How to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM Justin Lewis

In today's episode, we talk to Jake Packham, who is the dungeon master behind our live-play show "The Pact & Boon." Listen as we ask Jake how he goes about applying his inspiration to create compelling campaigns, and grow his home-brew world of Calignos.
Mentioned in this episode:
Always Have Your Sessions Prepared!
You work 8 hours a day. You spend time with your family when you come home. You do work around the house and it seems you never have as much time as you would like to prepare your D&D sessions.

Does this sound like you?

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have endless material prepared for your D&D sessions anyways?

That’s where Roll and Play Press comes in.

Roll and Play Press provides D&D 5e Compatible materials for any type of session. Running a one-shot? Check out their One Shot Wonders book with over 100 one-shot ideas.

Getting started with your new sci-fi campaign? Get their Game Master’s Sci-Fi Toolkit to have your games much more prepared.

Why reinvent the wheel? Check out Roll and Play Press at rollandplaypress.com and get 10% off when you buy something by using the code BETTERDM10.

Roll and Play Press
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.

Here's a bonus episode for you about how to World Build with Your players and Characters in mind.
Here are some helpful tips:
When you world build for players, you leave open spaces that players can help fillIt gives your worldbuilding direction, which makes the story that much better.It saves time and effort because you only build about 20% more than what the players will interact with. Think about rendering in Minecraft.Your players get to help build the world You can add cool things as you progress through the story
Hope you enjoyed this Instagram Live episode.
Happy DMing
Mentioned in this episode:
Always Have Your Sessions Prepared!
You work 8 hours a day. You spend time with your family when you come home. You do work around the house and it seems you never have as much time as you would like to prepare your D&D sessions.

Does this sound like you?

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have endless material prepared for your D&D sessions anyways?

That’s where Roll and Play Press comes in.

Roll and Play Press provides D&D 5e Compatible materials for any type of session. Running a one-shot? Check out their One Shot Wonders book with over 100 one-shot ideas.

Getting started with your new sci-fi campaign? Get their Game Master’s Sci-Fi Toolkit to have your games much more prepared.

Why reinvent the wheel? Check out Roll and Play Press at rollandplaypress.com and get 10% off when you buy something by using the code BETTERDM10.

Roll and Play Press
Start Leveling Up As a DM
Wouldn’t it be nice to gamify your dungeon master abilities?
In D&D, characters can reach level 20, so why can’t dungeon masters?
We’re happy to tell you that now, you can.
We created the Dungeon Master Level-Up Guide.
It’s a simple tool to gamify your progression to higher and higher levels of dungeon mastering.
It includes Dungeon Master Levels 1 to 20 with associated XP requirements as well as a long list of Dungeon Master activities that will give you XP. Each activity has a Challenge Rating and an XP amount.
In order to level up, all you need to do is find out how much XP you have, find out how much you need and pick activities to try.
You can get the Dungeon Master Level-Up guide for free by going to session0studios.com/newsletter/, sign up for our newsletter and we’ll email you the Level-Up Guide.
Finally, leveling up as a DM can be as fun as leveling up a character.

Level Up Guide

In today's episode of How to Be a Better DM, we are continuing our exploration of downtime activities, and we are focusing on the mother of all "timewasters," carousing! But, is it a waste of time? Or is carousing in D&D one of the best opportunities to enrich your story, introduce characters, and build memories through the craziest experiences!
Mentioned in this episode:
Start Leveling Up As a DM
Wouldn’t it be nice to gamify your dungeon master abilities?
In D&D, characters can reach level 20, so why can’t dungeon masters?
We’re happy to tell you that now, you can.
We created the Dungeon Master Level-Up Guide.
It’s a simple tool to gamify your progression to higher and higher levels of dungeon mastering.
It includes Dungeon Master Levels 1 to 20 with associated XP requirements as well as a long list of Dungeon Master activities that will give you XP. Each activity has a Challenge Rating and an XP amount.
In order to level up, all you need to do is find out how much XP you have, find out how much you need and pick activities to try.
You can get the Dungeon Master Level-Up guide for free by going to session0studios.com/newsletter/, sign up for our newsletter and we’ll email you the Level-Up Guide.
Finally, leveling up as a DM can be as fun as leveling up a character.

Level Up Guide
Always Have Your Sessions Prepared!
You work 8 hours a day. You spend time with your family when you come home. You do work around the house and it seems you never have as much time as you would like to prepare your D&D sessions.

Does this sound like you?

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have endless material prepared for your D&D sessions anyways?

That’s where Roll and Play Press comes in.

Roll and Play Press provides D&D 5e Compatible materials for any type of session. Running a one-shot? Check out their One Shot Wonders book with over 100 one-shot ideas.

Getting started with your new sci-fi campaign? Get their Game Master’s Sci-Fi Toolkit to have your games much more prepared.

Why reinvent the wheel? Check out Roll and Play Press at rollandplaypress.com and get 10% off when you buy something by using the code BETTERDM10.

