How to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM

Welcome back to today's Show.

Today, we talk about 8 tips for beginner dungeon masters.

1. Stop Waiting - For Finding Players listen to this episode: https://session0studios.com/captivate-podcast/how-to-find-your-dd-group/
2. Push Past the Learning Curve
3. Start where you are.
4. Focus on your Strengths or on Finding your Strengths
5. Don’t Stop - Be Consistent
6. Focus on Player Engagement
7. Do what feels fun and cool
8. Be Real with Your Players

Thanks for listening.

Mentioned in this episode:

Give Us a Rating and Review

You obviously have really good taste, you’re listening to How to Be a Better DM after all. We thank you for your support. If you’ve ever gotten anything useful from our show, take a minute to give us a rating and a review. It goes a very long way to making it so How to Be a Better DM can help many more dungeon masters just like you. If you love our content, help others become better dungeon masters too.

Add the Magic of Sound to Your Gameplay

When you set the scene you need to tap into the five senses. When it comes to sound one of the best ways to do that is with music, sound effects, and ambience. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Monument Studios.

Monument Studios

Join Our Discord

So a little bit of a spoiler alert. We’re building an army.

Discord

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM

Today we have a special episode with Jay Foster from Swole Initiative (https://swoleinitiative.com/)

Today we talk about a lot of things including:

• The importance of player check-ins
• How to push boundaries without crossing lines or veils
• Why and how to add theme to your game

And more.

If you liked today's episode and you want Jay to come back on the show, go onto Jay's social medias and tell him thanks for joining us and show him some love.

Mentioned in this episode:

Join Our Discord

So a little bit of a spoiler alert. We’re building an army.

Discord

Give Us a Rating and Review

You obviously have really good taste, you’re listening to How to Be a Better DM after all. We thank you for your support. If you’ve ever gotten anything useful from our show, take a minute to give us a rating and a review. It goes a very long way to making it so How to Be a Better DM can help many more dungeon masters just like you. If you love our content, help others become better dungeon masters too.

Add the Magic of Sound to Your Gameplay

When you set the scene you need to tap into the five senses. When it comes to sound one of the best ways to do that is with music, sound effects, and ambience. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Monument Studios.

Monument Studios

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM

This is another RAW episode, which means more personality and less polish.

I'm your host today, Justin Lewis.

Today we talk about what I would spend $50 on to improve my D&D hobby.

This is my list:

1. A dungeon master screen
2. A new Sourcebook
3. A large tablecloth and some pipe cleaner
4. A lot of Foam and some paint
5. A set piece
6. Some LED lights
7. A simple sound system
8. Minis I guess

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

Join Our Discord

So a little bit of a spoiler alert. We’re building an army.

Discord

Give Us a Rating and Review

You obviously have really good taste, you’re listening to How to Be a Better DM after all. We thank you for your support. If you’ve ever gotten anything useful from our show, take a minute to give us a rating and a review. It goes a very long way to making it so How to Be a Better DM can help many more dungeon masters just like you. If you love our content, help others become better dungeon masters too.

Add the Magic of Sound to Your Gameplay

When you set the scene you need to tap into the five senses. When it comes to sound one of the best ways to do that is with music, sound effects, and ambience. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Monument Studios.

Monument Studios

Welcome back to the show!

Today we talk about what skills you need to develop as a DM.

• Mechanics

Understanding the basic gameplay of the game

Being able to make twists on the rules or invent new ones to suit your game

• Player Management

Scheduling Management

Relationship Management

• Story Writing

Being able to create beautiful settings

Being able to build amazingly real characters

Plot twists, turns and developments

Pacing

• Roleplaying

Voice Acting

Personification of the different characters

• Improvisation

Previous episode about improv: https://session0studios.com/captivate-podcast/improve-and-comedy/

• Presentation

Online Game Technology Mastery

Minis and Maps

• Lore

Full understanding of the lore of your world

Full understanding of available DnD Lore

• Experience Planning

The extras

The Wow Factor

• Combat

Speeding it up

Keeping it Interesting

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

Give Us a Rating and Review

You obviously have really good taste, you’re listening to How to Be a Better DM after all. We thank you for your support. If you’ve ever gotten anything useful from our show, take a minute to give us a rating and a review. It goes a very long way to making it so How to Be a Better DM can help many more dungeon masters just like you. If you love our content, help others become better dungeon masters too.

We Like You

Hey Bud…

Patreon

Add the Magic of Sound to Your Gameplay

When you set the scene you need to tap into the five senses. When it comes to sound one of the best ways to do that is with music, sound effects, and ambience. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Monument Studios.

Monument Studios

Welcome back to today's RAW podcast episode.

This is a special episode where it is shorter and less edited and more real.

On today's show we talk about 8 voice acting tips from a non-voice actor.

They are:

• Tip #1: Commit
• Tip #2: Faster or Slower
• Tip #3: Eye Contact
• Tip #4: Loud or Quiet
• Tip #5: Pauses or Breaks
• Tip #6: Your Breath
• Tip #7: Inflection and Emphasis
• Tip #8: Accent

If you like today's episode reach out to us and let us know.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

We Like You

Hey Bud…

Patreon

Add the Magic of Sound to Your Gameplay

When you set the scene you need to tap into the five senses. When it comes to sound one of the best ways to do that is with music, sound effects, and ambience. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Monument Studios.

Monument Studios

Give Us a Rating and Review

You obviously have really good taste, you’re listening to How to Be a Better DM after all. We thank you for your support. If you’ve ever gotten anything useful from our show, take a minute to give us a rating and a review. It goes a very long way to making it so How to Be a Better DM can help many more dungeon masters just like you. If you love our content, help others become better dungeon masters too.

