The Crafting Dungeon Master or "CDM"

[Galadorn]

Custom and magic gear is some of the most fun part of D&D besides great RP and DM adventures. I know this to be true based upon the long term experience of being a crafter PC myself and discussing with excitement proposed commissions with the buyers, and being quite busy for well over a year or so on ALFA doing it for dozens of other ALFAns IC. I also know this to be true because I’ve played D&D PnP for over 30 years with people from all over the world (if that even matters, which I do not think it does). We all love ph4t lewt and custom gear really gives the owner even more fun (I think).

Custom gear and magic items are very fun, and it also greatly enhances RP when a PC gets his or her custom clothing or items and wears/uses them in game. It's what most people just want, and save for months in game for. Of course it also helps protect our beloved PCs, or allows us to beat the bejesus out of Goblins much faster in our glorious powergaming runs through the Cloakwood. Well, not ME, but all you guys for sure.

It is also my experience over the past 2 years that crafting custom gear is a very "touchy" subject. It’s simply uncomfortable to ask, and worst of all, much more uncomfortable to ask “again” 1,2,3, 4… and 5? weeks later. I don’t ask a 2nd time anymore. Unless weeks pass by. I just wait, as I know those involved in doing me the great honor of making and implementing me my own custom gear or the items my PC creates IC for others, are most likely busy, which is completely justified of course.

It feels "strange" asking for gear to be brought in... it takes time... for some (most?) they'd rather be playing. …and I know it's a bother to the DMs who not only want, but should be spending their time DMing! (I know implementing items in module is also a "DM job", but must it be? …more on this later).

-=-=-=-
As I mentioned 2 years ago when I made my last proposal (Shifter PrC anyone? yikes!)... It is best practice to accompany a proposal with well thought out and positive suggestions! So… here goes.

On to the reason we're here:

I would like to propose one person be appointed a:

"Crafting Dungeon Master" (or CDM)

This person would of course be a volunteer (similar to any DM) who would need approval by an HDM to conduct his or her duties on any one server, or approval by all HDMs, so his/her duties could occur on any server either in the Quarantine area only, or not, or in a designated OOC area. The in-game business would be dropping off custom gear to the PC who made it IC, or whoever should have it for any reason.

The CDM could be given permission to "work on" and have ability to implement custom gear into ALFA on a PW scope, all of ALFA wide.

Even DMs could request gear be made for their planned sessions, without having to actually make them themselves (if they don’t want to). There are DMs who don’t know how, or do not have a toolset set up for to make custom gear, so this proposal could also help DMs as well as players looking for custom gear.

Custom gear created by others in their own toolset of course would be accepted (this would lighten the CDM’s load!), but in the end of course these must/would be checked by the CDM (name, pricing, description, spell-check, etc) and then implemented into “a” server by the CDM.

Suggested CDM requirements:
1. Full ALFA compliant Toolset
2. Full knowledge, desire, and ability to create items that abide by accepted ALFA naming and pricing rules and conventions
3. Full knowledge of the ALFA crafting rules for anything that is allowed on ALFA
4. Permission and ability as much as any DM can at present, to bring crafted custom items into ALFA

Suggested possible gear a CDM might be responsible for (might end up more):
1. Any level custom RP or Masterwork gear
2. Mundane Crafted RP items from any Craft Feat (weapons, armor, sheilds, clothing, jewelry, etc)
3. Potions
4. Scrolls
5. Magic Items of any kind (rings, wands, staves, weapons, armor, etc)

How this would help:
1. DMs are not bothered by crafting requests from player crafters, or even for their own custom DM’d session gear and can do their own thing or even DM more if they want to
2. Buyers (who quite possibly saved their hard or dangerously earned gold over a very long time) will rest assured that they can RP a transaction IC, and it will be delivered with great haste and/or realistically in-time IC
3. Crafters will also have a comfortable way to use their crafting feats without feeling like they're bothering anyone
4. ALFA wide magic item spec consistency

The CDM would in effect be trusted as much as any DM.

Benefits:
1. DMs are now completely free (if they want to be) from any behind the scenes multiple PMs, questions, toolsetting, checking, emails, .ERFs, etc
2. DMs who are not comfortable or able to use the toolset would also have someone to contact to have DM custom gear made for their future sessions
3. Buyers get their gear in an expectable and most likely quick time which would make for a more realistic IC experience
4. Crafters also have a place to go, to make requests to further their IC experience as crafters
5. If one knowledgeable person is making the items for ALL of ALFA… then consistency across the whole PW will prevail, and of course is best practice. Pricing always done the same, naming both in the toolset and IC will be consistent, etc
6. A CDM would not have the other ALFA OOC duties that DMs have, making the crafting element of ALFA run much smoother and with much greater PW-wide consistency

Disclaimers:
If this seems like too much work for one person, and after some trial time the CDM finds him or herself overwhelmed (doubtful since DMs and HDMs still do not stop doing custom gear as is currently happening – essentially the CDM is there to reduce the OOC workload of DMs)… and if it works out… why not appoint a 2nd CDM? Or even a CDM on each server?

