7 Types of Toxic DM in D&D

[@DnDShorts]

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[@lynndonbarr3153]

We had a campaign that ran for about a year, year and a half. The DM went through a depressive episode, stopped replying to messages and deleted our discord server. I'm pretty sure he's an Atlas based on this video, and the weight of his own expectations and his depression coupled together to burn it all to the ground. If there's any of the unlikely fellows that see this, I miss you guys

[@bitterbaldguy]

As a forever DM, and probably an Atlas DM too, that battles with depression, I think the best thing that can be done is that when the session ends make sure to do a wrap up. It's the Dimension 20 "Adventuring Party" concept that I've taken to heart to help heal my own. End the session and then check in on everyone in the group, just take a few minutes to unclench and get out of character. PCs can ask above the table questions and everyone can check in with each other on a real world level. It helps.

[@AncientMushrooms]

I think the best way to handle an "Atlas" is as a player, give affirmation to the DMs ideas and or others, to be engaging themselves, to simply give the DM a compliment during and after games, slowly but surely building up that confidence. Because that's what the Atlas is afraid of being boring, being judged by the player, in silence, behind his back and so on, that is where the pressure comes from. Relieve that pressure by simply saying "nice game, i really liked...." is a hilariously simple thing that can go a long way for people that are anxious and afraid that their efforts are not appreciated.

[@ghostprogramming]

why you want to give a compliment to these jerks....

[@tomcaniff6437]

as a bonified perfectionist, even constructive criticism would be enough for me, just some sign that my players are even thinking about my games after they're over.

[@BadassHater1]

@@ghostprogramming They are not talking about clear jerks. They are talking about Atlas DMs who are not jerks to their players. They are jerks to themselves.

[@markcalleja4509]

​@@tomcaniff6437 Skeleton DMs ftw!

[@chukyuniqul]

As someone with atlas tendencies, just gimme specifics of whst you liked. It's incredibly common for players to go "great session, loved it" and then disappear into a void like that one "you're mine!" cat. Or spring on you that they suddenly can't play anymore. Or just straight up tell you "yeah, I'm not feeling it, cheers!". So what to do? Personally, give actual feedback when asked for it. What you loved AND what you weren't so hot on.

[@crystallxix1493]

You forgot the 8th type, my DM. He made me sick for days and he didnt even taste good

[@StoneDragonSmoothie]

Phrasing?

[@Czarro672]

Lizardfolkposting

[@sparksshepherd3313]

See, that's why we don't eat raw meat

[@crystallxix1493]

@@StoneDragonSmoothie feel like there isnt any possible other interpretation i didn't intend lmao

[@StoneDragonSmoothie]

@@crystallxix1493 nope, worth a shot though lol

[@TheCasualGM]

As someone who has a bit of an Atlas DM mindset himself, its reassuring when my players thank me for running a session and say they enjoyed it. Hearing that they are enjoying the world they are exploring makes all the work and effort I put in worth it! I encourage players to make sure you do the same for your DM’s. They sacrifice their personal time to ensure that their players enjoy the game, so it can really go a long way to show them how much you appreciate their efforts! 🙂

[@lordmars2387]

That bully one shattered my first group, I was the first DM, starting a gaming group from the ground up, a bit of an Atlus and too in love with random tables. Eventually I passed the torch to another who ran Strahd and became a bully DM. Let's just say they did something heinous to me, giving me PTSD around TTRPG's for +2 years. (If you have dark spiraling thoughts seek therapy, recovery on your own is extremely difficult.) Much thanks to my cousin who invited me to his dark heresy campaign, I had a blast and got over my remaining issues. Though the GM was definitely a favoritist with his wife and later with his friend. I'm now the primary DM for a new group with better people (who incidentally redeemed critical roll fans in my eyes). Felt like a bit of a martyr finishing the Dungeon of the mad mage campaign but soon my next campaign will start and I'll put all my lessons to work honing myself into a GREAT DM.

[@addison_v_ertisement1678]

Unless you've been officially diagnosed with PTSD, please don't say you have it.

