Find your own style, yes watch and learn from other DM's either from games you have played in or from videos on-line but don't try and copy someone else, be yourself
Remember to listen to your players feedback but not to the detriment to your enjoyment - the game is for the entire group, if you and your players are having fun that is all that matters.
If you don't know a rule, don't worry about it unless it is a game changing moment, make a call and move on - check it later and feedback to the players
We all make mistakes, acknowledge that and you will get better
Be fair to all party members and make sure no-one is left out of the action
Careful with the online "shows." There are two issues with trying to use them as a model.
First, the DMs running those games are veterans who have been doing this a very long time. They know the rules really well because they have had hundreds or thousands of occasions on which to make rulings. They can keep things going smoothly because they have done it many times before. They have 1,000 hours or more experience. You cannot expect to run like them as a rookie.
Second, those shows are exactly that -- shows. Performances. They are run for the entertainment of an audience and so they do things that are not normal or standard to do at the table. If you copy those things that they are doing for the audience, when there is no audience, your players will have a degraded experience, because D&D is not a performance -- it's a game.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Second, those shows are exactly that -- shows. Performances. They are run for the entertainment of an audience and so they do things that are not normal or standard to do at the table. If you copy those things that they are doing for the audience, when there is no audience, your players will have a degraded experience, because D&D is not a performance -- it's a game.
I'm curious what you would specifically point toward with this remark. The players themselves are an audience, so copying dramatic flourishes can be fun for everyone's entertainment, but it certainly shouldn't be forced if that isn't what the table enjoys. That's true for any style of play though.
Shows like Critical Role are dramatized, but not scripted. The flavor that the players bring to the table is as much for their own enjoyment as it is for the audience.
I am not asserting that any shows are scripted. I am asserting that they are performances. The players are clearly aware that the cameras are on, and people act differently when cameras are on. It is a fact of life.
They are also doing things specifically to please an audience and particularly their fans. A normal DM does not have to do "fan service" the way the DMs on these shows do -- they only have to please their players.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I wasn't meaning to suggest that you were asserting that they were scripted, but rather leave that as context for the OP.
I'm more interested in specific examples of what you consider to be "fan service" that isn't equally for the benefit of the players. (Specifically that which a DM might expect a player to emulate in the absence of a camera.)
I'm tempted to do my first campaign any tips
Watch the series "Running the Game" on YouTube by Matt Colville. Hours of great advice for DMs.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Find your own style, yes watch and learn from other DM's either from games you have played in or from videos on-line but don't try and copy someone else, be yourself
Remember to listen to your players feedback but not to the detriment to your enjoyment - the game is for the entire group, if you and your players are having fun that is all that matters.
If you don't know a rule, don't worry about it unless it is a game changing moment, make a call and move on - check it later and feedback to the players
We all make mistakes, acknowledge that and you will get better
Be fair to all party members and make sure no-one is left out of the action
---
Jay
Careful with the online "shows." There are two issues with trying to use them as a model.
First, the DMs running those games are veterans who have been doing this a very long time. They know the rules really well because they have had hundreds or thousands of occasions on which to make rulings. They can keep things going smoothly because they have done it many times before. They have 1,000 hours or more experience. You cannot expect to run like them as a rookie.
Second, those shows are exactly that -- shows. Performances. They are run for the entertainment of an audience and so they do things that are not normal or standard to do at the table. If you copy those things that they are doing for the audience, when there is no audience, your players will have a degraded experience, because D&D is not a performance -- it's a game.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I'm curious what you would specifically point toward with this remark. The players themselves are an audience, so copying dramatic flourishes can be fun for everyone's entertainment, but it certainly shouldn't be forced if that isn't what the table enjoys. That's true for any style of play though.
Shows like Critical Role are dramatized, but not scripted. The flavor that the players bring to the table is as much for their own enjoyment as it is for the audience.
I am not asserting that any shows are scripted. I am asserting that they are performances. The players are clearly aware that the cameras are on, and people act differently when cameras are on. It is a fact of life.
They are also doing things specifically to please an audience and particularly their fans. A normal DM does not have to do "fan service" the way the DMs on these shows do -- they only have to please their players.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I wasn't meaning to suggest that you were asserting that they were scripted, but rather leave that as context for the OP.
I'm more interested in specific examples of what you consider to be "fan service" that isn't equally for the benefit of the players. (Specifically that which a DM might expect a player to emulate in the absence of a camera.)