I would also suggest Volo's p. 209 for additional NPC stat blocks. Just as an addition to the list in the Monster Manual. All of this is amazing. Thank you!
I've always thought of these books like cookbooks, you don't read them cover to cover. Scan or check the index first, then use bits and pieces as you need them.
Then, after you do that enough times, just read all of it because there’s probably some obscure rule you needed that you couldn’t find in the index, happens to me a bunch
I would highly recommend *The Monsters Know What They're Doing* by Keith Ammann. While it's definitely not required reading for a beginner, it is a VERY good reference material for intermediate level dungeon masters running monsters in Dungeons and Dragons 5e.
What a great book. It breathes life into these creatures. Gives you a fresh set of eyes when looking at the stat blocks. And gave me so much inspiration.
Agreed. Goblins are a lot scarier when they drop an ambush and make a fighting retreat instead of appearing in the open and getting mowed down en masse by the barbarian.
I've read it through once and it was a lot to take in but very well-written and I'm keeping it around basically tied to my monster manual for reference to play basically any combat encounter. I'm planning a game for new players though, might have to take it a little easy the first few sessions (unless....?)
You guys are absolute treasures! I'm getting ready to start my 14 y/o daughter and her friends on their first adventure (phandelver) and I've been trying to brush up on my DMing. Thank you for everything you do, and I can't wait to get my hands on Drakkenheim! Please never stop doing what you do! ❤️
I got a coupon with the essentials kit and got the players guide for like 15 bucks on dnd beyond and it has helped a lot being able to search and everything
This is so useful, because even after running games for a number of years, I always find the most helpful thing is to revisit the materials for information and inspiration.
Thank y’all so much! You were already my favorite DND/RPG channel, but as I was “nominated” to run a campaign starting 1/9, this couldn’t have come at a better time. I am running a one shot 12/26 and will definitely run a zero on 1/2, so I’ll actually jump into Tasha’s and Xanathar’s to make sure my encounters are good to go! I’ll then work my way through the rest! Thanks again Dudes!
Good luck, you’ll do great! Just remember that you’ve got a lot going on as the DM so don’t stress when small things fall through the cracks. If you’re having fun and the PC’s are having fun then that’s YOUR D&D game.
The essential kit booklet or the starter kit one has enough about DMing to make running a game rudimentarily for a great price. DMG is mostly rules on building a setting, a dungeon, a homebrew rule. PH is about actually playing the game. adventuring, combat, travel, spells.
There is one set of books that completely shaped me into the DM I am today and they are the VanRichten guides to monsters ( the created above all else), they showed me how to craft truly memorable villains that were anything but cookie cutter and from the villains my imagination could quickly craft stories around them. I highly advise even seasoned DM's give them a shot you can thank me later!
@@infamoussky22 I got several of them originally back in 2nd ed them the rest when they reprinted them as a collection. I think drivethrurpg has them if you don't wanna spend a fortune for them on ebay
Seconded! But then again the majority of supplements from 2nd eds Ravenloft we're really good, in spite of the mad glut of products TSR kept pumping out at the time. Castles Forlorn remains one of my favourite modules of all time.
@@danboud8135 castles Forlorn was an amazing byox set, I couldn't agree more my friend. I can't understand why it along with many others have not gotten the Curse of Strahd update treatment you would think it'd be like printing money for them!
@@danboud8135 IMHO what drove players and DM's from the setting was when they started screwing with the time lines of various domains . It became a problem when one land was midevil horror fantasy then it's direct neighbor had gunpowder and that doesn't even include the victorian era shenanigans later books adapted to rip off EAP stories, although the grand conjunction brought some cool new darklords and lands into the setting it kinda killed any consistency
My daughter who has played for a couple years is now the DM. So of course she doesn’t know many spells and abilities players get when they level up. It’s great though because she loves the game so much that she is genuinely excited when anyone does something new. She always says”Oh what does that do?” I think the players are even more responsible for how their spells and actions work. Great video as always.✌️
THANK YOU- I've been playing and DM'ing for around 40 years, but I never thought of how I could bring this up to new and perspective DM's. The intimidation factor for the volumes of rules is a big reason more people don't TRY to DM. Being able to point out the sections that are NEEDED vs what you can skim/look over the Table of Contents to get a quick idea of is HUGE. I'm going to be pointing the members of my parties who have expressed some interest in playing but haven't worked up the courage to this.
It’s also based on a blog that’s completely free to read, both of which are written by Keith Amann. I haven’t read any of his paid books myself, but I’ve found his blog to be very inspiring and insightful.
This should be essential for everyone to watch. I already showed this video to my entire crew. By far the most "new player/dm friendly" youtube video ever .. this 11/10 for content! AMAZING WORK!
This channel is just pure gold. So nice to hear, professional, so straight to the point, and the nice dynamic between the two of them. Thank you so much for your hard work. Its helping me a lot on how to DM in 5e.
This is incredibly helpful. I tend to be an overachiever who feels like if I don't read things cover to cover, I'm slacking, but as I prep for my first full campaign as a DM (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight -- can. not. wait!), I've been trying to be realistic about how to prep. This helped break down the essentials and gave me a great prep plan for the next few weeks until the adventure's release. Thanks, guys!
"It's better to know where to find rules rather than having them perfectly memorised" This is very true in general life especially if you have a technical job. There's too much information to just know. It's always funny to me when someone asks me a question, I give them my magic staff to hold while I dig into the scrolls I have tucked into my pockets.
Another good thing to do when starting out DMing, is literally just sitting and watching some of the less homebrew streams of the game. (ie games that follow mostly the core rules) - there's a lot to learn from people who have walked the path before us.
