Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Keitoyume 09-14-07, 12:20 AM	Knowing full well this thread might be locked I submit this regardless. Every so often there is a DM that comes along that is so influential to your growth in D&D that they deserve to be recognized for this. In my case this was actually my first DM. A new friend of mine at the time had suggested that he would be willing to teach me and a few other friends how to play D&D. I was excited to learn not really understanding the D20 system much less how someone could be expected to Role Play on the spot. But with the patients and determination my first DM had instilled not only the knowledge to be a good mechanics player but an even better role player. After recently just ending this campaign after just about one year me and my fellow players would like to thank this DM who I know scans these boards regularly. So on behalf of: Abel Kampf Vincent Wolfgang We would like to thank our master storywriter, kind teacher, fellow friend and DM: Aequeus. So to make this a thread for more to enjoy. Post who you think your most influential DM was and what you think made him that way. So that future DM’s as well as players can gather from your experiences.
Shadowhowler 09-14-07, 12:45 AM	Thats cool... throughout most of my gaming experince... *I* have been the DM/GM/Storyteller/Referee... I have had a lot of GREAT players... but few good DM's. There was one guy... Paul. I played two short games with him... one in AD&D 2nd Edd and one in Vampire Dark Ages... both of which were awesome games. He was VERY creative and told intresting and intracite storys... and had a great skill for instilling suspence. There was Dustin... who had his faults but, in my group, was the only other guy even WILLING to DM. So without him, I would have played almost never. I have Binders full of characters... and 75% of them are from his games. There was Nick... who's strength was actauly one-on-one games. He seemed to get confused and uncomfortable with mutiple players... but when running a solo game he was AMAZING. 90% of all solo games I ever played where with Nick. Lastly... Cat (otherwise know as Robert.) His game was not the most creative... but he had a great skill for dealing with a lot of players... we had between 7-10 in his game. Also, his was the first real D&D 'Campaign' I ever played... lasting about a year and a half. Every saterday we would gather without fail... there where munchies and good times... and it gave me my first real taste of a long running game. So... thanks and priase to the above... :cheer:
Meurasod 09-17-07, 02:08 PM	I started playing D&D over 10 years ago, and while I have rarely DM'd, I have come to respect the individual who tries. It takes a special person to try and focus attention of the group into actually accomplishing something other than sitting around drinking sodas and eatting all of the snacks. It is with great appreciation that I say thank you, to my DM's, to your DM's, to future DM's, and to DM's of past.
Kamin_Majere 09-17-07, 02:41 PM	Tim, he was one of the best GM's i've ever had the pleasure to game with. He didnt do anything with D&D and mostly did Superhero games, and starwars games, and modern games. But the way he put things together was amazing and i learned alot about how to put a storyline together from him. John. Probably the best DM ever. If you could become a professional DM making a million a year he would be better than you still. I've never seen someone with so much depth in their world and could litarally tell you the name of every shop keeper with in 1000 miles of most starting point in his campaigns. I dont even thing the forgotten realms is as detailed as the world he uses to play in.
_zx75 09-18-07, 01:10 PM	Peter and Paul Peter was a classic killer DM, and completely by the rules he challanged you eight ways from sunday. His games could get frustrating now and then (dying again...) but he always had something new ready (be it homemade or a premade adventure), was willing to skip over things that might drag the game down, and his games always ended up being entertaining. (Like the time we were playing RTtToEE until sunrise and it took us two TPKs and three attempts to get past the moathouse.) Paul was great at encouraging creativity and he had a million unique ideas. The game might slow down now and then, and death was pretty uncommon, but he gets an A+ from me for pure style. And a quick nod to Jackson, who proved time and again, that there is *always* room for giant robots.
Grod_The_Giant 09-18-07, 08:03 PM	Well, I have been a DM for all but a 1-shot game at my birthday party, so I don't have anyone to thank... I would like to say, though, that this is a really nice thread. Not many people seem to appriciate how much effort some DMs go through already...and then go around wanting changes to rules and wierd classes with unfamiliar rules, and cohorts that really are NPCs, and...
