How to be a Good DM - Running Your First Game - DM Tips

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  • Опубликовано: 21 ноя 2024

Комментарии • 749

  • @joem1480
    @joem1480 7 лет назад +2614

    My daughter ran her first game of D&D at age 9. (3.5 rules). The plot was very simple, good wizard hired us (the players) to go into a dungeon and retrieve a spell component he needed in order to cast a counterspell to an evil wizards spell to end the world.

    • @phano6385
      @phano6385 7 лет назад +137

      Joe M This sounds like it was a fun adventure!

    • @NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself
      @NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself 6 лет назад +152

      Love it. I would totally play that.
      (I've been playing for 25 years, and I still love the straightforward hero quest.)

    • @anacoanagoldenflower
      @anacoanagoldenflower 6 лет назад +67

      That's awesome! Good for her, I'd love to play with a kid DM one of these days. Simple hero quest is the best for beginners I feel, I'll probably do one once I get more confident.

    • @Za_Lup
      @Za_Lup 5 лет назад +13

      I already love her xD

    • @MrLeroyFox
      @MrLeroyFox 5 лет назад +36

      Oh man I wish I was there! Would be awesome to have a child as GM, they usually have way more fantasy than us and have a totally different approach on stuff.

  • @abusedumpster8882
    @abusedumpster8882 5 лет назад +2817

    1 hour before my first session as DM starts and I’ve suddenly realized how vastly underprepared I am
    Pray for me

    • @joescorner4353
      @joescorner4353 5 лет назад +41

      how did it go.

    • @bbduckgaming9482
      @bbduckgaming9482 5 лет назад +27

      How did it go

    • @abusedumpster8882
      @abusedumpster8882 5 лет назад +298

      It went pretty okay honestly! Everyone had fun

    • @bbduckgaming9482
      @bbduckgaming9482 5 лет назад +18

      @@abusedumpster8882 hey im new to the game and need a group could i join you?

    • @abusedumpster8882
      @abusedumpster8882 5 лет назад +76

      @@bbduckgaming9482 Sorry bro but its kind of just a personal game with some friends of mine

  • @nafnlaus_vee
    @nafnlaus_vee 5 лет назад +436

    J.R.R. Martin.
    You've just pissed off the fans of the two biggest fantasy franchises in five syllables. That takes talent man!

    • @VoltisArt
      @VoltisArt 5 лет назад +46

      You're a Jedi, Wesley!

    • @RICHIEV333
      @RICHIEV333 4 года назад +7

      Maybe he did, however, if I ever create a fantasy writing pseudonym... That'll be the one I go with lol

    • @matthijsvanwees5822
      @matthijsvanwees5822 4 года назад +4

      @@VoltisArt That is a hilarious amalgamation! 🤣
      Genuinely had me in stitches.

    • @NikolayHizenprof
      @NikolayHizenprof 4 месяца назад

      ​@@RICHIEV333 no i know that it'll be you, gotta change it

    • @HoeijmansW
      @HoeijmansW Месяц назад

      The book he would write would be epic…

  • @larsdahl5528
    @larsdahl5528 7 лет назад +1881

    0:59 (1) Select type/setting/space of game: Sci-fi? Pirates? Modern? High School? Star Wars?
    2:55 (2) What type/setting/space of game do the players wish? Align expectations together!
    4:53 (2 b) And get your players started at character creation!
    5:01 (3) Create! But: keep it simple! Use your characters story to make the story better!
    8:15 (3 b) Maps. What maps are needed?
    9:05 (3 c) Work out your NPCs.
    10:42 (4) Encounters. How many? Any battles? Encounters do not necessarily mean combat!
    13:46 (5) Apply the RPG system to you world.
    15:00 (6) Go back to your players: Get to know their characters!
    16:18 (7) Adjust your story, make it fit with what your players are after!
    16:29 (8) Launch the game!
    17:24 (8 b) Evaluate afterwards.

  • @DIRTYYETTI
    @DIRTYYETTI 5 лет назад +447

    “Oh I’ve got a map and I’ve got to fill it up with everything!!”
    “No you don’t...”
    Brilliant

    • @melkiorwiseman5234
      @melkiorwiseman5234 4 года назад +14

      Strictly speaking, you DO have to fill a map with something... it just doesn't have to be something useful or interesting.
      Forest. Desert. Grassland. Mountains. Maybe add the occasional abandoned settlement just for fun.
      Boring emptiness can be a relief to the players, after an adventure.

    • @andrewl9191
      @andrewl9191 3 года назад +7

      @@melkiorwiseman5234 I think of maps as they are in World of Warcraft. You don't fill in the spot where you are on your map until you explore it, maybe similar to Minecraft, how a chunk doesn't load until you get within a certain distance. I like the WoW approach better though, where the map basically doesn't exist until you explore it.

