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

Justin Lewis
  • 4.8 (44)
  • 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. 3D AGO

    The 5 Senses of DMing (Part 1): Feel, Smell, and Taste

    In this episode, we break down one of the most important—and most overlooked—skills in Dungeon Mastering: performance. But instead of keeping it vague, we make it practical. I introduce a simple framework built around the five senses to help you understand how to improve your performance at the table—and just as importantly, figure out what you’re naturally good at and what you actually enjoy. In Part 1, we focus on three often-ignored tools: • Feel – how physicality, texture, and tension can shape a scene • Smell – one of the fastest ways to create immersion • Taste – the most underused sense in D&D (and how to use it effectively) You’ll walk away with specific ideas you can try in your next session—not just theory. If you’ve ever felt like your descriptions fall flat or your players aren’t fully immersed, this episode will give you a new way to approach your role behind the screen. Part 2 will cover Sight and Sound, and how to bring everything together. We’ll be back next time with another hand-crafted episode—but until then, let’s roll initiative. 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

    19 min
  2. The Art of Climaxes: What Do Pop Songs and Videogame Power Creep Have in Common?

    5D AGO

    The Art of Climaxes: What Do Pop Songs and Videogame Power Creep Have in Common?

    Welcome to the ninth episode of Creative Contraband! Danny Barrett dives into very popular TV shows to enlighten us about the art of “eliminating” characters (or not). Today you’ll learn valuable lessons about resurrection, character arcs, keeping stakes high, and much more. 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 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

    16 min

  3. MAR 26

    4 Combat Expectations That Work for Both High- AND Low-level Combat

    Have you ever sat around your table while you and your party are in a combat encounter and thought, "This should be going more smoothly..." Well, you aren't alone! Fixing the stutters, the pauses, the minutes and hours spent on someone figuring out what they want to do often comes down to one word: expectations. So Tanner shares a few combat expectations that can really smooth out the wrinkles in your next combat encounter!

    21 min
  4. What Solo TTRPGs Teach Us About DMing

    MAR 23

    What Solo TTRPGs Teach Us About DMing

    In today's episode, we explore the potential teachings of Solo Roleplaying, guided by our usual host, Danny Barrett. Learn how to identify your strengths as a Dungeon Master with minimal effort, and while having fun.   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 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

    15 min

  5. MAR 19

    The Rules of Great Encounter Design (and How to Prep Them) – Part 2

    What actually makes a great D&D encounter? In this episode, we break down 7 essential rules for encounter design that will instantly level up your sessions—whether you’re running combat, exploration, or social scenes. You’ll learn how to design encounters that fit your story (not derail it), why your players need to want what’s on the other side, and how to create moments that feel real—even when they aren’t. We also dive into: • The CASE framework (and why most DMs ignore it) • How to keep your encounters simple without making them boring • Choosing the right pillars of DMing to emphasize • Why every encounter needs meaningful conflict • And how planning a fail state can actually make your game more fun If you’ve ever felt like your encounters fall flat, drag on, or don’t matter—this episode will give you a clear, repeatable framework to fix that. Run better encounters. Tell better stories. Be a better DM. 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/ Roll and Play Press:http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

    23 min
  6. Plot Armor: What Michael Scott and GoT Can Teach Us About Stakes in DMing

    MAR 16

    Plot Armor: What Michael Scott and GoT Can Teach Us About Stakes in DMing

    Welcome to the ninth episode of Creative Contraband! Danny Barrett dives into very popular TV shows to enlighten us about the art of “eliminating” characters (or not). Today you’ll learn valuable lessons about resurrection, character arcs, keeping stakes high, and much more. 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 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

    14 min

  7. MAR 12

    5 Underutilized Skill Checks and How To Use Them

    Doesn't it always feel like more than half of your skill checks are perception or insight checks? Which is an absolute shame since there are so many other skills to use! In this episode, Tanner shares 5 skills and skill pairings that could be used in more creative ways than the pigeon-holed way we have used them in the past.

    23 min
  8. From Chess to Rats: How to Make a Great First Impression.

    MAR 9

    From Chess to Rats: How to Make a Great First Impression.

    In today's episode, we feature the first of many videopodcasts to come! Our usual host, Danny Barrett (and his support dog), unveils the secrets to nailing the first minutes of a campaign and of every session. You'll also learn how to build modular encounters that can adapt to any scenario your players might throw at 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 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

    27 min
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4.8
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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/

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