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Path Towards Becoming A D&D Dungeon Master

What is the path from the very beginning one must take to be a very well respected Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master?

Master Dungeon Dragons and Dungeons Becoming Path

As with most group leader type positions, it is less a matter of what specific actions are taken, and more dedication to a particular philosophy.

A good Dungeon Master needs to be honest, open to input, and willing to both acknowledge and fix any mistakes they make.

Above all else however, they need to remember the purpose of the game. The Dungeon Master is not playing to win, nor is he playing to lose. The Dungeon Master is a narrator in an epic tale, and it is his responsibility to strive for a story that even those not involved in the game would enjoy reading.

Edited: daishain on 5th Dec, 2017 - 2:21pm

Path Towards Becoming A D&D Dungeon Master Reviews RPG & Card Board

Those are good tips. This might seem like nothing at all but to be a really good Dungeon Master you need to be a really good player first. I would even suggest having a go at every character class first so when you build your campaign you know what each class is capable of doing within your game. Its also helpful if you know the rules of these classes so players don't try to pull a fast one on you to get through a difficult part of the game.

Master Dungeon Dragons and Dungeons Becoming Path

To be a Dungeon Master is easy, if all you are there for is to let the players do whatever they want to. To be a respected Dungeon Master, you have to be a parent to their characters. Firm but just, guiding but relenting, everything to play out the plot you've created to it's conclusion. You are the story teller, the environment, the playwright, the backgrounds, the encounters, everything that the players interact with, but the players provide their unique styles and choices to refine your plot into a full-fleshed story. You aren't in competition with your players - you're in cooperation! If something goes terribly wrong with the plot, you either correct it or revise it and move on. If the random factors cause unexpected deaths, that too is another sad facet of your world. To engage the player's imaginations and fire their emotions when events happen in your universe, that is when Dungeon Masters become valued and respected.

Master Dungeon Dragons and Dungeons Becoming Path

From a player's perspective you should:
* Be fair to all
* Know the rules of the game
* Be interesting enough that I want to stay to play
* Have a great story
* Be balanced, no Monty Python and yet not all serious
Just my view but I think most players will agree *wink*.

Path Towards Becoming A D&D Dungeon Master

Being a dungeon master is not always easy. You have to weight what you think the characters can handle and what they can not and try to steer them in the right direction. Whether a visit by a NPC or something else to help them see some dangers. But if a party wants to take on something that could cause them to be wiped out you have to allow them that choice. I always make sure they have a way out if they see it and take it.