forced to be "coach" [Archive] - Wizards Community

forced to be "coach" [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
SmithyW
02-02-07, 06:18 PM My gaming group has two DMs, myself and another, that rotate running games on a bi-weekly basis. When the other DM is in charge, he often has to stop to ask me rules questions. His lack of understanding of the rules has dumped him into some (what I would think as) embarrassing situations. For instance, he *forgot* how damage reduction works and sent a party of level 3 PC's up against not one, but two gargoyles (CR 4 each, an EL 6 encounter). He thought DR 10/Magic would reduce damage from spells by 10. Oops. He turns to me an basically let's me rule what should be done to correct his mistake (we ignored the DR and "nerf'ed" the CR to 2 instead of 4). I'm the only person that understands how to split up treasure based on the method used at the end of chapter nine in the PHB, so both the DM and the rest of the players put me in charge of that, too. Oh, and after just about every game session, he's had to email me to get me to calculate how much xp to award based on the CR's of the monsters we fought. I'm the one that gets to teach rules to the new players in the group. I wouldn't have a problem doing any of this in my own game, but the reason why we rotate back and forth is to get the other guy a break and some time to enjoy the game as a PC. I'm tired of having to play both a PC and DM emeritus. What's a player to do?
DarkRhystar
02-02-07, 06:23 PM Option 1: DM reads his books and learns how to DM.

Option 2: A different player becomes DM.
High Octane
02-02-07, 07:00 PM Option 1: DM reads his books and learns how to DM.

Option 2: A different player becomes DM.

Dont be so draconian.

The guy is probably a newer DM. Help him out. Be fair and try to not metagame and offer to be there if he doesnt understand anything. Be sure to TEACH him to fish, not give him fish.

Or even better, introduce him to the Wizards boards here and let him ask US for help. We're helpful. Well MOST of us are.

Dont fault someone for honest mistakes like that.
Artector
02-02-07, 09:53 PM Be happy he wants to do things right, or close enough to right. Send him here, also show him some handy tools like the Encounter Calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/encounterCalculator.htm) in the Hypertext SRD.

And don't be afraid to be straightforward either. Ask him to be read up on things before he throws them at you, even if he thinks he knows what each thing does.
SmithyW
02-02-07, 10:36 PM Be happy he wants to do things right, or close enough to right. Send him here, also show him some handy tools like the Encounter Calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/encounterCalculator.htm) in the Hypertext SRD.

And don't be afraid to be straightforward either. Ask him to be read up on things before he throws them at you, even if he thinks he knows what each thing does.

Actually, I showed him all the tools on d20srd.org a long time ago, in the example above he told me he checked it, but didn't understand the reason *why* it said the encounter would be "very difficult" (because he didn't understand damage reduction) :(

I think the "straightforward" method is what it's going to take. He tends to the passive/aggressive type, tho, and those guys are hard to give advice to.

Thanks guys.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SmithyW 02-02-07, 06:18 PM	My gaming group has two DMs, myself and another, that rotate running games on a bi-weekly basis. When the other DM is in charge, he often has to stop to ask me rules questions. His lack of understanding of the rules has dumped him into some (what I would think as) embarrassing situations. For instance, he forgot how damage reduction works and sent a party of level 3 PC's up against not one, but two gargoyles (CR 4 each, an EL 6 encounter). He thought DR 10/Magic would reduce damage from spells by 10. Oops. He turns to me an basically let's me rule what should be done to correct his mistake (we ignored the DR and "nerf'ed" the CR to 2 instead of 4). I'm the only person that understands how to split up treasure based on the method used at the end of chapter nine in the PHB, so both the DM and the rest of the players put me in charge of that, too. Oh, and after just about every game session, he's had to email me to get me to calculate how much xp to award based on the CR's of the monsters we fought. I'm the one that gets to teach rules to the new players in the group. I wouldn't have a problem doing any of this in my own game, but the reason why we rotate back and forth is to get the other guy a break and some time to enjoy the game as a PC. I'm tired of having to play both a PC and DM emeritus. What's a player to do?
DarkRhystar 02-02-07, 06:23 PM	Option 1: DM reads his books and learns how to DM. Option 2: A different player becomes DM.
High Octane 02-02-07, 07:00 PM	Option 1: DM reads his books and learns how to DM. Option 2: A different player becomes DM. Dont be so draconian. The guy is probably a newer DM. Help him out. Be fair and try to not metagame and offer to be there if he doesnt understand anything. Be sure to TEACH him to fish, not give him fish. Or even better, introduce him to the Wizards boards here and let him ask US for help. We're helpful. Well MOST of us are. Dont fault someone for honest mistakes like that.
Artector 02-02-07, 09:53 PM	Be happy he wants to do things right, or close enough to right. Send him here, also show him some handy tools like the Encounter Calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/encounterCalculator.htm) in the Hypertext SRD. And don't be afraid to be straightforward either. Ask him to be read up on things before he throws them at you, even if he thinks he knows what each thing does.
SmithyW 02-02-07, 10:36 PM	Be happy he wants to do things right, or close enough to right. Send him here, also show him some handy tools like the Encounter Calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/encounterCalculator.htm) in the Hypertext SRD. And don't be afraid to be straightforward either. Ask him to be read up on things before he throws them at you, even if he thinks he knows what each thing does. Actually, I showed him all the tools on d20srd.org a long time ago, in the example above he told me he checked it, but didn't understand the reason why it said the encounter would be "very difficult" (because he didn't understand damage reduction) :( I think the "straightforward" method is what it's going to take. He tends to the passive/aggressive type, tho, and those guys are hard to give advice to. Thanks guys.