Rat Bastard DM Requirements

[kaomera]

Wow. People have radically different definitions of RBDM. My initial post would characterize RBDM's as evil, cruel, people who wanted to kill players characters.

Many posters instead say that a RBDM is someone who (paraphrasing) is manipulative and tricky to the characters but the players love him/her.

Did I get that correct?

As has been stated upthread by FireLance, if the players don't enjoy your ratbastardry, you aren't going to be DMing (RB- or otherwise) for long. There's an issue of trust here - the players have tom accept that your game is fair, specifically that the consequences you throw at them are not arbitrary. This also speaks to the expectations of the players - a good RBDM makes it clear what is up from the beginning, and plays things fair. He does not stop the PCs from being awesome and even encourages it. But he also does not shirk from doling out the repercussions of hubris... (And this is all besides creating a game and world that is fun and awesome in and of itself.)

 

[WanderingMonster]

Wow. People have radically different definitions of RBDM. My initial post would characterize RBDM's as evil, cruel, people who wanted to kill players characters.

Many posters instead say that a RBDM is someone who (paraphrasing) is manipulative and tricky to the characters but the players love him/her.

Did I get that correct?

ENWorld has, over the years, defined being a rat-bastard DM to be more in line with your second definition.

Players in a RBDM's campaign will never forget the time he screwed them over. Player's in an evil DM's campaign will never forgive him.

Gamers will boast about being a killer DM. Players boast about their RBDM.

You must master your fury, lest your fury become your master.

 

[TarionzCousin]

This thread has gone totally off the "simple question" rails and developed into a thoughtful, interesting discussion.

Should I ask a mod to close it?

 

[WanderingMonster]

This thread has gone totally off the "simple question" rails and developed into a thoughtful, interesting discussion.

Should I ask a mod to close it?

Better report it. These kinds of threads are dangerous.

 

[Wolf1066]

This thread has gone totally off the "simple question" rails and developed into a thoughtful, interesting discussion.

Should I ask a mod to close it?

That might be the safest option.

But then, we're battle-seasoned veterans who have faced Black Dragons, vampires, zombie hordes, eldritch creatures from the Dawn of Time, Old Ones and 'dorphed-up boostergangs - what the hell do we care about "safe options"?

 

[InVinoVeritas]

This thread has gone totally off the "simple question" rails and developed into a thoughtful, interesting discussion.

Should I ask a mod to close it?

You see? Such is the value of tracking unintended consequences in an organic world.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I'm angling much more for the feeling that when you push the world, it pushes back: not in a reactionary or petty way ("have to be negative"), but in a way that shows the world is a living, breathing thing, inhabited by uncountable urges and agendas.

Basically, when you poke the world, expect it to react in a more complex manner than "yes" and "no".

I'd describe that as verisimilitude, rather than RBDM-ery.

Though it depends on one's view of the world. All the DMs I know that are closest to being RBs have a very dark weltanschauung.

 

[Dausuul]

I'd describe that as verisimilitude, rather than RBDM-ery.

RBDMing is when you apply such verisimilitude to a world where the bad guys have a) the good guys at a drastic disadvantage, and b) a nasty sense of humor.

 

[Nifft]

I'd describe that as verisimilitude, rather than RBDM-ery.

Though it depends on one's view of the world. All the DMs I know that are closest to being RBs have a very dark weltanschauung.

Yes! Verisimilitude is VERY much related to rat-bastardry.

One can think of rat bastardry as taking verisimilitude and weaponizing it.

Well, that's not quite true, but it's a good sound bite, so I'll stop here.

Cheers, -- N

 

[billd91]

On the subject of ripping up a character sheet:

I would never do that. We post them up on the dead PC wall for all to see.