    • @Sketchkat
      @Sketchkat 3 года назад +4

      @@andrewl9191 Exactly this - it’s meant as a collaboration between the GM and the players what canonically exists in the world they’ve created.
      GM tells you the setting/era, but sometimes the story might involve the players diverting their attention off the original plot the GM had (for example, characters had gone into the woods on their way to a castle, but are distracted by the flora for some reason, making a note of it in case an alchemist or healer-type needs ingredients for potions - it then goes on the map as future material for the GM to use)

  • @megan_cano9818
    @megan_cano9818 3 года назад +258

    This man speaks so clearly that the auto generated subtitles are nearly spot on! Love his voice :D

  • @bewilderbeastie8899
    @bewilderbeastie8899 6 лет назад +727

    "Your first adventure should take four hours"
    Can someone tell my players this, they really love arguing for ages over the little things.

    • @MrDmitriRavenoff
      @MrDmitriRavenoff 6 лет назад +123

      You're the GM. Your decision is the final word. You can also tell them that they have a limited time to discuss things between actions. You can use a timer if necessary. Also, if they take too long, have things change. Oh you argued for 45 mins? Well now the orcs have moved closer and are right behind you. Roll initiative.

    • @marshallmaxwell1623
      @marshallmaxwell1623 5 лет назад +66

      @@NAT-rd8fl The guy who runs the table that I am playing at... when we start discussing what we should be doing will take out a spinning top (like from that movie inception) and spin it. Without saying a thing. Interestingly enough we wrap up the discussion about the time the thing is wobbling and falls.

    • @xanas93
      @xanas93 5 лет назад +11

      @@marshallmaxwell1623 That's genius!

    • @Flanker-NineZero
      @Flanker-NineZero 5 лет назад +32

      New to D&D; DM'd for the first time yesterday.
      Players were in a family inn where the 6 year old daughter had been kidnapped. One player was spending way too much time inspecting the house and trying to cook his own recipes after looking around a blighted farmland for edible vegetables.
      I made it apparent that he should do something else when I played on the local's distrust of strangers and his racism towards Tieflings. The chef was getting angry - "Who is this random green fuck in my kitchen basically interrogating me as if I'm guilty, and trying to craft their own traditional drinks in my kitchen? Find my goddamn sister as you say you want to, THEN maybe I'll let you cook in my kitchen!"

    • @VoltisArt
      @VoltisArt 5 лет назад +4

      D20's also make for great motivators. Don't necessarily have to do anything with the roll each time, but you have the option to, and when the players know that, they'll know it's time to get on task and move forward. Making the game fun and exciting is the most important part of the DM/GM's job, and the DM/GM is one of the people it should be fun for, too.

  • @admpandora91
    @admpandora91 3 года назад +208

    Rule 1: know your setting
    Rule 2: be consistent
    Rule 3: know your audience
    Rule 4: don't overreach
    Rule 5: present the setting properly
    Rule 6: present the plot
    Rule 7: moderate your pacing
    Rule 8: integrate your creation into the players and the mechanics

  • @coryklein2703
    @coryklein2703 6 лет назад +390

    I'm 14 and I want to start a role playing game with my friends. I have played a few and always wanted to run one. This is super helpful! I might do a modern day superhero story set where we live. This is making me really excited to start it. Thanks for the advice in this video.

    • @coffinrocks
      @coffinrocks 4 года назад +4

      Nice

    • @impastabowl2328
      @impastabowl2328 4 года назад +2

      That sounds really cool. I wish I could do that but I’m not even allowed to play

    • @binguspogglebonk7089
      @binguspogglebonk7089 3 года назад +3

      A couple of friends of mine recently asked me to dm a campaign for them. They told me they look up to me in the realm of nerdy topics. As you can imaging I accepted but was still like: “thanks but reconsider”

    • @jonathonhenry9534
      @jonathonhenry9534 2 года назад +1

      Congrats on being 17 now

    • @SomeGuy-qh6rw
      @SomeGuy-qh6rw 2 года назад +1

      @@jonathonhenry9534 It has been four years. I think that would make him 18.

  • @Sam-te3zm
    @Sam-te3zm 4 года назад +34

    I've never played DnD before and my party consists of people who have never played before either. As the first DM, this was incredibly helpful and I'm so excited to try this all out. Thank you for the guidance and the whole "learn as you go; don't overwhelm yourself with knowing everything" because I was just annotating the whole guidebook lol.

  • @gwendolynevelyn6471
    @gwendolynevelyn6471 5 лет назад +28

    Wish me luck guys
    I’m being a DM to a group of 9 year olds after my first campaign (like, very first). The kids are SUPER into the concept so i can’t back out.
    Coffee runs in my veins and sleep is non-existent; for the next 5 days, I will be studying how to become a DM. I’ve asked what kind of game they wanna do, and I’m giving them a week (or more) to really decide if they wanna do it (9 year olds are unpredictable creatures and you must have a stick at all times: prepare for biting) and one of them has a cursing problem!!

    • @Seydrey
      @Seydrey 4 года назад +3

      how did it go?

  • @Noah_Giddens
    @Noah_Giddens 7 лет назад +882

    Why must this gets released right after I run my first game.

    • @AzraelCcs
      @AzraelCcs 7 лет назад +25

      That was just a test run, not the true first game ;)

    • @ShinySilverSerpent
      @ShinySilverSerpent 7 лет назад +14

      Right before mine! So happy right now, my condolences to you. Hope it went okay

    • @julde92
      @julde92 7 лет назад +6

      It was released literally a week before my girl's first game. I'm happy for her!