There is ONE thing that experienced GM's don't know, and that is the history of the Forgotten Realm (assuming it takes place there). General timeline knowledge and so forth. It's like not knowing Einstein, the Vietnam conflict and local and major world politicians. It's something every GM really should work on reading through between games.
Here I was taking screenshots of each section and bookmark, when you had it all neatly at the end and in the description. Running my first campaign in a month and I’m looking forward to it! Thank you!
When I got into 5th edition, not playing since 1st, I DM’ed for a year with only the PHB & XGtE. Listened to RUclipsrs like Dungeon Dudes etc., watched about dozen Critical Role episodes and would Google the monsters for current stats….there is a ton of information in the PHB. With that and the MM you can do a lot.
I love that you’re making a module of the Dungeons of Drakkenhiem. I started watching it about a month ago and I’m loving it so far! I’ve been playing for about a year and I’m going to be dm for my teen age kids starting next week. This video was perfectly timed for me.
As someone who is currently reading through these 3 books, and is also planning to DM for the first time to a table of newbies, this video is super helpful. Fortunately I actually LOVE reading through sourcebooks like these.
Guys i found your Chanel last week, it's very helpfull for me. Saved time i can now use to work on my first homebrew campain. Luckily the Page numbers are nearly the same in the german versions. Realy enjoying your Videos😁👍
I'm DMing for the first time this week and I'm excited by how much of this game has been opened up to me by getting to play this role. Thanks for the video guys.
I started my first campaign as a DM about a year ago, so I think of myself as a newbie still. And you are listing basically exactly what I needed when starting.
This is an outstanding video. Truly a worthwhile topic. As a DM who has read through the books and experienced a ton of trial and error, the pages mentioned do cut right to the heart of what you need to know. Bravo!
i feel personally attacked cause i enjoy sitting down and reading the books cover to cover and even if i don't have 100% of it memorized i often only need a little nudge to remember and recall the information.
I just want to say thank very much. I am a fairly new DM and was very unsure of where to start and how. Everyone just kept telling me to read the books, without guidance of what to read. As someone who is just planning to play with my kids, this gives me a better understanding on what to read. Thank you very much.
I'm an infrequent DM, first time (not final time though) run was a 2+ year exploratory mission that was as much about the mostly newish players exploring as it was for me. Can confirm benefits after starting too! Great timing Dudes.
The most vital reading I did to improve the combats in my games was to look up the monsters I had in store for my players on The Monsters Know What They're Doing. Unless combat is like a tertiary part of your game, I think reading that will make your encounters with monsters both more challenging and much more immersive. Really vital supplement to the Monster Manual flavor text and stat blocks.
Currently binging the videos on your channel. I really appreciate the thought and care you put into your focused scripts. As a new player and aspiring DM, these are great resources.
As someone who played 1st ed with rules all over the place and NO INDEX, dnd 5th ed is blissful. Books are somewhat structured and you can find what you're looking for. The concept of action, bonus action and reaction is good to get a grip of.
Yeah when I was starting all the rules were confusing and there were so many. Luckily there was a dnd channel that explains everything in a better way. Thanks guys
The DM's Guide is also a great reference for players too. It touches up & even clarifies some things that are a little vague in the PHB. So don't count out the PHB as "players only" & the DMG as "DM's only". They have incredibly useful things to both kinds of people in your group!
17:35 FACT. I picked up Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, skimmed through it. Came across the Moonstone Dragon who is generally peaceful and inspires poets. Gears started turning. Now I'm building out a homebrew campaign called Legacy of the Moonstone Dragon that involves dreams and madness. :D
Honestly if your brand new to DMing and you are not building a world from scratch don't worry about the DMG and MM too much just learn how the game works from the PHB. Also if your brand new I highly recommend a premade to start because it will help you understand how an adventure is supposed to work. Good luck to all the new DMs out there and try not to get frustrated when players foil your plans too easily just have fun.
Great guide on esstinal areas to read up on and am not surpised by how much of the suggested sections had a table or footnote for the dm screen...those are so hopeful for quick reference. The only thing i would have liked to see you recap in this video would have been the quick look up and we wil rule this way for now hints you have given before. For any not familiar with this they are a set of guidelines that help keep the pace of your game going well. With about 10-20 seconds to find the rule if you cannot make a one time ruling and advise we will do this now but i will check and/or revise later. So useful when you can't find that rule that you remeber you read somewhere without losing the rythem of your game.
I started playing D&D a few months ago with some friends virtually and I am HOOKED. My mind immediately started coming up with all kinds of fun adventures and campaigns that I'd love to DM. But thanks to another video of yours, I decided to run Phandelver first with my D&D veteran brother and other members of the family so I can get a feel for how it's supposed to be before I dive into homebrews. Thanks for all your excellent information and advice, it's extremely helpful so far!
This is a Real Good video. I've been DMing 5e for over 2 years, and running games for about 2 decades, but still haven't read through all of the DMG. It's really nice to have the sections I may be missing highlighted!
This is an excellent summary of the essentials. Well done dudes! Even as a seasoned player and GM I still learn and find tons of inspiration from you guys. You are awesome!
Super useful guys, I have DnD Beyond only so I had to spend some time making bookmarks on my browser, but these suggestions are perfect because we usually end up trying to find these exact things almost every session and I usually forget to make the bookmarks
Starting a campaign as dungeon master with some friends and we are all brand new to D&D. I played Rolemaster as a kid but it’s been a long time and I can’t wait to get back into it. I’ve been watching all of your videos and they are super helpful. Thanks dudes!