[@emilstvring7577]

@@addison_v_ertisement1678 i mean, did they get stress, post a traumatic event, disorderly? Then it's ptsd i belive As most thing, PTSD isn't binary, it's not a object or virus you either have or don't have, if that was how we defined all things, we would all have cancer, as cancer cell periodically pops up and get destroyed throughout your life without it affecting you I belive it's more of a spectrum, all PTSD isn't the same, some people can almost normaly live their life as long as they aren't triggered, some people can't even get through a day without horible distress I think it's fair to compare PTSD to Dementia, Dementia being a umbrela term for mental and cognitive degradation, but dementia isn't a disease in itself, but a disease (like Alzheimer) can cause dementia Not to mention that being diagnosed with anything doesn't give you the condition, by that logic, as long as you don't get diagnosed, you are immune to all disease and sicknesses, and even people who have killed themselves weren't depressed as long as they weren't diagnosed

[@lixnix2018]

I had the luck to only play with good people and dms but unfortunately haven’t finished many campaigns due to party disbanding

[@modumsnus]

Had the same issue for years, playing for a year or so, then people stopped showing up and the campagin died. My character Tav`ash wich was my first char have still yet to finish a full campagin. I joined a new grp that plays once a week, so hopefully he will se the end of a story soon. Me and the DM even worked in the "never finishing" a campagin into my characters backstory, he alrdy had been planeshifted away on a whim by a powerful Hag, and now because he cant seem to join a campagin that ends he has become a multiverse character.

[@lixnix2018]

@ my last 2 pcs never finished a campaign (currently searching for campaign I wish more people would play dnd and dm)

[@modumsnus]

@@lixnix2018 I am tempted to try my ass on DM`ing, just to get more D&D in my life. As finding and starting a group havnt been to hard, its just that they always disband before finishing a campagin.

[@dandrive3249]

For the Atlas DM Esper the Bard has a great video on the subjects were he ranks the types of DMs. In his video he refers to them at the anxious DMs. His advice is for DMs to let go of the fear as he brings up DMs who are able to keep players for a long time tend to already be a cut among the rest. As someone who has a habit of being the Anxious/Atlas DM I can confirm that trying to let go of the anxiety and accept the fact that you have players that come regularly at all is a miracle. I am no were perfect in this and have a long way to go but acknowledging you are safe, you are loved, and your style is unique and you don’t need to depend on all the merchandise has helped wonders.

[@MarkoSeldo]

"Let go of the fear"... not exactly helpful advice. Anxious DMs need positive reinforcement from their players. They need to feel the excitement at the table, see players get into character and engage with their world, hear their players talk about their game with each other.

[@dandrive3249]

@ It’s a balance. Yes you need positive reinforcement from your players but at the same time you can’t just depend on it for security. You can ask for it to much and it could drain your players. You need to be able to not let your fear consume you to the point were you need positive reinforcement just to stay a float.

[@KingofGoblins1]

Dont forget the one that just changes the rules every 15 minutes, because there are homemade rules... but he didnt explained them. And once you see something happens and see the roll, you say.. oh, so its like that, ill do that. Then its not like that anymore. So you get confused and annoyed because everything you do may be easy or hard, and it has nothing to do with the action or the character, its just whatever the dm decides at that point.

[@TLBainter]

As a sadist GM, I'm hurt. As a masochist GM, that's okay.

[@ramblingryan6466]

I absolutely LOVE that the entire time you're referring to the sadist, your are showing clips of Chevy Chase. I grew up watching him, love his "characters" and was SO disappointed to hear about what a schmuck he was IRL... So this made me smile.

[@TheNoMoreGamer]

You forgot about the 8th type: Me. Whenever I make you roll a dice I will also roll the same dice, and if we get the same number I will jump over the table and eat your dice.

[@armisg5664]

That's a very specific fetish, but I don't judge.

[@TheNoMoreGamer]

@ judgement is the 9th toxic circle of DMing

[@kciref6016]

That ain’t even toxic, that’s just deserved. Survival of the luckiest

[@FacelessPorcelain]

I definitely used to be a Bully DM, though not to the extent I see on RPG horror stories. During the first campaign I ran, most of the group were first time players except for one, and none of us really knew each other that well. That one player that had more experience was a really big power gamer, and came with a really strong build that, as a new DM, I had a really hard time balancing and that was really frustrating. I definitely was harder on that player, generally didn't give loot that I knew would help their build, and tended to target them more often than other players - something which I justified at the time as me trying to keep things level but, again, I was just frustrated. As I became a better DM, the players became better players, and we got to know each other better outside of the game, that all improved, and me and that player are pretty good friends now. All this to say, there are a lot of reasons why a DM can become a bad DM, and I think we all start out with bad habits that we need to be introspective about and work on. And, y'know, talk to each other about. That player could have been a really good resource for me early on if I just bothered to voice what I was struggling with.

[@OwocowyMr]

i needed this video more than i expected. i myself am an Atlas DM. i worry a lot about the game, i feel like i'm not giving enough despite giving everything in my power to make my games as interesting and fun as possible. i worry about balancing out the encounters so they're not too easy but not too dangerous also. and most importantly - i feel worse for not knowing all the mechanics by heart, which some of my players do. and i'm thankful for them because they can correct me if needed, but at the same time, i envy them because i'm studying the game a lot and still can't remember how everything works. and sometimes it takes over, but sometimes the sessions come out great, not only because of what i prepared but because of the players' engagement too. i know they enjoy it and it makes me really happy, but at the same time i still try hard to keep them enjoying the game, because there's still a lot of ideas i want to share with them. i know i should stop, i should let myself go a little and not worry about every little thing... but it's so goddamn hard not to do it.