- Of course DMs and HDMs still can do all of the duties with respect to any item implementation they can already, the CDM would not TAKE AWAY anything already under the jurisdiction/desires any DM or HDM already holds… but in fact may become a valued resource for DMs if they have questions about custom gear

- Of course before the actual implementation of anything into any module, the CDM should and would PM once to the HDM of that server, exactly what was done, and who is getting it and what for, and why. There could even be a nice template PM drawn up, easy to read and check by an HDM for approval. One PM is better than 7 PMs. The legwork all done, all an HDM just needs to do is give the final “ok”! If that is not enough, perhaps an INITIAL template PM of what is planned could also be sent, just to make sure that HDM does not require a DM quest for materials etc… whatever. Point is, a CDM would take away a lot of extra OOC time DMs and HDMs lose due to crafting requests. And players are comfortable requesting and resting assured the fun happens with greater haste!

- Of course, the CDM can deflect a request to any DM or HDM if any item was requested that would need any special "DM Quest" or anything else needed that the CDM does not control.


Let's face it:
Save up for months! IC order a custom item on ALFA! How awesome is that?! In my experience, sometimes it takes a very very long time to see the results. Don’t get me wrong, I really don’t mind waiting myself. But when I say “very very long time” I mean it becomes “IC unrealistic” after such a long time. This is of course acceptable, we all know DMs are busy, that’s 100% fine. But does it really need to be a “chore” that takes up the DMs’ time?

There have also been several times in my history, that requests that are legal were flat out refused with little to no explanation or justification.
That does not feel very good.

I KNOW DELAYS ARE JUSTIFIED. The point is, need they be?
With a CDM, those delays would be greatly reduced to the greater enjoyment of the players (and DMs who would not need to worry about it anymore if they choose to). Being busy IRL is a fact. With a CDM around, that would be a thing of the past. Or at least a workable compromise to help all parties involved.

I feel the proposal above helps all parties involved in many ways. The most important one being removing all that is involved in a custom item from the DMs (if they choose to avoid it). And in effect making the IC experience faster, and more realistic for the players.

Please post pros- and cons below, as detailed as I have tried to be, I expect a thrashing…. again, experience tells all.
To help responders with their posts (if any do post below), I propose this in an attempt to suggest something that very many players would be very happy to see happen. As sated above I truly think it would help DMs most of all. And they deserve it.

Final note: There is already someone available, knowledgeable, capable, and trusted (previous DM), who has shown interest in something perhaps at least close to the above, and who has suggested something similar to me. So if something like this was approved, it could happen immediately.

Thanks for reading.

[puny]

did this proposal ever get anywhere?

[Ithildur]

Are you volunteering Puny?

[FoamBats4All]

I'm available to help anyone on MS.

A single DM with access to every server is perhaps not the best way to go about it though.

[Mick]

I have handled this for a few PCs on BG. I am open to it, but occasionally PCs and/or players might have to jump through some RP and/or adventuring hoops, depending on what special trinket they wish to create.

[boombrakh]

Are you volunteering Puny?

I am. Having access to WHL makes me accessable to both WHL and BG (since travel is easy) so that covers at least 50% of the servers.

[Ithildur]

So once again, poor ol' TSM is the odd server out for the moment At least for now, though there may be good news in the near future.

[t-ice]

Aren't we having a automated crafting system for this kind of thing? One that makes it possible to create the kind of items that can also be had in shops totally without DM burden (under 4000gp as I recall...) Uber epic (and storyful) items should only be present within the context of a story a DM tells, anyway. Having a CDM who wants to assist other DMs would be great, of course. But somehow I'm getting the proposal here is to have players make item creation requests and not DMs, so as to have a separate entity that players can go to to turn their hard-farmed gold into uber items, thereby circumventing the DM team that runs stories for them. This is not good.

If I run a plot with, say, giants as enemies, I really don't want for my players to go to the CDM between two installments to have giant slaying arrows made. The stuff that is good for them to go have made are generics (say cloak of elvenkind to better hide from giants), like the ones we have in shops and could be automated by crafting. It's all great of course if I can ask the CDM to create giant slaying arrows for me because I don't have the aptitude, so that I can run the plot of the PCs trying to get their hands on them.

[Ithildur]

Aren't we having a automated crafting system for this kind of thing? One that makes it possible to create the kind of items that can also be had in shops totally without DM burden (under 4000gp as I recall...) Uber epic (and storyful) items should only be present within the context of a story a DM tells, anyway. Having a CDM who wants to assist other DMs would be great, of course. But somehow I'm getting the proposal here is to have players make item creation requests and not DMs, so as to have a separate entity that players can go to to turn their hard-farmed gold into uber items, thereby circumventing the DM team that runs stories for them. This is not good.

