Any tips and or tricks to being a good DM?

[dudeanonymous]

I have DMed only a single campaign for dungeons and dragons and have taken up the task of DMing for my friends a D&D style game changed to be like Phantasy Star Online. I'm just wondering if anyone has any great tips for newer DM to make things more interesting.

[Guy in a Gimp Suit]

1) Just because it's been done, doesn't mean it's bad.
2). The best way to keep the story flowing is to make the plot open-ended; give the players choices in such a way that your plot can function regardless. That way, they don't feel constrained, and you get to flesh out the NPC's.
3). The best counter for any "kill-em-all" style player is a target that appeals to the other characters' sense of morality. A character that is actively fleeing in terror shouting "No, no, no!" is better than someone who attacks first.
4). Inspiration comes from everywhere; video games, movies, books and world history are the best sources.
5). Torrent ALL the Dragon and Dungeon Magazines that pertain to your rule edition. Bookmark the best advice columns.
6). A pre-existing setting with blank edges on the map is easier to fill in than a custom-built setting, but a general knowledge of that world's history is a good start.
7). Evil characters can have loved ones, genuine feelings, and heroic deeds. The alignment is based on motive and methods, not danger.
cool . If he's thoroughly evil, make him unlikable. If he's supposed to be redeemable, make him relatable.
9). Moral conundrums are the best stories; alignment checks based on using a spell from the book of vile darkness that anyone can use are bullshit.
10). Know the players outside the game, tailor a few adventures to them.
11). Dungeons with dead-ended corridors are the stuff of meta-gaming. Doubly so if it's an abandoned building. Triply so if it's an inhabited building.
11a). Mines and natural cave complexes are fine for dead ends, as long as there's some form of encounter. Labyrinths are fine for dead ends.
12). Facing a bad situation is fine. Actively trying to kill them is not.
13). Random encounters are filler and everybody knows it. They work in video games because you can't explore as much; in a D&D game, there needs to be some kind of ecology.
14). If you can't think of an adventure idea, have some highwaymen attack the party and go from there.
15). Murder mysteries are a great way to keep people involved unless they know "Raise dead." Pushing Daisies is a good show to go for if you want to avoid this.
16). Anyone who loots a dragon's hoard can completely upend an unprepared economy. Start with bread's price and go from there.
17). A knock-out blow, instant-sedation poison, and sudden teleports with no saving throws will piss everyone off because the rules say otherwise. If you're trying to kidnap a member of the party, make it a big creature with a grapple ability and wings.

[from blue to]

Most important thing is to keep the players involved and do what you can to make an enjoyable experience for everyone. Don't get caught up in trying to "win" or outdo the players, but do provide them a challenge sufficient to keep them interested.

As more specific tips go.

Have some throwaway npc names ready so not every random farmer or look out is named Bob.

Take breaks occasionally to give yourself time to think ahead and take notes.

Expect the unexpected. Someone will try something in a scenario that never occurred to you in preparation. It doesn't matter how long you spend preparing. If this creates a problem with what you have planned, roll with it. Most players get resentful if they feel "railroaded."

Establish ground rules for dice rolls before the dice start rolling. Know if the roll will count when it falls off the table, what constitutes grounds for a reroll, etc.

[WalterOGrimm]

Try to say "yes" as much as possible. Meaning if they ask if there is a sketchy part of town, even if it wasn't part of your initial plan, try to say yes and roll with it.

[Samurai of deep waters]

for ending a campaigns rocks fall everybody dies does not work in 3.5
A cleverly placed arcane mark and drawmijs instant summons blows that out of the water like no tomorrow.

mainly because in a logical world, you want to make the game feel real to the players, so you have to take into account the weight of the rocks, and the height in which they are falling from, in which case MAY allow the players time to do something.

[EternalFlame]

Be descriptive, but not literal. The moment your players read ahead, or start getting an understanding of how the monsters work, they'll react to a crowd of skeletons with a yawn. Never tell them explicitly what they are fighting, if possible. Sure, most of them are skeletons, and you describe the whole crowd as skeletons, but wait, the usual tactics don't work on these five for some reason! Because while, yes, they look like skeletons, they ARENT.

Be descriptive in general. You enter a room. There's a guy. He's standing over some dead guy. There's blood. VERY RIVETING ACTION. I AM ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT.

Encourage players to get/make models of their characters. It goes a surprisingly long way to making them identify with their characters, makes the game more impressive at a glance, and is just fun all around.

Keep the overall mood lighthearted. Yes, the game can be taken seriously, but in general have fun. Poke fun at them a little when you suggest going out for dinner afterwards, I mean, they killed a dragon so they can surely spend some of their loot on mcdonalds.

[oskar90]

WalterOGrimm

Try to say "yes" as much as possible. Meaning if they ask if there is a sketchy part of town, even if it wasn't part of your initial plan, try to say yes and roll with it.

