Complete Tips & Tricks by Jared

Hello all,

Here is the complete series of articles written by Jared aimed at helping Newbie DM’s run their first D&D campaign successfully.

Thanks!!
Michael – AKA Mumbles

Part 1

When I first started running games, no one really gave me any useful tips or general rules of thumb to go by.  All I had were the books and my own creativity.  Although the books help, they can also create headaches and overwhelm those new to running games (at least that’s how I felt).  Had this website existed then, perhaps I could have used the advice of others and avoided some of those embarrassing moments from my first few attempts as a DM (Dungeon Master).  With this in mind, for the next 10 weeks, I will be posting my top 10 tips & tricks for running successful campaigns.  Each week I will discuss some of the key tips & tricks I have learned through my experiences that have helped me out.  Please keep in mind when reading that these are my opinions and pertain mostly to D&D (Dungeons & Dragons).  I am in no way trying to say you have to use these guidelines in order to have a successful campaign.

1. Avoid Being a Control Freak – The number one thing that frustrates me when I’m playing in someone’s game is when I feel like I’m being “pulled” into a particular direction.  Every DM I have ever met usually plans out a course of events he/she feels should/could happen.  What some DM’s don’t do is prepare for what happens if things don’t go according to plan.  The worst thing you can do in these situations, in my opinion, is “pull” the players in the direction you want them to go.  If you should ever find yourself in this situation (and you will) here are some helpful tips you can use:

• Try to present a situation where the players choose to follow the course you had planned out.   For example, what if you had planned on the players going under a mountain and through some elaborate cave dungeon you spent hours creating, but they decide to take the long way and climb the mountain instead?  Instead of flat out saying, “The mountain cannot be climbed…” think outside the box.  One idea could be to make them roll a listen or spot check.  Make the DC low (10 to 12), and whoever succeeds could hear a scream from under the mountain, or spot a glowing gem embedded in the entrance of the cave leading under the mountain.  You could also have them roll reflex saves with a higher DC to avoid falling into the cave from the ground collapsing.  Just remember, you are creating the illusion of choice, the players need to feel like everything that is happening is a result of the decisions they made.
• Have a contingency plan – I will go over this in more detail in next week’s post, but here is the general idea.  It is always good to have an ace up your sleeve in case you get in a bind.  The contingency plan is a plot device you create before the session that is only used if needed.  When I get into this with more detail next week, you will see just how simple and helpful this unique tool can be, but for now here is basically what could happen.  Using the example above, your contingency plan could be anything from a NPC coming down from the mountain to an occurrence of a strange event (ie sudden storm with high winds).   Now things just became interesting, the NPC could come down the mountain and say that the path ahead is blocked due to some rocks collapsing, so climbing would be foolish (If they still choose to climb, they’ve been warned..) .  Another event that could happen could be a storm as I mentioned.  In this case you would roll to determine the severity, but this is a contingency play, so your roll will basically just determine whether the storm will be severe or extremely severe.  The real purpose of the dice roll is to create the illusion that that storm was truly a random event.  Now, the “random” storm clouds that seem to be coming from the direction of the mountain would make the climb extremely difficult with the mud and falling rocks, created from the pouring rain and strong winds.  This would then force the group to seek shelter in your convenient cave.  Little did they know you had this planned from the beginning!
• Allow them to pursue the course they want – This may be hard for some DM’s, but this is one of the reasons I love running games.  This forces you to think on your toes and be creative.  Typically, the example above is never an issue.  You wouldn’t have worked for hours on a dungeon, without having a plan for getting the group there.  Sometimes though, unusual circumstances can happen.  For instance, the group could accidentally kill the person who was going to give them the location to the cave mentioned above.  You could use your contingency plan to help set them back on course, but why not hold off and see what happens?  Worse case you use the cave dungeon in a later game.
• Avoid using NPC’s that are traveling with the party to “guide” the players – I’ve seen this done more by experienced DM’s than newer ones, not sure why.  This is the most obvious method used to “pull” the players where the DM wants them to go.  Here’s an example, the group runs into a NPC who says, “I’ll help you get to that cave.”  The group doesn’t know where it is located in the mountains, so agrees and they eventually head off.  Now the entire session feels like one big contingency plan.  The group eventually leaves with the NPC.  He then leads them into the forest, then over a bridge, and finally after 2 hours, the group arrives at the cave.  I’m getting bored just typing it.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for having a guide in the group, but a big chunk of the session should not be simply following a NPC.  All you need to do is add a few elements to it.  How about this, the guide begins to lead the group, but along the way, allow the players to make vital choices in the course of actions.  Have the guide assist them in making the decisions, not just make the decisions for them.  He could ask the group, “Well, we can cut through here and it will cut our travel time in half.  The only problem is the local tribe in that part of the forest has been known to cause some problems to travelers, so we would have to be on our guard.  If we go around it will take us twice as long, and will be a lot labor intensive.  You would then have the group help make other choices as you see fit or as they arise, like what to do when they approach the river and see that the bridge is out?.  Another interesting idea could be the same as above, but have the group roll a survival or knowledge geography check, to notice that the guide is actually leading the group away from the mountains the cave is supposed to be in.  He could be leading them into a trap?  All you have to do is ask yourself, “If I were the group, would I feel like the DM was “pulling” me or would I feel like our choices got us here?”
• Use DM awards – Sometimes you get stuck in an unusual circumstance where the group is determined to go or do something a certain way, no matter what.  For example, if it is crucial to the game to “pull” the group in a different direction or prevent them from doing something, then at least award them for the DM intervention.   Keeping with the above example, you could say, “Your characters feel that going up the mountain would be extremely dangerous at this time and it would take you too far out of your way” and then award the group action points (aka hero points), experience points, or some other kind of reward you might think of.  I have only ever had to do this once and will only use it as a last resort.  At least this way they are being rewarded for being forced to pursue a different option.

