How to (maybe) be a great DM (Advice for new Game Masters)

Is this another DM Tips video? Is it an old guy ranting about WotC adventures? Is this a video full of useful insights for those new to TTRPGs? Or maybe this video has a secret or two that will help you improve your game play experiences? Watch to find out!
Here at "We Love TTRPGs" you can learn about the most fascinating rules, lore and tips for your favorite role playing games.
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00:00 Introduction
00:34 Module Evolution
01:27 Anthology Adventures
02:11 Creative Learning
03:09 Unrealistic Expectations
04:02 Advice Abundance
04:51 Experienced Differences
05:16 Castle Amber Example
07:07 Cosmic Horror
08:05 Legion of Gold
09:19 Creative Encouragement
10:07 Game Mastering
11:17 DM Passion
12:22 Virtual Tabletops
13:08 Cooperative Gameplay
14:09 Beginner Adventures
15:00 DM Unique Voice
16:17 Collaborative Nature
18:31 Final Rulings
19:08 Authority Appeal
20:02 Concluding Thoughts
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[@welovettrpgs]

Correction: "Clark Ashton Smith" (I accidently said "Ashton Clark Smith" probably because I can't stop thinking about us all dying and turning to ash.) Also, I'm working on a counterpart to this one valled, "Are the Grognards OK?" I hope this video is useful to you. Thanks! Edit: PS I'm sorry my shoes didnt match my jacket. I apologize for the distraction.

[@sequoyahwright]

As a non-Grognard Gamer-of-a-Certain-Age, I am looking forward to this!

[@helixxharpell]

Here! Here!! I'll be sittin at the front door waiting! 😊😃👍🏻

[@andrewlustfield6079]

Great video! Lots of really good information. And I agree---any 250 page adventure book is just overwhelming for any DM--old or new. I think we started rolling dice roughly at the same time--for me it was a Boy Scout summer camp in 1982, and it was the fabled Keep on the Borderlands. Almost got my head taken off by the owl bear. So, absolutely, being an old grognard, I'm really hoping you'll tell me what my problem is. Sounds like a hoot!

[@welovettrpgs]

@@andrewlustfield6079 haha will do! And glad you survived!

[@sequoyahwright]

@@andrewlustfield6079 Owlbear... hoot... I see what you did there. Seen and appreciated.

[@dantherpghero2885]

My advice to all GMs: Read. Read everything, books, adventure modules, comics, etc. It will teach you how to describe things.

[@Jforbino]

Pathfinder Adventure Paths are a big part of what got me back into TTRPG's after.....ages.

[@welovettrpgs]

Those are cool!

[@danielpasilis4046]

I honestly don't quite know where I fall on the whole New/Old DM spectrum...I learned how to play in the 80's and was DM'ing into the 90's but I haven't touched a game in anyway for decades and now I'm finding I need to relearn a bunch of things that I basically took for granted. These videos are invaluable to me as a resource to sharpen those skills that I have left in the drawer for so long. So with that please accept a big thank you for all your time and effort.

[@welovettrpgs]

Thank you for the very kind feedback! Do you feel you have the "old skool" mindset or the modern methods? I would define this as old style being more war gamey while modern seems to be more theatrical. And honestly I cant tell if that's just because we grew up and want more from our games or if a bunch of voice actors pushed it in that direction.

[@CountAdolfo]

I utterly skipped 4e and returned to D&D for 5th. It's a radical departure from 3.5, where I'd left off... very streamlined... sometimes very broken... but I'm sure you can adapt. I did.

[@WTFoolproof]

I am astonished that you are not a D&D YT superstar. I am positive that your hyper-success is silently approaching for a sneak attack.

[@welovettrpgs]

Ah Thank you! KZbin just refuses to share my videos so .. we'll see. I apprciate your support!

[@WTFoolproof]

I think when a subscriber sees a new video on their feed for the first time if they view it immediately and watch it all then it will weigh more in the scheme used to populate videos onto non subscriber feeds. It sounds about right so that is what I do. I tend to sink videos so I can hear them as I run machines so I wish YT would find a better way to allow this and to give full credit to the creators.

