Stupid Dungeon Master Syndrome

[Harmon]

Please, don't think a GM is stupid because he miss remembers a rule, or because it misinturpted a rule. GMs have a lot of work to perform and Players just have to play.

BTW- while I am GMing- Players that constantly argue with me and won't listen to reason or don't wish to debate the understanding of the rules they arn't my favorite players.

 

[Anabstercorian]

Then you're not who we're talking about, I think.

 

[Undead Pete]

The new villain in the game I'm running is a white dragon dracolich with the swarm-shifter template (Blizzard of undead snow); when the PC's first met her she appeared as beautiful pale-skinned white-haired women by virtue of a magic item she has that allows polymorph (Human forms only). It was only after running her in two sessions that I realized Dracolichs are immune to polymorph effects...now I'm trying to find some way of rationalizing it before someone in the group asks. I may just go with 'Every rule has an exception, and she's it', but I dislike that.

Here's an easy fix....Instead of Polymorph, I would make it some sort of illusion effect.

 

[WayneLigon]

The worst game I was ever in was with a woman DM and all the players were men. We encountered a roper that had some rather extreme anatomical modifications... I suppose she wanted to teach us men about rape. This DM wasn't stupid at all, she just had... issues.

You win.

 

[Saeviomagy]

1. Perception checks equated to rolling a d6 and if you were human you needed a 5 or 6 to notice (elves and rangers were 4 to 6 and elven rangers were 3 to 6).

If you're playing 1st or 2nd ed, I think this may be correct. 1st and 2nd were wierd.

This was never an adjusted check, so when the hill giants attacked the party as we walked along the path, my character and two other characters were unaware (until, two rounds later when I was hit by the one standing in front of my character, hindering my movement)...

Ok, this is where it gets stupid. Failing your spot check only made you miss a round, not multiple rounds. And you only missed them if the monsters actually ambushed you. If they just walked in front of you, everyone fought normally.

2. Random placement of attacking monsters based on rolling a d8 (i.e. points of the compass) and placing the creatures 10 feet away from the party (yes, we were usually surrounded - even when not surprised)...

3rd ed has rules just as stupid. I think monsters can get to within 20ft of you before any sort of detection roll occurs in certain terrain types, regardless of the parties sensory capabilities.

there are "lazy" (or maybe just "anti-PC") DMs out there - "stupid" is a bit harsh...

There's nothing I hate more than a DM who's rules one way for the monsters and another for the PCs.

 

[iwatt]

One of the maxims I try to use when I DM is that, when I'm unsure about how things should go, advantage goes to the PCs.

I use this as well. If a PC is going to die, I don't want it to be due to a on the fly ruling.

 

[Eremite]

My first DM was pretty ordinary, so ordinary that I basically have only played about three times in the past 23 years preferring instead to DM so that things are done properly.

His contribution to the SDMS comes from his rulings on spellcasters. By way of brief background, he didn't believe in campaigns (he didn't know how XP worked) so he only ever DMed "one-shots" where he prepared the PCs by rolling everything randomly. The problem was he also rolled spells for the clerics and magic-users randomly which, combined with his prohibition on relearning spells while on adventure ("you won't be able to concentrate sufficiently well to allow you to do this) meant the spellcasters were often entirely useless other than as a third-rate melee attackers.

Anyway, once we learned the rules, his services as a DM were dispensed with.

 

[LazerPointer]

I've been lucky to fall in with a group with 2 good DM's. Now I'm running a homebrew, having never DMed before. So far, judgement calls gone wrong:
1. inviting an extra 3 people into the game (8 total) so there are always 2 or 3 people missing. Each player will only run their character, so there are 2 or 3 NPC's cluttering up combat. I can't see any one solution to this, but if I can I'll have those characters leave the party at the start of the session; if it wouldn't be plausible for them to find the party again, I'll have them roll up new characters.

2. having a summoning token summon a druidic bear who then (they discovered upon leaving the night's refuge) summoned a shark. Yeah, from Strongbad. Not terrible, I know, but I'm not shooting for a silly tone; I'll have to weave in the same seafaring bear again long enough to give him a plausible story, as well as decide whether all summoned creatures don't disappear or just some. Dizzamn.

3. saying "I won't track XP, I'll just let you know when you level up." I'll have to just contradict this now, I guess, before my sorceror gets any item creation feats.

Least I haven't pulled any really dumn sh*t, I guess.

 

[wingsandsword]

The new villain in the game I'm running is a white dragon dracolich with the swarm-shifter template (Blizzard of undead snow); when the PC's first met her she appeared as beautiful pale-skinned white-haired women by virtue of a magic item she has that allows polymorph (Human forms only). It was only after running her in two sessions that I realized Dracolichs are immune to polymorph effects.

In 3.5 at least, Liches have an exception to that.

Immunities (Ex): Liches have immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves), and mind-affecting attacks.

If you're using the Dracolich template from the FRCS (or another 3.0 Dracolich template), you could add that exemption on the grounds that it's a 3.5 update since in 3.5 Liches (and presumably Dracoliches) can use Polymorph effects on themselves, but cannot recieve them from outside sources, and just rule that using a Polymorph item counts for that.

 

[Dungeonmaster P]

For me the worst kind of DM is the railroading type. Once upon a time I played in an WHFRP campaign that had the ending totally scripted. When we get to the final confrontation there were no combat, no dices nothing. Instead the GM sat there and read his written story. This story included our characters saying things and taking actions except that we weren´t allowed to do anything ourselves. After 1 hour ( I kid You not) My character finally beheaded the great demon and the DM then read a little speech that my character made to celebrate the moment. Needless to say. I never played with him again.

Some people should just write a book.