Part 2

1. Have a Contingency Plan – The best advice anyone has ever given me, when it comes to running games, was to always have a contingency plan.  This could be anything from a random NPC (non-playable character) you create, to a surprise encounter.  I used to play with a DM who was the king at using this tool.  One example of when to use one of your contingency plans would be to help set the group back on track.  You can also use them as filler when the group is traveling long distances.  Instead of going through the typical, “You travel blah distance, then you make camp, the next day you travel blah distance, you camp, etc.”  You could employ one of your contingencies to take away from the boring and mundane.  (A good way to bore the players in your game is to be repetitive)  Now, most DM’s would have an encounter planned out.  Either, while the group was camping one night, or when the group was traveling.  That works great, but sometimes these events are avoided, or the group decides to go a different direction that you weren’t prepared for.  This is where the contingency plan works great!  Here are some contingency plans I have used in the past:

• Random NPC encounter – It’s always fun to throw the players off guard.  One contingency plan I used was a rouge gnome who was following the group.  The group had already been in a huge battle and just started the second watch (I rolled to see what watch this event would occur on).  The fighter in the group was on second watch, so I asked him to roll a listen check.  He succeeded and hears rustling in the tall grass.  He goes to investigate, but it turns out to be nothing.  When he comes back, he sees one of the wizard’s wands floating away.  Long story short, fighter goes nuts, party wakes up, only to find it was a little gnome who immediately begs them to have mercy on him.  The role-play was good and the gnome turned out to be a decent source of information to the group.  Not to mention the wand was his to begin with (they found it a few sessions before, which gave me the idea).
• Random event(s) – Anything from heavy winds and rain to, say, a group of NPC’s fleeing in the opposite direction of the group (i.e., running away in a panic from a city they are close to).  It’s not much, but it keeps players on their toes and alert.  There’s nothing like a random event just to make the players say wtf?  Don’t forget to utilize the characters background stories for things that may motivate characters and role play!
• Random findings – The group stumbles upon three pillars and each of them has something engraved on them.  Time for those players with languages to be put to use!  The pillars could be anything from grave stones, to warnings of dark times.  It’s completely up to you.  One time I made a riddle out of it and a random item was obtained for solving it.  This brings me to my next point…
• Random items – One of the players had tripped, fell, and landed six inches from a wand that was mixed in with a bunch of twigs and such.  Naturally, he picks it up, figures out what it can do, and presto, a great role playing device was created.  This particular wand was a wand of randomness that I created.  It had 5 charges and random things would happen when it was used.  I will definitely be using this wand in other games, hehe.
• Rolling off of a chart – I love to make charts.  They really seem to add a level of excitement to the game for both the players and the DM.  For example, one of my charts I use sometimes is for rolling critical fails.  There are also charts in the DMG and online you can find.  If a person botches their roll (rolls a 1) you could have them roll another d20 and use the corresponding number on your chart to tell them what happens.  That is just one example, you can also use charts for triggering traps in one of your dungeons, instead of having to flip to the DMG’s traps (which are still pretty good though) you could have the person (or you) roll a d20 or whatever dice your chart is based on.  Maybe the trap is a dud, or maybe it does twice the normal damage?  It’s up to you and your chart!  Roll charts are good for situations, where the group do something unexpected and you want to add a little excitement to the mix.

