First a love and understanding of the setting, so that wandering down its streets and talking with its inhabitants feels genuine and interesting.
Second a love of language and storytelling, so that the game feels both lavish in its description yet sweeping in its pacing.
Third and above all, a focus and interest in the CHARACTERS. Any GM can abuse his position to tell some story he came up with and make everyone else ride along. A great GM is one who sifts the pasts of his characters for story elements, and who invites them to pursue their personal agendas toward the ends they want to accomplish. Without this, it does not really matter what kind of character a player creates or whether he puts any effort into it at all. With this character centered focus, the great GM will find his players handing him tomes about each character, full of lavish histories--and suddenly finds he has to prepare less than he thought because his players are providing him with story and setting.
A great DM... Hmmm...
To qualify to be a GREAT DM, IMO, first and foremost is patience with your players. Then a lot of preparedness and improvizational skills if that fails. Also, is the ability to wrap the campaign around the players and make them feel like they are really a part of it and their actions in it effect that game world.
A few other qualities that really differentiate a great DM from the rest is the ability to stay neutral, the ability to really listen to your players and welcome their ideas or at least show your appreciation for their enthusiasm even if their ideas or suggestions aren't used; the ability to admit mistakes and rectify them without copping an attitude or getting stubborn about it.
There's lots of others, I'm sure, but those are qualities that the best of DMs have and lesser DMs should aspire to.
I love a DM who can adapt seamlessly to a player's whim. Force feeding a narrative can often corrupt any suspension of disbelief.
Not that a fanny push in the right direction is anything but helpful... I just can't help remembering the good times had with a DM who, though he would go to great lengths to populate his towns and dungeons for a coming campaign, would veer away to something completely different if the players wanted it. On the spot. Without any signs of disappointment or expectance of apology. Sure, such capriciousness led to noodling rather than hard core questing, but considering that time and the characters we were playing, that was probably for the best.
Edit: or should I just say ditto to d13's response. Missed it the first time 'round.
Director of Sales
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(Of course, I started this thread so I could put my own two cents in...)
One of the most important GM qualities that I love, as a player, is the propensity to REWARD a player's good ideas, rather than PUNISHING a player's bad ideas.
This is the key to achieving the goals set up on the previous posts. It's the best way to roll with PC's ideas, the best way to focus on and take interest in the players' characters and to seamlessly adapt to players' whims.
I love those situations where you get something like a PC who tries tying Alchemist's Fire to the end of an arrow and firing it into the window of the Thieve's Guild. (this, by the way, is just a ferinstance...) It'd be pretty easy for a DM to say "You can't do that" out right and just move on (probably hoping the PC's will find the requisite secret door and ensuing encounters). I love a DM who'll say something like, "OK, you've got X as a penalty, but go a ahead and roll it..."
The point: DM's should NEVER punish PC's. Just don't encourage those decisions you don't want... and REWARD original thought.
This is the byword I always remember when I'm running a game.
... I'm just sayin'.
A great DM is a perverse sadist charged with providing hope to characters, fanning the small sparks of their imaginary dreams into glorious beakons beckoning on the horizon only to throw an army of orcs in their path. He gives them friends, family, loved ones and supporters, good people who genuinely care for the characters only to have them used as pawns, abused by meglomaniacs, or turn out to be traitous monsters themselves. A good DM hurts his PCs. He cuts them, causes them to plunge into spike-lined pits, fall for illusions, catch horrible plagues, dupes them into forwarding evil causes. He lies to them, cheats them and steals their money. He fireballs them, hits them with axes, starves them, freezes them, decapitates them and dehydrates them, all the while holding on to their little beacon of hope and letting them see it from time to time (through a tinted wall of force).
And players? Players comeback for more.
::flash of lightning and a thunderclap::
Hehehehehe,
GGG
GGG--are you feverish or something???? You're speaking truth again, the truth that none of us dare to utter!!
All kidding aside--being a great DM is such a fine artform....in our gaming group we have the best DM ever!!
Unfortunately, he's three people, only one of which is actually the DM at a time. We have a superb storyteller who sucks at game mechanics. We have a great story pacer, who is good at game mechanics but enjoys TPKs a little too much...and finally me...a decent story teller and a half-way decent rules technician who isn't nearly patient enough with his players.
