What would you say are the benchmarks that define when someone is ready to become a DM? Like what would be the things someone has to know offhand or by memory to start DMing? For Adventurers League or otherwise :)
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I won't touch the "for adventurers league" portion of the question, because DMing according to someone else's rules and regulations is not a thing I would even know where to start wanting to do, let alone trying to do well.
So here's what I think it takes to start being a DM for your own home-game group; You've got to want to DM.
Doesn't take any special level of knowledge or any specific list of memorized data - just the desire to get a group around the table, and the willingness to work with them to have a shared fun experience (they have to share that willingness, which is where things can get tricky).
I started DMing without having ever played a table-top RPG before just by reading a bit of the rule books and then getting started - knowing from experience with other types of games that I could learn more as I went, and would learn better from making and correcting mistakes than from trying to figure out how to not make any mistakes.
Other DMs will tell you that DMing is hard, or that it takes a lot of work, or that you have to have something special about you to be good at it - but that's all nonsense made up by somebody back in the day that was trying to keep their seat as DM, and thus their power over their group, by making all the players believe they had to play the DMs way or go without because just starting their own game and playing it how they wanted wouldn't work out, and people keep saying it even after becoming a DM them self because they don't realizing their learning to DM is proof that there wasn't a big barrier to entry for club DM.
When are you ready to be a DM? - Want to do it - Understand that while it is fun to create a story, it is hard work. - Have somewhat thick skin. If you give in to your players' every desire they will sabotage your game. - Have patience. Not everything will work out like you want it to, and that's ok! Sometimes we get so focused on the details we miss the bigger picture.
The DM's Guide, Monster Manual & PHB make it easier to quickly reference what you need to know, but having some things researched ahead of time is extremely helpful. Also listening to podcasts like DM's Block, Sneak Attack or Critical Role, goes a lot towards learning the rules from an application standpoint. Lastly, apps for quick reference (like D&D Beyond!) are lifesavers!
I just DM'd my first game last week and while I was extremely nervous, the first session went hours longer than expected and my players didn't even finish the basic starting adventure I sent them on. Plus, things happened that I couldn't expect and that gave me even more ideas for story hooks and potential plot developments. I think all you really need to start running a game is the desire to tell a story others would enjoy, and being open minded enough to allow them to play in the sandbox you create while understanding that it will likely never go how you planned.
My major suggestion is to have a bunch of "just in case" NPCs and encounters ready. I personally dislike stone walling my players. They're currently in the middle of 4 quest paths in my campaign.
I've recently learned that pacing is very important. I wrote enough content for what I figured would be 6-10 sessions... they burned through half of it in 2 sessions. To be fair they were rolling like crazy (crits like I've never seen) and they were agreeing on everything quickly. I'm used to players disputing how to enter a building for 20 minutes.
You don't need to have the DM's Guide memorized from cover to cover, or be the greatest story teller in the universe. Be ready for the work involved (because there is a fair bit) and be ready to pull your hair out not being able to tell anyone about that super cool puzzle you spent three hours creating. A poker face is a nice bonus, but it is definitely an acquired skill.
I highly suggest using a pre-written adventure (or at least looking at one) for your first session or two, just so that you can get a good idea of how to write a good story and figure out the right level of prep. You'll also be able to figure out the kinds of things your group likes, their pacing, the correct difficulty for encounters, and ways to write a more personalized story down the road.
Like what would be the things someone has to know offhand or by memory to start DMing?
At the very least, have a grasp on how combat cycles work. Attune yourself to modifiers, saving throws, and round progression. The rest will fall into place as you move along.
When you want to DM you want to share a story with people.
And that's one of the greatest things of Geeklife.
My tips are:
* Be familiar with the rules and keep notes.
* The most chaotic thing is players. Keep a calm veneer when they throw off everything. Every DM has stories about this. You are not against the players, you are adjudicating the world. They do something stupid bad things happen. When they try the impossible let them have a go, the universe loves the bold.
* If a rule distracts from something fun. Ignore it. Don't get lost in number crunching.
* As 'Knights of the Dinner table' says, let the dice fall as they may. ADDENDUM: Unless contradicting the previous tip. If in doubt, create a new situation for the players to deal with.
*Learn to blag with a decent poker face. I find most of my sessions after 15 years are 30% planned, 70% blag. Remember to write down any NPCs you've randomly created.
