Hello everyone,
So, this is my situation: some of my friends and I decided to start playing D&D, but we're all relatively unexperienced. Two or three members of our group have played D&D before, but none of them wanted to be DM. Long story short: I ended up being chosen as our DM. And although I am looking forward to being DM, the problem is: I have no experience with D&D whatsoever and now that I am getting into my role as DM by reading the rules (we're using the 5th edition starter set, by the way), I feel a little bit lost. Perhaps being DM will be a lot easier than I think, but it just seems as though there is a lot I should be remembering to do as a DM.
I also find the basic rules a little bit unhelpful, because they do not seem to be written with the perspective of the DM in mind. There are lots of step-by-step instructions for building characters and all sorts of other things that players need to worry about, but there is no such step-by-step approach for the DM in there. But what I am looking for is exactly something like a basic step-by-step rundown of what I need to do or need to keep track of as a DM during an encounter, a day, an adventure, etc. I am looking for something like a DM-algorithm; a series of questions and decisions I can silently put to myself at any time during the game in order to decide on what to do next. This need not be something to account for all possible contingencies, but just a general outline of what I ought to be doing most of the time; what I definitely need to keep in mind, what I should look out for, etc.
Could some experienced DMs perhaps provide me with something like that? It need not be long, just some general pointers would also be great. And other general advice for a beginning DM would also be appreciated, of course. I just need to formulate a framework for myself in order not to get lost; something to fall back on. So, anything that would help me to formulate such a framework would be helpful.
Thanks in advance!
Greetings,
DeRobespierre
Page 3 Basic Rules outlines the basic conversation of the game. Paraphrased, that is the DM describes the environment, players say what they want to do, and DM describes the results which then loops back to the DM describing the environment again. So if you know what the results of their actions are for sure, just say what that is. That might mean what they do succeeds or fails (interestingly). If you're not sure, ask for an ability check or the like. You can't go far wrong if you just keep that basic conversation in mind. Here's a good tool to use to determine what to say when the players offer an action: The Task Resolution Tool.
The other thing to remember is that your role is to fill the characters' lives with adventure. Cool things should be happening. Things should be getting in the way of player goals so they can do stuff to overcome that. So when a player states a goal, look for the complications. What is standing in his way? Present the problem and then step back: It's the player's role to come up with a solution. You can then decide if that solution works or if it's up to the dice.
For adventure locations, go with something simple like, well, a dungeon. There are plenty you can find online. Populate it with some monsters that are engaged in a particular goal, the completion of which will be bad for the world. Put them on a timeline for completion with some steps they need to complete along the way. Then the characters turn up with their own goal - it might be to find a treasure in that dungeon or to stop the monsters from achieving their goals. Play to find out what happens.
My signature has a few links that may be of help to you as well and I'll monitor this thread to see if you have any further questions. But that's the basics!
I thought this post by bawylie was also good on the subject of DMing: First Time DM.
iserith wrote:
DeRobespierre wrote:
DeRobespierre wrote:
Thanks Bawylie and isertih, this is helping me a lot with understanding what sort of things I need to learn in order to be a decent DM. I am only now beginning to grasp the relevance of skill checks, ability checks, difficulty classes and armor classes, and the like. So I really appreciate being able to talk through this; it is very elucidating to read the things you guys are writing. I do have some more questions if you do not mind me asking them – they might sound very stupid, after all.
bawylie wrote:
DeRobespierre wrote:
[quote="DeRobespierre"]
What would be a situation in which turn order is not decided via initiative checks?
***The game is fundamentally a back and forth conversation between you and your players. You posit a scenario and ask what the players want to do. They state actions (what they intend to do and how they intend to do it). You determine the result of those actions (either by adjudication or by ability check) and say what happens - re-framing the scenario, and reacting, then asking what they do all over again until the situation is resolved (the dramatic question is answered).
The initiative system is kind of like a traffic cop. It keeps order and flow during the combat scenarios. It makes sure people go who are supposed to go, it let's you know who goes next, and it stops people from going when they shouldn't. Are there situations where turn order is NOT determined by initiative? Yes. About half of my combats don't use initiative at all - I'M the traffic cop. The other half use a different method entirely. See, now that I know what initiative is FOR, I can break the rules and use something else that does that job in a way I prefer it to be done.
iserith wrote:
bengrayawhile wrote:
Don't forget, mistakes will be made. Especially given the advent of a new edition and new rules. We all have been there. It's ok to admit you messed up, and your players should understand that.
