Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Athenna 07-30-04, 04:44 PM	(I hope this hasn't been done before) We were all new to DMing at one point, so lets help out the newcomers to the job of DMing. Give them tips and tricks on how to make their experience easier and better. I'll start 1) Make sure you're well organised before you go to the session. Don't try winging too much for awhile. 2) Don't be afraid to ask for rules help, or look things up.
Aliquid 07-30-04, 04:51 PM	3) Quite often the players will do something other than you had planned…. When you are preparing the adventure, don’t think “I will say X, and the players will do Y”… because the players might not do “Y”. So have a backup plan if they don’t take your plot-hook.
tarkin 07-30-04, 04:56 PM	4) Play with your voice for different NPCS 5) Decide before hand the level of power (low, normal, high, MUNCHKIN) Make it clear to the players before you play which you will be using. 6) Do not have people act differently then they would in real life. Example: If things exist that the players want, a major city WILL have a place to buy it. It might be more expensive than the books state, it might be illegal, but it WILL be available for sale.
kattattack22 07-30-04, 11:56 PM	Roll multiple attacks, checks, etc. with more dice in one throw (different colors help). Roll two things at once (ex. attack and damage). Have a list of random names on hand. You will have to wing things sometimes. Use miniatures, dice, or anything to show combat. Having something to draw terrain on is good too. Know your PCs and players. It isn't going to be fun for them if they are not involved and having their characters develop or achieve goals besides levels. Don't always give money or magic item rewards. Give PCs titles, property (like a house), membership in an improtant guild, etc. Include encounters that aren't necessary violent like passing other travelers, meeting a local barbarian tribe, animals in the forest, etc. Keep track of in game time. You are in a world where time passes (usually). Show that with season changes, holidays, festivals, have PCs celebrate birthdays, etc. Notecards. Use them for notes and monster stats since you can spread them out and see them easily even in small space. Use them for initiative order, as well. Its real easy to flip through them as you move down the order.
shadowflamedancer 07-31-04, 09:09 PM	Whatever style of game you play ocasionally imerse you players in somthing different. After convincing the emporer to leave the western territories to rule themselves, it is often relaxing to let you brain sit back and do some hack n slash. Remember to do this in moderation. Not too much, nor too little of different styles.
danielinthewolvesden 07-31-04, 10:33 PM	Originally posted by kattattack22 Notecards. Use them for initiative order, as well. Its real easy to flip through them as you move down the order. Kat- those are all very good suggestions, but I have a better one for Initiative- a white or magnetic board where you can put all the PC's & NPC's in order, so that everyone can see where they are, and if they are next- be ready. Speeds things up a bunch.
Athenna 08-01-04, 12:36 AM	That's something i never really thought of doing in my RL campaigns.