Hello everyone,
First I would like to quickly introduce myself, as I am a new member of the community.
I'm 30 and I just recently found an interest in D&D due to my research in the role playing video game style. To make the story short, I'm at a crossroad where I could either learn more about the video game genre or the live role play genre (sorry if I'm not using the proper terms I'm no familiar with D&D and other games of that genre). Anyway, after watching a 2 hours long D&D game on YouTube without loss of attention, I realized that D&D might have something I never really understood before, a great storyteller.
I understand that in the D&D world this might be the DM. I don't assume I can become a great DM overnight neither over the duration of my life. Nonetheless, I am very interested in the topic and would like to learn more about it but I would like to ask you about some good "beginners" texts or articles about the subject.
That's it so thank you for your time and your patience with the total noob that I am.
Well, I guess I'd say google Beginning DM (or use GM for Game Master, the generic term many game suse as Dungeon Master was trademarked by Wizard of the Coast) advice. I am sure there is a ton of it. I don't understand why you can only learmn about one, I'm a 50 year old with decades spent in both the PnP (Pen and Paper) roleplay world as well as the computer game genre. (Back before there was really an internet even).
If you live an an area that has the occasional game convention - go. Be a player and observe other GMs, or just ask to observe games. Best way to get an idea of how a "good" DM/GM runs a game is to see a number of them in action. Especially dealing with groupd of unfamilar players at a convention.
Another thing you can check the hybrid of teh two, gaming over the computer via a program like Fantasy Grounds. A program provides the maps and counters but a live DM is making al of the game decisions. There are probably sessions on You Tube and with a free copy of the test version of Fantasy Grounds you can join one of the open games that get posted on their forums in several different game systems.
Welcome, and check out some of the links in my signature, starting with DM 101. Feel free to ask any questions from there.
iserith wrote:
sirkaikillah11 wrote:
there are fantasy roleplaying bibles, which are guides. There's online roleplaying guides as well. Thing is, there's probably about 3, maybe as many as 8 different camps of thought about roleplaying, and you will have to settle on your own. There are lots of arguments in this forum, debates, and the funny thing is, both sides usually have good points. We don't all agree. roleplaying styles are like genres in movies. Comedy is not automatically better than horror or action. Sci fi is not automatically better than fantasy or romance. Actually, you probably realize these different genres can be mixed. The same is true with roleplaying styles.
Some people play to win. Like players who are always trying to slay the monsters and outwit the Narrator run characters, and DMs who are always trying to kill off or torment the characters, but make it look like it happened accidentally, or fairly.
Some people are all about drama and story and images in their minds. They want elaborate histories and colorful adjectives, like the Hemmingway thing with Nicholas Cage in that movie City of Angels.
Some people don't care for details and will bluntly tell you so, demanding you get on with the game. They want numerical progress, or story point progress. They have to get back home in 2 hours, or take the kids someplace, etc. Very busy.
Some people are only there because the person they are dating is there. A few might be interested, but most might actually think you are the biggest bunch of losers on earth. A few people will show up once in a while, who aren't dating anyone, but have the same attitude and want to write a sociology, psychology, or anthropology paper about "people like you".
Some people are participating to be part of a community activity. A few are just life long friends who are doing this instead of whatever else they might be doing, and being together as a group is more important than things like plot, story, progress, or rules.
Some people want to build something, like make a change, or a lasting memory. Some will have elaborate descriptons, drawings, or blue prints or things like castles, boats, or clockwork machines. Several will actually pay real money to artists to draw their favorite characters.
Most people will tell you roleplaying is all about having fun. In some ways, this is true. But as i mentioned before, some people try to get their kicks at the expense of others.
A good roleplaying game is one in which people aren't starving, are distracted by the game more than outside influences, where they laugh, where everyone leaves feeling pretty good, and want to come back. A good game is one where people are smiling, are often boisterous, and to be honest, where other people come and tell you to quiet down. A good roleplaying game is like a movie that you go and see, and then talk about all the way home. It is that session where you retell what happened to others, because you want to share that experience.
A good DM can do miraculous things, and you can try to aspire to these stages, such as
- running an entire game without need for dice
- running an effective game session totally on the fly with no preparation
- crossing multiple game systems and having it flow smoothly
- dealing with problem players in a way that you don't lose players, but the problems go away
- running a game on total lack of sleep or during an intense time crunch and finishing important scenes
- making pregenerated characters people actually want to play
- being reliable and fair enough that other DMs come to you for advice
- running very large games, with 8, 12, or 16+ people and having things work out
There's other stuff, and you'll know it when you see it.
No guide will turn you into an amazing DM over night, but it does help to read a lot of tips (like the links that Iserith suggested). In my experience, the best way to become a good DM, is just to run several campaigns. And it is generally advised to start with a premade campaign first. This helps you get an idea of what sort of preparation is required, and how you set up an adventure. Lots of people have ideas for cool stories, but D&D is an interactive narrative. So coming up with branching story paths on the fly, especially when players don't do what you expect them to, is the real trick. Embrace the agency of your players, is what I advise. Don't railroad too much, and make sure you are well prepared to take on any deviation that may occur during a session. Reward players for coming up with cool ideas, and make sure that everyone (yourself included) is having fun.
Also, buy the starter set, if you haven't already.
Hello and welcome!
I was in a similar position as you as I only started being a DM a couple of months ago. I'm not saying I've mastered it or anything but what I can say is that it's mostly up to you, because as a DM/GM, you make the rules. Of course you will have to know and understand the original rules from the Dungeon Master's Guide or other documents, but from then on, you have the ability to change it completely or make minor adjustments.
What I've done is that with my players, who have no experience in the RPG environmet (except maybe very modern RPG like batman), I introduced things to them slowly, like I only introduced the concept of eating and drinking once they grasped how combat works. Also talking with your players helps, like at some point I was wondering how they would handle swapping out weapons during combat (standard rules I've experienced as a PC was that it takes a whole turn to swap) as they kept swapping weapons randomly which give's them an unfair advantage in my opinion.
But again, it's all up to you on how you want to run the game and discuss things with the players, what they like and don't like, or even add something new to spice things up in your games.
Also, listen to these guys, they have also helped me with great advice.
Good luck to your first game as DM 