[@bluesteve124]

I've recently decided to DM for a group of coworker friends after a long hiatus. This was helpful in that I now have a mental checklist of behaviors to watch out for and avoid. Not that I'm worried, per se, but still good for self reflection. Thanks for always generating great content. (Also, I can't wait to put Ryoko's Guide to use! I'm SO excited!)

[@thatdmguy4512]

As an atlas dm i must also add that regular burnout is not a myth. Take care of urselves and take regular breaks especially around festive periods

[@nathancorso4067]

Interesting take on the argument: putting it simple, the toxic dms are almost always those that break or don't care about the "social contract", using the "big model" terminology, thus failing to establish the common and basic ground for a game to play, before even it can be considered fun or not.

[@koboldfan3238]

I had a DM that was the favoritism type, allowed a toxic player (barbarian with main character syndrome) to have a unbalanced homebrew race, use unbalanced homebrew feats, open up their character story early that and got items without question. So that barbarian was able to do more AoE magic damage than the casters and whose melee dmg at level 7 could equal that of a ancient dragon. My artificer had a story beat that was just to pay for a mystery item that turned out to be a recipe list of potions that help melee classes. Thankfully the DM started a new game without the toxic player and is playing more fair.

[@joshuasmith147]

This is the most positive video I've seen today. Thank you for it!

[@FerdinandFake]

Helicopter bungee jumping? Bro is on another level

[@spectilia]

As a bit of an Atlas, the best advice that has helped me, especially with the sort of imposter syndrome doubt of whether the players are having fun or not, is to do just the quick survey at the end of session: asking if anyone had anything they liked, things they didn't like, questions, comments, concerns, etc. Just keep it super casual and don't go in expecting everyone to speak up or have something to say. You'll start noticing that your players almost always only have good things to say, when they bring something up, even the things they didn't like are likely to complements (like hating an NPC, but really likeing how you played them sort of thing). It really helps to assuage those fears, at least for me.

[@jonathanstern5537]

Players can definitely help the Atlas DM by just saying that they enjoy the game when they do, and putting forth both what they liked and disliked about the session in a constructive way.

[@fadeleaf845]

I'm glad to actually see the backgrounds and justifications brought up instead of just painting every unfair/bad DM as being actively malicious. What I notice with the controlling types especially is how strictly written official adventures are and how dependent they are on certain events and offer almost nothing past the setpieces. It's these modules that make DMs just spin their wheels unless they actively interject and steer the party on the rails. DMPC stuff has been always weird to me. In most games where I ran I only played them because I was specifically requested to make a DMPC. In my current Pathfinder 1e campaign my DMPC is largely just a vehicle to allow my players to communicate their intent and decisions in-character. I feel for the last type of DM that common perception has been warped that game prep is a herculean task that requires tremendous amount of foresight and flowcharts and whatnot to be viable. You'd be amazed how much you can get by with just a general idea, an NPC motivation and rolling random monsters.

[@TonyCrenshawsLatte]

I guess I have a bit of Atlas tendencies, in the sense that I _do_ feel responsible for my players' happiness and enjoyment at my table. But to my credit, I am lazy enough to not over-prep, confident and capable enough to successfully "wing it" if necessary, and experienced enough to know that a happy table is not made by myself alone. Plus, I'm fortunate enough to have players who are responsible enough to come every week to play at my table, so I think it's only fair that I share in that responsibility to do my part. :D

[@christianrose9166]

I've had a DM who was a combination of the Atlas, the Sadist, and the Favouritist, all rolled into one. It was not a fun time, but the only other option was to be the DM myself (nobody else "knew how") or leave, and I wanted to play the game for once rather than be a DM. I'm also an introvert who gets uncomfortable around people I don't know, so it's a bit difficult to find a playgroup where I'm not the DM. Tangent aside, it's probably no surprise that particular campaign died.

[@stealth_meister4939]

The DM shouldn’t change the themes, encounters, vibe, etc. of the world. The DM should find players that enjoy the world as is.

[@animegamer200]

With the Atlas DM, having open conversations with their table is key to recognizing that their falling into it and to be reassured that their creating fun.

