I've really been wanting to host a game and wanted to try my hand in being a DM. I'm relatively new to playing (I have only played two short campaigns within the past year as a player) and would like to know some tips on how I can make my first game as successful as I can. Anything is appreciated!!
I know these might seem kind of obvious, but sometimes it's the obvious stuff that matters when you're just starting out!
Think small! #1 tip I wish I'd had when I started. Even in a game with experienced players and DMs, it's way more fun to start out first level with an appropriately challenging, quickly resolved goal like "rescue the barkeep's daughter from orcs," "clear the priest's crypts of undead," "find the mayor's stolen heirloom," or "kill the creature stealing the farmer's sheep." Don't try to have a big epic story like Lord of the Rings, don't plan more than one game ahead, and for heaven's sake, don't tell everyone they're destined to save the world at level 1!
Put a time limit on the adventure "the dungeon will seal itself when the new moon wanes," "the cultists will complete their ritual tonight," so the PCs can't take a long rest after every fight. If they do, they'll steamroll everything, and that's not exciting for anyone! (This is a "hack" I just figured out recently, and wow does it help.)
Have fun! A wise man once said that all players want is some monsters to kill, some treasures to steal, and a funny NPC to make fun of. You don't have to be the best DM ever for your group to have the best time ever! Before you start each session, promise yourself that no matter what happens, you'll have fun!
Oh, and in the unlikely event that things go really wrong (like if the players decide they want to kill and rob the poor questgiver), don't be afraid to stop the game and talk about it. D&D is a cooperative game that's about telling a great story and having fun as a team...and you're included in that team!
Congratulations on deciding to be a DM, not many players take that step. Good luck and have fun!!!
show them consequences! if your players kill the guard just because he wanted there names then put a peice of paper in his pocket showing that he has a kid ( a duaghter works) or maybe a locket with his wifes picture...
Do a session 0. Share your expectations with them and let them share their expectations. Create characters with each other's help. Make sure everybody gets the basics of the game. Introduce the campaign a bit so ppl make relevant choices when making characters. ( having the swamp ranger in an all-city campaign sucks 😀).
Take notes and have a list of names to draw from. I sketch a mind map as I go. It’s a simple way to maintain continuity across sessions.
I always begin sessions by getting any administrata out of the way (next session and such). It saves being rushed at the end.
I then kick off the play with a prologue covering the current state of things based on the last few sessions. I usually make a list of things I want to make sure I cover. I used to write it out and read it. This lets you set the mood, reinforce plot lines, remind the players of keys facts, advance the timeline, and even retcon things if you have to.
Have a time limit for the session. After about four hours, I am done and so are my players. So I try to pick an endpoint around that time where we can take a pause and continue next week.
Communicate with your players, what did they like, what did they not like? What would they like to see more of? Do they want more roleplaying or more combat? Do they want to rescue a princess? Destroy an ultimate evil? Maybe a bank heist?
show them consequences! if your players kill the guard just because he wanted there names then put a peice of paper in his pocket showing that he has a kid ( a duaghter works) or maybe a locket with his wifes picture...
Yeah.... party I am with. Exact scenario... now we have a dead gurdsmen’s wife doing our cooking and we sold her daughter to traffickers. This can backfire greatly.
just create witnesses. Wanted posters. Maybe inn/taverns/shops refuse service because of it “we don’t want your kind...”
now they either have to make amends, leave town, or go full evil and get killed by guard/hunters/adventurers etc.
basically. I agree with the consequences. But the methodology of how I think can be better
Couple tricks. Roll damage along with the attack roll to save time. Prepare! Normally there’s a 2-1 ration of prep to play time. If you have a printer, print out your monsters you’ll use ahead of time and have them ready. Use folded notecards, hang them on the top of your DM screen. The side facing the players have the players names, the side facing you has their names, AC, class, race, level, and passive investigation as well as passive perception scores. That helps players remember other character names and gives you a way to glance at vital stats without asking. Think of exploration like the players aren’t there, they are on the other end of a radio and are asking for details. Describe lighting, temperature, time, weather, type of wood a chair is made of, worn smooth cobblestones, smell of a recently put out campfire. If the party is stagnant and taking too long for a decision, a random meaningless dice roll and a curious look works wonders. Don’t pull punches, danger and fear of death is a big part of the game. Session 0 for sure! See if your party is wanting a more combat or RP game. Check their character sheets, the devil is in those details. They’ll let you know if the character is setup for optimal use or a more RP oriented gameplay and also allows you a sense of the disparity between the weakest and strongest character and how to sculpt encounters and puzzles. Have fun!!!
