10 Dungeon Master Tips for Beginners

by Matthew A Olson | Posted on
Low angle image of a brass 20-sided die on a character sheet in the sun. In the background are a dice bag and a notebook. - Esther Derkson

If you’re here, then congratulations! … You’ve decided that you want to become the DM or GM of a table-top roleplaying game. 

Whether you’re a long-time player seeking to run their own game, enjoy watching streams of live actors playing awesome characters (ala Critical Role, Dimension 20, etc), or you’re just curious about what this whole Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, and TTRPG thing is about, you’ve shown both initiative and curiosity!

Here’s a trophy for taking the first step! 

Of course, now there are big questions that need answering. How does an aspiring Dungeon Master of Game Master get started? What does a DM or GM need to get going, and start hosting their first game? What advice would an experienced host give to someone new?

A Bit About Myself, a Longtime Game Master

As a DM and GM for 15 years and a player of over two decades, I’ve seen a lot of great game sessions. There is something special about getting an enthusiastic group of players together, and immersing into a fantastical world where everyone can live out their heroic fantasy, and explore the world with their characters. No doubt you’ve seen what happens when a game is well executed by everyone, and guided by an experienced game master. When run correctly, the game creates amazing experiences filled with epic moments and lasting memories. 

Unfortunately, I’ve also witnessed what happens when sessions break down, or are executed poorly. As a DM and GM, I had the misfortune of running some games that turned out to be uncoordinated or uncomfortable messes. I’ve also sat at tables where the person hosting had little knowledge of what they were doing, and some experiences I’ve had were plagued with player boredom, or a game masters neglect for the details that showed through, or the game is run carelessly in a way that pulls the table into the pits of negativity.

In short, hosting the game can be a challenge, but it is one that pays off when done correctly. Getting started can seem overwhelming, and especially if you’re the kind of person that wants to run things well the first time!

So, what makes a good game master?

This is a loaded question!

The fact is, there is no one universal path to becoming a good game master. This is because there is no ONE way to run a tabletop roleplaying game. All games come with different rules, approaches to gameplay, and will provide their own unique experiences.

However, what I can tell you from my own firsthand experience is that a great game master is the kind of person who wants to share their excitement of fantastical storyworlds with those around them, wants to immerse the players into that world, and create a fun experience at the table by tending to the players needs. Someone who can articulate those ideas, adapt to most situations, have some resources in their back pocket, and can trust themselves.

Getting there requires a journey of experience. That being said, there are a bunch of things you can do to make sure the beginning of your journey starts off on the right foot. At least in part, I’m happy to provide you a handful of things to ponder and prepare to get you set off on that journey!

1. Start with the basics of the game!

Heres the kicker: … You don’t have to be an expert from day one!

You don’t have to know every rule, every spell, or stat block. That is what the core rulebooks are for. These serve as references, both before a session, and during gameplay.

I get it! Looking things up in the middle of a game can interrupt the flow of the session, or risk breaking player immersion. Therefore, here is what I recommend learning first:

    1. The basics of rolling
      • What dice should you use, and when should you roll? How do are the dice used in skill checks and combat?
    2. The basics of a character sheet
      • What makes a character? What details on a sheet are essential to play the game? Ability scores, skills, saving throws, weapons, HP, etc.
    3.  The monster stat block
      • What foes will the characters confront, and what can they do? Attacks, saving throws, HP, and any stated abilities
    4.  The basics of spellcasting or special abilities
      • What special abilities or spells exist, and how do they work in-game? Are there special rules for different types of characters who use cast spells or use these abilities?

2. Plan a Session Zero

A session zero is a gathering of the players before the adventure or campaign begins. Here, players can get to know each other, share characters, discuss personal and content boundaries, and get prepared for the experience of playing a TTRPG!

The goal is simple! … At their core, TTRPGs are people-focused games. Everyone at the table must feel comfortable with the game, be enabled to have fun without it being at the expense of others at the table. 