Don't just go yes to everything though. Remember the rule of "No but", in the example of the above I wouldn't retroactively add a sketchy part but I'd think of anything similar to what the player means or wants.

Another example would be room description. If the players are in a library and they ask if there are any red books (assuming there aren't) don't just say no. Say No but there are x other color books or whatever.

[oskar90]

Oh also, it's too easy to just allow characters without reading them through. Take the time to read through each character sheet and go through them with the player to ensure that they fit within your world.

[GunsmithKitten]

Always be flexible with things to do for PC's. They have a way of not going the way you predicted/intended. Keep it loose and with options available. Run with it. You'll likely have more fun, and so will they.

Always ask after a session for feedback and thoughts. Don't be afraid to share your own with your players either.

Do not view your role as that of an angry Jehova-type diety who'll smite those who disrupt your story and your vision. Instead, view yourself as an Olympian diety, playing pieces around a board to see what happens.

The players are not your enemies; they're your entertainment! twisted

[GunsmithKitten]

The Party Gimp

14). If you can't think of an adventure idea, have some highwaymen attack the party and go from there.

To expand on this; Never be afraid to beg, borrow, or steal from other sources. Movies/TV shows are a bit much unless they're fairly obscure, but scenarios from other games are actually very good to get the ball rolling. I've had many Deadlands sessions saved by lifting scenarios and ideas from Call of Cthulhu that our actual CoC group didn't use/never will.

[lnk Weaver]

Quality over quantity. More gaming sessions does not mean better games, but a more interesting and well made story line does.

[Guy in a Gimp Suit]

New advice!

1). Taxes are a good way to get rid of excess gear that the players don't want/need anymore.
2). When presenting said taxes, help the players come up with a way to keep the choicest equipment that they want, so as to keep the story flowing.
3). Magic vs. Technology can be solved by giving the commoners functional utilities, the rich magic, the military the big weaponry (guns and so forth), and the adventurers a little taste of everything. Alternatively, magic-operated gunpowder.
4). He who brings the pizza holds the most sway. If one guy tends to bring the pizza and it's not you, stay on his good side.
5). Make the story about the PCs, not your pet NPC.
6). Caffeine is a must for extremely late gaming sessions. Alcohol is a must for ridiculous gaming moments that will wind up on message boards.
7). Google every kind of min-maxed build; if a power-gamer has it, remind him others do as well.
cool . In fact, if there's a glitch in the rules that the players can exploit, so should various NPC's.
9). A dictionary is a handy tool to have to avoid a Gazebo incident.

[checkmorale]

dudeanonymous

I have DMed only a single campaign for dungeons and dragons and have taken up the task of DMing for my friends a D&D style game changed to be like Phantasy Star Online. I'm just wondering if anyone has any great tips for newer DM to make things more interesting.

Don't have them make investigate or Gather Information rolls, have them actually shake people down for information, create useless NPC that might know something (or know nothing) google random bar rumor tables, create plot hooks that could come into play later. The guy who runs the docks is corrupt and is smuggling in contraband, the queen is having an affair on the king, local street urchin kids are going missing and no one knows why, there a creepy ancient house in the wealthy quarter of down (it'll later turn out a vampire aristocrat is living there, and he's kidnapping and feeding on the kids, tossing them aside cuz hey, who's gonna look too hard for a beggar orphan kid?)

There's an ancient adventure for AD&D called B2 Keep on the Borderlands, track it down for an entry level adventure. There's another old adventure called Secret of Saltmarch. Don't pay more than $10 for each.

There's also a sequel to Saltmarch printed in the Dungeon Master Guide to 3.5 Dungeon master's Guide.

There's a super expensive setting for city adventures called Ptolus, but it's mad expensive.

There's a entry-level 3.5 adventure for Sunless Citadel that's worth getting.

Also invest in minis, you can track down lots (as in miniatures in lots) of old Hero Quest miniatures on ebay

These come pre-painted; http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warhammer-Fantasy-Heroquest-17-Orc-Boy-Unit-Well-Painted-oop-/261483276189?pt=Games_US&hash=item3ce19e279d

These two are decent lots:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warhammer-Hero-Quest-Orc-Warriors-Lot-2-/331209782194?pt=Games_US&hash=item4d1da433b2

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hero-Quest-Replacement-lot-of-2-Green-Figures-Orc-Fimir-Goblins-Lot-9-/331209830771?pt=Games_US&hash=item4d1da4f173

This is a great lot of PC-types:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WARHAMMER-QUEST-Characters-suitable-for-Heroquest-Mordheim-Roleplay-and-D-D-/331209837152?pt=Games_US&hash=item4d1da50a60

Miniatures help in combat situations.

If you're craft and have some cash saved up, hit up hirstarts.com and learn how to cast and build your own dungeon. It's expensive though, you may just want to make hallways and rooms out of cereal box card to start.