Great content, Dudes. I have a nephew recently introduced to D&D who is chomping at the bit to DM. I always point him to youtube and all the great content available. This video will go a long way in getting him to DM without becoming overwhelmed (even I found useful and reassuring). Kudos!
I am just getting into dnd. Hope to see more videos like this. Thanks for not forgetting new players and dms. Idk if you have a video already but I got rime of the frostmaiden and had to delay the game because its harder to run than I thought I have no clue what I need to take notes on or memorize or whats ok to wing it on....if you haven't already a very detailed eli5 video on running premade adventures would be greatly appreciated. This video helps a lot though...thanks guys
Love it! I requested this on the Discord, great to see it and it’s perfect how you pulled out the best sections. I read the DMG cover to cover and it was absurd.
900 pages is nothing lol. I got through them all in a week. Now, I do reread them because there is a lot of nuances to them and I like to think of scenarios and get used to looking up the relevant rules and such so I have the skill of doing so down and a general idea of how to find the information when needed again. But the raw reading? I’m a fast reader and a week is easy for me to cover, relatively casually, 900 pages. But! I still appreciate this advice, and look forward to reading through your own recommendations now that I have been drafted by family to dm. (I have only been a part of this hobby for the better part of 3-4 months and only joined, as a player, a handful of games so I had context from that side).
I am always excited to see the detailed breakdowns. I watch and constantly rewatch all these videos. Each time I pick up a new idea or am reminded of a mechanic I forgot or neglect. Great job. Thanks.
I've been playing D&D for about a month now(3 sessions) and I've been working on having some close friends playing with me. I've started creating a new game to run if i can get enough players. This was exactly what i asked myself earlier this week. Thank you for everything.
I'm on west coast n America timings will be interesting, have a friend in S America might be interested when you're ready too. Been at it for a while, contact me if you need advice. Its always easier to deal with a tpk online rather than irl, by the way.
Luckily not planning a tpk, but as a first time it could turn into 1. That's why I'm taking it slow and getting a bit more experience as a player first, but I will be in contact.
A few weeks away from starting the new campaign. No official starting time yet(current dm is still finishing her campaign over the next month or two and I'm setting up mine) , but excited and really hope it'll be something exceptional for my group. Something I doubt either of them has experienced before. @d ford If you're interested, I'd be happy to hear from you. You're friend is more than welcome as well. We usually play at around 20:30 SAST(around 14:30 est/11:00 pdt) on a Monday.
I am so going to use these pagenumbers!! I have been DM-ing Lost mines of Phandelver twice now after taking over from our DM after just 4 /5 playing sessions prior to that. I have been going up and down through my PHB and the startersets booklets for hours prior to the sessions and even soem while eacht time during. Mostly because i could remember a rule, but had no specific idea on where to search for it :P So THANK you very much for providing these bookmarks!!! It will enhance my enjoyment big time.
I love this video! I always recommend your videos to people asking for references and love how easy you guys make it is to understand even complex topics
Seriously. Even on Thanksgiving Day it was such a relief to sit down and count on the Dudes to take me away a little bit. I am so excited to see some of the new play test locations after the new year!
Well, those encounter charts in Xanathar are just a tiny snapshot for small encounters. If you really want to stretch things out for a bigger picture, you have to crunch the numbers. The 'xp threshold by character level' on page 82 of DMG is hardly draconic. It turns out some interesting figures... A warband of 76 gnolls (not including 40 hyenas, with a Flind leader and built by info in Volo guide) is a deadly encounter for 940 1st level pc's and easy for 3,760 of them. Gnolls on the hunt can be absolutely devastating to any frontier population. You don't see that looking at stat blocks and pre-fab charts.
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant -- as always. Thanks for all these awesome insight and taking the time to share in such a simple, quick format! LOVE THE DUNGEON DUDES!!!
Guys this is going to help me SO MUCH, thank you 😍 I always get confused by the amount of stuff I need to remember, but now I feel more confident I can actually master my sessions
I would even suggest OSE/OSR. MUCH less expensive and rules light. However it's still D&D and you will get experience without having to lay out a lot of money. One of the OSR's is only $5, it's called Basic Fantasy. There's others like White Box, and Old School Essentials. If you're just starting as a DM, I'd go with these. They also allow you to play all of the old, classic modules that give so much flavor and amazing runs.
So, I have the bonus perk of rapid literary memorization. Which leaves my group staring at me for obscure rules and expecting me to know it, because I skimmed over that part of the book several months ago. The fact I'm usually right probably feeds into this. Still annoying sometimes though.
Preparing my first campain and this is gonna help a lot. You can look at the index but sometimes with all the material available its confusing sometime. Thanks for the content.
Myself and some friends have just started playing and I said I'd DM. None of us have a clue really, we haven't played since 3.5, so our first session was about getting the mechanics right. After that session 2 of the others said they would like to DM as well so this will help us all out. A LOT! I'll have a greater understanding of what to do for our 2nd session when the group enters the Cragmaw Hideout from LMoP
It’s like you guys read my mind. I’m planning to DM for my first campaign in about a month or 2 and seeing this video couldn’t have come at more opportune time.
Hey dudes, another great video. One thing I would like to suggest for the brand spanking new DM (on a shoe string budget) is just to read the free Basic Rules pdf on the WOTC website. It covers the same material as the PHB but with less complexity (only 4 races/classes), has enough magical items and monster stats to get started. For more options, the free Basic Rules on D&D Beyond seems to cover most of the core rules minus feats and the sub classes. And for a few dollars a session the DMs Guild may have some beginning adventures that include magical items & monster stats. I have noticed that the "AL approved adventures" seem to have all the required stats without need of DMG or MM (guessing AL material has the license to). And lastly the D&D Starter Set which is the best 20 bucks one can spend to get started on D&D as a player or DM.
