DragonLance Saga

DM101: Game Preparation – Gaming

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Welcome to Dungeon Mastering 101, my Dungeon Mastering course based on over 30 years of experience. In this series I will share my failures and successes and the lessons learned along the way. In this episode, I will cover game preparation. This includes knowing the player’s characters, non-player’s characters, overpreparation, and actively avoiding railroads.

https://youtube.com/live/W5dg0cV1nJk
Show Notes
Intro

Welcome to my second DragonLance Saga, Dungeon Mastering 101 episode! It is Palast, Darkember the 9th, my name is Adam and today I am continuing my Dragonlance Gaming series all about Dungeon Mastering. The number one complaint I hear about the Dragonlance Modules is the railroading they present. I will make the argument that with proper game preparation, railroading can feel more like an open world exploration.

Don’t forget to like and subscribe to this channel, ring the bell, and you can support this channel by becoming a Patron on Patreon, a Member of this YouTube channel, and you can pick up Dragonlance Gaming materials, using my affiliate link. All links are in the description below.

Discussion
1. Know the Story You’re Telling — But Don’t Marry It
  • Preparation begins with clarity of intent.
    • Understand what kind of story you’re running — heroic fantasy, dark intrigue, political drama, exploration, or something else — and design your prep around that tone. 
    • However, don’t over-script the story.
      • The best DMs plan situations, not outcomes. The players’ choices will take the story places you never expected — and that’s the magic of D&D.
      • Know the Setting, era, and world
        • 2. Start Small, Expand Naturally
        • New DMs often over-prep.
          • You don’t need a fully fleshed-out world map, economic systems, or the pantheon of gods. 
          • Start with one region, one central conflict, and one memorable NPC. 
          • As the story grows, expand your world outward, responding to the players’ actions. 
          • Organic worldbuilding always feels more authentic than forced detail-dumping.
          • Let the players’ suspicions or thoughts in game define the outcome.
            • It makes them feel involved in the storytelling
              • 3. Establish the Campaign’s Tone and Expectations
              • Before the first session, discuss the tone of your game with your players — heroic, gritty, cinematic, or tragic?
                • Let them know the kinds of challenges and moral dilemmas they might face. 
                • Setting expectations up front avoids disappointment later and helps guide how you prepare each adventure.
                  • 4. Prepare NPCs with Purpose, Not Paragraphs
                  • Every non-player character doesn’t need a novel-length backstory.
                    • Focus on role and motivation: what does this NPC want, how do they go about getting it, and how might they interact with the players? 
                    • Give them one memorable trait — a nervous stutter, a distinctive piece of jewelry, or a strange laugh — and you’ll bring them to life more effectively than any long biography.
                    • IF the players ask, be creative and improvise, then flesh out details after the session
                      • Tank notes!
                        • 5. Build Encounters with Flexibility
                        • Encounters are more than combat.
                          • Think of them as decision points. 
                          • When preparing, create situations with multiple possible outcomes — a goblin ambush that can be fought, bribed, or avoided; a moral choice that could shape alliances or rivalries. 
                          • Always prepare an encounter’s purpose and possible pivots rather than just monster stats.
                          • Combat should always be a possibility, but creative thinking on the players’ part enriched roleplaying
                            • 6. Master the Tools You Use
                            • Whether you run digitally or with pen and paper, know your tools before game day.
                              • Familiarize yourself with your notes, maps, initiative tracker, or virtual tabletop tools. 
                              • Technical interruptions kill immersion — preparation ensures a smooth, confident delivery and keeps your players in the story.
                              • Errors are normal, do not let them destroy the game.
                                • 7. Use the “Three-Point Prep” Method
                                • When pressed for time, prepare just three things:
                                  • A strong hook (why the players should care)
                                  • A conflict or obstacle (what stands in their way)
                                  • A memorable moment (a twist, revelation, or cinematic scene)
                                  • This minimalist prep ensures that even a loosely written session has direction, tension, and payoff.
                                    • 8. Anticipate the Unexpected
                                    • No plan survives contact with the players.
                                      • Have a few flexible “pocket encounters” or improvisation tools — like generic NPC names, minor side quests, or prebuilt taverns and ruins — ready to drop in when the party goes off-script. 
                                      • Think of them as narrative “spackle” to fill in gaps on the fly.
                                        • 9. Keep Your Notes Player-Focused
                                        • Your prep should revolve around what the players will experience, not what exists in your world.
                                          • It’s tempting to over-document lore, but players engage with stories through action and dialogue, not exposition. 
                                          • Prepare what they can see, hear, and interact with — not just what you know.
                                            • 10. End Every Session with a Cliffhanger and/or a Reflection
                                            • At the end of each game, note what surprised you, what engaged the players most, and what didn’t work.
                                              • Use that to guide your prep for the next session. 
                                              • Leaving off with a small cliffhanger also gives you a clean re-entry point next time — and keeps the group excited between sessions.
                                                • Outro

                                                And that’s it for this episode of Dungeon Mastering 101, Game Preparation! Do you have any tips or tricks based on your experience as a player or Dungeon Master? Was I off base on any of my suggestions? Feel free to email me at [email protected] or leave a comment below. 

                                                Thank you for tuning in. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to this channel, ring the bell, and you can support this channel by becoming a Patron on Patreon, a Member of this YouTube channel, and you can pick up Dragonlance Gaming materials, using my affiliate link. All links are in the description below. Thank you Creator Patron Aaron Hardy and Developer Patron Chris Androu!

                                                This channel is all about celebrating the wonderful world of the Dragonlance Saga, and I hope you will join me in the celebration. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time Slàinte mhath (slan-ge-var).

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