[@Fox.i0]

Honestly i feel like most DM's resort to the type of things you hear in horror stories, just cause they feel insecure or aren't experience. Some are just D*cks though

[@ZombieDireWolf]

I have had to use DMPCs before when low on players, but they were never really "in scenes" unless it was combat or when the character was translating for the group. I've used 2 different dmpcs and was constantly paranoid of having them

[@VivoDraconis]

in my mind the atlas DM is "a victim of his own success". he sits down, uses his brain and imagination to craft something special. something he can hook into the story, or the world or a microcosm inside his world. and he links the PC's to those scenarios and historical events. and it is the same effect a crafter has: i want to show you that i made something cool. thats what anybody does who creates something. kids show you their first paintings, you make something from wood or an origami figure - excitement of what you made WANTS to the shared with friends, because shared joy, is joy doubled. so the reason as to why they to it - i feel that all too well^^

[@bjorn00000]

The sadist is actually what DMs were expected to be in the early days of the game.

[@Klaital1]

Ah yes, the good old times, when DMs weren't afraid of challening their players.

[@dionisiosmarinos4285]

Upon discussion it can be one of the best DMS. Having unspeakable deeds done to an NPC and having the chance to take revenge can be amazing

[@bjorn00000]

@dionisiosmarinos4285 It's how that occurs that matters. Tomb of Horrors level stuff isn't fun - it's just sad.

[@bjorn00000]

@@Klaital1 Challenge does not include "you die no saving throw"

[@Klaital1]

@@bjorn00000 But these days, most dms are too afraid to even have monsters use control abilities on players in fear of 'removing player agency' which is just total nonsense.

[@overthinkingeverything6722]

Sometimes I do what the usurper does and try to add a character to the party to help them. Difference is when I do it it's a Skyrim follower who just babbles on about getting their ass kicked and not really doing anything unless prompted by the other players. Typically happens when the party lacks a healer or utility caster

[@0lloc0]

Exactly what i do aswell. The character will only be support, have skills they lack and interact with them only to bond, but never makes ANY decision for the players except in one single case: If they decided to go after the npc backstory and it comes to a moment of "revenge vs mercy" and at that moment they all decide to leave it up to the npc.

[@overthinkingeverything6722]

@0lloc0 That, or we're in combat. I don't give them their own actions or anything but if a mf gets within melee range for a reaction, npc will smack em with whatever's in hand for minimal damage. And with the given parameters of having the npc in the first place, npc is in the back of the party anyway (unless told to do something else) so atp there's really no avoiding doing it bc the party is either preoccupied or almost completely wiped. I won't do it if it'll kill the enemy though unless I ask the players ahead of time "hey this is what bro will do, are you cool with em getting the kill if it happens?" and they're cool with it

[@goodgulfgas]

I needed this video. I'm loosing my steam for D&D. And since this is the first D&D video I've watched in a while, I now see that the issue is the DM in the campaign we're playing. They're a Controller and Favoritist...but mostly a Controller. Super high DC's, massive enemy damage outputs, and creative ideas never work out. I'm *this close* to dropping out.

[@hangedhouraidoll2396]

NGL, we have a DM who could be seen as the favouritist. Alternately "Why do we never get cool items?", "Because you always answer 'i dont know' when I ask what you want me to seed" is 100% of conversations about favouritism at our table too.

[@onuts12]

I am part of a campaign that has been going for 10 years. The dm created a 5e epic handbook up to lvl 50 so we could keep playing our favorite characters. He sometimes is the atlas but for the most part is great.

[@ariellaboy7982]

I have quit a group due to a railroading and controlling DM before. Making modifications to rules to unnecessarily nerf a legitimate and not over powered build from the beginning. Providing inadequate plot hooks with obvious traps and absolutely refusing to allow me to say my highly intelligent character who had a high perception and investigation roll refused to step into the obvious traps. He even got mad when I nat 20d my con save to get a permanent plot related curse because he couldn't argue that I should be cursed anyway (since it would be a clear reveal the roll was meant to be failed). I missed a session and another player controlled my character, rolled well on Sleep to knockout and de-escalate a fight (which is what I would have done) and he just said Nope doesn't work... No explanation and not within RAW due to the HP of the single target

[@brandonschneider3993]

Also the first story was discussed on xp to level 3. Cool to see two great creators talk about it.

[@davidforrester303]

Thanks for this! I question myself, like we all do I think, if I am making an enjoyable experience. I can say today that I do not think I have any of these toxic traits as a DM. I am sure I make a ton of errors, but as a table, we all figure out how to work through any missteps by me or the players. To me, every game is a shared experience, not a me vs. them fight.

