What Makes a Great DM?


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Silver Crusade Contributor

DM Under The Bridge wrote:

One trait that comes to mind on what makes a great dm, is a dm that is capable of running things quickly. I've known rules lawyers but who insisted on checking everything, slowing the game down and being indecisive when the rules were not there to hold them in their arms. Great dms can be fast, they also make demands on players that are slow to pick up the pace for all involved. Maybe they are crass "don't fu** around what do you do?" or maybe they are simple insistent or commanding, but either way they push the game onwards towards excitement and don't allow it to be dull, slow and confusing. They can get through the rounds of combat quickly and have purpose and demonstrate real initiative (of at least a +5). They also clearly care about the game and are spending the energy to run a fast moving ship. I like that trait but I don't always see it.

Why do I raise this as a trait of a great dm? Because every single poor dm I've known has had problems here. Being slow to get through combat and rp, barely able to move the story forward, unable to push others to hurry, slow to communicate, liable to leave scenes unfinished before it comes to the players' choice with everyone waiting for the dm to catch up.

Great dms don't stuff about, they are leading the game and quickly moving through what they have to do so that the players have their time to shine. In that sense great dms are also not self indulgent, the game and the players is more important than wasting time or stuffing about.

I try to run this way. Unfortunately, I have one or two players who always have to double-check and question things. They aren't impolite or pushy, but there is a little sense of, "You're not doing it right". Just a little. :/

I personally prefer a more fluid approach... more fluffy, "It seems like it should resolve along these lines" type of rulings. I'm blanking on examples...


As long as they don't overstep or slow down the game.


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I've heard tell that great DMs are forged in the Icosahedrium of Gygax, deep beneath the mad Mountains of Arneson, by a nibelung whose flesh is made of tattered graph paper and whose blood is Mountain Dew. He wields a hammer called Kritischerpatzen, pounding ingots made of cruelty and inspiration into eldritch, distended shapes. He quenches the still-glowing DMs in the Woefont that bubbles ever forth with the tears of TPKs. With a single whispered Monty Python reference—unique to every newly forged great DM—the fell smith breathes life into them. Once every Plutonic fortnight, one of these great DMs lurches forth from beneath the earth, sometimes rising from Lake Avernus in Italy, sometimes emerging from a back room in a gaming store that no one had noticed before. If you meet one such, beware, but also have a good time.


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Woefont, awesome :)


Make magic feel like magic.

A great DM I used to play with would never let us forget about the little things. If we cast a spell, we never just cast a spell. He always focused on the intricate little details of the spell. Like the way wind rippled through your hair, or the little hand gestures and rituals required to produce every single instance of magic missile.

Another great attribute of that DM, he was always enthusiastic about player contributions.

If anyone came up with something he wasn't expecting, the first thing he'd do is congratulate us for it. Tell us what a great idea it is. And then he'd try and make it work. He was never attached to his own expectations. In fact, sometimes, I don't think he even had any expectations. He seemed to see each game as a series of problems that he'd throw at us, without any idea how we'd get around them.


ngc7293 wrote:

Know your strong points and use them effectively.

Our GM's other hobby is as a puppeteer. He has a bunch of them. He has used one as a halfling thief in one encounter and two others as ghosts for our Oracle for one of her curses.

It has brought some laughs to the game table.

That is amazing.

I want to go to there.

Sovereign Court

Shiftybob wrote:

Make magic feel like magic.

A great DM I used to play with would never let us forget about the little things. If we cast a spell, we never just cast a spell. He always focused on the intricate little details of the spell. Like the way wind rippled through your hair, or the little hand gestures and rituals required to produce every single instance of magic missile.

Another great attribute of that DM, he was always enthusiastic about player contributions.

If anyone came up with something he wasn't expecting, the first thing he'd do is congratulate us for it. Tell us what a great idea it is. And then he'd try and make it work. He was never attached to his own expectations. In fact, sometimes, I don't think he even had any expectations. He seemed to see each game as a series of problems that he'd throw at us, without any idea how we'd get around them.

Sometimes describing the intricacies of a fireball gets tiresome, after the sorcerer casts it 5th time in a single fight.


Hama wrote:
Shiftybob wrote:

Make magic feel like magic.