This was completely perfect timing for me because I was going to run a game for the first time and I was thinking about this exact thing. There was no way that to DM I needed to read all of these books fully.
What an awesome video!! I wish I had this just over a year ago when I started. I've noticed on my own some of the things you've been talking about - For example, I started out thinking that the DMG was uber-important to read full through, then noticed during play that the really important info came from the PHB.
This is really helpful. Brand new to dnd and trying to setup a one shot for my 11 year old son and roped my wife in too. Unfortunately, as much as I love prepping, due to having ADHD i tend to bounce from one thing to another when I see/read something that peaks my interest. Having guides like this can help get me back on track.
While playing in someone else's campaign is a good way to learn the rules and get a feel for the game if that is not possible the next best thing is to create a character anyway. Even as a theoretical exercise it's a lot of fun and you'll pick up some of the rules along the way.
Already made a comment days ago. Just had to say that this is probably your best advice video to date. Kudos. My nephew will eat this up. Thanks Dudes.
I stumbled upon this channel 6 months back, it inspired me to pickup the core rule books. Your reading list is exactly the first things I reviewed before I began planning my campaign. Great work as always Dudes Too bad bad my campaign will go on hold once your book drops. Ah first world problems. :)
Centered around combat? No - combat is important to DnD, but over all it's not about fighting (hell: I do reward my players for finding either a non-violent solution or find a way to thin out a combat encounter before it truly starts (something like poisoning the food in a bandits camp by having the rogue sneak in (or the bard convince them to let him/her in!) or using say a baricade as an advantage by stacking crates behind it that the ranged characters can step on (so makeshift-watchtower!))...hell, I've run entire evenings without a single combat encounter, just good roleplay and using non-combat skills (I've had a wild gose chase once where my party was accused of murder, but they were allowed to prove their innoncence and thus had to chase the real killer down!)
Here's the link to the Google Doc reading list: bit.ly/new-dm-reading-list
Thanks for this doc. Was scrambling to find post it notes while watching until I saw this😂
Love your videos guys ! the concept of this one is particularly nice
I've learned so much from you guys and Critical Role. Can't wait to finally run my own game.
I would also suggest Volo's p. 209 for additional NPC stat blocks. Just as an addition to the list in the Monster Manual. All of this is amazing. Thank you!
This doc is what I REALLY want on a DM screen!!😂
I've always thought of these books like cookbooks, you don't read them cover to cover. Scan or check the index first, then use bits and pieces as you need them.
Then, after you do that enough times, just read all of it because there’s probably some obscure rule you needed that you couldn’t find in the index, happens to me a bunch
And if you don't like it or can't do something, change it!
I like to read cover to cover first so I don't miss anything, then use the index to find the blurb I vaguely remember
I would highly recommend *The Monsters Know What They're Doing* by Keith Ammann. While it's definitely not required reading for a beginner, it is a VERY good reference material for intermediate level dungeon masters running monsters in Dungeons and Dragons 5e.
Loooooove their work. Breathes extraordinary life into running monsters.
Was blessed to get this for Christmas. Cannot recommend it highly enough.
What a great book. It breathes life into these creatures. Gives you a fresh set of eyes when looking at the stat blocks. And gave me so much inspiration.
Agreed. Goblins are a lot scarier when they drop an ambush and make a fighting retreat instead of appearing in the open and getting mowed down en masse by the barbarian.
I've read it through once and it was a lot to take in but very well-written and I'm keeping it around basically tied to my monster manual for reference to play basically any combat encounter. I'm planning a game for new players though, might have to take it a little easy the first few sessions (unless....?)
This is such perfect timing. I am planning to dm for the first time after winter break.
Same! Good luck, my fellow first-timer!
I see we all needed this rn, gonna DM (for the first time) a campaign soon too
Im 5 sessions in, and fuck its fun
Wow same here. My group has been together for awhile but I'm taking iver as DM after we finish our current campaign
I’m right there with you brother.
You guys are absolute treasures! I'm getting ready to start my 14 y/o daughter and her friends on their first adventure (phandelver) and I've been trying to brush up on my DMing. Thank you for everything you do, and I can't wait to get my hands on Drakkenheim! Please never stop doing what you do! ❤️
( @04:30 ) PHB "Introduction" - Pgs 5-8;
( @05:00 ) PHB "Using Ability Scores" {Ch 7} - Pgs 171-179 {DCs for Abilitiy Checks - Bookmark 174};
( @05:50 ) PHB "Adventuring" {Ch 8} - Pgs 181-186;
( @06:10 ) PHB "Combat" {Ch 9} - Pgs 189-198 {Actions in Combat - Bookmark 192};
( @07:20 ) PHB "Spellcasting" {Ch 10} - Pgs 201-205 {Concentration & Casting Times - Bookmark Pg 202};
( @08:50 ) PHB "Conditions" {Apx-A} - Pgs 290-292;
( @11:05 ) DMG "Introduction" - Pg 6;
( @11:20 ) DMG "Running the Game" {Ch 8} - Pgs 233-260
{Bookmark Pg 245 - Conversation DCs}
{Bookmark Pg 246 - Object ACs & Hit Points}
{Bookmark Pg 249 - Improvising Damage & damage per level};
( @13:50 ) Warning!!! DMG "Creating Encounters" should be replaced with XoGE "Encounter Building" - Pg 88-91;
( @14:20 ) DMG "Magic Items" {Ch 7, sec 3} - Pgs 135-227 should be used with...