The basic principle with contingency plans is to fill in a gap or to motivate players.  As a DM, you want your players to experience adventure, mystery, or whatever your campaigns feel is all about.  It’s important to keep the players focused on the role play in order for them to get more out of your campaign.  For instance, let’s say you’re running a mystery type game, you don’t want a group that just runs around killing anything that moves (or maybe you do?).  If players lose direction or focus, it’s mainly due to a lack of motivation or understanding of what your game is all about.  Having a tool (or tools) to assist you in keeping that focus is paramount when running games.  One last thing to keep in mind, cheating is not considered a contingency plan.  Just as you expect players not to cheat in your games on rolls, they should be able to expect the same from you.  The only difference is you always have a plan B.

Part 3

1.  Think Ahead– This may sound like an obvious one, but keep in mind, players don’t know everything that you know.  Don’t expect players to figure out something just because the answer is simple or right in front of them.  You also can’t expect players to remember everything that happened two or three sessions ago.  Thinking ahead will save you a lot of headaches during the session.  Not everything is always going to go as planned, as I mentioned last week, so tying every loose end beforehand is vital to keeping a session flowing smoothly.  This may sound a lot like the contingency plan, but the contingency plan is used when you forgot to think ahead, make sense?  Let me explain, if you know a PC (playable character) has a tendency to run into situations without thinking, be prepared to play out all possible scenarios.  Don’t assume they will avoid the situation.  Always try to be prepared for anything, especially in cities or towns.  I can’t tell you how many times I made this mistake when I first started running games.  Let’s say the group comes into a town, finds out that an enemy NPC (Non Playable Character) is in the city, the group finds a clever way to get to him/her/them, then all hell breaks loose.  Have a plan for this, some players may do this just to test you as a new DM or catch you off guard.  When their bold move leads to a bad result for them that you had already accounted for, then you just showed them whose boss…Nice.  Here are some examples of how thinking ahead can save the session:

• Have a character stat block for your main NPC’s – Here is an embarrassing example of what happened to me in the very first game I ran.  The group (who had all been playing at least 5 or more years longer than I have) was very clever and found out how to track down the enemy who I thought was untouchable at their level.  Well, I was wrong, they managed to find and defeat one of my main NPC enemies and I was completely unprepared.  The contingency plan may have helped, but sometimes things just happen too fast or without warning.  The next thing I know, they are fighting him (they are all buffed up) and all I could do was sit there and watch.  Had I thought ahead, I would have had all his spells written down.  That’s right, I never prepared his spells!  I should have made him a sorcerer…lesson learned.  I could have prepared any number of spells on the door the enemy was in, but no, I didn’t think ahead.
• Don’t expect anything – If you are writing your session based on the group figuring out something by a certain time, then you are going to have to think ahead.  Things happen, don’t expect/assume players will figure out the situation based on the 20 clues you gave them throughout five sessions.  Chances are they will forget the first two by the fourth or fifth session.  Worst case, you have them roll an intelligence check to see if they remember, but that’s no fun.  Instead, think ahead about how to reintroduce these clues to the player.
• Don’t just make stuff up – This is a road you don’t want to go down as a new DM (dungeon master).  If you start making things up, you are now forcing yourself to remember things you didn’t have planned.  Don’t panics if something happens that is devastating to your campaign, you can plan around that next game.  If the PC’s kill a major boss, its ok.  Have him change into something thing else when he dies and make the group think he was an illusion or something.  If you pull it off well enough, the group will fear fighting the “real” thing, even though they just killed the real thing.  This will give you time to better prepare the NPC for the next future encounter.  Way to think ahead, give yourself a pat on the back.        

The one thing to always remember is that you do have “some” control over your characters actions.  A rogue will most likely always go after treasure, a fighter will most likely stand up for the group, the bard will charm his way out of a scam, etc.  If a character is good, he will most likely always help the damsel in distress, if a character is evil, they will most likely do what benefits them the most.  You can think ahead and use these to your advantage.  Test your group; see how they react to certain things.  If the group is all Elves, how do they act/feel toward elves, let’s find out.  If you try to stay at least one step ahead of your players, then your game will run especially smooth.  Let your group get the jump on you and catch you off guard, then you’re in for a roller coaster ride.  There is one way to ensure this for every game, but you will have to wait until next week…