[@HunterGargoyle]

i remember the few times i played with a different group with my then gf because i was nervous my super edgelord group would turn her off, the DM gave her such obvious favouritism and was a bit creepy towards her in game having bards at every tavern we went fawn over her so i started getting frustrated holding my temper not to call the the guy out for this bs and after a few sessions she didn't want to play DnD at all... i think the edgelords would have been a better option because at least i know the boys well

[@lotharrenz4621]

I'm part of 3 different groups at the moment. one weekly, and two others that are occasionally set up on a sunday, or a whole weekend. the weekly one has 3 players, and 3 potential DMs. every time we gather we decide which story gets played. all DMs are highly creative, and somewhat quirky in their own ways. and sometimes there is tension, but it's talked out. the sunday group (still playing AD&D after all these years) had the DM sometimes include a NPC, but solely to support. his wive is playing with us, but I don't see much favouritism. the weekend group is supposed to have three potential DMs, but so far only one is DMing, and his style is somewhere between bully and atlas. bully as in going down on PCS when he sees an ability as an unfair advantage, even though it's not a big deal and can easily subverted. but he has given us a lot of grief over nothing as of late, so we'll see what happens... but he's also a bit anxious about us enjoying the story. and right now, there is a creative block. so the question is what will come next. we will try to talk it out about the bullying; maybe it comes from his experiences with the wahrhammer board game and the way that is played? who knows.

[@guel95ftw]

When I first started as a DM, I used to be an "Atlas" DM, constantly stressed about whether my group was having fun. This pressure ended up causing the campaign and even some friendships to crash and burn. Looking back, the group I was with wasn’t really helping matters, and it’s actually a good thing that I’m no longer playing with them, though I still miss playing with a few of them. These days, I still care a lot about whether my players are having fun, but I don’t let it impact my games as much. I’ve accepted that everyone has different tastes and won’t all enjoy the same parts of the game equally-and, most importantly, that I’m supposed to have fun as well.

[@nerdaccount]

Atlas DM here. Having you describe me to a tee was mentally painful! LOL I'm thinking maybe you're one too since you got it so spot on!

[@charlesboots6508]

Much respect for using a clip from Voltron's "Monsters & Mana" episode!

[@FernandoPolla1]

Concern about player fun? Check Not even started DMing for real and already had a burnout period after 100h prep? Check Relentlessly consume DnD content and products? Check Spent money on DnD "improvements"? Check I'm aware that I'm anxious when it comes to other people's validation of my skills but also I want to give players on my table the experience that I would like to have as a player. Dnd became my favourite hobby 4 years ago and since then I've learned a lot about what I and my friends like as players. This will be my first time Dming and I'm 100% Atlas Gming for the most part. Hurts to get reality checked but it's for the best. Thanks Buddy!

[@syrupchugger421]

Yeahhhhh, I might be a little bit on the Atlas side. Always want to make sure everyone is enjoying it. Thanks for the video

[@hawluchag7305]

I really dont like all the hate for DMPCs. Like I get the critiques, but at the same time, some groups just find it really fun! NADDPOD is a great example of why this "DMPCs are inherently bad" mindset really hurts me. Every campaign has a new DMPC, and each time, the DMPC doesn't feel like they're stealing spotlight or moving the players in Brian Murphy (the DM's) favor. Even Matt Colville has used DMPCs before (in his one on one dnd games). Its not an inherently bad thing, you just read too many (probably fake) rpghorrorstories posts where the dm is trying to make chad thundercock join the party while the players have no say

[@davidlewis8814]

I like it when your left eyebrow and the tag on your hat match up like that - it looks like you have one Ming the Merciless eyebrow!

[@evieeevee]

Damn, was not ready for the precision strike attack from the Atlus section.

[@MentoliptusBanko]

I was once a DMPC...it was because there were only 3 of us (this was before fast internet) and we wanted to play, but didn't want it to be a 2-PC-party. So I made a support character who didn't talk much and was just there to heal and could give his actions to other players...like giving them strategic commands. So it turned out OK-ish because, at least in fights, it didn't slow down the action and left the players to shine.

[@PSroka]

Hey all! Ex-atlas/controller DM here. Ive definitely stolen stories from video games or dramatic storytelling and forced my players into outcomes i thought would be fun, as i did feel responsible for their enjoyment. I used to hate DMing because every expectation I had for the game broke every time I DMed. It was terrible. But that was high school, and Ive grown a lot in terms of how i think about this game. Funny because its part of the Atlas description, it took consuming DND content related to educating people on negative DM habits that made me realize what I was doing wrong. (CR and How to be a Great GM) I now DM without worrying about what my players think because I trust them and they trust me. I am okay with my players doing things that go against my plans because those are the best story moments. The most rewarding part of being a DM is both when you surprise your players and when they surprise you. It also helps that i learned some groups need to be railroaded just a little if they arent good at creating their own character motivations, its totally fine. I also stopped comparing myself to DMs like Mercer, it wasnt healthy and bad for everyone. I have my own style and my own playgroup, and if my players seem like theyre into the game a little, theyre likely enjoying it more than you think. Sometimes players need fo go on their phones or get distracted to actually feel like theyre apart of the game (dont punish neurodivergence) I had to learn all of this to get where i am at with my group today, and getting here just takes experience and repetition. If you want to change, you'll get there, and you'll have a lot of fun :)

[@zackkwilkes131]

The only DMPC I have ever used was a Kenku Rogue. They were there for 2 reasons. The party was only 3 players running through a tough module, and they wanted a rogue. I made them a Kenku, so that the only time they ever spoke was through mimicry, to aid in pushing points the players made home, or adding some funny moments. They never took the spotlight, their turns were pre-rolled in combat so as to not slow things down. Overall. I think his inclusion went over very well.