GGG--are you feverish or something???? You're speaking truth again, the truth that none of us dare to utter!!
F2K, you know me, I like to get it out there - the truth that is - in a way that is both compelling, unexpected, and dangerous with hidden meaning. No need to wait or worry gaMeMasters -this is who we are.
GGG
That's why you're the GGG....now as long as you don't start talking about yourself in the third person, everything will be fine ;)
My favorite DMs are those who keep me on the edge of my seat, let me roll with my zany ideas, aren't afraid to toss their adventure out the window when the players do something unexpected, but most of all, DMs who listen to their players.
GGG--are you feverish or something???? You're speaking truth again, the truth that none of us dare to utter!!F2K, you know me, I like to get it out there - the truth that is - in a way that is both compelling, unexpected, and dangerous with hidden meaning. No need to wait or worry gaMeMasters -this is who we are.
GGG
Its all clear now. The truth. This is who we are.
the Great Green God is truly divine and wise.P>S> If I send money could I be an ordained minister or dark acolyte.., or whatever?
The greatest Dms I know are all great story tellers. They are also good at involving players, whether using character background, descriptions or thier own assumtions of the DMs setting. The greatest Dms inspire players to be better players and add thier own spin to the story. the great Dms are also good teachers of te game, from role playing to the rules and game table etiquette
The greatest Dms I know are quick thinkers, able "role with the roll of the dice." The greatest Dms can build and release tension with the roll of the die. A good Dm is not afraid to let his boss npcs die in the second round because of two consecutive full power attack critical hits (stuff like this is how heroes are forged). The greatest Dms are also not afraid to let a PC die because of bad luck.
The greatest Dms evoke gasps, shouts, laughs, excitement, frustration, elation, loss and triumph from the players. The greatest Dms can make players forget that it is three am and the game has been going on for 6 hours.
The greatest Dms I know always leave the game table with players wanting more, talking about the game as they walk out the door.
Dming is a difficult task in practice on the game table. Talk about multi tasking. Those who do it well are uncommon, and earn my respect. Those who are great DMs are rare indeed, and all the ones I know of are exceptional people.
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Its all clear now. The truth. This is who we are. the Great Green God is truly divine and wise.
P>S> If I send money could I be an ordained minister or dark acolyte.., or whatever?
As far as the "great DM" thing goes, what could I say that hasn't already been said?
On the GGG thing, Sir Kaikillah, let me know if the whole "Dark Acolyte of the GGG" thing works. I may want to give it a try.
I'll just copy and paste my response posted on a different thread here:
The structure of the game of D&D (and most tabletop RPGs) necessitates the designation of a DM (or GM) to perform many critical game functions as outlined in the core textbooks. The duities of that designation are open to interpretation in a multiplicity of ways, otherwise known generally as the "style" of the DM. How a DM perceives his or her role in the game is often the driving force behind how the individual group game is experienced by the community of players at the tabletop. In short, a DM's ego often times presides as the chief impitus for how the game is played *for* the community. This kind of mentality suggests individual ownership of a great many things within the game: establising and enforcing rules; creating settings and encounters; and mediating game play among the players - this is otherwise known as project management.
Like those other governing bodies in our lives, there is a spectrum of objective qualities that foster either enhanced community experiences or marginal ones.
A DM is: A mediator and moderator. A good DM takes the interests of the community into account for all aspects of the game to the end goal of every single person at the table having fun. The group as a whole makes general decisions regarding the major facets of the game system and the DM will try to the best of his/her ability to run the game based on the input of the community. A DM that is unwilling to make concessions, acknowledge group changes in play, accomodate every member of the group to the best of his/her ability IS NOT DMing FOR THE PCs...they are DMing for themselves.
A DM is not: a Dictator. While many campaigns and sessions are run by dictitorial DMs, do not confuse this style of play with the style of play based in a truely community setting. If your DM displays dictatorial tendencies, he/she is possibly suggesting any number of these qualities about him/herself: selfishess, narrow-mindedness, laziness, incompetence, ignorance, or any number of a multitude of community detrimental qualities. Much like a poor boss or a bad teacher, glaring deficiencies in management character can detract from working with or learning from an exceptional boss or teacher.
