To DM or not to DM. That is the question. Any advice?

[Blackmoor_Film]

I am just offering suggestions.

I wasn't trying to jump down your throat.

I say that about DM'ing being competitive, because so many people seem to think it is a contest, so I was speaking just in general terms. Every session is different based on who plays.

Yet my core idea is still to just do a one off and go crazy with it and see what happens.

I try to use special words, I will highlight them here:

Anyone who has a set of rules should try to DM at least once. My experience is that it is easy to over think it.

You have a world? Well, maybe all you need is a one level dungeon.

Your players bailed out after 3 days of working on characters? Maybe you need to start beginners faster.

Dm'ing isn't a competitive art, it's just something one does and learns from. And perhaps being a DM sometimes, will give you a greater appreciation for other DM's when you play again.

If you think in terms of a one off game, you can have more freedom as a DM. I like giving people 2 characters in a one off. And I will even say something like: ok, everyone gets 40k experience points to play with. I also tell them: since this is a one off, we're gonna be playing in a super deadly way. No cake walk!

All meant as suggestions.

 

[S'mon]

Re players taking too long - unless it is a 3d6 in order odnd/osr game then it is best to have pregens available. For my open table Meetup we always have a selection of pregen pcs for new players to choose from.

 

[pemerton]

Main thing is NEVER start with a railroad, you are just training players to follow rails.

And probably also giving a bad play experience as well!

 

[S'mon]

And probably also giving a bad play experience as well!

Yes! It's fine to start with an obvious lead - maybe two - in Hommlet the Moathouse has a big Adventure! sign over it. But the players have the choice to head there right away or spend a good bit of time getting to know the village and potentially getting into scrapes as well as making alliances & friends. The Moathouse itself can be approached in many different ways - and the module still works if the PCs join the bandits or cultists and end up raiding Hommlet from the Moathouse instead of vice-versa.