This week’s burning question: What are some basics to remember as a first time DM when starting up a new D&D campaign? DMing for the first time can be scary so here are a few tips to make DMing your first D&D (or any kind) of campaign easier.
Remember that it's YOUR game. You can change it.
Mike Mearls, co-lead designer of 5th Edition D&D and Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Franchise Director, is constantly mentioning this. Flexibility is good – and empowering DMs to make their own stories is why the setting books for the current edition are more of a toolbox than explicit directions.
The corollary to this tip is that if the players don't yet know a plot point, changing it is even easier so give yourself a break. Did you have an important encounter planned for a location, only to have the players completely bypass that location? Then move it to a location in their new path. Even if you're running one of the official adventures, you can change it as needed for your players' interests, circumstances or to adapt to curve-balls from the players. Which leads to...
Remember that RPGs are collaborative storytelling, not a book
Some DMs are actually secret, wannabe novelists. Don't be that person. A rigid story where players have to do A and then B and C, etc. to resolve the plot will make them unhappy.
The whole point of an RPG is to take a story – created by the DM or a pre-written adventure – and see what happens when the players interact with that story. Embrace the interactivity and collaboration. For original stories, it's better to plan the villain's actions and an outline or a series of encounters/scenes that can be flexible and change because...
Players will rarely do what you expect so relax about it
“Expect the unexpected” is an understatement when it comes to players. It's easy for new DMs to stress out about that and try to railroad players to compensate. Don't. Sometimes the best story bits come from player unpredictability. Try to roll with the change and adapt it into your plot.
For example, while running Storm King's Thunder, a player decided he wanted a rival – another bard who was his older brother. He talked in-game about his brother being a terrible person and regularly derailed the plot in weird ways to “show up” his off-screen brother so I substituted his brother for one of the Kraken Society henchmen. That tied the player's digressions back to the story without forcing his actions onto a particular path – and eventually gave him the showdown he craved.
As with tip #2, generally the best long-term solution to player unpredictability is to plan an outline and encounters instead of a strict linear plotline. This way if they do things in an order you don't expect or skip certain parts altogether you can adapt. Or just be prepared to rewrite parts of the adventure to adapt to the player changes.
You don't have to have every rule memorized
Yes, you need a good grasp of the basic game rules, but you don't have to memorize every spell, feat, magic item, etc. It's OK to look things up if needed.
Also, players can feel more engaged and empowered if they can tell you how a spell works so it emphasizes collaboration. If you do need to pause to look something up, that can provide an opportunity for the players to take a quick bathroom break, so it's not necessarily bad. Or, just use common sense to make a ruling for now and look it for the long term. Matt Mercer has recommended this several times.
Above all, relax, have fun and DM. You'll get better with practice.
This article was contributed by Beth Rimmels (brimmels) as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. If you enjoy the daily news and articles from EN World, please consider contributing to our Patreon!!
Remember that it's YOUR game. You can change it.
Mike Mearls, co-lead designer of 5th Edition D&D and Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Franchise Director, is constantly mentioning this. Flexibility is good – and empowering DMs to make their own stories is why the setting books for the current edition are more of a toolbox than explicit directions.
The corollary to this tip is that if the players don't yet know a plot point, changing it is even easier so give yourself a break. Did you have an important encounter planned for a location, only to have the players completely bypass that location? Then move it to a location in their new path. Even if you're running one of the official adventures, you can change it as needed for your players' interests, circumstances or to adapt to curve-balls from the players. Which leads to...
Remember that RPGs are collaborative storytelling, not a book
Some DMs are actually secret, wannabe novelists. Don't be that person. A rigid story where players have to do A and then B and C, etc. to resolve the plot will make them unhappy.
The whole point of an RPG is to take a story – created by the DM or a pre-written adventure – and see what happens when the players interact with that story. Embrace the interactivity and collaboration. For original stories, it's better to plan the villain's actions and an outline or a series of encounters/scenes that can be flexible and change because...
Players will rarely do what you expect so relax about it
“Expect the unexpected” is an understatement when it comes to players. It's easy for new DMs to stress out about that and try to railroad players to compensate. Don't. Sometimes the best story bits come from player unpredictability. Try to roll with the change and adapt it into your plot.
For example, while running Storm King's Thunder, a player decided he wanted a rival – another bard who was his older brother. He talked in-game about his brother being a terrible person and regularly derailed the plot in weird ways to “show up” his off-screen brother so I substituted his brother for one of the Kraken Society henchmen. That tied the player's digressions back to the story without forcing his actions onto a particular path – and eventually gave him the showdown he craved.
As with tip #2, generally the best long-term solution to player unpredictability is to plan an outline and encounters instead of a strict linear plotline. This way if they do things in an order you don't expect or skip certain parts altogether you can adapt. Or just be prepared to rewrite parts of the adventure to adapt to the player changes.
You don't have to have every rule memorized
Yes, you need a good grasp of the basic game rules, but you don't have to memorize every spell, feat, magic item, etc. It's OK to look things up if needed.
Also, players can feel more engaged and empowered if they can tell you how a spell works so it emphasizes collaboration. If you do need to pause to look something up, that can provide an opportunity for the players to take a quick bathroom break, so it's not necessarily bad. Or, just use common sense to make a ruling for now and look it for the long term. Matt Mercer has recommended this several times.
Above all, relax, have fun and DM. You'll get better with practice.
This article was contributed by Beth Rimmels (brimmels) as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. If you enjoy the daily news and articles from EN World, please consider contributing to our Patreon!!
