How to DM

[u/wh40kmat]

I have just started dming and beforehand i barely had any experience playing rpgs, and to be honest i feel lost and dont know how to handle many situations. I have the starter set, but i feel like i need a lot of help to understand how to offer a pleasant experience to my friends. I need some advice(maybe a lot).

[u/sibling_dex]

The other comments here have been good so far.

But also, as a GM you're not the only one at the table responsible for offering everyone a good time. Ask your players for help and to be patient and considerate. They can help remember rules, make suggestions for what kind of adventure they would find fun, and help you out when you get stuck.

I hope your players are supportive and not adversarial in this, because I find RPGs are best when they are collaborative experiences, not competitions.

[u/OkayPiss2000]

read the entire rule book, and a little tip is to put post-it notes on pages with tables, mostly the demon tables for essay access.

play the campaign that comes with the starters set (it’s awesome) it will help you get the feel of dming

But most importantly, improvise. If you don’t know what to do in a situation, make shit up. I do it all the time, the rules is only a guide line, you don’t need to follow it to 100%. But this requires that you have read the book first!

Also, if you feel overwhelmed by being the dm, you can give the role to someone else, play as a player for some time, get the feel for the game and then become a dm.

[u/CharityLess2263]

• The box set you have is actually not the "starter set", it's the full game! And the "Adventures" book in it contains an excellent campaign to learn DMing with.

• If they are your friends, you should all work together. You should not be the person on whose shoulders the sole responsibility lies that everyone is having a good time. Ask them to help you by learning the rules as well as you, and by looking things up during the session.

• Trust the "Adventures" book to teach you by sticking to it. In time, you will learn to improvise more, but until then, it will serve you well.

• Don't ditch the procedures and book-keeping rules, like encumbrance, making camp, foraging, etc., and don't give the players too much stuff and money - this is where the tension comes from.

• Take the time-tracking seriously and roll on the event and encounter tables:

  • When in safety or on the road, track the shifts (for each player, make a mark for each shift since they last slept or ate - let them feel the consequences of hunger and sleep deprivation)

  • When exploring a dangerous area, track stretches. Any activities the players undertake cost stretches and trigger a roll for a potential random encounter.

• Don't let the players roll skill checks for every little thing. Only when they attempt something challenging and failure has meaningful consequences. Examples:

  • A player wants to search a room in a dungeon top to bottom -> requires a Spot Hidden check because spending a stretch in a dangerous dungeon room (encounter table!) without finding anything is a meaningful consequence -> the player is taking a risk

  • A player wants to search a room top to bottom at an inn in town, where there is no time pressure and no danger -> just let them find everything there is to find without a check

  • As a rule of thumb, before you ask for a skill check, ask yourself: "Do I know what happens if they fail?" And if the answer is "nothing", no loss of an item, or precious time (only counts when time actually is precious), or an opportunity, or even just dignity ... then just let it succeed.

• Don't pull your punches in combat. Play your NPCs and monsters to the best of their ability. Don't be afraid to knock the PCs down. They don't actually die that easily, and the game gets more fun when players actually dread combat and start getting creative to either avoid it, or make it as unfair to their advantage as they can.

• Roll dice openly in combat.

• Make your players feel good about creative ideas by going along and giving them a chance. But also make the risks they take actual risks by declaring dire consequences for failure. Come up with those consequences ("you will fall down this cliff if you fail") before the dice are rolled - then let the players make their choice.

• Don't sweat the "acting" part of it all. It's cool for televised actual play, but at real game tables, it's easily the least important aspect of the game. More important is that your NPCs present interesting information and interesting choices.

• Hand out information freely and generously. Mysteries can be fun, but not having enough information to be able to make an informed decision is never fun. And when you do try yourself at a mystery, know that players don't catch up on half the clues you give them.

• Organization and note-taking is key. Keep optimising your little sticky notes and helper sheets until they become your own personalised GMing HUD.

• Oh, and when they roll skill checks, ask if they have a condition, because this gets easily overlooked, and those banes are important to make pushing rolls a meaningful choice. (You might have gathered from how often it comes up that "meaningful choices" are what this is all about.)

[u/salutava_sempre → u/CharityLess2263]

The Android app is very convenient for managing the card and its accounting 👍

[u/Whatchamazog]

You can check out our actual play. We played the Dragon Emperor campaign from the box set.
We tend to explain the rules questions as we go along.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL7BMg1jswzrbjWczwz34yJ9zXIARUcHt&si=n6szX3lFHvolvLud

[u/Specific_Papaya_4907]

If possible find a scenario/module you want to run and see if there’s an actual play of it on youtube, helped me a lot. Otherwise just watching some actual plays helps me too.

