If the group have a problem with him why don't one of them step up as DM.
If, on the other hand, he doesn't follow your advice and after two sessions his DMing is still bad, try and get someone else in charge...
Now that I've played for him twice, and seen that, after him playing with other DMs, his style remains unchanged and bad, I will not let him DM for me again.
I would say if you don't think he's a bad DM, you shouldn't say anything to him. However, I think you should all discuss it openly, as a group. Bring to your group the fact that you're feeling burned out, and you'd like it if someone else could DM for a while. When your friend who nobody else wants DMing volunteers, it will be on the rest of the group to either speak up, volunteer as well, quit, or get over it.
I'd rather have a DM who's less than stellar but willing to take criticism than a burned out DM.
Your group should man up and give him pointers on what he does wrong and what he does well.
So a good friend has rejoined the group. He wants to Dm. He sucks at Dming. None in the group wants to tell him,You suck as Dm, we don't want you to Dm. They all want me to tell him, "You suck, we don't want you to Dm." Well, he doesn't suck, he just not good. I usually Dm, I want a break. I want to play, he can Dm for all I care. Should I follow the wishes of the group and tell him he can't Dm? Or should I just to him and I a favor and let him Dm? If the others don't like it they can tell him.
Do your friends have some specific reasons that they don't like him as a DM? 'He just sucks' is terrible feedback in any case; it doesn't give him anything to go on if he wants to improve.
If you guys are a group of friends, is there someone else in the group who would be willing to give the DM role a shot?
So a good friend has rejoined the group. He wants to Dm. He sucks at Dming. None in the group wants to tell him,You suck as Dm, we don't want you to Dm. They all want me to tell him, "You suck, we don't want you to Dm." Well, he doesn't suck, he just not good. I usually Dm, I want a break. I want to play, he can Dm for all I care. Should I follow the wishes of the group and tell him he can't Dm? Or should I just to him and I a favor and let him Dm? If the others don't like it they can tell him.
You'd like to play, so your best option is to get someone else to DM instead of you.
Your mate who's not great as a DM, like others have said, he could rotate and do a few adventures. Thus keeping his rather unwelcome DMing to a minimum. When he does DM, I'd be inclined to offer some advice based on the negative feedback to help him improve.
My first DMing effort, back with 2nd Edition AD&D were terrible, but I tried a few more times and got a lot better. I did need the feedback from my players to get better so either this needs to be pointed out to him, e.g "look bud, you might want to give the players a little more leighway during the game, it's tricky because you do need to be flexible and ad-lib but I think that might help your game."
Also make sure you know where the basis for their opinion lies. If they haven't seen him DM for several years, maybe he has learned a few things and would be better now.
Second, if you think it's appropriate, take the "new" guy aside and tell him what you've told us:
Fred, you want to DM the game.
I've been DM for a while, I'd like to take a break and be a player. So I want someone else to DM.
Nobody else in the group wants to DM. That leaves you to take over.
I think you're a so-so DM - not very good, but not very bad either. I'm willing to live with that.
Some of the others in the group think you're a lousy DM, and are reluctant.
Are you willing to work with me and learn to be a better DM?
But, is the complication that you are seen as his keeper?
So a good friend has rejoined the group. He wants to Dm. He sucks at Dming. None in the group wants to tell him,You suck as Dm, we don't want you to Dm. They all want me to tell him, "You suck, we don't want you to Dm." Well, he doesn't suck, he just not good. I usually Dm, I want a break. I want to play, he can Dm for all I care. Should I follow the wishes of the group and tell him he can't Dm? Or should I just to him and I a favor and let him Dm? If the others don't like it they can tell him.
I'd recommend giving him DM "training" so you can get a break, that's what I need right now come to think of it...
But as a player (and as his friend, especially) you need to tell him.
Maybe it sucks having to do it. But he should know that he's a bad DM, why people think that, and be given a chance to do some research on how to improve that before DM-ing again.
Don't let him DM without giving him a heads up first; that's being a true friend at the very least.
Hope this helps.
- NEMIS
1) We'd probably only play once every few weeks
2) We'd be bored
So I felt it was better to DM and have enjoyment than to be a player and be frustrated. I simply mentioned that it might be easier if I were to take over, to which he agreed.
If they don't, don't blame your friends (you don't seem like the sort that would, anyway), and they certainly have no room to blame you.
But, it sounds like they don't really have that many objections, if they didn't do something to change the arrangement even though they had every opportunity to speak up.
Enjoy your break from DMing, and good luck to your new DM - let us know how things work out
