Running a game session of Dungeons & Dragons or any other tabletop RPG as a DM/GM requires orchestrating a lot of different things. There's a lot of information you have to relay to your players about your campaign, such as details about the environments, monsters, puzzles, and what not. But on top of that, there's also a lot of information you need to glean from your players. And that's why you should take notes!
As a DM, you should always be keeping track of your players. Always make note of their current levels and stats, even what items they currently have. You don't want to send them into the fray thinking that they have just the item they need to get out of the situation, when in reality they don't. This can turn into a situation that's frustrating for your players and ends up being a bit clumsy.
You should also make note of your players' interactions with the world. This is a bit more detailed, but it's absolutely crucial. Perhaps in one adventure, your players got in a brawl at a local tavern that resulted in the near-destruction of the tavern or the shaming of a local hero. Realistically events like these would effect your players' next adventure in the town. Perhaps after the destroying the tavern the owner refuses to let them back in. Even if it's not that extreme, it would be a bit silly if the owner carried on as if nothing ever happened.
In order to be realistic, you want your world to also be persistent. This means that things have long-lasting effects and that there's no blatant contradictions. Conversations and events need to have meaning so that your players can leave their mark on the world. NPCs should sometimes remember your players and things that they have done, both good and bad. Try to take notes of everything that happens, not just the key events. You never know when a tiny little detail from way back when might need to be brought up again.
But beyond events, you should also take notes to make sure you are roleplaying consistently. If you come up with a character on the fly and you use a particular accent to bring them to life, important to make sure you use the same accent next time your players meet them again. With multiple players, chances are one of them will remember what they sound like and catch your mistake if you don't roleplay consistently.
This might sound like a lot to keep track of, and it is, so it's important that you find the best note taking strategies for you personally. You don't need to write down things verbatim or in great detail, just enough so that you know all you need to know. The same note taking strategies you might use in school or college will help.
Hope this helps. Feel free to leave comments or questions! Happy questing!
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Friday, October 14, 2016
New Dungeon Master Tips: Accept (and Expect) Alternative Solutions!
I spent a lot of time planning for my first Dungeons and Dragons session as a DM. I knew I was going to be thrusting my players immediately into a problem and I wanted to make sure I gave them a way out and enough information to find that way. After a bit of planning, I thought I had it laid out perfectly. The scenario was something like this:
The players woke up in a forest clearing, bound and gagged. There were several empty tents in the clearing and a lone bandit sitting by a nearby fire eating his breakfast. The players' gear was stashed in one of the nearby tents. An axe lay up against a nearby rock. I expected that one of the players would crawl over to the rock and cleverly use the axe to break the ropes binding them and then the others. After that, I wanted the players to sneak up and assassinate the bandit, claim their equipment, and head to the nearest town.
But what I quickly learned was that my players often find other solutions to the problems I present them with. And that's one of the most important lessons I've learned to date.
Despite everything I did to make the encounter play out my way, nobody would have it. Things went my way up to the point that they were all free. After that, things changed pretty quickly. Once free, one of the more brash and reckless adventurers used all his strength to pick up the rock and hurl it towards the bandit.
At first, I was kind of in a state of shock. This wasn't what I had intended, so I honestly wasn't expecting it. But a few people in the group laughed and found the idea amusing, so I knew I had to go along with it. I added in a few checks, they failed, so I made the rock miss the bandit. He was now alerted to the adventurers being free. Seeing that he was obviously outnumbered, he signaled for his fellow bandits who quickly returned from the forest.
What came next was a battle between the players and a group of NPC bandits. I didn't really know what I was doing. It was my first session as DM and things obviously weren't going according to plan. The thought crossed my mind that the story I was trying to set up just went down the drain. But I realized that everyone was having a ton of fun. The players were getting themselves out of a sticky situation and beginning their adventure, and they were doing it their way.
But as a result of this impromptu solution being more fun for the players, it was more fun for me as well. Not only could I take enjoyment out of the fact that they were having a good time, but the feeling of creating an encounter on the fly was exciting. The sense that literally anything could happen next kept me on my toes.
Somewhere along the way I realized I didn't have to be worried about my planned story being blown to bits. Despite the encounter playing out differently than I wanted it to or ever imagined it would, I realized I could always direct things back onto the path I envisioned for the overall story. It might take a little bit longer and it might require some more improvisation, but as long as everyone is having fun, none of that matters.
I believe this is easily one of the most important things for new DMs and GMs to learn. I'm honestly thankful I learned it so quickly. I'm not suggesting you neglect planning out your session at all. That's definitely something you can do, but generally it helps to have at least some things planned out. What's important to remember is that things won't always go your way or according to plan, but that's okay. Things don't always and shouldn't always go your way, because it's not just about you. Your campaign involves several other thinking and independent people who are probably just as creative as you are. You're all in it together. Don't deny your players a fun experience just so your plan can be executed perfectly.
