Missing DM

[Chewychunga]

Currently playing. A game where everyone has a decent char and lots of story and stuff behind them and all enjoying it when the dm has kinda gone poof and now we trying to figure out what to do
So I was wondering what everyone else does when a player or Dm disappears. Do ya wait? How long? Or replace them? Perm? Temp? Anything / experiances are good

[Honest Tiefling]

What format is this? I think it's a little bit of a different procedure if it's PnP versus PbP. How do you know the DM? And I think in the former case, you need to act a bit sooner...

[ExLibrisMortis]

If you can still reach the DM, confirm that they are going to be gone, and then request a rundown of the future story, possibly with a copy of the DM's notes. Then one of the players takes over as DM, and their character either leaves, or becomes a dummy (played by everyone on the table, for the mechanical strength more than the roleplaying, so don't do this if you don't run that kind of game).

[Chewychunga]

Don't know what ya mean by pdp were playing obline using roll20
And I haven't been able to contact dm for while.. Me dm said he away for 1 session then he did show for last(missing 2 total) and hasn't replyed or even read any of my messages
Also game is split about 50/50 rp/ dungeon crawler
Were also trying to make use of overlooked skills like getting lost with survival and use rope to make tents with little wind and other stuff that's raw but never bothered with

[martixy]

PnP is Pen and Paper, where you get together, face to face, in person, in physical proximity, to play.
PbP is Play by Post, and is a mode of online play by using forum posts. In this case, there's usually more leeway on missing DMs, since things happen slower in general.

Your case... if my experience with roll20 is any indication, you might as well move on.
See if someone can take over from the other players(or you do it) and continue the adventure if everyone is on board.
You might need to create a new game for it however, since only the DM has the ability to use the GM tools in roll20, unless he gives explicit permissions to another person.

[Belzyk]

PnP is Pen and Paper, where you get together, face to face, in person, in physical proximity, to play.
PbP is Play by Post, and is a mode of online play by using forum posts. In this case, there's usually more leeway on missing DMs, since things happen slower in general.

Your case... if my experience with roll20 is any indication, you might as well move on.
See if someone can take over from the other players(or you do it) and continue the adventure if everyone is on board.
You might need to create a new game for it however, since only the DM has the ability to use the GM tools in roll20, unless he gives explicit permissions to another person.

I agree with this. And by the gods. Don't play with Garrak as a dm on that site. He homebrews way to much and not very well.

[Angelmaker]

Were also trying to make use of overlooked skills like getting lost with survival and use rope to make tents with little wind and other stuff that's raw but never bothered with

What? You are using survival to get lost and you use rope to make tents with little wind? This reads like a translation from google of a chinese survival manual.

[Chewychunga]

What? You are using survival to get lost and you use rope to make tents with little wind? This reads like a translation from google of a chinese survival manual.

Lol sorry my grammar / spelling sucks

Luckaly I created the game on roll20 so I have gm powers I just didn't dm cause I have little and less creativity and wanted to make adventure memorable
Going to give him to next session but I'll also prepare for him to be missing

[KillianHawkeye]

In my experience, which is exclusively of the old-fashioned, analog, real pencils and papers and sitting down with your buddies variety, if the DM can't run his game then you play a different game with different characters. The only exception is if you have a campaign specifically set up for different DMs to swap in and out for a few sessions of adventure, without any real over-arching storyline (one of my group's games is currently set up this way).

[Chewychunga]

Ok
Do you have any suggestions for a decent story for a new dm if I do take over?
Prob start lvl 2 ish
I'm decent with rules just need story / guide I can follow

[Red Fel]

Ok
Do you have any suggestions for a decent story for a new dm if I do take over?
Prob start lvl 2 ish
I'm decent with rules just need story / guide I can follow

My advice?

Talk to each of your players, ask them three things.
Character background - where you come from who you know.
Character goals - what motivates you, what you want to do/have.
Player goals - what kind of campaign you want, and one thing or scene that would make you super happy.
Based on that, you should have a pretty good idea of what motivates the characters and the players. Then just build a world around that.

Let's try an illustration. Classic beatstick/skillmonkey/healbot/blaster party.
Beatstick: Sir Rectus, the Paladin. Comes from a small farm where he knew everyone in town, got the call to duty in a vision, seeks to right wrongs and perhaps someday retire to his farm home. Player wants heroic deeds.
Skillmonkey: Moldy, the Rogue. Grew up on the mean streets, learned to look out for himself. Has a few contacts in various places. Wants the money and resources to build a real life for himself, nice house, family, gold plates. Player wants a character arc.
Healbot: Brother Shiny, the Cleric. Orphan raised by the church, now on a spiritual pilgrimage to see the world and its people before he returns to a life of prayer and austerity. Secretly desires to know his origins - parents, where he came from. Player wants emotional scenes.
Blaster: Varustrex the Obscure, the Wizard. Seventh-generation arcane scholar. Currently preparing his seventh thesis, which will entitle him to the rank of grandmaster, in search of the ancient lost magical city of Mu. Wishes to transcend physical experience and become a being of pure thought. Player wants epic power battles.
So, let's put them all together. Once the players have a reason to get together, Rectus and Shiny will probably hit it off right away. Moldy can work with them in pursuit of his character arc; Varustrex will follow along in pursuit of arcane knowledge. For story, let's say there's a sinister cult who, like Varustrex, is seeking the power of Mu, led by a person who seems to know Shiny. Now all of the characters have a motivation to fight - Rectus wants to stop their evil plan; Moldy wants the loot they have, and possibly, to develop under the positive influence of Rectus and Shiny; Shiny wants to know how this mysterious stranger knows him; Varustrex wants to uncover Mu's secrets, and knows the cult will lead him to them.

