I'm Seska and I am a brand new D&D DM. I am currently running the new(?) starter set, The Lost Mines of Phandelver. We are about 10 hours in (4 sessions) and we are on chapter 2. One of my player's (my boyfriend) continues to go way off the story line (He kinda sneaks peaks, so he kind of has an idea where the story is supposed to go). I had no idea what to do when he decided that his character was going to adopt one of the goblins or destroy the Townmasters office. My Questions are: How can I get better? And how can i direct the flow of the story and push them the right way? I have amazing stories lined up but I feel a good way to start is to get the basic rules and stuff figured out with a pre-made quest. Would it be a good idea to make the NPCs basic character sheets? (I only have what came with the set and a few extra die sets. My players are not using the pre-generated character sheets.) I would love to be able to entrance my players. I'm just not sure how to go about telling the story in more detail, and displaying more of the NPCs personalities. Thanks in advance for any tips and advice offered.
Just keep practicing. It gets easier to make up characters on the spot or improvise situation outcomes the more your players make you have to.
And how can i direct the flow of the story and push them the right way?
Every character should have a bond as the reason they do what they do (adventuring in the case of PCs). Find out what entices a character and dangle it in front of them in the direction of the plot. Treasure and magic items is usually good enough.
Would it be a good idea to make the NPCs basic character sheets?
Every NPC should have a stat block associated with it (usually commoner). You should be able to find these in the back of the adventure book or in the monster manual (I dont think you need the MM for LMoP). If you need to give personality traits, bonds, and flaws to NPCs to help you role play them better, do so.
Thank you so much for the advice. Half of my players just want to break anything and everything and I have 1 who is a mom to a month old baby so she is very distracted. I just hope that I can give them a good experience.
Firstly, congrats on becoming a DM, it's a wonderfully rewarding position!
Many of us feel that staring out with LMoP is one of the best choices for a new DM. It'll help you get your feet under you and give you some building block to start with as you go forward.
One big warning sign I see right now is to have a chat with your boyfriend: Don't read ahead! It cheats him, and the rest of your players, out of the surprises and character interactions that make the game interesting. He's robbing himself of the allure that D&D, and many other rpgs, bring by making everything about the player/character choices. It's also unfair to you. You've got to spend time prepping for the session, putting all that effort into making a fun session. Now you have your boyfriend who's read ahead and can circumvent all the work you've done because he already knows what's going to happen.
The rest of your worries and questions comes down to practice, some research, and listening to your players. Practice is the easiest part of this, all you have to do is play the game! The more you play, the different modules, the attempts at homebrew, and all that table time will gradually make your games better by default. You'll be able to make rulings on the fly, you'll be able to handle players going off the rails, you'll be able to adjust what's going on in game at a moments notice, and so much more. Research is the next piece, and it can be boring, but it's very helpful. Research your questions about how things work, read sections of the PHB and DMG that are important to the current session or a hiccup that happened in a previous session. Research other groups that have played LMoP by looking up blogs and videos to get ideas on what they liked and didn't, or what they changed to make it easier for them to run. Finally, listen to your players, they'll almost always tell you what they liked and didn't like, but it may take some prompting. Ask them what they liked about the session, what they didn't like, get them comfortable with communicating these things. The more input you get, the more you'll be able to cater your DMing to them and adjust certain things to fit any group you play with in the future.
Most importantly though, relax and have fun. In the end it's just a game, something a bunch of people come together and have fun with. It's a social game which can be as serious or as casual as you make it. In your case, it sounds like you'll need to make it a bit more casual due to the newness of the players, the baby, and you. As you all become more experienced, and the baby become less and less of a distraction, you can start taking on more serious games and sessions. For now, make your mistakes, learn, laugh, and just enjoy hanging out, you'll become a veteran DM with time. You'll realize it when the day comes that you think to yourself "I've been DMing for so long I don't remember the last time I rolled up a character to play".
I'd have a talk with the other players, especially your boyfriend. I know the appeal of D&D is that you can do anything, but it would be pretty rude to any DM, and particularly a new one, to just go go "Screw this lost mine business. Let's go to Waterdeep!" I'd simply tell them that you're new, that you're not prepared to create a whole world/adventure on the fly, and that they need to work with you to have fun.
As to what to do when characters go off script, just think about the consequences their actions would have, and then play those out. A player wants to "adopt a goblin?" Goblins are both intelligent and evil, and likely wouldn't want to be "adopted." The goblin might play along for a bit, then slip away in the night with a significant part of the characters' loot. Or it might refuse outright and make constant escape attempts. Or it might go along but constantly scream and yell, ruining any chance of stealth. Or it would turn on the characters the first time they encounter other goblinoids.