Roll and Play Press

Abridged Show Notes
Feeling overwhelmed by D&D campaign planning? Struggle to connect your grand ideas into a single, captivating story? This episode unveils the CASE Framework, a simple yet powerful system that will transform your planning sessions. Learn how to craft unforgettable campaigns, memorable story arcs, and engaging encounters that will leave your players begging for more. Listen in and unleash the true potential of your D&D world!
Planning Your D&D Campaign with the CASE FrameworkThis episode dives into the CASE Framework, a system for planning D&D campaigns of any size.
The CASE Framework stands for:
Campaign: The overall plot of your entire campaign.Arc: Story Arcs within the campaign, like modules you might run from a book.Session: Individual sessions that make up your story arcs.Encounter: Specific challenges or interactions within a session (combat, puzzles, social encounters, etc.)
The framework helps you brainstorm and organize your ideas, ensuring everything ties together into a cohesive story.
FULL SHOW NOTES
Why is planning sometimes the hardest part of being a dungeon master? Wouldn’t it be nice to have some sort of guide to help you through your planning, no matter what you are planning for? On today’s episode, I’m going to introduce you to the CASE framework. Through it, you can take any aspect of the entire campaign and work on it without having to worry about writer’s block. This framework will help new Dungeon Masters the most, though old DMs will likely benefit from using it as well.
The CASE Framework is incredibly simple, but often, it’s the simple things in life that save us time, energy and money. 
This is How to Be a Better DM, brought to you by Session 0 Studios, and I’m your host Justin Lewis. Our show has been helping dungeon masters new and old for over 150 episodes now and today we are going to help you tell better stories for yourself and your friends as you play D&D. 
Want to start out the show today with a few words of gratitude. Over the last couple of months, the show has grown, we’ve launched our new Actual Play show, we’ve done a panel at our first live event, and we’ve just been blown away by the support you’ve given us.
Now enough sappiness. Let’s talk about the CASE Framework.
Why the CASE FrameworkThe CASE Framework will help you break down each individual part into smaller constituent parts. It will also help you make sense of the smaller parts by fitting them into the larger framework.
One of the most important parts of the story is the throughline. It’s not a story unless all of the events are connected. If they weren’t, they’re just random events, not necessarily one story. Having the same character throughout each event isn’t enough. They need to tie together somehow. You can have “side quests” but the campaign should feel like a campaign.
The nice thing about the CASE Framework is that you can really start your planning with any part of the framework. It helps to remember the framework as a whole so that as you do plan the S for example, you keep in mind the A and the E and to a lesser extent the C.
Let me also explain that this framework doesn’t touch improv during your game. This is all about the prep so any improv you do will have to use some of our other tips.
One last thing that is nice about this framework is that it can help you plan the timing of your game. Despite how much we may not want them to, all things come to an end. That’s a good thing, because the longer something...

Welcome back to another episode.
Today we walk about railroading, allowing players to do whatever they want, focusing on player perception and making sure the game is fun for the player at all times.
If you want more, check out session0studios.com
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Level Up Guide
Add the Magic of Sound to Your Gameplay
When you set the scene you need to tap into the five senses. When it comes to sound one of the best ways to do that is with music, sound effects, and ambience. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Monument Studios.
Monument Studios provides an easy-to-use Soundboard perfect for Dungeon Mastering. If you want to see this in action, go to fantasy-plus.com and get 10% off of your first month of their Fantasy+ App by using the code BETTERDM at check out. Again that is fantasy-plus.com and BETTERDM at checkout.

Monument Studios

Ever dreamt of creating the perfect D&D game room, but felt overwhelmed by budget, and space limitations, or clueless about the coolest tech hacks? This episode is your one-stop guide! We'll delve into inspiring ideas, from crafting an immersive atmosphere to incorporating unexpected gadgets to elevate your campaign. Whether you're a seasoned Dungeon Master or a newbie setting up your first session, get ready to transform your game room into a legendary space that will have your players begging for more!
Craft Your Dream D&D Game Room: From Budget Hacks to Tech TricksWelcome back to How to Be a Better DM. In this episode, we journey deep into the realm of D&D game room creation with the incredible Daniel Hanzlian, the mastermind behind the inspiring Instagram account @danzlianthedm! If you've ever fantasized about building the ultimate space for epic campaigns but felt restricted by budget, space, or a lack of tech know-how, then buckle up!
We'll cast a spell on the following:
Budget-Friendly Fantasy: Unleash the power of creative solutions and discover how to craft an immersive atmosphere without breaking the bank.Optimizing Your Space: Maximize your square footage for legendary gameplay, whether you have a grand hall or a cozy corner.Tech Hacks for Tabletop Titans: Learn how to leverage unexpected gadgets and digital tools to elevate your campaign to new heights.From Inspiration to Implementation: Turn your game room dreams into reality with a step-by-step approach that's both practical and awe-inspiring.
Ready to transform your game room into a haven for unforgettable adventures? Dive into this episode and discover the secrets to crafting a legendary space that will have your players cheering for more!
For more ideas and inspiration, be sure to check out Daniel's work on Instagram: @danzlianthedm
Find out more at https://session0studios.com/
Mentioned in this episode:
Add the Magic of Sound to Your Gameplay
When you set the scene you need to tap into the five senses. When it comes to sound one of the best ways to do that is with music, sound effects, and ambience. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Monument Studios.
Monument Studios provides an easy-to-use Soundboard perfect for Dungeon Mastering. If you want to see this in action, go to fantasy-plus.com and get 10% off of your first month of their Fantasy+ App by using the code BETTERDM at check out. Again that is fantasy-plus.com and BETTERDM at checkout.

Monument Studios
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Thanks again for listening to our show. If you like our content and would like to engage with more of our content, head over to our Instagram account, @howtobeabetterdm, and give us a follow. Make sure to watch some of our helpful Dungeon Master Rules videos to give yourself some structure and procedure as a Dungeon Master. Don’t forget to reach out with a DM and we can talk shop.
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