My group's dm stays flexible, designs the game around what the players enjoy, and keeps backstory and character personality in mind when designing encounters and story
A DM who’s loose with the reins in terms of where the adventure goes (this implies homebrew campaigns, or at least a sandboxish approach to published ones), but is on point in terms of the mechanics of the game.
A DM who makes the story of the campaign the characters’ story (backgrounds, character arcs, tailored items, relevant challenges).
A DM who both knows the intricacies of the story and can bring them to life.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Only three? Alright, I guess my picks would be as follows:
1) He runs games in a Homebrew Setting which he has been developing since he was in high school. now, after two decades, it has am amazing amount of detail and history. New campaigns are usually set in a previously unexplored area or after previous campaigns. Major NPCs are both recurrent across story lines and frequently based on previous PCs. There is something fun about hearing your past characters mentioned even as a side note, or meeting someone whose name the player recognizes and seeing a whole different side of that person.
2) The use of Miniatures, Maps and Dungeon Tiles. This really helps in visualizing placement in combat and so in resolving movement, spell effects, etc. And if not every player has a mini or feels up to painting one, he has two solutions -- you can either borrow one of his pre-painted figs or he will paint one to the player's specifications. He even prints gift certificates/ questioners which he gives to players for birthdays and holidays so they won't feel like this is an imposition.
3) Crafting and Props. If he doesn't have a bit of terrain for an up-coming encounter or wants a unique item, he makes it. This can range from moveable bits of cavern carved from foam to a book of alchemy recipes which he has compiled, printed and bound. This last caused some amusement as three players were eagerly passing it around or looking over each others shoulders to study it while the remaining two players tried to pretend indifference in order to get a better price from the NPCs selling it.
Be aware of the player's interests and limits. Try to tailor the campaign towards what the table collectively finds fun.
Be fair, roll in the open even if it means you double crit a PC.
Props and battle mats. Some sort of real object to give the players always thrills them. Paper treasure maps or books or real trinkets or magic item cards all add to the game. Some sort of visual for tactics in combat. Not everybody likes it but I personally want to see where the bad guys are in relation to everything else.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
Being able to improvise is key. A lot of issues I've seen with negative reactions to DM rulings boiled down to the player doing something the DM didn't expect, and the DM just shutting it down because they weren't able to handle such a radical shift to the situation. You need to be open to letting cool stuff happen while at the same time not giving the impression that you will throw out the rules completely every time a rogue says he wants to double-backflip off the chandelier and drive his dagger into the doppleganger's eye.
This is a skill that comes with practice, and there's always room for improvement. Some of us need to work harder than others to develop it, but we can all do it. When I'm able to pull it off to my player's satisfaction it feels like a greater accomplishment than any detailed map or mini or backstory I've created (and I've spent a good chunk of my life doing those things).
If I had to pick 3 thing from what a DM I know does:
Knowing how to pace the campaign.
Knowing when to throw a swarm and when to throw a boss at the party for excitement and variety.
Making everything have meaning to the story and players.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
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So mainly I just want to see what are the top 3 things you love that your DM does or that you wish they would do.
Political intrigue, custom pantheon (with political infighting), magic items tailored to our characters.
I'm not the player, but as I sit among a table of 10 (and have for 6 campaigns since 5e released), I can offer the feedback they've given me:
All things Lich - DM tips, tricks, and other creative shenanigans
My group's dm stays flexible, designs the game around what the players enjoy, and keeps backstory and character personality in mind when designing encounters and story
I like a dm that pays off character backstories, especially if they’ve put effort into it.
A DM who’s loose with the reins in terms of where the adventure goes (this implies homebrew campaigns, or at least a sandboxish approach to published ones), but is on point in terms of the mechanics of the game.
A DM who makes the story of the campaign the characters’ story (backgrounds, character arcs, tailored items, relevant challenges).
A DM who both knows the intricacies of the story and can bring them to life.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
One other thing. My group's dm uses his own rules and bends rules when appropriate and allows creativity
Only three? Alright, I guess my picks would be as follows:
1) He runs games in a Homebrew Setting which he has been developing since he was in high school. now, after two decades, it has am amazing amount of detail and history. New campaigns are usually set in a previously unexplored area or after previous campaigns. Major NPCs are both recurrent across story lines and frequently based on previous PCs. There is something fun about hearing your past characters mentioned even as a side note, or meeting someone whose name the player recognizes and seeing a whole different side of that person.
2) The use of Miniatures, Maps and Dungeon Tiles. This really helps in visualizing placement in combat and so in resolving movement, spell effects, etc. And if not every player has a mini or feels up to painting one, he has two solutions -- you can either borrow one of his pre-painted figs or he will paint one to the player's specifications. He even prints gift certificates/ questioners which he gives to players for birthdays and holidays so they won't feel like this is an imposition.
3) Crafting and Props. If he doesn't have a bit of terrain for an up-coming encounter or wants a unique item, he makes it. This can range from moveable bits of cavern carved from foam to a book of alchemy recipes which he has compiled, printed and bound. This last caused some amusement as three players were eagerly passing it around or looking over each others shoulders to study it while the remaining two players tried to pretend indifference in order to get a better price from the NPCs selling it.
Thanks this will help a lot with my future campaign and also seems i did some of these before which makes me feel a bit more confident!
Be aware of the player's interests and limits. Try to tailor the campaign towards what the table collectively finds fun.
Be fair, roll in the open even if it means you double crit a PC.
Props and battle mats. Some sort of real object to give the players always thrills them. Paper treasure maps or books or real trinkets or magic item cards all add to the game. Some sort of visual for tactics in combat. Not everybody likes it but I personally want to see where the bad guys are in relation to everything else.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Being able to improvise is key. A lot of issues I've seen with negative reactions to DM rulings boiled down to the player doing something the DM didn't expect, and the DM just shutting it down because they weren't able to handle such a radical shift to the situation. You need to be open to letting cool stuff happen while at the same time not giving the impression that you will throw out the rules completely every time a rogue says he wants to double-backflip off the chandelier and drive his dagger into the doppleganger's eye.
This is a skill that comes with practice, and there's always room for improvement. Some of us need to work harder than others to develop it, but we can all do it. When I'm able to pull it off to my player's satisfaction it feels like a greater accomplishment than any detailed map or mini or backstory I've created (and I've spent a good chunk of my life doing those things).
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
If I had to pick 3 thing from what a DM I know does:
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.