iserith
Magic Wordsmith
I was beginning to think it was only me. There's a crazy amount of this happening out there from what I can tell.
D&D General What makes a good DM good?
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
Hero
Beer.
If a DM brings beer, they are a keeper.
if they bring whisky, never let them go.
If a DM brings beer, they are a keeper.
if they bring whisky, never let them go.
Prakriti
Hi, I'm a Mindflayer, but don't let that worry you
Can you give an example of what you're referring to? I want to make sure I'm not doing it.
RobJN
Adventurer
... what do you mean "sometimes"?
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
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..."
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.
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.
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
Hi, I'm a Mindflayer, but don't let that worry you
This took me by surprise. Is this really something players dislike? What about it is objectionable, exactly?
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing
Same. I didn't see anything offensive in @iserith 's examples, as a player or as a DM.