The characters trash the townmaster's office? I would expect the results would be the same as if you trashed the mayor's office in your town. An attempt to arrest and imprison the characters would follow. If they fight back and escape, they'd lose the ability to use the town to rest and resupply. If they're arrested, have them spend a few days in jail, then fine them some treasure. Or, make their "fine" an adventure hook - "You can pay us 500 gp, or you can help Sister Grael with her banshee problem."
Finally, remember you're not just a "fun pump" that provides entertainment for the players - they have a responsibility to help you make the game fun. But, if they're determined just to break stuff, let them. Just show them that their actions will have logical consequences.
Sounds like your group has yet to learn the lesson all newbies must learn: non-murder hobos have more fun than murder hobos.
Explain that allowing yourself to take things seriously enables you to care about the story, and that improves your player experience. A lot of new players are shy/embarrassed so they go for shenanigans over story, so you just need to make it clear that nobody's "lame" for taking part, no matter their level of experience gaming.
Thank you all for your advice. Its good to know that time will fix most of my issues. As for my problem player, we have had a talk and he says he will try not to peak at my notes anymore. Our next session is tonight so we will see how that goes :)
Thank you all for your advice. Its good to know that time will fix most of my issues. As for my problem player, we have had a talk and he says he will try not to peak at my notes anymore. Our next session is tonight so we will see how that goes :)
"Try not! Do! Or do not. There is no try."
Wise words from another master. It is awesome that you have plunked yourself down on the other side of the screen. Congratulations.
Two things I did in preparation for my first venture as a DM. First, I read the Player's Handbook. No, I did not even try to memorize it from cover to cover. Still have not done so. Will never attempt it. However, if a rule needs a quick looking up, I have a very good idea where it is and can turn right to it, most of the time. Second, for the rules that come up a little more often, I have noted them on the inside of my DM screen for easy reference. Another good idea, have a list of possible NPC names so that when one of your characters walks up to an unnamed NPC and asks "And who might you be?" you can then rattle off the name as though you were completely prepared.
There are dozens, hundreds of little things you can do to make your part of the game a little less hectic. But it will come with time. Just remember the most important thing of all. YOU have fun yourself.
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Thank you. ChrisW
Ones are righteous. And one day, we just might believe it.
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Hello.
I'm Seska and I am a brand new D&D DM. I am currently running the new(?) starter set, The Lost Mines of Phandelver. We are about 10 hours in (4 sessions) and we are on chapter 2. One of my player's (my boyfriend) continues to go way off the story line (He kinda sneaks peaks, so he kind of has an idea where the story is supposed to go). I had no idea what to do when he decided that his character was going to adopt one of the goblins or destroy the Townmasters office. My Questions are: How can I get better? And how can i direct the flow of the story and push them the right way? I have amazing stories lined up but I feel a good way to start is to get the basic rules and stuff figured out with a pre-made quest. Would it be a good idea to make the NPCs basic character sheets? (I only have what came with the set and a few extra die sets. My players are not using the pre-generated character sheets.) I would love to be able to entrance my players. I'm just not sure how to go about telling the story in more detail, and displaying more of the NPCs personalities. Thanks in advance for any tips and advice offered.
How can I get better?
Just keep practicing. It gets easier to make up characters on the spot or improvise situation outcomes the more your players make you have to.
And how can i direct the flow of the story and push them the right way?
Every character should have a bond as the reason they do what they do (adventuring in the case of PCs). Find out what entices a character and dangle it in front of them in the direction of the plot. Treasure and magic items is usually good enough.
Would it be a good idea to make the NPCs basic character sheets?
Every NPC should have a stat block associated with it (usually commoner). You should be able to find these in the back of the adventure book or in the monster manual (I dont think you need the MM for LMoP). If you need to give personality traits, bonds, and flaws to NPCs to help you role play them better, do so.
Thank you so much for the advice. Half of my players just want to break anything and everything and I have 1 who is a mom to a month old baby so she is very distracted. I just hope that I can give them a good experience.
Firstly, congrats on becoming a DM, it's a wonderfully rewarding position!
Many of us feel that staring out with LMoP is one of the best choices for a new DM. It'll help you get your feet under you and give you some building block to start with as you go forward.
One big warning sign I see right now is to have a chat with your boyfriend: Don't read ahead! It cheats him, and the rest of your players, out of the surprises and character interactions that make the game interesting. He's robbing himself of the allure that D&D, and many other rpgs, bring by making everything about the player/character choices. It's also unfair to you. You've got to spend time prepping for the session, putting all that effort into making a fun session. Now you have your boyfriend who's read ahead and can circumvent all the work you've done because he already knows what's going to happen.