Part 4

1. Keep it Simple – Another way to burn out players is by over complicating things.  One thing that has frustrated me in the past is when DM’s create these huge elaborate mazes/puzzles that take the group FOREVER to solve.  If the group is spending hours relying on the rouge to disarm traps and use magical device skills, that means the barbarian and/or the fighter is sitting there bored to tears.  Elaborate puzzles or mazes can be a lot of fun, but they don’t have to be overly complicated.  It’s a good idea to try and incorporate something for everyone.  Even while the rouge is doing his/her trap disarming.  Something as simple a pit full of lava can create a challenge that incorporates everyone’s abilities.  For example, perhaps the group stumbles upon a lava pit in a dungeon and a trap is triggered.  They hear roars coming from behind them.  Do they face this mysterious monster; do they find a way to cross the pit, or perhaps both?  This was just something off of the top of my head.  With a bit of minor tweaking, you have just created about 45 minutes of game play.

Now let’s say you spent hours coming up with a puzzle where the group has to hit a series of buttons and pull on a series of chains in a particular order.  I made the mistake of doing this, and eventually after about 45 minutes, I had to just say the door opened, because we had a lot of other things to get to in the session.  Not to mention the rogue was doing most of the work.  As I said earlier, this meant the fighter in the group was becoming impatient, both in character and out of character.  Had I just had them pull a chain and whatever chain they pulled determined what creature they fought, then after the fight, the door opened.  It would have been easier on everyone.  This kind of relates to last week’s topic – Think Ahead.

One thing to remember as a DM who is hosting, people are taking time from there busy schedules to come to your game.  If they spent 4 of the 6 hours doing nothing, then their time has been wasted.  This isn’t always the DM’s fault, but when you have players who are sleeping on your couch (because they have been sitting there bored for hours) who are they going to blame?  I’ve only seen this happen once, but it was 95% the DM’s fault.  One the other hand, sometimes it is good to allow the puzzle to go on for a while, as long as everyone is having fun.  The key is to not overdo it as a new DM.  You don’t need to spend hours upon hours writing up each session.  Present a challenge and the players will do the rest, well most of the rest anyways.  Keep it simple and try to incorporate events that allow everyone to participate, if possible.

Next week, we explore a common misconception that scares away some players from becoming a DM.

Part 5

1. Try to Get the Players Invested in Your Game – This is a crucial step in motivating players to keep coming back!  Think of it this way, you are 100% committed to your campaign, that’s obvious, but the players start out 0% committed to it.  The idea is to find ways to get your players invested into your world, your campaign, and everything that is going on in them.  This takes time, but having players who are invested in your campaign will help them get into character more easily.  Essentially, if you were to ask any one of the players in your game, “What is your motivation for playing in this campaign?”  Each player should have an answer.  For example, they could say, “…because I want to see that dirt bag Harkins get what he deserves plus I would like to see how Sarah is recovering back in Stone Front..”  You don’t want players to say something like, “…I dunno, because I like role-playing…” or “…to rid the world of evil doers, I guess…”   Of course this isn’t set in stone and some people just don’t give a crap about the campaign or storyline and just want to role play.  That’s fine too as long as they are having fun.  I just look back to my favorite character I have ever played and remember how invested I was in him.  He was looking for his wife who was taken from him and when he finally found her, the role play was epic! (if I do say so myself).  The DM’s girlfriend, who was playing with us at the time, was in tears.  Enough about that though, here are some examples of ways I try to help get players invested in my campaigns:

