I'm a new DM and I'm dm'ing for a group of four. I'm particular nervous about doing voices and making sure they have fun. i have autism so im really anxious for my first session. any advice?
About RP and voice acting, those two things aren't a required pairing. If you want to use voices and accents, that's great. I caution against setting the expectation that you start off as well versed as a professional DM. They started in the same position you did. Inexperienced and apprehensive. Rely on a supportive group of friends/players that are willing to accept mistakes and learn together.
Focus on fun games and friends, you'll learn the rest.
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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
Don't do voices at first if you're unconfortable with it. You can add voices to specific npcs later. Or, you can just chaange a little bit your pitch, it will look different yet will not make you anxious.
Another tip is to fill the session with 80% combat or other things that will not require too much NPC interaction (for example, a puzzle in which the players must think between each other)
After the first session you'll start to get less anxious already
The first time for everyone is a little nerve-wracking, so you are not alone in your thinking. BUT. It would be best to relax, take a few deep breaths, say, "Let's do it," and dive right into the game and do your best. It's tough to put yourself out there and be the center of attention, being the ringmaster of the story you are about to tell, but you said "yes" to being the DM, so there is some underlying confidence you can do this; maybe it's very tiny, but you can do it. Don't worry about how good it will be or compare it to other games you may have played or viewed online. Just make the game you are running your own.
If these are experienced players, let your players know this is your first time so they understand things may be a little rocky at first. I'm sure they will be understanding and may even help with some of the rules along the way. If these are new players, just like a new DM, you will all have a great time because you'll all be looking at each other saying, "I think I'm doing this right," and get a big laugh out of it.
You will make mistakes and that is ok. You learn from those mistakes and, in doing so, build up your confidence in your DM skills. EVERYONE who ever DM'd a game their first time made mistakes, and if they say otherwise are lying.
Also
You are not alone. Don't be afraid to ask questions AFTER YOUR GAME on the forums if something comes up that you need clarification on.
As for voices: Forget about voices; you do not need any stinking voices to make your game fun.
About RP and voice acting, those two things aren't a required pairing. If you want to use voices and accents, that's great. I caution against setting the expectation that you start off as well versed as a professional DM. They started in the same position you did. Inexperienced and apprehensive. Rely on a supportive group of friends/players that are willing to accept mistakes and learn together.
Focus on fun games and friends, you'll learn the rest.
I just started as well, 3 sessions in. I’d say, don’t over prepare for specific scenarios, because the players almost never do what you think they’ll do or what you have planned. Be flexible and have fun with it.
As a new DM and someone who is socially anxious myself, I can offer up some personal experience from my first session.
1. You WILL mess up. It's okay. Roll with it and do your best.
2. The first 5 minutes are the hardest. I was terrified during my intro dialog. My voice was nearly shaking. Once the players started their introductions and we began playing, I forgot all about being nervous.
3. Your players are there to have fun. It doesn't have to be perfect as long as it's a good time. They will carry a surprising amount of the game. Feed off their energy and use what they give you. One of my PCs started randomly playing darts in a tavern because she just assumed there was a dart board. I hadn't planned for that, but I rolled with it and she ended up winning free drinks in a bet with an improvised character named Jacob.
4. You got this. Do the voices if you think it'll be fun. Otherwise don't stress about it. My players have met 6 NPCs and 4 of them sound exactly the same.
Good luck and props for taking up the mantle of DM.
If you watch Critical Role or any of the other D&D streams, your game will be nothing like theirs, and that's fine. They're (as I understand it) experienced at improv, and are playing to be entertaining to an audience. You and your players are just trying to entertain each other, which is a lot easier. Some sessions will be great. Some will be flat. All you can do is learn from them.
Get your players to help you. For instance, it's hard to come up with scenarios that will keep a set of arbitrary characters engaged with each other over any long term. It's much easier to ask your players right at the start to tell you why they're together and doing this thing. (And listen to what they're coming up with, and be prepared to mine it for future adventure seeds.)
Your players are going to go off the rails at their first opportunity. If you expect them to fight, they'll try to talk. If you expect them to talk, they'll fight. Give them a road, and they'll hire a ship. Rolling with it is hard when you're new to running. It can be hard even when you've been doing it since forever. Don't be afraid to ask them to give you a few minutes to think about things.
Except when they're in a very constrained setting (dungeon crawls, a sea voyage where they don't control the ship, etc.), preparation is more about building a toolbox than about setting up a specific scenario. Have some likely encounters. Have some pre-prepared NPCs. You'll use most of the bits you made eventually. That bandit fight can come up later. Maybe as pirates. You can always change the flavor of the creatures.
Especially when you're new, it's all right to put your players in a constrained setting to make your life easier. If you want to run a dungeon crawl to start with, tell your players. Let them figure out why their characters want to do this. If you have buy-in, they won't try to get out of the box.
