Dungeon Masters
Becoming a Dungeon Master (DM) can be both an exciting and intimidating prospect. As the creative force behind a world of adventure, you hold the key to thrilling stories and memorable characters.
But with great power comes great responsibility, and it's essential to learn how to be a Dungeon Master effectively. In this post, we'll walk you through the basics of how to DM, providing essential dungeon master tips and tricks for starting out and mastering the art of storytelling.
1. Embrace the role of the Dungeon Master
First things first, it’s time to embrace your new role. Whether you’ve never played Dungeons and Dragons or you’re a veteran at the table, the dynamic is different. As the Dungeon Master, you run the table, shape the world, and set the stage for everyone to have a good time. That means:
Understanding your responsibilities
As a DM, you're responsible for guiding your players through an immersive world filled with challenges, intrigue, and excitement. This involves creating or adapting a setting, crafting adventures, portraying non-player characters (NPCs), and managing the game's rules and mechanics.
Embrace your role as the facilitator and storyteller, keeping in mind that your primary goal is to ensure an enjoyable experience for your players.
Being a source of inspiration
At the table, your enthusiasm as a DM is contagious. When you're passionate about the story and characters, your players are more likely to feel engaged and invested in the game. If you don’t think you’re telling the coolest story that’s ever been told, then your players will feel similarly. Bring energy and excitement to the table, and encourage your players to do the same.
2. Learn the rules and mechanics
As the Dungeon Master, you are the master of rules. That includes the ones that you write yourself and the ones that make up the backbone of DnD. To effectively run a game, you need a solid understanding of its rules and mechanics.
Familiarizing yourself with core concepts
Death saving throws. Area of effect. Levels of exhaustion. These are just some of the concepts you need to be at least aware of. Luckily, there’s a whole book that can help you do just that. Much like a player and their own copy, it’s important to review the Dungeon Master’s Guide to understand the base concepts and be prepared to make rulings during a session.
You don't need to memorize every detail, but you should know enough to keep the game running smoothly. As the final authority on rules, you'll sometimes need to make on-the-spot decisions to keep the game moving. Be prepared to make rulings when necessary, and always prioritize fun and fairness over strict adherence to the rules.
Knowing where to find information
You won't always have the answer to every question, and that's okay. As a DM, it's important to know where to find information when you need it. Familiarize yourself with the sourcebooks and online resources relevant to your game, and keep them handy during sessions. These are just some of the links I have handy when I’m running a session:
- RPGBot: A great review of source materials and spells that your players (or villains) may be leveraging
- 5e Wiki: A compendium of reference sheets, but very helpful for a quick hit on every spell
3. Choose or create a campaign setting
If you’re anything like me, you got into Dungeon Master-ing to build great, big imaginary worlds. As a curator of lore or amateur cartographer, this is often where many DMs love to play, but not all of them. Luckily, there’s a wealth of materials available both official and unofficial to kickstart your campaign.
Starting with published materials
Depending on your comfort with world building, improvisation, or general familiarity with the game, you may choose to run with existing modules. Source books created by Wizards of the Coast often provide a robust foundation from which you can build your own stories and encounters, and many include helpful advice and resources tailored to new DMs including The Lost Mines of Phandelver and Candlekeep Mysteries.
You’re not limited to official materials, as the DM’s Guild is a wonderful source of DnD campaigns, one-shots, and source materials created and maintained by the extensive community of DMs.
Developing your own world
If you prefer to create your own campaign setting, start small and expand as needed. Develop a central location for your players to explore, such as a town or city, and gradually add surrounding areas, factions, and history.
Remember that the best DMs give their players a sandbox to play in, allowing the world to grow and evolve based on their actions and decisions. Ultimately my greatest fault as an early DM was designing expansive realms with clear pathways for players that they never traveled down. I was burnt out and quickly lost interest. Now, I have worlds that we build together with many threads my players can pull on but are never fully built out.
4. Plan engaging adventures and encounters
A compelling story is at the heart of every great RPG campaign and ultimately where I saw my experience as a DM take off. Developing a general story arc that provides structure and direction for my players, incorporating a mix of plot hooks, memorable NPCs, and intriguing locations has created a more memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone at the table.
Designing balanced encounters
Strive for a balance of combat, role playing, and exploration in your encounters. This ensures that your players can enjoy a variety of experiences and that no single aspect of the game dominates the others. There are plenty of tools that can help you do this, but my personal favorite is Kobold Fight Club.
Staying mindful of pacing
Pacing is crucial to maintaining player interest and engagement. Strike a balance between fast-paced action and quieter moments of character development and worldbuilding. Keep an eye on the clock (and your players) and don’t be worried about wrapping up encounters or scenes that may be dragging on too long. Not everything is going to go your way, so be mindful of player experience. You’re there to shepherd the table, not railroad it.
5. Master the art of improvisation
Mastering might not be the best term for a beginner, but it’s ultimately something I wish I had been more prepared for. Unless you intend to force them into decisions, your players will inform the direction of the game. And that’s how it should be.
Changing course with a toolbox
No matter how carefully you plan, your players will inevitably surprise you with their actions and decisions. Embrace the unpredictability. Rather than drafting notes or scripts for any potential decision your players could make, have a repository of backup encounters, plot hooks, and NPCs that you can easily skin to keep the session going.
Once your players invest in a decision or pull on a thread, you can use time between sessions to prepare for that potential arc. You don’t need to have the entirety of the world created, but having a toolbox of materials to plug and play will help you immensely.
Learning to think on your feet
Improvisation is a skill that improves with practice. Trust your instincts, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. You don’t need to be Matt Mercer for your players to have a good time. Over time, you'll become more confident and adept at thinking on your feet and adapting to the unexpected twists and turns of your campaign.
