1. Listening
Listening means paying attention to what the players want out of the game, and making sure they know that you have heard them.
Listening means stepping back to allow players to solve problems and plan strategies. Instead of micromanaging and telling players what to do, give players the freedom to think of things you might never have thought of. Step back to allow the groups creativity to flow.
Pay attention to the characters goals. Listen to what they want and where they are headed. Listen to your NPCs as well. Great role-playing and character moments will come more naturally when you can see what characters want. Send characters in a certain direction and make the story happen by putting obstacles in the way.
If you have an idea, no matter how weird or silly it is, write it down. Listen to yourself and your ideas when planning a session. Don't dismiss your thoughts and ideas. Allow yourself to use crazy situations. The goal of the game is to be creative, allow yourself to create. Always listen to yourself and your fun ideas. You never know when they could come in handy. Stay open to new ideas. It's okay to plan something just for fun!
Pay attention to players predictions and ideas about the plot or the story. Their ideas might be better or more interesting than what you already had prepared. Use them. Change your plans if you hear a more exciting idea. Adapt your plans to make a story more exciting. This makes your story more interesting and lets the players think they are smart for predicting things.
Listen to feedback. This is the only way you will be able to grow and become a better game master. Be open to criticism and new ideas. Don't take it personally. Your ego is not your game. Your game will improve infinitely if you can listen to feedback and adapt to new ideas and techniques.
2. Adapting
Adapt to the feedback.
Allow yourself to be able to change and grow. Listening and learning mean nothing if you can't adapt to the new ideas. Take action and adapt the game to what you have learned. Learning and growing only happen when you try new things. Take action.
Change your best laid plans and adjust the pacing to let your game flow smoothly. Allow the story and plot to change when you need it to. Be adaptable as to how you get to your ultimate goal. It's okay to change paths and allow new paths to reach the same conclusion or encounter you have planned. The ideas of "how to get there" might become different every session.
The more you stick to trying to keep the players on one story path, the more rigid and boring your story becomes.
Allow you and your players to try new things and take new paths. Let those new paths lead to something you already had planned anyway. This will make the pacing and creativity flow a lot better and allows players freedom to come up with their own ideas about what to do.
Learn to change and alter course along the way. Adapt to different terrain on the path that is your story. You need to be adaptable enough to step over roots and turn corners when the path demands. The more you cling to staying on one path, the more frustrated you and your players will get when the story doesn't follow your exact plan.
Choose to be adaptable on the path that is a fun game, or stick to the and rigid path of ruin. Don't focus so much on getting to the goal that you might miss out on the fun along the way.
Let your villains and NPCs adapt and react to what is going on. The more your villains can immediately respond and adapt, the more believable and alive your story will become. Role play your NPC's and improvise their characters as you go along. Spend your attention on being a specific character instead of trying to run the whole game.
Adapt your mindset to running your characters instead of being a game master that is just talking to the players. If you are in a specific encounter with a villain or NPC, try to play the role instead of trying to run the game.
Stories and game sessions need to flow freely, improvise with creativity and fun as the ultimate goal. Allow yourself to let go of your plans to let something new develop. Every game and every session will be different. Give them room to grow.
Adapt to players styles and ideas. The nature of the game is ever changing. Work with the group and their play styles. You don't necessarily need to change your style, but you should be able to let players play how they want. Unless it gets disruptive or problematic. Everyone at the table should be allowing different play styles, not just the DM.
The game will always have numerous moving parts with many people who have different ideas and play styles. Accept that the game is ever changing and allow yourself to adapt to that. The quicker you can accept the change, the quicker your game will get better.
The ultimate goal of the game is to have fun, if a member of the group is dismissing or disrupting someones play style, then that person is taking the fun away from someone else.
Create a more believable and interactive world by constantly adjusting it. Players will want to explore and find out new things about your world all the time. Don't be afraid to improvise and make things up. Giving the players something to see and interact with right away is always more interesting than giving them nothing or denying your players a chance to explore.
How do you listen and adapt without going crazy? Balance.
3. Balancing
How can you listen and adapt without loosing total control? Try to balance the game as much as you can.
A good game master isn't the captain of the ship nor the helmsman. The Good GM is the navigator, who can see where the ship is headed and what path it needs to stay on. The good GM nudges players and story in the right direction without fighting for the wheel. A great GM can balance between what all the players want and adjust the movement of the game into something exciting for everyone.
The smart GM navigates by advising and adapting to ever changing situations without railroading.
Balance your story along with the players ideas. Balance is adding what the players want without stepping off of the path altogether.
Balance means running encounters that are focused on role-play or exploring instead of just continuous combat.
Balance means having a few easy battles among the harder ones.
Give every player a chance to role-play and a chance to use their different abilities to solve problems. Instead of letting just one player trying to control everything. Balance means giving every player an equal amount of attention and game time.
Balance means seeing problems with players and the game. Take care of those problems and get them back in harmony before they destroy the entire game.
A campaign needs balance between the high stakes-high energy sessions and the quieter character driven storytelling sessions. Use some simple plots to balance out the intensity.
Balance how much information and lore you are giving your players. Instead of pausing the game and making everyone wait for you to spout exposition to a single player, write down what is important and hand it to the player when you have time.
If you are droning on about the history of your dwarven cities, you need to pay attention to how the players are reacting to the information. Are they paying attention? Or are they bored out of their minds? Balance means being brief and giving players only the relevant information and then moving on.
Take a short rest to re-gain your GM spell slots!
Take breaks from the game every few hours. Let yourself and your players relax without feeling the need to constantly be preforming. Renew your mental batteries. Drink water.
It's okay to take breaks between sessions and campaigns. Take a break from running games if it gets to stressful or too much work. If you allow yourself to get burnt out, the game won't be enjoyable for anyone. A tired and stressed out game master means a boring game.
4. Most importantly, HAVE FUN
Having fun is being together with your friends. Having fun means playing with people you actually want to be around.
Have a safe place to be creative, without worrying about other agendas.
Having fun means experiencing good interactions and feeling connected to the group.
Having fun means the game isn't stressing you out or making you worried about it.
Having fun means you are excited to run a game and you are excited to see what your players can come up with.
Having fun means your story line is moving forward and you are confident in where you are going.
Having fun means that you enjoy the creative process, working with your players and adapting to create a story together.
Having fun means you are excited to play again.
If you aren't having fun, then you should not be doing all the work to run a game.
If you are stressed out and feeling pressure to preform, or have anxiety about the next game, then you probably aren't having fun.
Having fun means making sure your players are having fun too.
Having fun means feeling accepted and respected by your players. Your players are willing to work with you and your story. Your players are accepting your play style. Your players are not arguing or complaining about your game.
If you are not having fun, why you are doing this?
Monday, November 4, 2019
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
How to Improve your tabletop role-playing. (Without too much Improvisation.)
If you want more role-playing at your table, or you want to improve your skills, as a player or a game master, you came to the right place. This article will help you play a character that people will be talking about for years to come.
Here you will learn how to implement new character aspects you can use right away to improve your role playing skills.
Improvising is important, but if you aren't good at that, it's okay. We'll look at strategies that you can prepare for almost any situation, instead of feeling the pressure to improvise.
Using just a few of these fundamental tools will help you and your character be ready for any situation.
Put some extra thought into your character. (This should be obvious, people.)
First of all make sure you have a backstory created and a simple goal for your character to eventually accomplish. Having even a few sentences of your characters backstory and goals is a lot better than nothing at all. Check this for how to create a character.
If you are lucky enough to have a session zero, make sure to be utilizing that time.
If you jump into a game and don't have time to prepare a character, that's okay. When you have nothing to work with, you can help out the other characters work toward their goals. It's great to be a supporting player, as long as you are consciously making decisions and using your abilities that help out the rest of your party. The DM will definitely make it clear where your party needs to go.
It's totally okay to develop your character in game. It happens all the time. Players are always making decisions about their characters during the game. Let them evolve naturally instead of trying to force every personality detail right away.
The more time you spend with the character and the more encounters they are exposed to, the more you will get to know them.
It's totally okay to develop your character in game. It happens all the time. Players are always making decisions about their characters during the game. Let them evolve naturally instead of trying to force every personality detail right away.
The more time you spend with the character and the more encounters they are exposed to, the more you will get to know them.
Create a catch-phrase so you don't have to improvise every time you have to talk in character.
If you do have a catch-phrase, I would suggest making it reflect you characters goals or alignments.
Captain America says "I could do this all day." This shows that he will always stand up to bullies and never back down.
Maybe your catchphrase reflects what you believe in or what you care about. "Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come."
Or a specific philosophy, "Do, or do not, there is no try."
You don't need to read that deeply into it. "I’m really bad at stealthing. We should go."
–Scanlan, Critical Roll episode 6.
–Scanlan, Critical Roll episode 6.
How about a fighter or barbarian who says, "It's clobberin' time!" Ben Grimm knows what he is good at and isn't afraid to say so.
Say something that reflects your goals. "You killed my father, prepare to die."
What specific actions or habits does your character have?
How does your cleric or wizard meditate? What does it look like when they cast their spells?
What does your character do when they are spending alone time standing watch? Does your character have a victory dance they do after they make a kill? Are they obsessed with making sure all the adventuring gear is organized?
What does your character do when they are spending alone time standing watch? Does your character have a victory dance they do after they make a kill? Are they obsessed with making sure all the adventuring gear is organized?
Do they take time to talk to horses or other pets? Is your character always using magic to change their hair color?
Does your character keep a journal? Do they write poems or songs? Are they always doing some kind of research?
Does your character keep a journal? Do they write poems or songs? Are they always doing some kind of research?
Does your character like to whittle or carve wood? Make toys? Forge weapons? Tell stories? Buy low and sell high? Knit sweaters? Make jewelry? Constantly make bets? Flirt? Host parties? Wear costumes?
Making small character habits will prepare you when you need to make more drastic choices.
Use actions that don't disrupt the game flow or stop other players from doing what they want to do.
Simple choices can be made to participate in the game. These pre-prepared actions give you something that you are ready to do instead of having to improvise.
Making small character habits will prepare you when you need to make more drastic choices.
