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. 1d ago

    Roll for Chaos: A Live, Unscripted D&D Adventure (Live from FanX 2025)

    What happens when you hand a live audience the keys to a D&D session and tell them to cause as much chaos as possible? You get this episode. Recorded live at FanX 2025, this one is unlike anything we've done before. No script. No safety net. Just four people at a table, a room full of audience members armed with prompts, and a whole lot of trust in the dice gods. Here's how it worked: Ian ran a one-shot for players Justin, Tanner, and Matthew — all showing up with level 10 characters ready for anything. The audience? They got to create the monsters, magic items, spells, and NPCs that showed up at the table in real time, powered by Worldsmith. The players had no idea what was coming. Neither, honestly, did anyone else. What unfolded was a live, audience-driven adventure featuring: A big bad built by the crowd — designed (or sabotaged) by the audience before the session even started. An investigation gone sideways — a midnight carriage ride, a mysterious shopkeeper, and a paranormal threat that only got weirder from there. A rescue mission with actual stakes — ambushes, improvised plans, and a magic item that nobody saw coming. A dungeon full of traps, riddles, and chaos — including a rolling boulder, a stone statue that really didn't want to be touched, and a door that rewarded the bold. A boss fight to end it all — with loot, laughs, and the kind of ending only a live audience can create. This is actual play the way it was meant to be: messy, surprising, and completely alive. Cast:Ian Hawkes — Dungeon MasterJustin Lewis — PlayerTanner Weyland — PlayerMatthew Thompson — Player 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

    51 min

  2. Jun 4

    About One-Shots #1: 4 Methods for Simple Character Creation

    In this short run of episodes, Tanner discusses various aspects about one-shots and how to plan them—and today, the topic is one-shot character creation! Sure, you could just have your players create them, but maybe they take too long, or the players are new to making characters and you don't want to add more work onto your plate. Thankfully, there are multiple ways to make character creation simple to keep your one-shot a manageable experience!

    10 min
  3. Dr. Ben Teaches Us About Authority - C.C. S2E1

    Jun 2

    Dr. Ben Teaches Us About Authority - C.C. S2E1

    In our first-ever interview episode, we sit down with Dr. Ben, whose work and studies span storytelling, game design, philosophy, and many other disciplines. Together, we distill practical insights on authority at the table, both within the fiction and beyond it. 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 Dr. Ben on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rpgphd 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

    40 min

  4. May 28

    Burned Out Behind the Screen: How to Reignite Your Spark as a DM (Live from FanX 2025)

    Every Dungeon Master hits a wall eventually. The prep feels like a chore. The session you used to look forward to is now the thing you're dreading. The spark that made you fall in love with running games has gone quiet. In this special live panel recorded at FanX 2025, Justin, Tanner, and Cayden sit down in front of a live audience to tackle one of the most real and rarely talked-about challenges behind the screen: DM burnout. This isn't just a conversation about surviving — it's about understanding what burnout actually looks like, why it happens to even the most passionate Game Masters, and how to find your way back to the table with energy and excitement. Here's what the panel digs into: What burnout really looks like — and why it's not always obvious when it's happening to you. The different flavors of burnout — creative, emotional, social, and scheduling exhaustion each hit differently and need different solutions. What causes it — from over-prepping to under-appreciated effort, the panel gets honest about the real culprits. Prevention vs. recovery — because keeping the spark alive looks different than reigniting it after it's gone out. Practical tools and techniques — including leaning on your players, co-DMing, running one-shots, and reconnecting with what first made you love TTRPGs. What NOT to do — the traps that make burnout worse when you're already running on empty. How players can help — and how GMs can ask for support in ways that feel natural rather than vulnerable. Whether you're deep in the weeds right now or just want to make sure you never get there, this episode is for you. This episode is for the DMs who know the real end boss isn't the dragon — it's burnout. And it's for every storyteller who's ever wondered, "Am I doing this right?" — and showed up anyway. 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