The rest of your worries and questions comes down to practice, some research, and listening to your players. Practice is the easiest part of this, all you have to do is play the game! The more you play, the different modules, the attempts at homebrew, and all that table time will gradually make your games better by default. You'll be able to make rulings on the fly, you'll be able to handle players going off the rails, you'll be able to adjust what's going on in game at a moments notice, and so much more. Research is the next piece, and it can be boring, but it's very helpful. Research your questions about how things work, read sections of the PHB and DMG that are important to the current session or a hiccup that happened in a previous session. Research other groups that have played LMoP by looking up blogs and videos to get ideas on what they liked and didn't, or what they changed to make it easier for them to run. Finally, listen to your players, they'll almost always tell you what they liked and didn't like, but it may take some prompting. Ask them what they liked about the session, what they didn't like, get them comfortable with communicating these things. The more input you get, the more you'll be able to cater your DMing to them and adjust certain things to fit any group you play with in the future.
Most importantly though, relax and have fun. In the end it's just a game, something a bunch of people come together and have fun with. It's a social game which can be as serious or as casual as you make it. In your case, it sounds like you'll need to make it a bit more casual due to the newness of the players, the baby, and you. As you all become more experienced, and the baby become less and less of a distraction, you can start taking on more serious games and sessions. For now, make your mistakes, learn, laugh, and just enjoy hanging out, you'll become a veteran DM with time. You'll realize it when the day comes that you think to yourself "I've been DMing for so long I don't remember the last time I rolled up a character to play".
I'd have a talk with the other players, especially your boyfriend. I know the appeal of D&D is that you can do anything, but it would be pretty rude to any DM, and particularly a new one, to just go go "Screw this lost mine business. Let's go to Waterdeep!" I'd simply tell them that you're new, that you're not prepared to create a whole world/adventure on the fly, and that they need to work with you to have fun.
As to what to do when characters go off script, just think about the consequences their actions would have, and then play those out. A player wants to "adopt a goblin?" Goblins are both intelligent and evil, and likely wouldn't want to be "adopted." The goblin might play along for a bit, then slip away in the night with a significant part of the characters' loot. Or it might refuse outright and make constant escape attempts. Or it might go along but constantly scream and yell, ruining any chance of stealth. Or it would turn on the characters the first time they encounter other goblinoids.
The characters trash the townmaster's office? I would expect the results would be the same as if you trashed the mayor's office in your town. An attempt to arrest and imprison the characters would follow. If they fight back and escape, they'd lose the ability to use the town to rest and resupply. If they're arrested, have them spend a few days in jail, then fine them some treasure. Or, make their "fine" an adventure hook - "You can pay us 500 gp, or you can help Sister Grael with her banshee problem."
Finally, remember you're not just a "fun pump" that provides entertainment for the players - they have a responsibility to help you make the game fun. But, if they're determined just to break stuff, let them. Just show them that their actions will have logical consequences.
Sounds like your group has yet to learn the lesson all newbies must learn: non-murder hobos have more fun than murder hobos.
Explain that allowing yourself to take things seriously enables you to care about the story, and that improves your player experience. A lot of new players are shy/embarrassed so they go for shenanigans over story, so you just need to make it clear that nobody's "lame" for taking part, no matter their level of experience gaming.
Thank you all for your advice. Its good to know that time will fix most of my issues. As for my problem player, we have had a talk and he says he will try not to peak at my notes anymore. Our next session is tonight so we will see how that goes :)
"Try not! Do! Or do not. There is no try."
Wise words from another master. It is awesome that you have plunked yourself down on the other side of the screen. Congratulations.
Two things I did in preparation for my first venture as a DM. First, I read the Player's Handbook. No, I did not even try to memorize it from cover to cover. Still have not done so. Will never attempt it. However, if a rule needs a quick looking up, I have a very good idea where it is and can turn right to it, most of the time. Second, for the rules that come up a little more often, I have noted them on the inside of my DM screen for easy reference. Another good idea, have a list of possible NPC names so that when one of your characters walks up to an unnamed NPC and asks "And who might you be?" you can then rattle off the name as though you were completely prepared.
There are dozens, hundreds of little things you can do to make your part of the game a little less hectic. But it will come with time. Just remember the most important thing of all. YOU have fun yourself.
Thank you.
ChrisW
Ones are righteous. And one day, we just might believe it.