[@dianayoung2045]

i love all of WE LOVE TTRPGS videos. The information, the silliness, the handsome host. What's not to love?

[@welovettrpgs]

thanks

[@kailenmitchell8571]

I love the old Temple of Elemental Evil! B2 Keep on the Borderlands and Horror on the Hill. Awesome modules.

[@CountAdolfo]

yup... those old modules were awesome... and are truly great places for new DMs to cut their teeth.

[@chrisragner3882]

Module! Yes, that is how I always used them, dropping into an existing. BTW, I love the name of your world: Terrattu. I had named mine based on a kingdom but decided to name mine Alterra, which I am sure is over used. But who cares!!!! For new DM/GM’s and old ones too, take Aten’s advice and don’t sweat the small stuff. Having fun and embrace the challenge. Players support your GM friends because they do all this for all of you.

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks! (I totally copied Gygax's "Oerth" Terrattu = Terra-two.)

[@carriestockley1898]

Thank you for this video. I think a lot of people forget the published book is a framework. I also appreciate that your videos are family friendly. I have young ones interested in the hobby and appreciate that they can enjoy your videos as well.

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sequoyahwright]

You have a copy of GDQ 1-7 Queen of the Demonweb Pits!!! That sucker is hard to come by these days, and a bit on the pricy side to boot! Well done, sir! Mine is riddled with chicken-scratch notes and tacky highlighter marks, but it's still the pride of my collection.

[@welovettrpgs]

I just have the big book version of it "Queen of Spiders."

[@sequoyahwright]

@@welovettrpgs That's the one I mean. Got a little excited and typed in the Q1 module title instead of the proper GDQ 1-7 Supermodule title.

[@welovettrpgs]

@@sequoyahwright Yeah I still have my original copy of Temple, Scourhe and Queen. Those 3 were the first really long campaign I ever ran.

[@andrewlustfield6079]

I have the individual modules but not the mega campaign book.

[@sequoyahwright]

@@andrewlustfield6079 The supermodule had some additional material linking the adventures and a better hook. Not sure it's worth the extra hundreds of dollars, but it's probably worth a print on demand copy if that's available.

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

Absolutely loving the bizarre, eccentricity. It's really carving a distinctive style. ❤

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad you enjoy it! (Just me being me)

[@NelsonReyesJr]

This channel is fantastic, and vastly underrated. Thank you, TTRPG!

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad you enjoy it! I appreciate hearing that. I've been thinking about stopping since it hasnt caught on.

[@sequoyahwright]

This video is extremely valuable to any GM, particularly new GMs. I especially enjoyed the Appeal to Authority call out. There are a few fundamentals any GM should have a grasp of, and you nailed them. Thank you for your time, effort, and generosity, Aten!

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad it was helpful!

[@andrewlustfield6079]

Experience has a place, but it should be taken as only ope perspective. Get three DMs in the same room discussing the same rules, and you'll get twelve different opinions, and each of them will be convinced their reading of the rules is the correct one.

[@sequoyahwright]

@@andrewlustfield6079 Humble GMs are few and far between, I'm afraid, as with any position of leadership.

[@andrewlustfield6079]

@@sequoyahwright Here's the thing--every DM, new or old, needs to have complete confidence in running things in their own games and their own worlds. For instance, I have a whiteboard behind me when I run games for drawing quick maps. If I have new players at the table, for the first few sessions, I write, "My world. Welcome to it." And when I'm playing in a game, I understand the same is true for whoever is running their game. They are always the final arbiter of the rules at their own table. Because whether they have been running things in the same world for over s decade or they have just picked up their first module--they are pouring time and passion and while not always frequently money, and creativity and vision to give their players a wonderful and fun adventure setting. Experienced DMs have had time to put more thought into the game--they have developed their own style and flair for running games--but ultimately we can only tell you how we have seen other GMs run their games, and how we run things at our own tables and why we run them that way. But if there's any GM out there telling you that there is one true church--you can stop listening right there.

[@TheSoling27]

40YRS a DM and I'm still evolving -- and finding out new things about items and spells &c. that I thought I should know like the back of my hand .. love it -- just do it..

