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

Justin Lewis
  • 4.8(39개의 평가)
  • 취미
  • 매일 업데이트

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. Why Your Combat Slogs and How to Fix It

    5일 전

    Why Your Combat Slogs and How to Fix It

    Here are today's sponsors: Worldsmith - Easy D&D Prep - Start a Free 7 Day Trial: https://session0studios.com/worldsmith-podcast Roll and Play Press - Easier D&D: https://session0studios.com/rollandplay Studio Fantasms: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Our Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Why your combat Slogs You haven’t set the epectations with your playersBecause you’re building combats and not encountersYou haven’t red shirted it - you’re not familiar with the baddies or the mechanicsYou as aren’t taking advantage of all 4 of the Pillars of DMingThe party doesn’t want to do a combat. You don’t know how to make the combat intensePhones are at the tableYou make it go on too long Special thanks to: Benj Weyland for Graphic Design (https://www.instagram.com/benjweydesign/) TJ Max, Juka, and TechSenpai for being amazing moderators Kyle Wilson, Nick Ammann and Professor Nobody for being our patrons. Mentioned in this episode: Save time with Roll and Play Press Save yourself some precious time with Roll and Play Press. Go to https://session0studios.com/rollandplay and use code BETTERDM10 at checkout. Brought to you by Session 0 Studios Visit session0studios.com for more information.

    12분
  2. We’re Still Alive… But things are Changing

    7월 17일

    We’re Still Alive… But things are Changing

    Here are today's sponsors: Worldsmith - Easy D&D Prep - Start a Free 7 Day Trial: https://session0studios.com/worldsmith-podcast Roll and Play Press - Easier D&D: https://session0studios.com/rollandplay Studio Fantasms: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Our Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Today we are announcing that going forward, we are cutting back on everything except just doing the podcast and only doing 10 minute un-edited episodes. This is a short term change that will allow us to focus on other priorities. Thanks so much for your support. Special thanks to: Benj Weyland for Graphic Design (https://www.instagram.com/benjweydesign/) TJ Max, Juka, and TechSenpai for being amazing moderators Kyle Wilson, Nick Ammann and Professor Nobody for being our patrons. Mentioned in this episode: Brought to you by Session 0 Studios Visit session0studios.com for more information. I Made a CR 100 Monster I made a Monster with a Challenge Rating of 100 Why? Because I could—and it only took me 5 minutes using Worldsmith. And the best part? You can do this and much more. Get a free 7-day trial at session0studios.com/worldsmith and unlock their full suite of TTRPG generators from monsters to mythic magic items and everything in between. Yep, that’s a full 7-day trial—completely free. That’s a whole week of monsters, magic items, and more—whatever you need, zero burnout. Try it now at session0studios.com/worldsmith. Save time and make unlimited creations with Worldsmith.

    12분
  3. DM Lessons Learned from Standup Comedy with Kyle Shire

    6월 26일

    DM Lessons Learned from Standup Comedy with Kyle Shire

    Here are today's sponsors: Worldsmith - Easy D&D Prep - Start a Free 7 Day Trial: https://session0studios.com/worldsmith-podcast Roll and Play Press - Easier D&D: https://session0studios.com/rollandplay Studio Fantasms: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Our Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon While our guest, Kyle Shire, has many talents and credits to his name, major ones including his senior producer role at Critical Role as well as being the creator of the Queen By Midnight boardgame. However, his time as a standup comedian brings some unique lessons for DMs that we have yet to explore on our podcast! Follow Kyle Shire for more inspirational projects he is working on! Special thanks to: Benj Weyland for Graphic Design (https://www.instagram.com/benjweydesign/) TJ Max, Juka, and TechSenpai for being amazing moderators Kyle Wilson, Nick Ammann and Professor Nobody for being our patrons. Mentioned in this episode: Brought to you by Session 0 Studios Visit session0studios.com for more information. I Made a CR 100 Monster I made a Monster with a Challenge Rating of 100 Why? Because I could—and it only took me 5 minutes using Worldsmith. And the best part? You can do this and much more. Get a free 7-day trial at session0studios.com/worldsmith and unlock their full suite of TTRPG generators from monsters to mythic magic items and everything in between. Yep, that’s a full 7-day trial—completely free. That’s a whole week of monsters, magic items, and more—whatever you need, zero burnout. Try it now at session0studios.com/worldsmith. Save time and make unlimited creations with Worldsmith. Join Our Discord So a little bit of a spoiler alert. We’re building an army. That’s right, we’re building an army of amazing dungeon masters who want to make the world of D&D a better place. If you want to join our army and fight by our side against the evil forces of boredom and bad dming, join our Discord and lend your voice to the cause. Go to Session0studios.com/discord and join for free today. Discord 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.

