How do you improve your DM skills?

[Tormenet]

Player surveys. Every five sessions or so I send out a very short survey to my players. It asks about their characters goals and also about their feelings about the campaign- what sucks and what they like.

I tell them to be very honest. I make sure I turn off my ego when I read their responses. I never discuss their responses (unless I need clarification) with them or try to defend/justify myself.

After a few times, seeing that I was not taking their comments personally, they became more comfortable and let loose. The feedback can be very useful.

Tormenet

 

[Old One]

Agree Completely...

Player surveys. Every five sessions or so I send out a very short survey to my players. It asks about their characters goals and also about their feelings about the campaign- what sucks and what they like.

I tell them to be very honest. I make sure I turn off my ego when I read their responses. I never discuss their responses (unless I need clarification) with them or try to defend/justify myself.

After a few times, seeing that I was not taking their comments personally, they became more comfortable and let loose. The feedback can be very useful.

Tormenet

IM -

This is an excellent suggestion...which reminds me...I am overdue for one of these !

You may find that what you are doing now is great and all the players love it. Likewise, you may discover there are certain things that the majority of players comment on that you can improve on. That way, you can focus your efforts on 1-2 specific areas at a time, instead of tackling the "Make Me a Better DM Tarresque".

Good luck!

~ Old One

 

[shilsen]

Practice
Watch
Listen
Read
Visit ENWorld

 

[MoonZar]

You should first know what is a good DM... Every people will told you many different amswer.

My amswer is .. give the players what they want.

Every PC have a goal, so give them opportunity to realize their goal. Of course you should give challenge, the harder the quest is, the more happy they will be to achieve it.

I think this very simple, plan your quest about what the PC want and they will love your game even if u dont know well the rules and stuff like this.

After all the goal is not to remind all rules, but to have fun...

MoonZar

 

[Agemegos]

Practice. "Men learn to be lyrists by playing the lyre."

Experiment. And by that I don't just mean 'try different things in a haphazard way'. I mean that when you hear or think of an idea that you think might be useful you ought to try it out sytematically in a few sessions and make a careful observtion of the difference it makes.

Try different games, genres, and settings.

Watch genre movies and read genre books to keep sharp and up-to-date on genre conventions, tropes, variations.

Whenever you get a chance, try to catch a game GMed by anybody with a Big Name in Gaming or otherwise a good rep. Observe his or her technique.

Read relevant non-fiction. Social history, history of technology, anthropology, etc. It nearly all comes in handy.

 

[BASTON!!!]

With chocolate bribes! It works the other way too.

 

[Umbran]

Agamegos makes a good point - you not only need practice, but you need to experiment. Try things you've never done before.

Do it with different games, genres, settings, rules and ideas. But don't stop there. Experiment with your presentation. Experiment with dramatic (or humor) styles. Experiment with new plot elements. Experiment with new visual or mechanical aids. Experiment with music to set a mood. Experiment with different styles of preparation.

 

[DackBlackhawk]

Practice makes perfect

I would practice my DM skills at work, on unsuspecting customers at OfficeMax. Communication is critical and beign able to handle different people is an adventage to a DM. Retail is an ideal way to meet lots of people and convey information to them.

 

[the Jester]

Read some good story hours- they're inspirational.

I recommend Piratecat and Sepulchrave II. And myself, of course.

 

[Whimsical]

Get the Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering. I found it to be very valuable.

Among other things, he describes different types of players, and how to give them the game they want.

Also, read the D&D Dungeon Master's Guide. Seems like obvious advice, but a lot of people don't do this. After all, when's the last time you have read it? Have you read the parts that isn't about magic items and prestige classes? It actually contains a lot of good ideas, and when you are at a point like the one that you are now, then it is the best time to re-read it as you now have some places in your mind to hang some of that information that slipped by you last time.