D&D 5E What is the best way to learn how to be a DM?

[Snarf Zagyg]

1. DM with a group of friends that will forgive you your mistakes.
2. Have fun.
3. Make mistakes.
4. Learn from those mistakes.
5. Go to 1.

 

[delericho]

Watch one, do one, teach one.

That is, I'd recommend by starting off either as a player in an existing game or, not quite as good, watching someone running a game online. That will give a feel for what it's all about and how it's done.

Then I'd recommend picking up a Starter Set or generating some small adventure of your own, and running that.

And then I'd recommend taking some time to explain to someone else what you're doing and why. That last step is surprisingly helpful - chances are you won't have really thought through those details until you have to explain to someone else.

That done, just get on with it.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

I just want to emphasize how radically better the starter set adventures are for a new DM than the full book 5e adventures. The full campaign book adventures are (in my experience) mostly way too complicated and poorly presented to run other than as-is without becoming more trouble than they are worth. If you are destined to be an "exactly what the published adventure says" DM this is probably fine, but if not than it's probably the worst way to start.

The starter sets meanwhile have barebones adventures begging to be fleshed out by a creative DM and made their own, and even where they are not barebones they are simple enough that you can get a grasp of how everything interacts in them, making them much easier to tweak to your liking. And they come with both a little helpful advice for new DMs and all the monsters and items printed in the back so you don't need any books handy. For anyone who actually wants to be creative but also wants to save prep time and/or needs a little guidance they are WotC's best adventure products all around. It's a shame they don't design more products on the same model.

I'd also like to say that the worst thing you can do to the poor 5e DMG is expect it to teach a new DM how to DM. I think it would probably have a much better reputation if so many of us had not made the mistake of trying to use it for that. As a guide for someone who has already run games to level up their DMing skills it is vastly more effective.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Someone you know wants to start up a game of dnd 5e. Aside from the players handbook and monster manual, what, if anything, would you recommend they consider to learn how to run the game? Choose 3.

This should settle it! . Though I made this 5e specific, it is arguably an even more pressing concern for non dnd games, that have fewer venues for teaching new players how to play. What have you found is the best way to learn a new system? I don't follow actual play series for entertainment, but personally I have found watching an actual play video, particularly with the creator of the game, is very helpful in seeing how it plays in practice.

I learnt to swim by swimming, not by watching swimmers or reading about swimming.

To me, games are the same. To quote Game Changer from Dropout, “The only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning, the only way to begin is by beginning.”

I voted for the play options, obviously.

 

[DND_Reborn]

How is this option:

Playing friends/family who are experienced players​

No longer at 100%.... It was a while ago. Who the heck would NOT vote for the best way to learn to play...

 

[Imaro]

How is this option:

Playing friends/family who are experienced players​

No longer at 100%.... It was a while ago. Who the heck would NOT vote for the best way to learn to play...

Some posters just want to see the world burn...

 

[DND_Reborn]

Some posters just want to see the world burn...

I suppose if a new player/DM doesn't know anyone else who plays... maybe?

But it should still be the "best" way to learn...

 

[FrogReaver]

The answer is time travel!

 

[bloodtide]

I'm very much on the side of play the game and figure it out on your own.

The whole point of an RPG is you can play the game however you want, but this is something that has been lost in the internet age.

Too many starting gamers watch a video of one gaming group, and then think their game must be exactly a copy of that.

 

[gorice]

I (extremely reluctantly) voted for learning from experienced players or some of the better streamers. The books just aren't very useful, in my experience. I haven't played the starter sets: do they provide more/different advice than the PHB/basic rules?