6. Create Memorable NPCs
A memorable NPC is one with a distinct personality. Even if you’re not great at impersonations, having characters that feel uniquely different with their own lives will make your world feel more lived in and create a more engaging experience for players.
Developing distinct personalities
When creating NPCs, consider their motivations, goals, and quirks, and use these traits to inform their dialogue and actions. Giving each NPC a unique voice and mannerisms can also help to bring them to life and make them more memorable for your players.
Making them relevant to the story (sometimes)
Incorporate NPCs into the story in meaningful ways, ensuring that they serve a purpose beyond simply being quest-givers or merchants. Develop relationships and connections between your NPCs and the player characters, and use these connections to drive the story forward even if that means they leave the story or meet an untimely end.
Even still, not every NPC needs to be a key cog in the greater machine that is your story. Norman the goblin doesn’t need to be the BBEG in disguise, it can just be Norman the goblin. If every NPC is important, then none of them are. Save yourself the narrative lift and create some throwaway NPCs too.
7. Set the scene and engage the senses
As a DM, it's your job to bring the fictional world to life through your description and narration. When setting a scene, paint a vivid picture that engages your players' imaginations and encourages them to become immersed in the game world.
Leveraging “slice-of-life” storytelling
Slice-of-life storytelling revolves around capturing and portraying the everyday experiences, routines, and interactions of ordinary people, often in a realistic and relatable manner. It focuses on the subtle nuances and small moments that make up the fabric of daily existence, providing a glimpse into the human condition and celebrating the beauty found within seemingly mundane situations.
By incorporating everyday moments and interactions into your narrative, you can add richness and authenticity to your players' experience. This can involve describing the bustling streets of a city, the banter between villagers, or the small rituals of a town square. By focusing on these minute details, you can make the game world feel alive and immersive.
Additionally, slice-of-life storytelling can be used to introduce compelling NPCs with their own stories, quirks, and dilemmas, providing players with memorable and relatable encounters that go beyond traditional quests and battles.
Using props and handouts
Props and handouts can be an effective way to enhance immersion and bring the game world to life. Consider providing your players with physical items, such as maps, letters, or artifacts, to help them connect with the world and its inhabitants.
Even in a digital setting, creating written notes, paintings, or tangible clues to a puzzle is a great way to get players engaged in your session and to add character to even the lightest of sessions.
8. Facilitate meaningful player choices
The best DMs empower their players to make meaningful choices and decisions that shape the world and the story. Few people like to be railroaded into a decision. Even if it stems fear in what your players may concoct, you are ultimately there to enable them to play the game, not tell your story exactly how you want it told.
Give your players opportunities to make important decisions, and ensure that their choices have consequences and impact the direction of the campaign.
Handling creativity and collaboration
Encourage your players to think creatively and come up with interesting solutions to the challenges and obstacles they face. As much as knowing the rules is important, sometimes being a good DM is knowing when to abandon the text in favor of the “rule of cool.” Be prepared to reward and support the most absurd ideas, even if they deviate from your original plans or the rules as they’re written.
This helps promote a collaborative atmosphere at the table by encouraging your players to work together, share ideas, and develop their characters' relationships with one another. This can lead to a richer and more enjoyable gaming experience for everyone involved.
9. Manage the table
As a DM, it's essential to keep the game moving at a steady pace. Be mindful of time, and try to ensure that everyone gets a chance to participate and contribute. If a player seems disengaged or left out, make an effort to involve them in the action.
Maintaining player spotlight
While some players may naturally be more outgoing or assertive, it's important to ensure that everyone gets a chance to shine. Be conscious of the balance of spotlight at the table, and make an effort to give each player their moment in the sun.
Asking for player backstories in advance of your campaign, like in a session zero, will help you dynamically incorporate arcs that are relevant to your characters. With our current campaign, I had a general structure, and plugged each character’s backstory into moments of that structure to create a fully fledged story arc my players can embark on that gives each of them an opportunity to live out the impact of their backstory.
Managing conflicts
Conflicts may arise between players or between players and the DM. It's essential to address these conflicts in a fair and respectful manner, and to prioritize the enjoyment and well-being of everyone at the table.
Setting boundaries ahead of time with lines and veils and creating a system for communicating when someone is frustrated or uncomfortable will create a more inclusive culture at the table and ultimately mitigate when conflicts arise.
10. Reflect and improve
If you’re anything like me, you’ll feel the constant twang of imposter syndrome or the crippling fear of wondering if your players are having a good time. The reality is, it will take time to grow and it is a constant learning process.
Engaging with other DMs and players about what they like, have seen, and would like from your sessions is invaluable. Like anything in life, it will take reflection, practice, and time to improve.
Seeking feedback
Every couple of sessions, I seek feedback from my players on what they enjoyed, what they found challenging, and what they'd like to see more of in future sessions. Including both in- and out-of-character questions will help refine how you manage the game and how you manage your current storyline. Use this feedback to inform your preparation and adjustments for future games.
Learning from your mistakes
No DM is perfect, and neither is every session. You will undoubtedly make mistakes along the way. I’ve skipped players in combat, abandoned entire threads of a plot, and overused NPCs, just to name a few. Embrace these moments as learning opportunities, and use them to grow and improve as a DM.
Onwards and upwards
Becoming a great DM is a lifelong journey. Continue to hone your skills by reading articles, watching videos, and engaging with the broader RPG community. The more you learn and grow as a DM, the better the experience will be for both you and your players.
In conclusion, mastering how to DM takes time, practice, and a willingness to learn from both successes and mistakes. By embracing the role, learning the rules, creating engaging adventures, and fostering a collaborative atmosphere, you'll be well on your way to becoming the dungeon master your players will remember for years to come. Happy adventuring!