You've taken the responsibility of being the DM. If your friends criticize you for a mistake, it's like I tell parents of kids that I'm coaching in sports when they complain. Think you can do better? Then step up and give it a shot.
DeRobespierre wrote:
So much replies, so little time! I will probably respond to the other posts tomorrow, but thank you all for replying. I really appreciate the feedback I am getting in this thread. 
DeRobespierre wrote:
DeRobespierre wrote:
Being blind, the ogre would have disadvantage on those sorts of checks.
The thing is to look first at the fictional situation (Lidda jumps on an Ogre's back to blind it), then turn to the mechanics to resolve what happens (Dexterity check vs. DC 15, or maybe vs a Strength check from the Ogre) then return to the fiction to describe what happens as a result.
Fiction, mechanics, fiction. Scenario, action, scenario. DM, player, DM. Scenario, goals, obstacles. Over and over.
As an aside, please tell me I'm not the only old fart here that read this thread title and thought of the old Gauntlet Atari game?
"DM needs help, badly."
I'm not sure what the others have replied, because I didn't read their posts. Why didn't I do that? Well, I wanted to tell you what I think, without having to deal with everybody elses thoughts, so I am sorry if I repeat a lot of what the other guys have said.
Have fun!
This is the golden rule as a DM. Yes, it's important to make sure the players have fun, but if the DM doesn't have fun it will rub off on the entire group. One player who's bored can leave the table for a bit, go somewhere else to fiddle with his phone, or read a comic, but the DM has to stay at the table. If the DM leaves, there is no play!
So, how do you make sure you, as the DM, have fun?
First of all. Know the rules! Read them. Re-read them. Then read them again. Take notes if that helps you.
Create a few characters from scratch while consulting with the Player's Handbook (PH), until you know every detail there is. Create one of each class, and one of each race if you have to. Make sure you understand character creation, so you can help your players.
Understand combat. Use the characters you've created, and fight monsters, or each other. Just try to use every trick in the book. Read the rules of combat again, and have another go.
Understand magic. You don't need to know all the spells by heart, but you should know enough to help the players who are spellcasters. Know the difference between the spells of the various classes. Know what classes can heal, who can do damage, who can control others, etc.
Read the rules again.
Of course, you don't have to do all this before you play, but it sure helps!
Then, before play night, read through the module you're going to use. (The adventure that is.) Take notes, and draw maps, flow charts, whatever helps you remember. The worst thing a player can encounter is an unprepared DM! Know the world the adventure takes place in. (I'm at an advantage here, as I've created my own world, and adventures!) Try to know it better than the players. (Again, I'm at an advantage!)
Read about the NPC's and monsters the PC's will meet. Take notes if you want. (I usuall jot down things like hp, ac, skills and spells they might use, etc.) Knowledge is power!
Then, at play night, bring your favourite drink, snack, and food.
Remember to relax, and bring your dice and notes! (I once forgot everything, but since I had prepared I could wing it!)
Write down things the PC's do, that you'd like to remember. Save it, and use it against them later. (They killed some random guy outside the village? Months later, the PC's are ambushed by the villagers from his town, who are out for revenge. (Or something like that...))
And, don't remember to have fun! You're in charge, and the players look to you for their fun. This is almost as wonderful a feeling as a bard feels when he's playing at the royal castle!
DeRobespierre wrote:
My best advice is to relax and have fun!
Understand that you'll make some mistakes, and that's okay. Don't be afraid to tell your players "I don't know." I good rule of thumb is, as others have been saying, if you don't know the official rule and the outcome seems to be in doubt (neither something that should automatically succeed, like "I walk across the bridge" or something that should automatically fail, like "I run up the 30ft high vertical surface"), call for an ability check. If someone has a skill they think applies, let them apply it.
