What Does it Take to be a D&D DM?
- Thread starter Kirin'Tor
- Start date
Catavarie
First Post
I had to vote other because I feel that being a good DM requires all of the poll options, but all of these things can be learned. Although inorder to become a Great DM it requires talent, and not everyone has the talent. Your DM may not have it, hell I don't have it, or he may not have found it yet. Have him run through a few Modules, WoTC site has tons of free ones that aren't bad. And have him slowly add his own flavor to them be it decription of a room, an encounter, or a puzzle of his own. Let him get use to the rhythm and flow of the game behind the screen, its completely different than in front of it. And another good thing is to figure out if he works best with everything preplaned and written down, or does he do better with "winging it". Although even "winging it" requires alot of preplanning it will give him more freedom once he's behind the screen than having everything written out ahead of time like a script. A Few helpful links from the GMF boards are:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=125434
and
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=125355
I hope these help you and your DM some.
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=125434
and
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=125355
I hope these help you and your DM some.
IronWolf
blank
I think to be a decent DM it requires a bit of a jack of all trades knack. You have to know the rules, be able to tell a story, time to prepare (for some this may only take minutes, for others several hours - but the DM needs to know which one he or she is), handle OOC conflicts that may occur at the gaming table and more! If a person wants to try it they should, but they may need a supportive and understanding group.
Maybe they could try their hand at one-shots just to get the feel for running a game. Once they get that down they can branch out into working out interesting plot lines/stories.
Maybe they could try their hand at one-shots just to get the feel for running a game. Once they get that down they can branch out into working out interesting plot lines/stories.
Yami no Hon
First Post
I think a lot, if not all, of the items on the list are important, especially knowing the rules and remembering what the players are capable of.
Two things that I think a good DM needs, that arn't on the list, are flexibility and a sense of humor. Both are needed, because even if you sit down and think of 50 differnt ways that the PCs could respond to any given situation, the PCs will always come up with a 51st way. For instance, in a game I ran for my brother's group when they first started, I presented them with a gave, wooden wall made in the mouth of the cave, door in it, two arrow slits, and goblins behind it. The one response I didn't prepare for was the one the PCs actually did: the rogue unlocked the door, and the barbarian kicked it open, then proceded to use it as a bludgoning weapon to kill the unfortunate goblin standing behind it.
You just sort of have to let things go, and use the random wilderness encounter table to give the PCs something to do while you try to figure out how to recover the remains of the plot that they just shreaded.
That's also where the sense of humor comes in, you have to be able to laugh -- at yourself, and them.
Two things that I think a good DM needs, that arn't on the list, are flexibility and a sense of humor. Both are needed, because even if you sit down and think of 50 differnt ways that the PCs could respond to any given situation, the PCs will always come up with a 51st way. For instance, in a game I ran for my brother's group when they first started, I presented them with a gave, wooden wall made in the mouth of the cave, door in it, two arrow slits, and goblins behind it. The one response I didn't prepare for was the one the PCs actually did: the rogue unlocked the door, and the barbarian kicked it open, then proceded to use it as a bludgoning weapon to kill the unfortunate goblin standing behind it.
You just sort of have to let things go, and use the random wilderness encounter table to give the PCs something to do while you try to figure out how to recover the remains of the plot that they just shreaded.
That's also where the sense of humor comes in, you have to be able to laugh -- at yourself, and them.
shilsen
Adventurer
Imagination and adaptability are at the head of my list of important qualities for being a good DM, but there is a huge laundry list that one could come up with. When one actually sits down and thinks of how many things a DM needs to handle in order to be a competent (leave alone good) DM, it's amazing that anyone's nutty enough to DM. Hmm, maybe I should add "a healthy dose of insanity" to that list. And yes, I am a DM, for two groups - and yes, it does apply 
KB9JMQ
First Post
Time.
Time to become familiar with the rules.
Time to learn to organize (notes, maps, rules, NPCS, etc)
Time to actually prepare to game
Time to actually run the game.
Time to be creative to keep a campaign going.
The desire to invest alot of time to make a game fun for the DM and his players is the key to good DMing.
It is amazing to me how much time is involved for a DM. Almost every thread on these boards answered by someone who DM's makes you see they put alot of time into the game.
Time to become familiar with the rules.
Time to learn to organize (notes, maps, rules, NPCS, etc)
Time to actually prepare to game
Time to actually run the game.
Time to be creative to keep a campaign going.
The desire to invest alot of time to make a game fun for the DM and his players is the key to good DMing.
It is amazing to me how much time is involved for a DM. Almost every thread on these boards answered by someone who DM's makes you see they put alot of time into the game.
Angel Tarragon
Dawn Dragon
Basic Knowledge of the Setting, A Strong Drive to DM and an active imagination!
I voted "other" - in the sense of "it depends upon what kind of game you want to run". No single talent is the end all, be all, requirement for all kinds of games. Some styles and focuses require certain talents, other styles require other talents. In general, the GM must be good at whatever is the main focus (or foci) of the game.
der_kluge
Adventurer
I think it's hard to pick one thing (I picked several, btw).
I think it boils down to being able to envision the people and their place within the context of things. For the record, I don't think even having a great plot is truly the key to being a good DM. Some of the best games I've played in, or ran, focused on shopping in town, or just heavy role-playing, or some other rather mundane thing.
I think a "great game" can mean a really nail-biting combat encounter, a gripping plot that makes everyone use their head, or just a lot of role-playing intensive conversations between the party about a heated political topic, or the next course of action the party should take within the context of the game. All of those can be great, but each requires a completely different set of skills.
I think skills there are two things that can make someone a better DM:
Lots of playing.
And lots of playing with bad GMs. Whenever I get the urge to play again, I usually want to start DM'ing again the first time I play with an awful GM.
I think it boils down to being able to envision the people and their place within the context of things. For the record, I don't think even having a great plot is truly the key to being a good DM. Some of the best games I've played in, or ran, focused on shopping in town, or just heavy role-playing, or some other rather mundane thing.
I think a "great game" can mean a really nail-biting combat encounter, a gripping plot that makes everyone use their head, or just a lot of role-playing intensive conversations between the party about a heated political topic, or the next course of action the party should take within the context of the game. All of those can be great, but each requires a completely different set of skills.
I think skills there are two things that can make someone a better DM:
Lots of playing.
And lots of playing with bad GMs. Whenever I get the urge to play again, I usually want to start DM'ing again the first time I play with an awful GM.
Rabelais
First Post
I'm one of the best players I know. I'm enthusiastic, I'm pleasant to be around. I roleplay within the focus of the game. I'm organized, I have excellent familiarity with the rules that my character uses most often. I'm ready to play EVERY Week. I'm the ideal participant.
I know what it takes to be a good player.
I suck as a DM.
First off, I'm a railroader, I'm controlling, I'm disorganized, I make up "house" rules at a whim, then change them back later. I am the WORST DM I know. It takes a special kind of magic to be as bad of a DM as I am.
It's not at all necessary that a DM have all of the qualities listed, just that they have some of them. Organization first and foremost, and a willingness to allow the game to go where the players take it, within the framework of the overarching campaign.
I know what it takes to be a good player.
I suck as a DM.
First off, I'm a railroader, I'm controlling, I'm disorganized, I make up "house" rules at a whim, then change them back later. I am the WORST DM I know. It takes a special kind of magic to be as bad of a DM as I am.
It's not at all necessary that a DM have all of the qualities listed, just that they have some of them. Organization first and foremost, and a willingness to allow the game to go where the players take it, within the framework of the overarching campaign.
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