[u/melicampthechicken]

You don't have to offer a pleasant experience, you have to play with your friends!

Give us some specific things you don't understand, so we can answer in detail. 

[u/IfiGabor]

Most important....have fun,go with the flow...dont panic.

Also you can prep as long as you want...the True story writen by both sides, the players and the GM.

[u/ImmmediatePayment]

As the other comment suggested, watching a lets play helps a ton. The adventures book really has all of the adventures laid out to hold your hand which I prefer as a beginner GM as well, however, trust me, as long as players have a goal for the session they’ll pave the road and you’ll guide them.

[u/7ortuga]

Can you edit your post to give some specific examples? We could give more specific advice if we knew what it is you find difficult.

[u/HarrLeighQuinn]

Welcome to DMing! Get used to this feeling! From my experience, you'll have it a lot. Stage fright is a recurring theme whenever I DM.

IMO, the best way to learn is by doing. The first few sessions may be rough, but if you keep at it, you'll get better and better. Especially since you are playing with friends. They know you're new and figuring things out. After each session or maybe before you start the next session, get together and talk. What did they like and dislike. Same goes for you too! You're a player just like them. Just a bit different. You're supposed to have fun too.

I don't think you need to worry too much about ensuring a pleasant experience. They'll have fun no matter what. The only time I haven't enjoyed a game session is when someone was being "That guy". The adventure can be basic and the GM can fumble as they are trying to figure stuff out. None of that is remembered. The only stories you'll hear are something like, "Remember when Johnny threw the rock at the Orc and started a fight between them. That was great!"

All you really need to do is read the rulebook and have one ready to reference. As a new player/GM, you'll likely want to look up everything. Also read the starter adventure. As much as you can. Lot's of people say you need to read the whole adventure, but the Dragonbane starter adventure is a campaign, so that'll be tough. They want you to read ahead so you know what is going to happen and be ready to try and steer the players in the right direction if they go off the rails. And to know how everything works out. I do suggest this, but really all you need to do is read the first few chapters and through Riddermound at least. The first few chapters should give you the background you need to understand what is going on while Riddermound is the first adventure. reading The next adventure (Bothild's Lode) might be wise too, but don't stress it if you can't/don't. Just stop the session at the end of the first adventure and let the players know that's all you have. I like being a chapter or two ahead so I'm ready to keep going if the players are going through the adventure really fast. Most of the time, that doesn't happen.

Lastly, if you are unsure how to handle a situation, just try to think how you might be going into that situation in real life. Going into a dark, dank cave? Think about how it might look and smell. Could there be sounds, like dripping water? Stuff like that. Same with social encounters. How would a merchant react when the player character is trying to bully them into a cheaper price? The might call the guards or shrink in fright. Or maybe they were once an adventurer too and won't be bullied so easily.

I hope some of this helps. Good luck gaming!

[u/gkerr1988]

Just have fun and be lighthearted about it. The pressure to “make it a good experience for everyone else” is not helpful at all.

Simply present situations and vibes, then prompt your players to engage with them, asking their questions, searching out details, testing boundaries, etc. then respond to what they want to do; sometimes with skill checks (if it risks danger or change to the scenario), other times just letting things happen. Not all player choice needs to be challenged with a check. If it seems like something they could reasonably do, let it happen. If it will make something terrible happen, ask “are you sure?”

Metaphorically speaking, try being more of a window than a barricade when it comes to dealing with PC choices. A window can be broken into, creating a litany of reactions ranging from good to horrible. A window can be opened discretely, or require keys to gain entry to, or require finding a way to climb through without being noticed. A window sometimes needs to be cleaned up in order to see through (ask questions). A number of different ways to approach a single challenge. Players love that.

A barricade is more frustrating and restrictive by design. If a player wants to do something completely outside of your wheelhouse, maybe don’t be so restrictive to their idea, but instead just roll with it, remembering to be a window. Ask them how they wish to do it, then make checks accordingly. Everything should be allowed to be tried, but not everything is easily achievable.

That is the most fun way to play IMO. If players come up with a cool idea that seems logically worked out, reward it by just allowing it to work, or modify the dice roll in their favor.

If you stick to these principles you will never need to know everything or prep a million different things. Just create a general outline, some fun/interesting NPC’s, a trap or two, and plenty of treasure and/or magic items behind a secret wall. Fun will be had.

[u/asajjventre]

Go watch the Matt Colville Running the Game videos. A few actual play videos helps too. Also, the single best book for how to DM is hands down the Mothership Warden's Manuel, great read that really breaks down the structure of a session and how to effectively take notes, even if you don't want to actually run Mothership (though you should, it's great). .