A great DM I used to play with would never let us forget about the little things. If we cast a spell, we never just cast a spell. He always focused on the intricate little details of the spell. Like the way wind rippled through your hair, or the little hand gestures and rituals required to produce every single instance of magic missile.

Another great attribute of that DM, he was always enthusiastic about player contributions.

If anyone came up with something he wasn't expecting, the first thing he'd do is congratulate us for it. Tell us what a great idea it is. And then he'd try and make it work. He was never attached to his own expectations. In fact, sometimes, I don't think he even had any expectations. He seemed to see each game as a series of problems that he'd throw at us, without any idea how we'd get around them.

Sometimes describing the intricacies of a fireball gets tiresome, after the sorcerer casts it 5th time in a single fight.

In which case you switch to describing things when you use it in an unusual situation or achieve unusual results.


I've lost track of the number of times my group has both surprised me with their inventiveness (that sometimes requires a recalibration of the obstacles) and their ineptitude (which requires a deus ex machina approach to help them along).

For my enjoyment, I want them to reach the end and be enthralled throughout. And I have learned to constantly adapt to penalise them and reward them to maintain their motivation. If they come to each session eager and expectant that that if when I know I'm doing a good job.

I roll almost everything in the open but I counteract the capriciousness of the die by rewarding any inventiveness of their part with house rulings.

And when it comes to their attacks I let them them describe the effects, based on the roll. I find when they're motivated, and given the space, they become much more involved in the scenario.

If nature abhors a vacuum, the players will fill it.


If they are inept, you can just let them die. Make it a little bit hilarious though, perhaps an odd monster finishes them off in an unusual way or the villain seems genuinely surprised they are so inept, and disposes of them while hoping they would have been more of a challenge. If they rely on always being saved, they are going to have a less thrilling and more safe time, but it can also sap enthusiasm and drive to win. Pesky lazy humans.

Agree on the vacuum, and I've got a great group that push the game in new directions. I've heard some unfortunate tales of parties too cautious and craven to do much to help an adventure along. A good dm shuts that down pretty quick (sometimes you use a carrot, sometimes you poke them with a stick).


DM Under The Bridge wrote:

If they are inept, you can just let them die. Make it a little bit hilarious though, perhaps an odd monster finishes them off in an unusual way or the villain seems genuinely surprised they are so inept, and disposes of them while hoping they would have been more of a challenge. If they rely on always being saved, they are going to have a less thrilling and more safe time, but it can also sap enthusiasm and drive to win. Pesky lazy humans.

Agree on the vacuum, and I've got a great group that push the game in new directions. I've heard some unfortunate tales of parties too cautious and craven to do much to help an adventure along. A good dm shuts that down pretty quick (sometimes you use a carrot, sometimes you poke them with a stick).

I love the combination of "if they are inept, just let them die" and "unfortunate tales of parties too cautious and craven to do much to help an adventure along".

I generally find the "too cautious and craven" groups to be a direct response to the "just let them die" approach.


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Inept and cautious are not synonyms.

If they really suck, or they get atrociously unlucky and are unprepared and not thinking tactically, then yeah, you can save them, maybe you do that five or ten times. Or maybe you don't. A new party comes in and everyone knows the game has real danger and to think and coordinate, or die. Kid gloves or no kid gloves. Mercy or no mercy (I prefer a touch of mercy but a merciless world that really poses challenges and has dangers).

As for the overly cautious and craven groups, I was referring to a non-killer gm and a group just too timid to hunt the monster intimidating the region (maybe it was so alpha it scared them). Dm came to me wondering what to do, so I suggested sharpen the pointy stick of encouragement. If it isn't sought out and defeated then people suffer, then the players, then they die. They can be heroic and rise to the occasion or they can be killed like sheep. ;)

If they make a baaaad choice, on their heads be it.


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This goes back to earlier messages about feeling what the group wants. I'd rather they got through the AP and had a good time than imposed the way *I* feel they should play on them.


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barry lyndon wrote:
This goes back to earlier messages about feeling what the group wants. I'd rather they got through the AP and had a good time than imposed the way *I* feel they should play on them.

No! Crush their spirits!

