I find myself more bored as a player after making the jump to GM. Feels like so much more sitting around, waiting for things to happen.
Edit: made playing less enjoyable*
I tried writing a campaign before and it was very lack luster. I'm trying to write a new one for a different game and I'm looking for advice. I have the setting, I have a monster, I have a ton of premade character sheets.
I'm not good at making mazes/labyrinths (required because of what its based on) and I'm not experienced enough to think of what else I should do. It's meant to be a one-shot so I can get the hang of it.
Any advice to help a nervous newbie?
So I am heading into a new campaign with an established group of 7 players. I thought everyone and everything was going good and I got my last submissions today ....including a last minute change from one of the newer players, I'll call her El.
Right after she posted in our group chat about the change she sent me I got a DM from one of my more veteran players, will call her Nina.
Nina said she's upset that El gets to submit past deadline and make changes when I've pushed back on changed with her in the past. I told her there is a difference between making a slight change to your backstory before even the first session and wanting to change your race midway through a campaign...
Either way I heard Nina out and told her I'll be more clear going forward.
She then starts to go off telling me all the things that El did last campaign that annoyed her.
El got snippy after Nina tried to offer advice El didn't want.
El told Nina to wait her turn when Nina was speaking over her.
...all the things Nina was saying to me really didn't paint El in a bad light except maybe being less than gentle.
Nina was the only woman at the table before El joined and I can't help but feel this might be some pick me shit?
I really am unsure what to do.
I offered to set up a group call for El and Nina to hash it out but Nina doesn't want to do that.
I don't want to deal with the drama. I can't boot Nina, half the table would go with her. I don't want to boot El she's done nothing wrong.
So, I've never been a dm before, but I kind of want to run a one shot with my friends to dip my toes into it. And I kind of have an idea for it, I'm just not entirely sure how to execute it.
My idea:
Rescuing a baby dragon. I want it to be framed as them rescuing a normal kid until they actually find the baby dragon, who was caught by poachers. And they'll have to fight the poachers to save the baby dragon.
So how would you go about it? Is this even a compelling oneshot idea? What tips do ya'll have for me as a first time dm?
Thank you!
Hey GMs! I posted this over on r/rpg, but I think it might also fit here even better as it is GM-specific.
Most of what I've seen about GM styles changes for me depending on the game I'm running. I was wondering if there was something more fundamental and I had a thought about comparing it to something like Myers Briggs personalities. Trying to keep something similar to that, I think there should be 4 axes that are the most important when describing how we approach games that doesn't change much between different games. Also, it's more of a preference for how to do things. Much like introversion vs extroversion, just because you're introverted doesn't mean you can't socialize, it just might mean you prefer to spend time on your own.
I think this could be a useful tool because it might help describe to your players what kind of GM you are and can set expectations easier. I also think some games fit some personality types better than others, so it might be helpful to know when choosing games to run.
My first axis is Prepared vs Improvised (P vs I)
Do you prefer to have everything ready ahead of time, or make things up on the spot?
Next is Narrative-first vs Mechanics-first (N vs M)
This is intended to capture how you see a game's rules. What are they for?
Balance vs Drama (B vs D)
This axis measures how "fair" you are to the PCs. Do you put them in situations they are well equipped to deal with or do you put them in over their heads?
Character vs World (C vs W)
This axis measures how you approach the overall story in your games. It could be character vs plot, but the "P" was already taken by "prepared". Are you focused on the PCs and their backstories or are you more focused on the overall world? Which one revolves around the other?
So my GM personality would be PMBC and roughly something like:
I can think of more axes, but I feel these might be the top ones. What do you think about these axes? Can you think of any that are more important axes than these? Also, what is your GM personality?
I'm gming a lancer game and right now I'd consider myself a mediocre GM at best. I've gmed before this but only one shots, and that was quite a while ago, so I'm really rusty. Just coming up with stories and roleplaying characters is really difficult for me right now. I feel like all my creativity has ran out, and I'm worried my players think the same. At least one of my players is in general quite critical of my gming and it hurts.
Hey GMs,
I'm currently looking for maps, one-shots, etc., in a setting reminiscent of 1001 Nights. So, not just Arabic, but also Persian/Middle Eastern themes would be great.
I often find desert maps/desert city maps quite bland and boring. At least, that's what I've found so far. I've tried creating maps myself, but to be honest, I'm not very good at it.
I'm working on stories (mainly one-shots and shorter ones). But I was hoping to find good one and few shots or at least inspirations.
Do you have any ideas where I could find more inspiration? I'm also willing to pay for good maps, etc.
In >!Gardens of Ynn!< there is a parasitic idea, >!the Idea of Thorns!<, that is transmitted as information and can have detrimental consequences for PCs and the world at large. PCs that have already >!contracted the “virus” can infect other characters just by talking to them about it.!<
So, how can you telegraph this strange occurrence and the dangers it entails without having your players immediately affected by it, if the way it spreads is by >!hearing about/learning of it!< in the first place?
For context, I’m planning on inserting the module into my Dolmenwood game. My players will be gifted access to the abandoned garden of a Fairy Noble they’ve helped, whose grandfather it used to belonged to.
I am making a homebrewed campaign where my players are vampire hunters in a world infested with them. They will be starting at level 3. Currently there are very few vampires made for DND 5e and I am struggling to find a substitute that would be fair for them to fight. I have been a DM in the past but never had to homebrew like this before.
I have an idea of doing a 5-tier system. Tier 1 being the lowest with vampires who are completely in control of the vampire lord, unable to think for themselves and mainly taking the offensive rout. Tier 2 is able to think more clearly, but only enough to plan their next attack. Tier 3 would be like how they were in their human life, just more advance. I was thinking of allowing them some simple magic at this tier. Tier 4 is more advanced, able to use magic probably a CR 7. Tier 5 would be my bbeg, he can only be defeated with an object older than him.
Any ideas on how to make this happen?
So, i really wanna make a muder mystery for my 18th birthday that everyone can join or muder mystery adjacent game. Theres going to be 50ish people there but all are from very differnt parts of my life. I know i want soming spooky cause my birthday is in october. Does anyone have any advice on how to make a simple but fun muder mystery or have any murdery/impostery games?