Tarpan_God 09-18-07, 11:51 PM	Hmm... While I've been lucky to have 2 great DMs, the most influential DM would have to be the worst (as in "The Worst DM Ever"). He inspired me to better understand the game and the role of the DM. He taught me a bit about human nature, too. I had never witnessed a more magnificient ego trip, or the limit to which one would abuse his friends to make himself feel like a bigger man. He truly was inspirational, because he motivated me to be everything he is not. But this is more in following with the other posters: -Jim was a great DM, a wise man, and a good friend. He got me into the game and did the tough work of larnin' a bunch of rowdy, ungrateful kids (actually... rowdy, ungrateful adults). :embarrass -Jesse is a great DM, always encourages new character concepts, values everyone's input, and has a laid-back confidence that can handle even the most inventive player. :)
KillerGM 09-19-07, 12:40 AM	My husband is the best GM ever. :love: He is always amazing me with the storylines and characters he comes up with. Many of my best games are really his stories - gifted to me because he can't run all the games he wants, and still play. He says he enjoys seeing my take on his initial ideas. It has a lot to do with both of us thinking the same things are cool - so, when he hits the "WOW' button, it really comes across for me. Some GMs I've played under (and players I've GM'd for) just haven't been on the same page with me as to what's cool. It's that intangible stuff that makes everything else secondary in a game - when it's there, you know it, and when it's not, you know it too. I never have to worry about that with him. I'm so glad I'm married to an awesome GM! :cheer:
Colmarr 09-19-07, 03:30 AM	To Chris, who DMed the campaign at UNSW that returned me to the D&D fold after 6 or so years off: Your campaign amazed me. You made me look forward to game nights in unexpected ways, and you brought a group of people together who are still together and in constant contact, even though you were unfortunately forced to move away. We'll never forget Drusilla (damn that half-elven wench to the hells!), and I'll certainly never forget that damned white-haired elven duellist. May he rest in pieces (and thanks for letting me have my revenge on him at campaign-end; it was a very good example of why you were a great DM). Thanks and Kudos, Jay
Eminon 09-19-07, 11:28 AM	Probably the best DM I've ever played under was Cal. He has more than a suitcase full of information written down for his own personal campaign world, but even still he rarely needs it. He knows every NPC, how they'd react, and where they'd be. And better still, he can instill that rare quality in a PC, fear for it's life, without actually killing them. On top of that, he manages to run all this (generally) in one city, where no one wants to stay, but you can't get out. And yes, it's a working city ecology. People (and things) are in certain places because that's where they belong, and if you aren't paying attention and go to the wrong place without backup, they won't pull their punches just cause your a puny 1st lvl character who CHOSE to try and steal from the Demon Lord in the noble sector. And trust me, they will hunt you down if you escape. All this while teaching a kid(me) who started in 3rd edition how to play a mix of 1st and 2nd, and still have plenty of joking around and fun going on at the table. I wish I could still game with them (wife aggro prevents me now). So, here's to Cal, the city of Kraken, and the Thorn Forest(shudder)!
Phrennzy 09-19-07, 11:28 AM	To Jeremy, who let me take a break from DMing and play Derek. Also, the best, most "into it" player I've ever had. To Rich, who let me play a young dragon companion to Jeremy's drow fighter. (I even made a little handpuppet dragon, and when the dragon would talk, I would move the puppet, and after a very short while, people were talking to the puppet.) To David, who has let me take a break to play. And when I didn't like my half-orc druid/barb, he let me switch to a human sorc. I've learned from him something I had forgotten - the DM can do whatever the hell he wants. To my brother Scott, for being a down right, unapologetic, cheating, killer DM. Of course, this was way back then, but I still have fond memories of the small victories in his dungeons. And to John, who introduced us to the game, showed us "chits", and opened up a hobby that would let me express myself. Thanks to all of you. Now, MAKE YOUR SAVE.