D&D 5E Have you actually read the 5e DMG?

[cbwjm]

I'm mostly certain I've read it cover to cover, though some of that might have been skimming (in particular I would have skimmed over most of the magical items, I can look back at them when I'm looking up loot for an adventure) and I didn't necessarily read the chapters in order but instead picked out chapters to read depending on what I felt like reading. The thing is, most of what is in there I likely read right when I first got it so that now much of it would be forgotten or half remembered.

 

[jayoungr]

I hang my head in shame. I really should have read it from cover to cover by now, but well, I haven't.

 

[SkidAce]

I hang my head in shame. I really should have read it from cover to cover by now, but well, I haven't.

 

[jayoungr]

Now, how am I supposed to read it like that?

 

[prabe]

Now, how am I supposed to read it like that?

Use a mouthstick? ;-)

 

[Maestrino]

Read it cover to cover once as a player before I had run any games. (I'm pretty good at separating what my character would know from what I know...) Then I read it cover-to-cover again in prep to run my first campaign.

 

[Waterbizkit]

I've read it cover-to-cover more than a few times. Same with the PHB and the MM... and whatever supplements I plan on using like Volo's, Xanathar's and Mordenkainen's. It's just something I like to do. The more I read, the more I can commit to memory and the more I can recall without touching a book the better I feel about my DMing. I've done this for 3e/3.5e, 4e and 5e. Basically every edition I've been a DM instead of a player.

To be clear, I don't have an eidetic memory or anything special like that and I love to improv. I can improv whole sessions and have. But... I feel more comfortable doing that kind of thing the more I have committed to memory and the less I need to reach for a book. It's a personal thing, that's all, and believe me I still have to reach for a book here & there.

Anyway, to each their own, but I read the books in their entirety because I just like it.

 

[akr71]

I voted cover to cover but that is not completely true. I have read A LOT of it, but probably not the whole thing. I know where the things I need are, when I need them. That's good enough for me

 

[Ulfgeir]

Haven't read it (but I have checked out the stuff on magical items). I am a player. Of course, I haven't exactly read the PHB from cover to cover either, but I have read the parts that were relevant to the characters that I played.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

I think we need a few more voting options for being a DM and having not read it, barely read it, skimmed it, etc.

Personally I'm often a DM and started reading it cover to cover, gave up after two chapters or so, and have just looked at other stuff intermittently since. At this point I've probably read about 75% of the magical items and other rewards chapter looking up various things (usually just as a guideline for making up stuff) and I occasionally reference the vehicle rules and 2 or 3 of the random tables. Otherwise I've hardly ever used it.

I think I actually use it more often when I'm a player and the DM made a ruling they were uncertain of and don't want to derail the game looking up WotC's recommendation themself.