For example:
A group of goblins have ambushed the players from the top of a steep slope covered with loose, jagged rocks, and are currently pelting the PCs with arrows. There's a way up to the goblins that's relatively safe, but it's the long way around and would give the goblins a turn or two of free shots. One of your players asks "can I try to climb up the slope?"
You think that he can, but it might be difficult (DC15). A strength check or dexterity check would make the most sense here, and you think it makes more sense as a dexterity check, since the tricky part is the loose rocks, not finding handholds and hauling yourself up. So you tell the player "You'd have to make a DC 15 Dexterity check to climb up the slope. If you fail some rocks will come loose and you'll end up prone at the bottom, but if you succeed you'll be right in the goblins' faces and ready to attack!"
Your player says "I'm proficient in acrobatics, can I use that skill?"
It makes a degree of sense, so you say "sure!"
Now the player knows their options (either taking the longer, safe way, and risking giving the goblins free shots, or making a ranged attack from where they are, or trying the dangerous tactic of scaling the slope), and knows their chance of success or failure. What happens next is up to them (and the dice, of course).
I'd recommend running a published adventure first, or at the very least looking at one and cribbing some ideas. If you're bursting with inspiration and need to write your own adventure, that's fine too! A basic dungeon crawl is probably the easiest thing to do (that is, a dungeon filled with traps and monsters, with the goal at the end). A key is to not write too many sessions in advance. If the PCs do something unexpected, you might be left with a bunch of invalid material. For example, if the next two sessions hinge on the villain getting away, and the PCs do something to block his escape in this session, you're left in the awkward position of having to override their creativity and let the villain escape anyway (this is called "Railroading," as in, there's one pre-determined path for the players to follow, with no deviation, like a railroad) or let them have their victory and discard all the work you've done.
That's all I've got for now. Good luck!
Dark_Stryke wrote:
iserith wrote:
Dark_Stryke wrote:
All good advice. I would also pitch in that it is worth buying Lost Mine of Phandelver. It is fun, and also teaches you how to DM, as well as giving scenarios that are designed to teach players how to play. Plus it comes with some cool dice. Good luck!
Playing the game at all is the best teacher, but I'd recommend doing that (as player or DM) before making your own adventure. I also posted this thread no one's yet replied to dealing with adventure and area creation.
I'd resolve a single combat action with a single roll, which could be some kind of check, attack, or contest. For example, using a tabletop to leap onto the ogre and cover its eyes could be a strength (athletics) vs Ogre's dexterity contest. If she wins, the ogre is blind while grappled. As evidenced on this page, you can do it differently just fine.
A failure can mean you don't accomplish what you want, but it could instead mean you do but with an added complication. Falling beside the ogre means nothing's lost or gained. Grabbing the ogre's club means it can attack you as well as another person by swinging its club, but attacking the ogre from there could disarm it your next turn.
A lot of good advice, but I'm sure it can sound a bit complex and overwhelming to a new GM so I'll throw out something really easy:
Watch some Youtube videos of people playing on Roll20.
Some GMs are better than others, but it will give you a great feel for what GMing is like in general terms. If you want to learn the rules, watch D&D specifically. If you want to pick up some good habits, look for games of Dungeon World, Fate or Burning Wheel.
DeRobespierre wrote:
There have been a lot of replies, so I won't be responding to all of them. Nonetheless, I appreciate all your replies. I have gotten some great pointers, and most of you gave specific and constructive feedback. I specifically like some of the alternatives some of you gave for my plan of action with respect to the Lidda-situation, because it gave me an appreciation of the variety of options I have as a DM to respond to proposed actions of players. It also gave me a sense of what would be a helpful response to players' proposed actions on my part.
As to the controversy between iserith and Dark_Stryke, I should say that Dark_Stryke is probably right about questions not necessarilly being a way to play the DM; that has nothing to do with D&D, just with how questions can be used by language users. Sometimes what is formally a question can, in effect, even be a way of declaring something. This is to say that a question need not be a way of inquiring (for example, think of rhetorical questions; those are not ways of inquiring). That being said, iserith has a point about the possibility of using a question in order to play the DM, so I will definitely heed his advice by watching out for players who want to play me.