( @14:50 ) XoGE "Magic Items" - Pg 135;
( @15:30 ) DMG "The Big Picture" {Ch 1, sec 1} - Pg 9;
( @16:05 ) TCoE "Session 0" - Pg 139;
( @17:00 ) Monster Manual - overview;
( @18:15 ) MM "Introduction" - Pgs 4-11 {Bookmark Pg 342 - NPCs}.
look at you! so prestigious, Dudes here is employee of the month.
Awesome. Thank you for this!
You rock
One advice I have is You can check almost everything online to save time on 5e wikidot , Roll 20 and DND beyond .
I got a coupon with the essentials kit and got the players guide for like 15 bucks on dnd beyond and it has helped a lot being able to search and everything
Don't know about 5e wikidot but on d&d beyond and roll 20 you do have to buy resources to go much beyond the basic rules.
@@malcolmrowe9003 wikidot is free and super simple to search through. Now rulebooks you'd need to download
Aside from watching RUclips videos, I found much of the information I needed in the rule book that came with the Starter Kit.
This is so useful, because even after running games for a number of years, I always find the most helpful thing is to revisit the materials for information and inspiration.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank y’all so much! You were already my favorite DND/RPG channel, but as I was “nominated” to run a campaign starting 1/9, this couldn’t have come at a better time. I am running a one shot 12/26 and will definitely run a zero on 1/2, so I’ll actually jump into Tasha’s and Xanathar’s to make sure my encounters are good to go! I’ll then work my way through the rest! Thanks again Dudes!
Good luck, you’ll do great! Just remember that you’ve got a lot going on as the DM so don’t stress when small things fall through the cracks. If you’re having fun and the PC’s are having fun then that’s YOUR D&D game.
I absolutely love that you guys broke this down so many people ask this question and it’s difficult to break it down as you did here. Bravo
The essential kit booklet or the starter kit one has enough about DMing to make running a game rudimentarily for a great price. DMG is mostly rules on building a setting, a dungeon, a homebrew rule. PH is about actually playing the game. adventuring, combat, travel, spells.
There is one set of books that completely shaped me into the DM I am today and they are the VanRichten guides to monsters ( the created above all else), they showed me how to craft truly memorable villains that were anything but cookie cutter and from the villains my imagination could quickly craft stories around them. I highly advise even seasoned DM's give them a shot you can thank me later!
where can you get those books?
@@infamoussky22 I got several of them originally back in 2nd ed them the rest when they reprinted them as a collection. I think drivethrurpg has them if you don't wanna spend a fortune for them on ebay
Seconded! But then again the majority of supplements from 2nd eds Ravenloft we're really good, in spite of the mad glut of products TSR kept pumping out at the time. Castles Forlorn remains one of my favourite modules of all time.
@@danboud8135 castles Forlorn was an amazing byox set, I couldn't agree more my friend. I can't understand why it along with many others have not gotten the Curse of Strahd update treatment you would think it'd be like printing money for them!
@@danboud8135 IMHO what drove players and DM's from the setting was when they started screwing with the time lines of various domains . It became a problem when one land was midevil horror fantasy then it's direct neighbor had gunpowder and that doesn't even include the victorian era shenanigans later books adapted to rip off EAP stories, although the grand conjunction brought some cool new darklords and lands into the setting it kinda killed any consistency
My daughter who has played for a couple years is now the DM. So of course she doesn’t know many spells and abilities players get when they level up. It’s great though because she loves the game so much that she is genuinely excited when anyone does something new. She always says”Oh what does that do?” I think the players are even more responsible for how their spells and actions work. Great video as always.✌️
THANK YOU-
I've been playing and DM'ing for around 40 years, but I never thought of how I could bring this up to new and perspective DM's.
The intimidation factor for the volumes of rules is a big reason more people don't TRY to DM. Being able to point out the sections that are NEEDED vs what you can skim/look over the Table of Contents to get a quick idea of is HUGE.
I'm going to be pointing the members of my parties who have expressed some interest in playing but haven't worked up the courage to this.
There is also a really interesting book called “the monsters know what they are doing”. It is really useful for monsters strategy
Highly recommended reading for understanding how creatures behave given their stat bloc.
It’s also based on a blog that’s completely free to read, both of which are written by Keith Amann.
I haven’t read any of his paid books myself, but I’ve found his blog to be very inspiring and insightful.
This is honestly the best advice you can get as a Dungeon Master.
I wish I had similar advice when I started 5 months ago....
This should be essential for everyone to watch. I already showed this video to my entire crew. By far the most "new player/dm friendly" youtube video ever .. this 11/10 for content! AMAZING WORK!
This channel is just pure gold. So nice to hear, professional, so straight to the point, and the nice dynamic between the two of them. Thank you so much for your hard work. Its helping me a lot on how to DM in 5e.
- I really appreciate how you guys break it all down in a clear, concise way. Terrific information. Keep up the great work.
You’re videos are so polished and fun to watch now. Kudos on leveling up guys!!!
This is incredibly helpful. I tend to be an overachiever who feels like if I don't read things cover to cover, I'm slacking, but as I prep for my first full campaign as a DM (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight -- can. not. wait!), I've been trying to be realistic about how to prep. This helped break down the essentials and gave me a great prep plan for the next few weeks until the adventure's release. Thanks, guys!
