Signs your DM is an imcompetent twit.

[JacktheRabbit]

Ever wonder if your DM is an incompetent boob? Well here are several hints taken from the latest DM I had the misfortune of working with that should help you decide.


1. Level every session or at least 3 out of every 5 sessions. This is up to and through 10th level.

2. 2nd level parties that kill chimeras that ambush them.

3. 15th level foes with no lackies so the barbarian can easily grapple him and make him an esay target for the mage to blast to death. BTW the party was 8th level average here and there were only 3 characters.

4. Foes on the other hand so powerful a 15th level NPC Wizard needs to come along to save the day. Whichw as not really needed since the Lich had no spells preped even though she had to know we were walking around her pocket dimension.

5. Paladins with no Code.

6. Villages (population under 1000) that have multiple (at least 3) NPC's of 15th level and higher.

7. Campaign started with the "your all in jail for crimes you didnt commit" routine.

8. Who the Gods are in the world isnt introduced until 5 or 6 sessions in. This is really funny since it finally happened when I asked and I was running a figher wizard. You would think that the cleric, paladin, or druid would want or need this information.

9. Players that fall asleep and the DM says nothing.

Those are just some of the items that come to mind. I am sure I could think of others but not at the moment.

Oh well, after a DM like this everything looks better.

 

[hong]

Rather than ranting impotently on a public forum about how useless your DM is, a more productive solution might be to start a campaign of your own. This will also let you see what life is like on the other side of the DM screen for a change.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

He is not my DM since we are no longer gaming together. I made several attempts to help him with ideas. One example being have the Paladin have a code of honor. The result was me being called a whiner and the Paladin continuing to do things that every other DM I have ever talked to say he would lose his faith or his alignment over.

So I figured I would have some fun with a thread where we can all rant a little about DM's we regretted gaming with and the things they did that we can avoid doing ourselves.

BTW, I have DM'd several times so I am far from ranting without a point of reference.

Rather than ranting impotently on a public forum about how useless your DM is, a more productive solution might be to start a campaign of your own. This will also let you see what life is like on the other side of the DM screen for a change.

 

[Crothian]

1. Level every session or at least 3 out of every 5 sessions. This is up to and through 10th level.

What does this have to do with anything? Speed of advancement has nothing to do with how good your DM is. It's style choice. It also has something to do with how long one plays in a session. During our 8+ hour sessions, people gain about once a per session. I don't think that's bad at all.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Re: Re: Signs your DM is an imcompetent twit.

It has everything to do with it. It has to do with the DM throwing foes at us that are well outside our league in power and then running them so dumb that we kill them without a party member every going unconcious.

How about 6-7TH level party average that kills a Yuan-ti half fiend template 12th level cleric who can fly at will? The creature was in its own lair and only one of us could fly and yet we killed it. How? Simple he never retreated at all, cast really poor spells, and never once used any of the gear the DM rolled up as treasure.


The last item should be:

10. A DM who rolls up treasure then never has the monsters actually use it. One great example was a enemy cleric who ahd a treasure a wand of hold person. We averaged 5th level and killed it. That wand was a guaruntee the minotaur could win and yet it stayed in his belt the whole time and instead he chose to cast weak spells or melee with the party half orc and dwarf.

As a side note our sessions were generally about 4 hours and included one main combat and maybe one or two minor combats.

What does this have to do with anything? Speed of advancement has nothing to do with how good your DM is. It's style choice. It also has something to do with how long one plays in a session. During our 8+ hour sessions, people gain about once a per session. I don't think that's bad at all.

 

[SableWyvern]

I don't think all of your points are necessarily valid as signs of incompetence - although, taken together they are fairly damning.

I'll add a few of my own.

1. Campaigns end abruptly evey month or two, to be replaced by another that makes use of a new, exciting idea that the DM suddenly has. Thus, no exciting idea ever has a chance to be properly implemented.

2. A disillusioned player decides nonetheless that he will develop a complex and interesting background for his player, thus helping the DM with plot hooks and the like. In the first session of the campaign, the PC is presented with an opportunity to complete his lifelong quest to study the use of a unique type of magic. This requires him to join an order with a three year apprenticeship, and thus leave the party.

3. After a long, constructive conversation primarilly designed to explain to the DM why 1st level characters should not be the direct servants of the gods, kings, emperors and the like, the next campaign starts will all but one PC being some sort of powerful royal diplomat sent on a mission to discuss a treaty with a foreign emperor.

I would like to point out that I almost fall into this category:

1. Level every session or at least 3 out of every 5 sessions. This is up to and through 10th level.

However, the party is only 3rd through 5th at the moment, and if things don't slow down naturally, I will scale down XP awards. It should also be noted that we play 8+ hour sessions, and only every 2 to 4 weeks, so only levelling up every three sessions wouldn't be too much fun for anyone at low levels.

 

[Crothian]

Re: Re: Re: Signs your DM is an imcompetent twit.

It has everything to do with it. It has to do with the DM throwing foes at us that are well outside our league in power and then running them so dumb that we kill them without a party member every going unconcious.

Then that's a different problem. THe problem is not that you gain levels too fast, it's that the DM uses too poweful opponents.
They aren't the same thing and one does not allows lead to the other.

 

[Poster Bard]

Ever wonder if your DM is an incompetent boob? Well here are several hints taken from the latest DM I had the misfortune of working with that should help you decide.

'Playing' with, not working. You rant all the time about how dumb your DM's are. You need to DM for a while and get over it. I hope that if you find any players willing to join you that you are not as rude to them as you are to your DM's on this board. Good luck!

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Re: Re: Signs your DM is an imcompetent twit.

Actually this is my first rant. Any other posts have been about the problems with the Paladin and how much he has gotten away with since the DM has not enforced any of the restrictions normal for a Paladin.

BTW, before you call me rude try knowing what you are talking about. I have sent dozens of emails and talked to him in person about things that would improve the situation. He blew me off and party conflict was the result. Now I am moving on.

'Playing' with, not working. You rant all the time about how dumb your DM's are. You need to DM for a while and get over it. I hope that if you find any players willing to join you that you are not as rude to them as you are to your DM's on this board. Good luck!

 

[reapersaurus]

Oh.

My.

God.

I am constantly amazed at the self-important DM's on this board, who would look ANY situation, or even mistake, in the face and say "whining player" or "why don't you try it" or quote Rule 0.

Face it, you DM-apologists: DocMoriarity has painted a very damning picture of a DM that sucks.

Say it - DM's CAN suck.

Ahh... isn't that helpful in removing your self-delusion?

He's not saying every DM is incompetent - I also don't see why DM's here are feeling defensive.... unless you share the same qualities as his DM, you shouldn't be feeling defensive, and if you DO share qualities, maybe you should concentrate on that problem.

BTW: leveling up every session is bad.
That's an established belief.
One Reason: it doesn't give the player enough time to get acquainted with the new abilities that come with each level, and it's not beneficial to character development in the long run.