    51 min
  5. Creative Contraband is back! - Season 2 Trailer

    Trailer

    Creative Contraband is back! - Season 2 Trailer

    Now with guests you might know from Youtube, we bring you more and better thoughts regarding Dungeon Mastering and other aspects of our beloved hobby. Danny Barrett gives us a glimpse of what is to come for the next 3 months! Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. 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

    1 min

  6. May 21

    The Confidence Panel: How to Believe in Yourself Behind the Screen

    Every Dungeon Master has sat down at the table and thought, "Am I actually good enough to do this?" Whether you're brand new to the screen or you've been running campaigns for years, confidence is something every DM wrestles with — and almost nobody talks about it honestly. In this special panel episode, Justin Lewis is joined by Tanner Weyland and Cayden Ottley for a candid, practical conversation about what DM confidence actually looks like, where it comes from, and how to build more of it. Together they dig into: What confidence really means for a Dungeon Master — and why it's not just about feeling goodThe highs and lows every DM goes through, including the moments that shake you and how to bounce backPractical techniques for building and maintaining confidence at the tableHow players can either fuel or destroy their DM's confidence (and vice versa)Why real confidence comes from time in the chair — not just prepHow to lean into your strengths instead of comparing yourself to the prosThis one is for the DMs who've ever hesitated to start a campaign, fumbled through a session, or wondered if they're cut out for this. Spoiler: you are — and this episode will help you believe 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

    30 min

  7. May 14

    Help! My Players Are Chaos Gremlins! | FanX 2025 Panel

    Episode Description Live from FanX Salt Lake 2025, this is one of six panels we recorded at the convention — and it might be the most relatable one we've done. If you've ever had a player blow up your carefully crafted plot, chase a side quest for three sessions, or demand a demonic arm mid-campaign, this panel is for you. Justin and Tanner are joined by Ian Hawkes and Cameron Cardoza from Worldsmith for a live audience conversation about one of the most common — and most misunderstood — challenges at the table: the chaos gremlin. What We Cover Framing the ProblemNot all chaos is created equal. We dig into what actually makes someone a "chaos gremlin," why chaos at the table isn't always a problem (and can actually be a gift), and how to tell the difference between harmless unpredictability and genuine disruption. One key question every DM should ask: is this chaos — or is it control? Is it excitement — or is it boredom? Setting Expectations & Knowing Your TableWe talk about the importance of Session Zero, how to have honest conversations with your players about the kind of game everyone wants to play, and how to tell when chaotic behavior crosses the line from organic fun into a respect issue. There's a meaningful difference between occasional disruption and consistent derailing — and one of them needs a real conversation. Managing Chaos in the MomentThis is where it gets practical. What do you actually do when your players go completely off-script? We cover managing your own reaction, using improv skills to embrace the chaos, and how to encourage beautiful storytelling even within unpredictable choices. Sometimes the session that goes sideways becomes the one everyone remembers. Prepping for a Chaotic GroupIf your table is classically chaotic, your prep should reflect that. We discuss how to build flexible, modular sessions — random tables, adaptable NPCs, storylines that can bend without breaking — so that no matter what your players do, you're ready to make it feel intentional. Folding the Chaos Into the StoryOne of the best long-term solutions: make the story big enough that there's no such thing as "off-script." Pull player backstories in. Let their chaotic choices reshape the BBEG. Change your expectations about what the story is supposed to be. The most memorable campaigns are usually the ones that went somewhere no one planned. Featured Panelists Justin Lewis — Co-host, H2BBDMTanner Weyland — Co-host, H2BBDMIan Hawkes — WorldsmithCameron Cardoza — Worldsmith 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

    53 min

  8. May 7

    Scheduling Your D&D Session Doesn't Have to Be a Nightmare

    The back and forth. The planned and cancelled sessions. The frustration when you finally schedule a time to meet and one player can't make it... all of this will be extremely familiar for the common DM. But it doesn't HAVE to be a reoccurring, frustrating nightmare! In today's episode, Tanner shares 5 tips to avoid scheduling frustration with your D&D party.

    15 min
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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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