3 Wise DMs Reveal the 7 DM Styles To Make You Run The Best D&D Game Ever

Recently, Matt Colville of the Running the Game YouTube series and author of the new Draw Steel TTRPG, discussed the concept of “DM Style.” With someone who has been involved in all things tabletop for over 40 years, you would think that he would believe in developing a DM Style. However, his hot take was that he wasn’t sure there even was such a thing.In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to discuss DM Style: Is it a thing and, if so, what are the things that make it up. Along the way, we discuss how to take all these lists and types of DM Styles and make them work for you in putting together a better game.2:55 The flip side of the coin to Episode 7: The Eight Player Types.3:22 The first issue with DM Style: It probably changes with the group you’re running for.4:30 Lists can be helpful if they are prescriptive – not just descriptive.6:15 DM Style is a lot like Personality Tests: you’re a mixture of all the different metrics that keeps changing.9:55 DM Tony takes some inspiration from his MBA Program “Back in the Day…”15:00 Management “styles” read more like DM Style metrics: Autocrat, Laissez-Faire, Democratic, Collaborative, Inspirational, Strategic, Results-Oriented.18:00 The idea of “DM Signature” as opposed to “DM Style.”20:00 These metrics, or dials, are always being adjusted – even in real-time during the game.22:15 DM Chris’ 5 Metrics: Rules, Story Focus, Session Style, Prep, and Conversation Style.25:15 Does “DM Style” change with the system you’re running?27:15 The DMs character: the World. We return to the 8 Player Types.37:07 “Are You Not Entertained?” Fun Gameplay supersedes rules, styles, and the like.40:45 Final Thoughts.