So you want to run Dungeons & Dragons for your friends. Maybe you’re starting a long-running campaign, or maybe you’re just giving your forever-DM a break. Maybe you’ve never even been a played before. Whatever the case, no need to feel nervous. Anyone can be a Dungeon Master, even if they’ve only watched a few episodes of Critical Role, Dimension 20, or if they’ve skimmed the Player’s Handbook. Here are four invaluable tips for DMs to help you along the way.
1. Read the Rules
…but don’t treat them as law.
Being familiar with the rules of Dungeons & Dragons is necessary to running the game. And if you’re similar to me, you’re more like than not to overemphasize playing by the rules. However, this can actually be detrimental to a successful session.
Yes, technically casting a spell requires physical components. So technically if a player is restrained, they can’t cast spells which require somatic components. But say your wizard is really excited to cast fireball, and though their arms are bound, they want to shoot it from their mouth. What are you going to do? Point to the paragraph on page 203 of the Player’s Handbook where it says they need to have at least one hand free to cast the spell? Or are you going to let your player scream out a fireball? In this case, you might as well do the latter, seeing as a gust of wind will probably knock the wizard unconscious next turn anyway.
The point here is that the rules should feel intuitive, and if they don’t, you can make your own. By now, you’ve probably heard the acronyms RAW, RAI, and RAF. Those stand for Rules as Written, Rules as Intended, and Rules as Fun. Every DM should have their own unique blend of the three as suits their style. Besides, playing everything RAW is hard when you are managing several character sheets and monster statblocks at once. Give yourself a break.
When determining how much you want to stick to the rules, also look to your players. Some players may enjoy playing with near-exact combat rules. Others may enjoy forgoing three-hour combats in favor of quick and punchy encounters. You’ll have to make that assessment yourself. Which brings me to my next tip.
2. Know Your Players
Everyone is different.
In a game as intentionally open-ended and interpretive as D&D, there are an infinite number of perspectives on the “correct” way to play. And none of those perspectives are wrong.
Except for those of players who split the party. Their perspectives are always wrong.
Jokes aside, every set of players is going to prefer a different style of play. These six may enjoy riffing together in lighthearted, roleplay-heavy sessions. Whereas these four may enjoy difficult combats where a lack of strategy and communication will result in player deaths. And so on and so forth forever.
If you don’t know what your players would prefer, there’s a really easy way to find out. Ask them! Do they want a humorous or a serious session? Do they want to focus on roleplay or combat? What’s something they’ve never done in D&D before, but they’ve always wanted to? Curate your session to their preferences.
Oh, and know whether or not your players are going to show up on time.
Spoiler alert: they won’t.
3. Trust Your Instincts
Don’t overplan.
You don’t need to spend fifteen hours planning out each session for your players. In fact, if you do, you may be wasting your time. Yep, the rogue already got into combat with the NPC who was supposed to give the party their quest. And the bard is still in the tavern, chatting with the dragonborn who was supposed to be a background character.
You get the idea. Giving your session some structure is helpful. But too much planning can become restrictive for both you and your players. Trust that you can improvise dialogue, names, and even entire plotlines in the moment. Otherwise, when your party falls in love with the innkeeper’s dog and spends three hours trying to steal it, you’ll resent them for ignoring all the incredible plot hooks you’ve thrown their way. Or, you’ll force them back on track, leaving them unsatisfied.
That’s not very fun, is it? And what’s the point of it all if you’re not having fun?
4. Remember the Point of It All
You’re playing a game.
D&D, at its core, is collaborative storytelling. Your players are the protagonists of this story. You exist to tell them how the world responds to their actions. And at the end of the day, you’re doing this to have fun.
You may fall into the trap of feeling like it’s you versus them. This isn’t true. You’re not their enemy, trying to keep them from doing what they want. Quite the opposite. You want your players to have a good time, so they should get what they want… eventually. The hardest won victories are the most rewarding, so provide reasonable resistance and obstacles for the players to overcome.
Continually telling your players “no” doesn’t sound like much fun to me. But maybe they’re masochists. Like I said, there are no wrong perspectives. Opt for whatever will result in the most fun for everyone.
Conclusion
Just by following the tips for DMs as outlined this guide, you aren’t guaranteed to have the most impressive game of Dungeons & Dragons. However, I can promise that if you take my advice, you will have a blast playing with your friends. And that, I think, is the benchmark of success. So take a deep breath, relax, and don’t overthink it! You’re going to have fun, and afterward, make your players treat you to dinner. You deserve it.
– AJG
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