• For one of my campaigns I run, I ask each player (who wants to earn a few extra XP or a special item) to choose one of the locations I have marked on my map.  They then are to create a city and give me detailed information about their created city.  The city then becomes a permanent part of my world and also allows players to have an early investment in my campaign.  What generally happens is, they will have to ask me about the history of the area, what events have happened, and so on.  This gives me the opportunity to give them more info about my world.  This knowledge can then be used in game.  If they ever travel to that city or town, they will see their creation being used in my campaign.  It sounds farfetched, but it works!
• Have the players make character backgrounds before they start playing.  This will give them time to ponder specifics about their character and his/her past, etc.  You can then use that info as plot devices, or a way to motivate their characters.  Remember to reward those who take the time to do this.  This makes it feel more like an investment and less like a chore.  There is a character template that Mumbles made that has some great questions in it.  You may want to condense it a bit so more players will be willing to fill it out (that was not directed at you mumbles).
• Make time for one-on-one role playing.  This will force the player to role play and thus, get him/her more in character.  This usually works, but like I said, not everything will work on everyone.  They have to want to get invested.  That isn’t always easy to do.
• Give the players opportunities to be awesome.  Let the fighter with great cleave kill goblin after goblin as he keeps cleaving their heads off.  Give the druid opportunities to use create water or speak with animals to help the group in a tight situation.  Perhaps the Bard could entertain an audience to secure the group a room for the night.  If a player feels like his/her PC is equally contributing and important, then he/she will enjoy playing their character that much more.
• Award players for showing an investment in your game.  If there is great role play, then there should be some kind of reward.
• One idea I recently started testing is assigning random personally quirks.  Some people are always reluctant at first, but by the end of the session, they almost always are glad they did it.  You can find over 1800 random quirks by going to the following website:  http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19873978/1001_Character_Quirks?pg=1 or by searching on Google.  I also have a list of 100, if you want to have the group role a d100 (aka percentile dice) to randomly assign a player quirk.  I did this last week in two games, the one game, we were laughing so hard; we had to stop  the game for a bit to get a hold of ourselves.  Good stuff.

Getting players invested is one thing I always try to do.  I want those playing to want to solve the problems within my world (or create them, depending on the group).  When I first started out I often would ask players to rate my sessions from 1 to 10.  I had a piece of paper with 1 thru 10 on it and all they had to do was circle a number.  This was so I didn’t know who was giving me what rating (if they had to write the number down I would have been able to tell).   Anyways, if I got less than 7 out of 10, I really focused on what I could have done wrong.  One session, I received a really low score from someone.  I asked if whoever gave me the 4 out of 10 (yeah a 4!) wants to help me out, please send me an email.  I then got an email the next day and it was extremely helpful.  I made some improvements and the next session I received all 10’s!  Never forget the importance of feedback, it can make a world of difference.

Part 6

1. Remember the Books are Just Guidelines – One thing that kept me from becoming a DM at first was a limited understanding of the rules.  You don’t need to know every rule to run a game.  The way I like to look at it is to think of the books as guidelines, not rules.  They are great for solving disputes, and keeping a structured game.  They are not the 100% have to follow rules though.  If you don’t like a particular rule, change it.  Just make sure you inform the players.  If you think of a cool idea in mid-session, but you didn’t have it planned out beforehand, just wing it and look it up after the game if you have to.  Last, but not least, don’t be a rules lawyer!  If a player missed something on accident, don’t punish them for not knowing or remembering the rules.  Understand that it was an honest mistake and move on.  This doesn’t mean ignore every rule in the book, because this often leads to chaos.  All I’m saying is you don’t need to know every rule in the book to be a good DM.  In fact, I think it can sometimes take away from games when Player’s/DM’s focus way too much on rules.  Just remember the basics and the rest will come with time.  In my opinion, the best way to learn the rules anyways is to be a DM.   There are indeed a lot of rules, but I see DM’s who have been running for longer than I’ve been alive who still forget rules all the time.  When all else fails, just ask.

Having said all this, there are some rules you should consider knowing before running a game.  After all, the books are there for a reason.  I recommend you learn at least some of the basics in order to keep a well-structured game.  Here are some basics that will help you get started:

• Skills (Players Handbook, page 61 – v3.5):  You don’t need to memorize them, just know when it is appropriate to have players roll skill checks.  For instance, when a player is looking for something in a room, a search check would be used in lieu of a spot check in most cases.
• Combat Basics (Players Handbook, page 135 – v3.5):  Most of this can be learned just by asking, but knowing the basics to combat will avoid the 20 minute explanation of what you can read in 10 minutes.
• Magic & Spells (Players Handbook, page 169 & 196 – v3.5):  Again, you don’t need to memorize this.  A basic understanding of how magic works and is cast can go a long way.  As far as spells go, it might be a good idea to bookmark the spells page (pg. 196) in your players handbook for quick spell reference.  Almost every session someone has to stop to look up a spell for one reason or another.  Having good book marks can save loads of time.
• Rewards (Dungeon Masters Guide, page 36-42 – v3.5):  This is a guideline for basic XP (experience points) rewards.  Looking this up can be done after the session or in downtime.
• Others – If you have time, looking up equipment, deities, races, and classes can be helpful too.  Especially if you want to cut down on the number of questions you will have to ask your players.

The list above may look like a lot, but is actually about 20 minutes total reading time max.  If you have not read through these, don’t worry.  Most players will be happy to help out a new DM.  As long as you keep your first few games simple, you will learn a lot of the basics quickly.  The most important thing to remember is to be creative.  Knowing the rules is not what makes a game fun.

