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Lessons from my first time DMing so far, a thread!
(I am not a technical-minded DM, I like making stories and a mixture of silly/scary scenarios for my players to follow, and this is more overall-approach than tech tips/tricks)
#dnd #5e #dnd5e
(I am not a technical-minded DM, I like making stories and a mixture of silly/scary scenarios for my players to follow, and this is more overall-approach than tech tips/tricks)
#dnd #5e #dnd5e
1. Everything flies out the window once your players start.
I had a 5+ page google doc full of notes. I had Inkarnate maps. I had character profiles. I had three handbooks at the ready. I had SCRIPTS! Everything to help write a story, but not co-operatively make one.
I had a 5+ page google doc full of notes. I had Inkarnate maps. I had character profiles. I had three handbooks at the ready. I had SCRIPTS! Everything to help write a story, but not co-operatively make one.
I started them in a drunk tank, thinking they'd slowly find the puzzles and clues I'd placed and want to know EVERYTHING from the guards.
Within 20 min they'd manage to assume they were going to die (???) and faked a heart attack to trick/lure a guard to his death.
Within 20 min they'd manage to assume they were going to die (???) and faked a heart attack to trick/lure a guard to his death.
They didn't manage to trick him and Gregjamin is alive and well.
ALL CREDIT TO MY PLAYERS, many had great character reasons why they would HATE a jail cell & assume the worst! And at first, I really didn't incorporate or pivot to that, because I was stuck in my ways on the story
ALL CREDIT TO MY PLAYERS, many had great character reasons why they would HATE a jail cell & assume the worst! And at first, I really didn't incorporate or pivot to that, because I was stuck in my ways on the story
Some didn't know how investigating really worked, so they didn't know what they could inspect & how. & they were interacting w/ each other for the first time in-characters - it was a lot to take in! I also think the video game "kill & loot" mentality can be easy to fall back on.
They got a little less murder-y once freed.
I had an NPC tell them that they had all been drinking heavily the night before, and that they'd caused a brawl in the local tavern.
Then one of the players said his character doesn't drink, that's impossible.
I had an NPC tell them that they had all been drinking heavily the night before, and that they'd caused a brawl in the local tavern.
Then one of the players said his character doesn't drink, that's impossible.
I kind of glossed over that and reacted pretty slow to this idea, but eventually I compromised that no, of course, he didn't drink alcohol, but who said it was alcohol that they were given that night? Just that tweak was enough for the scenario to become plausible again.
Character narratives are important, as are identities. I need to respect a sober earth genasi, and even incorporate it into the story to make it richer. Just as I try to respect all character traits (phobias, interests, goals, etc) my players throw my way, and celebrate them!
(This session was a LOAD of fun despite my many mistakes! When you have fun people ready to have a good time together, it's easy to make even a flawed start a hoot and a half!)
2. What I focus on isn't what players care about
Ex. Adventure: Find goblins for bounty, learn the real story re: duke that wants them dead, fight duke.
The players, upon learning the duke's request, IMMEDIATELY didn't believe there was really a goblin camp &decided to play PIs
Ex. Adventure: Find goblins for bounty, learn the real story re: duke that wants them dead, fight duke.
The players, upon learning the duke's request, IMMEDIATELY didn't believe there was really a goblin camp &decided to play PIs
Did I have the entire duke's mansion made to be explored? Nope.
Did I have fun things for them to find? Nope.
But suddenly I was making blood trails and secret staircases and guards to impress and food to eat, and it was way, way better than what I'd originally cooked up.
Did I have fun things for them to find? Nope.
But suddenly I was making blood trails and secret staircases and guards to impress and food to eat, and it was way, way better than what I'd originally cooked up.
What I first saw as a point of stress ("I don't think about these details and I am a bad DM!!!!!") became a point of opportunity.
Every detail didn't need to be answered right away, and the hints at a bigger mystery got better when I had hard questions to answer every session!
Every detail didn't need to be answered right away, and the hints at a bigger mystery got better when I had hard questions to answer every session!
And I can't stress enough how awesome improv is, if you can relax and enjoy it. Rolling with the punches and being flexible with your plans makes for a much more fun, and fluid, experience.