  • Quick idea of a Session Zero:

     

      1. Get to know all of your players!
      2. Share a brief synopsis of the game, its setting, and its themes.
      3. Talk about how character creation works.
        • How will ability scores be determined?
        • Are you using experience, or milestone?
        • Are you building together, separate, or using pre-generated characters?
        • Any homebrew rules?
      4. Talk about scheduling, how often you’ll meet, and everyone’s availability.
      5. Go over some ground rules (i.e., player behavior, handling disputes, cell phone use, etc.) 
      6. Get an idea of yours and others personal and content boundaries.
        • Some moments may touch up on sensitive topics or real world issues that require careful navigation. I recommend a content sheet!
        • In some games, certain things may happen to characters and NPCs. In a world with monsters and danger, there is a risk of capture, harm, or death. Let players know of these risks.

3. Prepare, but dont overplan.

Dont think of your prep time as meticulous reading from the first page of an adventure module to the last. That kind of prep will only get you so far, as… lets face it… all table-top roleplaying games are vulnerable to character decisions.

Therefore, instead of worrying about prepping the lions share of material, its best to highlight the key details that make the adventure what it is.

Short list of things to prepare!

    1. Duration. Determine how long the session will last (example: 3-4 hours), and break things up into increments of 30-60 minutes.
    2. Player Characters. Review your party’s composition, including what stats, AC, HP, abilities, spells, and tools they have available.
    3. Non-Player Characters. Review important NPCs, their personality traits, and their dialogue. If you’re bold, practice some voices!
    4. Places. Note a few small details about each scene, the environment, and the mood in order to help immerse the players into the setting.
    5. Story Beats. Key points in the quest or story that require some presentation.
    6. Monsters. Read through the monster descriptions and stat blocks, and take note of attacks, abilities, and general behavior.
    7. Challenges. Note any obstacles, skill checks, traps, and anything that can test the players.
    8. Spells. Only review the ones on the monster and NPC stat blocks. Players should be able to handle their own, though feel free to take a moment in-game if you need to cross-check. Totally normal!

4. Don’t be afraid to make things up if the situation calls for it!

There’s no manual that covers everything that can happen in a TTRPG game. Even long time game masters and dungeon masters can attest to this. At certain points, you’re taking the bare bones, guiding the story forward, and free-styling the rest.

Not enough monsters? Throw in one or two extra, or make them harder.
Dungeon not challenging enough? Toss in a trap or obstacle to overcome.
Things too frustrating for the table? Remove some challenges or speed things up.
Party looking like they’ll lose? Determine if the current stakes really call for it, or perhaps some unexpected help arrives.

Think about it in the same way a skilled musician performs a set. You compile the material, and practice how one song flows into the next. At the end of the day, you’ll be reading the room live, and bringing the energy up or down based on what the audience needs.

The more you know, the more prepared you can be, but there is the beauty of this game. You are the GM. You have a license to make up some things along the way if it keeps the flow of the game.

5. Keep communication open with your players!

Over the years, I’ve been party to numerous campaigns, and one of the biggest reasons campaigns fail is due to bad communication. Whether someone has a concern and doesnt speak up, or a GM decision causes a disagreement that is never resolved, or individuals at the table make compulsive decisions with no regard for the rest of the table, communication is the glue that ties the group together.

Here are just a few things you can do to help keep the communication flowing:

  1. Ask the players what they want out of the game.
    • Know what themes they like and dislike, and what their content boundaries are.
    • Ask them what they enjoy about TTRPGs, or the game in question.
    • Learn what their personal goals are in playing the game.
  2. Ask them about their characters.
    • Collect backstory details, and how they became adventurers.
    • Know their ambitions, ideals, relationships, flaws, and personality traits.
    • Ask them what they want out of their characters.
    • Understand character strengths and weaknesses so you can better curate the adventure to them.
  3. Keep your channels open.
    • Continue to get player feedback on the campaign. It’s essential for improving as a GM, for delivering an enjoyable experience, and for understanding your players.
    • Let players know that you are open to discuss any concerns, either as a group, or privately.
    • Ask the players if they have anything left to do in a specific scene before moving forward. 
    • If pressed for time, keep open and transparent about time and pacing. But dont rush!
  4. Keep things honest and transparent.
    • If you need to set expectations with your characters, make them clear and coincise.
    • Enforce the content boundaries that were discussed earlier.
    • If you are in mid-game, and an issue comes up that will detract from the progress of the game, ask to side-bar that topic for after the game, and offer a discussion or a retcon.