If you don't force them to experience your vision in exacting detail, just as you wrote it, how will they appreciate its perfection?

You common folk and your "fun".

Spoiler:
In all seriousness, I agree. I'm running Carrion Crown with an Urgathoan PC, and it's gone great. :)


GM Tyrant Princess wrote:
barry lyndon wrote:
This goes back to earlier messages about feeling what the group wants. I'd rather they got through the AP and had a good time than imposed the way *I* feel they should play on them.

No! Crush their spirits!

If you don't force them to experience your vision in exacting detail, just as you wrote it, how will they appreciate its perfection?

You common folk and your "fun".

** spoiler omitted **

Ha! I am too paranoid they wouldn't return! I guess really capricious DMs luck in to getting a group of masochists:)


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I like when players try crazy things. Even in failure, I try to reward their efforts with a great description of the failure. For example, when some PC's tried to scare away a baby dragon with burning pieces of wood, I had the dragon stop, raise himself up on his hind legs, look curiously at them, and let out a loud, roaring laugh. Then proceed to teach the PC's a lesson in fighting dragons.

So a great DM lets the PC's do whatever they want, but makes entertaining consequences if they want to do something silly.

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Pathfinder Accessories, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
DM Under The Bridge wrote:
Inept and cautious are not synonyms.

But letting inept characters die can lead to cautious characters.


TriOmegaZero wrote:
DM Under The Bridge wrote:
Inept and cautious are not synonyms.
But letting inept characters die can lead to cautious characters.

In both a good way and a bad way.

If you're wondering why your players don't take enough risks, it might be because they die too often when they do. If they don't ever die when they do of course, they might start taking silly risks.


So it has been argued. My problem is when they have not been punished for recklessness and they show so little élan.

The monster isn't going to lance itself.

How can a fine dm help here? Well through description and encouragement they can direct the characters to form the ideal response. If the monster or path ahead requires caution, it can be hinted at. If now is the time to charge, build a scenic description where now is clearly the time to fight. An older and very experienced dm taught this to me.

Now if they run when they should have charged, go with it and let them direct their characters, they have their power. However, that doesn't mean the enemies let them leave or live.


barry lyndon wrote:
GM Tyrant Princess wrote:
barry lyndon wrote:
This goes back to earlier messages about feeling what the group wants. I'd rather they got through the AP and had a good time than imposed the way *I* feel they should play on them.

No! Crush their spirits!

If you don't force them to experience your vision in exacting detail, just as you wrote it, how will they appreciate its perfection?

You common folk and your "fun".

** spoiler omitted **

Ha! I am too paranoid they wouldn't return! I guess really capricious DMs luck in to getting a group of masochists:)

I have very fond memories of a masochist player. When in play, a common warcry was "let's all die together!" How this worried the others. :D


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I have been GM'ing for 25 years now, and a favorite little tactic of mine is to hand out an actual shiny now and again. If the party just found their fist magic ring, I have a prop and I actually give it to the player who ends up with the item. Every time I have done this it both makes the player appreciate the magic item more, and they also tend to get a bit more covetous of magic items, and less likely to try for magic item Wal-Mart, which I simply will not do not matter what. Because the rest of the table wants to have an interesting trinket of their own the players also start to investigate more, ask more questions, and general seem more immersed. A little glittery goodness goes a long way.


The running favorite is a very smooth oval fist sized white calcite rock known as "rover the dog rock." Not only is it a tribute to the amazing Futurama episode Jurassic bark, but players have come to love it above all other prop magic items. Stat wise its just a better version of the old 2nd ed. pet rock magic item. But because of the story I attached to the item, and that its an intelligent magic rock that still acts like a dog, it is the most coveted shiny in the chest for almost all of my players.


The short version of the tale is rover started as a wizards familiar who happened to be a dog. Wizard went into a bar for a quick drink, and never came out. Rover waited by the door for him for days, then weeks,and then even months and years, and the kindly bar keep feed and watered the dog, and each day came out to pet him while he waited for his masters return. However master never came back, and eventually after years of waiting by the tavern, the dog eventually died, and shed his final tears for his long lost master, which fell on a smooth white cobble. The barkeep buried the dog, but the familiar dogs soul came to inhabit the stone (cause magic, that's why.) Then finally one day a year or so after the familiar dog (rover) had passed, a nasty bugger entered the bar and attempted to kill the barkeep when his heist went south. He was found with a head wound that looked like it was caused by a sling bullet, but no one had a sling or was even in the place besides the barkeep and the nasty bugger. However, there was one missing cobble out front of the bar, a white one. And from that day on, so was born rover the dog rock.