[@welovettrpgs]

For sure!

[@PetesDracolich]

Best DM advice! I love modules! My kids mock me saying, "my modules, my modules". And I love it because thats whats really going on in my brain, " MY MODULES". Just finished Swords & Deviltry, book 1, so good! If I could only get my hands on Queen of the Spiders. Also just picked up an original copy of Castle Amber. MCC rocks!

[@welovettrpgs]

So true! The Goodman games castle amber is great plus definitely listen to the Ashton clark smith audiobooks of the different stories. They serve as a great guidance to expand part two into a full campaign ... oh and Mark of Amber - was part 2 of castle amber realsed in .. I want to say 1990?

[@PetesDracolich]

​@@welovettrpgs I will definitely check out that audiobook! Goodman games old school adventure books are beauty's, a sight to behold, I need that Castle Amber one!

[@jamesmangum8575]

Great video! You are right. We are not playing RPGs to win. Our purpose is to have fun so our goal is to stay in the game. With that in mind, your style needs to fit you and your players. If you all are happy with the style then the game (and the fun) goes on.

[@welovettrpgs]

That's right!

[@chrisragner3882]

In addition Aten, since I began as far back as you, with a hiatus from time to time, I have learned a great many things of late. I attribute these things to watching various KZbinrs sharing their experiences. Aside from what you have said I would offer these few things. Limit game time, usually up to four hour sessions. Spread the time between games. End at a decent note, be it high or low or a moment after a resolve. These help a DM not over extending themselves. Ending when you still have things on the table is better than making things up on the fly as this can create a rabbit hole filled with more questions and concerns that you have no answers. I give myself a minimum of two weeks to develop and more often redevelop things to come. I can’t tell you how I have saved myself the frustrations that happen when striving to build excellent content. I write notes daily and I throw out more than I keep. Of course much thrown out may be set aside for the possible future. Always say yes to yourself and your players. That yes may lead to unforeseen consequences that create enduring conflicts. Finally, embrace being you. Remember to treat things as shades of gray and not black and white. Enjoy!

[@welovettrpgs]

As teenagers we had marathon sessions. I would do that now but adulting with responsibilities won't allow it plus it's not particularly a healthy way of living. Right now my main group plays every Sunday for five hours. I could go 6 on most sessions but 5 works fine for us too. To your point though, obsessiveness in anything is unhealthy and each person needs to find the balance that is best for them. I edited out a lot of extra stuff from this video because i felt it went astray and began touching on more advanced tips but yes, I always try to start and end my sessions with something exciting.

[@7thsealord888]

Great video, excellent points made". Back when a bunch of us were playing AD&D, our DM was basically cycling through "canned adventures" (as we called them) a lot of the time. Then we got to the original 'Ravenloft' adventure. To be clear, at this stage it was a big spooky castle, run by a super-vampire with a history - NOT the hugely expanded background, realm and lore of later on. For us, this scenario was pretty much a protracted search and destroy mission with backstory. But, after we finally settled Strahd's hash, we all then thought, "Hey, this is a cool castle. Let's keep it." This caught the DM completely by surprise, since strongholds and so forth were typically a thing for much higher level PCs than we were. But he rolled with it, the campaign shifting focus. We still had a canned adventure now and then, but most of our Characters' activities centred on clearing out and fixing up the castle, then essentially doing the same thing for the lands around it. Our Druid started working on his Grove. Our resident Power gamer / Magic User requisitioned a Castle tower for "personal use" (and ghod alone knows what else). And so on. One of our group cheerfully speculated about the reaction of the local villagers. Them probably saying that it was all peaceful and quiet when Stahd was in charge, but "...ever since those damn adventurers moved in, there hasn't been a moment's peace". My Character in that was Kelly Giantsbane, a Half-Elf Ranger-Thief (kind of a Special Forces dude) with mondo specialization in the Bastard Sword. Good good times. :)

[@welovettrpgs]

My own group is going to get a "things were fine before those troublemakers came to town" twist soon too!