"It's better to know where to find rules rather than having them perfectly memorised" This is very true in general life especially if you have a technical job. There's too much information to just know. It's always funny to me when someone asks me a question, I give them my magic staff to hold while I dig into the scrolls I have tucked into my pockets.
i would bookmark the equipment section of the phb for all the buying of stuff
Another good thing to do when starting out DMing, is literally just sitting and watching some of the less homebrew streams of the game. (ie games that follow mostly the core rules) - there's a lot to learn from people who have walked the path before us.
Now there's a good idea...
There is ONE thing that experienced GM's don't know, and that is the history of the Forgotten Realm (assuming it takes place there). General timeline knowledge and so forth. It's like not knowing Einstein, the Vietnam conflict and local and major world politicians. It's something every GM really should work on reading through between games.
Very helpful, as a person who is trying to return to the game this makes things much easier. Thank you
Here I was taking screenshots of each section and bookmark, when you had it all neatly at the end and in the description. Running my first campaign in a month and I’m looking forward to it! Thank you!
They tend to be pretty helpful in the description, I wish more RUclips channels used it as well.
When I got into 5th edition, not playing since 1st, I DM’ed for a year with only the PHB & XGtE. Listened to RUclipsrs like Dungeon Dudes etc., watched about dozen Critical Role episodes and would Google the monsters for current stats….there is a ton of information in the PHB. With that and the MM you can do a lot.
I love that you’re making a module of the Dungeons of Drakkenhiem. I started watching it about a month ago and I’m loving it so far!
I’ve been playing for about a year and I’m going to be dm for my teen age kids starting next week. This video was perfectly timed for me.
As someone who is currently reading through these 3 books, and is also planning to DM for the first time to a table of newbies, this video is super helpful. Fortunately I actually LOVE reading through sourcebooks like these.
Guys i found your Chanel last week, it's very helpfull for me. Saved time i can now use to work on my first homebrew campain. Luckily the Page numbers are nearly the same in the german versions. Realy enjoying your Videos😁👍
I'm that wierdo that loves the textbook rules, and gleefully read the PHB and DMG cover to cover. but I by no means memorized everything!
I'm DMing for the first time this week and I'm excited by how much of this game has been opened up to me by getting to play this role. Thanks for the video guys.
I started my first campaign as a DM about a year ago, so I think of myself as a newbie still.
And you are listing basically exactly what I needed when starting.
I'm a seasoned DM that periodically reviews the material because my party is CONSTANTLY doing the unexpected and this video is a life-saver!
This is an outstanding video. Truly a worthwhile topic. As a DM who has read through the books and experienced a ton of trial and error, the pages mentioned do cut right to the heart of what you need to know. Bravo!
i feel personally attacked cause i enjoy sitting down and reading the books cover to cover and even if i don't have 100% of it memorized i often only need a little nudge to remember and recall the information.
I just want to say thank very much. I am a fairly new DM and was very unsure of where to start and how. Everyone just kept telling me to read the books, without guidance of what to read. As someone who is just planning to play with my kids, this gives me a better understanding on what to read. Thank you very much.
As a first time dnd player and DM i found reading the corebooks incredibly exciting and really brought out my creativity.
I'm an infrequent DM, first time (not final time though) run was a 2+ year exploratory mission that was as much about the mostly newish players exploring as it was for me. Can confirm benefits after starting too! Great timing Dudes.
The most vital reading I did to improve the combats in my games was to look up the monsters I had in store for my players on The Monsters Know What They're Doing. Unless combat is like a tertiary part of your game, I think reading that will make your encounters with monsters both more challenging and much more immersive. Really vital supplement to the Monster Manual flavor text and stat blocks.
Currently binging the videos on your channel. I really appreciate the thought and care you put into your focused scripts. As a new player and aspiring DM, these are great resources.
As someone who played 1st ed with rules all over the place and NO INDEX, dnd 5th ed is blissful.
Books are somewhat structured and you can find what you're looking for.
The concept of action, bonus action and reaction is good to get a grip of.
Yeah when I was starting all the rules were confusing and there were so many. Luckily there was a dnd channel that explains everything in a better way. Thanks guys
The DM's Guide is also a great reference for players too. It touches up & even clarifies some things that are a little vague in the PHB. So don't count out the PHB as "players only" & the DMG as "DM's only". They have incredibly useful things to both kinds of people in your group!
Thank you for these. I've been DMing for abt a year and I couldn't have done it without your videos!!
Thank you! I literally just started my first campaign yesterday with my friends. You guys are great!
After so many years this video is still up to date and providing us masters with incredible value. Thanks. Great job.
17:35 FACT. I picked up Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, skimmed through it. Came across the Moonstone Dragon who is generally peaceful and inspires poets.
Gears started turning.
Now I'm building out a homebrew campaign called Legacy of the Moonstone Dragon that involves dreams and madness. :D
Honestly if your brand new to DMing and you are not building a world from scratch don't worry about the DMG and MM too much just learn how the game works from the PHB. Also if your brand new I highly recommend a premade to start because it will help you understand how an adventure is supposed to work. Good luck to all the new DMs out there and try not to get frustrated when players foil your plans too easily just have fun.
Great guide on esstinal areas to read up on and am not surpised by how much of the suggested sections had a table or footnote for the dm screen...those are so hopeful for quick reference.
The only thing i would have liked to see you recap in this video would have been the quick look up and we wil rule this way for now hints you have given before.
For any not familiar with this they are a set of guidelines that help keep the pace of your game going well.
With about 10-20 seconds to find the rule if you cannot make a one time ruling and advise we will do this now but i will check and/or revise later.