I find when magic items have a story, and a real meaning behind them, players tend to appreciate them much more, and are much less likely to just replaces +2 with +3 and +3 with +3 and flaming burst, etc. I also encourage my players to name their magic items, have a special description of the item, and often reference what amazing deeds they accomplished with said magical item.


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Nobody expects a Great DM! Our chief weapon is surprise... surprise and fear... fear and surprise... our two weapons are fear and surprise... and ruthless refusal to give toilet breaks ... Our three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless refusal to give toilet breaks ... and an almost fanatical devotion to to Pathfinder Core Rules... Our four... no... amongst our weapons.... amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.


With regard to the inept and cautious conversation:

I think that you let them see the consequences of their choices, but you also explain why a choice has lead to a certain outcome. <--Players don't always see things the way the GM does especially if they are not as good at the game.

Now sometimes the players will never correct their actions. Maybe they just are not good at the game, maybe they still just expect to be successful not matter what they do etc etc.

At the point where nothing is changing, and if it appears that people are not as happy as they could be it might be time to sit down and talk because what makes a great GM for one group may not make a great GM for another group.


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Aranna's top three rules of good game mastery would be a good place to start.

1- Know the Rules: a game master who is solidly versed in the rules is an asset to be admired. BUT the best game masters know that they can never know everything. Keep learning and keep your ego in check, if a player knows more about a rule than you do learn from him rather than shutting him down. BUT don't rest on his interpretation either. Go curl up on the sofa after the game and read up on the rules you weren't familiar with and learn them for yourself.

2- Know your Players: This seems silly but most problems in a game come from differing expectations during that game. Getting to know your players and what they want even if they don't know themselves is the hallmark of a amazing GM capable of tailoring the game experience to exactly what will make her players have fun. Just don't forget to have fun yourself as well or you will burn out and no one will be gaming. One thing however that I have found that seems to be universal in what players want is structure. A GM who is fair, consistent, and rock solid in their role as game master. Nothing alienates players faster than a door mat GM or a wishy washy one.

3- Know your Story: Yes this IS one of the big three. To have an immersive game you need to know a lot of things about the story. First you need to know what your villain plans are, what they are capable of doing or equally important what they are willing to do to achieve their goals. You need to understand how they will react when they face opposition. You need also to understand who the player characters are what motivates these fictional people to be the opposition and by all means make them PART OF THE STORY. Many GMs forget to make the PCs part of the story, and end up with story time where the game moves forward along predetermined lines with the PCs as bystanders or flunkies. Now I don't mean kidnap their family in every or even ANY story arc. What I mean is make them PART of the community (depending on backgrounds) have the baker wave to Vanessa Swiftblade as she passes by and inquire about her mother. Or have the barkeep buy Garret Darkmagic a drink on the house for handling that rogue necromancer last month. Make the NPCs they meet into living breathing interactable people, NOT just scripted quest givers or background extras.


Aranna wrote:

Aranna's top three rules of good game mastery would be a good place to start.

Snip.

This is great!


Good game mastery and being a great dm are not quite the same thing. I would argue they are quite different with one being competence and the other pushing towards excellence.

Other things being missed are making the npcs come alive and feel real & interact well with the players. Accent, mannerisms, personality and motivations. Don't forget these. Don't miss really challenging your players and don't neglect to put them under the pressure, challenging them in such a way that they will remember it for years to come. Doesn't matter if it is a tough dungeon, a multi-staged boss fight or fighting the Vietcong at night in a minefield, making the game tough and rewarding are essential to create a memorable and enduring experience (my players across the many years and the players I have seen in other games get bored if fights aren't lively and there isn't a challenge). This challenge of course relates to novely, be novel, do something different each game and don't let them become stale. This goes further than simply saying, "okay this game we will try some of the new classes/archetypes". Bring your A game and make each campaign you run unique.