(This is, coming from someone who thought she could script her way through a campaign.)
(This is, coming from someone who thought she could script her way through a campaign.)
The two big questions from the party after leaving the jail & defeating cultists, were "what's the red summoning dust made of?" & "what's in the crypt?"
I expected them to only ask "what's on the bodies?", but instead they made plot for me to lob back at them in further sessions
I expected them to only ask "what's on the bodies?", but instead they made plot for me to lob back at them in further sessions
(The original answers to those questions were
1. Made of nothing?? It's just spooky?? and
2. Nothing?? It's just spooky??
You can bet I came up with WAY better stuff after a week to think it over between sessions!)
1. Made of nothing?? It's just spooky?? and
2. Nothing?? It's just spooky??
You can bet I came up with WAY better stuff after a week to think it over between sessions!)
3. The loot really isn't the point
Everyone wants a sense of accomplishment, and so often my party found that in ways other than "I loot the corpse & find a sword".
Everyone wants a sense of accomplishment, and so often my party found that in ways other than "I loot the corpse & find a sword".
Making a friend!
Singing a song to lull an enemy to sleep!
Offering food to a shady dwarf to stop a fight!
Finding shinies!
Saying something in-character that gets the whole group laughing!
Asking a really insightful question to an NPC!
Making me say "...I'll allow it."
Singing a song to lull an enemy to sleep!
Offering food to a shady dwarf to stop a fight!
Finding shinies!
Saying something in-character that gets the whole group laughing!
Asking a really insightful question to an NPC!
Making me say "...I'll allow it."
The things that get celebrated during our sessions are normally the light-hearted fun and the character-oriented moments.
My favourite recent moment was a member of the party overcoming, at least for a moment, her phobia of water to reach in and grab a bestowed magical gift.
My favourite recent moment was a member of the party overcoming, at least for a moment, her phobia of water to reach in and grab a bestowed magical gift.
Party members helped her through it! It wasn't the gift that really felt special, though that's always a fun element - it was the moment of growth & co-operation.
When they work together, the results are hilarious, insightful, and really really cool (if I let them).
When they work together, the results are hilarious, insightful, and really really cool (if I let them).
4. Actually shutting up
I WANT MY PLAYERS TO SUCCEED! I occasionally nudge things their way to help them, like letting a giant bat carry a few stragglers over a tall cliff when they tried their darndest.
But sometimes, I'm overly helpful.
I WANT MY PLAYERS TO SUCCEED! I occasionally nudge things their way to help them, like letting a giant bat carry a few stragglers over a tall cliff when they tried their darndest.
But sometimes, I'm overly helpful.
I'm slowly learning to let the players be confused, be uncertain, and be co-operative, instead of just throwing the answers their way. I still butt in more than I probably should, but we're finding a balance that I think is working more and more.
5. Find the fun!
If YOU as a DM find a concept fun, your players probably will too b/c you're going to be excited about it & add a bunch of details to make it feel even cooler!
You should get to give the players a world YOU'RE excited to explore too!
If YOU as a DM find a concept fun, your players probably will too b/c you're going to be excited about it & add a bunch of details to make it feel even cooler!
You should get to give the players a world YOU'RE excited to explore too!
Do you like adding useless items in loot that turn out to be chocolate? Do it!
Do you like to include lots of riddles? Do it!
Do you like to make small-town romances between the local baker and the tavern owner? Do it!
Do you like to incorporate silly name conventions? Do it!
Do you like to include lots of riddles? Do it!
Do you like to make small-town romances between the local baker and the tavern owner? Do it!
Do you like to incorporate silly name conventions? Do it!
I also found I included more things just so my players would find stuff they love, after overcoming obstacles they feared or that challenged them.
The interplay of danger & reward is kind of D&D in a nutshell, but tailoring those elements is when I find the game shines!
The interplay of danger & reward is kind of D&D in a nutshell, but tailoring those elements is when I find the game shines!
The endpoint here is that DMing can feel a little more stressful/full of responsibility than playing a character, but you still get to show your personality through what you choose to have your players explore! And by respecting your players, everyone has more fun.