[@andrewlustfield6079]

We did the exact same thing with Ravenloft---moving into the castle after clearing it out. That's too funny. WE were 16 years old at the time and were like---hey, who wants a free castle?

[@7thsealord888]

@@andrewlustfield6079 Groovy! We were a bit older, but yeah. We'd just zeroed the longtime owner, and no one else was using it. So, why the heck not? :)

[@7thsealord888]

Funnily enough, I bought the Ravenloft adventure some time afterwards. Never DMed D&D, but the castle plans did get utility in a 'Traveller' SF campaign I ran a few years later. A somewhat altered Ravenloft became the home of a Noble character, designed and built by a crazy ancestor. So, there you go. :)

[@Darkwintre]

Out of curiosity did they have Strahd return as the PCs was facing their latest BBEG and he helped drive them off revealing he was impressed with the care shown to his home and was happy to settle in the background and let them go off adventuring leaving them with a potential ally against say Vecna and others should your dm need a helping hand?

[@daviddow2399]

I use to DM in the 90's but now back into it with the old friends and newbys using D&D 2edition and loving it. Thanks for your vid's and ideas they have helped alot.

[@welovettrpgs]

Great to hear!

[@ryanb5127]

Still only part way through but I have to say I love how you add in detailed time stamps for your videos. It’s something I really appreciate and wish more people did!

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad you like them!

[@roberthradek7100]

I agree as to the size of current adventures. There is also another factor that made early modules more desirable for new players and DMs. Price. You don't have to go all in on a $50 book for an adventure that you may not even like. It allows less wealthy players a chance to enter the hobby.

[@welovettrpgs]

for sure! Our hobby has a lot of walls keeping new players at a distance.

[@midnightgreen8319]

Clark Ashton Smith's writing is absolutely brilliant! Also check out his Zothique stories, they greatly influenced many other "Dying Earth" style stories. They are very dark Sword and Sorcery.

[@welovettrpgs]

cool!

[@colinleat8309]

Thanks so much for this one Aten! You articulated perfectly what I was thinking about being new to D.M.ing. Go easy, start with a small module, get comfortable and grow confidence. Boy, you made SO many points! I'll just hit the key points: Have fun! Use your imagination, and it's the JOURNEY, not destination that is the reward. ( Were not all professional actors on Critical Role, so don't have that pressure to be). 🤘😎🖖🇨🇦❤️

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks Colin!

[@andrewlustfield6079]

@@welovettrpgsIt's interesting. An another channel I was in a conversation with a new DM just two days ago, and we were discussing some of the differences between newer gaming and older attitudes toward the game. And one of the things that seemed to be a real anxiety for him was the idea of a player revolt, where everyone would just walk away from the table. The topic started with insight rolls and why a DM would want to roll those behind the screen, but it quickly shifted to character death and letting the dice tell their part of the story, falling where they may where they may. And if there was really such a thing as a useless or unfair character death. I don't ever remember having a player revolt being a general anxiety we ever had. I remember it being much more, "My world, my game--welcome to it. If it's not for you, please find a different table where you can find your fun or run your own game. No harm no foul." And that is pretty much how I still am. In the culture we grew up in, DMs have a lot more latitude and discretion than they seem to have now. And I think, this as much as anything is why there is such a DM shortage. And I remember that we all took turns running games, whether it was D&D or other TTRPGs. Whether it was Gamaworld. Top Secret, Cyberpunk, or Vampire in the 90s. Often there would be the person who ran x game---Paranoia was always great for a one shot. If the DM shortage isn't new, I didn't become aware of it until I saw a video on it on Questing Beast, so very recently. I just always assumed people swapped that mantle.

[@Darkwintre]

I think those older adventure scenarios are a treasure load of help!

[@midnightgreen8319]

Another reason I'm a huge fan of Dungeon Crawl Classics. Short but fun adventures!

[@welovettrpgs]

And Mutant Ctrawl! And Weird Frontiers!

[@necron9930]

Love your stuff. I've been Gaming for 47 years since I was 7. I like Savage Worlds these days. keep it up man.

[@welovettrpgs]

Thank You! Great to have you join us!