6. Practice “Yes and”, and always give alternatives.

Big question! How do game master adapt to unexpected player decisions? 

What happens if they unearth an unforeseen challenge? What if the player approaches an obstacle in a way you haven’t thought of? What if a roll, or character action sends your plans and preparations completely out the window?

In times like these,… when your plans break down, the structure collapses, and chaos ensues within your carefully crafted game world,… this is the best time to take out that big brain of yours, and practice one of the most important aspects of improv! … The “Yes and”! … In other words, improvise! Embrace! Adapt! Follow the narrative through!

Ways to approach the game from a “Yes And” mindset:

  1. As a player (supported by the Game Master)
    • Remember to step out of your shell, and contribute to another characters plans, backstory goals, etc.
    • Consider your character as part of a greater narrative, and allow them to follow through with the good and the bad through roleplay.
    • If something causes friction, consider how the situation would reasonably follow through, and how your character would react (careful as to prevent IRL conflict).
    • Compliment and support your fellow party members on their successes, and support their ideas while encouraging positive play.
  2.  As a dungeon master
    • Prevent yourself from saying “No” outright, and instead think about how a certain character decision can help the situation, or create something interesting.
    • Prevent railroading except where narratively required.
    • Allow the party to approach a situation differently, or consider improvising on places, people, or situations that you didn’t think about previously.
    • Continue to encourage critical thinking and creative solutions to problems, and always allow more than one way to solve a problem.

7. Let players be part of the greater world!

Your players have characters that exist in the world. What they do should have lasting effects on the environment. Who they are should have consequence to the story. You should utilize player backstories in the planning. By doing so, you are letting players define the experience and the world they are playing in along with you.

But you can go farther. Offer the ability for players to express what they want, and design future adventures and areas of the world with that in mind. … You can even sit down with your players and do mini-worldbuilding sessions with them if you really feel like giving them say in the place they are playing in.

  1. Building the story together.
    • Weave character backstory into the narrative.
    • Ask your players what their story goals are, and include opportunities to fulfill that journey.
    • Create epic story moments that reveal a critical backstory element.
  2. Building the world together.
    • Create places, cities, and monuments relevant to character backstory.
    • Allow character actions to have wide ranging implications on the world.
    • Allow your players to “fill in the blanks” every now and then.
  3. Much ado about homebrew!
    • If a character has a specific twist that isnt delivered through the standard class and racial features, consider working with them to build an alternative.
    • Consider incorporating those changes into the world in some fashion.
    • OR look at the various homebrew options available online!

8. Root for your players. They are the heroes!

As a being of immense power at the table (depending on how you run your game), you may be tempted to think of the game as a GM vs player affair.

You host the adventure. You provide the challenges. You control the monsters and the NPCs. Everything the party interacts with is within your control, and you may feel like you have to maneuver around their decisions so much that it becomes a contest of wills. You may even find yourself in a position of extracting enjoyment from knowing your players are being challenged in your game.

However, this can quickly become a dangerous path! … Therefore, here are some reminders for you as you move forward in this world of tabletop game running!

 

    1. You are the host.
      • You are not the monsters. You are not the NPCs. The challenges are not representative of you as an individual. 
      • Treat these elements at separate from you, and allow them to be as vulnerable to circumstance as the characters are.
      • If players begin to challenge you directly, remind them that you are here to host, not to compete.
      • If character decisions begin to challenge your current resources as an individual, consider adjusting your strategy for planning, or be open with your players about changes.
    2. Don’t build an attachment to your plans.
      • Your plans are a “best effort” at providing a curated experience. Be open to change, and allow your characters to thrive.
      • Your effort is never wasted! Anything that doesnt happen in the next session can be recycled for later, or shared with the community.
    3. Don’t treat the game like a pre-written novel.
      • Dungeons and Dragons cannot follow a linear story structure. It is a game. What happens in the game must be subject to change.
      • Be careful about using the game as an “idea generator” for another creative project. The game should enjoy its own life separate from other projects.