    • @beardedemperor
      @beardedemperor 7 лет назад +1

      Julien de Grasse glad to hear you're free. Early release for good behavior? :P

    • @beardedemperor
      @beardedemperor 7 лет назад +2

      Noah Ghosthand Xbox how did it go?

  • @peasant_purple
    @peasant_purple 5 лет назад +129

    My GM motto is *in Gandalf voice* "Keep it simple. Play it safe"

  • @lordilluminati5836
    @lordilluminati5836 7 лет назад +140

    I'm holding my first game in a few days!
    wish me luck

  • @davethescrub858
    @davethescrub858 2 года назад +17

    Just bought an essentials kit - fiancée expressed interest in playing DnD after watching Stranger Things - her cousin is interested as well.
    As the biggest nerd of the group I figured it best if I DM their first game having only ever played twice myself.
    I cannot overstate how excited I am to embark on this adventure!

  • @alyssinclair8598
    @alyssinclair8598 7 лет назад +83

    This came out two weeks before i GM my first game with a group of people who have never roleplayed before, thanks.

    • @krowncast9987
      @krowncast9987 4 года назад +1

      2 years later, have you ran any more campaigns? Is this one still going? Tell me! I'm just getting into it myself, now. :D

  • @Kanakadea
    @Kanakadea 7 лет назад +70

    Literally watched this 3 days AFTER running my first D&D game.

  • @bowenarrows2k
    @bowenarrows2k 7 лет назад +34

    regarding KISS, I look at it as
    K - Keeping
    I - It
    S - Short &
    S - Simple
    VS
    K - Keeping
    I - It
    L - Long &
    L - Lengthy

  • @orangjeuic7530
    @orangjeuic7530 4 года назад +64

    don't know how i can thank you enough--this video just saved not only my first session (in 9 days) but also my mental health. i was sending myself into an anxiety/depression spiral over the mental burden i placed on myself for running the first session, but this video took all that away!! you made it so clear and so simple to follow, and now i realized that i was overthinking EVERYTHING on this, and that it really isn't as difficult as i made it out to be!
    so genuinely, thank you so much

  • @hampusgroda
    @hampusgroda 7 лет назад +79

    One of the important things is that if you have choosen a certain type of RP system say DnD and there is a rule you don't like or about how Exp gain work and want to change them. One great tip is that to tell your player about it and ask them also about it. Because it will be irritating if you do that without telling them about it and then when it comes up some people will either be happy or dissapointed about it

  • @fhuber7507
    @fhuber7507 6 лет назад +377

    Alternate "reality" LOTR setting.
    Its been 500 years since Frodo's Failure.
    That's right, the One Ring was not destroyed. Frodo and Sam, seeing how impossible the task was, cast the ring down a well. Gollum clambered down and Sam collapsed the well. Sam and Frodo were killed by orcs days later as they tried to escape Mordor. The ring has not been heard of since.
    Now look at all the changes in Middle Earth due to this change.
    #1, the valiant stand of Aragorn and the others at the Black Gate failed. They all died.
    #2, Minas Tirith fell and is rubble.
    #3, Rohan falls.
    #4, The elves have 99% fled Middle Earth. Elrond is not available.
    #5, Gandalf fell at Minas Tirith.
    #6, The Shire has collapsed and become just anther province under Sauron's rule.
    Middle Earth is 90% under the clouds of Sauron. But Sauron still wants the ring. He needs it to consolidate power over the entire world. ( much of which isn't even mapped in the LOTR books)
    Start the campaign in a town just outside the control of Sauron.
    Let the adventures begin.

    • @Deppability
      @Deppability 5 лет назад +10

      That's an awesome idea, bro.🤘🏻

    • @The_BenD
      @The_BenD 5 лет назад +30

      Hm... Is Tom Bombadil still around?

    • @dianitedaemon5310
      @dianitedaemon5310 5 лет назад +1

      Epic

    • @KnightRatGames
      @KnightRatGames 5 лет назад +20

      @@The_BenD He has to be; it's Tom Bombadil.

    • @cxk7127
      @cxk7127 5 лет назад +2

      "Even the trees walked in that movie!" ; )

  • @TheLittleFleck
    @TheLittleFleck 2 года назад +30

    I’m making my first real game right now for myself and a couple friends. I’m so glad I found this because they are all experienced players and i’m a brand new DM and player. It’s a heavy weight off my shoulders finding your channel

    • @fredhuber13
      @fredhuber13 2 года назад +2

      How did it work out?

    • @TheLittleFleck
      @TheLittleFleck 2 года назад +7

      @@fredhuber13 it went fantastic actually. I really killed it on my first game and we’re on our 9th session now!

    • @fredhuber13
      @fredhuber13 2 года назад +3

      @@TheLittleFleck nice...well done

  • @leonekstrmecholdt5324
    @leonekstrmecholdt5324 6 лет назад +30

    This person deserves more fame

  • @thunderstar8396
    @thunderstar8396 2 года назад +3

    Playing my first game with people from work, as a player and loving it.
    Now I wanna host a game also, so my friends can experince the same fun and joy as me, so this video helps out a lot.