[@stamanjw]

New GM and playing C&C. Very thankful to start with Troll Lord’s smaller modules. I’ve looked at Curse of Strahd and it’s way too much to try and pull off. Compare that to Troll Lords’ Undying War campaign that is designed as a string of modules, and that is so much easier to create and manage for me. Plus, it creates numerous break points in the campaign if we need new players or someone wants to re-roll

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks for sharing this! That sounds right to me!

[@pewprofessional3181]

Great video! I needed this. At first I thought it was me, having trouble running those massive modules. Then I discovered TSR modules and realized those are where I needed to start. Now i have a bookshelf full of 1e, 2e, B/X.

[@welovettrpgs]

Exactly! How WotC is able to go out of their way to screw up their releases is baffling.

[@pewprofessional3181]

@welovettrpgs I even found running the starter adventure a little too much. I went and got a copy of the BECMI Red Box set, which was great at walking you through the process of playing and how to DM, which was a great starting point, and then allows you to expand your DMing capabilities. Ya wotc has been pretty good at screwing up everything they release. It's like like publish bastardized versions of things that were once great, and haven't published a single thing helpful to new DMs.

[@drunkendelver1966]

I've been a fan of actual plays for a good bit, but of course, when it came to trying to recreate that experience by running the game, I was hit with so many roadblocks that I just gave up for a while. Then, through discovering simpler, more old-school games and experimenting with them, I actually began to learn, and have gradually become more comfortable with GMing, gaining a fervent passion for it and the hobby as a result. Once I let go of those preconceptions I had of what being a GM is, I began to have a lot more fun. It admittedly took a while to reconcile the knowledge that actual plays aren't an accurate representation of the game at a common table, but now I can still enjoy those shows through a sort of professional wrestling style lense, while still running my games the way I want and enjoying the process of learning and developing my style.

[@welovettrpgs]

The KZbin clout chasers (to be fair there's really only one I'm aware of) are doing harm to new players.

[@drunkendelver1966]

@@welovettrpgs I've noticed there's toxicity on both ends of the spectrum in this regard. WotC and their advocates over here shaming the hobby's history and founders, OSR devotees over there claiming that only their games are real games, and decrying anything beyond their preference as garbage. Just like WotC are pushing veteran fans away, the more fanatical OSR enthusiasts can end up pushing away potential players with the way they present themselves. I think if we can learn to leave the differences at the door, we can start to mend the schism betwern the old and new school, and the hobby as a whole will only get better.

[@welovettrpgs]

@@drunkendelver1966 I think youll enjoy my "Are the Grognardss ok?" video next Friday.

[@Darkwintre]

Agreed thats why communication is important and the other dm scaring the other players into not communicating was frustrating!

[@flow6694]

Thanks for the insightful video. As a new dm since 2 years ago me and my group have had a lot of fun and learned a lot. We started with dragon of ice spire peak in 2022 and have played every two weeks since. Thanks for sharing what you have learned with us newcomers! 😊

[@welovettrpgs]

Great to hear! I hope you stay with it! It's the best part of the hobby imo. Good luck!

[@Geraint3000]

Hey Aten. Great video as always. I've probably said this before but I found 1st ed modules more difficult to run as they were written by essentially - computer programmers, or people with that mindset. It didn't stop me creating my own adventures, but modules like T1 have no plot or story, so my 14 year old self was a like a rabbit in headlights when it came to running it. Nulb was interesting as while there was less of it, it was more accessible to me and I could dress it up and expand on it, and the Temple itself was a series of text boxes. I get on far better with the newer 5ed adventures. I'll add stuff in there and create big stories and role-play the shit out of it. It's just a brain thing at the end of the day and we're all different. Out of all the adventures I've run, my favourite was Dungeons of Drakkenheim by the Dungeon Dudes. The best written and most involving 5e adventure I've encountered. Very complicated but it's accessible, and vivid. So much so the players were having hour long meetings before the actual session to work out their next moves.

