Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
I've learned a lot DMing for groups that didn't share my familiar play, such as at conventions. If you run serious RP heavy games and you get a group with with brother PC names "Truk King", "Phuq King", "Spee King The Bard" and "Burger King" -- or vice versa -- you find that you need to stretch other muscles that you don't normally get to exercise. Everyone is there to have fun - give it to them.
The flip of this is play with a bunch of DMs. Note what they do that you like, that you don't, and just different. This one always includes a non-sight aspect when describing a scene. That one only lets the first person who says anything to make a check to notice something. Figure out how they will impact your games - including the ones you don't like because the other DM has them for some reason.
Lastly, teach the game. It will improved your mechanics as you get asked questions any "reasonable" gamer wouldn't ask - but are real. And also it will show what you can streamline away and what you need to focus on. And it's fun to play with a completely new gamer and realize just how many fetters we work under without realizing it. Such as my daughter when young wanting to make an impulsive, low WIS druid - but not be mechanically compromised in doing so.
Oh, I lied. Lastly lastly, run other games with very different DM responsibilities. Not a 5e vs. PathFinder, but run a Fate game, a PbtA fame, Lady Blackbird or some other truely indie game, or some classic-but-different like Dogs in the Vineyard, My Life with Master, or Riddle of Steel. The will teach you to question the boundaries you didn't even know you had.
The flip of this is play with a bunch of DMs. Note what they do that you like, that you don't, and just different. This one always includes a non-sight aspect when describing a scene. That one only lets the first person who says anything to make a check to notice something. Figure out how they will impact your games - including the ones you don't like because the other DM has them for some reason.
Lastly, teach the game. It will improved your mechanics as you get asked questions any "reasonable" gamer wouldn't ask - but are real. And also it will show what you can streamline away and what you need to focus on. And it's fun to play with a completely new gamer and realize just how many fetters we work under without realizing it. Such as my daughter when young wanting to make an impulsive, low WIS druid - but not be mechanically compromised in doing so.
Oh, I lied. Lastly lastly, run other games with very different DM responsibilities. Not a 5e vs. PathFinder, but run a Fate game, a PbtA fame, Lady Blackbird or some other truely indie game, or some classic-but-different like Dogs in the Vineyard, My Life with Master, or Riddle of Steel. The will teach you to question the boundaries you didn't even know you had.
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