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

Why Your Villain Falls Flat (And How to Fix It with Show, Don’t Tell) | Part 1 of the Show Don't Tell Mini Series


Listen Later

Most villains fail not because they're weak—but because your players aren’t emotionally invested. In this episode, we kick off a powerful new storytelling series with a focus on “Show, Don’t Tell”—starting with the most misunderstood piece of storytelling in D&D: the villain.

You’ll learn:

  • Why simply saying “he’s the bad guy” never works
  • How to build villains that evoke real fear, anger, or awe
  • A concrete method for triggering emotional investment
  • Real-world villain examples (and mistakes to avoid)

Ready to turn your villains from forgettable into unforgettable? Let’s roll.

👉 Want even more insights? Patrons get bonus content featuring improv warm-ups, DM scene setting, and personal geeking out sessions. Join at https://session0studios.com/patreon

Special thanks to:

Benj Weyland for our Graphic Design

Techsenpai, Juka and TJ Max for being great moderators!

Foxy Beard for being a patron.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get The Swampberry Moonshine Jamboree For Free

Take a trip down to the bayou in The Swampberry Moonshine Jamboree.

We teamed up with Studio Fantasms to bring you a raucous one-shot adventure full of gatorfolk, catfishing, and a whole lotta moonshine.
We wrote the adventure, they designed the minis—it’s a sweet little bundle, and it’s totally free for the month of May.
Just head to https://session0studios.com/fantasms and sign up to grab it.
Don’t wait—May’s free, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Why Listen to Ads?

Ugh, another ad break.

Let’s be real—ads are the worst. If you’re anything like my wife, you’d rather quit a show entirely than sit through another ad.
So why suffer? Just skip them.
Join our Patreon at patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster and enjoy ad-free episodes with exclusive patron-only content—all for just $5 a month.
Look at you, all fancy with your uninterrupted listening experience.
So stop wasting time on ads (like this one). Go to patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster and upgrade your listening today!

Patreon

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.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

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

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

39 ratings


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

View all
StarTalk Radio by Neil deGrasse Tyson

StarTalk Radio

14,179 Listeners

Dungeon Master’s Block by The Block Party Network

Dungeon Master’s Block

587 Listeners

The Adventure Zone by The McElroys

The Adventure Zone

35,519 Listeners

The Lazy RPG Podcast - D&D and RPG News and GM Prep from Sly Flourish by mike@slyflourish.com

The Lazy RPG Podcast - D&D and RPG News and GM Prep from Sly Flourish

179 Listeners

Ologies with Alie Ward by Alie Ward

Ologies with Alie Ward

23,974 Listeners

Dungeon Master of None by Robert Guthrie & Matt Drwenski

Dungeon Master of None

147 Listeners

You're Wrong About by Sarah Marshall

You're Wrong About

21,790 Listeners

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend by Team Coco & Earwolf

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

59,208 Listeners

Critical Role by Critical Role

Critical Role

10,510 Listeners

Critical Role & Sagas of Sundry by geekandsundry

Critical Role & Sagas of Sundry

1,957 Listeners

Tales from the Stinky Dragon by Stinky Dragon

Tales from the Stinky Dragon

2,805 Listeners

Game Theory by The Game Theorists

Game Theory

2,075 Listeners

Adeptus Ridiculous by Adeptus Ridiculous

Adeptus Ridiculous

361 Listeners

Film Theory by Film Theory

Film Theory

1,066 Listeners

So You Wanna Be a Dungeon Master by Taylor & Justin

So You Wanna Be a Dungeon Master

16 Listeners