39 Tips for New Dungeon Masters — and a Few for Veteran DMs, Too

New to being a dungeon master or game master and not sure how to get better? Been doing it for a while and still don’t feel like you know what you’re doing? Well, we’ve been there. In fact, all three of us were the DMs the very first times we played, and it’s been a long, strange ride ever since. From getting comfortable with your material to avoiding over-prep, here are 39 things the 3 Wise DMs wish they knew when they started running role-playing games. Along the way, we’ll talk about how players interact with the DM’s creations and reveal how we’ve felt playing through each other’s games.1:00 When do you stop feeling like a “new” DM?3:00 Tips #1-#4: Be prepared … but not too prepared14:00 Tip #5: Don’t say no, determine difficulty18:00 Tip #6: If you want to be a good DM, try to play as a PC, too21:00 Tip #7: Embrace the players’ character inspirations, they can do a lot of the creative work for you23:00 Tip #8: Keep your first adventure tight and know the room — what do your players want out of the game?25:00 Tip #9: Set an expectation you’re comfortable hitting.26:00 Tips #10-#15: Thorin’s 6 Steps to building your first session in a new campaign34:00 Tip #16: Try to play every game like it’s your last. Bring the big, fun, memorable things to the table today!35:00 Tip #17: Steal smart: Grab something pre-published for your first game40:00 Tip #18: What kind of memorable encounter can you throw in there?41:00 Tip #19: Don’t start by building a town — it’s a trap!42:00 Tip #20-#25: Adjusting on the fly52:00 Tip #26-#27: Encounter building rules of thumb55:00 Tip #28: If your players introduce a potential plot idea that you like, act like it was always there58:00 Tip #29: Don’t be afraid to modify book modules to fit your ideas60:00 Pros and cons of building your own worlds/kingdoms/towns/dungeons66:00 Tip #30: Your world-building details only matter when they impact the party70:00 Tip #31: Don’t cut the things that make it fun for you to be the DM74:00 Final Thoughts: Tips #32-#39