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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
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.
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Don’t wait—May’s free, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.
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So why suffer? Just skip them.
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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.
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By Justin Lewis
4.7
3535 ratings
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.
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