Trapped DMs (Would rather be players)

[Sixchan]

I'd like to Play. I'm really missing my Elven barbarian.

But I won't play without a good DM. Our group lacking a good DM, between a Monty Haul, a lazy b****** who would be a GREAT DM if he showed up, a player who would be amazing if his ability to DM was as high as his desire to DM, a warhammer addict who wouldn't play unless he could go an OE half-rat thingy, and someone who really prefers playing and Setting creation (that's me), the one who makes campaign settings and rolls up multiple charaters daily got pushed into the job.

On the bright side, they haven't killed my recurring kobald NPC who I positively ADORE.

But I still miss my elven barbarian...

 

[Silver Moon]

I'm another one who winds up DMing the vast majority of the time. I have no problem with being the DM 50 to 75%, but beyond that I really like a break. Two players give me an occassional break, ususually with a short 4-8 game module, which gives me enough time to reorganize and geer up for something else.

Right now I'm enjoying a much needed rest after DMing a very fun AD&D/Boot Hill hybrid game, Story Hour on the following thread:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28901

My next module will be a political epic titled "League of Assassins" which I am currently ploting with assistance from other EN World readers at the following Plots & Places thread:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30903

I am enthusiastically taking input from anybody with a monarch, aristocrat, assassin, unique gem or unique jewelry item to add to the module. Feel free to help contribute.

After that module I'm hoping that one of my take pity on me and let me play again while I prep PirateCat's "Of Sound Mind" to run sometime next summer.

 

[Creamsteak]

I almost started a trend with local DMs of complaining that they always have to DM. I guess the boards have a similar flow now-a-days. I'd love to play more, because I'm an excellent player. I only get to play once every 2-3 months at best, and that's completely pointless because it's never a running campaign.

So I, even before good Gary, started to play by post for the simplicity of character ideas getting some use. Then I discovered that I prefer to DM PbP because I love to lump hundreds of ideas into the face of the players.

 

[Graf]

I've been DMing for a while (almost a year now) running a few times a month. So I understand the tired thing, a bit anyway.

The trick for me is that if DM I know the game will be fun... maybe weird, but fun. Over the course of the years and years that I played I learned that a good game is an oddity. Most of the time the DM isn't focused on the game enough to make it fun or else they're not interested in letting the players play so much as telling a story.

So I'm stuck in a box of my own picky-ness. I want to do D&D as an open ended, sprawling, well thought-out epic. Basically that means that I DM.

 

[The Forsaken One]

I've been DMming for 2 of the 4 years I'm gaming now and those 2 years have been the only decent and serious games. I MUCH prefer to game over to DM but the rest are just great players but they just suck at DMming... no flavor.. no descriptions.. no IC motivations.. no NPC plots =[

So when I get bored of bad no plot 4 session games I always end up DMming... =[

 

[Telor]

My name is Telor and I'm a trapped DM

I totally enjoy being DM and have been running the same campaign for almost 2 years. We try to meet weekly and game for about 6-8hrs so it has been a lot of (fun) work to prepare a great game.

My one player gave me a break and he DM'ed a module. We fit it into our campaign so everyone could use the same characters. It was then that I rediscovered that I am a much better player than DM. My friend is an adaquate DM and no one has any problem with me fielding questions since I'm the most knowledgable (and own all the books). I think we all could agree that our game was better when I was playing and my friend was DMing.

But college and jobs are tough to balance and I having the lightest college load, went back to DMing again.

I am totally out of material; I've had DnD writers block for about 3 months. I'm running the City of Spider Queen module and everyone knows that once that is finished someone else has to take up the reigns. My same friend is planning on taking over.

I can't wait to play but it is bitter sweet... He'll DM from January to May and then our group breaks up since all but 2 of us are leaving the State College area once graduation takes place.

I'll probably (hopefully) be DMing a different group at that time. Hopefully I'll feel creative again.

-Telor

 

[Buttercup]

I love DMing. My head is filled with stories waiting to get out. However, it's nice to play sometimes too. Right now, one of my players is DMing a Traveller 20 game in which I play. It's not exactly the game I would choose to play in, in a perfect world, but it's really the only opportunity I have. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying it. But what I'd really like is to play a D&D game. Alas, I fear it's not to be. In fact, I'm afraid my friend will end up moving away within another 6 months or so. When that happens, I'll end just DMing all the time.

 

[garyh]

So I, even before good Gary, started to play by post for the simplicity of character ideas getting some use. Then I discovered that I prefer to DM PbP because I love to lump hundreds of ideas into the face of the players.

Hey, I make no claim to having created PbP... just to mastering it.

Actually, I was a trapped DM when 3E came out. I wanted to try out the new edition with a vengeance, but was the only person I knew willing to run a game. I eventually burnt out, but couldn't get anyone else to run a game, and the group broke up. Now, I get my fix in the IC forum, trying out some of the dozens of PC ideas that flash through my head daily.

 

[DDK]

I DM all the damn time because nobody has the balls to have me as a player

I'm a bad player though since I ALWAYS know the system better than the DM which just pisses me off. That and most DM's wouldn't know their ass from their elbow as far as roleplaying and plot go so I usually just get fed up with them and either take over or leave.

But I'm also a crappy DM. Players never meet my standards. The only good sessions I have are the spontaneous ones where I'm 'in the zone' which tends to get everyone else 'in the zone', otherwise the players invariably end up destroying my plot devices and being so damn clueless that whether I railroad them or give them free reign, the game ends up being little more than a hack session.

Maybe I'm just an ass, as a lot of people on this board and others are sure to agree, but in fourteen years of gaming in which I've been in one group or another for at least 8 to 9 months out of every year, I'm yet to find a group that can roleplay worth a damn and that doesn't piss me off.

I just put together another group. Most of 'em are my age or older and have loads of experience. One guy has already volunteered to DM. None of us have met yet as I got everyone together over email from listings around the net. Hopefully it will be a good group but I'm not holding my breath...

So yeah, I guess you could say I'm a 'trapped' DM.

 

[Stone Angel]

I DM all most all of the time as many as you. I am locked into my gaming group from high-school. I have to drive an hour just to play. There is another DM in our group as well, but he has 2 kids and a busy schedule, but he is such a good DM, and I really do miss playing. I love making adventures and I love DnD in almost every aspect so that is what is keeping me going. I would like to play another campaign where I live but for the life of me I cannot get one started. It is so weird, I live in a college town, which has a "gaming" store but to no avail, ah but I digress. Anyway nice to know I am not the only one.