I hope these tips have been helpful so far. Please feel free to leave any comments and I’m always open to feedback.  Next week, we discuss the most important aspect of running a game.

Part 7

1. Have Fun! – This is the most important rule!  Countless times I have seen people get in arguments over rules, roles, etc. that really take away from the whole point of role playing.  As the DM, you have the final say in any dispute about the game or rules, period!  This is just a game and the idea is to have fun.  On the other hand, try not to be hard on the players.  For instance, if a player makes a joke, don’t punish them or take offense to it.  If they’re making jokes and interacting with the other players, it usually means they are having fun!  Here are some things to remember to help keep the game fun:

• Players don’t like going through hell and back only to lose all their items and equipment they just spent hours obtaining.  It makes the player(s) feel as if the trip was a waste of time.  If you do plan on taking away the players equipment, at least give them a chance to save some of it through a roll or by spending an action point.  This can be used as an opportunity for some great role-play, just don’t get too hung up on taking from your players, they will eventually get bored with it.
• Try not to make every battle extremely difficult.  If the only way you can challenge the players is through difficult battles, you’re doing something wrong.
• Try to create scenarios that encourage the group to work together.  Some examples could be, the group is put in jail and all their equipment is locked away in a chest in an unknown room.  They could come upon a river with a broken bridge and have to figure out how to get across. (I know I’ve used that example before).  The possibilities are endless.
• Allow the players to use their range of skills.  Try not to have your sessions consist of spot and listen checks.  Put them in situations where they will have to roll swim checks, disable magic devices, escape artist, lock pick or any other rarely used skills.
• Give the players lots of options.  For instance, does this person die, but we get the treasure or do they live and the enemy gets away with the treasure?  Do we go through the cover of the dangerous forest or stick to the open plains where we will be exposed?  You will be surprised with some of the things players will come up with.
• Give players items with funny effects.  For example, they find a vial of blue liquid with a label that says “Medicine” on it.  When/if they drink it, have it be a powerful laxative or something.  (I would have them roll a d4 to determine how powerful it is compared to a normal laxative, rolling a would 2 mean it’s 2 time stronger, etc.)  The role play that follows will be hilarious.
• Introduce funny NPC’s: the drunk, the hillbilly, the bard going through puberty, etc are just a few I have used before.

Remember to try and stay away from boring elements, if possible.  Reward players for doing funny things and adding fun to your game.  If players thin you take things too serious they will feel uncomfortable doing certain things.  Making a game fun is not 100% the DM’s job, but with a little bit of planning, you can create opportunities for this.  If you’re ever unsure, don’t be afraid to ask!

Part 8

1. Know Your Group – Understanding what players do and don’t like is important, but it is also important to challenge them.  All players have a certain level of expectations, but how you present these in game is completely up to you.  Some players are more combat oriented, while others could care less about combat and just want to role-play.  The majority of the players will enjoy both though.  I’ve ran games for some pretty diverse groups as far as role-play style and expectations go, but the key is not to feel pressured to please everyone all the time.  If you stick to #6 – Try to get the players invested in your game, you could throw anything at them and still see great role playing most of the time.  Also keep in mind your power builders (players who make the strongest characters they possibly can, some even by finding loopholes in the rules) and your nincompoops (that’s what I call players who do nothing, but cause problems or conflicts).  If either one begins to cause problems, find ways to keep these players occupied/satisfied without it causing frustration for the other players.  Lastly, I strongly recommend trying to keep the group under five or six people.  Three to Four is a good group for someone just starting out running games.  Any more can cause too many people trying to get your attention; which can overwhelm you at times.   As always, here are some examples.

