What is a great Dungeon Master and Why Do You Need One?
Dungeon Masters are the backbone of any RPG. They are the most important person in a game and without them, it’s hard to imagine how the game would go. This article will be discussing what a Dungeon Master is and why they’re so crucial to an RPG.
A Dungeon Master (DM) is the player who controls all aspects of an RPG game, including story, setting, battles, and rewards for players. They are responsible for creating a world that other players can explore and enjoy through their character’s eyes. DM’s also have to keep track of all of the rules that govern what happens in their world so they can make sure everything is fair for everyone playing.
What are the Qualities of a Good Dungeon Master?
A good dungeon master is one who creates a world that is both believable and engaging. They are creative, detail oriented and have a knack for storytelling. They also have the ability to improvise on the spot and make adjustments as they see fit.
Dungeon masters are responsible for making sure that players enjoy their time in their world, stay engaged, and oftentimes come back for more. A dungeon master must be able to think on their feet in order to create an experience that will be memorable for players.
How you can Become a Great Dungeon Master!
Becoming a great Dungeon Master is not an easy task. It takes time and dedication to become a master of your craft. But there are some simple steps that will help most Dungeon Masters to enhance their DM skills!
- TIME!
The more time you spend preparing the adventure and next session, the more smoothly your campaign will run, and you will have a much easier time improvising to the players’ crazy ideas if you are prepared.
- Have fun as a group
Are the players not having fun? Then you shouldn’t either. Always remember that a DM’s most important job is to make sure that everything goes smoothly, and everyone has fun – which leads us to number 3.
- Make sure to activate ALL the players
More often than not, there will be some players that are a bit more talkative than others, and naturally they will participate a lot, which is great. BUT! Don’t let it be at the cost of the other players getting any attention. The last thing you want is for some players to just be sitting quietly, because they won’t become an active part of your campaign then. You don’t have to enforce an equal amount of time to every player, but just make sure that every player has their time to shine.
- Modify official D&D campaigns
Found an official campaign you wanna play with your group? GREAT! Remember however that these modules are written for the mass D&D customers, to which there are more than 50 million worldwide. When making one size fits all products, there will naturally be stuff that doesn’t fit your group. CHANGE IT! Give it your personal touch instead. Your group will love you for it.
- Always be fair!
Don’t be afraid to slam down the law on the players, but when you do, be fair AND be consistent. When I was a more inexperienced DM, I primarily stuck to the official rules, now however I sometimes bend or adjust the official rules. It is really important that if you do change the rules you make it clear to the players, and enforce it consistently. If you aren’t consistent and fair, your players will lose their respect for your authority. Imagine if the court system just changed their rulings as they felt like. It would utter chaos!
If you read this far, then you have my thanks! Do you have other good DMing advice? Please let us know below!!
Cheers!