Memorable NPCs are easier to do than you think. They need something they want that relates to the players' goals, and a prominent personality characteristic. That's it. (The high-elven wizard who was completely full of himself (53rd in line to the Elven Throne, and don't you forget it), that my players met once, early in the campaign? They resolved their conflict with him fairly easily, but they _hate_ that guy. I've been waiting for a chance to use him again for ages.) They won't all catch on, but some will.
There's a temptation to have scenes that the players will observe, in order to drive the story along. Avoid these when possible.
Throw lots of plot hooks at the players. See which ones they engage with, and develop those. Let the others wither, or bring them around later in a different form, but don't be afraid to let them go. If they don't want to guide the hobbit with the gold ring on the way to Mordor, somebody else will do it. Maybe they'll be interested when Gondor calls for aid. Maybe they won't, and you'll just write off the dark lord plot as something going on in the background.
Don't sideline the players and have the big events happen in a way that their actions don't matter. If they escort the ringbearer, that's the important part. If they fight with Gondor and march on the gates of Mordor, that's the important part. Don't give them an unwinnable fight, and just save them when the ring gets dropped into mount doom. Let them do something proactive to buy the ringbearer time. (Perhaps a desperate flight on the backs of giant eagles to intercept the Ringwraiths?)
You don’t have to do voices if you’re uncomfortable, but you could instead describe their manner of speech. “In a haughty voice he says….” Or “Gruffly, like the grizzled old veteran they are….” And just speak normally because most people will have a media reference for what you’re describing. I’ve been playing for a lot of years and I still get nervous and find that helps a lot. I like doing voices, but describing their tone helps prevent all my Dwarves from being Scottish :P
And I can almost promise your players are going to have fun, because you’re putting in the time and effort to let them play D&D. As someone once said, “The only bad D&D is no D&D”
To carry some 'defining trait' that is often associated with that voice
Now, #2 isn't nearly as useful as #1, and there are plenty of ways to do that without voices. I've always leaned into PROPs. Hats, eyepatches, fake mustaches (typically just my finger under my nose) serve to make good visual cues who's who.
As for making sure they have fun, the best way is to ASK them. If you're not playing with people close to you, or if you're worried they're going to hold back, consider making a simple Google Poll that can be answered anonymously. Keep questions simple: Did you have fun? Was there enough ((combat/drama/puzzle/ etc))? Was there anything you REALLY liked? What would you like to see more of as the Campaign progresses.
My current Sunday night game has 5 players, 1 ASD, 3 ADHD, plus myself who's a little of all the above. We typically spend a solid half hour after I call the final scene talking about what went well, what fell flat, and where they think we're going.
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I'm a new DM and I'm dm'ing for a group of four. I'm particular nervous about doing voices and making sure they have fun. i have autism so im really anxious for my first session. any advice?
MCDM-Running the Game.
About RP and voice acting, those two things aren't a required pairing. If you want to use voices and accents, that's great. I caution against setting the expectation that you start off as well versed as a professional DM. They started in the same position you did. Inexperienced and apprehensive. Rely on a supportive group of friends/players that are willing to accept mistakes and learn together.
Focus on fun games and friends, you'll learn the rest.
“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 only advice is don't overthink it. Anyone who is new to dm-ing is going to make mistakes, but that's normal.
Don't do voices at first if you're unconfortable with it. You can add voices to specific npcs later. Or, you can just chaange a little bit your pitch, it will look different yet will not make you anxious.
Another tip is to fill the session with 80% combat or other things that will not require too much NPC interaction (for example, a puzzle in which the players must think between each other)
After the first session you'll start to get less anxious already
The first time for everyone is a little nerve-wracking, so you are not alone in your thinking. BUT. It would be best to relax, take a few deep breaths, say, "Let's do it," and dive right into the game and do your best. It's tough to put yourself out there and be the center of attention, being the ringmaster of the story you are about to tell, but you said "yes" to being the DM, so there is some underlying confidence you can do this; maybe it's very tiny, but you can do it. Don't worry about how good it will be or compare it to other games you may have played or viewed online. Just make the game you are running your own.
If these are experienced players, let your players know this is your first time so they understand things may be a little rocky at first. I'm sure they will be understanding and may even help with some of the rules along the way. If these are new players, just like a new DM, you will all have a great time because you'll all be looking at each other saying, "I think I'm doing this right," and get a big laugh out of it.
You will make mistakes and that is ok. You learn from those mistakes and, in doing so, build up your confidence in your DM skills. EVERYONE who ever DM'd a game their first time made mistakes, and if they say otherwise are lying.
Also
You are not alone. Don't be afraid to ask questions AFTER YOUR GAME on the forums if something comes up that you need clarification on.
As for voices: Forget about voices; you do not need any stinking voices to make your game fun.
I second Running the Game
thanks for the feedback. i really appreciate it
I just started as well, 3 sessions in. I’d say, don’t over prepare for specific scenarios, because the players almost never do what you think they’ll do or what you have planned. Be flexible and have fun with it.
