Role playing games can often be a large, sometimes confusing, sweeping alternate world in which a game can be played. These games often unwind themselves like a story, with each player assuming the role of a character. These characters will then embark on a quest, usually cooperatively, to accomplish some set of goals. These quests will often relate to each other in the end, all tying together in some way other than the characters which are simply playing in them. This allows the feeling of a great, sweeping saga to all of the players, giving them a sense of being involved in an epic.



The appeal for this type of game play is undeniable. However, considering the epic scope of these games and stories, any players could get easily lost in keeping track of all of the delicate, intricate rules. Additionally, players always want to make sure that they are doing the best and the temptation to cheat can often be overpowering for many players. That is the reason, with games this large and detailed, it is often incredibly beneficial to have a moderator presiding over the game. With Dungeons and Dragons, specifically, this moderator is termed to be a Dungeon Master.

Games like Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures often work out of a large book which is filled with different scenarios and enemies. These scenarios often give a number of suggestions and descriptions of the different scenarios and keeping all of these straight is a task in itself. This is where the Dungeon Master comes into play. The Dungeon Master will act as a narrator of sorts of the story that the players are all playing. They will be the ones to consult the book on the next step of the quest and they will give descriptions of the areas which they players might find themselves in.

When the players make a decision about what to do, it is often the Dungeon Masters which will decide if the action will work or not, or if the use of the dice is required. When an enemy is encountered, it is the Dungeon Master which will keep track of the damage happening. He or she will tell the players how many dice they are allowed to roll in the battle and how many points worth of damage they might take in retaliation. Since it would not be entirely fair for the players to know how many health points the enemy might have (unless one of the players has the skill which would let them know), the Dungeon Master will keep determining the effects that the attack will have on the enemy and will determine when that enemy is finally defeated.

Being the Dungeon Master can be a great deal of work. While it is fun in its own way, it's not the same as playing however. That is generally why, in groups of people who all play Dungeons and Dragons regularly, they will often trade off the responsibility of being the Dungeon Master with each session they all play. This gives everyone the chance to play the game without worries as well as having the power to guide the game and make sure that everyone has a good time playing.