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

Justin Lewis
  • 4.7 (48)
  • Hobbies
  • Updated Daily

Learn how to be a better DM (Dungeon Master) so you can tell better stories for yourself and your friends. Learn things like how to start a campaign, how to create realistic NPCs, how to move the plot along, and how and why to use session 0's for your party. Join hosts Justin Lewis, Cayden Ottley and Tanner Weyland as they distill all the DM tips, tools and resources for the beginner DM, for the DM with a few years of experience and for the Forever DM who's been playing for 20 years. If you're sick of searching for things like, "How to create a homebrew DND campaign?", click the play button and listen to become the best dungeon master you ever could be! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster Discord Server: https://discord.gg/g77qt8quM2 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtobeabetterdmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@session0studios YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@session0studios Professional Dungeon Master Services: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ DM Coaching: https://session0studios.com/coaching/

  1. Sep 3

    Stop Blaming Your Players. Start Coaching Your Table

    In this episode, I’m breaking down the three levers every DM has to fix frustrating table behavior without turning into the bad guy: structural changes to your game, direct asks you’re probably avoiding, and the mindset shifts that matter more than either one. If you’ve ever resented your players without knowing how to say so, this one’s for you. Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

  2. Aug 27

    How to Quickly Build an Interesting Combat Encounter

    Is it possible to build a combat encounter quickly while also making it interesting? After all, most quickly-planned encounters end up just being a bunch of random enemies thrown at the players. But that's not as interesting as an encounter that has a concept, unique terrains, and monsters to match (which is the formula Tanner will be exploring in today's episode). Let's roll initiative!

  3. Aug 25

    Stuck? How to Keep the Cogs of the World in Motion - C.C. S2E12

    Welcome to the Season Finale of Creative Contraband! Today Danny Barrett helps us deal with slow sessions or stuck campaigns. With these 4 different techniques, you will be able to make things move again whether you are a Dungeon Master or a Game Master. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/worldsmith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Roll and Play Press: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/rollandplay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Phantasm Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/fantasms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Monument Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠session0studios.com/monumentstudios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/newsletter

    Stuck? How to Keep the Cogs of the World in Motion - C.C. S2E12

  4. Aug 18

    Mimics and Networking with DM Neal - C.C. S2E11

    In the third and last interview of the season, we join the very productive DM Neal, and talk about everything from Mimics and subverting expectation, to IT work and business practices. Grab a pen, open a beer and enjoy this talk filled with useful information! Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof⁠⁠ Listen to DMs Block here: https://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/ Listen to me on DMs Block here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6208_OKMKk Listen to Whelmed: The Young Justice Files here: https://open.spotify.com/show/7bReOYZSSmJQBXkm8A2FjF Read From LP to RP here: https://www.thestruggleisneal.com/ If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/worldsmith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Roll and Play Press: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/rollandplay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Phantasm Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/fantasms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Monument Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠session0studios.com/monumentstudios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/newsletter

    Mimics and Networking with DM Neal - C.C. S2E11

  5. Aug 13

    The Insecure DM Trope (And How Not to Become It)

    You know the trope: the DM who builds an unwinnable encounter, or a puzzle so clever it’s basically unsolvable — not because the story needed it, but because somewhere underneath, they needed to feel untouchable. In this episode, Justin unpacks the inner work behind that trope: a concept he calls “okness,” the diamond-level self-security that keeps insecurity, jealousy, and thin skin from leaking into your games. You’ll get four practical exercises — the Negative Feedback Loop, the Gratitude Journal, the Worst Case Scenario, and Subtraction — to build the kind of okness that lets you take criticism, welcome chaos at the table, and run better games because of it, not in spite of it. Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmithHire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/Discord: http://session0studios.com/discordPatreon:https://session0studios.com/patreonDungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

  6. Aug 10

    Therapy: Your Last Day on Earth - C.C. S2E10

    Welcome back to Creative Contraband, dear Dungeon Masters! Today Danny Barrett tells us about Your Last Day on Earth, a free contemplative solo NanoRPG. We then use that as a pivot to discuss the role of TTRPGs in therapy, and how we can apply some of that knowledge at our tables, while staying safe and caring. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find Heltung Storytelling's work at: https://heltung-storytelling.itch.io/your-last-day-on-earth If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/worldsmith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Roll and Play Press: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/rollandplay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Phantasm Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/fantasms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Monument Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠session0studios.com/monumentstudios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/newsletter

    Therapy: Your Last Day on Earth - C.C. S2E10

  7. Aug 6

    Is it Better if it's Homebrewed?

    Do you ALSO feel the crushing need to homebrew if you want to be a good DM? Well you're not alone! While one of the best aspects of D&D is the capacity to create a world, an adventure, or even classes and spells out of pure imagination, it's also a LOT of work... but is the adventure better in the end for it? That's what Tanner discusses in this episode.

  8. Aug 4

    TTRPGs, Performance Art and Ephemeral Artforms - C.C. S2E9

    Welcome back, Dungeon Masters and Game Masters! Today Danny Barrett talks about the importance of being present and focusing on our players. We discuss different kinds of performance art, and the differences in replicability between paintings, music, improvisation, TTRPGs and others. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/worldsmith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Roll and Play Press: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/rollandplay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Phantasm Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/fantasms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Monument Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠session0studios.com/monumentstudios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/newsletter

    TTRPGs, Performance Art and Ephemeral Artforms - C.C. S2E9
See All (300)

Trailer

4.7
out of 5
48 Ratings

About

Learn how to be a better DM (Dungeon Master) so you can tell better stories for yourself and your friends. Learn things like how to start a campaign, how to create realistic NPCs, how to move the plot along, and how and why to use session 0's for your party. Join hosts Justin Lewis, Cayden Ottley and Tanner Weyland as they distill all the DM tips, tools and resources for the beginner DM, for the DM with a few years of experience and for the Forever DM who's been playing for 20 years. If you're sick of searching for things like, "How to create a homebrew DND campaign?", click the play button and listen to become the best dungeon master you ever could be! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster Discord Server: https://discord.gg/g77qt8quM2 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtobeabetterdmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@session0studios YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@session0studios Professional Dungeon Master Services: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ DM Coaching: https://session0studios.com/coaching/

Information

You Might Also Like