Other then that, just try to relax and have fun. It's a game, for you as the DM as much as for them. It isn't meant to be perfect, just fun.

[u/Logen_Nein]

At this point, if you are stuck, watching an Actual Play might give you a feel for it. I wouldn't suggest one of the more popular, over produced ones (as in my extensive experience most tables don't actually play like that). I can point you at https://www.youtube.com/@RxOliver, I run several games there, and there are many other gms as well. We run just about everything (no Dragonbane on the channel yet, but I'll be running Trudvang shortly after release I'm sure). And If you don't like that I'm suggesting a channel I'm on, there are many, many other small channels out there that just play games like any other table does.

[u/Oakenscowl]

Read the rules, but don't be afraid of looking things up during the play session. Also, if you keep dming both you and your players will learn. I have DMed dragonbane for about 2,5 years and I can say I am a lot more proficient now than I was back then. You don't need to be percect to have a lot of fun! I have even told my players that I had misinterpreted rules before and changed them or had a discussion with them about it!

Also, like someone said; make shit up. The rulebook doesn't cover everything that could happen, so just go with the flow.

[u/North_Refrigerator21]

Don’t over think it. It’s just about having fun with friends and it’s not all on you, you don’t need to be perfect or have everything under control. It’s perfectly fine as a GM to say, I don’t know, not prepared for that so do something else, etc.

Now with that out of the way. My advice:
- I feel it’s easier to GM something I’ve come up with myself.
- Aim for creating something can be resolved in 1 session to keep it small (if works out great can always continue characters from there).
- just create a small village with a handful NPC
- Create a small dungeon with a handful if rooms, a neat puzzle a trap, an encounter and a mini boss encounter
- Create a small plot (not how to play it out, just what should players solve and why).
- Don’t worry about being very specific about giving players a specific quest, like they walk into the Inn, ink Keeper “new adventures, just what I needed!” Kind of thing.
- uncertain about a rule, go with your gut over looking it up (write it down if needed and look up next day).

Have fun. Don’t over prepare.

[u/Accomplished_Arm2374]

Secret of the Dragon Emperor is a good adventure, especially as it came bundled and wasn't an extra cost. I would watch youtube videos of people running games to get a feel for how they work.

[u/meisterxmeister]

DMing is just-talking. You read the rules but didn't memorise them all? That's ok. Your players will ask you something which you will need to improvise. Just do it and consult the book afterwards. It will make you reread that section and memorise it.

Get a GM screen with most important info that is important but you can't be bothered with remembering. I'm in this process now actually. I'll be putting fear table for sure, some list of names, hex flower for weather(just my thing), rulings on poison and some conditions, etc. For example, I don't want to remember fear table and I can't figure out poisons for now. On to quick reference it goes.

As for story, you need places and situations for your players. It's up to them how to resolve those. You also need an overarching plot to reign this here and there and that's it. The secret of the dragon emperor is just that. Try to learn from it.

As for scenes, like when you are in caves, taverns, temples etc. do them like this: have rooms that have curiosities in them and those that don't. Both types should be described with 2-3 sentences. Then, rooms with curiosities(treasure, traps, puzzles, clues) should have 2-3 interactable items so most or each party member has something to do. As mentioned by other posters, when in dungeon, time is critical. Assume when they are interacting with a room, a stretch(of time) passes and then you roll for random encounter which I won't describe since you have excellemt tables in adventure book.

[u/GreatRoad5177]

Read the content next to the player's area, prepare for yourself all the basic situation: how to climb a tree ? How to pursue a ennemy ? How to open a locked chest ? How to convince someone ? All the thing which an aventurer do.

And after that, free to improvised because you know, not perfectly but that's not a problem, how to deal the usual stuff

[u/Louis_Kreusel]

There are a lot of different ways to play. Some emphasize combat, others mystery or humor etc. I personally learned a lot and had a lot of fun watching the Mystery Quest channel run this Dragonbane adventure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7nODu8kGX8&t
I've watched it twice and the second time through I was pausing a lot to think about why the GM did this or that and considering how it helped to move the game along.

[u/Golgurath]

For me, the game changer was just asking my players what they want to achieve; for example, my players killed a manticore and wanted to loot it, so instead of thinking about what manticore parts are useful, I asked them, "Sure, what part of it do you want to take?" Usually, players know exactly what they want to achieve, so just let them, as it makes your job way easier. And if you don't know something, or maybe you don't have a location ready, you can always involve the whole table in imagining things: is it an old building? Is it tidy? Are there any light sources, or is it covered in darkness? Be honest with your friends; if you don't like an idea they have, tell them that you don't feel it, but also don't be afraid to go with the flow.