Chris Perkins on Ego and the Dungeon Master

Image from Wizards of the Coast

This is a really fantastic article about how ego can work against us by esteemed dungeon master Chris Perkins. The whole article is worth a read, but here is the bottom line:

"Being a Dungeon Master means putting yourself out there, on center stage, with only a thin DM screen (and sometimes not even that) separating you from the players, all of whom are counting on you to deliver a memorable gaming experience. In many respects, you're like an actor standing on a stage."

"...Let me be the first to point out that everyone wrestles with his or her ego, and sometimes ego gets the better of us despite our vigilance. I could be the most self-effacing and humble DM in the world (although I admit that I'm not), but woe to anyone who cuts me off on the freeway or thinks they know more useless Star Trek trivia than I do. You want to see my ego take charge? There are plenty of arenas in which I let my ego go a little wild, but the gaming table isn't one of them. Here's what I do to keep my ego from wreaking havoc with my campaign, which, I imagine, is what a lot of humble actors do when they walk out on stage to face a captive audience:

• I remember that every session is a fresh start . . . and a chance to take a risk.

• I expect to make mistakes (and never fail to disappoint), and I hope to learn from them.

• I tell myself I'm on my players' side. The campaign is not about Me vs. Them.

• At the end of every session, I look for smiles on the players' faces. If I don't see any, I know something's not right.

Along with the creative ability to improvise, DMs need self-awareness and the ability to poke fun at themselves. Every DM who reads this article thinks he or she has the ability to do both. Yeah, well, we all have the ability to breathe out of the nose instead of the mouth; doesn't mean we all do it. If you're truly self-aware and willing to laugh at yourself, you don't need a true seeing spell to know when your ego is getting in the way and doing more harm than good. It will always be there to protect you, but sometimes you gotta let it go."

Chris Perkins is a game designer, editor, and my personal favorite dungeon master. You can see and hear him in action on the Acquisitions Incorporated series or The Robot Chicken Dungeons and Dragons game he ran. You may also check out the rest of his blog The Dungeon Master Experience.