Everything from there is just playing into what the characters want to do. Slap together a map - desert here, forest there, mountains there. Ask where they want to go. Let them do what they please. In the background, the cult moves. If the players wander off and start to get bored, let plot happen - they stumble on the cult! If they have fun pursuing sideplots, just go with it! Be sure to give each player time to shine, keeping in mind what they like from a campaign.

And you're done! That's it. Most of DMing is just knowing what the players want, finding a way for them to enjoy the game, and winging the rest.

[Belzyk]

Ok
Do you have any suggestions for a decent story for a new dm if I do take over?
Prob start lvl 2 ish
I'm decent with rules just need story / guide I can follow

Could I possibly join?
As a player of course.

[Chewychunga]

My advice?

Talk to each of your players, ask them three things.
Character background - where you come from who you know.
Character goals - what motivates you, what you want to do/have.
Player goals - what kind of campaign you want, and one thing or scene that would make you super happy.
Based on that, you should have a pretty good idea of what motivates the characters and the players. Then just build a world around that.

Let's try an illustration. Classic beatstick/skillmonkey/healbot/blaster party.
Beatstick: Sir Rectus, the Paladin. Comes from a small farm where he knew everyone in town, got the call to duty in a vision, seeks to right wrongs and perhaps someday retire to his farm home. Player wants heroic deeds.
Skillmonkey: Moldy, the Rogue. Grew up on the mean streets, learned to look out for himself. Has a few contacts in various places. Wants the money and resources to build a real life for himself, nice house, family, gold plates. Player wants a character arc.
Healbot: Brother Shiny, the Cleric. Orphan raised by the church, now on a spiritual pilgrimage to see the world and its people before he returns to a life of prayer and austerity. Secretly desires to know his origins - parents, where he came from. Player wants emotional scenes.
Blaster: Varustrex the Obscure, the Wizard. Seventh-generation arcane scholar. Currently preparing his seventh thesis, which will entitle him to the rank of grandmaster, in search of the ancient lost magical city of Mu. Wishes to transcend physical experience and become a being of pure thought. Player wants epic power battles.
So, let's put them all together. Once the players have a reason to get together, Rectus and Shiny will probably hit it off right away. Moldy can work with them in pursuit of his character arc; Varustrex will follow along in pursuit of arcane knowledge. For story, let's say there's a sinister cult who, like Varustrex, is seeking the power of Mu, led by a person who seems to know Shiny. Now all of the characters have a motivation to fight - Rectus wants to stop their evil plan; Moldy wants the loot they have, and possibly, to develop under the positive influence of Rectus and Shiny; Shiny wants to know how this mysterious stranger knows him; Varustrex wants to uncover Mu's secrets, and knows the cult will lead him to them.

Everything from there is just playing into what the characters want to do. Slap together a map - desert here, forest there, mountains there. Ask where they want to go. Let them do what they please. In the background, the cult moves. If the players wander off and start to get bored, let plot happen - they stumble on the cult! If they have fun pursuing sideplots, just go with it! Be sure to give each player time to shine, keeping in mind what they like from a campaign.

And you're done! That's it. Most of DMing is just knowing what the players want, finding a way for them to enjoy the game, and winging the rest.


I'm gonna use that if you don't mind
And bysek add me ok skype
chewychunga

[Belzyk]

I'm gonna use that if you don't mind
And bysek add me ok skype
chewychunga

Sure will give me 5 minutes

[Red Fel]

I'm gonna use that if you don't mind
And bysek add me ok skype
chewychunga

You're welcome to it. But keep in mind that it varies for each party. And it's more dependent on the character than character class, and on the player as well. But the basic methodology is there - figure out who the character is, what the character wants, and what the player wants. Use elements of each.

Does a character's backstory mention a meaningful friend, loved one, or rival? Bring them in! Does the backstory mention a home town or dreamed-of destination? There's a plot point there! Does a character want to find X? What a coincidence - so does one of the antagonists! (Alternatively - he already has!)

Does the player want emotional scenes and shocking reveals? Luke, I am your father! Does the player want epic action sequences? The dragon engages you in a vast canyon with rocky outcroppings, large boulders to provide cover, and unstable cracked footing that gives way to the deep caverns below. Does the player want character growth? Slowly, the NPC is learning to trust you. How do you respond?

It's all about letting the players feel gratified. Letting them feel like they are the stars of a great story. That doesn't mean you make it easy on them, but it does mean that they walk away feeling like they were part of something awesome. And the best way to do that is to make them feel personally invested - like they contributed not just to the actions of their characters, but to the creation of the world.