genre switch is that, while effective in preventing one form of burn-out, it is not effective in preventing others. DMing takes a lot of preparation time; in a standardized or pre-fab campaign, that time is cut to a somewhat more manageable level because the backdrop is already prepared by whoever wrote the adventure.

In a homebrew, once the basics are down, then it basically becomes a pre-fab; all the backdrop is prepared, so there is no additional work in that area, and the DM can focus his time on other aspects of preparation.

If you are constantly switching genres, then you have to start from scratch every time. If you homebrew or supplement-weave from several d20 companies, then your preparation time increases another 10-fold. In the end, you end up burning out again because of the massive increase in preparation time for each session.
 

In addition to all the above you could run short scenarios.

- Campaign history tells of a siege? Heck roll up 20th level meat head champions and run it, maybe have to alter notes!;)

- If you are good at balancing races, grab 4 (um, a Lammasu, Coutyl, Cloud giant and Ghost) and biff together a scenario.

- Variation of the first, assume the roles of this ages great leaders and go to war! Assign a base race for the bulk of the army, give them cool auxillery monstrous allies and then stat up some champion lords as generals. Draw a huge map and get the players to take on a greater role...

- You may want to alter styles, try free-form or dm-driven. Tell the players to go easy, they probably will and then tinker away.

- Get the players to give you an adventure outline a week before. Rough stuff like key motivations, general adventure and the possible good/bad outcomes. Fill it in but twist it twice in the middle.:p

- Barroom brawl, serious. You stat up 12 npcs and give each 2 enemies and 1 friend, players grab one and viola. Make the barroom multi-level with 'secret' tunnels and other tactical stuff.

Do NOT play d&d for the sake of playing it. That will poison a cool past-time for even longer than (by the sounds) the needed break. Also make sure you are not playing d&d with someone who you don't really want to be, again poison to the system. Btw, I recently stopped playing in one group for the above reasons. Sure enough my sole current group now rocks.:)
 

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