Then onto some specific quotes I wanted to respond to:
Ansbach wrote:
DeRobespierre wrote:
iserith wrote:
There's been a lot of good advice here, if I were to add anything it would be these do-nots:
1) Do not arbitrarily mess with the players because you find it funny, because you just want to make things tougher for them, or to do things solely for your own enjoyment and not theirs. Your job as a DM is to provide for your players an interesting and engaging story, and to judge events fairly (and largely impartially) to the best of your ability.
Example: Just a few weeks ago I was running a cleric. He was in town for a while after his previous adventures with the party and had a fair amount of loot. Specifically he bought a nice new somewhat expensive silver holy symbol, and a horse with tack (saddle, bit, bags, etc) so he had all this at the beginning of the session. In the first encounter, on a not-particularly-narrow bridge we ran into a wight or something and I tried to turn it. On my wisdom check I fumbled. Instead of just spectacularly failing to turn the undead, the DM arbitrarily decided that my nice new holy symbol not only flies out of my hand, but it flies over the side of the bridge (it had to have flown 10 feet for it to do so) and into the rushing river below. Later in the same session we were getting attacked by some wargs - I got down off my horse to meet their charge but before they reached us a fear spell was cast and they all ran away. The DM arbitrarily decided that three of our horses ran off and when the ranger and druid went off to get them and then arbitrarily decided that they could only find two of them (mine being the one they couldn't find.
There was no story reason for the DM to do these things to me/my character, it was messing with the players for no real reason and no purpose except his own sense of that happening being funny I suppose. I also felt they were inappropriate rulings - for one failing a wisdom check causing a dexterity issue is a bad call. LIkewise having a ranger in particular not be able to find a horse that had run off just minutes before was also a bad call. In addition to that, in less than a session he'd taken from me about 150gp worth of equipment I had just purchased and that's just uncool.
2) Do not have players roll checks over and over until you decide one of them has rolled high enough to succeed. It may be ok to allow them a second roll if they approach the problem a different way, but generally speaking have them roll only once.
If the roll they're making is something you want them to succeed at, then just let them succeed without even rolling or asking for a check. If you need to know how long it'll take them to succeed, use their roll to determine the length of time rather than their success or failure. If they're searching for a secret door, have them make a roll and if they don't find it, then they won't find it unless they do something clever.
In essence, use the skill rolls for things that actually warrant a random chance of success or failure - not just to check which party member succeeds.
Example: I was running a game last week (not D&D but the principles still apply) where the party was investigating a hermit's house where some creatures of unusual size (giant mosquitoes, giant rats, etc) were coming from. Outside the house is a small pond into which a kind of growth potion had spilled into and was the source - it would radiate magic if anyone had the ability to detect magic. Inside the house, as the party was rummaging around, the druid bound her sight to the magical spectrum to see if there was any magic items or effects going on. Since she was inside the house I gave her a perception check to notice the pond outside the window which she failed miserably and so I didn't reveal that fact to her. However, once she walked outside I didn't bother having her roll and I automatically assumed her sight was still bound - I just told her she could see the pond glowing and also revealed a glowing line leading to the pond - which led her to the broken alembic that had fallen off the holder in the fire pit causing the spill. It moved the story along nicely and gave the player a feeling of accomplishment for thinking to do that. I could have had her make perception checks to notice the pond again, perception checks to find the alembic, and whatnot, but that would have simply been a waste of time since they were supposed to find those clues and had already provided the means for it to happen naturally.
3) Do not let players wallow in ignorance of what to do for very long without giving them some nudges. They aren't necessarily going to remember little details you might have told them two hours earlier, or the previous session, so if you see them struggling throw some reminders their way.
Nothing kills the momentum of a game more than the players not knowing what to do next and the DM just sitting there waiting for an inordinately long time for them to come up with something. What's even worse is when the DM has an adventure he's ready to start running, but instead of going ahead and throwing the players into it he asks them "Alright, what are you guys going to do?" and then let the players spend an hour or two wandering aimlessly around until he decides they're in the right place to drop some clues.
If they're wallowing, go ahead and say "remember, that guy you saw in the bar mentioned something about a barn..." or whatever to nudge their memory.
thehobb wrote:
I'll Second burning wheel and hill folk...awesome games. My favourites in fact, a lot of good lessons to take from them.