When the game starts ask the players what they remember from the last few games, if you give them the information it will seem like the word of god. If they are in charge of remembering then they will be more focused maybe, and you can get an idea of how they see things and what they feel is most important and you can feed off that. IDK
When the game starts ask the players what they remember from the last few games, if you give them the information it will seem like the word of god. If they are in charge of remembering then they will be more focused maybe, and you can get an idea of how they see things and what they feel is most important and you can feed off that. IDK
One of the dms I play with rewards a player with inspiration if he remembers something vital that ithers forgot or a cool detail. I find it a nice motivating mechanic.
Try to do most of the talking. Be subtle and stingy with clues enough to make the players feel stupid, but still able to progress. Find your best monotone voice for those long walls of text. Try to push them to have to research when they are away from the table. Use lots (I mean lots!) of NPC names that are very similar. Pick a favourite player early on and really run with it. Avoid clear story hooks; players enjoy solving puzzles. Stick to describing what the characters can see; appealing to other senses is just confusing. Every attempt to do anything requires a roll. Every. Single. One. That's the game; those are the rules. Don’t slow down combat with narrative fluff. On that note, combat takes as long as it takes. You bring a slog to the table, the players should appreciate your prep time and suffer through it. Remember, this is YOUR story.
Don’t forget to kill one of the characters gruesomely and publicly to establish your early dominance.
Try to do most of the talking. Be subtle and stingy with clues enough to make the players feel stupid, but still able to progress. Find your best monotone voice for those long walls of text. Try to push them to have to research when they are away from the table. Use lots (I mean lots!) of NPC names that are very similar. Pick a favourite player early on and really run with it. Avoid clear story hooks; players enjoy solving puzzles. Stick to describing what the characters can see; appealing to other senses is just confusing. Every attempt to do anything requires a roll. Every. Single. One. That's the game; those are the rules. Don’t slow down combat with narrative fluff. On that note, combat takes as long as it takes. You bring a slog to the table, the players should appreciate your prep time and suffer through it. Remember, this is YOUR story.
Don’t forget to kill one of the characters gruesomely and publicly to establish your early dominance.
And don't forget to give lots of backstory and exposition! Oh, and make people roll Perception to see what's in each room.
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Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
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I've really been wanting to host a game and wanted to try my hand in being a DM. I'm relatively new to playing (I have only played two short campaigns within the past year as a player) and would like to know some tips on how I can make my first game as successful as I can. Anything is appreciated!!
I know these might seem kind of obvious, but sometimes it's the obvious stuff that matters when you're just starting out!
Think small! #1 tip I wish I'd had when I started. Even in a game with experienced players and DMs, it's way more fun to start out first level with an appropriately challenging, quickly resolved goal like "rescue the barkeep's daughter from orcs," "clear the priest's crypts of undead," "find the mayor's stolen heirloom," or "kill the creature stealing the farmer's sheep." Don't try to have a big epic story like Lord of the Rings, don't plan more than one game ahead, and for heaven's sake, don't tell everyone they're destined to save the world at level 1!
Put a time limit on the adventure "the dungeon will seal itself when the new moon wanes," "the cultists will complete their ritual tonight," so the PCs can't take a long rest after every fight. If they do, they'll steamroll everything, and that's not exciting for anyone! (This is a "hack" I just figured out recently, and wow does it help.)
Have fun! A wise man once said that all players want is some monsters to kill, some treasures to steal, and a funny NPC to make fun of. You don't have to be the best DM ever for your group to have the best time ever! Before you start each session, promise yourself that no matter what happens, you'll have fun!
Oh, and in the unlikely event that things go really wrong (like if the players decide they want to kill and rob the poor questgiver), don't be afraid to stop the game and talk about it. D&D is a cooperative game that's about telling a great story and having fun as a team...and you're included in that team!
