My best suggestion would be to read over the New Player's Guide. I wish there was a New DM's guide, but it's probably something too complicated for a basic guide to touch. Start with the guide, then run a very simple adventure first. A lot of people have said that the Lost Mines of Phandelver is awesome as a place to start out. The Basic Rules and the Sage Advice Compendium are very useful. The single most important thing ever said about D&D is "So long as everyone is having fun, there is no wrong way to play D&D" Another wise person said "Bad D&D is better than no D&D."
When you're just starting out, don't worry too much about anything, just let players do what they enjoy, deal with the rules if you have to, and make sure that everyone at the table, including yourself, has fun.
There are some great resources on YouTube from Matt Coleville - Running the Game, also How to Be a Great GM. These can be good advice for any DM, not just a new one.
DM resource links One and Two are useful, all around building assets, probably more info than you will reasonably need. Also, Google-Fu will aid you in your travels.
Last bit of kit - as much as possible, surround yourself with people that are supportive to your learning and developing as a DM. If you have a good DM that you have played with, pick their brain. Practice, keep trying, don't quit. Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is essentially your own.
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
My best advice is this. A bat 20 doesn’t mean there is something. I would recommend finding some veterans to play with and running a one off and then asking for feedback. Then assemble your group and run a campaign. Also the XP thresholds are based on level, and with magic items they should be adjusted. Best of luck to you and welcome all new DMs reading this thread. I am relatively new so take my advice with a grain of salt.
Welcome to this side of the DM's screen, and congratulations on becoming a DM! Hope you have a good time!
Anyways, here are my top general DM advise. Hope it helps!
You won't be perfect the first time. Just accept any mistakes and improve for next time.
Try to know the PCs you are DMing for. Everyone has different preferences, so you will want to know what the players will find fun and enjoyable.
There are many online resources that'll be helpful. Use them when possible. Matt Colville (mainly there "running the game" series) and How to Be a Great GM are both great youtube channels for this. Just know that everyone will prefer different things, so something that may be true for them may not be for you.
If you are teaching new players, teach them rules only when they become relevant. Don’t elaborate on checks and saves until a character wants or has to make them. Don’t explain how a d% (d100) works until someone needs to roll one. First time DMs already have enough on their plate, as do first time players. This will alleviate some of the stress for both you and any new players.
If you have any specific questions, I'm sure many here, myself included, are willing to help you out!
I certainly am. I am a very bad dungeon master, but I may be able to help.
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This isn't actually a signature, just something I copy and paste onto the bottom of all my posts. Or is it? Yep, it is. Or is it..? I’m a hobbit, and the master cranial imploder of the "Oops, I Accidently Destroyed Someone's Brain" cult. Extended sig. I'm actually in Limbo, it says I'm in Mechanus because that's where I get my WiFi from. Please don't tell the modrons, they're still angry from the 'Spawning Stone' fiasco. No connection to Dragonslayer8 other than knowing them in real life.
My advice you you, don’t over world build, in fact don’t define anything in your world the players don’t need to know right now. I love the angry gm series in this. It has some really good really succinct advice that has helped me run campaigns that are far more fun and stopped me wasting hours of my life determining details my characters and players really don’t need to know.
I've been playing D&D for a while but I'm preparing to DM my first campaign. I'd love advice on roleplaying, worldbuilding, combat, really anything!
My best suggestion would be to read over the New Player's Guide. I wish there was a New DM's guide, but it's probably something too complicated for a basic guide to touch. Start with the guide, then run a very simple adventure first. A lot of people have said that the Lost Mines of Phandelver is awesome as a place to start out. The Basic Rules and the Sage Advice Compendium are very useful. The single most important thing ever said about D&D is "So long as everyone is having fun, there is no wrong way to play D&D" Another wise person said "Bad D&D is better than no D&D."
When you're just starting out, don't worry too much about anything, just let players do what they enjoy, deal with the rules if you have to, and make sure that everyone at the table, including yourself, has fun.
<Insert clever signature here>
There are some great resources on YouTube from Matt Coleville - Running the Game, also How to Be a Great GM. These can be good advice for any DM, not just a new one.
DM resource links One and Two are useful, all around building assets, probably more info than you will reasonably need. Also, Google-Fu will aid you in your travels.
Last bit of kit - as much as possible, surround yourself with people that are supportive to your learning and developing as a DM. If you have a good DM that you have played with, pick their brain. Practice, keep trying, don't quit. Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is essentially your own.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
My best advice is this. A bat 20 doesn’t mean there is something. I would recommend finding some veterans to play with and running a one off and then asking for feedback. Then assemble your group and run a campaign. Also the XP thresholds are based on level, and with magic items they should be adjusted. Best of luck to you and welcome all new DMs reading this thread. I am relatively new so take my advice with a grain of salt.
Welcome to this side of the DM's screen, and congratulations on becoming a DM! Hope you have a good time!
Anyways, here are my top general DM advise. Hope it helps!
I am an average mathematics enjoyer.
>Extended Signature<
If you are teaching new players, teach them rules only when they become relevant. Don’t elaborate on checks and saves until a character wants or has to make them. Don’t explain how a d% (d100) works until someone needs to roll one. First time DMs already have enough on their plate, as do first time players. This will alleviate some of the stress for both you and any new players.
Thanks everyone, this helps a lot!
If you have any specific questions, I'm sure many here, myself included, are willing to help you out!
I am an average mathematics enjoyer.
>Extended Signature<
I certainly am. I am a very bad dungeon master, but I may be able to help.
This isn't actually a signature, just something I copy and paste onto the bottom of all my posts. Or is it? Yep, it is. Or is it..? I’m a hobbit, and the master cranial imploder of the "Oops, I Accidently Destroyed Someone's Brain" cult. Extended sig. I'm actually in Limbo, it says I'm in Mechanus because that's where I get my WiFi from. Please don't tell the modrons, they're still angry from the 'Spawning Stone' fiasco.
No connection to Dragonslayer8 other than knowing them in real life.
My advice you you, don’t over world build, in fact don’t define anything in your world the players don’t need to know right now. I love the angry gm series in this. It has some really good really succinct advice that has helped me run campaigns that are far more fun and stopped me wasting hours of my life determining details my characters and players really don’t need to know.
https://theangrygm.com/series/plan-your-own-campaign/