Use actions that don't disrupt the game flow or stop other players from doing what they want to do.
Simple choices can be made to participate in the game. These pre-prepared actions give you something that you are ready to do instead of having to improvise.
What are your characters social circles?
being part of a group or a club gives your character something to talk about and connects your character to the world.
being part of a group or a club gives your character something to talk about and connects your character to the world.
Is your character part of an athletic or a golf club? A group of adventurers? Do they frequent a specific tavern or coffee shop or weapon smith?
Do they hang out with old college buddies on the weekend? Are they a part of a study group? Are they in a choir or a acting troupe? Do they gamble or attend a poker night?
Or maybe your character wants to get back to town just to have a drink with the boys.
Being part of a social circle makes your character more connected, you could get help or contacts you might not normally have. Having your character be initiated into a specific guild or legion could become a huge plot point.
Or maybe your character wants to get back to town just to have a drink with the boys.
Being part of a social circle makes your character more connected, you could get help or contacts you might not normally have. Having your character be initiated into a specific guild or legion could become a huge plot point.
Give your character a specific item that they can't live without.
This is another thing to prepare for before the session starts. Another trick to have prepared instead of improvising.
This is another thing to prepare for before the session starts. Another trick to have prepared instead of improvising.
Arthur Dent just wants to find a good cup of tea. Sam-wise always has his pots and pans with him. Gandalf is always puffing on his pipe.
Maybe your character has a pocket watch that belonged to their grandpa. Or a locket with your lovers picture in it.
Maybe your character has a pocket watch that belonged to their grandpa. Or a locket with your lovers picture in it.
Get specific weapons or armor that you can't leave without. Or other accessories. A very comfy robe you need to travel with. Or that impressive cape you like to wear to parties.
If your character is awkward at a party, you can tug at your fancy cape, or fiddle with your necklace.
Hold up your holy symbol and pray to your gods that the awkwardness will end soon.
Bring a real life props to the table.
Having something specific that your character plays with gives you something to focus on when you don't know what else to do. If you don't have a plan, fall back on sharpening your sword or tuning your lute.
Don't think about how intelligent your character is, instead think about how your character is intelligent.
Everybody is smart in some way, or an expert in some specific area. Make your knowledge and skills mean more than what is on your character sheet. With your DM's permission.
This isn't limited to what you get from your class or background. Your characters skills go beyond just a profession. I'm talking about what your character enjoys and excels at.
Do you know how to play five different musical instruments? Do you know all the landmarks between here and the mountains? Can you track every deer trail and footprint you see?
Can you read magic without a second thought? Can you navigate your way through any social situation?
You might not be able to read but you know all the critical areas of the human body and know exactly where to strike. You may be knowledgeable about 17 different types of poison and their effects.
Maybe you can recount every bit of gossip or scandal in the royal court? You can talk endlessly about the history of the region and never be bored of it.
Can you identify 53 different species of monster or magical creatures and list their weaknesses? Do you understand all the trade agreements from 7 different countries?
Do you know how to sail a ship? Identify weather patterns?
Is your character a talented artist or sculptor? Can you brew potions and recognize every spell component?
You might not know how to act in front of the queen, but you can forge the strongest sword out of any type of metal available.
These ideas can be another weapon in your arsenal when you want to contribute to the story or you don't know what else your character can talk about.
What subject is your character an expert in.
Figure out what your characters likes and dislikes about themselves.
Are you proud to be a dragon-born or ashamed to be half demon? Are you hiding the fact that you are half-goblin? Do you agree with the fact that your fellow dwarves might have dug too deep?
Do you support your elfin nation making alliances with the orcs?
What part of your backstory are you ashamed of? What does your character regret?
What abilities do you resent? Are you ashamed of being born as a sorcerer? Do you hate the fact that you can sing to inspire people? Are you constantly healing people that don't deserve being healed? Are you dismayed of turning into a rage monster whenever you get angry?
How does your character react when they know they can't do something? Or fail to do something? Are they afraid of change or scared to try something new?
What about your backstory are you the most proud of? What do you like to brag about?
Knowing what your character likes or supports, goes a long way toward knowing how to react and respond to specific situations during the game.
Now that you have more inspiration prepared about your character, you need to put your character into the action. Don't be afraid to start a conversation or set the scene. Relate your character to the other characters.
Hold up your holy symbol and pray to your gods that the awkwardness will end soon.
Bring a real life props to the table.
Having something specific that your character plays with gives you something to focus on when you don't know what else to do. If you don't have a plan, fall back on sharpening your sword or tuning your lute.
Don't think about how intelligent your character is, instead think about how your character is intelligent.
Everybody is smart in some way, or an expert in some specific area. Make your knowledge and skills mean more than what is on your character sheet. With your DM's permission.
This isn't limited to what you get from your class or background. Your characters skills go beyond just a profession. I'm talking about what your character enjoys and excels at.
Do you know how to play five different musical instruments? Do you know all the landmarks between here and the mountains? Can you track every deer trail and footprint you see?
Can you read magic without a second thought? Can you navigate your way through any social situation?
You might not be able to read but you know all the critical areas of the human body and know exactly where to strike. You may be knowledgeable about 17 different types of poison and their effects.
Maybe you can recount every bit of gossip or scandal in the royal court? You can talk endlessly about the history of the region and never be bored of it.
Can you identify 53 different species of monster or magical creatures and list their weaknesses? Do you understand all the trade agreements from 7 different countries?
Do you know how to sail a ship? Identify weather patterns?
Is your character a talented artist or sculptor? Can you brew potions and recognize every spell component?
You might not know how to act in front of the queen, but you can forge the strongest sword out of any type of metal available.
These ideas can be another weapon in your arsenal when you want to contribute to the story or you don't know what else your character can talk about.
What subject is your character an expert in.
Figure out what your characters likes and dislikes about themselves.
Are you proud to be a dragon-born or ashamed to be half demon? Are you hiding the fact that you are half-goblin? Do you agree with the fact that your fellow dwarves might have dug too deep?
Do you support your elfin nation making alliances with the orcs?
What part of your backstory are you ashamed of? What does your character regret?
What abilities do you resent? Are you ashamed of being born as a sorcerer? Do you hate the fact that you can sing to inspire people? Are you constantly healing people that don't deserve being healed? Are you dismayed of turning into a rage monster whenever you get angry?
How does your character react when they know they can't do something? Or fail to do something? Are they afraid of change or scared to try something new?
What about your backstory are you the most proud of? What do you like to brag about?
Knowing what your character likes or supports, goes a long way toward knowing how to react and respond to specific situations during the game.
Set the Scene. Ask players about their characters.
Now that you have more inspiration prepared about your character, you need to put your character into the action. Don't be afraid to start a conversation or set the scene. Relate your character to the other characters.
If you want to role play, you can't do it by yourself, involve others in it too!
Ask the monk where he learned how to fight. Ask your wizard why he wastes so much time reading. Talk about your family or why your character wants to protect innocent people.
Ask another player why they need that fancy cape at all the parties.
Have your character tell the other characters what they care about. Show off your magic sword you got from the holy order of knights. Talk about why the pots and pans always need to be clean.
Tell other characters why you are so good at picking locks. Brag about your favorite things in your backstory.
Tell the players that you are ashamed of being a sorcerer and you didn't choose to be born with it.
Tell other characters why you are so good at picking locks. Brag about your favorite things in your backstory.
Tell the players that you are ashamed of being a sorcerer and you didn't choose to be born with it.
The more you work with others to develop characters the more they will work with you too. This is how character moments are created together.
A good DM will let the players role play a scene without interrupting the players or rushing the plot forward.
A good DM will let the players role play a scene without interrupting the players or rushing the plot forward.
Support and react to other players actions.
I am always baffled by how many players don't do this. Your party is travelling together, camping out together, fighting side by side constantly, and yet so many players don't react or play off of the other characters.
A great game master, who wants to emphasize roll play, will always be reacting or responding in character.
React to other players stories and support their character arcs.
If you want good role play and character development, this is how you do it. Create friendship and camaraderie with the party members. Grow your personalities and interactions together!
A great game master, who wants to emphasize roll play, will always be reacting or responding in character.
React to other players stories and support their character arcs.
If you want good role play and character development, this is how you do it. Create friendship and camaraderie with the party members. Grow your personalities and interactions together!
Include the other characters in your story!
Interacting with other players characters will create so many chances for good role-play and too many players don't even think about this!
React to your friends making a great kill or executing a creative plan.
Support other players when they are role playing, get involved with the conversation. If you aren't good at improvising, have catch phrases and other stuff ready to use.
Work with your DM and players to create your characters story. You should be helping them do the same.
Work together to emphasize characters abilities.
Ask other PC's to help you out.
Get the fighter to cause a distraction. Ask the rogue to scout ahead or pick some locks. Ask the cleric to turn the undead. Ask the bard to help talk your way out of a situation.
Work together with other players to plan ahead and use each others' skills to support each other. This is why it's a group game.
Take advantage of your skill proficiencies, spells and racial bonuses. These are what makes your character unique. This is how you contribute to working with the party.
Do not dismiss other players' ideas.
Be inclusive, adaptable and supportive.
Let other players try out their ideas. Next time you have a creative idea they might listen to you.
The crazier the idea, the more interesting the game will be. Tabletop RPGs are designed to allow freedom of creativity.
If you are denying creative freedom, you are denying a main element of the game and denying what makes the game fun in the first place.
If players are afraid to be wrong, or make the wrong choice, they won't be able to create anything. Be supportive so you won't be the reason why people are afraid to be creative.
Work with your DM and players to create your characters story. You should be helping them do the same.
If you want to plan a character arc, make sure the group knows about it.
If the party knows what is going on, they can, and should be helping you out with your character development.
Especially if your character is insufferable. Make sure the other players know that your character will learn his lesson. This way the players will actually be patient with you when your character acts like a jerk.
Other players can then make informed decisions and role-play their reactions, based on where they know your character wants to go.
The DM can work with you to prepare specific scenes and opportunities to role play towards that goal.
Especially if your character is insufferable. Make sure the other players know that your character will learn his lesson. This way the players will actually be patient with you when your character acts like a jerk.