  • @payton3646
    @payton3646 5 лет назад +9

    2 years old and still a great video. So glad I found it.

  • @professorbeatdatass297
    @professorbeatdatass297 Год назад +1

    me and my friends are looking to run our first dnd campaign thank you, we'll record and tag you thank you .

  • @aty57
    @aty57 7 лет назад +26

    This has been extremely helpful. I as well am one of those people that had it in my head I needed the first game to be the "best of the best". Your explanation really helped me to reign it back in and get started on actually doing the game.

  • @michaelthomas1916
    @michaelthomas1916 4 года назад +5

    I just ran session 1 of my first adventure DMing. This is with a group that has been playing together for over a year, most for a few decades, and online since COVID started. Our other DM used maps and grids online but I'm not so technologically competent. I ran two combat encounters with no maps, just our imagination... totally old school; the way I started in the 90s. It worked fine, and I think everyone had fun.

  • @Preturbed
    @Preturbed 7 лет назад +42

    Wow, couldn't be better timing! I'm about to hand the reins over to a good friend of mine, I'll be sure to show him this.

  • @aricente
    @aricente 5 лет назад +25

    I convinces my friends to play this. Itll be all our first time and im stuck as G.M since im the pushing the idea. Im as clueless as they are but hopefully i run it well enough that theyll want to play again

    • @wlll1235
      @wlll1235 3 года назад

      how'd it go?

    • @aricente
      @aricente 3 года назад +1

      @@wlll1235 haha things fell apart and we ended up just not playing it. We were going to do it virtually but none of us got the hang of the program and we all just ran out of patience lol

    • @wlll1235
      @wlll1235 3 года назад

      @@aricente that sucks

  • @bodyartatlarge
    @bodyartatlarge Месяц назад

    I just got into D&D over 6 months ago, and I’m still pretty new, but I love my DM and group very much. Our DM Jon is basically the forever DM, and I can see that he gets really sad sometimes because he wants to play a character. I absolutely LOVE the fey wild module, and I want to DM a little later on because it sounds like fun, and it would mean the world to our DM Jon. I can’t guarantee that I’ll be good at it, but I want to have another campaign running so everyone gets a new game (Jon plays a character and has fun), while also showing up for his game so he has fun while being the DM. I just want him to feel like he’s important, because he is. All of our group is. D&D has taught me how to get my creativity back, and it feels great. I’m so glad that I came across this video because I’ve been stressing on how to make my own campaign to DM in. I felt really overwhelmed because I don’t even know where to start.

  • @ralfsstuff
    @ralfsstuff Год назад +1

    As a new DM I've decided on running Icespire Peak to try some things out.
    It's made up of mostly disconnected Quest.
    I'm using that to my advantage by trying out custom quests and gauging by player reaction if they fit in with the pre-made stuff.
    Also doing some foreshadowing between quest to keep the entire thing a bit more engaging. I hope.

  • @Bubbagum87
    @Bubbagum87 2 месяца назад

    I am a very very new dm, an I am writing my first campaign completely from scratch and I am trying to prepare as heavy as I can while still talking to my players and taking their wants into account while setting up and I’m so nervous about being a terrible dm and becoming a “horrible dm” horror story 😭 this channel is helping me so much being comfortable doing all of this thank you so much

  • @adrianclark2734
    @adrianclark2734 4 года назад +5

    As a new DM trying to create my own campaigns, I can say wholeheartedly, thank you. This was brilliant. Because, yes, I would have probably missed one or two steps

  • @zachb8012
    @zachb8012 6 лет назад +7

    I am a new-comer to RPing, actually because my four year old daughter loves dinosaurs and imaginative play. After watching Harmonquest, I think I understand how to do this, how to be a FUN game master. I've been working D&D world-building mechanics into imaginative play with my daughter. She has no idea what's going on but absolutely adores this game we've made, it absolutely thrills her, squeeing and pantamiming, she has taken to role playing so naturally as many children do. Just earlier tonight she stomped a carnivorous plant with her greaves before finishing it with touch of dino-fire (a spell she created), leaving behind its avulsed maw seeping the stinking juices it once used as bait to be consumed by its Troodon former prey. She went on to continue stalking the jungle with her shaggy black lion (our cat) before I had to put her to bed. I think the fact that I can make it fun for her is encouraging. Now, I would like to make a dinosaur themed campaign for my adult friends, something akin to "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury. The players and some NPCs seek refuge from doom in the past. They are forced to fight/stalk/survive the Cretaceous for a finite period of time until they're called back to the present, which of course is completely changed, setting the scene for the next campaign. Basically I've got a handful of interesting encounters with NPCs, aggressive (and nice) dinosaurs, with some set pieces and a very simple plot outlined. The most work I've done is in these little bits of prose that describe scenarios and settings. My plan is to see where the players take it from there and let them drive the narrative, just as I do with my kid, reaching into my bag of tricks where appropriate. I hope it goes well. These videos have been very helpful in stoking my confidence. Thank you.

    • @AnaClara-dx4fj
      @AnaClara-dx4fj 3 года назад

      Omg that sounds amazing!!!! How did it go??

