Tips for a fledgling DM?

[Initiate]

I've DM'd a little over the last couple years mostly D20 and Star Wars. I'm going to start running WotBS next week and I was wondering if any 4E DMs have any advice on running things smoothly and keep things interesting.

I'm a tad nervous about running this to be honest as it's been almost a year since I've DM'd anything and that campaign didn't end on a very good note. Any advice would be helpful, Thanks.

 

[Pbartender]

Any advice would be helpful, Thanks.

Keep your players out of the light. They hate bright light, especially sunlight. It'll kill them.

And keep them away from water. Don't get them wet.

But the most important rule, the rule you can never forget: No matter how much they cry or how much they beg... Never, never feed them after midnight.

Got it?

 

[Stumblewyk]

I don't have any specific advice for that particular module, but I will say the biggest thing you can take to heart is that you are always your own worst critic, as a DM.

I find that it's far more important for my players that I'm consistent with my rulings, willing to be wrong when I'm wrong, and overall, interested in providing them with a great game.

I suspect they're just happy they have someone who's willing to run a game for them.

Keeping those two things in mind, be fair, be honest with your players when you aren't 100% on a ruling, punish them terribly when they do something stupid.

 

[Solvarn]

Marking

Something to put on the board to indicate marks and bloodied status helps tremendously. We use those plastic ring things that come off of soda bottles. They work really well. You can also buy pipe cleaners and bend them in circles.

 

[Ryujin]

Something to put on the board to indicate marks and bloodied status helps tremendously. We use those plastic ring things that come off of soda bottles. They work really well. You can also buy pipe cleaners and bend them in circles.

I bought a bunch of cheap, round, 3/4" magnets and painted the edges in different colours, to represent the different characters. A lot of them I painted red, to represent bloodied status. They stack nicely and work well with most figures.

My one piece of advice, which isn't specific to that campaign, is that in 4e it tends to be better to be quick, than necessarily right. Know the rules as well as you can, starting out, but when it comes to a player questioning the way that you've ruled on something briefly hear him out, then make a ruling and stick to it. Look up the applicable rule later and remember in future.

 

[webrunner]

From another similar thread:

Some tricks I've learned:
First, pre-roll monster initiative. It saves so much time at the table especially if it's minionful.
Second: I like to make cards with each monster on it: one side has the name and a picture, the other the stats, and then i make two cuts on the bottom and put them on top of the DM screen in initiative order, removing them as they're killed. I also ahve cards for the party members.

Also, I suggest these: Bendy Dungeon Walls they're cheap as sin and awesome as sin. That's like double as sin as even sin is.

Other than that, having something to track status effects and keep track of similar monsters is helpful (i use a set of sticky letter/number/color labels I got at the dollar store)

 

[TarionzCousin]

Concentrate on having fun. Try to ensure that everyone is enjoying themselves. Rules and DM skills will come in time.

 

[Pbartender]

Rules and DM skills will come in time.

And on that note...

When in doubt, admit it, rule in favor of the players within reason, and keep the game moving. Look it up later after the session is over, and relay what you find to all the players.

 

[OnlineDM]

I'm running my online party through our fourth session in the War of the Burning Sky saga this evening - you're welcome to lurk via MapTool if you like!

Confidence goes a long way. Whatever you're running, make it your own so that you feel confident in changing it in whatever way you see fit. My best sessions as a DM have been those where I went my own way and felt free to change the world on the fly. My worst sessions came when I was trying to slavishly conform to printed material - that just doesn't work for me. Use the printed material as inspiration, not a bible.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

If there is a fun way and a right way, the fun way is always right.