Other players can then make informed decisions and role-play their reactions, based on where they know your character wants to go.
The DM can work with you to prepare specific scenes and opportunities to role play towards that goal.
Work together to emphasize characters abilities.
Ask other PC's to help you out.
Get the fighter to cause a distraction. Ask the rogue to scout ahead or pick some locks. Ask the cleric to turn the undead. Ask the bard to help talk your way out of a situation.
Work together with other players to plan ahead and use each others' skills to support each other. This is why it's a group game.
Take advantage of your skill proficiencies, spells and racial bonuses. These are what makes your character unique. This is how you contribute to working with the party.
Do not dismiss other players' ideas.
Be inclusive, adaptable and supportive.
Let other players try out their ideas. Next time you have a creative idea they might listen to you.
The crazier the idea, the more interesting the game will be. Tabletop RPGs are designed to allow freedom of creativity.
If you are denying creative freedom, you are denying a main element of the game and denying what makes the game fun in the first place.
If players are afraid to be wrong, or make the wrong choice, they won't be able to create anything. Be supportive so you won't be the reason why people are afraid to be creative.
Get the hint! React and respond to the story.
If the NPC gnomes tell you that their friends were kidnapped by goblins, you should get the hint and maybe go save them.
Getting the hint means moving the plot forward. Ask questions. Why were the goblins kidnapping people in the first place? Why are the goblins working with a bunch of skeletons?
What happened in your tragic backstory that is relatable to this situation?
Getting the hint means moving the plot forward. Ask questions. Why were the goblins kidnapping people in the first place? Why are the goblins working with a bunch of skeletons?
What happened in your tragic backstory that is relatable to this situation?
When anyone is talking about their character or their goals, there is a chance for role play. Get the hint and start interacting.
How does it make your character feel when the bad guys plans are revealed?
How offended are you when someone raises the dead? What is motivating you to catch the bad guys?
Are you scared or nervous when you find a terrible cursed item?
Make sure you have clear actions that support your characters goals.
Having a cool backstory and a goal doesn't mean much if you aren't including it in the game. Use your goals to drive your character and the role-playing ever forward.
Use backstories, goals, and alignments to inform your characters decisions.
Use your backstory to relate to other characters and whatever else is going on in game.
Make sure you and your character adapts to the group dynamic and play style.
You need to know why your paladin is willing to travel with a bunch of thieves. Why does your necromancer work with a group of clerics? How does a wizard work with a bunch of hack-n-slash barbarians who can't read?
Adapt to the DM's style of play. If the DM wants a game about killing monsters and you want to role-play, put some effort into making a compromise and work together.
Some of the best role play I've seen is during battle. Don't just attack on your turn during battle. Take advantage of the spotlight on your turn to role play as well as fight.
Make sure the DM knows how you want to play so you both can adapt to each others styles.
If the Dungeon Master doesn't know what you want out of the game, they can't give it to you. It's your job to communicate to them what you want and how you want to play.
If that doesn't work, you need to find a different group to play with.
All of this goes along with how to be a good player in general.
Are you scared or nervous when you find a terrible cursed item?
Make sure you have clear actions that support your characters goals.
Having a cool backstory and a goal doesn't mean much if you aren't including it in the game. Use your goals to drive your character and the role-playing ever forward.
Use backstories, goals, and alignments to inform your characters decisions.
Use your backstory to relate to other characters and whatever else is going on in game.
Make sure you and your character adapts to the group dynamic and play style.
You need to know why your paladin is willing to travel with a bunch of thieves. Why does your necromancer work with a group of clerics? How does a wizard work with a bunch of hack-n-slash barbarians who can't read?
Adapt to the DM's style of play. If the DM wants a game about killing monsters and you want to role-play, put some effort into making a compromise and work together.
Some of the best role play I've seen is during battle. Don't just attack on your turn during battle. Take advantage of the spotlight on your turn to role play as well as fight.
Make sure the DM knows how you want to play so you both can adapt to each others styles.
If the Dungeon Master doesn't know what you want out of the game, they can't give it to you. It's your job to communicate to them what you want and how you want to play.
If that doesn't work, you need to find a different group to play with.
All of this goes along with how to be a good player in general.
Be responsible for your character.
Be responsible for moving your story forward. Your character won't evolve or grow unless you put effort into cultivating them. It is your responsibility to continue moving forward.
Be proud of what you create. Be confident in your choices.
The more confidence you have, the more realistic your character becomes.
Be responsible for moving your story forward. Your character won't evolve or grow unless you put effort into cultivating them. It is your responsibility to continue moving forward.
Be proud of what you create. Be confident in your choices.
The more confidence you have, the more realistic your character becomes.
Don't rely on the DM to remember that you sent a love letter to your main squeeze. Remind the DM that you are waiting for a reply. Ask the DM if you recognize someone specific from your backstory.
The more you ask about things, the more likely the dungeon master will add things in for you.
The more you ask about things, the more likely the dungeon master will add things in for you.
Take your special magic sword to the blacksmith for repairs. Go home to visit your family. Create your potions and scrolls. Look for leads to solve a mystery. Find out what kind of enemies you are fighting next and get their weaknesses.
Do not wait for the DM to say what you are going to do. You need to take action and make decisions for your character. Ask if you can try something. Tell the DM what you are planning on doing.
If your character isn't making decisions or taking action, you aren't role playing.
Deciding to stay back at the farmhouse while the rest of the players continue the game without you, is not a decision. If you choose to stay behind, you deserve to be left behind.
The DM can only give you so many options as far as where to go and what to do. Make smart choices based off of those options.
You are responsible for how much role-playing you want to do and how much fun you have with it. No one else is going to play your character for you. No one else can control your attitude at the table.
Remember why you are playing in the first place. Have fun with it.
You are responsible for how much role-playing you want to do and how much fun you have with it. No one else is going to play your character for you. No one else can control your attitude at the table.
Remember why you are playing in the first place. Have fun with it.
The more effort you put into the game, the more you will enjoy it.
Lets face it, you will have to improvise a little bit.
In fact you will probably be improvising a lot, thus is the nature of the game. But you can be prepared for it. And practice it.
It's okay if you aren't good at improvising. Use these tricks, your backstory, and your characters goals to inform your decisions.
It's totally okay to plan what you want to say beforehand or follow another players' lead. You can even print out the ideas here or other character questionnaires to motivate you in the midst of the game.
As long as you can interact with the game you will be role playing.
When you don't know what to do, have something prepared that your character can say or do. This gives you something to fall back on. Your character can play with props, do a little dance, using specific sayings, etc.
Put some effort into your game. Experiment with what works and what doesn't.
You'll never get good at anything if you don't test things out and practice. It's okay to experiment who your character is.
Trying new things is the only way to grow and learn.
Don't be afraid to change something you don't like about your character. That is what experimenting is.
Practice asking questions in character.
Practice relating your character to the story and ask how they feel about what is going on.
Practice improvising.
Take the time to listen and allow other players to role-play. Don't dismiss others ideas. This is a group game and everyone deserves a chance to role play too.
Drive your characters story forward.
Use these skills to find out who your character is, and what is working for you.
Lets face it, you will have to improvise a little bit.
In fact you will probably be improvising a lot, thus is the nature of the game. But you can be prepared for it. And practice it.
It's okay if you aren't good at improvising. Use these tricks, your backstory, and your characters goals to inform your decisions.
It's totally okay to plan what you want to say beforehand or follow another players' lead. You can even print out the ideas here or other character questionnaires to motivate you in the midst of the game.
As long as you can interact with the game you will be role playing.
When you don't know what to do, have something prepared that your character can say or do. This gives you something to fall back on. Your character can play with props, do a little dance, using specific sayings, etc.
Put some effort into your game. Experiment with what works and what doesn't.
You'll never get good at anything if you don't test things out and practice. It's okay to experiment who your character is.
Trying new things is the only way to grow and learn.
Don't be afraid to change something you don't like about your character. That is what experimenting is.
Practice asking questions in character.
Practice relating your character to the story and ask how they feel about what is going on.
Practice improvising.
Take the time to listen and allow other players to role-play. Don't dismiss others ideas. This is a group game and everyone deserves a chance to role play too.
Drive your characters story forward.
Use these skills to find out who your character is, and what is working for you.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Session Zero Checklist
Games Mastery
Session Zero Checklist
Character Creation.
- How do you roll your character ability stats? 4 dice, don’t count the lowest? Point buy?
- Are the Characters only using races and classes in the core rule book or any other books or home-brews acceptable?
- Do you want to set up your characters personality before the game or grow it naturally during the game.
- Do the PC’s already know each other? Were they hired to do a job together? Do their backstories relate to each other?
- Make sure characters have specific goals that can lead to role-play opportunities and adventure hooks.
- Add character backstories to your world. Or create locations together as a group.
Establish tone and genre of the game.
- Fantasy with low or high magic setting, Sci-fi, Horror, western, A spy thriller, post-apocalypse setting?
- Serious tone. Funnier themes?
- What type of story does the group want to play?
- Epic quest or dungeon crawl, Monster Slaying, Political Intrigue, Heist, Survival, etc.
Choose characters alignment. Good or Evil Campaign?
- Do the characters work well together? Figure out why the paladin is willing to travel with a pack of murder hobos.
What is your play style? Does it match with the players style?
- Linear story or open world sandbox?
- Hack-n-slash? Role-Play heavy? Or both?
- Exploration? Do players want a lot of puzzles and traps?
- Lots of voices and acting? Costumes and props at the table?
Establish your house rules.
- Do you allow players fight each other?
- Do you confirm critical hits?.
- No cheating on dice rolls, stats, keep track of spell slots and ammo. Do you re-roll if the dice doesn’t land flat?
- Teach the players that they should know what they are doing on their turn.
- What rules do you use to for critical hits and misses? Can you crit an ability check or saving throw?
- Are you using experience points or leveling by session or story arcs?
- Do you use Inspiration points or Bennies in your game?
- Are phones allowed at your table?
- How much do you expect players to work together?
- Do you use flanking rules or rolling advantage?