If you want to be a DM and you're willing to commit the time needed to run sessions, then that's all you need to be a DM. Prior knowledge of things like rules, spending time preparing, being good at thinking on your feet, etc. is all helpful and will help sessions run more smoothly, but is not required.
Here are some tips I've picked up on my many years of being a DM for various systems.
Have a Session 0. Instead of picking up and playing right away, meet with the players to establish baseline expectations. What do you expect from your players? What do your players expect from you? What style of play is most interesting to you and your players (heavy roleplay, heavy combat, healthy mix of both, is interparty conflict allowed or is the party expected to work together in all circumstances with minimal fuss, stuff like that)? What sorts of topics of conversation / roleplay are off-limits? This is also a great chance for the players to talk together about character ideas to make sure they aren't stepping on each others toes or introducing characters who could not possibly work together. This can be a literal session where you block out time for everyone to chat together, or it can be a more freeform thing leading up to the first session. I'd personally recommend a mix of both, so that players have some ideas of what they're doing before session 0 starts, so that it can wrap up faster and more smoothly, and you can get to actual gameplay that session as well.
Have fun. This is why we're playing, right? Not only should the players be having fun, but you should be having fun as a DM as well. If you aren't having fun, or your players aren't having fun, something is wrong and needs to be fixed. Which leads me to:
Have open communication. Table problems get blown out of proportion if they're allowed to simmer for too long. What starts out as a simple misunderstanding can literally destroy friendships if left to fester. The easiest way to fix this is to establish a baseline of open communication: if you find something wrong with how a player is acting (whether in-character or out-of-character), you'll be open in telling them about it, and discussing why you found it wrong and getting their side of the story. The idea here is to reach an agreement moving forward on the "proper" way of going about whatever that thing is. Furthermore, set an expectation that inter-player conflicts will be resolved the same way: open communication. If someone feels that they never get any time in the spotlight because another PC is hogging it all, they should say that. Don't keep open communication to things that are wrong, either. If someone does something especially awesome, let them know! A little praise goes a long way. I typically handle open communication by having a feedback session at the end of every session I run. I go around the table and ask each player in turn to provide feedback, to name things they liked and disliked about the session (whether they were about something that happened story-wise or encounter-wise, something about how I handled something like a ruling, or something about another player). I also give them feedback about things I liked or disliked about what they did. Together, this feedback helps group cohesion as we can keep doing things that other people like and tone down or adjust the things that other people dislike, or at least have a frank conversation about those things to assist in being on the same page in the case of misunderstandings.
Be human. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. You're going to make them, and your players will as well. If a mistake can be easily fixed, then fix it. If not, shrug and move on, keeping it in mind for next time.
Know your rules, and expect your players to know theirs. Which is to say, there are a lot of rules. Keeping track of all of them is an exercise in futility. While playing, remember the rules that are most important for what you do on a continual basis, such as rules for passive perception or basic running of combat. Expect that your players will know how their own race and class works, and can remind you about class abilities as needed. You don't need to memorize everything, knowing where you can look up the rule is good enough. If you get into a rules dispute, remember that you are the DM and final arbiter of the rules. If it takes you too long to look it up, make a spot call and check on the actual rule after the session. Or, ask a player to look it up on your behalf while you continue to run the encounter for the other players. This helps keep the game pace moving. Rules arguments are best left for between sessions, not during them, make such an expectation clear to your players.
You are not writing a novel. You don't have full control over everything that happens in the story, as you are not in control of the protagonists of the story. No matter how well you prepare, your players will continually find ways to surprise you. Roll with that, and be willing to adjust things on the fly based on what they came up with. That being said, you don't always need to say "yes" when a player asks you if they can do something. Perhaps that thing is really hard to do and needs a difficult check, or perhaps it is simply impossible to do.
Work with the players, not against them. Expect your players to work with you, not against you. Your job is not to be an enemy to the players. D&D is a collaborative storytelling environment, where the DM and players work together to craft a shared story. While your NPCs may be enemies to the PCs, that antagonism should not extend to out-of-character interactions. You don't need to "win" and your players "lose", and similarly your players don't need to "win" while you "lose." If an encounter goes well and your players enjoyed it and you had fun running it, everyone "wins" there.
You are ready to DM as soon as you say "Hey, I wanna give this a shot." Go for it, and go all out. It can be intimidating at first, but you'll ease into it. Don't sweat it. Just remember that you are all there at the table to have a good time with fiends... I mean friends.