[@andrewlustfield6079]

Yeah, some of those old modules the whole plot was find the dungeon and clear it out. Tracy and Laura Hickman really changed module writing for the better then TSR published the Desert of Desolation series. I want to say that was in 82 or 83 but I could be wrong. And after those came Ravenloft, which I consider to be close to a perfect module, and the game has never been the same since.

[@Geraint3000]

@@andrewlustfield6079 It was also the graphic layout - justified type (was it Futura?) and the kerning was very tight - the first half in feint and the second half in bold - horrible to read!

[@andrewlustfield6079]

@@Geraint3000In the 70s these guys were working on typewriters, and a lot was assumed. Separating things like what was player information and DM info was all jumbled up in many cases--you had to read those carefully to sift it all out. That's why when Desert of desolation appeared with box text--wow they should have been doing this all along.

[@WhoWillisIs]

This is yet another great video. I started DM’ing about a month ago, and we are all new players (except for the 60-something Grognard who joined for the first time last week) and this is wonderful advice. Keep it up!!!

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you very much!

[@Spamster3212]

Great video, I just ran the first session of what I hope will be a long running campaign last night. I've never been part of a game before, whether as player or DM that didn't fizzle out after a handful of sessions. Hopefully this one will be different, I'm trying to stick to the advice in videos like this one. Fingers crossed.

[@welovettrpgs]

Good luck!

[@Darkwintre]

Select your favourite book, movie or tv series and combine them to create your scenario! I ran a variant of the Phantom Menace in Traveller and felt it worked better than the movie even if it was short!

[@Adelbercht]

I remember playing the way you described as a teenager. We were even a bunch of power gamers. It was a lot of fun, though I am happy to be playing with a slightly more coherent/narrative style now. I definitely think I've grown as a DM, just like I've grown as a person :-)

[@welovettrpgs]

That's rather cryptic. Please explain.

[@mikeb.1705]

Great video! You hit all the important bits in an easy-to-follow way. I tend to agree on the 250 page campaign books. IMO, it's too much material. Also, IMO, they smack of "railroady-ness": meaning, we know that no matter which way we go, what NPCs we talk to, or what paths we take the get there, the campaign ends a certain way (kill Strahd, kill Acererak, defeat Tiamat). Anyhow, again, great video, and I can't wait to see your take on us "grognards" :-)

[@welovettrpgs]

total raidroadyness imo.

[@mikeb.1705]

@@welovettrpgs I didn't want to say it out loud. ...but I agree with you >.> I think the 250 adventure book would be better served as being presented as a campaign setting. "These are the people and places in the area. These are some of the things that are occurring in that area. These are places you might consider exploring. How would you like to proceed?" And then you build out from there. Maybe you meet Acererak / Tiamat / Strahd, and maybe you don't. But you have adventures within their sphere of influence. Or something like that? ...I have to say, my actual experience with the 5E adventure books is very limited. I usually create my own adventure material rather than using "canned" material.

[@Thumperoo]

Good stuff as always. Leaving this here for the algo ! Keep putting them out please.

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks, will do!

[@taniaselfindulgart3847]

It's impossible to believe you played in the 80s! You look so much younger. Great advice and interesting POV of someone who played early editions

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad you enjoyed it (Playing D&D was part of the pact I made with the devil to never grow old.)

[@taniaselfindulgart3847]

Ah, it makes me really sad I missed the satanic panic deal with the devil edition of the game!@@welovettrpgs

[@welovettrpgs]

@@taniaselfindulgart3847 But it's never too late to give yourself to the dark lord of TTRPGs! (I get 10% from every soul I sell him) :)

[@twitchew]

thanks for the advice! and helping me sort of understand the shift from the ADD era to the 5th ed era (i am getting back to the hobby and this helps me understand the way things have changed)

[@mitchedwards1246]

Great Videos I'm a relatively new Dm ( coming up on a year soon ) and have been sharing these. Love your PoV

[@welovettrpgs]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@GKahla]

Aten's collection is well loved. Great to see! Thank you for sharing. Great roll out of the newbies. Your guidance is always appreciated. Clark Ashton Smith's fiction is soooo mood-evoking and strange. Which audio versions have you enjoyed?

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad it was helpful!

