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

The true secret of great session prep isn’t a framework for session prep.

It great campaign prep

Which just so happens to be something a lot of people get wrong a lot of the time.

But that ends today.

1. Strengths and Weaknesses as a DM

2. Time Constraints

3. Your Preferences as DM

4. Theme and Story Idea

Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff:

Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith

Roll and Play Press:http://session0studios.com/rollandplay

Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms

Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios

Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord

Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon

Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

In the first episode of Creative Contraband, we meet host Danny Barrett to tackle a problem every long-form storyteller faces: How do you keep a story coherent over months or years without resorting to convenient miracles or last-minute fixes?

Today we explore the quiet mechanics behind great storytelling: Chekhov’s gun, Foreshadowing and the fine line between setup and Deus Ex Machina.

You’ll learn how to plant narrative seeds early and make your players think you are a DnD mastermind.

Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff:

Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith

Roll and Play Press:http://session0studios.com/rollandplay

Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms

Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios

Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord

Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon

Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

With the new year in full swing, your mind might be on goals for your next campaign or for your own personal journey as a DM... but what about your players? Should all the goal-setting and planning be solely on your shoulders? Of course not! But how can you create a positive goal-setting environment that helps all your players enjoy the game more than ever? That's what we'll talk about in today's episode!

Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff:

Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith

Roll and Play Press:http://session0studios.com/rollandplay

Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms

Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios

Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord

Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon

Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Welcome to today’s episode.

Today we talk about how to actually improve this year.

1. ​Start recording your sessions
2. ​Use the Dungeon Master Level Up Guide
3. ​Find a group of your peers
4. ​Take the PPDS Self Assessment
5. ​ Daily Study
6. ​Dedicated Practice

​Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff:

Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith

Roll and Play Press:http://session0studios.com/rollandplay

Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms

Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios

Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord

Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon

Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM.

Today we talk about 5 tips for session prep with no time.

1. ​Adjust your expectations
2. ​Get inside your players’ minds
3. ​WorldSmith
4. ​Get a repository of Maps
5. ​Get Transposable Material

​Thanks for listening to today’s show.

Merry Christmas

Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff:

Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith

Roll and Play Press:http://session0studios.com/rollandplay

Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms

Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios

Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord

Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon

Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

It almost feels like cliffhangers are a requirement for some DMs, or at least the professional ones! But are cliffhangers always necessary? And how can you use them more effectively as storytelling devices? Tanner discusses 3 tips for maximizing their effectiveness while avoiding cliffhanger-burnout.

Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM.

Today we continue talking about improv. We finish our tips for responding to player choices and actions.

Here are the tips:

1. ​The Rule of Intent
2. ​Yes AND
3. ​Spark or Prompts
4. ​Take Pauses and Breathes
5. ​Take Advantage of Cool Moments
6. ​Outsource to the Players
7. ​Maintain the tone or Subvert it

​Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff:

Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith

Roll and Play Press:http://session0studios.com/rollandplay

Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms

Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios

Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord

Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon

Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Do you give your players much of a chance to collaborate on the storytelling? No? Well, you wouldn't be alone! In this episode, Tanner discusses some ideas for introducing collaboration into your D&D party so you can ramp up the storytelling AND player engagement!

Today's episode is all about taking a normal or underutilized D&D game mechanic and using it to its fullest to add some real excitement to your D&D games! And if anyone deserves more excitement for playing, it's the DM. Tanner shares 5 specific mechanics to check out. Are there any others you can think of?

Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM

today we continue talking about better Improv Tips for DMs

Here’s what we cover:

1. ​The Rule of Intent
2. ​Yes AND
3. ​Sparks or Prompt Lists
4. ​Taking Pauses or Breathes

Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff:

• ​Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith
• ​Roll and Play Press:http://session0studios.com/rollandplay
• ​Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms
• ​Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios
• ​Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord
• ​Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon
• ​Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter