Dungeon Master’s Guide (2024)
An essential resource with real-world advice for running D&D sessions for The World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game.
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Contents
Chapter 1: The Basics
- What Does a DM Do?
- Things You Need
- Preparing a Session
- How to Run a Session
- Example of Play
- Every DM Is Unique
- Ensuring Fun for All
- Mutual Respect
- Respect for the Players
- Respect for the DM
Chapter 2: Running the Game
- Know Your Players
- Group Size
- Multiple DMs
- Narration
- Resolving Outcomes
- Ability Checks
- Attack Rolls
- Saving Throws
- Difficulty Class
- Advantage and Disadvantage
- Consequences
- Improvising Damage
- Improvising Answers
- Running Social Interaction
- Running Exploration
- Running Combat
- Character Advancement
Chapter 3: DM’s Toolbox
- Alignment
- Chases
- Creating a Background
- Creating a Creature
- Creating a Magic Item
- Creating a Spell
- Curses and Magical Contagions
- Death
- Doors
- Dungeons
- Environmental Effects
- Fear and Mental Stress
- Firearms and Explosives
- Gods and Other Powers
- Hazards
- Marks of Prestige
- Mobs
- Nonplayer Characters
- Poison
- Renown
- Settlements
- Siege Equipment
- Supernatural Gifts
- Traps
Chapter 4: Creating Adventures
- Step-by-Step Adventures
- Lay Out the Premise
- Draw In the Players
- Plan Encounters
- Social Interaction Encounters
- Exploration Encounters
- Combat Encounters
- Bring It to an End
- Adventure Rewards
- Adventure Examples
- Level 1: The Fouled Stream
- Level 2: Miner Difficulties
- Level 3: The Winged God
- Level 5: Horns of the Beast
- Level 7: Boreal Ball
Chapter 5: Creating Campaigns
- Step-by-Step Campaigns
- Your Campaign Journal
- Campaign Premise
- Campaign Characters
- Campaign Conflicts
- Flavors of Fantasy
- Campaign Setting
- Campaign Start
- Plan Adventures
- Ending a Campaign
Greyhawk
Chapter 6: Cosmology
Chapter 7: Treasure
- Treasure Themes
- Coins
- Trade Bars
- Trade Goods
- Gemstones
- Art Objects
- Magic Items
- Magic Item Categories
- Magic Item Rarity
- Awarding Magic Items
- Magic Item Resilience
- Crafting Magic Items
- Artifacts
- Sentient Magic Items
Magic Items A–Z
Random Magic Items
Chapter 8: Bastions
- Gaining a Bastion
- Bastion Turns
- Bastion Map
- Basic Facilities
- Special Facilities
- Bastion Orders
- Special Facility Descriptions
- Bastion Events
- Fall of a Bastion