My problem: An exhaused DM.
Question: Does anyone have game techniques to engage/energize an exhausted DM?
Given the work schedules of everyone in our group we have a regular time that is the only time our group can meet. Our DM always prepares and has good material for the players however he works at an exhausting job. Some nights he has energy and others I can just see him dragging. Some nights the players have a hoot but the DM gets left behind because he's out of energy. He's not the type of guy to down a few Red Bull or Monster energy drinks to spark his energy.
I know the DM's guide has lots of techniques for motivating players, I guess I could try and reverse some of those but as a player I have fewer options to alter the campaign to entice players. I'm wondering if anyone out there has run into this as well and what you did to help the situation.
So sometimes you'll play his campaign, & sometimes you'll play the other campaign. Everyone just bring both character sheets.
It also gives the DM extra time to prepare when this happens. So that night off one week means he is better prepared the following week (having twice the time to prepare a game) which will make DMing a little easier the following week.
My problem: An exhaused DM.
Question: Does anyone have game techniques to engage/energize an exhausted DM?
Given the work schedules of everyone in our group we have a regular time that is the only time our group can meet. Our DM always prepares and has good material for the players however he works at an exhausting job. Some nights he has energy and others I can just see him dragging. Some nights the players have a hoot but the DM gets left behind because he's out of energy. He's not the type of guy to down a few Red Bull or Monster energy drinks to spark his energy.
I know the DM's guide has lots of techniques for motivating players, I guess I could try and reverse some of those but as a player I have fewer options to alter the campaign to entice players. I'm wondering if anyone out there has run into this as well and what you did to help the situation.
I also agree with Mr Customer and CSS. Give your DM the option of being able to take the night off DMing, and maybe get to play. So, here are some ideas:
-Write some one shots for your DM to play in.
-do some areana style encounters with the DM as a player.
-have rounds of the D&D miniatures game...
-Bring a simple card game to play, like Lunch Money
-Or a simple board game, like ZOMBIES!!!
-Start an alternative campaign where the DM can play.
-Try running a game with a different system where the DM can play.
The main thing is to have quick and easy options if your DM is utterly exhausted. If he's too tired to the point of not being able to play a RPG, then you can go the card game route, or the fun board game route (both of the games I mentioned are just ones I've seen at my local hobby store and have played a couple of times).
Giving him a chance to play will also be a nice way to re-energize him. It's worked for me in the past.
Also talk to him, and see what his thoughts are on the subject.
Does anyone have game techniques to engage/energize an exhausted DM?
A backrub.
Yoga.
Peppermint oil.
Also, jump in and immerse yourself in his world. Having players "get into" the world is one of the most engaging things I have experienced as a DM. Roleplay with his NPCs. Tell other NPCs about your characters' in-game exploits. Similar to the suggestions that someone else DM, but keeping him in charge.
Depending on how your group plays, you might even start to add to the campaign world/storyline with details about places and things that your DM can riff off of. I really enjoy it when my players invent details about the game world that get me inspired.
Show your DM the love!
cheers,
Meshon
My problem: An exhaused DM.
Question: Does anyone have game techniques to engage/energize an exhausted DM?
Hookers work. (There's a story behind that...)
But seriously, if its only a few sessions where he just doesn't have the energy, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Some DMs just have off nights.
Pick up a copy of Dungeon Delve (or download the Chaos Scar modules). Have someone else run those as fillers if needed.
Or, pick up some fantasy/sci-fi based board games that you can all enjoy.
The other issue is simply DM burnout. If it seems to be a major problem for the DM, see if someone else can run a new game/campaign for a few weeks. Another thing that could help would be jumping ahead in time with the characters.
Thanks everyone. Really good ideas. I'll put forward to the group that we have some of the delves/chaos scar one-nights hits available. Two of us have DM'ed in the past so this solution seems like something we can pull off.
meshon - I'll skip the backrub, but having the players pick up the energy slack and shifting the burden of the storytelling to the players is a great idea.
DionNecurat - hookers at your sessions? I bet every single male in your neighborhood wants to get into your game.
Thanks everyone. Really good ideas. I'll put forward to the group that we have some of the delves/chaos scar one-nights hits available. Two of us have DM'ed in the past so this solution seems like something we can pull off.
meshon - I'll skip the backrub, but having the players pick up the energy slack and shifting the burden of the storytelling to the players is a great idea.
DionNecurat - hookers at your sessions? I bet every single male in your neighborhood wants to get into your game.
Sometimes you'll have a DM so dedicated, he'll have his bachelor party be a DnD session.
Best. Party. EVER!!!
(and coincidentally, our group in-game happened to be at a brothel)
There's basically no prep time involved and hardly any roleplay, but it's fun and gives us all a chance to play something different. And gives the DM a break.
Well, you might consider the unthinkable..... Namely just giving him a night off by one of you players stepping up & Dming something.
Surely there has to be a better way. Like slipping drugs into his drinks or something. 
However, you could also change your schedule...
-DF
Here's what we did to help with DM burnout. One of the players went out and picked up Dungeon Delve. We made characters for it, and he runs the small encounters. We level up between each level, and assume we have the standard amount of magic items as if we were starting higher level PCs (one item of level+1, one of level, one of level-1, and gold equal to level-1).
There's basically no prep time involved and hardly any roleplay, but it's fun and gives us all a chance to play something different. And gives the DM a break.
I'd say this is your best bet. Sometimes a DM just needs a break.
