DM resources

[CaC]

This site is helpful for GM/DM's trying to come up with quest/adventure ideas and hooks, and is a general all-around great rpg resource.

 

http://www.io.com/~sjohn/plots.htm

[Spider]

How well-tuned to the ruleset would a DM really need to be?

 

My answer to this is it depsnds on the group you play with. And how good you are at improvising. Basically I'd say you should probably know at least as much, or preferrably a little more, than the player with the best knowledge. At least if that player actually care about how the rules are implemented. If no one has any real grasp, then it doesn't matter. It's not like they can call you on it.

 

But it depends even more on what your group want to get out of it. If they're in it for the dungeon crawling and number crunching, you have to know the rules inside and out pretty much, but if they're a group of players who really could care less as long as they get to play their character properly, then it doesn't matter that much as long as the game flows and there aren't any glaring inconcistencies.

 

I've played with DMs that claimed to be playing by a rule system (and di use it to gauge the players ability) but when it came to rolling dice it was always concealed and the outcome was mostly what generated the most fun experience rather than what the roll said. basically, as long as the players are ok with it, anything goes.

 

In Sweden the concept of free form role-playing was very trendy for a while (not sure how it is now, I'm out of touch). Free-form means no rules at all, the GM makes every call. I've played in such games as well and when properly executed they can be great fun. It is much, much harder on the GM though.

 

Also, is there another setting that's easier to learn (and overall better, I guess) than DnD?

 

I am very partial to White Wolf's Storytelling system. It has everything I want in a game system, it's simple, allows for complete customization of the character, easy to learn, plays fast and the rules don't get in the way of the role-playing. Exalted is great fun if you're looking for a fantasy game, although if you're players are in it for the powergaming, they can create characters that are almost unbeatable, at least after some playing. The power level in that game is fairly high (although this is not true of all games that uses the system). But the storytelling system is very flexible and can easily be adapted to any genre. I have myself played a pure Cyberpunk campaign using it for instance.

 

D&D is a very good system to learn the ropes with though. The basic rules aren't overly complex, and the parts that are can easily be ignored at first. But more importantly, if you have any questions there are a lot more people on these boards that know a lot about it and are willing to help than what you get with any other system.

 

In the end though (in my eyes), the rules are unimportant. What matters is the setting and the characters.

 

That's where I disagree. AD&D 2e fights can take awful amounts of time once the characters gain multiple attacks, and I prefer the game to be fast-paced.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not to mention all the hitpoints. I have a friend who once said: "When the characters can take more punishment than elephants, something is clearly wrong." That, to me, sums up D&D in a nutshell.

 

Edit: I missed this one:

 

And don't outlaw min-maxing. It's not a bad thing per se, because naturally the players will speculate about how to make their characters most powerful. If they do not, then chances are that they're just not very interested in the game, and you really don't want that either. Sure, be aware that min-maxing doesn't go to far, but don't treat is as criminal behaviour either. Many GMs do, and I think they're wrong.

 

This varies greatly from group to group. I can say that any player that loses interest in a game if he/she can't min-max to make their characters as powerful as possible is a player I don't want to play with. I am not saying that min-maxing is bad per se, it's just indicative of a style of playing I don't like.

 

Basically what I'm saying is, make sure you and your players are all on the same page in regards to what style of play you want to pursue

Edited May 21, 2006 by Spider