Greetings, gamers from all systems, places and timelines!
Here at 3WD, many of our articles have been geared towards providing advice and tips on how to improve the quality of your games for everyone involved. But the DM is one of those involved, and often their energy is spent trying to everyone else entertained like every session was a scene from a gladiator movie.
So, this time we would like to do something a little different and look at some things that players can do to keep their DMs energized and inspired. Because, when a DM is both of these, they will produce their best work and run sessions that give even the most seasoned players an environment they can thrive in.
1. Be Engaged at the Table
Most of you who know me probably thought I was going to open with a pitch to make sure your DM is property fed. And while that’s not the worst idea, they would probably also take note of those who’ve become immersed in their story and game environment.
You don’t need to hang on to their every word, but DM’s do love it when a player brings up a detail of the campaign as if to say, “yes, I was listening! ” And while no one can remember every detail from a campaign, it’s appreciated when the players have a grasp of the story and the cast of characters in it.
Besides, an engaged player is often one who is having fun. And, ultimately, what DM doesn’t want a room full of people who are enjoying themselves?
Now, every game, story and scenario the DM pitches may not be your cup of tea. But be a good sport and go along with it as long as it’s in line with how your character would behave. Besides, some of your friends at the table may be having fun, and you don’t want to be the one to rain on their parade.
2. Drive the Plot
With movies, a decent one can become amazing if it has the right people playing key parts in it. This is no different in a game as the right players can take one plot thread and run with it like they are trying to score in the Super Bowl. This usually doesn’t result in one character stealing the show but rather a collaborative effort where the characters develop genuine chemistry with each other. This can have many effects, from developing a strong team dynamic to making seemingly ordinary scenes suddenly memorable because of witty character interactions and banter.
3. Be Relentless
One of the things I have always prided myself on as a player is being tenacious when it comes to open quests. Some would argue that this doesn’t always work when the frequency of the game isn’t very often. Otherwise, you might spend six months chasing a plot thread that doesn’t actually advance the story. However, unless the players are running through a game that’s an adaptation of a movie where the story is on a timer, then a bit of variety is the spice of the fantasy world.
So, go after those side quests and soak up that sweet optional treasure and experience because plot and character development can happen anywhere within the game. Not to mention, no DM wants to have to do a hard pitch for the plot of the adventure to a party of adventurers.
4. Surprise the DM and Your Fellow Players in Good Ways!
Even if you are one of the lucky ones who get to play weekly, you still have plenty of time to think about what you want to do between sessions. This gives you an opportunity to come off like a star when you find an angle to further the story that other players missed.
Most DMs don’t want to know what’s going to happen in their games, at least in terms of how their players plan on solving the obstacles put in front of them. Any clever ideas at the table should be encouraged, acknowledged and rewarded.
5. Bring Your Character to Life
Ideally, this should start in session 0 where the low-hanging fruit is to provide your character with enough background to hit the first session running. As with my last campaign, where two of the players produced seven pages of backstory between them that left me with no doubt about who my actors were going to be.
With that said, try and add enough flavor to your character so they not only have a distinctive personality but a degree of originality. Not that using existing sources of inspiration is a bad thing, but you want your character to be just that, a character, even if they’re based on someone else, no matter how thinly veiled.
Once you have a foundation for your character, keep building on it throughout the game. Allow their decisions to affect what’s happened to them and be the catalyst for change and growth beyond just gaining stat bonuses. The campaign should not just be a story about what the characters did but who eventually they became.
Final Thoughts
Ideally, the DM and players alike should sustain each other’s gaming energy by drawing inspiration from each other’s creativity. The players can accomplish this through imaginative role play, clever solutions and creating interesting characters. This, in turn, should help motivate the DM to continually create new and exciting stories with depth and twists to keep everyone engaged and having fun.
So, I ask all of the DMs out there, which campaign did you enjoy running the most and why? Are there any things that motivated you we missed? We would love to hear your stories as well.