So you want to be a Dungeon Master? Or maybe you’ve been a DM for a while and feel frustrated? Or perhaps your DMing is better than it’s ever been, but you want to keep growing? I’m hoping that this series of blogs, “Mastering DMing,” will help you level up as a Game Master/Dungeon Master.
Before I get to the meat of this week’s blog, let’s get one thing out of the way: most of us join the hobby through the gateway of D&D, which uses the nomenclature of Dungeon Mastering. If you branch out to other games, you will find other descriptors like Game Master (GM) or referee. I prefer the language of Dungeon Master. I know it doesn’t fit non-dungeon games. So feel free to sub in whichever term you prefer.
I’ve been a DM for fourteen years. I’ve run so many different game systems that they’ve started to bleed together in my head. My most-run games are Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1e) and the Star Wars Roleplaying Game (now by Edge Studios). But I also spent years running D&D 4th and 5th editions. In the last two years or so, I’ve started delving into games like Cairn, Knave, and Shadowdark. I’ve been around the block!
There are some essential principles of good DMing that apply to all games. And I hope in this series of blogs to help you improve as a DM, regardless of what you’re running. This week, we begin with the most essential principle for any DM/GM: focus on fun. Tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) are supposed to be an enjoyable past-time. We all play to have fun. So start there!
What do you think is fun?
Being a Game Master is like being a chef. You’re cooking up something for the other players to enjoy. So I’d recommend thinking through what you enjoy about RPGs.
I’ll argue passionately in a later blog about how TTRPGs are at their core an exercise in group storytelling. But within that paradigm, there are lots of different reasons for playing. Some players love tactical combat. Others enjoy building characters very strategically to accomplish certain tasks. Other players love telling an interesting story through their character’s backstory and development. Some players love the sense of freedom afforded by RPGs and simply want to explore the world and poke at things. Of course, some players play just to hang out with their friends. There are a thousand other reasons that players like to play. Some like maps. Others like dice. Some players like puzzles. This could go on forever!
What do you enjoy? Think about it, chef! As you think back on meals you’ve had, what did you most enjoy? And if you were going to serve that up to someone else, how would you do it? Knowing clearly what you enjoy will help you on a couple fronts. What do I enjoy? I enjoy…
- Character-driven stories (I like players to be invested in the PCs)
- With high danger (read: lethality) and
- Lots of opportunity for exploration (usually PCs end up in the woods or on the water)
I gladly play other styles. I’ve run urban adventures. I’ve run games with throwaway, dispensable characters. And when I run Star Wars, I know that lethality is low. I think of it as a palate cleanser. Still my preferences tend to fall within those bullet points. None of my players will be surprised to see any of these bullet points, mostly because they’ve played with me for over a decade. But it’s important to know what you enjoy for a couple reasons:
First, that clarity will serve as a plumb line when you find yourself having less fun. It’s a standard to help you go back to your roots. Second, it will help you communicate expectations to your players.
Communicate to Players the Kind of Fun You Enjoy
When you’re getting a campaign ready…and inviting others to play…be as clear and direct as possible. Simply saying, “Hey do you want to play D&D next Friday?” may get people to the table. But it does not set you up for success. Instead, what if you said something like this:
I’m starting a new D&D campaign that’s focused on sleuthing around in a tight-knit rural town, where things just seem a little…off.
I’m wanting to run a dungeon-heavy combat-focused RPG campaign that will necessitate players building characters strategically, thinking through the strengths and weaknesses of other characters.
I’m wanting to do a three-session game where you’ll basically roll no dice. It’s all roleplay, set in a low-technology utopian future. But you’ve heard rumors of a strange creature deep in the ocean that threatens your way of life.
Each of these helps set expectations–and it also gives players the chance to opt in or out. If a player comes in expecting fantasy combat, but instead it’s a simulationist game about medieval court romance…they’ll likely be frustrated or quit your game. Find out what you enjoy, so that you can communicate clearly what tone you’re going for in your game.
Keep the players in mind
But remember, just because players agree to what you find fun…they may enjoy other things too. So it’s important to talk to individual players before a campaign starts–and in the days after sessions–to find out what they do or don’t enjoy. In an ideal world, every session should include something that each player really enjoys. That might feel impossible, but I assure you it isn’t.
For example, every group tends to have a combat lover. If you intend to have no combat, you must let that player know. And if they still jump in, good for them! They’re trying something new. But you can have combat without a three-hour slog ensuing. Toss a rabid wolf at the party, let the player satisfy their bloodlust, and move on!
Every group also tends to have a roleplayer, who enjoys doing voices, speaking in first-person, or bringing up some detail of their backstory. Let them do it! Don’t expect every other player to do that, but give them a decent NPC to engage…before the combat lover then murders the NPC.
Also, if there’s a player in the group who seems to consistently ruin other people’s fun, it’s worth talking to them about it. Some people really enjoy certain aspects of RPGs. Others hate certain aspects of RPGs. But we should all be aiming to enhance one another’s fun. So that means being a grownup and not ruining other people’s fun. We should all be able to live and let live at the TTRPG table.
The essential question: Are you having fun?
At the end of it all, TTRPGs are about friends (and soon-to-be) getting together to have fun. So after a session, did you have fun? Why or why not? And what should you adjust so that you have more fun next time?
And a day or two after the session, ask your players: did you have fun? What would you enjoy more of? Is there anything you wouldn’t mind getting rid of? When everyone is having fun, it makes it more fun for everybody. And you can tell when that’s happening (or not happening) at the table. But it all starts with knowing what you enjoy, communicating that clearly to others, and then seeking feedback. That will give you the chance to adjust later sessions, so that everyone is having a good time.
How about you? What do you think is most fun in a tabletop roleplaying game? How have you learned to help others have a good time, while also having fun yourself? Let me know in the comments below.
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