D&D General What makes a good DM good?

[Oofta]

My top 10 list

1. Reads and understands the group and adjusts the game to suit.
2. Plays to their strengths. Good at accents? Go for it. Every accent sounds like an annoyed Elmer Fudd? Maybe try something else.
3. Varies the pace and types of encounters and sessions.
4. Improvises when needed. No plan survives an encounter with the players.
5. Gives the players meaningful choices.
6. Doesn't force the "correct" way to play on their players, accepts that some people enjoy different aspects of the game.
7. Know when to look up a rule and when to just make a ruling and move on. Try to be consistent in how you make decisions but don't bring a scene to a screeching halt for flipping through pages of the book.
8. Understands the difference between setting the scene and boring monologues. Describe enough to give an accurate picture, don't go into details describing the sword above the mantle unless it matters.
9. Understands the campaign world and is consistent on how they describe it.
10. Is always willing to learn and improve.
    

 

[pogre]

Player selection. Great players make the game. I only play with decent, inclusive, appreciative, and well-adjusted human beings in my home campaign.

This is something I used to take for granted - no longer.

 

[practicalm]

Pacing
Adjudication
Improvisation
Enthusiasm
Narration
Exposition
Game Design
Interpersonal skills
Leadership

Is anyone else disappointed that this didn't spell something?
AGILE PINE
or
GENIE PAIL
neither seems to work well.

 

[practicalm]

What I think makes a good GM is
Someone who knows how to keep both the story and the game moving. Where players want to know what happens next.
Someone who allows players their space to help make the game interesting which requires trust between the GM and the players
Someone who is willing to do the prep work but also willing to throw it all out if something more interesting happens instead.

 

[Charlaquin]

[*]Is always willing to learn and improve.

This one is huge, in my opinion. I would rather have a DM who hasn’t quite gotten a handle on all of these other skills but is making a conscious effort to improve than a DM who is technically proficient but doesn’t think they have room to improve.

 

[Reynard]

Just off the top of my head, here are a few reasons

1. Ensures, at all cost, the players do not derail the adventure which would minimise her preparation efforts.
2. Rolls behind the screen thus allowing her the freedom to use GM Force on die results to make stories better.
3. Ignores characters' backgrounds given that RPGing is not about playing to discover the players' notes.

But most importantly, knows and reminds the participants often that she is the most important person at the table.

I am sad to say that in this day and age of just bonkers opinions floating around the internet, it took me three solid reads to discover the satire.

 

[prabe]

I am sad to say that in this day and age of just bonkers opinions floating around the internet, it took me three solid reads to discover the satire.

Oh dear gawds I hope it was satire.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Always prepared. A good DM comes into each game with enough material to fill a whole session.

This isn't universally true imx. I've had one very good GM who did about 5 mins prep or less for each session. However it does apply to me. I'm not a great improv GM and I need to do hours of prep.

 

[Reynard]

This isn't universally true imx. I've had one very good GM who did about 5 mins prep or less for each session. However it does apply to me. I'm not a great improv GM and I need to do hours of prep.

It is still true, though, whether your session-filling prep is 8 hours of work of 5 minutes of thinking about it in the car on the way over. I think the point was simply: don't come unable to fill the session with game (whatever that means for you).

 

[Panda-s1]

probably the biggest thing for me is addressing the wants of players and what they want to do. within reason, of course (don't @ me), certain things are just flat out impossible or inappropriate, but something like "I want to make a sword" should be met with some sort of criteria to make one, not "no that's not allowed".

Doesn't tell the players what their characters think, do, or say, including when narrating the effect of their actions.

oh god, this is a huge pet peeve of mine, esp. re: mental/social skills.

Pacing
Adjudication
Improvisation
Enthusiasm
Narration
Exposition
Game Design
Interpersonal skills
Leadership

oh right, duh, how could I forget about PAIENEGIL? it's right there in the first edition DMG even.

 

[iserith]

oh god, this is a huge pet peeve of mine, esp. re: mental/social skills.

I was beginning to think it was only me. There's a crazy amount of this happening out there from what I can tell.

 

[Todd Roybark]

Beer.

If a DM brings beer, they are a keeper.

if they bring whisky, never let them go.

 

[Prakriti]

I was beginning to think it was only me. There's a crazy amount of this happening out there from what I can tell.

oh god, this is a huge pet peeve of mine, esp. re: mental/social skills.

Can you give an example of what you're referring to? I want to make sure I'm not doing it.

 

[RobJN]

Because sometimes the players do unexpected things.

... what do you mean "sometimes"?

