Great DM, bad ideas [Archive] - Wizards Community

Great DM, bad ideas [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dunelord
06-22-05, 11:14 PM I have a odd problem that I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about.

A DM I play under at times has some horrible ideas. I can't explain how bad they are you'd have to see them... but some of them include things like a non-magical candle burning down an empty stone building. Thing is even with these bad ideas he is hands down the best runner I ever played under. The battles, the roleplay, whole 9 yards are great and more then make up for the stuip idea. He doesn't really get hung up on the stupid idea it last about 10 - 20 mins and the rest of the night is so good we forget about the the dumb part. Thing it is hard to explain to him that everyone had a great time DESPITE the stut he pulled not because of it. Any thoughts?
Orcboss
06-22-05, 11:35 PM Mancow, a radio show host from Chicago, has comedy bits bomb all the time. Like he says, he's live on the air 25 hours a week -- they can't all be gems.

The same is pretty much true of DMing. You're the players' only link to this fictional world for three or four hours at a time. You do a lot of talking and (ideally) people are listenting to what you say. During that time, you probably have to make a lot of stuff up on the fly. They can't all be gems. Sooner or later, you do/say something stupid. Everybody knows it's stupid. You move on.

And if everybody is still having fun, is it really that much of a problem?
Dunelord
06-22-05, 11:42 PM If they where on the fly that wouldn't be a issue, anyone can screw that up. But this stuff is planned out.

It isn't that big a deal, but he also a close freind and I know he has a big desire to improve himself in anything he does often, and he runs all the time. He really wants to understand what I am trying to say so I guess the real question might be how to get my point across.
TheChilliGod
06-22-05, 11:46 PM Three Solutions IMO.

1) Put up with it. When the DM has these 'bad ideas', grit your teeth, live through it and carry on with the wonderful aspects of what he does. No need to involve anyone and according to you this shouldn't be much of a problem anyway.

2) Talk this through with your DM OOG. Really, this is a good solution to everything, problem or no. Tell him you think some of his ideas are worse than slug pudding. Suggest a few better ideas to get his brain functioning again and maybe go through the next few sessions with him and point out what is wrong, making a solemn vow not to metagame this information (it might not work anyway, but don't worry about it) If the DM disagrees with you on the matter or refuses to let you know what's up next in the campaign, leave it at that, no reason to upset a potentially vengeful person. (DM's are always vengeful) If you have any support from the other players, so much the better.

3) Probably a mixture of #1 and #2. In-game, when a 'bad idea' comes up, point it out. Say in front of the group that a candle can't burn down a stone building, unless it's a very very very hot candle. (like, melt-stone hot) Agreements from the other players will help the DM perhaps see light and then say something else happened instead. ("It gets struck by lightning" "A big, evil wizard Meteor Showers it to the ground" "A screw came loose and it crumbles to the ground" etc)

If you had a good time, I don't see any reason why you should complain anyway, you're DM still sounds one of the better I've heard of and this is really not much of a situation.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dunelord 06-22-05, 11:14 PM	I have a odd problem that I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about. A DM I play under at times has some horrible ideas. I can't explain how bad they are you'd have to see them... but some of them include things like a non-magical candle burning down an empty stone building. Thing is even with these bad ideas he is hands down the best runner I ever played under. The battles, the roleplay, whole 9 yards are great and more then make up for the stuip idea. He doesn't really get hung up on the stupid idea it last about 10 - 20 mins and the rest of the night is so good we forget about the the dumb part. Thing it is hard to explain to him that everyone had a great time DESPITE the stut he pulled not because of it. Any thoughts?
Orcboss 06-22-05, 11:35 PM	Mancow, a radio show host from Chicago, has comedy bits bomb all the time. Like he says, he's live on the air 25 hours a week -- they can't all be gems. The same is pretty much true of DMing. You're the players' only link to this fictional world for three or four hours at a time. You do a lot of talking and (ideally) people are listenting to what you say. During that time, you probably have to make a lot of stuff up on the fly. They can't all be gems. Sooner or later, you do/say something stupid. Everybody knows it's stupid. You move on. And if everybody is still having fun, is it really that much of a problem?
Dunelord 06-22-05, 11:42 PM	If they where on the fly that wouldn't be a issue, anyone can screw that up. But this stuff is planned out. It isn't that big a deal, but he also a close freind and I know he has a big desire to improve himself in anything he does often, and he runs all the time. He really wants to understand what I am trying to say so I guess the real question might be how to get my point across.
TheChilliGod 06-22-05, 11:46 PM	Three Solutions IMO. 1) Put up with it. When the DM has these 'bad ideas', grit your teeth, live through it and carry on with the wonderful aspects of what he does. No need to involve anyone and according to you this shouldn't be much of a problem anyway. 2) Talk this through with your DM OOG. Really, this is a good solution to everything, problem or no. Tell him you think some of his ideas are worse than slug pudding. Suggest a few better ideas to get his brain functioning again and maybe go through the next few sessions with him and point out what is wrong, making a solemn vow not to metagame this information (it might not work anyway, but don't worry about it) If the DM disagrees with you on the matter or refuses to let you know what's up next in the campaign, leave it at that, no reason to upset a potentially vengeful person. (DM's are always vengeful) If you have any support from the other players, so much the better. 3) Probably a mixture of #1 and #2. In-game, when a 'bad idea' comes up, point it out. Say in front of the group that a candle can't burn down a stone building, unless it's a very very very hot candle. (like, melt-stone hot) Agreements from the other players will help the DM perhaps see light and then say something else happened instead. ("It gets struck by lightning" "A big, evil wizard Meteor Showers it to the ground" "A screw came loose and it crumbles to the ground" etc) If you had a good time, I don't see any reason why you should complain anyway, you're DM still sounds one of the better I've heard of and this is really not much of a situation.