9. Starting out, keep things small, and keep your worldbuilding and adventures simple where necessary.

While preparing for a TTRPG session can be challenging, there is a larger specter to keep mindful of. … The challenge of campaign planning. This is where your organizational skills can really be tested. 

It can be easy to get lost in the session-building and world-building sinkhole. You might have grand plans on your mind, and some amazing ideas that are brilliant in a vacuum. However, while you may be tempted to tap into that unbridled brain power of yours, its critical to know your limits early.

Getting tangled in a web of ideas wont help you deliver a great session. Sometimes, you have to focus on the fundamentals, trim off the fat, and kill some of your darlings (or just save them for later).

Here are some additional pieces of advice:

    1. Dont get caught in the forever campaign.
      • Break your campaign up into smaller chapters or acts.
      • Make sure to deliver closure at the end of each segment.
    2. Pacing is key.
      • Take note as to how long certain parts of a session take with your party, and make that a baseline for how long it will take to get to the end of a segment.
      • Prevent slogs at all costs. Don’t force the party through boring stuff, or take too long to deliver a scene.
    3. Be consistent and take notes.
      • Smaller details you lined out earlier in the campaign are noticed (and appreciated)! … Make sure not to undervalue places, people, or events that were outside your plans.
      • Also, encourage someone at the table to take notes. They are the adventuring party! Let them chronicle their adventure, and pay attention to how they view their experience.
    4. Dont bite off more than you can chew.
      • Aiming for a gargantuan world or a lengthy journey can risk causing GM or player exhaustion.
      • Recycle the stuff you built prior, as it may come in handy later, and help you during the low energy planning sessions.
      • Pull back from getting too detailed/granular and focus on the birds eye view first.

10. Have fun!

Its been said a number of times throughout my own journey as a game master or dungeon master, in many different ways.

There’s only ONE way to truly win a TTRPG; by ensuring you, and everyone at the table is having fun!

This rule is true for both players and game masters alike. You don’t need me to list a bunch of reasons as to why it is important, or how to keep things fun. If you are following the

    1. Keep a regular check-in to ensure everyone is enjoying themselves!
      • Break your campaign up into smaller chapters or acts.
      • Make sure to deliver closure at the end of each segment.
    2. Embrace the “Rule of Cool!”
      • This is a game with no narrative limits! 
      • Get cinematic! … Make important events or big moments feel like something awesome through storytelling magic.
      • Embrace big and bold choices, celebrate successes and memorable moments, and encourage everyone at the table to be their best.
    3. Give yourself and others breaks when needed.
      • Being a Game Master can be a LOT! … Make sure to give yourself a vacation or a rest from it.
      • If the stars dont align for certain players schedules, give them a clean exit, and let them know they are welcome back if things change.
      • If the game experiences rough waters, pull back to work through the issues, or provide a break for everyone and give them time to return on their own merit.

Thank you for reading our ramble about game mastering, and some of the best practices for getting started. I hope my insights provided help you along your journey as a TTRPG game master.

If you want to read more, I also want to point you in the direction of an article that was a big influence for this one, written by Micheal Whelan at Dicebreaker. 

Also, check out some of these other articles that were useful in putting this together:

Finally, check out some of our other articles covering various TTRPGs:

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About the author

Avid geek, amateur historian, long time tabletop game master, content creator, and storytelling enthusiast. Matthew is a Augsburg University grad with a focused passion on fantastical storyworlds. He is also a musician, improv actor, live streamer, and proud favorite uncle. If you would like to know more, contact him, OR follow him on social media!

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