    • @shannondutton2217
      @shannondutton2217 3 года назад

      Thanks Guy,this is all so insightful and helpful, digitalGM

  • @JRTIntervencion
    @JRTIntervencion 2 года назад +6

    Had my first game as GM yesterday! Started in a basic tabern and they were tasked to clear up a Lumbermill from giant spiders. Nothing fancy and was a lot of fun :D They got the plot hook for the next session and I'm so excited to keep playing with them ^^

  • @morecringe89
    @morecringe89 4 года назад

    People is very understanding, so be yourself, people will help you. Don't compare yourself with other DMs you had. You can do it and your group will support you.

  • @IcoKirov
    @IcoKirov 7 лет назад +198

    that shirt though

    • @larsdahl5528
      @larsdahl5528 7 лет назад +26

      Nothing fishy about it!

    • @IcoKirov
      @IcoKirov 7 лет назад +22

      not sure about that. I think I sea something...

    • @AlexKrossLore
      @AlexKrossLore 7 лет назад +17

      It's a whale of...ummm... damn it :(

    • @seanrea550
      @seanrea550 7 лет назад +6

      i am Ahab about it.

    • @IcoKirov
      @IcoKirov 7 лет назад +15

      i cod not mot move whale she speak. but i might have been herring things...

  • @linootte
    @linootte 5 лет назад +2

    I wanted to run a game for soooo long... but i was too afraid of the quantity of prep to really jump into it. But now i'm going for it! This september i'll run my first campaign!

  • @Rosierden
    @Rosierden 2 года назад +3

    about to start my first campaign at 19, i was never super into dnd but id always wanted to make my own campaign and i finally decided it was time. this video is such a huge help. knowing myself i’m still gonna try to make it obnoxiously complicated but i’ve managed to simplify it quite a bit and i’m excited either way and if it bites me in the butt i’ll learn. super excited thank you for the video it was a huge help!!

  • @MrBigCookieCrumble
    @MrBigCookieCrumble 6 лет назад +27

    "It doesnt even have to be combat, maybe it could be a barfight!" xD

  • @fenix648
    @fenix648 3 месяца назад

    This is the best how to run your first game video I have been able to find. Most gloss over the details, but you explained everything and even gave great examples!

  • @megastak
    @megastak Год назад

    The best easiest guide for someone that don’t know anything about dm thank you man!!!

  • @Arthezius
    @Arthezius 4 года назад +2

    I felt like I was at a seminar with a professor. Subscribed! That last bit about making your entire world before you start your first adventure, really gave me relief. I am at 35 year player veteran of many different games and at 47, am just about to do my first DM'ing. I know I will be good at it eventually, but the stress of wanting to get everything made beforehand has me scrambling.Thanks for this.

  • @a7xmyfist
    @a7xmyfist Год назад

    Great advice. Just sarted my first campian. Qt dont over think it it all comes in time. If you are having trouble sart with a sarter campain. Has everything you need for your first game if you are not fully comfortable with making your first one. I used storm reck island it was great way to get your feet wet. After i use all these tips and im aready running a campain. Good luck to all new GMs may the roll always be in favor of fun.

  • @blizt_dixion
    @blizt_dixion 2 года назад

    Todays my first time being a dm with a bunch of my school mates. This helped settled my nerves quite a lot. Thank you so much bye

  • @pst5345
    @pst5345 Год назад +1

    Finding the balance between fleshing out what is essential for the story snd what becomes interesting for the players besides that is the key.
    Some things just need to be there but fleshed out later. Having a few notes about it is enough at the start. The history of a certain building for instance.

  • @Thirdandlongpodcast
    @Thirdandlongpodcast 5 месяцев назад

    This was very helpful thank you. I’m trying my hand at gm with 7 friends who are all trying dnd for the first time

  • @IdigN1
    @IdigN1 2 года назад +2

    I'm on the verge of having my first ever D&D session (I'll DM since I got the Starter Set) and I've been reading the rules and making notes and watching YT tips videos for a couple of weeks now and I can't wait to get to play. But it's also intimidating cause it feels a bit overwhelming. Gonna start with Lost Mine of Phandelver but with only two players plus me DMing so will have to adjust the difficulty on the fly and also prepare for it beforehand. This video of yours did help me unclench a little bit and lower my expectations and not to try do everything "by the book" on my first time. So thank you, sir.

  • @samwinchester9362
    @samwinchester9362 3 года назад +5

    I'm running my very first session on Wednesday with my polycule + friend group, and I'm really excited! It's a pokemon mystery dungeon style homebrew, and I'm struggling so hard not to over-complicate my endgame lore, but I'm excited! My biggest priority is everyone having fun, and I'm a little nervous, but I think I might be ready after all these months of prep! Wish me luck everyone!

    • @weeklysanta5828
      @weeklysanta5828 3 года назад +1

      I'm running my first D&D session tomorrow at 2pm, and it's gonna be online, due to covid, it's about dragon's crown, the video game. Wish me good luck. And good luck to you too!

  • @deathcat2249
    @deathcat2249 Год назад

    I’m going to DM my first game for my grandma and dad soon, and this helped a lot! Thank you!