Congratulations on deciding to be a DM, not many players take that step. Good luck and have fun!!!
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
show them consequences! if your players kill the guard just because he wanted there names then put a peice of paper in his pocket showing that he has a kid ( a duaghter works) or maybe a locket with his wifes picture...
Do a session 0. Share your expectations with them and let them share their expectations. Create characters with each other's help. Make sure everybody gets the basics of the game. Introduce the campaign a bit so ppl make relevant choices when making characters. ( having the swamp ranger in an all-city campaign sucks 😀).
Take notes and have a list of names to draw from. I sketch a mind map as I go. It’s a simple way to maintain continuity across sessions.
I always begin sessions by getting any administrata out of the way (next session and such). It saves being rushed at the end.
I then kick off the play with a prologue covering the current state of things based on the last few sessions. I usually make a list of things I want to make sure I cover. I used to write it out and read it. This lets you set the mood, reinforce plot lines, remind the players of keys facts, advance the timeline, and even retcon things if you have to.
Two things I'd add.
Have a time limit for the session. After about four hours, I am done and so are my players. So I try to pick an endpoint around that time where we can take a pause and continue next week.
Communicate with your players, what did they like, what did they not like? What would they like to see more of? Do they want more roleplaying or more combat? Do they want to rescue a princess? Destroy an ultimate evil? Maybe a bank heist?
Yeah.... party I am with. Exact scenario... now we have a dead gurdsmen’s wife doing our cooking and we sold her daughter to traffickers. This can backfire greatly.
just create witnesses. Wanted posters. Maybe inn/taverns/shops refuse service because of it “we don’t want your kind...”
now they either have to make amends, leave town, or go full evil and get killed by guard/hunters/adventurers etc.
basically. I agree with the consequences. But the methodology of how I think can be better
Blank
Couple tricks. Roll damage along with the attack roll to save time. Prepare! Normally there’s a 2-1 ration of prep to play time. If you have a printer, print out your monsters you’ll use ahead of time and have them ready. Use folded notecards, hang them on the top of your DM screen. The side facing the players have the players names, the side facing you has their names, AC, class, race, level, and passive investigation as well as passive perception scores. That helps players remember other character names and gives you a way to glance at vital stats without asking. Think of exploration like the players aren’t there, they are on the other end of a radio and are asking for details. Describe lighting, temperature, time, weather, type of wood a chair is made of, worn smooth cobblestones, smell of a recently put out campfire. If the party is stagnant and taking too long for a decision, a random meaningless dice roll and a curious look works wonders. Don’t pull punches, danger and fear of death is a big part of the game. Session 0 for sure! See if your party is wanting a more combat or RP game. Check their character sheets, the devil is in those details. They’ll let you know if the character is setup for optimal use or a more RP oriented gameplay and also allows you a sense of the disparity between the weakest and strongest character and how to sculpt encounters and puzzles. Have fun!!!
When the game starts ask the players what they remember from the last few games, if you give them the information it will seem like the word of god. If they are in charge of remembering then they will be more focused maybe, and you can get an idea of how they see things and what they feel is most important and you can feed off that. IDK
One of the dms I play with rewards a player with inspiration if he remembers something vital that ithers forgot or a cool detail. I find it a nice motivating mechanic.
Try to do most of the talking. Be subtle and stingy with clues enough to make the players feel stupid, but still able to progress. Find your best monotone voice for those long walls of text. Try to push them to have to research when they are away from the table. Use lots (I mean lots!) of NPC names that are very similar. Pick a favourite player early on and really run with it. Avoid clear story hooks; players enjoy solving puzzles. Stick to describing what the characters can see; appealing to other senses is just confusing. Every attempt to do anything requires a roll. Every. Single. One. That's the game; those are the rules. Don’t slow down combat with narrative fluff. On that note, combat takes as long as it takes. You bring a slog to the table, the players should appreciate your prep time and suffer through it. Remember, this is YOUR story.
Don’t forget to kill one of the characters gruesomely and publicly to establish your early dominance.
And don't forget to give lots of backstory and exposition! Oh, and make people roll Perception to see what's in each room.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club