My Biggest advice is something that has been iterated in (I believe) every edition of Dungeons and Dragons since 1979. Its the first line of the the Afterword in the 1st edition AD&D manual. "It is the spirit of the game, not the letter of the rules, which is important." -E. Gary Gygax
I only quote that one line because the way we play nowadays is much different than how we played then. It was very much "Us versus Them". 'Us' being the PCs and 'Them' being the DMs. Now we actually play together. Yes it is your job as a DM to challenge the players and their PCs, make things difficult and inconvenient, but you should do so fairly.
My second biggest advice is to not get frustrated with the party when they immediately go off the rails and blow off that great adventure you created. Your adventure can wait a little longer. Just keep trying to throw rumors about it their way every once in a while and eventually they will take the bait. At that point, tweak it up to their level. Maybe those marauding orcs you originally had planned were just the shock troops of some stronger invading army and the little town the PCs started off at has been taken over and turned into a staging ground for the the next advance by that kingdom or empire. Just let it all happen organically and no one will be the wiser.
Lastly, try not to say "No". Sometimes you have to say No because it's the only logical answer. No, you cannot pick up that house and carry it across the street so you can say your in the Commercial district. If there is a chance the player should succeed, let 'em try it. You can set the DC pretty high, but let them know it's high. Just make sure it's within reason. Maybe they need a natural 20, that's fine, as long they have the chance. And if they fail, let them fail spectacularly. I don't mean they do harm to themselves, just make the failure fun for that player.
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So I just read what you said and I wanna know which rulebooks did you read before you started DMing. I really wanna be a DM and I am pretty much new in all those things
I read all the rulebooks I could get my hands on (multiple times), but part of that was me being me and to other part was a complete lack of players.
Having an experienced DM as a player in your first couple of games can help. He or she can help give you pointers and will have experience with things that you may encounter.
Don't worry -- this is the biggest piece of advice. Just do not worry.
I started DMing after being unable to find a game to play in. I decided fine, whatever, I'll start one and see if I can find players (which is much easier). What I did to start out was break things up. I read through the PHB fully, but then went back through, focusing on combat sections and spells. Practice a few combats between yourself with NPC's you're controlling, figure out the rules like that (or even with 1 other person willing to also learn the base mechanics -- just "fight" each other with some monsters). Also, create some PC's yourself. Going through that process helps you learn the different classes/abilities and gives you the knowledge of what you should expect your players to have when they start.
You don't need to know every spell, or for that matter everything a character can do. Review the classes of course, but you don't need to know them in and out -- leave that up to your players. When you have players, focus on learning the classes that they chose, and ignore the others until you have a player with that class. If something seems super overpowered or off during a session, note it and check it out afterwords. If the player made a mistake (or took advantage of your lack of knowledge) just let them know the way you're ruling moving forward (whether it's different than what it was initially or is the same). Have players make "spellcards" (or ability cards) for their spells/abilities so they have it for quick reference and aren't flipping through the rulebook. If they say their spell/ability does something, they then have it on hand to show to you and you can quickly review it and agree/disagree. (Now this won't stop cheating/changing text, but if something seems off just check it out later and have the player update their card to be correct).
Run a premade module like the starter set before trying anything homemade. It's excellent and helps you and the players ease into things, and leaves alot open for you to interject your thoughts. I find it alot of work to run the module (preparing, learning what the book says is going to happen and what not) but it takes out the part of having to focus on creating those elements yourself, and allows you to learn the basic rules and mechanics. It also gives you loot/treasure caches for all of the encounters, one less thing to worry about your first time. By the time you are halfway through the starter set, you will likely feel comfortable and then expand your knowledge of the rules/mechanics.
Remember, the game is YOURS. You are the DM, you say what the rules are and aren't. The rulebooks are guidelines, not law. Start with a simplified version, if someone is challenging something during the game, make an on the spot ruling and just say that this is the way we are playing it right now. After the session, look it up/discuss it with the player and make a better/more informed decision at that point, and then moving forward.
Also, let the PC's try pretty much anything. They might not always succeed, but they can certainly try.
Lastly, you will make mistakes. But, they will not break the game. Oops you gave him advantage when he shouldn't have, or took away advantage when it was warranted. It happens, almost every session even. Something somewhere is going to go wrong, and half of the time you won't even notice it, because in the grand scheme of things it doesn't have that much of a difference.
