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Message: <blockquote data-quote="OnlineDM" data-source="post: 5229431" data-attributes="member: 90804">I'm still a relatively new D&D 4e player and DM, but I decided to volunteer when the Living Forgotten Realms (LFR) organizer at my friendly local game store said that he needed more DMs for LFR games.  There was a spot for a DM on July 24 to run a module that I've already been through as a player, so I figured it was the perfect time to sign up.What I'm looking for now is advice for a first-time DM for a public event.  I won't necessarily know the players.  I'm having to put together DMing supplies (my previous dungeon mastering experience has all been online with <a href="http://www.rptools.net/index.php?page=maptool" target="_blank">MapTool</a> and the like).  I've written about this <a href="http://onlinedm.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/living-forgotten-realms-becoming-a-dm/" target="_blank">on my blog</a> and have already gotten some good input there, but I know that there are more opportunities to get good input here on EN World, so I thought I'd ask.My thoughts so far:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Read and re-read the module, obviously.  Know it forward and backward.  Pay particular attention to the interesting things that the creatures can do.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Since I only have one Chessex mat, I'm thinking of making nice-looking maps in MapTool and then following <a href="http://www.rpgmusings.com/2010/06/using-gridmapper-for-rpg-maps/" target="_blank">DM Samuel's advice </a>about printing them out using PosteRazor (not with GridMapper as DM Samuel used, though).  That way I can have all of the maps ready ahead of time (in color!) without having to buy more Chessex mats.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Since I don't have minis, I plan to make my own using <a href="http://newbiedm.com/2008/11/22/newbiedm-tutorial-counters-tokens-or-pogs/" target="_blank">NewbieDM's metal washer method </a>(genius!).  I've got tokens in MapTool, so I'll just make them into physical pogs and use those.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Maybe see if my regular in-person group would be up for letting me run the module as a one-shot with them.  I'm usually just a player with that group, but would it help for me to have run it once in advance?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Do I need to get the LFR Campaign Guide and read it?  I'm still pretty new to LFR, though I think the module pretty much has what I need to know.</li> </ul>I know that I may be overthinking this, but since I'll be out there in public as an "official dungeon master" I'd like to do a good job.  What is your advice?  As of this writing I still have over three weeks to prepare, so let's hear it!Oh, and in case it matters, the adventure in question is WATE1-1 Heirloom.</blockquote>

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