So, if you've planned an encounter down to the exact detail and things go astray, don't be afraid to go along with it. Don't even hesitate for a second, just do it. Remember that no matter how things play out, you can always bring your encounter back to your intended end goal. If a situation comes where your players want to wander a little bit, let them do it. Let them have their fun and let the leash go for a bit. You can always pull them back in later in order to lead them onto the next step you've planned.
Happy questing!
The players woke up in a forest clearing, bound and gagged. There were several empty tents in the clearing and a lone bandit sitting by a nearby fire eating his breakfast. The players' gear was stashed in one of the nearby tents. An axe lay up against a nearby rock. I expected that one of the players would crawl over to the rock and cleverly use the axe to break the ropes binding them and then the others. After that, I wanted the players to sneak up and assassinate the bandit, claim their equipment, and head to the nearest town.
But what I quickly learned was that my players often find other solutions to the problems I present them with. And that's one of the most important lessons I've learned to date.
Despite everything I did to make the encounter play out my way, nobody would have it. Things went my way up to the point that they were all free. After that, things changed pretty quickly. Once free, one of the more brash and reckless adventurers used all his strength to pick up the rock and hurl it towards the bandit.
At first, I was kind of in a state of shock. This wasn't what I had intended, so I honestly wasn't expecting it. But a few people in the group laughed and found the idea amusing, so I knew I had to go along with it. I added in a few checks, they failed, so I made the rock miss the bandit. He was now alerted to the adventurers being free. Seeing that he was obviously outnumbered, he signaled for his fellow bandits who quickly returned from the forest.
What came next was a battle between the players and a group of NPC bandits. I didn't really know what I was doing. It was my first session as DM and things obviously weren't going according to plan. The thought crossed my mind that the story I was trying to set up just went down the drain. But I realized that everyone was having a ton of fun. The players were getting themselves out of a sticky situation and beginning their adventure, and they were doing it their way.
But as a result of this impromptu solution being more fun for the players, it was more fun for me as well. Not only could I take enjoyment out of the fact that they were having a good time, but the feeling of creating an encounter on the fly was exciting. The sense that literally anything could happen next kept me on my toes.
Somewhere along the way I realized I didn't have to be worried about my planned story being blown to bits. Despite the encounter playing out differently than I wanted it to or ever imagined it would, I realized I could always direct things back onto the path I envisioned for the overall story. It might take a little bit longer and it might require some more improvisation, but as long as everyone is having fun, none of that matters.
I believe this is easily one of the most important things for new DMs and GMs to learn. I'm honestly thankful I learned it so quickly. I'm not suggesting you neglect planning out your session at all. That's definitely something you can do, but generally it helps to have at least some things planned out. What's important to remember is that things won't always go your way or according to plan, but that's okay. Things don't always and shouldn't always go your way, because it's not just about you. Your campaign involves several other thinking and independent people who are probably just as creative as you are. You're all in it together. Don't deny your players a fun experience just so your plan can be executed perfectly.
So, if you've planned an encounter down to the exact detail and things go astray, don't be afraid to go along with it. Don't even hesitate for a second, just do it. Remember that no matter how things play out, you can always bring your encounter back to your intended end goal. If a situation comes where your players want to wander a little bit, let them do it. Let them have their fun and let the leash go for a bit. You can always pull them back in later in order to lead them onto the next step you've planned.
Happy questing!
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Be Open and Honest with Your Players
It is my opinion that one of the most important things a new DM can do is have an honest dialogue with their players. Being open with your players, and having them do so in return, can help in avoiding many frustrations down the road.
As a novice at the art of being an awesome DM, you're going to make mistakes. You can't avoid them. But that's okay. Just be upfront with your players. Let them all know, even if they already do, that you're new to being a DM and that you're going to make mistakes. You're going to do things that frustrate them, make them go crazy, and things they just outright hate. But tell them that you want to be the best DM you can be and ask them to be patient with you, and more importantly, to be honest with you. If you're DMing for a group of people made up entirely (or almost entirely) of new RPG players, then you're even better off. They're going to make mistakes too so you're all in the same boat and can learn together.
The easiest way to get feedback on your DMing is to talk directly with your game group at the end of each session. Ask your players if you did anything they didn't like or if there's anything you could've done better. If they give you answers, then take their concerns and criticisms seriously, but not personally. There's no sense in getting offended. Take their advice to heart and try to do better next time.