• The power builder – Almost every group has one of these.  I’ve even done this on occasions (mainly because of who the DM was and how hard they like to make things).  If you see someone who is defeating everything you throw at them, find a way to challenge them without hurting the game for the rest of the group.  This can be a huge challenge.  The first question you should ask is what the rest of the group thinks.  If it is causing them to have less fun, then perhaps you should talk with the player about some limitations or other ways to even the game out.  With me, I just exploit their weaknesses in a creative way.  If they have a low will save, throw in an enemy with mind-effecting spells (just be careful not to always do this, as it will get old and they will easily catch on).  This is why going over character sheets before the first session can help a lot!
• The nincompoop – These players frustrate me more than any other player.  People who intentionally do things to try and get the party killed or only cause trouble for the group.  Personally, I usually find a way for these to backfire, but that’s because I am against that type of behavior.  Some DM’s are not and if that’s the case, then have fun with it, but don’t be surprised if other players in the group get annoyed with that player.  Either way, just make sure everyone is having fun.
• Role play heavy vs. combat heavy group – If you haven’t figured it out yet, I fall under the role play heavy group.  I love combat, but only because it gives the fighters, barbarians, etc. a time to shine, plus it allows you to use your combat skills.  Fighters are by far the lesser skill oriented classes I have ever played.  Combat is mainly where they get to show their usefulness (hence the name fighter).  In these cases, I look forward to combat.  If you have a group consisting of fighters, barbarians, or any other combat heavy class, then try to have combat more often.  If your group falls in a skill heavy group then focus on role playing.  If both (which is usually the case) try to keep the balance, if possible.  Be sure to pay attention to what players like by asking them or observing during sessions.  Keep in mind that just because a player is a fighter doesn’t mean they will always want to fight, this is where knowing the actual player comes in.  Role play heavy players will always find ways to role play their characters, no matter what the situation.  Combat heavy players tend always want to fight, and could care less about role play.  Most players enjoy both though.  Either way, it helps to know both your players and your group (classes, roles, etc.).

Knowing your group is a good way to prepare for a session.  Will this group play more seriously or are they a bunch of goofballs, or both?  Are there players in this group who may be uncomfortable with certain aspects of the game (like romance, sex, drinking, etc.)  Getting players out of their comfort zone could lead to great roleplay or embarrassment.  This is why it pays to know your group ahead of time.

Part 9

1. Don’t Be Afraid to Say Yes, No, or Ask for Help – One of my biggest flaws as a DM is that I have a tendency to be too generous.  I love rewarding players, but sometimes it can get out of hand.  This works both ways though.  If you are constantly saying no and/or taking away from the players, it can get equally out of hand.  The key is to balance the two.  If you don’t know something, never ever be afraid to say “I don’t know” or ask for help.  The players aren’t going to expect you to know everything.  Here are some examples of instances of when it may be hard to say yes, no, or ask for help and why:

• Don’t be afraid to say no to a magical item a player chooses when making their character, especially when starting out at higher levels.  For instance, you may not want to allow a player to have a ring of invisibility, because you think he/she will over use it or that it will take away from the game.  On the other hand you may allow it, but give it a certain amount of uses per day.  There is a reason they cost 20,000 gold, so it never hurts to ask why.  If they are a rogue be prepared for them to use it for sneak attacks and stealing things from merchants.  It’s always fun to make the ring cursed as well.  This is of course just one example.
• Don’t be afraid to ban certain things.  One spell I usually never allow is teleport.  I don’t hate the spell, I just feel like getting there is half the fun.  If you can just teleport, then where’s the fun in that?  I usually either ban the spell or replace it with a lesser form of the spell, or I will give them a single scroll with teleport they can use if they need it.  Again, just because it’s in the book doesn’t mean you have to allow it.  Just make sure your players know what you are banning and explain to them why.
• If a player does something and it doesn’t make sense to you, ask!  Sometimes a player will surprise you with an elaborate plot to do something and it won’t make 100% sense to you.  If you are asking yourself, “How can he make his spell do that?” or something along those lines, then just ask.  The player should be able to explain how they are able to do it.  After they explain, you may feel a certain skill check is required.
• Along the same lines, sometimes a player will ask to do something unexpected, like set the groups wagon on fire and push it down the hill into the building you are trying to attack.  Don’t be afraid to allow thinking outside the box.  Have them roll the necessary rolls and make it a cool experience if you want.  This really helps get the players thinking outside of the mundane and shows your creativeness as a DM all in one sequence.

There are hundreds of examples I could write down here, but the bottom line is nothing is permanent.  If you gave a powerful ring to a player, don’t be afraid to take it away if it is taking away from the game.  Just don’t get in the habit of doing so.  Sometimes a little pre-planning can go a long way.  If unsure, have items progressively get more powerful.  Using the above example, if someone wants a ring of invisibility, have it only last a round or two, (6 or 12 seconds) until they figure out how to make it more powerful.  Just remember you are the DM and have all rights to say no, but also can say yes!  If there is something a player wants to do that sounds cool, don’t worry about what the rules may or may not say.  Allowing certain events to take place can really help give your game a boost.  Next week we focus on one of the hardest things to do as a DM.