[@helixxharpell]

Among the 1st 10 to like😂. We're OLD We're up early!! 😅

[@welovettrpgs]

Oh my aching back!

[@tasnadijozsef3749]

Nice work again! Thx! P.s.: "we are all weird" - i laughed so much :D

[@welovettrpgs]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dwarvesanddragons6948]

Love this content, I'm sharing it with my friends

[@welovettrpgs]

Awesome, thank you!

[@Darkwintre]

My last campaign was about to start the Hoard of Dragons before I changed it to Against the Cult of the Reptile Gods and thought it was much better!

[@Darkwintre]

The Black Nail my version of Vecna based on that other dm who screwed up both game sbecause of their obsession with critical role and a lack of creative thinking let alone keeping his own game straight! He got bored and jump settings and didn't give a damn about either game! It happens and after almost 3 years I'm watching this.

[@djeternaldarkness3769]

And this is why I've been DMing since...what 79? BACK IN THE DAY, it was just me who owned the books.

[@welovettrpgs]

lol love you buddy!

[@wolfleclair1399]

Awesome video, new DMs can definitely benefit from this. Of course there is some great encouragement in here for us older DMs as well, great job Aten. =^_^=

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@rpgandothergamingstuff5587]

This has been one of the best videos inhave seen in a while.

[@welovettrpgs]

thats great to hear, thanks!

[@Frederic_S]

Words of Infinitive wisdom 👍

[@welovettrpgs]

thanks!

[@RealNemo235]

Umm,actually it’s Clark Ashton Smith. 😊Great video.

[@welovettrpgs]

ah yeah i may have mixed up the order of his name. my bad. hes a great writer.

[@JeffsGameBox]

I'm new to your channel. Excellent video! Keep up the good work. 👍

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks and welcome

[@b0xf0x13]

Glad I found this channel. Love your style!

[@welovettrpgs]

Thank you! Welcome!

[@blackguardunlimeted]

thanks for all these tips !

[@welovettrpgs]

My pleasure!

[@RIVERSRPGChannel]

Good tips and entertaining way to talk about it. I’m very fortunate to have the problem of having a lot of GMs in our group. We don’t have a DM shortage.

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks for sharing! I'm pretty sure everyone in my group has been or currently is a DM as well however overall the hobby has a history of suffering from a lack of (good) DMs.

[@RIVERSRPGChannel]

@@welovettrpgs yes, this is unfortunate, it causes people to leave the hobby.

[@michaelmorrissey8983]

Great video Aten!

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks!

[@swordsnstones]

Thanks!

[@welovettrpgs]

youre my first super thanks ever. thank you very much!

[@HidingSleeper]

That little bit about reddit made me subscribe, lol!

[@welovettrpgs]

Thanks!

[@swordsnstones]

i love all of WE LOVE TTRPGS videos ...there algorithm appeased .. lol seriously though ya i love yer content

[@welovettrpgs]

thanks! :)

[@paulsavas2394]

Holy catablepus!!!

[@Zr0din]

@17:30 A-MEN!!!

[@welovettrpgs]

thank you!

[@artistpoet5253]

4:02 you're not wrong for the most part. It does take a trained read to sort out the BS from actionable advice. I follow the solo rpg sub and it's been great not just for solo rpgs but there's a lot in there for DMs and players besides.

[@welovettrpgs]

"For the most part." What do you feel I am wrong about?

[@swordsnstones]

well said i feel ya

[@swordsnstones]

you are very humble and enlightened :) would love some input on my home brew if you had a min

[@swordsnstones]

this is my fav yt vid thus far ...friggin awesome sir

[@welovettrpgs]

join our discord and we can chat

[@KabukiKid]

Ah... Castle Amber... I made the early mistake of sitting down and eating the food offered to me. lol If you know, you know.

[@welovettrpgs]

I was pretty disaponted none of my current group tried! lol

[@KabukiKid]

@@welovettrpgs lol They were smarter than me! ;-)

[@paavohirn3728]

Seems at times that the 250 pager WotC products might be more interesting and usable if they actually detailed the bathroom habits of monsters instead of the usual filler and highly specific plot material.