As far as what I reference the most, it's definitely the PHB. I have the DMG and the MM, and have read through both. I use the DMG mostly for magic items and loot tables (to a point, I don't roll on them, but I look at them for general ideas on how much loot to disperse). I probably have about 30 bookmarks in it, but don't reference them super often, like I do the PHB. MM is used sparingly, when I need to add more monsters, I will use it more no doubt. In my opinion the MM is optional when just starting out, but great if you decide DMing is what you really want to do.
New DM here too. We’re about 4 or 5 sessions into the Lost Mines starter set adventure, and we are having a blast! I’ll echo the sentiments that have already been said before me, that you don’t need to be a rules expert. You don’t even *need* the core rule books if you don’t want to spend all that dough. I get by mainly on the SRD which is available as a free PDF from the Wizards of the Coast website, or here on DDB if you’re cool with the web app interface.
One thing I’ll say, this community is amazingly supportive. I’ve had tons of questions - many of them in retrospect were not as dumbfounding as I initially thought - and every time I come here I get excellent answers from people who know their stuff. The great thing is everyone wants you to succeed as DM. The suggestions and feedback I’ve gotten here has been invaluable in my games.
You’re going to mess up on the rules from time to time (I just did tonight lol). The key to being a good DM is keeping players engaged and having fun, not having every little nuance of every single rule memorized and ready at your fingertips. You’ll be surprised how quickly those rules get imprinted on your brain, especially if you are running a game for new players.
For practical stuff, I keep some rules printed out to keep on my DM screen, and I make index cards for every creature my party might encounter that week. I also keep my iPad handy and open to DDB for spot checks. Story-wise, if you run a published adventures, read it a bunch of times and have it down pretty well in your head, so you are able to present it with confidence and concentrate on delivery, as opposed to reading straight from the book. I’ve found that can be a drag on the mood.
What would you say are the benchmarks that define when someone is ready to become a DM? Like what would be the things someone has to know offhand or by memory to start DMing? For Adventurers League or otherwise :)
I won't touch the "for adventurers league" portion of the question, because DMing according to someone else's rules and regulations is not a thing I would even know where to start wanting to do, let alone trying to do well.
So here's what I think it takes to start being a DM for your own home-game group; You've got to want to DM.
Doesn't take any special level of knowledge or any specific list of memorized data - just the desire to get a group around the table, and the willingness to work with them to have a shared fun experience (they have to share that willingness, which is where things can get tricky).
I started DMing without having ever played a table-top RPG before just by reading a bit of the rule books and then getting started - knowing from experience with other types of games that I could learn more as I went, and would learn better from making and correcting mistakes than from trying to figure out how to not make any mistakes.
Other DMs will tell you that DMing is hard, or that it takes a lot of work, or that you have to have something special about you to be good at it - but that's all nonsense made up by somebody back in the day that was trying to keep their seat as DM, and thus their power over their group, by making all the players believe they had to play the DMs way or go without because just starting their own game and playing it how they wanted wouldn't work out, and people keep saying it even after becoming a DM them self because they don't realizing their learning to DM is proof that there wasn't a big barrier to entry for club DM.
When are you ready to be a DM?
- Want to do it
- Understand that while it is fun to create a story, it is hard work.
- Have somewhat thick skin. If you give in to your players' every desire they will sabotage your game.
- Have patience. Not everything will work out like you want it to, and that's ok! Sometimes we get so focused on the details we miss the bigger picture.
The DM's Guide, Monster Manual & PHB make it easier to quickly reference what you need to know, but having some things researched ahead of time is extremely helpful. Also listening to podcasts like DM's Block, Sneak Attack or Critical Role, goes a lot towards learning the rules from an application standpoint. Lastly, apps for quick reference (like D&D Beyond!) are lifesavers!
I just DM'd my first game last week and while I was extremely nervous, the first session went hours longer than expected and my players didn't even finish the basic starting adventure I sent them on. Plus, things happened that I couldn't expect and that gave me even more ideas for story hooks and potential plot developments. I think all you really need to start running a game is the desire to tell a story others would enjoy, and being open minded enough to allow them to play in the sandbox you create while understanding that it will likely never go how you planned.
Haha I've actually been watching Matthew Coleville pretty nonstop. Love his videos :)
My major suggestion is to have a bunch of "just in case" NPCs and encounters ready. I personally dislike stone walling my players. They're currently in the middle of 4 quest paths in my campaign.