    34분
  4. Brief Announcement + How to Restart Your D&D Campaign

    6월 12일

    Brief Announcement + How to Restart Your D&D Campaign

    Here are today's sponsors: Worldsmith - Easy D&D Prep - Start a Free 7 Day Trial: https://session0studios.com/worldsmith-podcast Roll and Play Press - Easier D&D: https://session0studios.com/rollandplay Studio Fantasms: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Our Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon We share a brief announcement in this episode... also, to clarify, I realized on relistening that I made it sound like Justin was the one having the baby, when we all know that his wife was the one doing all the work, haha. After that, we jump into a discussion of restarting D&D campaigns, which often feels even harder than starting a whole new campaign! How do you get the gang back together, and how would you pick up the pieces of the old campaign? Listen in to get some tips. Special thanks to: Benj Weyland for Graphic Design (https://www.instagram.com/benjweydesign/) TJ Max, Juka, and TechSenpai for being amazing moderators Kyle Wilson, Nick Ammann and Professor Nobody for being our patrons. Mentioned in this episode: 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. Join Our Discord So a little bit of a spoiler alert. We’re building an army. That’s right, we’re building an army of amazing dungeon masters who want to make the world of D&D a better place. If you want to join our army and fight by our side against the evil forces of boredom and bad dming, join our Discord and lend your voice to the cause. Go to Session0studios.com/discord and join for free today. Discord Brought to you by Session 0 Studios Visit session0studios.com for more information. I Made a CR 100 Monster I made a Monster with a Challenge Rating of 100 Why? Because I could—and it only took me 5 minutes using Worldsmith. And the best part? You can do this and much more. Get a free 7-day trial at session0studios.com/worldsmith and unlock their full suite of TTRPG generators from monsters to mythic magic items and everything in between. Yep, that’s a full 7-day trial—completely free. That’s a whole week of monsters, magic items, and more—whatever you need, zero burnout. Try it now at session0studios.com/worldsmith. Save time and make unlimited creations with Worldsmith.

    22분
  5. Why Your Sessions Fall Flat—and the DM Energy Fix That Changes Everything

    6월 5일

    Why Your Sessions Fall Flat—and the DM Energy Fix That Changes Everything

    TL;DR: If your sessions start strong but crash halfway through, it’s not your story, your prep, or even your players—it’s your energy management. In this episode, Justin breaks down the hidden reason your games lose momentum mid-session and teaches you how to fix it permanently. Here are today's sponsors: Worldsmith - Easy D&D Prep - Start a Free 7 Day Trial: https://session0studios.com/worldsmith-podcast Roll and Play Press - Easier D&D: https://session0studios.com/rollandplay Studio Fantasms: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Our Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon What You’ll Learn in This Episode:-The Real DM Killer: It’s not scheduling, it’s session fatigue—and most DMs don’t even realize it’s happening. -Mental vs. Physical Energy: Why you’re probably managing the wrong one (and what to do about it). -The “Secret Breaks” Technique: How doing less mid-session can actually supercharge your impact. -Hydration Science for DMs: Why sipping water wrong is draining your stamina (and how to fix it). - Find Your Energy Style: Why trying to copy Mercer or Mulligan might be sabotaging your flow—and how to unlock your personal DM tempo. The Big Promise:After this episode, you’ll know how to control your energy like a resource, just like mana or spell slots. No more sluggish sessions. No more zoning out. Just peak performance when it counts. You’ll walk away with: Tools to maintain high engagement from start to finishConfidence in your pacing, presence, and deliveryA repeatable framework for showing up energized at the table every time Ready to stop running out of gas halfway through your game? Hit play and let’s supercharge your DM style. Want this kind of energy in your own campaign? Book a pro DM session at Session0Studios.com Special thanks to: Benj Weyland for Graphic Design (https://www.instagram.com/benjweydesign/) TJ Max, Juka, and TechSenpai for being amazing moderators Kyle Wilson, Nick Ammann and Professor Nobody for being our patrons. Mentioned in this episode: Join Our Discord So a little bit of a spoiler alert. We’re building an army. That’s right, we’re building an army of amazing dungeon masters who want to make the world of D&D a better place. If you want to join our army and fight by our side against the evil forces of boredom and bad dming, join our Discord and lend your voice to the cause. Go to Session0studios.com/discord and join for free today. Discord 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. I Made a CR 100 Monster I made a Monster with a Challenge Rating of 100 Why? Because I could—and it only took me 5 minutes using Worldsmith. And the best part? You can do this and much more. Get a free 7-day trial at session0studios.com/worldsmith and unlock their full suite of TTRPG generators from monsters to mythic magic items and everything in between. Yep, that’s a full 7-day trial—completely free. That’s a whole week of monsters, magic items, and more—whatever you need, zero burnout. Try it now at session0studios.com/worldsmith. Save time and make unlimited creations with Worldsmith. Brought to you by Session 0 Studios Visit session0studios.com for more information.

    25분
  6. Writing a Homebrew One-Shot: Part 6

    5월 29일

    Writing a Homebrew One-Shot: Part 6

    Welcome back to the 6th installment of our short series on writing a Homebrew one-shot. In this episode, we're joined by our friend Rob Van Auken and we continue work on The Chimefall Ceremony: For Whom the Bell TolIs. This miniseries is designed to help give you an idea of how to collaborate on a project like this and how to write and publish a one-shot. Also, a little bit of Rob's audio is lost at the end due to a poor connection... sorry! Mentioned in this episode: Brought to you by Session 0 Studios Visit session0studios.com for more information.