Sometimes, it feels like all of your efforts are focused on the things you DON'T feel good at as a DM: maybe you don't feel like you do voices well. Or you don't feel great at drawing maps. Or maybe you feel like combats drag a bit. Whatever it is, you definitely have spent too much time focusing on your weaknesses. Stop it! This episode is all about finding and focusing on your strengths as a DM. You've got them, and we're going to talk about them!

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

Give Us a Rating and Review

You obviously have really good taste, you’re listening to How to Be a Better DM after all. We thank you for your support. If you’ve ever gotten anything useful from our show, take a minute to give us a rating and a review. It goes a very long way to making it so How to Be a Better DM can help many more dungeon masters just like you. If you love our content, help others become better dungeon masters too.

We Like You

Hey Bud…

Patreon

Listen to Our New Podcast

As a listener of this show, you obviously love story. Now that you’ve learned how to craft your own story on this show, wouldn’t it be nice to have some inspiration? Or maybe just a moment of immersion and escape? Then come join us in our new Actual Play D&D 5e show, Pact and Boon.

Welcome back to this RAW episode of How to Be a Better DM.

This is from an Instagram Live I did about how to move DnD along when it gets slow and boring.

Here are 8 tips to help you move things along in your DnD games:

1. When the party has been planning too long introduce a complication.
2. Describe something trivial in suspiciously extreme detail.
3. Make the bad guys make a move
4. Jump Cut
5. Talk honestly with your players
6. Skip the Boring Bits
7. Bring the Energy
8. End things Early

Mentioned in this episode:

We Like You

Hey Bud…

Patreon

Listen to Our New Podcast

As a listener of this show, you obviously love story. Now that you’ve learned how to craft your own story on this show, wouldn’t it be nice to have some inspiration? Or maybe just a moment of immersion and escape? Then come join us in our new Actual Play D&D 5e show, Pact and Boon.

Give Us a Rating and Review

You obviously have really good taste, you’re listening to How to Be a Better DM after all. We thank you for your support. If you’ve ever gotten anything useful from our show, take a minute to give us a rating and a review. It goes a very long way to making it so How to Be a Better DM can help many more dungeon masters just like you. If you love our content, help others become better dungeon masters too.

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM!

Today is a special episode with our guest, author, and professional Dungeon Master Dan Wells!

Check out information about Dan Wells here: https://www.thedanwells.com/

Dan is partnered with Dungeon Master Direct which has some great events coming up: https://dungeonmasterdirect.com/

On today's show, we talk about:

• Professional Dungeon Mastering
• How it's ok to use pre-written modules for professional dungeon master campaigns
• As a dungeon master, you need to figure out your strengths and your weaknesses and lean heavily into those.
• You also need to lean into the collaborative nature of RPGs

This episode was facilitated and recorded in the space at We Geek Together in Provo. You can shop at their store in Provo or online at https://www.wegeektogether.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

Give Us a Rating and Review

You obviously have really good taste, you’re listening to How to Be a Better DM after all. We thank you for your support. If you’ve ever gotten anything useful from our show, take a minute to give us a rating and a review. It goes a very long way to making it so How to Be a Better DM can help many more dungeon masters just like you. If you love our content, help others become better dungeon masters too.

Start Leveling Up As a DM

Wouldn’t it be nice to gamify your dungeon master abilities?

Level Up Guide

Listen to Our New Podcast

As a listener of this show, you obviously love story. Now that you’ve learned how to craft your own story on this show, wouldn’t it be nice to have some inspiration? Or maybe just a moment of immersion and escape? Then come join us in our new Actual Play D&D 5e show, Pact and Boon.

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

You’ve probably wondered if you could do or give more. Specifically with your roleplaying, you may have finished a session and thought that you could do better. I’ve been there too. I’ve had many sessions where I’ve wished that I was a much better roleplayer.

Luckily today, we’re going to share 7 tips to help you give more to your roleplaying.

Welcome to How to Be a Better DM.

This is the show that helps you speed up the learning curve of being a DM without spending extra time, and extra hassle.

I’m Justin Lewis, and I’ve been helping dungeon masters now for over 150 episodes. I’ve spoken with Voice Actors, writers and even real life experts, all to help you be a Better DM.

Why Give more to your Roleplaying:

• We’ve all had those experiences after a really good roleplay where there’s almost this stunned silence
• Part of why we got into D&D was to reach that full immersion
• Your players want you to give everything you have

How to Give more to your Roleplaying:

• Be vulnerable
• Try things that may not work out
• Think about your players altruistically
• Forget yourself
• Try some real life Improv Classes
• Practice your Acting/Public Speaking
• Use the White Space of DMing

Mentioned in this episode:

Start Leveling Up As a DM

Wouldn’t it be nice to gamify your dungeon master abilities?

Level Up Guide

Listen to Our New Podcast

As a listener of this show, you obviously love story. Now that you’ve learned how to craft your own story on this show, wouldn’t it be nice to have some inspiration? Or maybe just a moment of immersion and escape? Then come join us in our new Actual Play D&D 5e show, Pact and Boon.

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM.

Today we talk about how to bounce back after a bad session. Today is also a very special episode as it is our first published Dungeon Master Coaching episode.

If you want to sign up for some dungeon master coaching, go to https://session0studios.com/coaching/

If you let us record the first session, the first session is free.

Mentioned in this episode:

Start Leveling Up As a DM

Wouldn’t it be nice to gamify your dungeon master abilities?

Level Up Guide

Sign Up For Dungeon Master Coaching

Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone in your corner as a DM? Maybe having someone who can help you find solutions to your DMing problems and help you improve every aspect of your game.

Dungeon Master Coaching

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.