- Will you be role playing shopping or travel time?
- Will you be counting rations and encumbrance rules?
If you have time during session zero, start the game with a practice battle or encounter. New players might need to take extra time to figure out their characters abilities and combat rules.
Make a Schedule.
- Decide when and where the next session is.
- Is the game a one shot or an ongoing story?
- Will the story last 4 sessions or 2 years?
- Is the group okay if a player misses a session or two?
- How does the group handle a missing player?
- Do you want the whole party there every session?
- When is the next game?
Mistakes I've Made As A DM, And What I should Have Done Differently.
I let a player torture a goblin for hours in game.
One of my first mistakes as a brand new DM was letting a PC torture an innocent goblin for hours in game. The player left the party and stayed behind to torture my poor NPC. Even after the party had already gotten the info they needed. I don't remember the details of the story or even what the player was asking about.
I played the goblin, saying over and over that the players already had the info. I don't know anything else! The player continued to stay separated from the party and described in detail what he wanted to do to the goblin, like putting the point of a dagger under the goblins fingernails.
The player didn't get my hints and continued to try to torture this poor guy even after he knew that the goblin didn't know anything else. It was really creepy and weird. It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth to this day, over 15 years later.
Since I was new to the game, I didn't know what to do or how to handle it. My only strategy at the time was to repeat over and over again that I didn't know anything. I felt so uncomfortable and just wanted the player to get back to the group and on with the game.
Back then my stories and sessions didn't get very far. But I'll never forget this creepy torture players choices. It was really weird to me that someone would do that. Weird power fantasies I guess. I don't know how long it took in real time, but it felt like forever.
Looking back, there are a lot of things I could have done.
Most simply, I could have just said "You torture the goblin for a few hours and you get no other information from him. Now back to the players who are actually playing the game..."
I let this gross player hog the spotlight and hog my attention instead of focusing on the players who were trying to advance the story.
I could have made the goblin suddenly get a lot stronger and just beat the player to a pulp. Good revenge, right?
I could have made that player miss out on the next battle or loot cache. He wasted so much time in game that I could have ruled that he wasn't there to join in with what the group was doing.
I could have said, "The goblin doesn't know anything, you would just be wasting your time."
But being the nice guy I am, I let him role play that nastiness. Never again.
I stopped a fight mid-battle because I wanted to move on to the next dungeon.
The players were around level 3 in Pathfinder. They were fighting some large trolls and the BBEG who was a female elf wizard. My plan was to set up how powerful the villain was by having her kill some NPC's and ultimately capture the players. I wanted the players to wake up in the next dungeon so I could get them to where the plot needed them to be.
The plan didn't go well.
I was being really lazy that day and didn't put any energy into the baddies goals or characterization. So the battle was droning on, and I got bored. I cut the fight so early that I didn't even get a chance to establish how powerful the enemy was. The players had no idea that they were supposed to lose.
I had no clue how to plan for this. But I know now what to do.
During battle, on my turn, I should have made the enemies hit harder right away. Establishing the story and plot points in round one.
I should have told them that there would be a transition cut scene, and they would get a good chance to escape afterwords. If the players knew this, they probably would have trusted me more as a DM and enjoyed the story.
Instead of a cool story scene introducing the bag guy, it was an awkward and abrupt cut mid-battle. The players didn't know what was going on.
I didn't communicate to the players and I didn't put any energy into telling a good story.
In the end. I told them that they were captured and left in a dungeon. I got them to the content I had prepared so the game would be easier for me, at the cost of some great storytelling.
I had no patience for myself, and the lack of confidence in telling the story.
I gave my players a powerful magic item and two MacGuffins without making them work for it.
I felt bad because that session only had two players, and they ran into a really hard encounter without the rest of the party to help out.
The encounter I prepared was hard because the PC's had just gotten to 5th level in 5e. They all got to attack twice per turn now. So I decided that all my enemies had multi-attack as well as a few hell-hound creatures that have a powerful fire breath weapon.
Since it was pretty hard and there were only two of them, I let them sneak past a few enemies and let the players find some magical stuff like a broom of flying.
Since I let them sneak past a lot of my encounter, I didn't have anything else specifically prepared and I wanted to wait until the next session for the other players.
I also didn't have much of the world prepared and I definitely didn't plan on the players having the power to fly wherever they wanted.
Most of the session had to be improvised and role-played because I let them skip past the prepared content. Since things weren't prepared properly, I was panicking about what to do.
They were searching for MacGuffins and I gave those to them relatively easy too. I let them charm and steal from two different NPC's I had just made up and neither of them put up a real fight.
I knew beforehand that a player wanted a magic broom, and I should have prepared for it. I should have made them go on a quest for it. Make them explore and work for their items instead of just dropping exactly what they want in front of them.
In that session, I became a pushover DM. I knew what the players wanted and I gave it to them. Without any real obstacles in their way.
I screwed myself over in 4 ways. Giving them powerful items, Preparing an encounter that depended on a specific player who didn't show up, and letting them sneak past the obstacles that was supposed to be the entire session of content, and Improvising pushover NPC's who didn't have specific goals or character personalities. Therefore the NPC's were really lame obstacles that the players easily got past. These are all bad ideas.
In my career as a DM I have gotten more and more scared of railroading. In that fear, I have tried to say "yes" to just about anything my players want to do. Usually I can improvise my way out of most situations and get the players back on track, but this time, I let it go too far.
I became out of balance with my preparation and my improv. My neediness to allow players to make choices destroyed the session.
Overall, I think the players still had fun, they had a great time role-playing and charming NPC's. They were freaking out because the battle was super hard. The session had ups and downs like any good story. And at the end of the session they did ultimately beat the baddies, after I fudged the dice and lowered some HP. The fact that they were worried the whole time mad it an intense experience.
I also could have given players more hints to make the battle easier for them. "Do you have any spells or items that don't use up spell slots?" "Do you have something that does ice damage to hurt the flaming hell-hounds?"
The main lessons I have learned here is to plan correctly and follow that plan even if the story becomes a bit too linear. Communicate better with players to tell them where to go and what to do.
I always give advice to people about not planning too much and now it's bitten me in the ass. I still think you should only prepare for no more than 2 or 3 sessions at a time, because you still won't know what might happen. In my case I didn't prepare a single session properly.
I have grown a big ego about being able to improvise my way out of most game situations. This situation got me into trouble because I was too nice and unprepared.
One of my first mistakes as a brand new DM was letting a PC torture an innocent goblin for hours in game. The player left the party and stayed behind to torture my poor NPC. Even after the party had already gotten the info they needed. I don't remember the details of the story or even what the player was asking about.
I played the goblin, saying over and over that the players already had the info. I don't know anything else! The player continued to stay separated from the party and described in detail what he wanted to do to the goblin, like putting the point of a dagger under the goblins fingernails.
The player didn't get my hints and continued to try to torture this poor guy even after he knew that the goblin didn't know anything else. It was really creepy and weird. It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth to this day, over 15 years later.
Since I was new to the game, I didn't know what to do or how to handle it. My only strategy at the time was to repeat over and over again that I didn't know anything. I felt so uncomfortable and just wanted the player to get back to the group and on with the game.
Back then my stories and sessions didn't get very far. But I'll never forget this creepy torture players choices. It was really weird to me that someone would do that. Weird power fantasies I guess. I don't know how long it took in real time, but it felt like forever.
Looking back, there are a lot of things I could have done.
Most simply, I could have just said "You torture the goblin for a few hours and you get no other information from him. Now back to the players who are actually playing the game..."
I let this gross player hog the spotlight and hog my attention instead of focusing on the players who were trying to advance the story.
I could have made the goblin suddenly get a lot stronger and just beat the player to a pulp. Good revenge, right?
I could have made that player miss out on the next battle or loot cache. He wasted so much time in game that I could have ruled that he wasn't there to join in with what the group was doing.
I could have said, "The goblin doesn't know anything, you would just be wasting your time."
But being the nice guy I am, I let him role play that nastiness. Never again.
I stopped a fight mid-battle because I wanted to move on to the next dungeon.
The players were around level 3 in Pathfinder. They were fighting some large trolls and the BBEG who was a female elf wizard. My plan was to set up how powerful the villain was by having her kill some NPC's and ultimately capture the players. I wanted the players to wake up in the next dungeon so I could get them to where the plot needed them to be.
The plan didn't go well.
I was being really lazy that day and didn't put any energy into the baddies goals or characterization. So the battle was droning on, and I got bored. I cut the fight so early that I didn't even get a chance to establish how powerful the enemy was. The players had no idea that they were supposed to lose.
I had no clue how to plan for this. But I know now what to do.
During battle, on my turn, I should have made the enemies hit harder right away. Establishing the story and plot points in round one.
I should have told them that there would be a transition cut scene, and they would get a good chance to escape afterwords. If the players knew this, they probably would have trusted me more as a DM and enjoyed the story.
Instead of a cool story scene introducing the bag guy, it was an awkward and abrupt cut mid-battle. The players didn't know what was going on.
I didn't communicate to the players and I didn't put any energy into telling a good story.
In the end. I told them that they were captured and left in a dungeon. I got them to the content I had prepared so the game would be easier for me, at the cost of some great storytelling.
I had no patience for myself, and the lack of confidence in telling the story.
I gave my players a powerful magic item and two MacGuffins without making them work for it.
I felt bad because that session only had two players, and they ran into a really hard encounter without the rest of the party to help out.
The encounter I prepared was hard because the PC's had just gotten to 5th level in 5e. They all got to attack twice per turn now. So I decided that all my enemies had multi-attack as well as a few hell-hound creatures that have a powerful fire breath weapon.
Since it was pretty hard and there were only two of them, I let them sneak past a few enemies and let the players find some magical stuff like a broom of flying.
Since I let them sneak past a lot of my encounter, I didn't have anything else specifically prepared and I wanted to wait until the next session for the other players.
I also didn't have much of the world prepared and I definitely didn't plan on the players having the power to fly wherever they wanted.
Most of the session had to be improvised and role-played because I let them skip past the prepared content. Since things weren't prepared properly, I was panicking about what to do.