As ever,
ACE
You all have hit it right on the head, that which we all as DMs should try and be in each and every game. The only thing I would like to throw my vocal support in for some more is the knowledge and passion for the world. For me, it is paramount that the DM can describe the world, its people, its history and geography and architecture in a way that I can understand and don't find myself ten minutes later going, "What is this place again?" Not ten minutes later, and not even three sessions later.
He must make every merchant, every commoner, guard, and so on, talk and be believeable in their actions. If they aren't, my curiosity will be piqued and I will want a reason why this person is acting odd. I don't want, "You go to the market, sell the sword, and get X thousand gold for it." I want to meet the merchant, talk to him, find out what this sword can do- I want to SEE it.
I want the DM to understand my character and thrive with enthusiasm over it that inspires me to write novels on him, which I can and enjoy doing. I want to feel important to the world around me, an feel that I have the room to grow and develop.
There's more, but that's the major part of what I think makes a great DM.
Nice thread. I'm always looking for improvement ideas since the players rarely give any negative feedback. Don't get me wrong (I'm not thinking I can't improve!)...they're thinking of ways to improve my efforts, but are too polite to voice them ;) While positive feedback is always appreciated, it's the objective or negative comments that initiate the most improvement!
A DM is prepared, patient, creative, empathetic (reading your players), and energetic. The ultimate multi-tasker! Quick thinking and the ability to provide variety are desireable.
Personally I know I've been neglecting individual character development within the campaign. That's probably because when I play a character myself, I take it upon myself so I expect my players to do the same. Some personal interest from the DM in their character should be just the boost that player needs to take some interest in their character development themselves.
DM'ing is rewarding, but you've got to work at it sometimes.
J-
Its all clear now. The truth. This is who we are.
the Great Green God is truly divine and wise.P>S> If I send money could I be an ordained minister or dark acolyte.., or whatever?
Sounds like a prestige class :P
Jack
Things that make a great DM:
Prepared. Flexibility. Sense of humor. Intelligence. Imagination. Charater driven story. Consistency in rulings (doesn't have to be by the book but needs to be reliable). Fairness. Can make decisions (without dice). A sense of timing. A sense of mystery. Verbally adept. Mentally adept. Knows the players. Knows the game world. Knows the rules. Shares ownership of the game with the players. I think most important of all: Has a great group of players. One feeds the other.
Real simple........
you gotta love it!!!
If you dont have love for the game then its down hill real fast.
Silky makes some great points that I was just thinking about and wanted to add to this thread
Since we are discussing what makes a great DM and not just a good one I would add a great DM knows the rules, very well. A great Dm knows the lingo and is a great orator as well.
Another quality of a great DM is leadership. The DM is first and formost the leader of the gaming group during the session. I attend a weekly work meeting that is run less effectivly than many gaming sessions.
P>S> the Great Green God..,, worship him..., worship him..,
the master.., oh master,, wordhip him.., worship him!!!
You've all hit the right buttons, but there's something else, too...
A great DM transcends the rules. He knows them so well that they no longer drive the game. He doesn't need to look up rules, or listen to arguments over them. He also knows when to ignore them, and when to emphasize them. And he is willing to ditch, change, or modify them for the sake of the game.
Because it's all about fun. We're not getting graded on how closely we cleave to the rulebook. And if a rule gets in the way of the fun, ditch the damned rule.
Telas
The art of being a great DM resides in the ability to pour life into the scene. This is much more than just preparation, storytelling or even off-the-cuff improv.
A great DM inspires the player’s minds to awaken into the world in which the story, adventure or campaign is set. The adventurers therein, become alive, and not just for the player administering them; but for all persons on the table.
Gaming is a social activity, and it is simultaneously one of the most challenging and rewarding. Simply, if a good administrator (or DM) is able to craft a vessel through which all players can pour their vast pools of imagination, then the reality of the session is absolute. This reality, and sense of living, is what all of our imaginations are seeking.
So therein, if a DM can inspire us all together (without constriction – albeit a little channelling) to live the world in our minds through the characters, then he truly is, a great DM.