Hello, I have been a player of D&D for maybe one and a half years now, but I still have only done a tiny amount of DMing on a game that wasn't really D&D (I basically made a new super simple roleplaying game from scratch and played with just my best friend), but I want to try to get into DMing properly so J can play with some friends that don't know how to DM, any useful tips that a newbie should know? And is the DMG terribly useful, or can I skip it as long as I have PHB and XGtE?
The DMG is most useful for making/running homebrew and open world campaigns, and for handing out treasure. It isn't really needed to run an adventure, but I would still put it in top 5 books to get.
On top of what DxJxC said; the DMG is going to help you a crazy amount when you begin homebrewing things. It's going to help you hit the ground running when you're making items, creatures, NPCs, and the world itself until you can do it without help easily. It has some crazy help that helped me at the beginning. I tell everyone who wants to start DMing to go to your local game store and buy the starter kit. It comes with everything needed to run Lost Mines of Phandelver including the DM rules required to run that specific adventure and a bit of help incorporating it into your own world if you decide to continue on with the adventure. It's a great add on to a collection for any DM as it stands, especially a new DM. (It's only a $20 investment and it's typically enough to let you know if you enjoy DMing or not.)
The most common advice many new DM's will receive has been given by the previous 2 posts:
PHB and the basic rules from DDB, SRD or Lost Mines starter kit will get you going with the backbone of D&D in your hands. The MM or DMG are a close second depending on what you want to work with most, published adventures or homebrew respectively.
The Lost Mines of Phandelver starter box is a wonderful resource for new DMs with new players. Experienced DMs with new players can get away with using some of the other published adventures. Some adventures, in my opinion, require an experienced DM and players who've got a decent grasp of the game.
--
The other part of becoming a DM is to remember that you're just playing a game. There are no requirements that you must meet, simply enjoy the game. Make mistakes, laugh, and move on. Forget what you're doing, ask the table to wait, continue playing. Have the table lose focus and start comparing the game to various movies and books, bring it back and use those tangents to help influence monster and npc actions. You're going to be doing 100 things simultaneously, while your players are only doing a couple, you'll get overwhelmed. Take it slow, take notes, grab a soda or whatever beverage you require, and just go at a comfortable pace.
You are joining the ranks of DM at a wonderful time. The amount of information, help, resources, tools, and experienced folk that you have access to is mind-blowing. Unlike some of us old timers who had to learn by jumping in with no safety nets, you have the resources to help you through your sticking points. Use it, watch youtube, talk on these forums, watch people who've played the game. In the end, you'll be fine, just relax, have fun, and enjoy a game with friends.
Welcome to this side of the screen!
(DDB = this site, SRD = System Reference Document, MM = Monster Manual, DMG = Dungeon Master's Guide, PHB = Players Handbook)
- it is a game and the idea is to have fun but the rules provide structure and predictability to the game, they provide the framework of the reality in which the characters adventure, so you want to try to be reasonably consistent and mostly familiar with the rules (being expert is not required)
- it is ok to make mistakes - just fix them and move on, don't feel bound to continue with something you make a mistake on the first time
- a role playing game is not adversarial. The DM doesn't win when the NPCs win. The DM needs to remain neutral ... don't favour particular players, don't cheer for the NPCs - PLAY the NPCs, try to figure out what the NPCs are doing and why and have them make decision and take actions that are consistent with that (this makes the gaming world more immersive since the NPCs respond to the characters and make reasonable in character decisions in response to the changing circumstances
- prepare and know the content you want to run BUT realize that your players may turn left instead of right and then no matter what happens confidently refer to your notes even if you are making it up as you go along. You do this by having an adventure divided into zones developed to varying levels of detail. As long as you have an idea of what will be in a certain area or region then even if the players go off script for that session you will have a rough idea of what might be encountered. This is the challenging part of DMing where experience comes into play. When you start off it is good to have an adventure that allows some player choices without making it easy for them to do something else entirely. (Make sure to take some notes of what the characters actually do so you can update and make things consistent later).