They were searching for MacGuffins and I gave those to them relatively easy too. I let them charm and steal from two different NPC's I had just made up and neither of them put up a real fight.
I knew beforehand that a player wanted a magic broom, and I should have prepared for it. I should have made them go on a quest for it. Make them explore and work for their items instead of just dropping exactly what they want in front of them.
In that session, I became a pushover DM. I knew what the players wanted and I gave it to them. Without any real obstacles in their way.
I screwed myself over in 4 ways. Giving them powerful items, Preparing an encounter that depended on a specific player who didn't show up, and letting them sneak past the obstacles that was supposed to be the entire session of content, and Improvising pushover NPC's who didn't have specific goals or character personalities. Therefore the NPC's were really lame obstacles that the players easily got past. These are all bad ideas.
In my career as a DM I have gotten more and more scared of railroading. In that fear, I have tried to say "yes" to just about anything my players want to do. Usually I can improvise my way out of most situations and get the players back on track, but this time, I let it go too far.
I became out of balance with my preparation and my improv. My neediness to allow players to make choices destroyed the session.
Overall, I think the players still had fun, they had a great time role-playing and charming NPC's. They were freaking out because the battle was super hard. The session had ups and downs like any good story. And at the end of the session they did ultimately beat the baddies, after I fudged the dice and lowered some HP. The fact that they were worried the whole time mad it an intense experience.
I also could have given players more hints to make the battle easier for them. "Do you have any spells or items that don't use up spell slots?" "Do you have something that does ice damage to hurt the flaming hell-hounds?"
The main lessons I have learned here is to plan correctly and follow that plan even if the story becomes a bit too linear. Communicate better with players to tell them where to go and what to do.
I always give advice to people about not planning too much and now it's bitten me in the ass. I still think you should only prepare for no more than 2 or 3 sessions at a time, because you still won't know what might happen. In my case I didn't prepare a single session properly.
I have grown a big ego about being able to improvise my way out of most game situations. This situation got me into trouble because I was too nice and unprepared.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
House Rules for My Table
During session zero, and before you start your first game with any group, make sure you establish your house rules and your expectations.
If your expectations aren't set, then each player will be expecting something different from you as the DM. Setting and establishing everything beforehand limits drama later on and ensures what type of game the players want to be a part of.
These rules are intended to reduce miscommunication and start out with everyone on the same page. The goal is creating a fun experience by working together.
So Here Are My Rules and Expectations
-No cheating. Fudging dice, faking stats, etc.
-No PVP. no killing or incapacitating PC's without consent.
-Results from a die roll can only be changed by the DM.
-Dice rolled on the floor don't count.
-Players are expected to share the spotlight and support other players. Don't Hog the spotlight. Sit back and allow other players to role play and use their skills without interruption.
-I expect players to know what dice to use.
-I expect players to be ready for their turns.
-I expect players to have a short backstory for their character and a character goal established before the first session.
-I expect players to pay attention and actively participate in the game.
-Keep side conversations to a minimum.
-Do not interrupt a scene when players or the DM are trying to role play. Wait for a scene or conversation to conclude before trying to start a new one.
-Critical hit rolls and calculating damage follow the rules in the 5e handbook.
-There are no automatic successes on skill checks when a 20 is rolled. Natural 20 critical hits only work with attacks rolls.
-The DM gets final say on how things work and what rules will be used. You can argue about rules after the game, but don't waste our time during play.
-I expect players to help each other out and support each other. Even in an evil campaign, the players should be working as a team.
-I don't worry about encumbrance rules, (within reason) counting rations and some other nitty-gritty rules.
-Be respectful to other players. We want a positive space for people to have fun.
-No charming, cursing, or otherwise trying to control other PC's. Special abilities and effects only work on NPC's. Players are there to play, don't take control of their characters unless you get a players consent and it's part of the story that the group agrees to tell.
-Any action will only happen in game if the DM says it does. This means that if the DM doesn't say it, or approve it, it doesn't happen.
-I know a guy optional rule. Where any player can make an NPC connection to get help in the current session or develop more of a backstory.
-Flashback scenes optional rule. Players can initiate a flashback scene to supplement their current actions. "Flash back to a week ago when I bribed a certain guard to let us get in with our weapons today"
"Flashback to my character writing a letter to the king, detailing the treasonous actions of a villain."
If your expectations aren't set, then each player will be expecting something different from you as the DM. Setting and establishing everything beforehand limits drama later on and ensures what type of game the players want to be a part of.
These rules are intended to reduce miscommunication and start out with everyone on the same page. The goal is creating a fun experience by working together.
So Here Are My Rules and Expectations
-No cheating. Fudging dice, faking stats, etc.
-No PVP. no killing or incapacitating PC's without consent.
-Results from a die roll can only be changed by the DM.
-Dice rolled on the floor don't count.
-Players are expected to share the spotlight and support other players. Don't Hog the spotlight. Sit back and allow other players to role play and use their skills without interruption.
-I expect players to know what dice to use.
-I expect players to be ready for their turns.
-I expect players to have a short backstory for their character and a character goal established before the first session.
-I expect players to pay attention and actively participate in the game.
-Keep side conversations to a minimum.
-Do not interrupt a scene when players or the DM are trying to role play. Wait for a scene or conversation to conclude before trying to start a new one.
-Critical hit rolls and calculating damage follow the rules in the 5e handbook.
-There are no automatic successes on skill checks when a 20 is rolled. Natural 20 critical hits only work with attacks rolls.
-The DM gets final say on how things work and what rules will be used. You can argue about rules after the game, but don't waste our time during play.
-I expect players to help each other out and support each other. Even in an evil campaign, the players should be working as a team.
-I don't worry about encumbrance rules, (within reason) counting rations and some other nitty-gritty rules.
-Be respectful to other players. We want a positive space for people to have fun.
-No charming, cursing, or otherwise trying to control other PC's. Special abilities and effects only work on NPC's. Players are there to play, don't take control of their characters unless you get a players consent and it's part of the story that the group agrees to tell.
-Any action will only happen in game if the DM says it does. This means that if the DM doesn't say it, or approve it, it doesn't happen.
-I know a guy optional rule. Where any player can make an NPC connection to get help in the current session or develop more of a backstory.
-Flashback scenes optional rule. Players can initiate a flashback scene to supplement their current actions. "Flash back to a week ago when I bribed a certain guard to let us get in with our weapons today"
"Flashback to my character writing a letter to the king, detailing the treasonous actions of a villain."
Friday, August 16, 2019
How to handle players that are too powerful. (Killing the villain before its time.)
Good job! They win. Game over. Go home.
You have a high level werewolf that you set up as a big bad? But the players somehow kill him before the final boss fight. Let them do it! Give them a victory, especially if it is a very clever way of winning. Being a good DM means being adaptable and working with what the players want to do. Within reason. Don't let them burn down your city. But Let them kill your big bad early. They'll feel accomplished for taking down something powerful and they'll appreciate you for allowing them to be creative. Anyway you "had a plan" all along.
Maybe the werewolf was part of a pack of werewolves that the players will now have to deal with. Maybe the werewolf infected a bunch of towns-people who now need to be saved before they turn. Just because a big bad is dead, doesn't mean the story is over. It means you will have to adapt and improvise your way through the story. Use a new boss with the same exact stats you already prepared. The enemies should be adaptable too. They heard about what the players did and now the new boss can prepare for that situation.
The vampire lord, that got killed too early, has an evil step sister who now wants revenge for her brothers death. Use the same final battle you had planned with the same stats but a different character. The story isn't over. In the star wars books, the emperor cloned himself. Final battles for days! There will always be one more power orb to destroy, one more magic weapon to find. One more town to save. The story isn't over. The players might have killed your robber baron but they still have to find the deed to the ranch. The Players still need to clear out the dungeon of kobold minions and evil cultists who were working for the dead boss. Don't give up and don't let the players stop your game. There is always something else that needs to get done.
Fudge the dice! Change your stats mid-battle! This is one of the best powers a DM has at her disposal. If you have 5 players attacking one bad guy, that's 5 attacks versus the bad guys one turn. If you see the players are doing too much damage to your big bad, ending your epic fight too early, give your big bad 100 extra HP. Your baddies can take a powerful healing potion! Give your bad guys resistances or a powerful magical shield that the players can't penetrate until you decide when the baddie gets hurt. Use your plot armor wisely.
Give the big bad an extra spell every turn. The players won't know. This can become a problem at higher levels when the party gets too strong. Let your big bad get in an extra attack or special spell to control the flow of battle. Let your boss go into a rage that lets him deal out extra damage. Have a second or third wave of minions come in to help the boss out. The players can't take down your big bad right away if they have to deal with his bodyguards first. Let the big bad run away. The big bad can use a teleport or fly spell to escape a loosing battle.
Make sure the players have a goal that is more complicated then just killing the bad guys. They need to turn off the doomsday machine before time runs out. Dispel or de-power the magic orb the enemy was using to open portals. If you have set goals, you can put in as many obstacles in the way as you want. This way when the boss does die too early, your story can continue and the players still have things to do.
If you need more time to prepare, send some skeletons or robots after the party. They won't be able to talk or charm their way out of battle with mindless creatures. During the battle you can have some time to think up whats next.
Take a 10-15 minute break to think up something new.
Article inspired by this story.
You have a high level werewolf that you set up as a big bad? But the players somehow kill him before the final boss fight. Let them do it! Give them a victory, especially if it is a very clever way of winning. Being a good DM means being adaptable and working with what the players want to do. Within reason. Don't let them burn down your city. But Let them kill your big bad early. They'll feel accomplished for taking down something powerful and they'll appreciate you for allowing them to be creative. Anyway you "had a plan" all along.
Maybe the werewolf was part of a pack of werewolves that the players will now have to deal with. Maybe the werewolf infected a bunch of towns-people who now need to be saved before they turn. Just because a big bad is dead, doesn't mean the story is over. It means you will have to adapt and improvise your way through the story. Use a new boss with the same exact stats you already prepared. The enemies should be adaptable too. They heard about what the players did and now the new boss can prepare for that situation.