 

[iserith]

Can you give an example of what you're referring to? I want to make sure I'm not doing it.

Player: During this conversation, I want to observe his mannerisms closely to see if he's telling the truth about his involvement in the king's assassination.
DM: Let's see a Wisdom (Insight) check.
Player: rolls 3.
DM: You think he's telling the truth.

Player: I attack the orc with my sword.
DM: Make an attack roll.
Player: rolls 18.
DM: You bob and weave, trying to find an opening in the orc's defenses, and after he overreaches, you get under his guard and thrust your sword through his hide armor. Roll for damage.

A way to avoid this is for the DM to train himself or herself to stop beginning sentences with "You." Just describe the NPCs/monsters or the environment e.g. "The NPC's mannerisms indicate a lack of honesty, and after he notices you observing him closely, he stops fidgeting and becomes more guarded..." or "The orc cries out in pain at the blow - roll for damage..."

 

[Shiroiken]

You're going to get a billion different answers, since everyone has their own preferred style. I'll throw in my 2 coppers anyway.

• Creates an immersive world, where players can tell that other things are happening besides just the current adventure. Some are hints of future adventures, while others are completely irrelevant to the PCs.
• Creates interesting stories, both as individual adventures and as the campaign overall. These are really good if they incorporate the characters' backgrounds and goals.
• Doesn't pull punches. If a character dies, either due to bad dice rolls or stupidity, they die. This keeps the threat of death and failure constant in the game, rather than feeling like a cakewalk with little consequences.
• Skilled at running on the fly, such that the players have no idea when they've gone off the rails of the adventure, and can nudge them back just as well.

 

[Reynard]

Player: During this conversation, I want to observe his mannerisms closely to see if he's telling the truth about his involvement in the king's assassination.
DM: Let's see a Wisdom (Insight) check.
Player: rolls 3.
DM: You think he's telling the truth.

Player: I attack the orc with my sword.
DM: Make an attack roll.
Player: rolls 18.
DM: You bob and weave, trying to find an opening in the orc's defenses, and after he overreaches, you get under his guard and thrust your sword through his hide armor. Roll for damage.

A way to avoid this is for the DM to train himself or herself to stop beginning sentences with "You." Just describe the NPCs/monsters or the environment e.g. "The NPC's mannerisms indicate a lack of honesty, and after he notices you observing him closely, he stops fidgeting and becomes more guarded..." or "The orc cries out in pain at the blow - roll for damage..."

I totally disagree as both a player and DM. There's nothing worse than pixle bitching play, and a DM trying to get you, the player, to read their mind is the worst kind. If I am DM and I tell you that you think the orc is lying, it's because I want you to be clear about the result of your roll. I'm not taking your agency, I am enabling it by giving you the information you need to act.

Similarly,flourishes of description is both part of the DM's job and part of his fun. Players tell the DM what they want to attempt and then perhaps roll some dice, then the DM tells the player what happens. That's the game.

 

[prabe]

Player: During this conversation, I want to observe his mannerisms closely to see if he's telling the truth about his involvement in the king's assassination.
DM: Let's see a Wisdom (Insight) check.
Player: rolls 3.
DM: You think he's telling the truth.

Player: I attack the orc with my sword.
DM: Make an attack roll.
Player: rolls 18.
DM: You bob and weave, trying to find an opening in the orc's defenses, and after he overreaches, you get under his guard and thrust your sword through his hide armor. Roll for damage.

A way to avoid this is for the DM to train himself or herself to stop beginning sentences with "You." Just describe the NPCs/monsters or the environment e.g. "The NPC's mannerisms indicate a lack of honesty, and after he notices you observing him closely, he stops fidgeting and becomes more guarded..." or "The orc cries out in pain at the blow - roll for damage..."

That's a good description of what you have a problem with. I don't think you'd have a problem with narrating a kill or maybe a crit (I find those are worth narrating, and I find I'm quicker to do it than most players are, YMMV). Social skills are .. notably problematic, especially trying to Detect Honesty.

 

[Prakriti]

Player: I attack the orc with my sword.
DM: Make an attack roll.
Player: rolls 18.
DM: You bob and weave, trying to find an opening in the orc's defenses, and after he overreaches, you get under his guard and thrust your sword through his hide armor. Roll for damage.

This took me by surprise. Is this really something players dislike? What about it is objectionable, exactly?

 

[CleverNickName]

This took me by surprise. Is this really something players dislike? What about it is objectionable, exactly?

Same. I didn't see anything offensive in @iserith 's examples, as a player or as a DM.