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What Makes a Good DM?
- Thread starter wrecan
- Start date
Doug McCrae
Legend
Another skill area you might consider is the social side - interaction with the players. Player groups often don't all want the same thing, so how about the ability to understand what individual players want and provide it? This will almost certainly involve a large degree of compromise. Then there's resolving disputes between players and other managerial/leadership stuff such as communication and consistency.
Some may regard another social skill - manipulation - as the highest pinnacle of the GM's art. Getting the players to do exactly what the GM wants while thinking it was their idea all along. Railroading without it feeling like a railroad. This isn't my kind of thing at all, but I can't deny it's a real skill.
Some may regard another social skill - manipulation - as the highest pinnacle of the GM's art. Getting the players to do exactly what the GM wants while thinking it was their idea all along. Railroading without it feeling like a railroad. This isn't my kind of thing at all, but I can't deny it's a real skill.
Doug McCrae
Legend
Actor and Writer are by far the most important to me, as a player.
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Fairness, flexibility, and freedom.
Grogg of the North
Adventurer
A good DM is any DM that ensures everyone at the table, including him/herself, is having fun.
DMKastmaria
First Post
Here's my own list of what makes a good DM. It doesn't really address the discrete skills, though.
1. Confidence: Throw away your fear and embarrassment. Commit to what you're doing. Decide to believe in yourself and your creative abilities.
2. Communication: Being frank, forthcoming and honest with yourself and your players.
3. Respect: For oneself, the players and the Campaign. For what everyone at the table is trying to accomplish.
4. Generosity: Of spirit. The DM is a Host and welcomes his players into his milieu. His goal is to entertain them and help the participants reach that group synergy of intellect, imagination and emotion which creates that exceedingly fine, magical experience, that is D&D at its best.
5. Evenhandedness: When running the milieu, the DM must be the neutral, impartial Referee. The Judge.
6. Partisanship: The DM is ultimately on the side of the players. He wants them to succeed and will root for them, every step of the way (though not necessarily, in an open manner.) He'll give them what they need to have a fair chance.
7. Awareness of Bias: Unless he makes a random determination about EVERY FREAKIN' THING, he can't be 100% Evenhanded.
It's impossible to escape bias completely. Inasmuch as possible, any bias must be in favor of the Campaign itself.
There are times when flat out giving the PC's what they want (or having the gods do so) is the right thing to do!
Or, in the words of the immortal Jeff Rients, "Give the players the Sun and make them fight for the Moon."
8. A Sense of Humor: Because no one is perfect. The DM needs a sense of humor about himself, his players and his campaign.
9. Selflessness: It not about the DM telling his fanfic. It's about the Players creating their story!
The DM creates the campaign for the Players. The way forward, is to then Give It Away! As someone else (don't remember who) once put it:
"Here's the Milieu. Now, go and Destroy It!"
10. Verve: Verve, baby!!! The DM has to let it all hang out! If he can do this, he can be even more creative while running the game, than he is when prepping for it!
11. Love: It's at the heart of all Creativity and social interaction. If you don't love what you're doing, or are unwilling to make a human connection with the other people sitting at your table, you're never going to excel at DMing.
12. Education: Always being willing to learn and hone your craft.
1. Confidence: Throw away your fear and embarrassment. Commit to what you're doing. Decide to believe in yourself and your creative abilities.
2. Communication: Being frank, forthcoming and honest with yourself and your players.
3. Respect: For oneself, the players and the Campaign. For what everyone at the table is trying to accomplish.
4. Generosity: Of spirit. The DM is a Host and welcomes his players into his milieu. His goal is to entertain them and help the participants reach that group synergy of intellect, imagination and emotion which creates that exceedingly fine, magical experience, that is D&D at its best.
5. Evenhandedness: When running the milieu, the DM must be the neutral, impartial Referee. The Judge.
6. Partisanship: The DM is ultimately on the side of the players. He wants them to succeed and will root for them, every step of the way (though not necessarily, in an open manner.) He'll give them what they need to have a fair chance.
7. Awareness of Bias: Unless he makes a random determination about EVERY FREAKIN' THING, he can't be 100% Evenhanded.
It's impossible to escape bias completely. Inasmuch as possible, any bias must be in favor of the Campaign itself.
There are times when flat out giving the PC's what they want (or having the gods do so) is the right thing to do!
Or, in the words of the immortal Jeff Rients, "Give the players the Sun and make them fight for the Moon."
8. A Sense of Humor: Because no one is perfect. The DM needs a sense of humor about himself, his players and his campaign.
9. Selflessness: It not about the DM telling his fanfic. It's about the Players creating their story!
The DM creates the campaign for the Players. The way forward, is to then Give It Away! As someone else (don't remember who) once put it:
"Here's the Milieu. Now, go and Destroy It!"
10. Verve: Verve, baby!!! The DM has to let it all hang out! If he can do this, he can be even more creative while running the game, than he is when prepping for it!
11. Love: It's at the heart of all Creativity and social interaction. If you don't love what you're doing, or are unwilling to make a human connection with the other people sitting at your table, you're never going to excel at DMing.
12. Education: Always being willing to learn and hone your craft.
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Tallifer
Hero
One mark of a good dungeon master is one who pulls players into his world but also allows them to help define the world. All the good dungeon masters I have experienced or witnessed, they worked with and not always against the players' conceits, crazy notions and ambitious if foolish plans.
Quickleaf
Legend
I disagree, and think it's a blind spot in your poll. The comments made by [MENTION=21169]Doug McCrae[/MENTION] and [MENTION=6678082]DMKastmaria[/MENTION] also pertain to this blind spot. Call it group management, therapist, listener, manipulator, emotional intelligence, whatever, but it's a critical skill that I've seen DMs who are shrewd rules judges, fiendishly challenging puzzle masters, and clever field marshals completely lacking.
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