The vampire lord, that got killed too early, has an evil step sister who now wants revenge for her brothers death. Use the same final battle you had planned with the same stats but a different character. The story isn't over. In the star wars books, the emperor cloned himself. Final battles for days! There will always be one more power orb to destroy, one more magic weapon to find. One more town to save. The story isn't over. The players might have killed your robber baron but they still have to find the deed to the ranch. The Players still need to clear out the dungeon of kobold minions and evil cultists who were working for the dead boss. Don't give up and don't let the players stop your game. There is always something else that needs to get done.
Fudge the dice! Change your stats mid-battle! This is one of the best powers a DM has at her disposal. If you have 5 players attacking one bad guy, that's 5 attacks versus the bad guys one turn. If you see the players are doing too much damage to your big bad, ending your epic fight too early, give your big bad 100 extra HP. Your baddies can take a powerful healing potion! Give your bad guys resistances or a powerful magical shield that the players can't penetrate until you decide when the baddie gets hurt. Use your plot armor wisely.
Give the big bad an extra spell every turn. The players won't know. This can become a problem at higher levels when the party gets too strong. Let your big bad get in an extra attack or special spell to control the flow of battle. Let your boss go into a rage that lets him deal out extra damage. Have a second or third wave of minions come in to help the boss out. The players can't take down your big bad right away if they have to deal with his bodyguards first. Let the big bad run away. The big bad can use a teleport or fly spell to escape a loosing battle.
Make sure the players have a goal that is more complicated then just killing the bad guys. They need to turn off the doomsday machine before time runs out. Dispel or de-power the magic orb the enemy was using to open portals. If you have set goals, you can put in as many obstacles in the way as you want. This way when the boss does die too early, your story can continue and the players still have things to do.
If you need more time to prepare, send some skeletons or robots after the party. They won't be able to talk or charm their way out of battle with mindless creatures. During the battle you can have some time to think up whats next.
Take a 10-15 minute break to think up something new.
Article inspired by this story.
12 MORE Things That a Good Dungeon Master Should Not Do.
Do not be afraid to be silly, use voices, or act something out.
Your players are also your audience. The more energy and pizzazz you put into a performance, the more the players will react to you. As the DM, you set the bar for what players feel comfortable with. The more energy and commitment you put into a scene, the more the players will rise to match your level. Give your players a great story by acting things out, using props, or silly voices. The players will match your energy and you'll create a great game together!
Do not assume you need character sheets, books, minis, or even dice!
Don't pay for fancy stuff you might only end up using once. Don't buy stuff you really can't afford. One of my best sessions was played without any paper or minis. We gave our DM ideas of what kind of quest and mission we wanted to do and the DM ran with it. Our whole group was able to improvise a great story without a single die roll or pencil used.
Do not be afraid to make mistakes.
This is the only way you can learn. If you are too scared to try something new then you'll never know how much fun you are missing out on. It's OK to add weird or fun things to the game, if something doesn't work, just move on and do something different. Let players or other DM's help you if you get stuck or run out of ideas.
Do not make a party of players over 5 people.
Unless you want to overwhelm yourself and make the game take longer. There isn't a point of pride running a game with 12 people. That sounds terrible. If you are lucky enough to have that many players break them up into smaller parties of four players.
Small groups are a lot easier to work with and manage. You can actually pay attention to what everyone is doing and actually have a good role play experience. The battles take a long time normally, adding more people just slows it down. Create a size limit and stick to it.
Find a group size that works for you. A size where things can be manageable and the game can be ran smoothly. There is no need to overwhelm yourself. If you have more people who want to join in, make a separate group for just them.
Do not rush the players, unless it's part of the action in the story.
Let players plan a strategy or do some reconnaissance before they enter the bad guys hideout. Let the players see what they are up against before they start getting attacked. Of course if the players mess up their scouting trip, the bad guys will see them. But give the players a chance first.
Let them plan where the rogue is going to go, or where the best place is to cast an illusion spell. The entire point of the game is problem solving and getting past obstacles, give players time to think of something.
If it is the action in a story, you can give them time limits. Give them 60-80 seconds to take their turn. give them 4 or 5 rounds to interrupt the big bads ritual. Give them wave after wave of enemies to slow them down.
But don't put unneeded pressure on players if it's not necessary to the story.
Do not try to subvert story expectations.
In fact, steal ideas or guesses that the players make about what is going to happen. Stealing ideas is a lot cooler than trying to think up ridiculous twists just to keep players guessing. There is no need for pointless subversion.
A players idea could be better than the story you prepared. Players will feel a lot more accomplished when they know how the dragon lady will act at the end of the story. This is a good thing because it means the players were actually paying attention.
Give your players that narrative payoff. Don't be the mandarin in Iron Man 3 or Rose in the Last Jedi. Plot twists and surprises only work when the characters actions make sense. Subverting expectations is basically a payoff without a setup. It doesn't work from a narrative perspective. If you want to prove how clever a writer you are, how about actually tying things together. Weave the plot threads together in a way that actually makes sense. That's clever writing. And it's harder than you think. Have endings that actually make sense to the genre of the story. Have an ending that makes sense to the characters. It's OK if someone guesses what is going on.
Do not wrap your ego around your creations.
I know it's fun to build worlds and characters and story ideas. Enjoy it. Be passionate about it. Tell your story. But remember, it's your players world too. Let the players have cool backgrounds and ideas and interesting goals that will expand the story. It makes a far better experience when the players feel like they can affect the world around them and are actually a part of the creation. The DM is there to provide a setting and a story for the players to interact with. No one wants a DM to parade them around their world without being able to make choices. Players have specific characters that they want to play and the DM has to let them do that. A game doesn't exist without a dungeon master and players working together. It is a group game, It isn't your world, it's the groups world.
Do not try to make every session a huge ridiculous gimmick.
You don't need an epic boss battle in a sinking tower every night you play. You don't need a huge puzzle dungeon that the players need to solve every session. You don't need a trivia game in your world to try to "spice things up". Having variety means having smaller stories too. Let the players hunt down the level 1 goblin bandits. Let your players take time to rest in the village and role play a little bit. You can do the big things too of course, but it should not be world ending or gimmicky situations every single game night. Do not overwhelm yourself trying to have a game-breaking experience every session.
Do not assume the dungeon master is supposed to be working against the players.
Do not assume the DM is supposed to be trying to kill the players. Everyone should be working together because it is a group game. Unless everyone agrees, in session zero, that it will be a hard game and the players want that challenge. Do not treat the players like they are trying to beat you. Do not try to kill the players during every battle. No one will have fun doing that. Make a few important boss battles harder, of course, but not every single time. Have some variety. Your job as dungeon master is to set up challenges and obstacles as part of a narrative story. Let the players knock down the things you set up without getting mad about it.
You do not need specific answers to all your puzzles or encounters.
The idea of having very specific answers creates railroading and frustrated players. Keep your answers open ended. This allows a lot more creative thinking for you and the players. Let the players be creative problem solvers. The more creative they get, the more interesting the action and the experience will be. Once the players do something cool that you like, let it work for them. Continue letting them believe that they need a specific answer.
Only use specific answers if it is part of the story or a main quest. You'll still need to find the 3 magic keys to get the door open. Or the specific spell that can drain away a vampires powers. If it's a simple trap or puzzle room, that doesn't have any impact on the story, do not waste 3 hours of the game making the players find one specific puzzle just piece to get to the next room.
Let the players ideas be a good problem solvers instead of forcing them to find once obscure specific answer. It creates a frustrating environment for the players. Let them figure out how to get past the fireball traps in the hallway. Let them roll play their way out of the bandit camp instead of just killing everything. The more open you are, the more fun experiences can arise. Listen to your players try to work things out and give clues if necessary. Listen to how they solve things and be open to ideas you could never expect.
Do not overwhelm yourself by over-planning. You will not be able to prepare for every situation.
Do not prepare for more than two or three sessions at a time. If you try to go beyond that, you'll drive yourself crazy building worlds and dungeons the players might not even get to. Let the flow of the story go beyond the current session based on the players choices and where they want to go. If you know where the players are going, you only need to prepare that area for the next session. You don't need the 9 areas around that specific location. You don't need to prepare the surrounding countries and regions that have no impact on the story. Good world building happens one session at a time.
Don't plan every single line a NPC says, just in case a player says one specific line. That's called writing a novel, which we aren't doing here. Instead you want general ideas for groups of NPC's or bad guys. What things do the city guards react to? What does the bandit gang do if they don't get what they are after? What does a monster do if it's about to die? Don't not try to predict every action of every one of your players. Plan for what you know the players are planning on doing. This gives you something specific to work on instead of trying to create an entire world.
Do not assume that you need to know all the rules.
You don't need to memorize the core rule-book and the thousands of expansion rules. Impossible. And almost pointless. Be specific on your players classes, and only the monsters and abilities you are planning on using in the near future. If you do need something specific, find it. There is no point in reading something, and then going back to the same thing months later when you actually need it. Read rules once, when they become relevant.
If you need a specific rule during a game, have a player look it up for you so you can focus on keeping the game going. All you need to know are the rules that apply to your session that you are about to play in.
Your players are also your audience. The more energy and pizzazz you put into a performance, the more the players will react to you. As the DM, you set the bar for what players feel comfortable with. The more energy and commitment you put into a scene, the more the players will rise to match your level. Give your players a great story by acting things out, using props, or silly voices. The players will match your energy and you'll create a great game together!
Do not assume you need character sheets, books, minis, or even dice!
Don't pay for fancy stuff you might only end up using once. Don't buy stuff you really can't afford. One of my best sessions was played without any paper or minis. We gave our DM ideas of what kind of quest and mission we wanted to do and the DM ran with it. Our whole group was able to improvise a great story without a single die roll or pencil used.
Do not be afraid to make mistakes.
This is the only way you can learn. If you are too scared to try something new then you'll never know how much fun you are missing out on. It's OK to add weird or fun things to the game, if something doesn't work, just move on and do something different. Let players or other DM's help you if you get stuck or run out of ideas.
Do not make a party of players over 5 people.