If I run a plot with, say, giants as enemies, I really don't want for my players to go to the CDM between two installments to have giant slaying arrows made. The stuff that is good for them to go have made are generics (say cloak of elvenkind to better hide from giants), like the ones we have in shops and could be automated by crafting. It's all great of course if I can ask the CDM to create giant slaying arrows for me because I don't have the aptitude, so that I can run the plot of the PCs trying to get their hands on them.

While I'm not convinced fully 'automating' crafting via DM slaves is a good thing for ALFA, I really don't understand the above; wouldn't it be a very sensible thing and perfectly IC if a character who does have the ability to craft a giant slaying arrow and finds themselves in a campaign dealing with a lot of giants (or one specific badass giant more likely, as it's unlikely anyone in their right mind in ALFA would attempt to create a quiverful of giant slaying arrows @2000gp each), would seek to craft such an item during the time that they're back at their base? If you mean they make such an item while between 'time frozen' or 'comic booked' sessions then simply don't allow the use of the item, but in the flow of normal time if such a person has that ability/skill and invested in it, why in the world would they not use it if they have the time and materials, money, ingredients etc? Unless the items are extremely poorly balanced for the level of the characters/campaign/monsters etc, why would this be considered 'circumventing' the story?

It's one thing if the concern is that people are going to crank out items that are completely unbalanced (say, a 2000gp bow that shoots unlimited arrows of giant slaying in the above situation), but we have systems in place that we worked out that restricts that sort of a thing (probably not perfect, but much more restrictive than any version of 3.5e DnD out there whether NWN2 or PnP). The above sounds like we actually don't place much faith in our systems/standards at the end of the day; why have them at all (people spent no small amount of time on them...) if we don't consider them trustworthy and fear they will only break/circumvent the story?

'uber epic/storyful' items require high level casters, lots of xp, and lots of gold, minimum (and there's no reason why a DM can't throw in a storyful ingredient or epic process into the mix) - if a day ever comes when people in ALFA are cranking them out because crafting is supported, the problem isn't crafting, but somewhere else.

[t-ice]

in the flow of normal time if such a person has that ability/skill and invested in it, why in the world would they not use it if they have the time and materials, money, ingredients etc?

That's the whole point. Those are for the active DM (and the server DM team by extension) to decide. Not the players, nor a global CDM. (The players first ask the DM, and then the DM then asks the CDM to help provide the items to the players, if the PCs are deemd to have the resources to solve the problem by crafting behind the scenes)

Because obtaining the resources are likely a huge part of the plot. Like, say the party could make those giant slaying arrows but they'd need the heart of a dwarf as an ingredient... do they murder one, and if they do, do they pick a soft innocent target or fight that powerful, eeevul duargar?

[kid]

The major diffeance is in the way a specific DM may see crafting. For some its just pay gold and XP and done. (Which I've done a few times). But with others it can be a plot in itself (which I've done at other times).
What T is saying and I must agree that it has to be up to the groups/server DM.

[Ithildur]

I was mistaken on the price, it's about 1100gp to craft one of those, but still don't see the issue. Maybe I'm just tired...

So the DM throws in 'you need the head of a dwarf' etc into the mix... it's all party of the story, adds further hooks, opportunities for success/failure, additional stories, etc. Or the DM says 'you just need the gold and xp and a lvl 13 caster, workplace, etc per the rules; assume you have access to needed ingredients, spend x required time crafting and see crafting DM slave John when finished' - still no mean feat to cough up 1100gp per arrow for someone that actually would benefit from it, plus xp, plus time (which might or might not be a significant 'cost' depending on the story), plus tracking down a lvl 13 caster somewhere... for most ALFAns it's still going to be a non trivial feat to craft this 'uber item' which means it's part of the story/challenge/difficulty of it all.

Again, I'm not convinced this is the way to go... but I like to believe that our crafting rules, wealth and advancement, etc still do have some teeth to them, enough to prevent folks running around casually one shot-ing giants and such, ruining DM plots, etc.

Anyway, at the end of the day, isn't this proposal basically saying 'we already put in these systems, rules, and guidelines, let's have a way to help facilitate them so they actually work'?

[Brokenbone]

So once again, poor ol' TSM is the odd server out for the moment At least for now, though there may be good news in the near future.

A "global" customer service DM makes limited sense. Each server team though might do well to have someone who knows the first thing about pricing, and has a good awareness of where weird ingredients / research might be required through their HDM. Like TSM, special materials, you may look hard at "how well do I know the dwarves under those mountains full of metal"? In BG it might be "I bet the Underdark is the best place to get rare stuff." It could be in cases, teams may just say "don't care, RP sending a letter to Waterdeep Walmart, package of exactly what you need arrives in 2 RL weeks for precisely the market price, not a penny more." Because in an iron-age type world, I figure mail order like Amazon is 100% reliable, no caravan ever gets robbed, no merchant ever vanishes with your deposit

[kid]

Approved by server DM then moved to the hands of some CDM seems allright.

We just can't skip the stage of approval by server (or a specific group) DM.

[Witchdoctor]

I think all would agree the plot DM should have pre knowledge and final say on any specialized item created by a possible CDM.