[@KiyoshiKen]

This was such a well thought out video and point about how each doesnt respect a player including the atlas. very clever

[@emildavidson4955]

I've used DMPCs before but I had a very specific ruleset for using them. They're there to fill a role the party wants but nobody wants to play, they don't make decisions for the party, they don't try to get kills, they have limited knowledge of what's going on when asked, they are the last to get loot if at all. My players thought it was really funny to have my dmpc talk to one of my pcs because they liked watching me swap voices and personalities back and forth. They also liked that I hated doing that.

[@Mallory-Malkovich]

Love that you're using footage of the _Community_ D&D episode

[@jaku86]

The DM in the 1st one didn't even allow players to roll. They rolled for everything for everyone. It was an insane read.

[@raszota8466]

My very first DM had 4/7 checked out. The controller, favouritist, usurper but mostly Atlas. It was fun for a wile.

[@MarkoSeldo]

This is really worth cross-referencing with Ginny Di's video on "what type of player are you?", because there's a lot of overlap - GMs tend to respond to players and vice versa. Adversarial DMs trigger min-maxxers, instigators trigger controllers. The list goes on. For the Atlas DM, the worst is the passive player, the socialiser. All too often, the Atlas DM will freak out about the passive socialiser(s). This is what happens to me, for sure. I'm usually fairly comfortable as a DM, but having a couple of passive players has really put me on edge. I really freak out about whether they're actually enjoying the game.

[@ivy703]

6:51 Whenever I give my party NPCs, or when they pick them up and I have to throw a character together, I always underlevel them. From a game perspective, I don’t want to take the spotlight from my players, so I’ll give them a character that can’t do as much as them. From a story perspective, they just picked up a common guard because he rolled pretty well and survived, there’s no way he’s at the same level as my players that have traveled across the country for adventures.

[@tombayley7110]

A CURE FOR THE ATLAS DM is to play more. this reminds the person of how players have fun. share the dm ing. Move away from the idea of campaigns and towards the idea of scenarios/ adventures. Set adventures in a shared game world. have a mechanic for the party to switch pcs in and out depending on the dm. or have rules for the dms character to stick as an NPC while they run the adventure. e.g. the Dm's character may only gain generic items or treasure, gains experience to keep pace with the slowest progressing player character and so on.

[@riculfriculfson7243]

I've played in a group for over 30 years where many of the players also GM. We've never had a problem with GMPC's usurping anything. I cannot speak for ANY other group though, but it's never been a problem for us. 😁

[@RedTooth552]

I feel like when it comes to DMPCs, a lot of people just automatically assume they're bad regardless of context or table. In my Sunday game, we round robin DM so everyone at the table has their own PC to bring in after their tenure is up and the next player takes over the DM helm. However, on multiple occasions, when the DM does whatever it is they do to get their character out of the way for the arc, the players have chosen to drag that player character back in, putting the DM in the position of running a character and DMing. It can be challenging, and there is an art to it, but it is doable if the players are onboard and the DM uses discretion with how choices are made - generally hanging back and letting the rest of the party figure out what they want to do without input, only solving plot problems when called upon to do so by the rest of the party, and resolving their actions quickly when it is their turn. We've been running a game with this model without interruption since 2017 and this is fun for us.

[@Ark_Nexus]

on of the most infamous controller stories would be that airship one from years ago

[@RadianRebel]

I prefer to DM and I always look at new ways of doing things. I will occasionally introduce an NPC that travels with the group for a short time if the story allows. I make sure that the players know that he/she is not a permanent character, will not do any actions the players should be doing and will fight in the background if the capability is there (some don't) but there wont be any combat rolls made. Think of video games when the companion is fighting but not really doing any damage. A few of examples: An NPC is in love with someone that was captured by a cult and is to be sacrificed and demands to go with the group. They know where to go and what the cult is about. Another example: An NPC gives information to the players they were seeking. The NPC says they need to go to a remote location and he is only going to lead them there. Another example: The party saves an NPC during an adventure. The NPC needs help to get away so they tag along with the party until they reach some sort of civilization. These could make your world be more alive as well as add to an adventure or lead into a new one. When I ran the cult scenario the NPC was not meant to live and the sacrifice was supposed to happen. The player characters inadvertently made the sacrifice happen which brought an evil entity who became their big bad for a time. It should be used rarely but having the characters create their own enemies can work very well.

