In this thread post the pros and cons of your current GM or GMs, or critique your own GM style. If that is not applicable, post the pros and cons to certain players in your group. Also, please post the games played and if the GM is strictly an online presence, or if this is at a real table.
Real Life GM (Normally running versions of D&D, GURPS, or Pathfinder)-
PROS:
He's a professional fantasy/science fiction writer
Always comps free soda and food with no questions asked
Level headed and narrative minded
Can houserule and homebrew game elements in a balanced, professional way
Has run ten player games in the past like they were nothing
CONS:
When he says "2:00" he means "3:30 and time to pick up pizza"
Almost always runs a GM character
The official rules don't mean shit to him, you end up having to memorize his notes and changes like a patch log
Does not like beer at the table
Errata:
His games have the distinct feeling of a higher fantasy "Game of Thrones"
He has no problem involving younger players at all, so sometimes we are running games with younger end teenagers at the table
>Pros:
I am the GM.
>Cons:
I am the GM.
ForeverGM, please send help.
>>48107859
PROS:
Super enthusiastic in his work
Hosts every time, without fail (also comping sodas and snacks)
Wants to make sure everybody's character feels valid, without nerfing anybody else to match them
Has awesome sound setup
CONS:
SUPER reluctant to run anything not DnD
Will NOT take criticism
Likes to include super powered DMPC's (except this time, I fucked the current one from an all powerful arch mage, capable of slaying armies, to a housewife who dotes over our child)
Doesn't understand fighting stances, techniques or general battle strategies or anything more complex than 'I swing'
If he doesn't want you to kill a character at a point he deals inconvenient to his plot, that character will fucking turbocharge his powerlevels to survive. Not kill us mind you, just survive.
>>48108207
>If he doesn't want you to kill a character at a point he deals inconvenient to his plot, that character will fucking turbocharge his powerlevels to survive. Not kill us mind you, just survive.
I fucking hate this shit with a fiery passion
>>48108296
I'm stupid enough to throw my BBEG at you guys in a combat scenario, don't you dare try to logically kill him. You have to go with my contrived plot idea!
PROS:
Is very open to ideas from the players and loves to incorporate elements of their backstories into plots.
Enthusiastic about his work.
Includes lots of interesting and unique elements into his setting/plots.
CONS:
Plans poorly resulting in sessions that are months apart at times.
Sessions tend to be very short.
Doesn't design encounters very well, with combats usually ranging from jobber squashes to player squashes with no real middle ground.
Avoids killing PCs to the point of ignoring a fatal critical hit on one of them, which removes any dramatic tension from dangerous scenarios.
Players?
PROS:
Long-term game, so the characters interact without needing much GM prompting
One gets paid to pretend to be people on video, so he's generally good for dramatic, soulful moments
They know the system better than me
CONS:
Jesus fuck they know the system better than me
They had three months to get me the setting details when asking me to run a legacy campaign for a campaign I wasn't around for, and got the info to me three days before starting
The system's Star Wars Revised Core
>>48107859
>PROS
Always early, or at least never late.
Improvising descriptions
Make NPCs distinct, without "acting them out" too much
Makes an effort to organize the sessions and make sure they happen
>CONS
Bad with numbers
Browses /tg/
Mental health problems making her unmotivated
Can't write campaigns for shit
>BONUS ROUND
The GM is me
>Pros
Can always run at the drop of a hat
Campains last a while
Is open to thinking outside the box
>Con
Warhammer. Only Warhammer.
Wont let anyone else run
Online GM for D&D 5th edition
PROS:
Always fairly adjudicates any ideas the players come up with. If he ever flat out says no to an idea he always provides a sensible explanation.
Shares a sense of humor with the players and laughs along at our dumb jokes/references.
CONS:
We're running published adventures and the DM doesn't really change the source material so sometimes things are less than stellar. The characters' backstories never matter, combat is generally too easy, some parts of published adventures turn into a slog, etc.
We are the first group he's gm'd and I think he's doing really well.But seriously, fuck the Whorlstone Tunnels in Out of the Abyss
>>48107859
Pros:
Really good storyteller
Usually comps some sort of snack or drink
Is open to almost anything except for homebrew
If a PC needs to die, he'll ask if you would mind changing instead of "Rocks fall, you die"
Cons:
Rarely offers money/loot, we're really far behind the money curve
Runs lots of puzzle type stuff, but not often
WE'RE REALLY FAR BEHIND THE MONEY CURVE
