D&D 5E In Search Of: The 5e Dungeon Master's Guide

[Aldarc]

Starter sets are for newbie DM. It's best to have an actual adventure to walk through. In addition, they're starting to combine videos with free intro encounters.

The DMG is for experienced DMs from other editions and the person that already knows the game and wants to switch from player to DM.

Starter Sets being for newbies doesn't somehow preclude the DMG from also being useful for new players as well. It's not as if one would run a single Starter Set and then become an Intermediate DM.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

On the topic of new Dm advice, advice on how to get from a bunch of player/PCs together to an actual adventure from a cold start would be good. Colville's advice to start in media res is a good one.

 

[pointofyou]

On the topic of new Dm advice, advice on how to get from a bunch of player/PCs together to an actual adventure from a cold start would be good. Colville's advice to start in media res is a good one.

I have found that putting the PCs into the same status quo and then upsetting that status quo works nicely.

 

[overgeeked]

On the topic of new Dm advice, advice on how to get from a bunch of player/PCs together to an actual adventure from a cold start would be good. Colville's advice to start in media res is a good one.

That's one of the best bits of advice ever. Skip the preliminary and get to the action. One of the reasons I loved the old WEG Star Wars game and its GMing advice. Starting in medias res is an amazing kickstart to a game.

 

[Imaro]

If the DMG is a Core Book it should absolutely be written with beginning DMs in mind. The biggest problems in the 5e Core Books all stem from the fact they were written for people who'd been playing D&D for a decade or two. Core Books written for new players cannot be anything other than an improvement.

So serious question here... if the core books are written for beginning DM's... what is the point of the starter sets?

 

[Imaro]

Not to bang on the same drum as other threads, but by the 4e book standards, about 10 pages does at least an okay job.

On that note, the 4e DMG does include a starting village and a five area dungeon as an example to run new players through, which I think the 5e books are sorely missing. That, along with 10 or so pre-generated characters for those that want them (there are already 12 different ones on the WotC website! All the way to level 10 for each! (but weirdly, not in a character sheet format) And that doesn't include the LMoP and DoSI ones that are also accessible.) in the PHB, would be a great addition.

Sooo... a starter set??

 

[pointofyou]

So serious question here... if the core books are written for beginning DM's... what is the point of the starter sets?

Do you think that going through Lost Mines of Phandelver one time means you're no longer a beginning DM?

A more direct answer is that the Starter and Beginner Sets are written so the table doesn't need to buy any books to enjoy them. They are designed to provide everyone at the table a taste of D&D.

 

[overgeeked]

It's almost like there should be...gasp...multiple DMGs and MMs and PHBs. Split things up into easier chunks. Maybe kinda like a basic and advanced set.

 

[Xamnam]

Sooo... a starter set??

No, that's much more the equivalent to Matt Colville's Delian Tomb.

So serious question here... if the core books are written for beginning DM's... what is the point of the starter sets?

A shorter-than-full length but narratively complete adventure that is designed to not overwhelm potentially new players or DMs with complexity or an overly wide sandbox, which doesn't require extensive knowledge of a foreign setting, and a trimmed down ruleset that only features what is relevant, plus dice if you don't have them. I wouldn't say teaching is the goal of those products. Also, what @pointofyou said.

 

[Imaro]

Do you think that going through Lost Mines of Phandelver one time means you're no longer a beginning DM?

A more direct answer is that the Starter and Beginner Sets are written so the table doesn't need to buy any books to enjoy them. They are designed to provide everyone at the table a taste of D&D.

Yes... you've DM'd. You at least have the context, rules structure, an example and experience being a DM at this point as opposed to knowing nothing about it. Are you an expert? No. But you have the context to understand what is laid out in the DMG and put it together to try your hand at creating and running.