I've recently learned that pacing is very important. I wrote enough content for what I figured would be 6-10 sessions... they burned through half of it in 2 sessions. To be fair they were rolling like crazy (crits like I've never seen) and they were agreeing on everything quickly. I'm used to players disputing how to enter a building for 20 minutes.
You want to be a Dungeon Master? Go for it.
You don't need to have the DM's Guide memorized from cover to cover, or be the greatest story teller in the universe. Be ready for the work involved (because there is a fair bit) and be ready to pull your hair out not being able to tell anyone about that super cool puzzle you spent three hours creating. A poker face is a nice bonus, but it is definitely an acquired skill.
I highly suggest using a pre-written adventure (or at least looking at one) for your first session or two, just so that you can get a good idea of how to write a good story and figure out the right level of prep. You'll also be able to figure out the kinds of things your group likes, their pacing, the correct difficulty for encounters, and ways to write a more personalized story down the road.
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
PBP: Lera Zahuv in Whispers of Dissent
PBP: Evaine Brae in Innistrad: Dark Ascension
PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
When you want to DM you want to share a story with people.
And that's one of the greatest things of Geeklife.
My tips are:
* Be familiar with the rules and keep notes.
* The most chaotic thing is players. Keep a calm veneer when they throw off everything. Every DM has stories about this. You are not against the players, you are adjudicating the world. They do something stupid bad things happen. When they try the impossible let them have a go, the universe loves the bold.
* If a rule distracts from something fun. Ignore it. Don't get lost in number crunching.
* As 'Knights of the Dinner table' says, let the dice fall as they may. ADDENDUM: Unless contradicting the previous tip. If in doubt, create a new situation for the players to deal with.
*Learn to blag with a decent poker face. I find most of my sessions after 15 years are 30% planned, 70% blag. Remember to write down any NPCs you've randomly created.
DM of a decade and A half.
Founder of GOTK and the Workshop Warriors.
If you want to be a DM and you're willing to commit the time needed to run sessions, then that's all you need to be a DM. Prior knowledge of things like rules, spending time preparing, being good at thinking on your feet, etc. is all helpful and will help sessions run more smoothly, but is not required.
Here are some tips I've picked up on my many years of being a DM for various systems.
Hope that helps!
You are ready to DM as soon as you say "Hey, I wanna give this a shot." Go for it, and go all out. It can be intimidating at first, but you'll ease into it. Don't sweat it. Just remember that you are all there at the table to have a good time with fiends... I mean friends.
My Biggest advice is something that has been iterated in (I believe) every edition of Dungeons and Dragons since 1979. Its the first line of the the Afterword in the 1st edition AD&D manual. "It is the spirit of the game, not the letter of the rules, which is important." -E. Gary Gygax
I only quote that one line because the way we play nowadays is much different than how we played then. It was very much "Us versus Them". 'Us' being the PCs and 'Them' being the DMs. Now we actually play together. Yes it is your job as a DM to challenge the players and their PCs, make things difficult and inconvenient, but you should do so fairly.
My second biggest advice is to not get frustrated with the party when they immediately go off the rails and blow off that great adventure you created. Your adventure can wait a little longer. Just keep trying to throw rumors about it their way every once in a while and eventually they will take the bait. At that point, tweak it up to their level. Maybe those marauding orcs you originally had planned were just the shock troops of some stronger invading army and the little town the PCs started off at has been taken over and turned into a staging ground for the the next advance by that kingdom or empire. Just let it all happen organically and no one will be the wiser.
Lastly, try not to say "No". Sometimes you have to say No because it's the only logical answer. No, you cannot pick up that house and carry it across the street so you can say your in the Commercial district. If there is a chance the player should succeed, let 'em try it. You can set the DC pretty high, but let them know it's high. Just make sure it's within reason. Maybe they need a natural 20, that's fine, as long they have the chance. And if they fail, let them fail spectacularly. I don't mean they do harm to themselves, just make the failure fun for that player.
Welcome to the Grand Illusion, come on in and see what's happening, pay the price, get your ticket for the show....
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
Having an experienced DM as a player in your first couple of games can help. He or she can help give you pointers and will have experience with things that you may encounter.
Be yourself.
Don't worry -- this is the biggest piece of advice. Just do not worry.
