01. Don’t be a dick
As you level up, change this principle to a pro-active one: Be nice. This is true IRL too.
02. D&D is a game
It is a fun, social, exciting, challenging, and at times scary, game.
03. Everyone is responsible
Both DM and players are responsible for the game. The DM isn’t there to do hours of prep work and then entertain the players. That’s what watching Netflix is for. The players aren’t there as puppets for the DM to mess with. That’s what therapy is for.
04. D&D is creative
For both the DM and the players, D&D is a weird mix of being an actor and a writer. It is not watching a movie or reading a book.
05. Players & Player Characters
Understand that there is a difference between the people and their characters. Make sure you get this, and check that the players get this, too. Players and their characters want different things.
06. Game Styles differ
Think about different game styles: cinematic, dark, humourous, full of political intrigue, gritty, over-the-top super-hero, combat-heavy, slap-stick, loaded with interpersonal drama, light & casual. Or some combination. It’s best if the DM and the Players are playing the same game!
07. Tables differ
Every D&D table is different. D&D is about people, interacting. People differ. Combinations of people differ. Some combinations don’t work. That’s life.
08. Rules don’t matter
Learn the D&D rules then ignore them. At the end of the day, rules don’t matter. If the rules are THAT important, go play a video game or Monopoly. The “rules” of D&D are guidelines, principles and suggestions; the rules of tennis are Rules. D&D “rules” help the DM to make wise decisions. Players are not DMs. Their job is to focus on role playing – emphasis on rules gets in the way of role playing. Think about it this way: the real world is governed by the rules of quantum mechanics, relativity, biochemistry, psychodynamics, geophysics, cosmology, botany, zoology, and a lot more. And so are you, dear reader. And you don’t understand all these rules: yet you happily get on and play the game of life. So FFS just go play D&D!
09. Dice are fun
Roll more dice. Rolling dice suggest chance, potentials, unknown things, mystery. ProTip: Don’t overdo it but ask players to roll dice at random (=unexpected) times. Sometimes, make it a weird combination: a d12 and a d6 please. What does that mean?! Shrug. The DM works in mysterious ways.
10. Roll don’t fudge
Roll dice in the open and learn how to fudge the outcome instead. Don’t fudge the dice. Don’t roll in secret. Your players don’t know what the roll is for (unless you announce it, in which case it’s your fault). Roll and smile. Or roll and groan. Or just roll.
11. Player choices matter
Never say No to a player. Go with it. Build on it. Every action has consequences, of course. Be careful what you wish for!
12. PCs are heroes, so treat them that way
The tallest trees catch the most wind. Be a fan of the PCs. Stan them. Fawn over them. Put yourself in their shoes. Realize that the world really does go around them. Throw all objectivity out of the door. Hang on to their every word and be all starry-eyed. Be even more enthusiastic about the PC than the player is. Let your love for the PC guide every decision and call you make as a DM.
13. PCs are heroes, so treat them that way
The tallest trees catch the most wind! Craft a handful of nasty villains and unleash them strategically on the players. The keyword is “cruel”. Start softly. Threaten their families. Beat up their friends and associates. Kill their pets. Kidnap their moms. Ruin their reputations and take a dump on their public standing. Assassinate someone who has been helpful to them. Turn people against them with lies and deception. Destroy things they care about. Kill an ally. Blow up their castles. Steal their stuff. Obliterate their magic items. Drain their experience levels. And every time this happens, make sure they know who did it: a gloating villain who laughs at their loss.
14. Embrace the fantastic
Take “normal” and add “WTF”. Floating castles? Classic! A snow giant fortress with massive towers of ice, thrusting up out of the Eternally Hot Desert of Broken Sands? Yes please. Teleport goes wrong and you end up on the Moon? Now you’re talking.
15. Regular people doing exceptional things
I’m not a movie star. Most probably, you’re not one either. If you are, skip this. A great movie star is able to act the part of a character that is very different from who the actor is. They are skilled at pretending to be someone else. They “get into character” and what they say and do in-character is different from how they behave in real life. They have a script to help them to do this. They have also learnt to pretend, through practice. When you play D&D, be like this movie star. Think about the person you are going to pretend to be. Write down a few key words that describes this person’s behaviour. Write down a few more words: what do they love? hate? What motivates them: fame? honour? social justice? power? If you are really stuck, write down the name of someone (real or otherwise) who you are going to pretend to be: Justin Bieber? Donald Duck? Your Dad? Doctor Doom? When you act, pretend to be that person. Try “I jump into the hole!” and not “My character jumps into the hole”. If your character gets angry, pretend to be angry. If the neighbours are eavesdropping, make sure they are terrified. Cry, laugh, sulk, growl, cackle. Be like a movie star.
16. The world is a happening place
If you are running a campaign that you have created, make your world a dynamic place. Things are happening all the time. Only some of these things directly influence the PCs at any one time. But things happening far away can influence the PCs in the future. The world goes on even if the PCs do nothing. Actions have consequences. Our story – the things that happen around the gaming table – focusses on the PCs. But behind the scenes, wheels are in motion, the game’s afoot. Villains try to take over the world. Heroes try to stop them. Gods meddle with mortal affairs. Worlds collide. You may be very surprised how these apparently distant things reach out to grab the PCs story. The better you know what is going on in the world, the deeper the world will be to your PCs. And the more you will be delighted by how your PCs have shaped the world!
17. Allies
Aim to have two or three NPCs that the PCs can rely on as allies. You’ll have to create a lot of NPCs (just the basics) because you can’t predict who the PCs will end up liking. Allies are like your favourite granny or uncle who lives overseas, and not like your bouncer friend who crashes in to save the day. The PCs are the heroes, but even Superman had a support circle.
18. Eavesdropping for success
Listen to player gossip and chatter during a coffee break, or between sessions. Don’t let them know! Spy on their plans, hopes, and fears. Listen some more. Throw out a vague question or a provocative statement, in a casual off-hand manner — and listen closely and discretely. Take notes and you have your next epic encounter.
19. Encounters-To-Go
Have a dozen encounters in your pocket. Have a good idea of what & who the characters can engage with in each encounter, and why. Don’t plan more than the basics. When you need a specific encounter, re-skin one of your dozen and you’re good to go.
20. The Verisimilitude Veneer
The DM is a magician. There is no secret in the safe, yet the safe is securely locked. There’s nothing behind the curtain, yet the curtain conceals everything. The DM is always prepared yet is never prepared. The players delight in messing up the DMs plans but can never do it. That’s because the DM is a magician.
2021.02.04