[Poll with discuss] What's your DM style?

[myrdden]

I am curious how DMs approach their game. There's been a lot of discussion about rules and what not so I wanted to look at another side of the game.

How do you run your session?

I am hoping that this thread can generate an exchange of ideas between DM's of different styles so that I can (and everybody else) can pick from different methods and ideas that work for diffrerent groups.

Please note: this is for discussion and exchange of ideas. Not for criticizing or judging. Please do not start a flame war. If it descends to that level I'll just ask the Mods to close the thread.

Thanks to everyone who contributes!

Myrdden

 

[Airwolf]

I try very hard to stay neutral when I DM. Although sometimes I find myself slipping into the DM vs. the players catagory. This usually happens when they come up with some clever way to take out my BBEG far to quickly.

 

[Skade]

In starting a new campaign, or story arc in a campaign I take some time with each character, go over their stats and discuss their background and details. I then present them with campaign specific options that they should keep in mind, and when I have the chance run a bried little intro session indivually. I do this to better intergrate them into the story and to no worry about starting off in a tavern.

Once the game is in progress, I have try to present the characters with a big plot, tailores to some extent to match their character concepts, and the mechanics of the adventures have also been tailord to match their characters skills. I do not make it easy for them, but I make sure they can do it with skill and luck. I try really hard not to force them into anything, but if I'm doing my job right, the story in front of them is the one they want to follow anyway.

I am not afraid to kill characters anymore though. Anyones death can be worked into the story. I try to make combat as challenging as possible, using more tactics than simply wading my combatants into combat.

I tend to run in 4-6 hour sessions, with a little break after big battles, or emotionally charged scenes. I often have sessions devoted to one thing. All roleplay, or all combat. Mind, you, there are plenty of dice being thrown in my roleplay sessions, and more than a few conversations involved in my combats.

 

[Zappo]

Uhm, I voted "I help PCs develop the story", but be it clear that I do so through challenges.

 

[Ukyo the undead]

Neutral position

I recently started DMing to my old friends( I was playing in another group, but came back to my origins...)

Well this group is not as experienced as my former group, so i can´t add the "building the story with the players' aproach. The fact that I´m a new in the Dming bussines don´t help either.

 

[ced1106]

Throw 'em at the vipers and watch 'em dance.

Sorry. Thinking out loud again. Uh... Fairly and justly. Yeah, yeah. That's the ticket. (;


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[Olive]

well, i come up with challenges to try to make it difficult for the players, so they feel good when they win. and try to develop the sotry through those challenges. so its kinda a mix of the first three.

 

[shilsen]

I voted 3, since that's what I mainly try to do. But I do use a lot of status quo encounters, so that's partly option 2 as well. And when it comes to NPCs vs PCs, my NPCs pull out all the stops, so that's a bit of 1 too.

 

[WanderingMonster]

I'm a mix of options. My games are half-planned, half-whim, half-reaction, and half revenge.

wait a second...

 

[demiurge1138]

I'm a mix. In other words, I work with players to create a story, but with my players, I usually end up pitted against them.

Demiurge out.