  • @CrazyleoX
    @CrazyleoX 7 лет назад +5

    Perfect timing!!! I'm about to start my first sitting as a GM

  • @kiki3171
    @kiki3171 Год назад

    sir, i thank you very much, other people make this so complicated for no reason

  • @aimesspainz
    @aimesspainz 5 лет назад +17

    I have to watch this a few times. I want to run my own game so badly. Build a story. I'm just so intimidated with the reading and info. I plan to start with lost mine of phandelver until I'm comfortable to move on. Might continue from it on to other modules. Maybe the storm kings thunder. Eventually I'd love to run descent into avernus. I'm so motivated to start and get the stuff

    • @VoltisArt
      @VoltisArt 5 лет назад +3

      It's gotten good reviews so it should be a good place to start. I'm also going to run Phandelver, but going to rework some details to fit into story I've already started getting ahead on.

  • @XPLovecat
    @XPLovecat 3 года назад

    I love your advice on ASKING your players what they want to play. Not only does it make for a better experience for direct gameplay, but it also immediately opens the door for communication. That way players feel they're a part of the experience and not just along for the ride.

  • @sarahwhite4722
    @sarahwhite4722 4 года назад

    I wish you had been the teacher in all of university classes. And a voice actor in every video game I have or ever will play.

  • @tsambkos
    @tsambkos 7 лет назад +24

    I'm holding my first proper session in a few weeks for some friends! I've played before but only GMed tiny oneshots.

    • @IcoKirov
      @IcoKirov 7 лет назад

      that's great, good luck!

    • @PapagiannisWoW
      @PapagiannisWoW 7 лет назад +1

      Are you in Rhodes? I play RPGs with my friends in Rhodes we might even know each other

    • @tsambkos
      @tsambkos 7 лет назад

      No I'm not from Rhodes, I love the island but I'm on the other hemisphere. I'm Tsambikos because I was conceived after my parents climbed mt Tsambika.

    • @PapagiannisWoW
      @PapagiannisWoW 7 лет назад

      Will you ever come visit?

  • @NochSoEinKaddiFan
    @NochSoEinKaddiFan 5 лет назад +2

    Starting in a bar fight is a FANTASTIC idea, since that gets some dice rolling and also explains, how the characters got to know each other if we don't assume they are already in a party.
    I am no part of the PRG in crowd, more just interested in the hobby in general and this video greatly reduced my worries about being able to pull of the GM role should need be.
    Thanks a lot!

  • @ungabungalego7307
    @ungabungalego7307 3 года назад +1

    For someone who is just about to start one thank you for the tips as a GM/DM you are amazing at explaining it clearly and easy to understand thank you!

  • @grey3247
    @grey3247 2 года назад

    DM-ing for the first time in years tomorrow , rewatching this, wish me luck! Hopefully my players slay the fire giant
    Pro tip, never plan a 1 - 20 campaign when you're a noob or you don't have 6 months

  • @ThePrank5ter
    @ThePrank5ter 6 лет назад +1

    I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks. I am getting ready to run my first Pathfinder game and have appreciated the wisdom and insight from your videos.

  • @karifuko
    @karifuko 4 года назад

    This is helpful 2 weeks before my 1st chance of DM-ing and it's a one-shot. To be safe. Wish me luck, guys.

  • @88Spint
    @88Spint 5 лет назад +2

    The first game I ran I didn't know the rules, the setting, the classes, the enemies or anything ells. I jsut plopped down the players in a room. Tied them up and said "What do you do?". Some random encounters later and we had a bit of a good time.
    Now if I run a game I wanna know everything. What creatures I wanna use in the setting, how they act and why they are there. What every rule does. What the history of the setting is. What every players character can do. A full map filled with extra information just for me. 10+ rulebooks all open and bookmarked. And some music playlists for every situation... Overpreparing ftw!
    Still find myself enjoying it more when I have to wing it tho. Something about making it up as we go along feels way more satisfying. You just have to make sure that the players know about it beforehand in order to give you some space to look stuff up if needed.
    But damn i still hate it when I get in to a position and the player suddenly starts telling me all the things i didn't know about something I put there :S (Like the fact that kobolds have a hierarchy and are not just goblins with tails...)

    • @88Spint
      @88Spint 5 лет назад

      Fun fact, the reason i started over preparing was because i for some reason thought it was a good idea to introduce a new player in to the group by placing him surrounded by undead... only to then realize that no one had any bludgeoning weapons and could there fore not deal any damage to them... The party simply left the dude to die, leaving a bunch of strife irl even when I backed it up. Made me feel like the worst GM EVER :(

  • @ocomentador7444
    @ocomentador7444 3 года назад

    I've been dm'ing for 6 months now (inexperienced gm for inexperienced group, so no one knew what we were doing) and everything is so much clearer. Great video!

  • @pewpewgaming43
    @pewpewgaming43 4 года назад +1

    Great advice! As someone who procrastinates and takes the 'I must know everything' approach, this has given me a step-by-step approach, and the confidence to finally create my first adventure.

  • @Jshobe111
    @Jshobe111 3 года назад

    The note on making your first game simple might have just saved me a lot of time, energy, and given me a great idea! Originally i was gonna try to give my players info in an unnecessarily complicated way, but know, i found a way to give them just as much information, in an engaging, clever, and simpler way! thanks a lot!

