I am putting this out there as an opportunity for people to identify an exceptional DM/GM they know from the MW boards. I would like to hear stories from the player’s perspective about what makes the DM/GM so outstanding and potentially do some further reading of their work. At this point its all for fun but perhaps in the future a poll could be made to nominate a DM/GM of the year!

In your nomination include:

• The name of the DM/GM
• The relevant game forum thread
• Examples of their DM/GM greatness

If anyone has questions about this, go ahead and post them in this thread or via PM.

EDIT: I searched the boards for something like this and couldn't find it but if I missed something, or if this thread doesn't really belong here, do let me know.

Name of the DM/GM: Peruhain
The relevant game forum thread: Red Hand of Doom Campaign (Complete and archived)
Examples of their DM/GM greatness: We've played the complete Red hand of doom campaign with him for around two years and a half, from beginning to end. He has shown a great ability to create a compelling background for the game and gave life to all npcs, tweaked all the encounters and made them truly memorable. He is also really good at giving background and flavor to the game, and the characters, usually coming up with great ideas for characters, items, etc.

My Favortie GM: Kyrathaba
Who runs: Kyrian Cycle: Heroes from Beyond the Pale
Because:

Kyrathaba's zen-like narrative really captures the bleak, earthy flavor of life in the Kulnite wilderness and the way he paints the small world of dark-ages society is convincing. At no point can you obviously see where the dice were rolled and even when magic and monsters comes up, he makes this seem like authentic phenomenae rather than special effects. Even as a spectator to the game, I have found myself spending hours poring through the game's extensive archives (50 chapters and counting), completely absorbed; his writing isn't terribly showy, but you really do escape to another world when you read it. It is clear and straightforward, and his choice in embellishments always add to the scene, never distract from it. In my mind, readability is the top prioirity in writing, and Kyrathaba exemplifies this.

Kyrathaba also compliments his writing with good pacing and a steady, thick-skinned work ethic about running his game. His ability to keep the game's momentum has helped it last for upwards of a year, shrugging off player turnover and the inevitable slowdowns. His NPCs are lifelike and you really learn to care about them, and his choice in players is excellent--they compliment his style and contribute with the same steadiness as he does. If someone published a fantasy book starring Lucian and Ama’ayikoo, I would absolutely buy it.

In short, Kyrathaba's combination of artistry and housekeeping is proven and in my eyes, is one of the best examples of tabletop gaming as a storytelling medium.

Nominating a single favourite DM is not only impossible, but unfair, at least in my case. Therefore, I'm posting a small list of the greatest GMs I've had the pleasure of playing with, in no particular order.

Name of the DM/GM: TaCktiX
The relevant game forum thread: Even Heroes Fall
Examples of their DM/GM greatness: A great DM who puts role-playing before mechanics (I know this is not everyone's preference, but it is mine) and goes out of his way to make his players have fun. He creates interesting NPCs and plots, planning ahead for the direction of the game but leaving enough room for the players to breath and leave their own mark in the campaign world. He also puts great effort in his games, creative and physical (in making maps, statblocks, etc).

Name of the DM/GM: Cyco
The relevant game forum thread: Simulacrum of Sensibility
Examples of their DM/GM greatness: The sheer effort Cyco puts in his games is enough to want to play with him. Beautiful resources (maps, images, etc), an immersive but direct writing, and the assurance of a fair play for everyone are certain things to be found in his games. He also usually has some interesting ideas for plot/NPCs/backgrounds as well, which is always a bonus.

Name of the DM/GM: Glyphic
The relevant game forum thread: Zenith of Magic (Archived)
Examples of their DM/GM greatness: A great GM with interesting ideas and very good writing, Glyphic's games feel realistic and believable, even when there are magic spells being flung about and impossible creatures being fought in every corner. His creativity and resourcefulness in dealing with combat and other "mechanical" aspects (combat tracking, maps, etc) makes his game very enjoyable on both the fluff and mechanic sides.

Name of the DM/GM: Brassonian
The relevant game forum thread: Revenge of the Giants
Examples of their DM/GM greatness: Good writing that is both interesting but neither too simple nor over-the-top, creative handling of combat, good resourcefulness for "mechanical" issues, good problem-solving skills, inclusive relating to player attrition... and willingness to listen to player feedback, both for mechanical and fluff questions.

Since I have only played with a few, I have only one to nominate.


The name of the DM/GM: Silverkiss
The relevant game forum thread: Hybrids of Steel, and one or two other games I have been in with him.
Examples of their DM/GM greatness: He is very creative, dedicated to his ideas, and can work on the fly when needed. He puts a lot of effort into his games which is a must for great GM's. He is also level headed, and can settle disputes without arbitrarily taking sides. He always puts the players fun first, unless rules or some such must come first instead.

I'll pull a cheap one and just say +1.

But as the one of the very few / only DM I've had so far who kept (a) a game running for well over a year (b) despite a substantial loosing, switching, adding and loosing and adding of players (c) promptly takes into account player's input and backstories, he deserves this nomination.
Of course, being the only of the original players left, I might be slightly biased.

Thanks for the nominations so far. Gives me some new reading material those who have linked to non-private threads.

Ooh ooh I got one.
GM: Syro
Game: Star Wars: Wings of Fortune (archived)
Reason: I really loved the way Syro combined the NPCs and PCs as if they were all actors in a play. There was no distinction between the two, other than who was controlling their characters. Even as players dissappeared he stayed true to their character's personality as he NPCed them. Part of steering us through our own character developement were the prelude threads, which were each compelling and well written. Our characters didn't just meet in a bar, they were assembled as a team then met in a bar. His take on the Imperial-Rebel conflict was incredibly intriguing as it seemed more about subterfuge and intrigue than all out battles. It was also one of the few all ship oriented space opera games. In his words our characters ships were a piece of their personality and we were to design them as such. Although our characters were mid-range as far as levels he never made them seem overpowered or useless. His maps were beautiful high-quality works of art, and his descriptions were always entertaining and immersive.

Unfortunately the game ended due to RL circumstances but it's still the best game I have had the pleasure to play in/witness. I'm not even sure Syro frequents these boards any more, but if he does I hope he sees this.

GM: Ruben
GAME: Claremont Academy and many more
REASON: He is one who can keep a game interesting and fun for several years.

*Smack* Don't go tellin' people! He's supposed to be our well-kept secret!