So useful when you can't find that rule that you remeber you read somewhere without losing the rythem of your game.
I started playing D&D a few months ago with some friends virtually and I am HOOKED. My mind immediately started coming up with all kinds of fun adventures and campaigns that I'd love to DM. But thanks to another video of yours, I decided to run Phandelver first with my D&D veteran brother and other members of the family so I can get a feel for how it's supposed to be before I dive into homebrews. Thanks for all your excellent information and advice, it's extremely helpful so far!
This is a Real Good video.
I've been DMing 5e for over 2 years, and running games for about 2 decades, but still haven't read through all of the DMG. It's really nice to have the sections I may be missing highlighted!
This is an excellent summary of the essentials. Well done dudes!
Even as a seasoned player and GM I still learn and find tons of inspiration from you guys. You are awesome!
Super useful guys, I have DnD Beyond only so I had to spend some time making bookmarks on my browser, but these suggestions are perfect because we usually end up trying to find these exact things almost every session and I usually forget to make the bookmarks
You don’t need to read all of the rules but you get to read all of the rules. I love it.
Starting a campaign as dungeon master with some friends and we are all brand new to D&D. I played Rolemaster as a kid but it’s been a long time and I can’t wait to get back into it. I’ve been watching all of your videos and they are super helpful. Thanks dudes!
Great content, Dudes. I have a nephew recently introduced to D&D who is chomping at the bit to DM.
I always point him to youtube and all the great content available. This video will go a long way in getting him to DM without becoming overwhelmed (even I found useful and reassuring). Kudos!
I am just getting into dnd. Hope to see more videos like this. Thanks for not forgetting new players and dms.
Idk if you have a video already but I got rime of the frostmaiden and had to delay the game because its harder to run than I thought I have no clue what I need to take notes on or memorize or whats ok to wing it on....if you haven't already a very detailed eli5 video on running premade adventures would be greatly appreciated.
This video helps a lot though...thanks guys
This video might help you out a bit! ruclips.net/video/fcjK8oXEx5I/видео.html
Also yes, we do hope to do more videos for newer players and DMs
Love it! I requested this on the Discord, great to see it and it’s perfect how you pulled out the best sections. I read the DMG cover to cover and it was absurd.
900 pages is nothing lol. I got through them all in a week. Now, I do reread them because there is a lot of nuances to them and I like to think of scenarios and get used to looking up the relevant rules and such so I have the skill of doing so down and a general idea of how to find the information when needed again. But the raw reading? I’m a fast reader and a week is easy for me to cover, relatively casually, 900 pages. But! I still appreciate this advice, and look forward to reading through your own recommendations now that I have been drafted by family to dm. (I have only been a part of this hobby for the better part of 3-4 months and only joined, as a player, a handful of games so I had context from that side).
Thank yal for having this. It helped me so much as being a new DM/ player, and running my first campain with 6 new plavers.
I am always excited to see the detailed breakdowns. I watch and constantly rewatch all these videos. Each time I pick up a new idea or am reminded of a mechanic I forgot or neglect. Great job. Thanks.
I wanted to start dming, the timing is just on spot! Great video, many thanks 😁
I've been playing D&D for about a month now(3 sessions) and I've been working on having some close friends playing with me. I've started creating a new game to run if i can get enough players.
This was exactly what i asked myself earlier this week. Thank you for everything.
Where, I could squeeze another game in, sometime, maybe?
@@dford4014South Africa.
I'll let you know. Only recently started, So still got a lot of work to do.
I'm on west coast n America timings will be interesting, have a friend in S America might be interested when you're ready too. Been at it for a while, contact me if you need advice. Its always easier to deal with a tpk online rather than irl, by the way.
Luckily not planning a tpk, but as a first time it could turn into 1. That's why I'm taking it slow and getting a bit more experience as a player first, but I will be in contact.
A few weeks away from starting the new campaign. No official starting time yet(current dm is still finishing her campaign over the next month or two and I'm setting up mine) , but excited and really hope it'll be something exceptional for my group. Something I doubt either of them has experienced before.
@d ford
If you're interested, I'd be happy to hear from you. You're friend is more than welcome as well. We usually play at around 20:30 SAST(around 14:30 est/11:00 pdt) on a Monday.
I am so going to use these pagenumbers!! I have been DM-ing Lost mines of Phandelver twice now after taking over from our DM after just 4 /5 playing sessions prior to that.
I have been going up and down through my PHB and the startersets booklets for hours prior to the sessions and even soem while eacht time during.
Mostly because i could remember a rule, but had no specific idea on where to search for it :P
So THANK you very much for providing these bookmarks!!!
It will enhance my enjoyment big time.
Christmas came early, I'm just starting in the world of d&d as a DM and didn't know where to start thank you Dungeon Dudes
I love this video! I always recommend your videos to people asking for references and love how easy you guys make it is to understand even complex topics
Merry holidays boys and from the bottom of my heart thank you for being the most consistent and quality content creators in my feed🥳🎄🐉
Seriously. Even on Thanksgiving Day it was such a relief to sit down and count on the Dudes to take me away a little bit.
I am so excited to see some of the new play test locations after the new year!
Well, those encounter charts in Xanathar are just a tiny snapshot for small encounters. If you really want to stretch things out for a bigger picture, you have to crunch the numbers.
The 'xp threshold by character level' on page 82 of DMG is hardly draconic. It turns out some interesting figures...
