DM Diagnostic: The 15 DM Skills We All Evaluate

It's how I judge my game and yours

I just got back from NTRPG CON and I played in five different kinds of games (you can see them here) and I decided I would put a list together of how, as a DM, I would judge these DM’s and their styles by a diagnostic checklist I also use on myself.

All my games were very good and each DM style was different so I am not calling anyone out but there are certain things I look for in DM’s, starting with me.

Please also know that these are convention games, not home games. I share other factors at the end of this article which can come into play when determining a DM’s effectiveness at the table and the games enjoyability, overall.

1. Rules Knowledge – Familiarity with the core rules

I can tell you there was one game where it felt like we were constantly in the rule book looking up what certain things did, but this could be fixed with ability cards given along with the pre-gens (I shall judge these later). This did slow things down but thing quickly ramped up again.

2. Rules Consistency – Ability to apply rules the same way across sessions and players.

All DM’s were consistent throughout there games.

3. Time-to-Dice – Average time it takes before players are actively engaging with the mechanics (rolling dice, using abilities, etc.).

Depending on what kind of game you are playing, this is either good or bad. Either a) the DM is spending a lot of time up front explaining rules and/or lore (as 2 of my DM’s did) or b) you kick off with strong RP and no dice needed, yet.

In at least 2 of the games I played, it took longer than needed (IMO) to get going.

My rule is show don’t tell. Give brief instruction, jump into the game with a fast start where dice are needed (or not) and let players ask questions as they go.

4. Character Integration – How well the DM weaves players into the ongoing story.

In only one of the games I played did my character or their experience matter. In all the other games I was a meat bag with a sword.

5. NPC Depth – Are NPCs memorable, distinct, and meaningful to the players?

Two games I played had no NPC’s (all monsters) and in one game there were no NPC’s of note. Only two games had some fun NPCs.

6. Combat Pacing – Keeps battles moving without dragging or feeling rushed.

3 games were combat heavy and 2 of them had pacing issues. One game had no combat but the games that had combat went pretty smoothly.

7. Narrative Pacing – Avoids excessive downtime or exposition; keeps story momentum going.

There were two games that had narratives and went very smoothly. The other 3 games were combat heavy and only one of those had a more narrative than the others.

8. Scene Transitions – Smooth handoffs from scene to scene.

3 of the five game did not require much in the way of transition, but two did and those DM’s did them well.

9. Player Spotlight Balance – Ensures all players get moments of significance across sessions.

I think all the players received some spotlight time but, as is the case in any game but especially convention games, not all equally.

10. Session Flow – Efficient use of session time, from intro to wrap-up.

Some games flowed better than others. One of the combat heavy games went very smoothly (when we weren’t looking in the rule books). Most of the games I played in I did not find myself looking at my watch wondering when the game was going to be over.

11. Player Autonomy – Encourages player choice and reacts meaningfully to their actions.

One of the games felt more procedural. In some cases some things were explained very quickly or hand waived before we could react. I shared this with the DM afterwards but it had more to do with time and a low energy table.

12. Player Engagement – Keeps players attentive and invested; low rates of distraction or disengagement.

2 games kept my attention 95% of the time, one had my attention 85% of the time (when we weren’t looking up rules) and the other 3 had my attention about 75% of the time due to pacing.

13. Group Dynamics Management – Handles interplayer conflicts, spotlight hogging, or disengagement effectively.

There were no issues at any of the tables I played at. The DM’s were attentive to the players and handled mostly small issues and for Con games, that’s pretty good.

14. Reading The Table – Adjusts content or tone in response to player non verbal play (people on phones, people tuning out, etc.)

I think all the DM’s read their tables well enough, adjusted as needed, but some were better than others.

15. Post-Session Review – Takes time to reflect and/or solicit feedback from players after sessions.

I’d say 3 out of 5 DM’s asked some kind of feedback question and one them I had a discussion with after and they asked questions and open to feedback.

Many DM’s think the only question they should ask is, “Did you have fun?” and that should certainly be one of the questions.

DM’s who do not ask questions after a game, beyond the fun question, may not be open to constructive criticism. Most players are too nice, at least in a convention setting, to say anything, if they had issues, they simply will not sign up for that DMs game next year.

Just like when you get the oil in your car changed the mechanics does a diagnostic check. Mechanics are checking your fluid levels, tire pressure, filters, belts, lights and windshield wipers. If some things are lacking, it doesn’t mean your car is bad or you are a bad car owner. The purpose of the diagnostic is to make sure your car is safe for the road.

Likewise, this DM Diagnostic Checklist is not meant to tell whether a DM is good or bad, but where they can improve. As I said, I measure myself and judge myself, first.

All my DM’s were prepared, enthusiastic and looked after their tables as best they could in a con setting. Not one of them ran a bad game.

Grab your own DM Diagnostic Checklist here. It’s free.

Factors

My comments under each of my diagnostics reflect a con game setting which is different than a game store or home setting. Some of these factors played a part in how I judged my DMs some did not apply.

Time of day

Some of my games were morning, some were afternoon and some were evening. Time of game plays a part in both the players energy at the table as well as the DM’s energy.

Convention (limited time) or home game (unlimited time)

My DM’s usually had another game so it makes sense they had to rush some things during the game.

Type of players (Read the Room for convention vs friends you know)

If you have players who are selfish, that is not the DM’s fault. If you have people at your table who are all extrovert, all introvert or a mixture, that will have an impact on the game.

System Leans Tactical or Narrative

I have to say, there were times I felt like I was playing Pathfinder 1e. Battles were a slog. Games where RP was high or emphasized, the table energy was different. Were they fun, yes. Were they role playing games? That’s another article.

Paid game vs Store pick up game or home game

None of these were paid game, as such, although each person played a convention fee and, I imagine, there were some expectations of what people thought they should get for their money. I got my money’s worth from every game.

As a professional DM, when people spend their money with me, they have certain expectations and they should. Value and fun are the highest expectations and I do my best to exceed expectations in both.

Players new to a game vs system experienced players

At the games I played at, each table was a mixed bag of new players and some who had played before. The DM has to balance these which may have factored in to some some of my comments under some of the points.

Some issues can be solved by using player cheat sheets (which some games had) and having teaching tools like spell cards, etc. Some of the games I played in had these and others did not.

There are certainly other factors as to whether a DM is running their table well including personality, length of game, experience, number of people at the table, etc.

I’d like to know, which of these diagnostic points do have top of mind when running or playing in a game? What factors do you consider if your game experience isn’t what you expected?