Part 10

1. Create a Unique & Captivating Story Dynamic Using Proper Planning – Developing a story that is both unique and that will keep players interested can be a daunting task at times.  With work, family, and our social lives outside of role playing, finding time to do this can be a big reason (in my opinion) why some games can lose their luster.  Typically, when someone decides to run a game, it’s because they’ve finally found some time to put the leg work required to do so.  Then their schedule may start to fill up again and less and less time may be spent on keeping the sessions fresh and invigorating.  This brings me to my point, if you do most of the planning/writing at the beginning (when you have the time) this can be avoided.  Here are some tips I use for creating stories that will both capture your players and save you on time:

• Before you even start writing anything down, figure out how long you want your game to last before you take a break.  In my experience, six to eight sessions seem to work best for me.  Asking the group how long they want to play works as well.  This will give you a base line.  Once this is done, write down what you want to happen in your campaign.  If you know what you want to happen at the end and know how many weeks you have to accomplish this, then filling in everything else in between becomes a whole lot easier.
• Next, you will need to determine the setting.  Will this campaign take place in the winter, the desert, or perhaps in the open seas?  What state is the world in?  What races are outcast or hated, if any?  Everything you would describe in an introduction of your world.  You may even run this by your players before they begin making their characters.  This will allow the players to equip their characters accordingly.  (snow/desert gear, gear for their vessel, etc.)
• The next step is the most important.  Figuring out your story dynamic, plot points, and who the important NPC’s (non-playable characters) and bad guys are.  One example could be they are chasing after a thug who actually turns out to be the father of one of the players?  How will they gradually figure this out?  Perhaps he leaves clues or the players run into him early and now they are trying to figure out how to stop him.  They could find out he has been turned into a powerful vampire, or werewolf.  Then you are going to have to find ways for them to find out this information.  Perhaps, he isn’t even the real threat, you could be using him as a distraction or perhaps he’s being controlled by a demon.  The possibilities are endless.  Don’t try to plan out every single thing the group will do, this will take forever.  At this point all you need are objectives, and how you plan on presenting them to the group.  Using the example above, you could write up a description for the main enemy and anytime the players start looking for clues in the right places, you can then give them a little of the information bit by bit. This is of course only one small example, be creative and make sure you know how each NPC falls into your story.
• After you determine your important NPC’s, plot points, etc.  Be sure to create character sheets or stat blocks for them.
• Once all the above is complete, you can determine what level characters players should be at in order to get the most out of the game.  If you want them to face a colossal green dragon by the end, starting at level 1 is probably not a good idea.  You can either lower the difficultly of the dragon or increase the level of the players.  Just remember the higher the characters level the more they can do (obviously), this could create more work for you.  This is part of the fun though.
• Fill in any loose ends.  You’re not going to be able to predict everything players are going to do.  In fact, you don’t want to.  Players will throw you through a loop from time to time, but that’s a good thing.  If you have a good story dynamic, the group should have a common goal that keeps them somewhat on track though.  You also don’t have to write up every session before you even start the first one.  Personally, I set up goals I want the group to accomplish throughout my campaign, but if they go another way, I just adjust before each session.  The idea is not to force them to follow your story, but to find ways for them to want to follow your story.
• Find ways to keep the group goal oriented.  Give the group a purpose.  Using the above example of chasing after the thug, why are they chasing after him?  What keeps them wanting to catch him?  Why does the group travel together?
• Add your own flavor to the mix.  Don’t be afraid to try something new.  Maybe have a combat without using the battle grid, have a chart for magical items, etc.  For example, in one of my campaigns I have an area of the map with a dark cloud over it that can create completely random encounters if they travel within the area it covers.  I always tell them, they’ve been warned…

These are of course only a few points and a lot of story creation comes from experience and your own creativity.  Just remember, you can’t go into a game thinking it’s going to be the greatest game the players have ever experienced, just like you wouldn’t walk into an interview thinking you already have the job.  Having said this, it’s also not your job to impress every person in the group.  Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback and learn from mistakes.  Keep an eye out for things you like that other DM’s have done and keep away from things you didn’t like.  With time, you will be on your way to running fun, successful, and enthralling campaigns that will be talked about for years!

Well, that’s it!  I hope you enjoyed my top 10 tips and more importantly, I hope they were able to help.  I realize I didn’t cover everything, but these are points that are most important to me.  I would love to hear what others feel to be the most important guidelines to follow as a DM.  Please feel free to give me feedback if this helped you (or didn’t) in any way.  If anyone else has any tips or tricks they would like to share please visit the curriculum page to submit it.  As always, all comments and/or suggestions are welcome.

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