[@csquared4538]

The little dark part of your hat looked like it was part of your eyebrow. I think the fey eyebrows is a good look for you.

[@bilboy32]

I think the key with that is in session zero. A DM should share their anxiety or concerns as a part of the whole, since it is. Content doesn't matter if the boss is too sad to play.

[@Rob_Pap]

Watching this video just before a game made me so anxious

[@Drachenadler]

Completely off topic from the video, but I recognized the location at 2:07 as the place I went bungee jumping while on vacation in New Zealand. It was my first time doing something like that and I had a blast. Lost my beanie to the river though...

[@TheTwitchyBrownGuy]

Holy Hell... I'm the atlas dm. I always kinda knew this, but this is 100% me. A player recently left my paid campaign just as it was starting and all I could think was "Yea, makes sense, im probably not good enough for them to see my services as worth it. Bummer".

[@grr-OUCH]

I was in a group that had the Favoritist for a few years. The favorite player was always the favorite, and favored player was hostile towards other players getting the lime light. I forced myself to play in the group as I have two brothers in the group. Neither brother was the favoring GM nor the favored player, but they are my brother's friends.

[@johnfinch6351]

I know that I am a Usurper, and if other people are, an easy fix is to be a support and only role play with other players Edit: This might only work because I only have one player, and therefor no one for them to regularly role play with

[@FlameUser64]

random problem only my group has: the DM introduced 3 semi-DMPC characters who are going to be important later and is desperately trying to get them out of the party (so they can be shelved until their individual arcs later) while the players go out of their way to try to keep them around because they're all really neat and interesting and cute characters who are fun to interact with.

[@MatthewTallungan]

Sees shadows of all of these in my journey to be a good GM. Thanks for posting these tips.

[@nabra97]

I'll always remember the recommendation from an old article suggesting not to give your character any bonds because the DM would "feel forced" to target them

[@guyvengeance286]

When the Atlas' characteristics were talked about, I was feeling like I was staring in the mirror...

[@clairelee94]

Just FYI, the Atlas image you used by Poison In the Pen, the creator of that is infamous for their use of AI and has been heavily criticized and denounced by many artists.

[@jacka7275]

Fix for the Atlas As a player: let them know if you are enjoying their game. Give them ideas, even if they aren't fully fleshed out, about what you want to do or what items or feats whatever you want As the dm: make the most perfect game possible, inevitably fail, play any using the very good game that you tried to make perfect, watch as you have fun without or even in spite of the plans you built. Expect the unexpected means to be ready for something you didn't account for to happen and is great advice for dnd like when players fall in love with the random npc you literally just made up

[@Asaomar]

I have a DM PC in the game I'm currently running, however it isn't something inconstsntly play, and is 95% extreme background, & mostly there to give quests and further a specific character's story and is intended to be the boss they fight and kill when they're around level 5

[@tristangillis7365]

I've had the Controller as my very first TTRPG experience. Out-and-out rewrote three of the four characters because he didn't care for how they were, and added a little bit of number four with his own little addition. Almost made my wife and I give up on TTRPGs on the spot.

[@TheBeelzboss]

I find it VERY easy to run a character as a DM. That character is simply not someone who makes any decisions, they are a role player that is lacking in the party or a bodyguard type that protects the rest of the party. I've done it in a PBP and there was absolutely no problems.

[@CrudzMcKenzie]

I DM for a small group, 3 players, so i run a "DMPC". But he's kind of a loveable dumb dumb who is just there to fill in some gaps in the party's abilities. My players actually love this character. I've tried to write him off once and the party went out of their way to keep him around. He's nearly died several times and the party always saves him like he's just another valued member of the party. I realize this might be an exception that proves the rule, as it were. But DMPC/NPC tag along characters can be done in a way that isn't toxic. So long as the DMPC isn't stealing the spot light or saving the day all the time it's fine. The character is a bullywug rogue that the party rescued from slavery and asked to join the party. I actually never planned on having him be a permanent part of the story. The party just nudged me into it, and now they're all pretty attached to the silly little frog man. lol

[@APerson-ws4cw]

I am an Atlas DM, and I am definitely guilty of the things mentioned for that section. It's admittedly a little draining, especially when I end up giving myself more and more campaigns to run.