...To motivate A Dm:
- players should bring food and drink to the game table (especially if your dm makes his own worlds and campains, not so much if they run prewrittens)
- call/text/email your dm outside of game days and get into the story line. drop them an email asking them if next session they can write in an evil npc that is thier long lost kin. text them and let them know you think it would be cool if your player was replaced by a doppleganger to try and roleplay something a little different. in short let your dm know you like the game and want to play, and help give them cool ideas. our players all have little side conversations with the dm from time to time, there are alsways secrets our characters have to keep from the rest of the group its intriguing and fun.
- after an encounter, recap what you liked about it, let your dm know that it was good or bad. tell storries about that your character experienced in the encounter. let your dm know you are having fun.
- dont argue with your dm, you can bring up a point once but then assume that the dm is correct. if you want to persue the issue do it later outside of the game table when your dm does not have so much on thier mind and can make the correct decision.
- every single player should try dming for one encounter. just to remind them how tough it can be. (similarly every dm should play for at least one session to remind them what makes the game fun for players.) its important to have perspective on the game
- ask your dm questions about his game world, make it seem like you are involved with it (even if you arent) but dont press issues if your dm doesnt have answers just now.
- give your dm encounter ideas, if your gnome wants to demonstrate his prowess against giants, let your dm know this. if your bard has a past let your dm know it would be cool if it came back to bite them.
- take one for the game once and a while, explain that you would love to have your character captured if you could play a npc for a session. tell your dm that you dont mind having your character act as a plot hook.
- help em out with dm stuff at the table, ask em if they would like you to track initiative, look up rules for them, or take controll over some ally units to lighten the load for them.
- let them play every few sessions.
these are some things out group does to keep our dm (whoever it may be) happy and having fun
Question: Does anyone have game techniques to engage/energize an exhausted DM?
Try espresso.
Honestly, the best suggestion is. . . take a week or two off. Play Space Hulk or Warhammer or something. Or offer to run a session or two.
Often all a frustrated and exhausted DM needs is a short break to get his things in order.
the best thing you can probably do is be engaging with the DM....
i have experience with this being the exhausted DM myself (all night quick D&D mods like "Little Bit of Wood" followed by round after round of running Eric Menge Mods.. if your not familiar, they are exhaustive)
they got me right back where i needed to be with running the campaign.. be engaging ROLEPLAY.. find the plot hook before its forced to drag you along, roleplay, bush the limits of your character personality in dealing with in game npcs or plots or devices... and above all....roleplay
Give it a month and your batteries are re-charged and you are ready to get going again.
Well, you might consider the unthinkable..... Namely just giving him a night off by one of you players stepping up & Dming something.
So sometimes you'll play his campaign, & sometimes you'll play the other campaign. Everyone just bring both character sheets.
This is the way to go that way the DM wont always have to do wrok extremly hard.
A mild burnout does not prevent a GM from running a game, but makes it definitely less fun for him. His motivation to continue in face of difficulties weakens. It may be a good idea to just interrupt the campaign, but if you want to continue playing:
- Be a nice player and take as much weight as you can from GM's shoulders. Find time to play when he is available. Don't be late for games. Don't argue about rules (if you are completely sure that GM is wrong, let him know your opinion, but nothing more), about loot or about XP.
- Let your GM feel that you value and enjoy his work. Engage his plots, talk with his NPCs, heroically fight his monsters. After a session, let him know what you liked.
- Don't force him to spend a lot of time on preparation. Don't take unexpected trips to unexpected places. Let him know in advance what you plan. Don't engage in too many different plot threads at once.
- Make the game fun, not tedious. Roleplay. Keep good timing in fights. Come up with interesting ideas.
Most of these are really things one ought to do all the time. It's just a shift of focus. Instead of expecting the GM to fulfill his duty and make the game fun for you, make it fun for him.
Severe burnout is more serious. If the GM would rather go to work or clean the house instead of running a game, there is no use in encouraging him to continue. The best you can do is help him "reset" quickly (where by "quickly" I mean 2-3 months as opposed to 2-3 years). What is necessary is reviving GM's inspiration and this the advice is mainly adressed to him:
- Watch many movies of differing genres. A comedy, a thriller, a detective story, a romance; something historical, something with a lot of action, something really strange. Of course, nobody should force himself to watch something that bores him, but it is a good idea to try movies outside of the main area of interest.
- Read a lot of novels. Take a mix of good fantasy and sci-fi writers and sprinkle it with a little of something more realistic (detective stories worked good for me).
- Browse a few non-story books. Some popular science, some history, some philosophy. Don't try to learn it by heart, of course - just look for some things that inspire you.
- Check as many varied RPG systems as possible. Many indie games are either free or available for just a few dollars. Some games you may just borrow from friends. Read a game even if you don't imagine yourself running such thing - you may change your opinion when you know more about it.
- Don't try to return to the game/campaign that caused the burnout. Play in other GM's games. Run several one-shots in different systems. Only after that decide what is a good game for you now.
Suffering a burnout and recovering from it may be, actually, an experience that helps one develop and widen his horizons. But it is important to let it run its way, without forcing oneself to return to gaming as fast as possible.
Sometimes we Dms need a break from the loving labors of dming.
really we aren't inexhaustible batteries of ADD that have infinite campaign arcs and story arcs laying around just waiting to be used. (okay I might be nearly inexhaustible... but that's not the point!)
Like myself? I'm missing being a player in D&D. I get to be the Player in Star Wars Saga, and a couple other games, but really D&D is what gets my fire going for making characters and playing. I wish that I'd get to be a Player again. But alas it's unlikely to happen. When I get to the Burnout point, I think it will be a sad day for the group and myself because D&D is going to fall by the wayside until I can recover. And that's one less game we're playing.