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Hello, I have been a player of D&D for maybe one and a half years now, but I still have only done a tiny amount of DMing on a game that wasn't really D&D (I basically made a new super simple roleplaying game from scratch and played with just my best friend), but I want to try to get into DMing properly so J can play with some friends that don't know how to DM, any useful tips that a newbie should know? And is the DMG terribly useful, or can I skip it as long as I have PHB and XGtE?
The proud owner of over 8000 hours in Terraria.
Send help pleaseThe DMG is most useful for making/running homebrew and open world campaigns, and for handing out treasure. It isn't really needed to run an adventure, but I would still put it in top 5 books to get.
On top of what DxJxC said; the DMG is going to help you a crazy amount when you begin homebrewing things. It's going to help you hit the ground running when you're making items, creatures, NPCs, and the world itself until you can do it without help easily. It has some crazy help that helped me at the beginning. I tell everyone who wants to start DMing to go to your local game store and buy the starter kit. It comes with everything needed to run Lost Mines of Phandelver including the DM rules required to run that specific adventure and a bit of help incorporating it into your own world if you decide to continue on with the adventure. It's a great add on to a collection for any DM as it stands, especially a new DM. (It's only a $20 investment and it's typically enough to let you know if you enjoy DMing or not.)
The most common advice many new DM's will receive has been given by the previous 2 posts:
PHB and the basic rules from DDB, SRD or Lost Mines starter kit will get you going with the backbone of D&D in your hands. The MM or DMG are a close second depending on what you want to work with most, published adventures or homebrew respectively.
The Lost Mines of Phandelver starter box is a wonderful resource for new DMs with new players. Experienced DMs with new players can get away with using some of the other published adventures. Some adventures, in my opinion, require an experienced DM and players who've got a decent grasp of the game.
--
The other part of becoming a DM is to remember that you're just playing a game. There are no requirements that you must meet, simply enjoy the game. Make mistakes, laugh, and move on. Forget what you're doing, ask the table to wait, continue playing. Have the table lose focus and start comparing the game to various movies and books, bring it back and use those tangents to help influence monster and npc actions. You're going to be doing 100 things simultaneously, while your players are only doing a couple, you'll get overwhelmed. Take it slow, take notes, grab a soda or whatever beverage you require, and just go at a comfortable pace.
You are joining the ranks of DM at a wonderful time. The amount of information, help, resources, tools, and experienced folk that you have access to is mind-blowing. Unlike some of us old timers who had to learn by jumping in with no safety nets, you have the resources to help you through your sticking points. Use it, watch youtube, talk on these forums, watch people who've played the game. In the end, you'll be fine, just relax, have fun, and enjoy a game with friends.
Welcome to this side of the screen!
(DDB = this site, SRD = System Reference Document, MM = Monster Manual, DMG = Dungeon Master's Guide, PHB = Players Handbook)
There are lots of useful tips ...
- it is a game and the idea is to have fun but the rules provide structure and predictability to the game, they provide the framework of the reality in which the characters adventure, so you want to try to be reasonably consistent and mostly familiar with the rules (being expert is not required)
- it is ok to make mistakes - just fix them and move on, don't feel bound to continue with something you make a mistake on the first time
- a role playing game is not adversarial. The DM doesn't win when the NPCs win. The DM needs to remain neutral ... don't favour particular players, don't cheer for the NPCs - PLAY the NPCs, try to figure out what the NPCs are doing and why and have them make decision and take actions that are consistent with that (this makes the gaming world more immersive since the NPCs respond to the characters and make reasonable in character decisions in response to the changing circumstances
- prepare and know the content you want to run BUT realize that your players may turn left instead of right and then no matter what happens confidently refer to your notes even if you are making it up as you go along. You do this by having an adventure divided into zones developed to varying levels of detail. As long as you have an idea of what will be in a certain area or region then even if the players go off script for that session you will have a rough idea of what might be encountered. This is the challenging part of DMing where experience comes into play. When you start off it is good to have an adventure that allows some player choices without making it easy for them to do something else entirely. (Make sure to take some notes of what the characters actually do so you can update and make things consistent later).