[@zugetzuzu]

I was the Atlas DM because I felt I let my players down, lots of self doubt and that caused our campaign to fall through. Granted it did not help that 1-2 players would miss every session which massively fed into my doubts but that's all in the past now

[@robinmohamedally7587]

I use DMPCs quite commonly. It's when i don't have enough players to fill out a four person party. There's nothing wrong with it, in the least, as long as the DMPCs are support characters who don't make big decisions or lead the party

[@Itachi45481]

Oh man the dmpc funny enough I had one in my game but I made one because there were only 2 pc and they wanted an extra character for party synergy so I made a monk with a cool side story when the players felt confident not needing an extra or we got more players and we got more so I made them a npc and a plot point but I didn’t make them an op self insert and the players loved it due to the plot shift it caused but I’m glade I didn’t mess up my first Champaign but I just lucked out

[@angiep2229]

Atlas DM - Positive feedback is helpful here. Yes, criticism is okay, but often people forget to talk about the good things. Let this DM know what you would love to see more of. Engage, show enthusiasm. And offer them breaks! Time to be a player, or board game nights or other activities in which they might not feel as much pressure. The Atlas DM has the potential to be one of the best types of DM, with the genuine support of the other players.

[@Coddlesworth]

Me at the start of this video: "Alright, let's learn about all of these horrible DMs out there..." Me at the end of this video: 😣"Why am I under attack?"

[@OffRezWolf]

You may want to add the Adversarial DM, one who engineers every encounter to kill the players, and takes great glee when he accomplishes this task. D&D should be challenging, and character death is a very real possibility, but I've only known 2 people over 40 years of playing D&D that actually enjoys the meat grinder style of play. I believe it is the role of the DM to be a neutral storyteller, you may create the world, but the players are what make it live and breath. DM's who actively and happily seek the destruction of the party are missing out on the joy of what 3+ players can create, and the memories that can last a lifetime.

[@adventarchivist5789]

Not sure if the Useeper has to be the worst kind of DM if you think about it. If a dungeon master makes a DMPC, I've always thought if the following countermeasures. 1. Make encounters more challanging to account for an extra player. 2. Give the party the choice of a few npcs to choose to tag along with them, in case they need a specific role filled out 3. Have the dmpc be preoccupied during rp and puzzle solving segments to restrain yourself from interfearing.

[@ShaggySasquach4231]

The Big problem with atlas DM’s are the large amount of players that absolutely take all their work for granted and disrespect them. So many bad player behavior actively tells the dm them & the game their running aren’t good enough and it makes all the insecurity’s all the more real.

[@Jackofl3lades]

How dare you call me out with that last one.

[@bisiart]

i've been called out. thanks for showing how i can improve 😅

[@Wintermute909]

@ 0:10 "I've brought sources. From reddit." Lmao, that is some top notch comedy there! But seriously that's kinda the lowest hanging fruit there is.

[@nerdynord4315]

I had a DM once, during a 3.5 game, who kept landing successful criticals on me. In 3.5, if you rolled a nat 20 on an attack, you then had to roll again to see if you can beat your target's AC. He kept doing so. And in the space of four weeks, playing four nights a week, j lost a character every night. So, I deep dived into the books and built a character who was immune to critical hits before level 8 (I think). He continued to roll nat 20s against me, but they no longer did the extra damage. But, then we found out, from his brother who didn't play, that he was fudging the rolls and wasn't landing nat 20s against me at all. He watched the DM roll, whondeclared a nat 20, and then his brother said "that's a 3". We all knew what was happening then, and we left the game and found a different DM.

[@brokenmeats5928]

I love ALL DnD Shorts videos!

[@fiendishmia506]

ive been the atlas dm for a long while. i completely burnt out after my players said i was doing way too much and they're no longer having fun which resulted in me blowing up and saying they were all dishonest and scheming. they were dishonest as they have said multiple times they loved the game and then all the sudden turned around and said they haven't been enjoying it for a while, but i shouldn't have let this game consume me and now after a solid 2 year haitus i'm back in the chair and hopeful with this knowledge that i will do better and not burn out.

[@DrakonSvant]

I do have some DMPCS but they’re generally very adamant about helping the party when asked cause they’re hirelings, they’re strong sure but they can’t give everything away due to the contract they signed in the adventuring guild. Gotta balance em out. Also a way to fix that is to have them mostly do something else to help the party (not just in combat)

[@mkklassicmk3895]

The DM that plays favorites isn't toxic unless they are doing it maliciously. There are actually styles of play that can cause this sort of thing to happen unless the DM is actively working to avoid it. Anxiety or simply having too many players can also cause a DM to focus on a particular player over the others. It doesn't mean they are toxic, it often just means they are struggling.

[@_JusDavid_]

i feel extremely called out with that last one😂😂😂

[@DuncanGDA]

You forgot the Ghost. The type of Dm you meet for < 3 sessions then never hear from again