The Dungeon Master’s Handbook: Tips from June 2023

dm tips 2 Minutes

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

  • Don’t build out your campaign arcs until you’ve seen what sorts of characters your group brings to the table.
  • Don’t be afraid to mark up your sourcebooks. You’re not a museum curator. Give them some character and add to them!
  • Don’t try to save major villains if they die early. Maybe they become minor ones and some other creature becomes the boss.
  • If your group runs into an encounter well above their capabilities, ensure you give them enough clues to know when to run.
  • Keep rules arguments down to 90 seconds then make a judgment and move on. Let people look it up between games.
  • After each session, think of ways to reorient stories toward the actions of the PCs.
  • Don’t be afraid to give villains interesting effects PCs might not have seen before. No reason they can’t research unique magic.
  • Pour yourself into the setting material for your game instead of writing your own story. How will the world react to the PCs?
  • “Describe your killing blow” is a great way to draw your slayer player types into the story.
  • Ask your players for their current HP and AC at the start of the session so they know where it is.

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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