Let's create an advice list for all the new DM's out there (contributions requested)

[reveal]

I have seen a lot of posts on here regarding advice on being a new DM. I thought, why not come up with some sort of definitive list of what to do and what not to do? With all the years (decades) of experience DMing there is on this board, let's make it an easier place for newbie DMs to get some good, solid, advice on making their game extremely enjoyable.

Feel free to add your own advice or stories to show a point. I'll start off with a few.

1) Know the rules.

2) Know the rules well.

3) Know your players. In my campaign, we were about to start a tough module that combined mystery and intrigue. I knew my players and I knew that they were easily frustrated and would start to feel like the DM was "out to get them" if they didn't understand what was going on, even if they weren't meant to at a certain point. So, before we started the module, I sat them down and let them know that I was not "out to get them" and that I would not try to screw them over. If they used their minds and just went along with it, everyone would be ok in the end. And so, as we are in the middle of the module, it has been fantastic and, while the PCs don't get everything that is going on, they are not frustrated and are having an extremely good time.

4) To go along with point 3, communicate with your players. Be willing to give/get advice.

5) Be prepared. No player likes to sit there while the DM looks up a spell or a monster for 5 minutes.

 

[jasper]

6. Have the players decide on a SOP. Ex. Both rogues check for traps then fighter opens door.
7. No tap backs. If player says he run screaming in blind panic from the room. He then can't return for x rounds.
8. Leave game problems at the table and don't bring problems to the game. Bob stole my girl so his character dies.
9. Party Caller. That is Joe who decides left or right, not Joe's paladin.
10. Fix major mistakes asap. Even if the magic item just reappears in bob's sock during the night.
11. Set time limit for in game rule research. 3 minutes max.
12. Your the dm. You decide who lives and dies, who plays and who cries.
13. Own a copy of each book you allow in the campaign.
14. Decide how absent pc are handled. Poof they here poof they gone. Etc.
15. Keep your campaign seperate from others. Expecially if Josie like giving out magic missle machine guns to third level characters.
16. Play other games whether it RPG or monopoly.
17. Never game with some one you have personality problems outside the game.
18. Decide how to handle mega gaming.
19. What is good for the characters is good for the monsters. Ex. Mage wants to use Telekenises to throw one hundred million darts at monster. Norman the NPC mage will pick up on this trick too.


small sample of problems.
Alice is a rules lawyer. You’re the dm if she can’t make her case in 1 minute. Drive on and correct major mistakes later. Ex. I plane shifted a character in the arms of a Mind Flayer without a saving throw. Created a side story and had the party encounter him later.
Bob wants to use the spoon for splat book of ever spoon. My rule is I must OWN the book and no photocopies.
Carrie wants to run a character, which is above the adventure level. Repeat after me, “ I’m the Dm. I decide who lives and dies who plays and who cries. Tell Carrie NO! And show her the door.
David has combined spells x, y, z which breaks the campaign if you interpret his way. You’re the dm how do you rule.
Elaine is a problem player and my best friend. Talk to her first then show her the door. Sub note if Elaine is wifey-poo enjoy the couch.
Freddy slows the game by talking out campaign stuff. If the group goes along, bookmark spot and join in. After all you here to socialize aren’t you.
Georgia runs the same clone character every time. So. Gives you an in and come up with creative ways to off Knuckles XX.
Harry read the module. Change the treasure and traps around.
Illisa

 

[Mark]

20. Be Over-prepared - Keep as much source material on hand as possible (created or collected) so that you are always ready for those times when the players take a left turn.

 

[Bagpuss]

21. Always make the player pay for the snacks.

 

[Zappo]

22. No pet NPCs. The fact that you have the power to create a 42nd level wizard and have it follow your players' 4th level party around doesn't mean you should do so.
23. What's good for the monsters is good for the PCs, or: don't pull out special abilities on the fly. If a NPC does some amazing trick, expect the players to want to know how he did it and how can they do it. You can prevent them from ever finding out, but you can't do that more than once or twice.
24. Don't introduce silly elements in a serious campaign unless you know exactly what you're doing.
25. Don't introduce fantasy elements in a science-fiction or modern campaign unless you know exactly what you're doing.
26. Don't introduce sci-fi elements in a fantasy or modern campaign unless you know exactly what you're doing.
27. Basically, don't mess with the campaign setting until you are more experienced. World-building isn't easy.
28. Don't give out ten times the recommended experience or treasure. I know that you think you'd like to play a high-powered campaign, but trust me: you don't. Not until you're more experienced yourself.
29. Prepare plans, craft devious plots, and then don't get angry when the players will cause them to crash down in flames.
30. No railroading. That would be, don't force the PCs down a path. Nudge them. Make them think it was their idea to begin with. Don't have the king send a 19th level paladin telling them to do it.
31. Be ready to ignore the rules and/or fudge dice if the story would benefit.
32. When doing #30, make sure the players never find out.

 

[Zigmutt]

always modify the monsters in the MM.

If you don't- give them names. Do not use monsters as is- cause there are people who read and memorize the monsters.

the best source for new encounters (random) is to pick a monster from MM - with sufficient intelligence, and add PC levels to them. This will give you fun NPC monsters and at the same time keep the PCs guessing about how strong something is.

If you have not noticed- the board fav is the kobold... a CR1/2 that can do just about anything...

 

[Zigmutt]

the most challenging adv for PC groups is a string of encounters- not one epic one. Those usualy end in a kill or die situation. A string of fights- even small ones- drain the PCs of their abilities and HP which forces them to think of alternative ways of using their resources-- and much more fun to watch from DM perspective. You may even learn a few things from them.

 

[EarthsShadow]

38. Know the characters themselves. Understand them, their motivations and reason for living.
39. Have the players understand their characters. After all, what's the point in playing something you don't understand at all.
40. Be fair to each person, no favoritism. Players will see right through that and call you on it.
41. Roll dice behind the DM screen when you want to roll something that the PC's should not know about, or if they shouldn't know if they succeeded or not.
42. Roll in front of the players in combat for dealing damage. They will soon fear getting hit, because they know that whatever numbers come up, that is what is being done to them if they get hit.
43. When doing 42, this also shows that you are not cheating and if one of their characters does happen to die, they can't claim you set them up. In other words, they can't get all whiney about it.
44. Know your NPC's and Monsters, the reasons as to why they are encountering the PC's. This will enable you the ability to roleplay the NPC's better. Understand them.
45. Don't give away treasure unless it makes sense. Sometimes using the random charts for treasure produces some treasure that doesn't make sense.
46. Be fair with XP.
47. Said before, will say it again. Communicate with your players. Understand what kind of campaign they want to play, and let them know what kind of campaign you want to run for them. Make sure you have this discussion. Communication, beyond anything else, is most important. If you change anything about the rules, make sure each player understands the change and the reason why, or else they won't like it. (example: changing standing up from prone from not provoking an attack of opportunity to actually provoking an attack of opportunity unless they take a particular feat)...I did this one.
48. HAVE FUN!!! MORE IMPORTANT THAN COMMUNICATION.

 

[Kesh]

THis is getting out of hand...

I say, write up 10 rules for your campaign, and give them to your players beforehand. I don't mean, rulings about actions, per se. Just general, "This is how I do things in my game," like how to handle debates and such.