As with most most other things, knowing your DMing weak points will allow you to address them directly. Getting direct feedback from your players lets you know how you're doing. Maybe you only have little things to improve on, maybe you're delivering an adventure that's way off track from what your players were expecting. Regardless of where on the spectrum your shortcomings lie, player feedback will allow you to correct those shortcomings and provide the most fun experience possible. And, it usually goes hand in hand that when players are having fun, so are you as the DM.
As a novice at the art of being an awesome DM, you're going to make mistakes. You can't avoid them. But that's okay. Just be upfront with your players. Let them all know, even if they already do, that you're new to being a DM and that you're going to make mistakes. You're going to do things that frustrate them, make them go crazy, and things they just outright hate. But tell them that you want to be the best DM you can be and ask them to be patient with you, and more importantly, to be honest with you. If you're DMing for a group of people made up entirely (or almost entirely) of new RPG players, then you're even better off. They're going to make mistakes too so you're all in the same boat and can learn together.
The easiest way to get feedback on your DMing is to talk directly with your game group at the end of each session. Ask your players if you did anything they didn't like or if there's anything you could've done better. If they give you answers, then take their concerns and criticisms seriously, but not personally. There's no sense in getting offended. Take their advice to heart and try to do better next time.
As with most most other things, knowing your DMing weak points will allow you to address them directly. Getting direct feedback from your players lets you know how you're doing. Maybe you only have little things to improve on, maybe you're delivering an adventure that's way off track from what your players were expecting. Regardless of where on the spectrum your shortcomings lie, player feedback will allow you to correct those shortcomings and provide the most fun experience possible. And, it usually goes hand in hand that when players are having fun, so are you as the DM.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to Dungeon Master Noob!
Becoming a Dungeon Master (or Game Master) for a table-top RPG can seem like an immensely daunting task. For people just starting out, the amount of information, resources, and responsibilities is pretty overwhelming, especially if you have no prior exposure to the game, like I did.
I have been a Dungeon Master in the game of Dungeons & Dragons for roughly a year now. I've learned a lot in that year, but I am still, by all accounts, a Noob. When I first started out, I spent hours reading guides, finding potential resources, and finding ways to be a better DM as fast as possible. But one thing I never saw were tips and perspectives from people in the same boat as me. Everyone sharing their experience was someone who had been a DM/GM for a long time. Some of the information I found seemed like it was provided by someone who had long forgotten what it was like to be just starting out.
So that's why I decided to start this blog. I thought I would offer my perspectives and share things that I've learned to people who are just starting out, because I too, am still a Noob at this whole thing. Now, that's not to say that I'm completely ignorant and clueless. I have some experiences and ideas that I think even long-time DMs could learn from. Since I'm only a slightly more experienced Noob, we can grow to become better DMs and GMs together.
On this blog I'll be covering a range of topics. I'll share my thought process about designing campaigns and boss encounters, offer tutorials, share resources like name charts and item sheets that I've created myself, and link to other resources that are helpful for new DMs. I don't really have a specific topic that I want to focus on. I just want to share about being a DM!
I don't know how frequently I will be posting on this blog, but I will try my best to post as regular as possible with quality content. If anyone has any questions or things they'd like me to address, feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment.
Thanks, and happy DMing!
Becoming a Dungeon Master (or Game Master) for a table-top RPG can seem like an immensely daunting task. For people just starting out, the amount of information, resources, and responsibilities is pretty overwhelming, especially if you have no prior exposure to the game, like I did.
I have been a Dungeon Master in the game of Dungeons & Dragons for roughly a year now. I've learned a lot in that year, but I am still, by all accounts, a Noob. When I first started out, I spent hours reading guides, finding potential resources, and finding ways to be a better DM as fast as possible. But one thing I never saw were tips and perspectives from people in the same boat as me. Everyone sharing their experience was someone who had been a DM/GM for a long time. Some of the information I found seemed like it was provided by someone who had long forgotten what it was like to be just starting out.
So that's why I decided to start this blog. I thought I would offer my perspectives and share things that I've learned to people who are just starting out, because I too, am still a Noob at this whole thing. Now, that's not to say that I'm completely ignorant and clueless. I have some experiences and ideas that I think even long-time DMs could learn from. Since I'm only a slightly more experienced Noob, we can grow to become better DMs and GMs together.
On this blog I'll be covering a range of topics. I'll share my thought process about designing campaigns and boss encounters, offer tutorials, share resources like name charts and item sheets that I've created myself, and link to other resources that are helpful for new DMs. I don't really have a specific topic that I want to focus on. I just want to share about being a DM!
I don't know how frequently I will be posting on this blog, but I will try my best to post as regular as possible with quality content. If anyone has any questions or things they'd like me to address, feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment.
Thanks, and happy DMing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)