One Thing You Can Do to Become a Better DM

[Haltherrion]

Defer to the players where-ever possible. One must be careful on setting bad rule precedents but give them the benefit of the doubt where you can. When they propose a solution to a problem you didn't think of, when they suggest an aspect to an NPC, when they prefer one place over another, go with it.

It will both enrich the campaign (N-heads are better than one) and build up your bank-account with the players so when you require a little extra suspension of disbelief or some cooperation in a difficult ruling, they will give it to you.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Reskin things, make them different and and distinctive to the setting, so jaded players are never quite sure what they're dealing with at first contact.

Along the same lines, a good way to keep PCs on their toes is simply to change how things are referred to in game. Villagers, for example, might call all ugly humanoid monsters "trolls"-- whether it's gremlins or hill giants.

"We was attacked by trolls last night, we was!"
"Oh really? How big were these "trolls"?"
"Not especially big, m'lord, like a hay bale! But there was at least a hunnert of 'em!"
"Were they flammable? Could they fly? What color were they?"
"I really couldn't tell ya as it was dark, m'lord, but they sure likes to jump around and holler, they did, and they had huge beards as well!"
"Did they exhibit an especial affinity for mulberry wine?"
"Wtf, m'lord?"

 

[OnlineDM]

Actively encourage awesomeness. Something I do (and I've seen other DMs do this in various ways) is hand out bonus points for moments of awesome. I use homemade tokens for this (illustrations glued to metal washers), and players can cash them in any time to add 1 to a roll or a defense (make a 19 into a crit, a miss into a hit, an attack that hit them into a miss, a failed saving throw into a success, etc.).

I hand these out whenever a PC does something that I find awesome, and I make a big deal out of them. Most recently, a PC in my online game went completely off the rails to play Robin Hood to rob the nasty NPC merchant who was price gouging the refugees traveling through his area. I had to whip up an encounter on the fly, and it was one of the best play experiences I've had so far. That earned TWO bonus points (both of which she ended up using during the incursion - it was pretty intense!).

Anyway, find a way to reward the stuff players do that you find awesome, thus encouraging future awesomeness.

 

[Haltherrion]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned so far: Props.

Ooh! Excellent suggestion

On the gems front, you can sometimes find budding lapidarist selling their practice gems. I once picked up ~30 faceted smokey quartz for about $0.50 each. Sure they are irregular shapes and sometimes chipped but it is sure fun to toss a bunch of cut gems out on the table. If you check out Ebay you can find some fairly nice cut stones in the 50 cent to $10 range if you bottom feed for off colors, off stones, synthetic rubies and the like (I've got a synthetic ruby, 10ct for about $1 a carat). The glass ones you mention are just as good.

I've also used various daggers over the years as props. I once used a Dragon's Breath dagger as a key prop in a save the world campaign some years ago. Letting the players handle the dagger brings out a completely different level of response.

Of course, for props there are also figures, dungeon and castle diorama pieces and the like. We sometimes use a set of cast dungeon tiles (3D) and my painter buddy has done a good part of a castle and a cavern we sometimes get out. Great for mood.

 

[Lanefan]

When possible, whenever the players are talking out of character about what they think is going on, take notes and implement something that they say into the plot. The players feel really good when they are able to "figure out" part of what is going on.

Or, as happened in my current game, when you tell 'em that the adventure they just finished was inspired by a comment one of 'em made a year ago along the lines of "this would be a neat idea for an adventure..." - a comment later forgotten by everyone except me.

Reskin things, make them different and and distinctive to the setting, so jaded players are never quite sure what they're dealing with at first contact.

Just changing the names of the monsters is huge! Kept my crew guessing for ages...

Lan-"tricksy, these DMs are"-efan

 

[lamia]

As a new-ish GM, I focus on trying to be the best I can for my particular group. I don't really think I'm a good enough GM to plop down at any old table and provide a good game, but I focus on what the players I have currently are into.

The main thing I try to do is ask for feedback fairly regularly. I ask what was particularly fun for them, what they weren't too thrilled about, what they want more/less of.

I've found that my players aren't really likely to give me that feedback without prompting. They don't want to hurt my feelings. So I just try to make it easy for them, I don't get bent out of shape if it turns out they didn't enjoy something that I thought they would.

 

[Nightson]

Standard advice:
1. Understand your players. You need to figure out what sort of things they like in a game, what motivates their characters, how they tend to act.

2. Build adventures organically. Work off your players motivations, work through how the situation came about before the players got there, how it would turn out if the players don't get involved, and how people are likely to react when they do.

3. Description can be your best friend or your worse enemy. At it's best it can turn a boring slugfest into an exciting clashing of blades. At it's worse it turns the room you just entered into five minutes of boredom followed by zero retention of any facts about the room. Understand how much to use depends both on how good you are at phrasing it and your players personal preferences.

Unstandard advice:
1. If you ever get into a rules dispute with a player, with few exceptions, let them have their way. They are usually much more attached to the outcome then you are and they don't have the power to make the call. So what if it ends up killing your cool NPC Minotaur earlier then you thought, you've got a billion NPCs. If you make a bad ruling that hurts their character, pretty much every player will remember it, most of them are mature enough to forgive it, but why make all the trouble for yourself.

 

[pogre]

This has been said in a couple of different ways, but my tip would be:
Find a way to say "yes" to your players.

 

[nedjer]

Never be afraid to help players metagame those special moments. PC's got to go through a trial of ordeal; have a red hot poker at the ready. PC's got to kiss the evil witch; keep a blonde wig and some cherry lipstick to hand . . .

 

[buddhafrog]

When a player wants to attack with a non-standard attack (such as throwing the huge crocodile that he just killed towards at the on-rushing goblins), or comes up with an off-the-wall method to solve any problem - REWARD them by choosing favorable skill checks and/or damage rolls. Page 42 and all, but with slight DM-decided bonuses.

Creativity, high-fives and laughter will be sure to increase.