    1시간 9분
  7. No More Boring NPCS - Design a Better NPC with London Carlisle

    5월 22일

    No More Boring NPCS - Design a Better NPC with London Carlisle

    Here are today's sponsors: Worldsmith - Easy D&D Prep - Start a Free 7 Day Trial: https://session0studios.com/worldsmith-podcast Roll and Play Press - Easier D&D: https://session0studios.com/rollandplay Studio Fantasms: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Our Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Justin and Tanner are joined for this episode by an amazing DM, London Carlisle! While he's known for being an impressive DM at events such as "D&D In A Castle", his acting experience becomes especially useful for our discussion on NPCs. We discuss where to pull inspiration from for creating characters and voices, how to create depth in NPCs without overriding your players, and many more ideas to drill further into NPC creation! Follow London on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/londoncarlisle And learn more about his role at "D&D In A Castle" here: https://www.dndinacastle.com/dungeon-masters/london-carlisle Special thanks to: Benj Weyland for Graphic Design (https://www.instagram.com/benjweydesign/) TJ Max, Juka, and TechSenpai for being amazing moderators Kyle Wilson, Nick Ammann and Professor Nobody for being our patrons. Mentioned in this episode: Do You Want to Earn some Money? 🎲 Want to Earn Some Extra Gold? We’re offering a referral incentive for our professional Dungeon Mastering services! Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ Refer someone to session0studios.com/prodm 2️⃣ They sign up for a free consultation. 3️⃣ They mention they were referred by a podcast listener. 4️⃣ We DM an unforgettable session for them. 5️⃣ They get 10% off their booking. 6️⃣ You get 10% of what they paid—straight into your coin purse. 7️⃣ We celebrate with a virtual high-five. 🙌 We run games for private groups and corporate teams—whether it’s a one-shot or a long-term campaign. 💰 Want to earn some gold and help someone level up their game night? Send them to session0studios.com/prodm and start earning today! I Made a CR 100 Monster I made a Monster with a Challenge Rating of 100 Why? Because I could—and it only took me 5 minutes using Worldsmith. And the best part? You can do this and much more. Get a free 7-day trial at session0studios.com/worldsmith and unlock their full suite of TTRPG generators from monsters to mythic magic items and everything in between. Yep, that’s a full 7-day trial—completely free. That’s a whole week of monsters, magic items, and more—whatever you need, zero burnout. Try it now at session0studios.com/worldsmith. Save time and make unlimited creations with Worldsmith. 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. Brought to you by Session 0 Studios Visit session0studios.com for more information.

    34분
  8. The 4 Core Skills of Dungeon Mastery (Plus the Secret 5th One)

    5월 15일

    The 4 Core Skills of Dungeon Mastery (Plus the Secret 5th One)

    Here are today's sponsors: Worldsmith - Easy D&D Prep - Start a Free 7 Day Trial: https://session0studios.com/worldsmith-podcast Roll and Play Press - Easier D&D: https://session0studios.com/rollandplay Studio Fantasms: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Our Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Feeling stuck or burned out as a Dungeon Master? You’re not alone—and you’re not out of options. In this episode, Justin and Tanner break down the Four Core Skills that every great DM needs to master: 1️⃣ People Management 2️⃣ Showmanship & Performance 3️⃣ Game Design 4️⃣ Storytelling And yes... there's a secret fifth pillar 👀 We discuss how to use these pillars as a personal skill assessment framework so you can stop overthinking your sessions and start building campaigns that actually improve week to week. Whether you're overwhelmed with prep, worried you're not "immersive enough," or comparing yourself to pro DMs, this episode will reframe your mindset and re-energize your games. 🔑 What you’ll learn: The most overlooked DM skill (and why it makes or breaks your game)How to identify and strengthen your weakest pillarA tactical way to use these 4 skills to get "unstuck" mid-sessionHow to balance emotional storytelling with crunchy mechanicsPlus: A future tool we’re developing to help you self-assess Special thanks to: Benj Weyland for Graphic Design (https://www.instagram.com/benjweydesign/) TJ Max, Juka, and TechSenpai for being amazing moderators Kyle Wilson, Nick Ammann and Professor Nobody for being our patrons. Mentioned in this episode: Brought to you by Session 0 Studios Visit session0studios.com for more information. Do You Want to Earn some Money? 🎲 Want to Earn Some Extra Gold? We’re offering a referral incentive for our professional Dungeon Mastering services! Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ Refer someone to session0studios.com/prodm 2️⃣ They sign up for a free consultation. 3️⃣ They mention they were referred by a podcast listener. 4️⃣ We DM an unforgettable session for them. 5️⃣ They get 10% off their booking. 6️⃣ You get 10% of what they paid—straight into your coin purse. 7️⃣ We celebrate with a virtual high-five. 🙌 We run games for private groups and corporate teams—whether it’s a one-shot or a long-term campaign. 💰 Want to earn some gold and help someone level up their game night? Send them to session0studios.com/prodm and start earning today! 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 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.

    34분
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4.8
최고 5점
39개의 평가

소개

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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