Someone posted a link to Mathew Collville's DM tips which I think would be helpful to you. I've only watched the first couple, but they seem helpful and interesting, at least thought provoking. Mathew Mercer's game tips are available as well. Plus you can watch him DM on Critical Role.
I strongly second the suggestion to check out Colville, even if you only watch the first video. His content and approach will inform and inspire.
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PBP "Beregost Blues" - Dungeon Master of Gnome Slaying +5
I don't think many people point this out, but try and see if someone else wants to DM from time to time. Perhaps some one shot games. Basically giving you a chance to play and a chance to rest so you don't have to run all the time.
Being a DM is being a storyteller. Don't worry about random encounters and running a campaign before you figure out what your campaign is all about.
First thing you REALLY want and need to do is talk to your players and find out what they want to do. If your players are brand new as well, that might be a lot of guessing, but try to figure out what type of campaign they would most enjoy. Again, that might be hard to do if no one has any experience, but it is possible. It might be helpful to look at the types of books and movies you all enjoy.
My first real suggestion is to sit down and read through the Players Handbook. Get a general idea of how characters are created, basic game mechanics, etc.
Second, sit down and READ the Dungeon Masters Guide. Start on page 3 (Table of Contents) Read the entire Introduction. Read chapter 3 (Creating Adventures), and determine the type of style that will work best for you and your players. Don't worry about tables and game mechanics just yet. Figure out if you want to run a combat heavy game, a storytelling heavy game, or something somewhere in between? Is it going to be light-hearted, ruggedly realistic, or a moral and philosophical discovery? All are valid types of campaigns, but it has to work for you AND your players.
Start with a pre-generated world. I would suggest trying to find a pre-made adventure (maybe even with pre-generated characters) and starting with that. Learn the basic rules, sit down with your players and establish your house rules. It might be good to give each players two cards, one to throw out for game issues ("How does my character attack the kobold?"), and another for personal issues ("This is making me feel uncomfortable.") Make sure to take breaks and discuss what is and isn't working for your group.
There are lots of resources for starting a campaign, and it might be helpful if you can find a group in your area that would allow you to set in on one of their sessions.
Good luck!
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Just a old, crazy Dungeon Master building a realm one brick at a time...
I would really suggest, even if you have a story idea in your head, start out running one of the starter sets, dragon of icespire peak or lost mines of Phandelven are good options, they let you bring players from level 1-5/6 they help you learn about pacing encounters to player strength and have enough space in them to get creative and play about yourself without worrying about every intricacy. As you play out these adventures you can then look at ways to incorporate your story idea into the world, you don’t have to say that Phandelfin is on the sword coast, it could be anywhere in your homebrew world a frontier town trying to get by day to day :).
I've only been a DM for a few weeks now, but I think the biggest thing I found from the players to make it fun for all is to talk to them about what they like and don't like. Pre-made adventures will give you the story, but do you want the sessions to be skewed towards the combat or the role play elements? Obviously you need both for it to remain interesting, but my group of players tend to shy away from the role play a little and can't wait to get back out of the town and kick some orc butt. I've run a few of my ideas through one of my players to give a general gist, without revealing anything of course, and it's good to hear what they think would be epic to come across or things they could do, which he's probably forgotten about now but have been safely stored in my notes.
Matthew Colville on YouTube is really good for advice, but don't limit yourself to one DM's perspective, search for DM advice on there and you can find so much information (The DM Lair, Nerd Immersion, Taking20, Runehammer, Dungeon Dudes). Also, I've come across a lot of advice saying "don't do this, it's so cliche", which may be true for experienced players, but for brand new players, there is excitement in replicating story ideas from films or seeing a cliche moment for the first time. They may have seen it in films or in books, but this would be the first time it's happened to them. For example "don't start in a tavern" or "don't start as prisoners locked up", why not? They haven't done it before.
I was a bit anxious about running the first session as it was my first time, but as the session went on, I could recall hearing snippets of these youtubers giving their advice on scenarios and controlling the game which proved invaluable. I hope to get much better with experience, but at least I wasn't left flummoxed in some situations.
Buy the starter kit and run LMoP. It does a good job of introducing all the major concepts behind an adventure and does a lot of hand holding for the dm.
Next, look through the adventure league modules and find one you like and run it. By design, they don’t lean heavily on RP and give straight forward instructions to the dm about what’s going on. Run a few of those to get a feel for how your party plays the game.
After that, either find an adventure to run or do a home brew.
You can find a ton of advice on the internet, but like riding a bike, you’re going to have to just do it to learn it.
I’d watch some Matt Colville vids on getting started. Then choose a module - the yawning portal is near - but then spend time reading it. - don’t be afraid to admit you’re wrong or you do t know something - look it up! - get the DM guide and read up on actions and what the party and the DM are responsible for - ask questions! - and of course, have fun! The adventure is only half you, the other half is unknown to you and that’s the players part. good luck!