  • @paulkrznaric8706
    @paulkrznaric8706 4 года назад

    I'm running a game in a few days for the first time in like half a decade and your tip about making the game for the players really helps me incision my campaign.
    Thanks, this is really good content.

  • @creature3628
    @creature3628 7 лет назад

    This couldn't have come at a better time. Starting my first session tomorrow.

  • @quentinvoirol4638
    @quentinvoirol4638 5 лет назад

    I am about to start my first campaign as a DM and this videos talked about what i have already tried to do and that's nice, now I know I am doing something right.

  • @SirXer
    @SirXer 6 лет назад +2

    Thank you so much for this, really. I have my first session tonight, and I've been far over-complicating things for myself- thinking that I had to have EVERYTHING sorted out and know every single rule before starting. I appreciate the great advice!

  • @dustov
    @dustov 4 года назад

    about to don the GM hat for the first time tomorrow and this video already has me feeling less nervous.

  • @jierdastormcrow
    @jierdastormcrow 6 лет назад +1

    This is just what I needed, I’m about to GM for the first time (live on radio no less!) and I was stressing about how to make it work. This has helped me immensely and I’ll comment once the first session has happened to let any interested parties know how it went :)

  • @ReclaimerMkII
    @ReclaimerMkII 2 года назад

    At Adventure League, many of the Dungeon Masters who run the sessions tell me they played their first games from modules, got three sessions in, and then decided to try being DM. One of them even played the same module as my first module! I am still a relatively new player, but I have a cool idea for a one-shot game where you play as the goblins raiding a village... and one hour from the moment the players are detected, the militia organizes and the BBEG is a lawful good paladin who has come to stop the goblins...

  • @whitneyball8474
    @whitneyball8474 4 года назад

    I’m two years late to this party, but I’m running my first campaign this weekend and this was very helpful.

  • @mtpstyles
    @mtpstyles 2 года назад

    That's some fantastic advise. Just ran my first session as DM with my old friends and it was a pure joy for everyone. Many thanks for sharing the gold and keep up the great work sir!

  • @ResiakHeroun
    @ResiakHeroun 4 года назад

    My friend referred me to your videos because she said they had helped her a lot with being a GM. They have been awesome so far, thank you.

  • @lemonade1733
    @lemonade1733 2 года назад +2

    Im so glad that I've been doing this already while planning everything, I'm still at step 4 and it's a relief to know I can take my time with it all
    great video, very educational and well described, especially for beginners (coming from a beginner)

  • @Taylor1989s
    @Taylor1989s 7 лет назад

    4 sessions into DM experience and you and one other RUclipsr have helped me so much.

  • @ShougoAmakusa
    @ShougoAmakusa 6 лет назад

    As a new GM thats going to be running their first campaign in about 2 weeks this video helped quite a bit. I fell into the too many details trap of "Knowing everything about the world" before starting it.

  • @ZackSparks
    @ZackSparks 7 лет назад +2

    I'm running my first Game and have developed it around my players characters in which they must gain holy weapons specific to themselves that give them buffs. I've set up specific temples to enter in which each person will have a natural advantage inside of such as a dwarven temple with traps meant for human sized and smaller people with which my friend playing a giant has a very simple time getting through Such as a snake pit that he's able to hop over.

  • @coffeecastle2215
    @coffeecastle2215 6 лет назад +1

    This was super helpful! Thank you so much. Being an awesome GM doesn't seem as impossible or intimidating anymore.

  • @hindyproductions4273
    @hindyproductions4273 2 года назад

    My first session went really well. And I mean my FIRST session, of D&D. And I'm the DM, with no experience, I just started the story, and it worked out. I started as a DM, not a player.

  • @tomexistsonline
    @tomexistsonline 10 месяцев назад

    This is SO helpful. I’m going to be jumping into RPG’ing with D&D but have some grand designs on using the ruleset for a setting much closer to my heart… Can’t wait!

  • @userprime1907
    @userprime1907 7 лет назад

    I don't know if this will help any one else, but it certainly helped me. Try to set up a 'mod' or module for each type of setting that you can think of. The mod's should be short and be able to be used as stand alone encounters. You don't need to use every one of them in your campaign. Just have them ready. Players like to feel like they are in charge. While your campaign may be clearly pointing the players towards the haunted forest, they may decide to go and explore the sewers instead. Fortunately, you have a mod ready for that. Take an underground encounter you set up to take place in a cavern and adjust it on the fly to work in the sewers. You can always have the bad guy from the sewers run through some catacombs and pop out at the edge of the haunted forest. The bad guy escapes by running into the forest leaving behind a coin, knife or other trinket bearing the mark of the bad guy you need them to go after in the haunted forest. If they decide to head back to town, you have a mod ready for weary travellers where they encounter a ghost hotel or some such. Having multiple stand alone mods ready lets you adjust on the fly to what the players decide to do. The mods can be easily changed on the fly to fit whatever setting the players get themselves into. A mod set in the mountains can be adjusted on the fly to become the craggy surface of an asteroid. A long lost tomb can decome a derilict ship floating in space. An empty warehouse mod can become the cargo hold of a freighter or the cargo bay on a space station. The mods can be interconnected on the fly by dropping in a bit of loot bearing the mark of the bad guy residing in the haunted forest. Alternatively, you can just let the players romp around from mod to mod until one of them remembers that they accepted a contract to rescue the princess from the evil necromancer turtle monster in the haunted forest. When the players finally get around to finishing the campaign you set up, they will hopefully believe that everything they did was set up by you deliberately.