I started DMing after being unable to find a game to play in. I decided fine, whatever, I'll start one and see if I can find players (which is much easier). What I did to start out was break things up. I read through the PHB fully, but then went back through, focusing on combat sections and spells. Practice a few combats between yourself with NPC's you're controlling, figure out the rules like that (or even with 1 other person willing to also learn the base mechanics -- just "fight" each other with some monsters). Also, create some PC's yourself. Going through that process helps you learn the different classes/abilities and gives you the knowledge of what you should expect your players to have when they start.
You don't need to know every spell, or for that matter everything a character can do. Review the classes of course, but you don't need to know them in and out -- leave that up to your players. When you have players, focus on learning the classes that they chose, and ignore the others until you have a player with that class. If something seems super overpowered or off during a session, note it and check it out afterwords. If the player made a mistake (or took advantage of your lack of knowledge) just let them know the way you're ruling moving forward (whether it's different than what it was initially or is the same). Have players make "spellcards" (or ability cards) for their spells/abilities so they have it for quick reference and aren't flipping through the rulebook. If they say their spell/ability does something, they then have it on hand to show to you and you can quickly review it and agree/disagree. (Now this won't stop cheating/changing text, but if something seems off just check it out later and have the player update their card to be correct).
Run a premade module like the starter set before trying anything homemade. It's excellent and helps you and the players ease into things, and leaves alot open for you to interject your thoughts. I find it alot of work to run the module (preparing, learning what the book says is going to happen and what not) but it takes out the part of having to focus on creating those elements yourself, and allows you to learn the basic rules and mechanics. It also gives you loot/treasure caches for all of the encounters, one less thing to worry about your first time. By the time you are halfway through the starter set, you will likely feel comfortable and then expand your knowledge of the rules/mechanics.
Remember, the game is YOURS. You are the DM, you say what the rules are and aren't. The rulebooks are guidelines, not law. Start with a simplified version, if someone is challenging something during the game, make an on the spot ruling and just say that this is the way we are playing it right now. After the session, look it up/discuss it with the player and make a better/more informed decision at that point, and then moving forward.
Also, let the PC's try pretty much anything. They might not always succeed, but they can certainly try.
Lastly, you will make mistakes. But, they will not break the game. Oops you gave him advantage when he shouldn't have, or took away advantage when it was warranted. It happens, almost every session even. Something somewhere is going to go wrong, and half of the time you won't even notice it, because in the grand scheme of things it doesn't have that much of a difference.
As far as what I reference the most, it's definitely the PHB. I have the DMG and the MM, and have read through both. I use the DMG mostly for magic items and loot tables (to a point, I don't roll on them, but I look at them for general ideas on how much loot to disperse). I probably have about 30 bookmarks in it, but don't reference them super often, like I do the PHB. MM is used sparingly, when I need to add more monsters, I will use it more no doubt. In my opinion the MM is optional when just starting out, but great if you decide DMing is what you really want to do.
How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
Wave!
New DM here too. We’re about 4 or 5 sessions into the Lost Mines starter set adventure, and we are having a blast! I’ll echo the sentiments that have already been said before me, that you don’t need to be a rules expert. You don’t even *need* the core rule books if you don’t want to spend all that dough. I get by mainly on the SRD which is available as a free PDF from the Wizards of the Coast website, or here on DDB if you’re cool with the web app interface.
One thing I’ll say, this community is amazingly supportive. I’ve had tons of questions - many of them in retrospect were not as dumbfounding as I initially thought - and every time I come here I get excellent answers from people who know their stuff. The great thing is everyone wants you to succeed as DM. The suggestions and feedback I’ve gotten here has been invaluable in my games.
You’re going to mess up on the rules from time to time (I just did tonight lol). The key to being a good DM is keeping players engaged and having fun, not having every little nuance of every single rule memorized and ready at your fingertips. You’ll be surprised how quickly those rules get imprinted on your brain, especially if you are running a game for new players.
For practical stuff, I keep some rules printed out to keep on my DM screen, and I make index cards for every creature my party might encounter that week. I also keep my iPad handy and open to DDB for spot checks. Story-wise, if you run a published adventures, read it a bunch of times and have it down pretty well in your head, so you are able to present it with confidence and concentrate on delivery, as opposed to reading straight from the book. I’ve found that can be a drag on the mood.
Good luck, and have fun!
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.