Adamus Drake DM - Home of the DM's Den, GM's Corner, and Gray Owls
  • The Nexus
  • GM's Corner
    • Voidspeaker
  • DM Podcast
  • Knight Owls
    • The Gray Owls Initiative (21+) >
      • Gray Races
      • Gray Classes
    • KO Event Dates - Descriptions
    • Knight Owls Armory >
      • Protection
      • Potions, Scrolls, and Consumables
      • Weaponry
      • Rings and Wares
      • Adventurer Essentials
      • Custom Mixes and Crafting Rules
    • Owls History
    • Assets
  • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Character Creation - D&D >
      • FEATS
      • PRESTIGE CLASSES
    • Spell Compendium - D&D 5e >
      • Custom Crafted
      • Expanded Invocations List

Trust Your DM

9/24/2019

0 Comments

 
Okay.  Rant time.

I've been doing this gig for a while now.  I've devoted hundreds of hours to cultivating my craft of storytelling, rulings, incorporation, and character growth.  I've written thousands of words on my campaigns, I've written music for them, I paint my own materials and build my own sets.  I reflect daily on how to be a better storyteller and a better teacher on every side of the table.  I'm not perfect, no DM is, but I think I'm doing pretty damn good.  
Every encounter I've run, even if difficult, has multiple ways to win.  I never railroad, and I'm always open to creative solutions.  Even a suicide mission has a way out (though it may be a bit dishonorable, still a way out).

And yet.

Players who have played with me for years...are still questioning my intentions.  Like I haven't been making this my LITERAL JOB for LITERALLY YEARS or anything.  And I'm not talking like questioning my rulings, no; that's welcomed, we can discuss that stuff.  I don't want my players to be scared of bringing up elements for discussion.  What I'm talking about can be summed up into two main requests.

Wait and See

If I have continually given you scenarios where there are multiple ways to solve them, do not assume that THIS scenario is somehow a railroad.  I have NEVER navigated a party to a no-win scenario.  Enemies have been tough, but even those that feel "unfair"...have a puzzle.  There are ways around and through everything I set up.  Always.  That's how I've always done it; it leaves room for the players to kick ass in unexpected ways, and that's great.
  If the fight hasn't begun, and you haven't seen the literal character sheets I'm working from, how can you make ANY sweeping conclusions about how it's going to go...unless you're assuming that I'm trying to kill the party, which, if you have ever read this blog or listened to anything I do, you know would be ludicrous.  Challenge?  Yes.  Kill unfairly?  NEVER.
Also, until the conclusion of the plot arc...maybe don't pass judgement on it.  You might think you're the smartest cookie in the box, but that doesn't mean you're right.  And just because you're presented something "unfair," doesn't mean it's impossible.  Take a deep breath and figure it out - that's part of what makes this game work.
  AND we've already established that CRs are mostly BS so...what's your problem?  

​Try.  See what happens.  You might surprise yourself.
Maybe give me the benefit of the doubt...because that's what I've always done for my players (maybe even to a fault).

Trust Me (I don't have to tell you my secrets so you can feel better)

Wait, didn't that guy get away?
He did.
Was he on the ship?
You don't know.
Can you just tell us?
No.
C'mon!
Why?
So I can stop worrying about it!
...Then definitely no.
But he literally killed me last time!
So?
And we threw him in lava!  How did he survive?
Yes, isn't that interesting.  There is indeed a reason.
Really?  Is it because he's impossible to kill?
...No.  There's a reason, though.
Yeah?  What is it!  Tell me or I'll keep complaining and insulting your style of DMing, checking to see if you intended to paint our entire existence as a no-win scenario because you suck, and questioning your every move!
...Commence minimal spoilers to appease whining...

Now, the above scenario applies to only a few conversations that have prompted this post, but dare I put forth a radical idea: NOT KNOWING THE OUTCOME OF SOMETHING CAN BE EXCITING.  Not everything gets wrapped up in a neat little bow; loose ends are a part of storytelling, and that tense uncertainty is a GOOD THING in a narrative, especially a cooperative one.
  Do you REALLY need to know that you DEFINITELY killed that guy and he's never coming back?  Or could you be excited if he ever returned?  Could you rejoice in discovering IN PLAY why he seems immortal?  Solve the mystery, damn it. 

I have players that jump at the chance to figure this stuff out...and a tiny percentage of others that seem annoyed if they don't know everything - like they were somehow entitled to.  And if they didn't know, then it "just wasn't fair." 
Grow up.  Put on your big kid pants and deal with the fact that you may not know everything.  Mystery is a part of storytelling, hell it's a part of LIFE, and I don't feel like giving up my mysteries or loose ends because you're whining for them.  
If you're not sure you're going to win because your level is too low, or your perceived enemies have too many hit points, or he has too many spell slots, or he's resistant to my damage type, or his AC is too high (saving throws might suck, ya' know), or no one took healing spirit.

Figure.  It.  Out.  These are challenges, not impossibilities.  If you've learned anything from me, it should be that I'm not a jerk GM.  I kill my darlings, I'm happy when you win, I just want you to have a good time and feel satisfied.
Not all problems will be solved by mechanics and probability alone.  This is a game that promotes creative problem solving.  So do some problem solving!  Don't throw up your hands and say "I can't because my character blah blah blah blah - I've heard enough.  
I'll help you if you get stuck, but I ain't doing it for you, and I'm pretty sure that's how people like it.
Enough with this baloney sandwich. 

I'll see you at the table.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Adam Summerer

    Professional Game Master musician, music teacher, game designer, amateur bartender, and aspiring fiction author.  
    ​In short, I'M A BIG NERD.

    1st Saturday: Etsy updates*
    2nd Saturday: Monster
    3rd Saturday: Worldbuilding
    ​4th Saturday: REST DAY

    Buy me a Mocha CoffeeBuy me a Mocha Coffee

    Archives

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017

    Categories

    All
    4th Edition
    Buff DM
    Builds
    Call Of Cthulhu
    Cloudsinger D&D
    Cocktail Recipes
    Custom Rules
    D&D Rules
    Disney Plus
    DM's Book Club
    Drinking And Dragons
    Drinks
    Dungeons & Dragons
    Eberron
    Education
    Feywild
    Game Mastering
    Gaming
    Group Dynamics
    High Rollers
    Homebrew
    Homeschool
    Io Lore
    John's Study Hall
    Life Lessons
    Lore Drop
    Martial Arts
    MEAD
    Miniatures
    Monster Of The Week
    Moonriver
    Movies
    Music
    Notes From The Apprentice
    NPC Rewind
    One-Shot Wonders
    Pathfinder RPG
    Player Tips
    Shadowfell Campaign
    Shows
    Star Wars
    Star Wars Saga Edition
    The End Of The World RPG

    RSS Feed














    Become a Patron!

Quick Links

Knight Owls
​
Gray Owls
D&D Campaign Info

Professional Links

© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • The Nexus
  • GM's Corner
    • Voidspeaker
  • DM Podcast
  • Knight Owls
    • The Gray Owls Initiative (21+) >
      • Gray Races
      • Gray Classes
    • KO Event Dates - Descriptions
    • Knight Owls Armory >
      • Protection
      • Potions, Scrolls, and Consumables
      • Weaponry
      • Rings and Wares
      • Adventurer Essentials
      • Custom Mixes and Crafting Rules
    • Owls History
    • Assets
  • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Character Creation - D&D >
      • FEATS
      • PRESTIGE CLASSES
    • Spell Compendium - D&D 5e >
      • Custom Crafted
      • Expanded Invocations List