  • @SprocketWalker
    @SprocketWalker 5 лет назад

    This "let's go back to the basics" was surprisingly refreshing and helpful!
    Thank you!

  • @dolofonosesostrefis
    @dolofonosesostrefis 3 года назад +1

    This is really helpful, he has such a smooth voice that's easy to listen to :D

  • @Vinemaple
    @Vinemaple 3 года назад

    Still inspirational after nearly 4 years. Well done!

  • @andrewroby1130
    @andrewroby1130 3 года назад

    What great tips, especially the idea that a great DM has to have the whole story (beginning, middle, end, complete with sufficient intrigue and a satisfying climax) in mind, with some flair for the individual players. Now I get why some DMs rage when the story derails; that's a lot of work! Immediate like and subscribe!

  • @josephsalley9409
    @josephsalley9409 7 лет назад +72

    1:30 AM and I am awake watching this :D

    • @kindredlycan4198
      @kindredlycan4198 7 лет назад

      Joseph Salley same

    • @Anton-xe4ze
      @Anton-xe4ze 7 лет назад

      Same here :D

    • @sanghelian
      @sanghelian 6 лет назад +1

      Amateur. It's 4.40 here :P

    • @EternityGray
      @EternityGray 6 лет назад +1

      6:44 am. Have around ten major assessments for my classes due a week ago. Goml

    • @jonathanswavely7259
      @jonathanswavely7259 6 лет назад +1

      I'm watching this at 8:00 AM. . . I never slept

  • @Graknorke
    @Graknorke 2 года назад

    "alien encyclopaedia" is such a good name for you to have come up with on the spot, props

  • @benkernow280
    @benkernow280 5 лет назад +1

    Just watched for the first time and very informative. I'm in the middle of my first D&D session my self. It has reforrced a few things people have told me and what I have decided to do as well as add new and fresh ideas into what I'm going to do.

  • @timothyjohnson2350
    @timothyjohnson2350 4 года назад

    This is very helpful! The steps help me run the game one session at a time. You can also pay close attention and make them not just a whole campaign in 8 steps, take it and apply it to each session.

  • @captaingeoffreyarcherbekke6172
    @captaingeoffreyarcherbekke6172 4 года назад

    I'm 13, and I'm starting my first game in 6 days. This video was definitely super helpful!

  • @muckitymuck6111
    @muckitymuck6111 5 лет назад

    Over the past year or so I have considered GMing a game for family and friends but was previously too intimidated by the idea but this video really helped me get a start on things!

  • @briarwolf0501
    @briarwolf0501 2 года назад

    I'm doing a solo campaign of Tomb of Annihilation because I want to practice voice acting, roleplaying, and story telling. This really helped, and I want to start playing this week.

  • @ufojoedude
    @ufojoedude 7 лет назад +2

    This video and this whole channel has been great advice for GMing. My friends have been talking about doing a sort of rotating GM thing where everyone runs an adventure, one shot or full adventure depending on how it goes, and I've been racking my brain thinking of what I want to do for them so I don't bore anyone. Overthinking like crazy unfortunately since it would be my first time Gming and I didn't want to disappoint. I was really leaning heavily on the idea of an aliens crashed in D&D fantasy world and roll with that along with a sort of Ancient Aliens/ old technology vibe running through it. They all seemed OK with it but after this I think it might be smart to start with a simple Goblin/Kobold cave raid ending with a mad possessed necromancy staff going berserk to test the waters and my ability to entertain. Leaving all that complicated Alien stuff that I love on the back burner until I can simplify it to easy bite size adventures that lead to something larger.

  • @frankharzer6224
    @frankharzer6224 7 лет назад

    I really like this Video. While I am already quite experienced with beeing a GM and I see many mistakes mentioned here that I did myself in the beginning. I will definitly recommend this Video to anyone who wants to GM the first time.

  • @aidanwotherspoon905
    @aidanwotherspoon905 6 месяцев назад

    I just had an idea for a continuing campaign: follow your favourite sports team, but imagine all the mascots are literal. You’re a Green Bay Packers fan: one week your party has to ward off a Bear attack, the next week, your town gets raided by Vikings. You have to go to a mysterious temple in the town of New Orleans at the mouth of a mighty river…
    I have never DM’d and have no idea how this would work

  • @makingapoint
    @makingapoint 4 года назад

    Im starting my first short adventure soon. It will be a solo adventure featuring the origin story of the bbg for my future campain with more players. This info is very helpful. Love this guy.

  • @planwithSC
    @planwithSC 5 лет назад

    Thank you for breaking this down so simply! I think the hard part is how you can set up events to give players a cause or a mission but you have to consider what the player's goals are and if their charactrers would actually want to do said mission..