As a new DM and someone who is socially anxious myself, I can offer up some personal experience from my first session.
1. You WILL mess up. It's okay. Roll with it and do your best.
2. The first 5 minutes are the hardest. I was terrified during my intro dialog. My voice was nearly shaking. Once the players started their introductions and we began playing, I forgot all about being nervous.
3. Your players are there to have fun. It doesn't have to be perfect as long as it's a good time. They will carry a surprising amount of the game. Feed off their energy and use what they give you. One of my PCs started randomly playing darts in a tavern because she just assumed there was a dart board. I hadn't planned for that, but I rolled with it and she ended up winning free drinks in a bet with an improvised character named Jacob.
4. You got this. Do the voices if you think it'll be fun. Otherwise don't stress about it. My players have met 6 NPCs and 4 of them sound exactly the same.
Good luck and props for taking up the mantle of DM.
If you watch Critical Role or any of the other D&D streams, your game will be nothing like theirs, and that's fine. They're (as I understand it) experienced at improv, and are playing to be entertaining to an audience. You and your players are just trying to entertain each other, which is a lot easier. Some sessions will be great. Some will be flat. All you can do is learn from them.
Get your players to help you. For instance, it's hard to come up with scenarios that will keep a set of arbitrary characters engaged with each other over any long term. It's much easier to ask your players right at the start to tell you why they're together and doing this thing. (And listen to what they're coming up with, and be prepared to mine it for future adventure seeds.)
Your players are going to go off the rails at their first opportunity. If you expect them to fight, they'll try to talk. If you expect them to talk, they'll fight. Give them a road, and they'll hire a ship. Rolling with it is hard when you're new to running. It can be hard even when you've been doing it since forever. Don't be afraid to ask them to give you a few minutes to think about things.
Except when they're in a very constrained setting (dungeon crawls, a sea voyage where they don't control the ship, etc.), preparation is more about building a toolbox than about setting up a specific scenario. Have some likely encounters. Have some pre-prepared NPCs. You'll use most of the bits you made eventually. That bandit fight can come up later. Maybe as pirates. You can always change the flavor of the creatures.
Especially when you're new, it's all right to put your players in a constrained setting to make your life easier. If you want to run a dungeon crawl to start with, tell your players. Let them figure out why their characters want to do this. If you have buy-in, they won't try to get out of the box.
Memorable NPCs are easier to do than you think. They need something they want that relates to the players' goals, and a prominent personality characteristic. That's it. (The high-elven wizard who was completely full of himself (53rd in line to the Elven Throne, and don't you forget it), that my players met once, early in the campaign? They resolved their conflict with him fairly easily, but they _hate_ that guy. I've been waiting for a chance to use him again for ages.) They won't all catch on, but some will.
There's a temptation to have scenes that the players will observe, in order to drive the story along. Avoid these when possible.
Throw lots of plot hooks at the players. See which ones they engage with, and develop those. Let the others wither, or bring them around later in a different form, but don't be afraid to let them go. If they don't want to guide the hobbit with the gold ring on the way to Mordor, somebody else will do it. Maybe they'll be interested when Gondor calls for aid. Maybe they won't, and you'll just write off the dark lord plot as something going on in the background.
Don't sideline the players and have the big events happen in a way that their actions don't matter. If they escort the ringbearer, that's the important part. If they fight with Gondor and march on the gates of Mordor, that's the important part. Don't give them an unwinnable fight, and just save them when the ring gets dropped into mount doom. Let them do something proactive to buy the ringbearer time. (Perhaps a desperate flight on the backs of giant eagles to intercept the Ringwraiths?)
You don’t have to do voices if you’re uncomfortable, but you could instead describe their manner of speech. “In a haughty voice he says….” Or “Gruffly, like the grizzled old veteran they are….” And just speak normally because most people will have a media reference for what you’re describing. I’ve been playing for a lot of years and I still get nervous and find that helps a lot. I like doing voices, but describing their tone helps prevent all my Dwarves from being Scottish :P
And I can almost promise your players are going to have fun, because you’re putting in the time and effort to let them play D&D. As someone once said, “The only bad D&D is no D&D”
You got this! :D
Architect of the Fantastic and the Horrific.
Voices serve two purposes:
Now, #2 isn't nearly as useful as #1, and there are plenty of ways to do that without voices. I've always leaned into PROPs. Hats, eyepatches, fake mustaches (typically just my finger under my nose) serve to make good visual cues who's who.
As for making sure they have fun, the best way is to ASK them. If you're not playing with people close to you, or if you're worried they're going to hold back, consider making a simple Google Poll that can be answered anonymously. Keep questions simple: Did you have fun? Was there enough ((combat/drama/puzzle/ etc))? Was there anything you REALLY liked? What would you like to see more of as the Campaign progresses.
My current Sunday night game has 5 players, 1 ASD, 3 ADHD, plus myself who's a little of all the above. We typically spend a solid half hour after I call the final scene talking about what went well, what fell flat, and where they think we're going.