Unless you want to overwhelm yourself and make the game take longer. There isn't a point of pride running a game with 12 people. That sounds terrible. If you are lucky enough to have that many players break them up into smaller parties of four players.
Small groups are a lot easier to work with and manage. You can actually pay attention to what everyone is doing and actually have a good role play experience. The battles take a long time normally, adding more people just slows it down. Create a size limit and stick to it.
Find a group size that works for you. A size where things can be manageable and the game can be ran smoothly. There is no need to overwhelm yourself. If you have more people who want to join in, make a separate group for just them.
Do not rush the players, unless it's part of the action in the story.
Let players plan a strategy or do some reconnaissance before they enter the bad guys hideout. Let the players see what they are up against before they start getting attacked. Of course if the players mess up their scouting trip, the bad guys will see them. But give the players a chance first.
Let them plan where the rogue is going to go, or where the best place is to cast an illusion spell. The entire point of the game is problem solving and getting past obstacles, give players time to think of something.
If it is the action in a story, you can give them time limits. Give them 60-80 seconds to take their turn. give them 4 or 5 rounds to interrupt the big bads ritual. Give them wave after wave of enemies to slow them down.
But don't put unneeded pressure on players if it's not necessary to the story.
Do not try to subvert story expectations.
In fact, steal ideas or guesses that the players make about what is going to happen. Stealing ideas is a lot cooler than trying to think up ridiculous twists just to keep players guessing. There is no need for pointless subversion.
A players idea could be better than the story you prepared. Players will feel a lot more accomplished when they know how the dragon lady will act at the end of the story. This is a good thing because it means the players were actually paying attention.
Give your players that narrative payoff. Don't be the mandarin in Iron Man 3 or Rose in the Last Jedi. Plot twists and surprises only work when the characters actions make sense. Subverting expectations is basically a payoff without a setup. It doesn't work from a narrative perspective. If you want to prove how clever a writer you are, how about actually tying things together. Weave the plot threads together in a way that actually makes sense. That's clever writing. And it's harder than you think. Have endings that actually make sense to the genre of the story. Have an ending that makes sense to the characters. It's OK if someone guesses what is going on.
Do not wrap your ego around your creations.
I know it's fun to build worlds and characters and story ideas. Enjoy it. Be passionate about it. Tell your story. But remember, it's your players world too. Let the players have cool backgrounds and ideas and interesting goals that will expand the story. It makes a far better experience when the players feel like they can affect the world around them and are actually a part of the creation. The DM is there to provide a setting and a story for the players to interact with. No one wants a DM to parade them around their world without being able to make choices. Players have specific characters that they want to play and the DM has to let them do that. A game doesn't exist without a dungeon master and players working together. It is a group game, It isn't your world, it's the groups world.
Do not try to make every session a huge ridiculous gimmick.
You don't need an epic boss battle in a sinking tower every night you play. You don't need a huge puzzle dungeon that the players need to solve every session. You don't need a trivia game in your world to try to "spice things up". Having variety means having smaller stories too. Let the players hunt down the level 1 goblin bandits. Let your players take time to rest in the village and role play a little bit. You can do the big things too of course, but it should not be world ending or gimmicky situations every single game night. Do not overwhelm yourself trying to have a game-breaking experience every session.
Do not assume the dungeon master is supposed to be working against the players.
Do not assume the DM is supposed to be trying to kill the players. Everyone should be working together because it is a group game. Unless everyone agrees, in session zero, that it will be a hard game and the players want that challenge. Do not treat the players like they are trying to beat you. Do not try to kill the players during every battle. No one will have fun doing that. Make a few important boss battles harder, of course, but not every single time. Have some variety. Your job as dungeon master is to set up challenges and obstacles as part of a narrative story. Let the players knock down the things you set up without getting mad about it.
You do not need specific answers to all your puzzles or encounters.
The idea of having very specific answers creates railroading and frustrated players. Keep your answers open ended. This allows a lot more creative thinking for you and the players. Let the players be creative problem solvers. The more creative they get, the more interesting the action and the experience will be. Once the players do something cool that you like, let it work for them. Continue letting them believe that they need a specific answer.
Only use specific answers if it is part of the story or a main quest. You'll still need to find the 3 magic keys to get the door open. Or the specific spell that can drain away a vampires powers. If it's a simple trap or puzzle room, that doesn't have any impact on the story, do not waste 3 hours of the game making the players find one specific puzzle just piece to get to the next room.
Let the players ideas be a good problem solvers instead of forcing them to find once obscure specific answer. It creates a frustrating environment for the players. Let them figure out how to get past the fireball traps in the hallway. Let them roll play their way out of the bandit camp instead of just killing everything. The more open you are, the more fun experiences can arise. Listen to your players try to work things out and give clues if necessary. Listen to how they solve things and be open to ideas you could never expect.
Do not overwhelm yourself by over-planning. You will not be able to prepare for every situation.
Do not prepare for more than two or three sessions at a time. If you try to go beyond that, you'll drive yourself crazy building worlds and dungeons the players might not even get to. Let the flow of the story go beyond the current session based on the players choices and where they want to go. If you know where the players are going, you only need to prepare that area for the next session. You don't need the 9 areas around that specific location. You don't need to prepare the surrounding countries and regions that have no impact on the story. Good world building happens one session at a time.
Don't plan every single line a NPC says, just in case a player says one specific line. That's called writing a novel, which we aren't doing here. Instead you want general ideas for groups of NPC's or bad guys. What things do the city guards react to? What does the bandit gang do if they don't get what they are after? What does a monster do if it's about to die? Don't not try to predict every action of every one of your players. Plan for what you know the players are planning on doing. This gives you something specific to work on instead of trying to create an entire world.
Do not assume that you need to know all the rules.
You don't need to memorize the core rule-book and the thousands of expansion rules. Impossible. And almost pointless. Be specific on your players classes, and only the monsters and abilities you are planning on using in the near future. If you do need something specific, find it. There is no point in reading something, and then going back to the same thing months later when you actually need it. Read rules once, when they become relevant.
If you need a specific rule during a game, have a player look it up for you so you can focus on keeping the game going. All you need to know are the rules that apply to your session that you are about to play in.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
12 Things a Good Dungeon Master Should Not Do.
Are players not showing up for your games? Do your players always act bored and unexcited when you are DMing?
There are things you can change to make your game more interesting and fun!
Here are 12 things you should consider avoiding during your game.
Do not play a PC character in your own game.
The players are there to be the heroes. Not you. A game masters job is to facilitate a game for the players, not do all the work for them.
The players are there to decide the action and where to go. If your DMPC is doing all the work, why do you even have players?
The PC's are the heroes of your world. You should be working with the players to have a fun time. Players don't want to be upstaged by an NPC the whole time.
If players aren't getting to role play by making choices or getting the killing blow, they are going to get disinterested really fast. Let your players do the cool moves or cast the all important spell. NPC's should only be in the game to advance the story or help out the players in some way.
Any NPC you have should be off to the side or in the background, allowing the focus of the game to be on your players.
Allow your players be the stars of the show.
If you want your own hero, play your own game or write a book so you aren't wasting the players time.
Do not rewind time or backtrack on what you said before.
No one will believe in your world or take your story seriously if you keep changing it. Players will think nothing they do matters, because you'll just change it again anyway.
After an hour of play, I once had a DM move the entire party back to the beginning of a dungeon just because he forgot to spring a trap there. Boy was I annoyed. When we were there the first time, I specifically said that I was checking for traps. Not only did this DM rewind an hour of our progress, he also proved that he wasn't listening to his players in the first place.
If you did miss something like a trap and want to use it later, just add it to a room that the PCs haven't gotten to yet. It's totally okay to move things around. You get to keep your cool trap without destroying your own game. And the players will never know that you missed something.
If you do need to change something major about the story, talk to the group about it. Let them know what you are changing and why. Ask for their input on how to solve the problem.
The more you communicate with people the more they will trust you. Your players will trust you to tell a good story and trust that you have their interests at heart.
Players need to feel like they have agency and their choices matter by affecting the game world. That won't matter when you keep changing things.
Do not change your house rules unless the whole party agrees to it.
Do not tell players "no" without a good reason.
If a player wants to try something, let them try. It becomes way more fun for everyone when people get to try their ideas. No body want to be stuck in a game that isn't progressing.
"Can I pick the lock."
"No."
"Can I try to break down the door.?"
"No it's magical."
"Does my character know where the key is?"
"No"
DoEsN't tHaT sOuNd ExCiTiNg.....
Don't be a negative Nancy DM. Always help your players if they get stuck. It is your world and things don't exist unless you say so. So give hints, give clues, and help your players out. If you aren't helping, you're hindering. This will slow down your game tremendously. Eventually no one will want to play with you. When you do say "No", tell your players why things don't work how they expected it to. When you actually take time to explain things, even if it's out of character, the players will be a lot more understanding and will buy into your world a lot more. Be honest about it. Tell them you didn't prepare something. Tell them you didn't think about a certain aspect of the world. The players will understand and work with you. Be an adaptable DM.
Do not railroad the story.
If your game doesn't go off in an unexpected direction, then you are probably railroading. Leading the players where you want them to go. Give clues and let the players decide what to do and where to go. Allow your players explore and make choices.
Do not play favorites by focusing on just one player.
You need to shift the focus from one player to the next. If one player gets all the role-play attention or one player gets all the good loot and magic items, you are probably playing favorites. Shift the attention around. "Erik is playing cards at the tavern, what are the rest of you guys doing?" If a player is talking too much and trying to hog the spotlight, pause that player and ask what someone else is doing. "You are going down the hall, searching for traps. Now what is Buttercup doing?" Do not play favorites or the left out players won't want to come back. Make players feel included.
Do not get mad at players if they don't know something.
Especially when the player is new to the game. New players aren't going to spend hours reading up on things when they don't even know where to start. It's your job to help players get started and teach them what they need to know. If you give new players crap, it will be your fault when they don't want to play again. A good game needs a good group and a good DM. If new players have bad experiences they won't join you for a second session. Be patient and be supportive.
Do not expect players to know what to do or where to go.