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Well rule 4 and 5 are more advanced:

4- Know the Balance: It is one thing to simply run a game it is quite another to keep your players on the edge of their seats. When you know how to balance encounters and challenges to your players you can tailor the pace of the game to provide that nail biting challenge at just the right time. This is a complex skill to learn, it isn't JUST CR ratings it is knowing just how much your team can handle before becoming just another TPK. One thing to remember however is NOT to keep the pressure dialed all the way up or your players may burn out. Pace the game with less challenging encounters and dial it up when you want an epic battle.

5- Know your Creative Side: Once you have mastered the previous four it is time to play with more creative things. Designing new items, adjusting house rules for your players, building your own adventures/campaigns/settings. This is the fun and rewarding BUT keep in mind both balance and how your stuff will interact with the existing rules. This is often the funnest stuff for GMs, but it is super easy to misjudge the effect your new toy or rule will have on the game, making this the most dangerous one for killing the game's enjoyment. DON'T be affraid to roll back changes that were poorly thought out, in the long run your players will thank you.

DM under the bridge personality and motivations are a big part of what I was talking about with making NPCs come alive. Accent and mannerisms aren't as necessary but CAN make interacting with those NPC memorable if the GM is skilled at it.


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Aranna wrote:

Well rule 4 and 5 are more advanced:

4- Know the Balance: It is one thing to simply run a game it is quite another to keep your players on the edge of their seats. When you know how to balance encounters and challenges to your players you can tailor the pace of the game to provide that nail biting challenge at just the right time. This is a complex skill to learn, it isn't JUST CR ratings it is knowing just how much your team can handle before becoming just another TPK. One thing to remember however is NOT to keep the pressure dialed all the way up or your players may burn out. Pace the game with less challenging encounters and dial it up when you want an epic battle.

It's also knowing how much challenge your players want. Some really are there for the tactical challenge and come alive for the toughest fights and get bored with anything less. Some like a looser hand.

I personally like enough leeway that I don't have to go overboard on optimizing my character and can build for flavor not just for power. More importantly for this, I also like to be able to roleplay the occasional stupid choice in combat, even important combats, without bringing about a TPK. Maybe he's impulsive or overconfident. Maybe he's got a sense of honor that gets him in trouble.
If I have to focus on playing my tactical best to survive or win, I'm not roleplaying the character.


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Generic DM's rules for Good Game Mastery

1 - when you make up a rule, be convincing, use words like Brobdingnagian, and Lugubrious, remember if they don't know what you are talking about they are more likely to agree with you

2 - Never let the players see you cry

3 - Sure, the story went off the rails three sessions ago, but you don't have to tell them that


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Generic Dungeon Master wrote:


3 - Sure, the story went off the rails three sessions ago, but you don't have to tell them that

The story never goes off the rails. This is what I'd planned all along.

<the camera pans back to reveal workers frantically moving rails into the next valley>


And following that high pressure system, a railstorm is set to engulf the next valley.


thejeff wrote:
Aranna wrote:

Well rule 4 and 5 are more advanced:

4- Know the Balance: It is one thing to simply run a game it is quite another to keep your players on the edge of their seats. When you know how to balance encounters and challenges to your players you can tailor the pace of the game to provide that nail biting challenge at just the right time. This is a complex skill to learn, it isn't JUST CR ratings it is knowing just how much your team can handle before becoming just another TPK. One thing to remember however is NOT to keep the pressure dialed all the way up or your players may burn out. Pace the game with less challenging encounters and dial it up when you want an epic battle.

It's also knowing how much challenge your players want. Some really are there for the tactical challenge and come alive for the toughest fights and get bored with anything less. Some like a looser hand.

I personally like enough leeway that I don't have to go overboard on optimizing my character and can build for flavor not just for power. More importantly for this, I also like to be able to roleplay the occasional stupid choice in combat, even important combats, without bringing about a TPK. Maybe he's impulsive or overconfident. Maybe he's got a sense of honor that gets him in trouble.
If I have to focus on playing my tactical best to survive or win, I'm not roleplaying the character.

I don't disagree at all. That is all part of Rule 2 Know your Players.

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