15 Things New DMs Must Know Before Their First Game

15 foundational truths for new dungeon masters to know.

Running D&D for the first time often seems like a daunting task for new dungeon masters. And it rather is. It's no wonder that new game masters often feel nervous and wonder if there's anything they're missing before they run their first D&D game. Is there anything else they should know as a new DM? Did they check all the boxes? In this video, we discuss 15 things all dungeon masters should know before running their first D&D game.

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Editing ▶▶ Zack Newman
Art ▶▶ Adobe Stock & Wizards of the Coast
Music and Sound Effects ▶▶ Epidemic Sound

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#dnd #dungeonsanddragons #dungeonmaster #ttrpg

[schylerfontenot]

These things are also good reminders for veteran DMs. Especially knowing that your players aren’t judging you as much as you think, and knowing that you’ll have a bad session every once in a while… very important to keep in mind

[yugdaBretsiM]

20 year DM here. This vid is spot on. It took me years to learn some of these lessons. New DMs take this to heart.

[xam_insight]

"If you see your players laughing and smiling, if they come back week after week, then you're probably doing just fine." This made me genuinely cry in relief. I'm judging myself too harshly! Thank you for making me realize it, Luke!

[TheodoreMinick]

"No plan survives contact with the [players]."
This is true. But this is also true:
"Plans are useless. Planning is essential."
Like Luke points out, the more you plan, the better you'll be at coming up with a new plan at a moment's notice.

Improv uses the same "muscles" as planning. And if you have planned for every possibility that you can think of, when your players inevitably come up with something you didn't, you'll be better equipped to come up with the response.

[quonomonna]

protip to new aspiring DMs: forget trying to play with friends that you want to get interested in the game, find new friends that are already want to play

[TabooX]

"The essence of a role-playing game is that it is a group cooperative experience."
~ Gary Gygax
👍

[viperv]

My previous DM actually quit half way because he wasn't having fun. We were not doing literally anything he planned for... and that was both of our faults. He would make everything seem optional or not important, and besides me, my group was very indecisive, so it turned out badly for all of us.

For example, my character's brother was going into a dungeon. So I asked if his life was at risk if I didn't go with him. DM said he'd be fine. So I didn't go with him and got back to the main quest. The DM had the whole dungeon planned out and he was very disappointed. However, so was I because I wanted to go down there too, but i thought I'd be helping my DM more by going back to the main quest since I figured if thr DM wanted me to go with my brother, then he'd have told me he was in danger or about some reward.

I say all of this to new DMs from a player perspective... if a player asks you "I'm not sure what to do" don't be afraid to break the 4th wall and just say "well I planned for you guys to go into the dungeon." In my limited experience, if you tell players you have a direction planned, then they will be more than happy to go that way and come up with a realistic character reason to do so.

And another note- be careful saying "the room SEEMS empty" when it's actually empty... cause players will spend far too long trying to solve a puzzle that isn't there.

[shortal]

So since you asked for the "Nein Flavours of Aspargus", here is my explanation:
1) The Cobalt Aspargus - It somehow tastes blue in a kind, not to confuse with the smurf variant
2) The wild grown Aspargus - It tastes a clay. Clay. That's it.
3) The Aspargus of the Sea - It tastes a lot like fish, yet it is vegan. Delicious.
4) The Colorspray Aspargus - Having his name from a wild sprinkle of color, its taste really reminds me of tealeafs.
5) The Two-Faced Aspargus - The taste of this one really depends, on some days its really beautiful and delicious, on other days is smells and looks like a rotten green cucumber.
6) The electrified Aspargus - This one is a special. Unlike most other Aspargus, this one gets fried via electricity and gets really crispy and tender that way.
7) The Rainbow Aspargus - Probably my favorite one, it tastes like sprinkled with the dust of deliciousness.
8) The Hot Boi Aspargus - Well this one is more for the eye, than for the taste. It has a dark, purple look, and it kinda tastes like regular aspargus, but with a twist.
9) The Reborn Aspargus - It tastes like a mixture of the Sea and Colorspray variant, but in the end, it still creates his own flavour. Delicious.

You are welcome!

[bryanlangerud]

These tips are exactly what I learned over 40+ years playing DND, it’s good to see that they’re being passed on to the younger players.

[anastasiawilford]

Common misconception: the primary purpose of corn fields is for pilots-in-training to crash into. Harvesting only happens as a byproduct and corn prices are as low as they are because of a lack of interest in piloting 😁👍

[beaujacquier]

Since I've literally just started putting together my first campaign I really appreciate this. Thank you.

[richardwilliamsiii]

I really appreciate this video, I've been "planning" my first DMing session and secretly been avoiding it because I was so worried about how I'd do

[DrewTombs]

I was always overprepared and found so much of my planning went to waste (though I've since recycled some things that were not used initially). Now, I only really plan for the current trajectory of the party and have a loose-but-adaptable plotline for the overarching story.

[beaujacquier]

Not sure about flavors but the 12 types of asparagus are Green, White, Purple, Wild, Apollo, Atlas, Jersey series, Mary Washington, Precoce D’Argenteuil, Purple Passion, UC 157 and Viking KB3.

[apparition]

I have a safe phrase for my players when they're about to do something silly. When they hear, "Are you sure you want to do that?" they know the choice they're contemplating has a high chance of very unpleasant consequences. Sometimes, however, they do it anyway. =)

[goliathcleric]

You just had to say it... Here ya go:
The 9 flavors of asparagus (yes, these are just ways of cooking it):
1) Grilled
2) Sauteed
3) Roasted
4) Creamed
5) Puree
6) As part of a gross "nutrient shake"
7) Steamed
8) Raw
9) Broiled

[bonbondurjdr]

Your job as the GM: set up a string of situations, hold a coherent, fantastical world, force the players to act.
How to be a player: ask yourself what you would do as your character because he is defined by his actions, aslways state intent and approach.
The GM decides when the players roll the dice: when there's a chance of success, a chance of failure, and a consequence for that failure, the dice are rolled to determine the rest of the story. Be fair, telegraph most everything, and tell your players why they are rolling the dice.
Your GM lexicon: conflict, opportunity, danger, call to action, fellowship, motivation, arbitration, and tags.
Your best tools: Maze Rats random tables, Godbound random tables, and ICRPG.
GM reading list: Trap Theory video by Runehammer, the AngryGM's book or his articles about GMing, Basically, SlyFlourish's Lazy Dungeon Master book, and The Monsters Know What They're Doing by Keith Ammann. DM Lair as well, obviously! ;P
*And know this: you're NEVER going to be perfect, we simply can't and we keep learning forever, so stop worrying and get into the fray because you'll have a hell of a lot of fun. And Luke (Lucas? I don't hear it well.) is right, your players aren't judging you as much as you think they would, they'rej ust busy having a good time. Oh, and steal. Steal, steal, steal good and interesting ideas, you're now part of the coolest club ever: all that advice above? I stole it from the sources I've shared, it's a pleasure for us GMs to have our ideas, adventures, traps, and even advice stolen for somebody else's table. GLHF!* :D

[Curator_Crow]

I'm currently writing a new campaign, and one of my players (a DM of a couple of our other games) decided to send me this video.
I'm feeling called out but it was extremely helpful in putting a couple things into perspective. Cheers!

[jonashansen]

The Dice touching thing is on page 235 of the DMG. "Don't touch others' dice if they're sensitive about it." That is, if we are thinking of the same quote.

[ikjman]

For planning. We always plan 3 sessions ahead, we aim to do a session every month.

We have found out that planning 3 months ahead is the sweat spot for us to make sure we can have a monthly session in a group of 6 players and a DM.