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Kilvan
Senior Scribe
Canada
896 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Dec 2011 : 16:07:03
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Hello fellow scribes
I just spent 20 minutes writing down my flaws as a DM at http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15942. Heck, I still think being a DM is a tough job, and maybe unappreciated. I know many people who would like to play DnD, but they have no DM available (or no good ones). I spend about as much time WRITING the darn quest than actually playing it. So, dear fellow Dms, it is Holiday season, and you deserve a pat in that back. What are your strength as a DM, that makes people play with you? Don't be humble, you deserve the praise!
I think I'm really good at giving the illusion of choice. My quests do not feel streamlined, but I know my players, and they will never go through the obvious way if the ranger spotted a rear entrance. They don't know it, but I got them by the balls! I present really open situations, but 95% of the time, they go straight for the one I expected them to take (the one with the REAL challenge).
I tell good stories, with shocking WTF moments that really get them off-guard. They want to succeed because they really want to know what's gonna happen next. My characters are interesting, not obvious, and I think I can create NPCs that the players care about (or really hate, which is even better).
I have become a master in balancing encounters. I feel like it is probably one of the most difficult thing to do for a new DM, and it only gets worse with high levels. I can make fair encounters, difficult encounters, and outright scary encounters, all within 7-8 rounds. The line between difficult and impossible is sometime hard to gage, but I can do that just fine without fudging the dices, until I feel pity (it happens).
So, in the name of all the players who have the luck of knowing someone foolish enough to run a game, thank you!! And happy holidays!
And remember those words of wisdom
http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/12/13
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Wolfhound75
Learned Scribe
USA
217 Posts |
Posted - 21 Dec 2011 : 19:04:28
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I get the feeling we're all doing something akin to a middle-school dance - standing in a line and wondering who will be the first to make a move.
So I'll break the ice....
If I had to pin one strength on myself as a DM, I would cite my ability to go with the flow and think on my feet.
In my line of work, the first casualty of battle is always "The Plan." So having the ability to adapt quickly to unexpected events gives the players a measure of freedom and keeps the game moving at a brisk pace - unless you intend to railroad your players along the straight and narrow path you've set out.
Good Hunting! |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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DMing strengths