[@welovettrpgs]

true!

[@paavohirn3728]

​@@welovettrpgsI'm also really looking forward to your Castle Amber video! I'm still catching up on running published adventures and I'm really happy about some of the new products such as many created for OSE. I've had Castle Amber pdf for a while but browsing it I felt there's too much work to make it satisfactory for my tastes. Somehow out of the old modules I only ran the Isle of Dread which we never finished and only a tiny bit of AD&D 2e once I learnt enough English. I've ended up being player more often than GM but I've changed that in recent years but still feel like a total noob. So I really appreciate your videos!

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

I love playing, but it's not a patch on DMing. I still want to play, though 😊

[@welovettrpgs]

What do you mean?

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

@welovettrpgs I've always enjoyed ttrpgs. It's how I create, it's how I socialise. But the last few years (probably a dozen) I've taken to Dungeon Mastery, and it's so much more in-depth. It takes playing to the next level, testing your creativity, exploring your imagination as you seek out something new, and try to bring challenges to your players that they'll enjoy and feel tested by. It's a vocation. It's a way of seeing life. You're pushing your envelope. But never forget, no matter what you achieve, a good fart joke from the gallery can still be the best moment of the night.

[@welovettrpgs]

@@cadenceclearwater4340 Ah thats why you like my videos! come for the tips, stay for the fart jokes! :)

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

@@welovettrpgs 😅

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

Hi 😊

[@welovettrpgs]

Hello 😊

[@CountAdolfo]

I have to fundamentally disagree with you on 'experience is just a logical fallacy' - that's utter nonsense. I have been a DM over 40 years and if I were to DM, today, the same exact way I did, back then, it would mean I've learned nothing. And I have learned a LOT. I've learned the quickest way to handle some things to keep gameplay moving. I've learned how and when to toss the rules out the window and make rulings that advance the narrative and the fun... and, I've learned that two commonly used terms: "Balance" and "Consistency", are actually enemies of the game in the final analysis. I used to own a game store and I ran games of D&D, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Shadowrun... Exposure to other systems enhances your knowledge and ability to provide a more fun and entertaining game, as well. Saying that experience is just a logical fallacy - that it doesn't better prepare you... that's really disingenuous. Last year, I ran a campaign that had between 12 and 14 players, at any given session. Do you honestly think I could have managed that back in the late 1970s, as a kid, with no experience in how to DM? I KNOW I couldn't have. There IS a learning curve, and there's nothing wrong with that. Newer DMs/GMs should start by accepting that they're NOT going to be Matt Mercer, or Matt Colville, even if their first name is actually Matt! They should accept that they won't be Brennan Lee Mulligan, either... and that's OK. They should start by accepting that, like anything else, this is something you'll get better at, and better at... and, YES, that experience is ultimately very valuable. I'm currently learning SWRPG by FFG. It's a whole new system and it's daunting because of the unique dice (Genesys narrative dice) but I'm NOT overwhelmed, because I've learned dozens of other systems. A new DM/GM doesn't have that acquired confidence. It's why a brand new DM should NOT attempt World Building. That's the sort of thing that will feed the DM shortage - because it's very easy to get overwhelmed and frustrated when attempting to fabricate an entire world... or, even a continent. Use pre-made settings... see how they're put together... learn... like I did in Greyhawk, etc. - and THEN take on the challenge. And, yeah, my first world(s) SUCKED. Until I had years of experience under my belt to know what needed to be in those worlds... and what wasn't really worth spending hours and hours to generate... Experience is far from a logical fallacy, and if we want the new DMs to flourish, they need to have confidence that we experienced DMs know what we're talking about.

[@welovettrpgs]

I think we misunderstand each other. I'm not saying we dont learn anything. Very much the opposite. I'm saying all things are relative.

[@welovettrpgs]

Bryan, join our Discord if you have that. I enjoy your feedback and perhaps I can explain my position better

[@CountAdolfo]

@@welovettrpgs I do.... I shall have to get on there and join

[@RubenTavernier]

Thanks!

[@welovettrpgs]

You bet!