D&D General [rant]The conservatism of D&D fans is exhausting.

[Faolyn]

Being called bad, when you yourself recognize that you are bad, is insulting?

Heck, being called bad at something is insulting? As in something that would seriously bother people? I'll admit that it's hardly complimentary, but, insulting? Seriously? I wonder if this isn't a cultural thing. Being bad at something is pretty standard for anyone starting out in a hobby - regardless of hobby. Since when is "bad" insulting? Then again, if you're taking the interpretation that bad="malicious jerk", then, I suppose I can see why that might be insulting.



Well, the counter argument is that there are almost no bad DM's out there. That it's a TINY fraction of the hobby. That over 95% of DM's are average or better. Which I find a ridiculous assertion.

Yes, seriously, it's insulting, for several reasons. It's not constructive in any way. It doesn't tell you how to be better. It's all-encompassing. If you're a Bad GM, then you're Bad across the board.

Like take your belief that bad = anyone less than 50%. Except that's a bad idea, all around, because most people aren't "bad" at all parts of GMing. I'm not good with making memorable NPCs, but I can set a scene and mood extremely well. Am I a bad GM? Another person might be great at making interesting combat encounters but suck at non-combat encounters. Would this person be a bad GM? There's a ton of skills needed to be a Good GM: rules mastery, encounter design, location design, creating interesting NPCs, playing NPCs, riddle/puzzle-making, descriptive skills, improvisational skills, leadership and diplomacy skills (for dealing with players), acting skills, note-taking, and probably a bunch more. You can even put non-skill things there like "willingness to let the game go in unexpected directions," "willingness to not include overbearing GMPCs," "willingness to abide by player lines and veils," and things like that.

When you say someone is a Bad GM, you're saying--whether you intend to or not--that they're equally bad at all of those skills. But it's rare that a GM actually is bad at all of them.

 

[Faolyn]

Let's recap the past 200-300 posts on this thread.

Additionally, some enworld members advocate for the inclusion of rules to control DM behavior.

Incorrect.

Some ENWorld members think that things like GM Agendas and Principles are rules that are designed to control GM behavior. This belief is incorrect.

 

[Faolyn]

I choked at this. There are absolutely nothing I have seen calling for this play style in D&D. I recognise this style might be common, but I have never experienced it as a DM or a player.

Then that's quite different than the way I've ever played or run D&D over the past 30 years.

 

[kermit4karate]

Incorrect.

Some ENWorld members think that things like GM Agendas and Principles are rules that are designed to control GM behavior. This belief is incorrect.

Agree to disagree.

 

[Faolyn]

Perhaps not the same type of bad...but they're all bad in their own way.

Hence the need for different scales.

The GM who writes boring adventures probably needs to read some blogs or watch some videos on how to make games more fun and then work to use that advice in their own game.

The GM who thinks casting power word castrate on PCs is funny (at a table where the players don't think it's funny) might benefit from therapy.

 

[kermit4karate]

Hence the need for different scales.

The GM who writes boring adventures probably needs to read some blogs or watch some videos on how to make games more fun and then work to use that advice in their own game.

The GM who thinks casting power word castrate on PCs is funny (at a table where the players don't think it's funny) might benefit from therapy.

That's the second time you've referenced someone using power word castrate. I'm starting to wonder what circles you run in....

 

[bloodtide]

Seems like there'd be an easy way to sidestep getting into that predicament though, right? "Hi. Have you DM'd many D&D campaigns before?"

Except such a DM is just like a car with a flat tire: even if they have run hundreds of games they might be doing all sorts of 'bad' things. And not even know, or worse know and just refuse to grow or change. But they do "finish a game" the same way a car with a flat tire can limp down a road at 1mph and eventually get you to a destination.

 

[Enrahim]

Then that's quite different than the way I've ever played or run D&D over the past 30 years.

And I think this is sort of the thing with D&D. By not having any strong guidelines for the GM the range of how it can be reasonably played is extremely wide. I have also played and run D&D for 30 years, with quite a few different groups. Even in early 2000s I was keenly aware of the distinction between Roll play and Role play, and happily identified as having a preference for the later. As such I likely have naturally avoided the former (even if never having had to consciously take a stance).

 

[kermit4karate]

Except such a DM is just like a car with a flat tire: even if they have run hundreds of games they might be doing all sorts of 'bad' things. And not even know, or worse know and just refuse to grow or change. But they do "finish a game" the same way a car with a flat tire can limp down a road at 1mph and eventually get you to a destination.

Nah...most of the time one can tell from a brief human-human interaction with someone whether they know what they're talking about and even ascertain their style.

I mean, if one expects/hopes to enter into a campaign lasting dozens or hundreds of hours with someone they don't know from Adam and have absolutely nothing to go on, no personal references or anything, that's always going to be a total crap shoot.

 

[gban007]

The best thing about using this nebulous average as some sort of benchmark, is that everyone can improve, and still the same percentage would be bad.
Or some would improve, and someone who was good a month ago would now be bad with no change in behavior.
And apparently you would be justified to say to said person, I'm sorry, you were a good DM a month ago, but now you're a bad DM.