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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TarionzCousin" data-source="post: 6556569" data-attributes="member: 31304">One thing I know from being a teacher of both adolescents and adults, is that in order to learn new behaviors, you must practice them. To improve your DM'ing skills, you might pick three things you want to improve on. Research how to do those specific things better: steal from other people; translate their experiences into your games; read articles on websites; ask specific questions on gaming forums; etc.Next, translate those "improved" skills into actual, in-game behaviors. Make a note you can easily see with those behaviors when DM'ing. Glance at it often and make an effort to do those behaviors.When you have practiced the first set of behaviors well enough to do them as second nature, pick two or three more behaviors and work on them.ExampleThree Things to Improve:1. Plotting2. Fight Encounters3. NPC role playingResearching these things as indicated above produces these results, among others:1. Plotting: Don't predict what the PC's will do; make flow charts; decide what the bad guys will do if the PC's don't intervene.2. Fight Encounters. Base the monsters' decisions on their Intelligence scores; create complex, obstacle-laden battle environments; practice describing attacks, wounds, and villain soliloquies.3. NPC's: Develop a shorthand for describing each NPC; practice various accents (poorly imitate movie stars or people you know); give each NPC some wants, desires and flaws.Still with me? Put notes on your DM screen, DM Guide, Monster Manual, or someplace where you will see them often. Now, when something relating to one of these three things comes up in play, glance at your note and demonstrate the "new/improved" behavior. Keep doing this and it will get easier. But don't try too much at once. Maybe start with one simple behavior to change, like "Make combats more descriptive." Every DM was once brand new and most of us weren't very good to start. If you make a conscious effort to improve, you will.Good luck!</blockquote>

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