A warband of 76 gnolls (not including 40 hyenas, with a Flind leader and built by info in Volo guide) is a deadly encounter for 940 1st level pc's and easy for 3,760 of them. Gnolls on the hunt can be absolutely devastating to any frontier population. You don't see that looking at stat blocks and pre-fab charts.
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant -- as always. Thanks for all these awesome insight and taking the time to share in such a simple, quick format! LOVE THE DUNGEON DUDES!!!
Guys this is going to help me SO MUCH, thank you 😍 I always get confused by the amount of stuff I need to remember, but now I feel more confident I can actually master my sessions
I would even suggest OSE/OSR. MUCH less expensive and rules light. However it's still D&D and you will get experience without having to lay out a lot of money. One of the OSR's is only $5, it's called Basic Fantasy. There's others like White Box, and Old School Essentials. If you're just starting as a DM, I'd go with these. They also allow you to play all of the old, classic modules that give so much flavor and amazing runs.
what are the full titles behind these acronyms? :3
@@lochiness. old school essentials. Old school resurgence
Thank you Dudes!! You made this DM (Who is teaching an even newer DM) very happy. Those Page numbers are clutch!!
So, I have the bonus perk of rapid literary memorization. Which leaves my group staring at me for obscure rules and expecting me to know it, because I skimmed over that part of the book several months ago. The fact I'm usually right probably feeds into this. Still annoying sometimes though.
Perfect timing!!! I'm just now starting my DM journey! Had my first game Tuesday following tips you guys have already posted!
Preparing my first campain and this is gonna help a lot. You can look at the index but sometimes with all the material available its confusing sometime. Thanks for the content.
Myself and some friends have just started playing and I said I'd DM. None of us have a clue really, we haven't played since 3.5, so our first session was about getting the mechanics right. After that session 2 of the others said they would like to DM as well so this will help us all out. A LOT! I'll have a greater understanding of what to do for our 2nd session when the group enters the Cragmaw Hideout from LMoP
It’s like you guys read my mind. I’m planning to DM for my first campaign in about a month or 2 and seeing this video couldn’t have come at more opportune time.
Hey dudes, another great video. One thing I would like to suggest for the brand spanking new DM (on a shoe string budget) is just to read the free Basic Rules pdf on the WOTC website. It covers the same material as the PHB but with less complexity (only 4 races/classes), has enough magical items and monster stats to get started. For more options, the free Basic Rules on D&D Beyond seems to cover most of the core rules minus feats and the sub classes. And for a few dollars a session the DMs Guild may have some beginning adventures that include magical items & monster stats. I have noticed that the "AL approved adventures" seem to have all the required stats without need of DMG or MM (guessing AL material has the license to). And lastly the D&D Starter Set which is the best 20 bucks one can spend to get started on D&D as a player or DM.
Sounds like you can make a whole new video for essential reading for the new DM on a budget ;)
FINALLY A VIDEO THATS STRAIGHT FORWARD!!! Thank you so much ❤
Guides like this is why I love and always recommend your channel.
Merry Xmas to one of my favorite recently found pair of creators.
Guys, this video is fantastic! You 2 are to the D&D RUclips space what MeandMyGolf is to the golf RUclips space. So freaking helpful! Thx!
This was completely perfect timing for me because I was going to run a game for the first time and I was thinking about this exact thing. There was no way that to DM I needed to read all of these books fully.
What an awesome video!! I wish I had this just over a year ago when I started.
I've noticed on my own some of the things you've been talking about - For example, I started out thinking that the DMG was uber-important to read full through, then noticed during play that the really important info came from the PHB.
Perfect. I’m trying to get my own game up and going at the beginning of the new year
I'm the DM for my friends, and now one wants to try DMing us, so this will help a lot. Thanks guys!
Going into Dm role in a month, really appreciate this little guide cheers guys =)
You don't need to know the stats of an Astral Dreadnought to run a campaign from level 1 to 10.
This is really helpful. Brand new to dnd and trying to setup a one shot for my 11 year old son and roped my wife in too. Unfortunately, as much as I love prepping, due to having ADHD i tend to bounce from one thing to another when I see/read something that peaks my interest. Having guides like this can help get me back on track.
While playing in someone else's campaign is a good way to learn the rules and get a feel for the game if that is not possible the next best thing is to create a character anyway. Even as a theoretical exercise it's a lot of fun and you'll pick up some of the rules along the way.
Wow this is perfect, aftet playing for a few years I dm'd for the first time ever yesterday and this comes out today
Already made a comment days ago. Just had to say that this is probably your best advice video to date. Kudos. My nephew will eat this up. Thanks Dudes.
You guys are amazing, I was reading cover to cover and this helped me so much.
I stumbled upon this channel 6 months back, it inspired me to pickup the core rule books.
Your reading list is exactly the first things I reviewed before I began planning my campaign.
Great work as always Dudes
Too bad bad my campaign will go on hold once your book drops. Ah first world problems. :)
Just bought all 3 core books, Xanathar's guide and Out of the Abyss. Thanks for the advice!
A DM screen can help a ton. Then, add another page of your own quick reference notes.
Centered around combat? No - combat is important to DnD, but over all it's not about fighting (hell: I do reward my players for finding either a non-violent solution or find a way to thin out a combat encounter before it truly starts (something like poisoning the food in a bandits camp by having the rogue sneak in (or the bard convince them to let him/her in!) or using say a baricade as an advantage by stacking crates behind it that the ranged characters can step on (so makeshift-watchtower!))...hell, I've run entire evenings without a single combat encounter, just good roleplay and using non-combat skills (I've had a wild gose chase once where my party was accused of murder, but they were allowed to prove their innoncence and thus had to chase the real killer down!)