Post/Author/DateTime	Post
riko26 08-14-06, 07:08 PM	any tips for a person wanting to be a DM?
MojoMonkeyMan 08-14-06, 07:28 PM	This is a really open-ended question. Like asking, "How do you become a good brother or father?" I'll say this: focus on the game and limit outside distractions, thoroughly prepare for each session, bring good players to your table, eliminate players with poor attitudes, admit your mistakes, help others have fun, know the rules, be organized, be flexible, be confident, be willing to be outrageous and be able to sit quietly, ask your players what they like, find the rules and splat books that appeal to you and your players, don't be needlessly arbitrary in your rulings, improve your vocabulary and ability to describe a variety of situations, encourage your players to become a cohesive and supportive unit, reward role-play, reward good strategy, limit metagame discussion, encourage daring and adventure, don't try to kill your players (They will do that on their own ;) ) And most important: Be fair and have fun
MojoMonkeyMan 08-14-06, 07:31 PM	Start by running a one-shot adventure. Be over-prepared. Keep it low-level (under 4th). It helps if you have seen other people DM. Go to a convention or attend RPGA events. Play with a variety of people. Pick up back issues of Dungeon magazine. Monte Cook writes a nice series about Dungeonmastering, perfect for noob DM's. Good luck. Feel free to PM me with specific questions.
a_psh 08-14-06, 10:05 PM	Know what you want and know what your players want. Do they expect a prepackaged story? Do they want a world to explore at their own pace? Do they like challenging battles or tricky puzzles? Do they think traps are the dumbest and metagamiest thing ever? What bores them? What excites them? How do they want to interact with the fantasy world? Also: What do you want? Why are you DMing? What part is the coolest and most interesting for you? What part do you dislike/dread/fear?
Novacat 08-15-06, 12:23 AM	1. Don't take it too seriously (the game, or your position as DM). 2. Remember your task is to provide a challenge for the group, while keeping things fun. Therefore, try to find a balance between being strict enough that your players don't get out of hand, but not so strict that they feel unduly constrained. 3. Make up your own world. Even if you only have rough ideas at first, develop the world as you go. This will work for some and not for others, so bear that in mind. 4. I would advise against permitting a great deal of non-core material, at least at first. 5. You do NOT need to have everything written down. Some of my cleverest plots were invented during a game, while the PCs discovered it. 6. Remember that as a DM, you have no rules. 7. Cheat anyways.
Captn Blake 08-16-06, 02:40 PM	I have two suggestions that I think make up 90% of my success as a DM and then a third which contributes another 3% heh heh. 1) be confident That doesn't mean you can't be fun, but when you say "the wall breaks apart" and someone points out that the little woodpecker couldn't possibly break apart a stone wall, just say "then it must be a magic woodpecker. The wall breaks apart" heh heh. Don't let them overrule your world. Establish that you have a plan and stick to it. 2) Do what it takes to make you confident For me, I need to reread the rules for combat options before a big battle, or print out pages from the SRD on states (fatigue, etc) and have them handy. Whatever it is, as long as it makes you confident, do it. 3) Collaborate with the players Businesses would fold without customers, and DMs would be out of a job without players. Therefore, from time to time, ask them where they see their characters in 5 levels. Ask them if they want more action, more story. Tell them about vacations that you are planning so that they dont get caught off guard and take it personally. (beyond that, i think stuff like having reoccurring unimportant NPCs helps build the world. "your barber seems to be gone today - looks like that girl you saw him with in front of the cooper's is filling in for him." little details to keep the world alive)
JM 08-16-06, 05:19 PM	I agree to use another DM as a reference. Use what you like and change what you don't. The most common mistake I encounter with new DMs is that they want to tell a story and the PCs have a VERY defined role or are just a footnote in the story. Any good DM just sets the stage and lets the PCs tell the story. You should add color and detail to any situation but let the PCs drive the game. They will go where they want and when they want. You can pull in the leash from time to time but for the most part just keep the game moving. Another suggestion would be to make a call if you do not know the exact way something should play out at that exact moment. Too many new DMs get caught up in the details and debate the rules or how something might play out. YOU are the rules when you are the DM. If you make a call, make it absolute and definitive. No room for negotiation. If you are fair, they will respect your decision making....
Quixotico 08-16-06, 05:57 PM	If one of your players suffers from DaDADD (Dungeons and Dragons Attention Defecit Disorder), get a coin made. One side should have a smiley face. The other side should read "Rocks Fall. Everyone Dies." Just keep it on the table. It keeps their attention, if for no other reason than it's shiney.
ElvishBard 08-17-06, 01:56 PM	The main thing a DM needs to know in order to be a good DM is how monsters work. If you know that, then you are good to go pretty much. Plots can be really basic and work well, such as a princess being captured and needs to be rescued. The other main thing a DM needs to know is that the party should have a good chance of winning on their own, and not depend on the DM having NPCs save them.