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

The problem of the NPC companion... the poor shmuck that your party drags along with them that YOU suddenly have to play as if you were both a player and a DM. They are just trouble, right? NO! If you learn how to pick your battles when using them in combat, roleplay situations, and other situations, you'll see that they can add to important moments without being a drag in the meantime.

Welcome to How to Be a Better DM

Today we talk about improving improvisation when your players do something out of the blue.

Tip #1: The Rule of Intent - think about the intent of the player as you improvise and try to meet and fulfill that intent.

Tip #2: Yes AND - in your yes anding the AND should be capitalized because that’s the most important part.

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

Oh, so you'd like to create EVERY story arc, enemy, NPC, and element of your D&D adventure out of thin air, without resorting to using characters who are blatant knockoffs of well-known actors or movie characters? And let me guess: you'd also like every adventure arc be an entirely new story that's never been seen (or at least is heavily disguised). Well, this is the wrong episode for you, because Tanner discusses why copying or embracing external story and character inspiration isn't cheap, negative, or even lazy: it's actually a great tool for DMs!

Thanks for listening. Today we talk about the secret inner work required to be a great dungeon master. Here are some notes:

People Management of yourself as the DM

Self Validation

Jealousy

Curiosity

Self Regulation

Six Pillars of Self Esteem

Don’t take things personally

The 4 Agreements

Assertiveness

Personal Clarity

Journaling

Self-Discipline

Routines

Relationship Builder

The Like Switch

Grattitude

Grattitude Journal

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 ever wish that players would just STOP and take things seriously for one minute?! After all, you want the next moment to FEEL important... but how can you do that? How can you add weight to your words? Namely, the type of weight that gets players to quiet down, lean forward, and think. It's not easy, but it is absolutely possible!

Every DM wants to get better, but “improvement” can feel vague. In this episode, we break it down into four concrete tools you can use to actually level up your Dungeon Mastering—whether you’re running your first campaign or your fifth.

The 4 Tools

1. The Dungeon Master Level Up Guide

• A free newsletter from Session 0 Studios that delivers practical advice and DM growth tips straight to your inbox.

2. Record Your Sessions

• Why listening back is one of the fastest ways to spot your blind spots.

• Story: Grim casts Detect Thoughts—and how hearing it later changed how we thought about the moment.

3. The After Action Report

• A simple, repeatable reflection process:

• What did we want to happen?

• What actually happened?

• Why did it happen?

• What can we learn going forward?

• Story: breaking down the last session at our own table.

4. Content You Consume

• People Management: The Like Switch, How to Win Friends and Influence People

• Performance: YouTube channels like Improve Your Voice and PVImprov

• Game Design: Game Maker’s Toolkit

• Storytelling: Writing Excuses, Matt Colville, Mystic Arts, High Rollers

These aren’t just entertainment—they’re study material for growing as a DM.

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

Here are my tips:

Use scatter terrain

Use distance

Use elevation

Capture the Flag

VIP

Zombies

Tag

Hide and Seek

Snatch and Grab

Ingredient Gathering

King of the Hill

The Ground is Lava

Shock and Awe

Library Book

The Shell Game

Add Water Elements

Add the Weather

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

Most DMs have had at least one period of time when their party suddenly starts meeting A LOT less often. Whether it's life changes or just a lack of interest, what do you do? Do you quit, stay the course, or make a change? That's the topic of today's podcast with Tanner. He gives DMs 3 steps to help them decide on next steps if their campaign is becoming a thing of the past. Let's learn how to be a better DM!

Today we fix combat encounters, plus my kids have something to say.

This is what we talk about:

Use scatter terrain

Use distance

Use elevation

Capture the Flag

VIP

Zombies

Tag

Hide and Seek

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 feel like, unless you plan every single item, NPC interaction, and every encounter down to the letter, that you'll lose control as a DM? Well this episode is for you! Tanner discusses randomness, rolling for items, enemies, and more, and also shares ways your next D&D session can be RANDOM without being LESS.

Also, for anyone curious about FanX, where we'll be on 6 different panels, check out this link: https://fanxsaltlake.com/