I don't think many people point this out, but try and see if someone else wants to DM from time to time. Perhaps some one shot games. Basically giving you a chance to play and a chance to rest so you don't have to run all the time.
Being a DM is being a storyteller. Don't worry about random encounters and running a campaign before you figure out what your campaign is all about.
First thing you REALLY want and need to do is talk to your players and find out what they want to do. If your players are brand new as well, that might be a lot of guessing, but try to figure out what type of campaign they would most enjoy. Again, that might be hard to do if no one has any experience, but it is possible. It might be helpful to look at the types of books and movies you all enjoy.
My first real suggestion is to sit down and read through the Players Handbook. Get a general idea of how characters are created, basic game mechanics, etc.
Second, sit down and READ the Dungeon Masters Guide. Start on page 3 (Table of Contents) Read the entire Introduction. Read chapter 3 (Creating Adventures), and determine the type of style that will work best for you and your players. Don't worry about tables and game mechanics just yet. Figure out if you want to run a combat heavy game, a storytelling heavy game, or something somewhere in between? Is it going to be light-hearted, ruggedly realistic, or a moral and philosophical discovery? All are valid types of campaigns, but it has to work for you AND your players.
Start with a pre-generated world. I would suggest trying to find a pre-made adventure (maybe even with pre-generated characters) and starting with that. Learn the basic rules, sit down with your players and establish your house rules. It might be good to give each players two cards, one to throw out for game issues ("How does my character attack the kobold?"), and another for personal issues ("This is making me feel uncomfortable.") Make sure to take breaks and discuss what is and isn't working for your group.
There are lots of resources for starting a campaign, and it might be helpful if you can find a group in your area that would allow you to set in on one of their sessions.
Good luck!
Just a old, crazy Dungeon Master building a realm one brick at a time...
I would really suggest, even if you have a story idea in your head, start out running one of the starter sets, dragon of icespire peak or lost mines of Phandelven are good options, they let you bring players from level 1-5/6 they help you learn about pacing encounters to player strength and have enough space in them to get creative and play about yourself without worrying about every intricacy. As you play out these adventures you can then look at ways to incorporate your story idea into the world, you don’t have to say that Phandelfin is on the sword coast, it could be anywhere in your homebrew world a frontier town trying to get by day to day :).
I've only been a DM for a few weeks now, but I think the biggest thing I found from the players to make it fun for all is to talk to them about what they like and don't like. Pre-made adventures will give you the story, but do you want the sessions to be skewed towards the combat or the role play elements? Obviously you need both for it to remain interesting, but my group of players tend to shy away from the role play a little and can't wait to get back out of the town and kick some orc butt. I've run a few of my ideas through one of my players to give a general gist, without revealing anything of course, and it's good to hear what they think would be epic to come across or things they could do, which he's probably forgotten about now but have been safely stored in my notes.
Matthew Colville on YouTube is really good for advice, but don't limit yourself to one DM's perspective, search for DM advice on there and you can find so much information (The DM Lair, Nerd Immersion, Taking20, Runehammer, Dungeon Dudes). Also, I've come across a lot of advice saying "don't do this, it's so cliche", which may be true for experienced players, but for brand new players, there is excitement in replicating story ideas from films or seeing a cliche moment for the first time. They may have seen it in films or in books, but this would be the first time it's happened to them. For example "don't start in a tavern" or "don't start as prisoners locked up", why not? They haven't done it before.
I was a bit anxious about running the first session as it was my first time, but as the session went on, I could recall hearing snippets of these youtubers giving their advice on scenarios and controlling the game which proved invaluable. I hope to get much better with experience, but at least I wasn't left flummoxed in some situations.
Since this was posted nearly 4 years ago, this guy is probably a experienced DM by now LOL.
Mystic v3 should be official, nuff said.
I sometimes think its good to revisit some of these old questions as they tend to get asked anew by different people every now and then :)
Buy the starter kit and run LMoP. It does a good job of introducing all the major concepts behind an adventure and does a lot of hand holding for the dm.
Next, look through the adventure league modules and find one you like and run it. By design, they don’t lean heavily on RP and give straight forward instructions to the dm about what’s going on. Run a few of those to get a feel for how your party plays the game.
After that, either find an adventure to run or do a home brew.
You can find a ton of advice on the internet, but like riding a bike, you’re going to have to just do it to learn it.
I’d watch some Matt Colville vids on getting started. Then choose a module - the yawning portal is near - but then spend time reading it.
- don’t be afraid to admit you’re wrong or you do t know something - look it up!
- get the DM guide and read up on actions and what the party and the DM are responsible for
- ask questions!
- and of course, have fun! The adventure is only half you, the other half is unknown to you and that’s the players part.
good luck!
DM - And In The Darkness, Rot: The Sunless Citadel
DM - Our Little Lives Kept In Equipoise: Curse of Strahd
DM - Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: The Lost Mines of Phandelver
PC - Azzure - Tyranny of Dragons