Most casual players will not even read the handbook. You can't expect them to read your Star Wars fan fic. Most people just want to come play with their friends. Most players will not read your 30 page history of your world. Do not get mad or expect people to read everything. Give players the info they need to know, and keep the story moving forward. Getting pissy or defensive when someone didn't study doesn't solve anything. If you do have expectations, you better communicate them as soon as possible. If you don't tell people what you expect, it won't happen.
Do not leave players in the dark.
Maybe the party is fighting a giant magical worm creature with damage resistance. It is your job to give players hints about those resistances and magical abilities. Your players are all making attacks that aren't doing much damage? Tell them about it. Let them use perception checks or knowledge checks to find out what attacks aren't working. Do not let the battle drag on, especially if the battle has nothing to do with the story. Help your players out. They won't figure anything out unless you are giving hints. Nothing will move forward unless you allow it to. Do not expect players to know anything about your world unless you tell them. Do not hide your secrets and the call your players stupid. Do not expect players to figure things out. Do not expect your players to figure everything out. Do not get mad at your players if they don't know something.
Do not pause the game to look for obscure rules.
I really hate when people do this to me. Any action or story that got build up, is suddenly destroyed because the DM wants to know some minuscule thing that really has nothing to do with the story or the role play. We all get caught up in this at some point. Make sure you can be aware of this during your game. If you really do need a rule quickly, have one of the players look it up for you so you can move on to the next thing. Keep that good momentum going and it will make a much more interesting story. If you don't know something right away, tell your players that you will give them the information later do you can get on with the game.
Do not stop your players from exploring.
A huge part of most games is being able to see what's over the horizon in a magical world. Let the players decide where to go. If they want to go to a city or cave you haven't prepared, let them. Make it up as you go along. The town doesn't have to be interesting or full of intrigue. The cave doesn't need to be deep and full of monsters. It just has to be there. Maybe the town is really boring, but one of the townspeople could give a clue to what the players need to do next. Maybe the cave is only ten feet deep, but the players find some bones or cave paintings or a letter that leads them elsewhere. If you have something prepped that you haven't given the players then use that. Do it wherever they go. They will feel accomplished for always finding something, and they will believe your world is that much bigger because they found something there. Exploration is a big part of most games. Let your players explore!
Do not let players break your game.
Don't let people assassinate the king on the first session. Don't let the players kill their guide into the mountains. First appeal to the player who wants to do the stupid thing. "Do you really want to destroy your only way into the mountains? No one else from the town will help you, especially if they find out you killed their guide." or talk to the other players. "You see Wolfgar draw his knife. Are you going to let your companion actually kill your guide?" If you know something bad is about to happen, stop it in it's tracks before it gets worse. If your party continues to act like criminals, then the world is going to treat them like criminals. The players dictate how they interact with the world. A good DM will adapt to it. How to stop players from breaking your game.
Do not be afraid to take breaks when you need to.
Pause the game when you need to. but wait for after a battle. Or a natural break in the story. This is different than stopping everything to look up a rule. Keep the momentum during a scene going and then break afterwords. Pausing is definitely important for you to relax you brain for a second. Two of your players need to pee anyway. Get up from the table, stretch, drink some water and refresh your epic skills. You should have a break at least every two hours.
There are things you can change to make your game more interesting and fun!
Here are 12 things you should consider avoiding during your game.
Do not play a PC character in your own game.
The players are there to be the heroes. Not you. A game masters job is to facilitate a game for the players, not do all the work for them.
The players are there to decide the action and where to go. If your DMPC is doing all the work, why do you even have players?
The PC's are the heroes of your world. You should be working with the players to have a fun time. Players don't want to be upstaged by an NPC the whole time.
If players aren't getting to role play by making choices or getting the killing blow, they are going to get disinterested really fast. Let your players do the cool moves or cast the all important spell. NPC's should only be in the game to advance the story or help out the players in some way.
Any NPC you have should be off to the side or in the background, allowing the focus of the game to be on your players.
Allow your players be the stars of the show.
If you want your own hero, play your own game or write a book so you aren't wasting the players time.
Do not rewind time or backtrack on what you said before.
No one will believe in your world or take your story seriously if you keep changing it. Players will think nothing they do matters, because you'll just change it again anyway.
After an hour of play, I once had a DM move the entire party back to the beginning of a dungeon just because he forgot to spring a trap there. Boy was I annoyed. When we were there the first time, I specifically said that I was checking for traps. Not only did this DM rewind an hour of our progress, he also proved that he wasn't listening to his players in the first place.
If you did miss something like a trap and want to use it later, just add it to a room that the PCs haven't gotten to yet. It's totally okay to move things around. You get to keep your cool trap without destroying your own game. And the players will never know that you missed something.
If you do need to change something major about the story, talk to the group about it. Let them know what you are changing and why. Ask for their input on how to solve the problem.
The more you communicate with people the more they will trust you. Your players will trust you to tell a good story and trust that you have their interests at heart.
Players need to feel like they have agency and their choices matter by affecting the game world. That won't matter when you keep changing things.
Do not change your house rules unless the whole party agrees to it.
Do not tell players "no" without a good reason.
If a player wants to try something, let them try. It becomes way more fun for everyone when people get to try their ideas. No body want to be stuck in a game that isn't progressing.
"Can I pick the lock."
"No."
"Can I try to break down the door.?"
"No it's magical."
"Does my character know where the key is?"
"No"
DoEsN't tHaT sOuNd ExCiTiNg.....
Don't be a negative Nancy DM. Always help your players if they get stuck. It is your world and things don't exist unless you say so. So give hints, give clues, and help your players out. If you aren't helping, you're hindering. This will slow down your game tremendously. Eventually no one will want to play with you. When you do say "No", tell your players why things don't work how they expected it to. When you actually take time to explain things, even if it's out of character, the players will be a lot more understanding and will buy into your world a lot more. Be honest about it. Tell them you didn't prepare something. Tell them you didn't think about a certain aspect of the world. The players will understand and work with you. Be an adaptable DM.
Do not railroad the story.
If your game doesn't go off in an unexpected direction, then you are probably railroading. Leading the players where you want them to go. Give clues and let the players decide what to do and where to go. Allow your players explore and make choices.
Do not play favorites by focusing on just one player.
You need to shift the focus from one player to the next. If one player gets all the role-play attention or one player gets all the good loot and magic items, you are probably playing favorites. Shift the attention around. "Erik is playing cards at the tavern, what are the rest of you guys doing?" If a player is talking too much and trying to hog the spotlight, pause that player and ask what someone else is doing. "You are going down the hall, searching for traps. Now what is Buttercup doing?" Do not play favorites or the left out players won't want to come back. Make players feel included.
Do not get mad at players if they don't know something.
Especially when the player is new to the game. New players aren't going to spend hours reading up on things when they don't even know where to start. It's your job to help players get started and teach them what they need to know. If you give new players crap, it will be your fault when they don't want to play again. A good game needs a good group and a good DM. If new players have bad experiences they won't join you for a second session. Be patient and be supportive.
Do not expect players to know what to do or where to go.
Most casual players will not even read the handbook. You can't expect them to read your Star Wars fan fic. Most people just want to come play with their friends. Most players will not read your 30 page history of your world. Do not get mad or expect people to read everything. Give players the info they need to know, and keep the story moving forward. Getting pissy or defensive when someone didn't study doesn't solve anything. If you do have expectations, you better communicate them as soon as possible. If you don't tell people what you expect, it won't happen.
Do not leave players in the dark.
Maybe the party is fighting a giant magical worm creature with damage resistance. It is your job to give players hints about those resistances and magical abilities. Your players are all making attacks that aren't doing much damage? Tell them about it. Let them use perception checks or knowledge checks to find out what attacks aren't working. Do not let the battle drag on, especially if the battle has nothing to do with the story. Help your players out. They won't figure anything out unless you are giving hints. Nothing will move forward unless you allow it to. Do not expect players to know anything about your world unless you tell them. Do not hide your secrets and the call your players stupid. Do not expect players to figure things out. Do not expect your players to figure everything out. Do not get mad at your players if they don't know something.
Do not pause the game to look for obscure rules.
I really hate when people do this to me. Any action or story that got build up, is suddenly destroyed because the DM wants to know some minuscule thing that really has nothing to do with the story or the role play. We all get caught up in this at some point. Make sure you can be aware of this during your game. If you really do need a rule quickly, have one of the players look it up for you so you can move on to the next thing. Keep that good momentum going and it will make a much more interesting story. If you don't know something right away, tell your players that you will give them the information later do you can get on with the game.
Do not stop your players from exploring.
A huge part of most games is being able to see what's over the horizon in a magical world. Let the players decide where to go. If they want to go to a city or cave you haven't prepared, let them. Make it up as you go along. The town doesn't have to be interesting or full of intrigue. The cave doesn't need to be deep and full of monsters. It just has to be there. Maybe the town is really boring, but one of the townspeople could give a clue to what the players need to do next. Maybe the cave is only ten feet deep, but the players find some bones or cave paintings or a letter that leads them elsewhere. If you have something prepped that you haven't given the players then use that. Do it wherever they go. They will feel accomplished for always finding something, and they will believe your world is that much bigger because they found something there. Exploration is a big part of most games. Let your players explore!
Do not let players break your game.
Don't let people assassinate the king on the first session. Don't let the players kill their guide into the mountains. First appeal to the player who wants to do the stupid thing. "Do you really want to destroy your only way into the mountains? No one else from the town will help you, especially if they find out you killed their guide." or talk to the other players. "You see Wolfgar draw his knife. Are you going to let your companion actually kill your guide?" If you know something bad is about to happen, stop it in it's tracks before it gets worse. If your party continues to act like criminals, then the world is going to treat them like criminals. The players dictate how they interact with the world. A good DM will adapt to it. How to stop players from breaking your game.
Do not be afraid to take breaks when you need to.
Pause the game when you need to. but wait for after a battle. Or a natural break in the story. This is different than stopping everything to look up a rule. Keep the momentum during a scene going and then break afterwords. Pausing is definitely important for you to relax you brain for a second. Two of your players need to pee anyway. Get up from the table, stretch, drink some water and refresh your epic skills. You should have a break at least every two hours.
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