The Dungeon Master’s Handbook: Tips from May 2023

dm tips 1 Minute

Here are the top ten Dungeon/Game Master tips that I posted to various social media channels in May 2023. These tips are great for almost any TTRPG like Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, or Old School Essentials.

  • Let your players name their magic weapons when they acquire them. Take note of it and mention it later.
  • Don’t forget to use the three F’s when describing an area: Functional, Familiar, and Fantastic.
  • Always be ready for PCs to throw your primary quest-giving NPC off a cliff.
  • Short rests don’t always need to be one-hour breaks. Maybe the PCs drank some refreshing Fey-water for an instant recharge.
  • Play tons of other games and steal the mechanics and stories that work for you.
  • Be prepared to throw your encounter away if your group finds a creative way to get around it.
  • A single monster type in an encounter makes for a much faster battle. Use a single type of monster for a quick skirmish.
  • Skill as a roleplayer and as a DM comes with practice. Get out there and do it – a lot.
  • Random encounters don’t have to be throw-aways. Let them evolve into the story or become the seed for a new one.
  • Random encounters don’t have to be boring. How do these random encounters lead to more interesting story threads?

These tips are courtesy of Mike Shea at slyflourish.com.

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below.

As always, good luck with your next session, I believe in you! See you in the future.

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