If You Do Any of These 10 Things - Don't DM!

There are some habits that just don't work for the DM to have. If you have any of these, either change your ways or change to being a player! I don't hold any punches in this video folks. Agree with me or disagree but these are awful habits which must go!
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[@HowtobeaGreatGM]

*Thanks for watching!* What are your biggest bug bears when it comes to dungeon masters? What traits do you think make for a terrible DM? Let us know in the comments below!

[@xRandomAmigosx]

RULES-SNOBS! If you spend more than a moment debating whether something is "breaking the rules", you are missing the point!

[@Eisenwulf666]

The DMs that put their own character in the story, making him the hero or worse the Deus Ex Machina that saves the PCs. Happens more with younger DMs but i've seen a 30+ guy use it too and it's the saddest thing.

[@gimpy812]

No Backbone. The DM lets the players do what ever they want. I had a person that wanted to play in my game but only if he could be high level, even after I explained the game is low level. I have played in games where the DM has no backbone and caves to the demanding player and it sucked all the fun out of the game because the high level player had total control over the game and the DM just shrugged and went along with it.

[@mattt9278]

@@xRandomAmigosx To be fair, the players should respect when the DM says no, and shouldn't argue it once he's made a decision. I'd say this is both ways.

[@Kraphtluv]

'I-Fixed-Your-Character' storytellers are incredibly frustrating. I had one railroad our party into being torn-down with neither warning nor consultation, then re-built in the next breath with fundamental changes to those PC's. The vampire was forced to become a home-brewed Dhampir, so she could go about in the daylight with the rest of the party. The Promethean was violently dismembered, then callously slapped back together as a different lineage (class) entirely.

[@whensomethingcriesagain]

There's nothing wrong with taking yourself seriously, as long as you take your players seriously too, and your players are on board with that. Not every player wants something goofy, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to run a serious game where the players are also expected to take it seriously, as long as you're up front about it

[@dmcharlie1083]

That’s not what Guy was saying; you’re talking about campaign tone.

[@whensomethingcriesagain]

@dmcharlie1083 One precludes the other, you can't really take the story seriously if you're not as the DM taking yourself and your role seriously. It's an aspect of drama that to be able to "go there" you need to be dedicated enough to buckle down and really give it your all, and that requires a sizable degree of seriousness

[@dmcharlie1083]

@@whensomethingcriesagain Litmus test: Are you able to see the humor and laugh at yourself when you make a bonehead mistake? If yes, then you don't take yourself seriously. If no, then you take yourself too seriously and need to learn to lighten up. I take my role to consistently provide memorable and entertaining role playing experiences *VERY SERIOUSLY*. I have delivered multiple campaigns with extreme gravitas and emotional impact. *However*, I am ALWAYS (caps for emphasis, not shouting, apologies) able to laugh at myself and understand when I am behaving like a martinet. I take my role seriously, I take the game seriously, but I don't take MYSELF too seriously. That's the difference, I think? Thoughts?

[@adamschank7703]

​@@whensomethingcriesagainHe's basically talking about not developing a god complex in the game.

[@matthew_thefallen]

@@whensomethingcriesagain ehm no, taking yourself seriously is thinking that you are an invincible being in real life and that anything you do is pure gold or is untouchable from critics. I know this personally because i was like that 💀

[@arten]

I've been DMing since the '70s (yes, I'm old), and I agree with all of that. I'd add one more critical point, "If you find it tedious or a burden to get feedback from the players about how the adventure is going so far, about how the world feels to them, about how they feel about the directions their characters are taking, don't DM". It is absolutely crucial to listen, but it's also crucial to ask. Don't wait till they stop showing up for game night. Ask for feedback before it gets to that point. If they're excited enough or amused enough that they chatter about the exciting moments, or the bad puns, or how clever something or someone was, after the formal session has ended, then ask if they want more of that kind of thing. Whatever it was. It goes two ways - players need to feel not just safe giving you feedback, but interested enough to want to do so. They need to have faith that their feedback is valued and can have an impact on the game, or need to be persuaded that you understand and value the feedback, but there are valid reasons (perhaps unstated ones) that the feedback can't be incorporated at this time.

[@nickboyles64]

30 years here, I completely agree

[@Marcus-ki1en]

Since 1979, and I agree as well. I scored a 0 out of 10. Guess that is why I am still a DM. Many of us old timers still around have learned many of these the hard way, or for a very few of us, got it from the very beginning.

[@orokusaki1243]

Stars and Wishes (derived/updated version of Roses and Thorns) has merits in giving a framework for providing feedback. Some people have trouble with giving feedback, so need such a helpful tool. Eliminate problems before they become problems, especially communication problems.

[@EitherProductions]

For me, I'd add an addendum to the "burden to get feedback," idea, because the only reason I feel any "burden" about feedback is because my players never give me an answer when I ask. If I didn't write recaps of every session to start the following session, they would completely forget what happened before. The only feedback I ever get is that they have fun and think I'm some kind of amazing DM (I'm very new to DMing, so all I see is every mistake I made or how things could've been run better), so there's no risk yet that the game's going to fall apart, but when it comes to their opinions on the story and their characters, they don't even seem to realize that seeing them as equivalent to characters in a movie or tv show is a thing. If my players were invested in their characters and the game itself, collecting feedback would be a joy instead of a burden.

[@Casey093]

So what do you do if you get no usable feedback, and every now and then a player just quits? You can only ask so often.

[@skeletonghost610]

It's important to remember that as a GM you are still also playing the game with your friends (or people you ostensibly should be friendly with) Your fun is equally important as everyone else's at the table. Not more, not less. If something is bothering you, communicate that with your group so you can reach a solution rather than letting things fester.

[@KILLRAIN42]

I explained dm'ing and my moods associated with it to my girlfriend like this once: Everyone loves watching fireworks. Everyone does, from the person lighting the fuse to the people sitting by the porch to the person who manufactured them to the person who invented them. But you have to understand there's a difference between the person lighting the fuse and the guy who did the work to put all the pieces together and source them and spent all those hours making sure everything fit together just right all with the knowledge that it's gonna be set on fire and exploded. She's watched me get very frustrated with virtual tabletops and trying to get things in order and watched all the time and effort I spend during my non-work hours to create a bunch of scenarios that I know my players(which include her occasionally) are gonna set on fire and commented that I seem very unenthused. I have to remind her that I'm absolutely enthused, I wanna see the world burn down around me just as much as the players do, I just have to work alot harder to set everything up so they can set it on fire. I love dm'ing, everytime is like it's own little science experiment to see how the players are gonna react to whatever I can beg, borrow, steal, or create for them. I wanna see the pretty colors and flashy explosions same as they do.

[@timblighton6216]

You’re their perfect dm

[@trevorclapham5571]

To save on frustration may I suggest not planning too far in advance and go with the flow of the game. Micro management of D&D is hard to do, especially when you are not in control of the player characters. Maybe you don’t micromanage or plan too far in advance. Just was getting the impression you might (not saying you do).

[@AshAsmodeus]

I 100% feel you... I taught a couple of people how to GM (because they came to me and asked) but they were likewise surprised that my mood on prep, during the session and after the session can vary wildly from eachother and so can my energy levels. When they had their own session 0 they would often connect back to me and tell me they understand now. The amount of effort a GM can put in is astounding and it's only natural to be a little depressed afterwards if, in the actual session, 60% of that will not be touched upon or be a tad angry if it's totally wrecked. It doesn't mean I'm not 300% motivated to do so or not fully invested or not having fun... it just comes with the turf.

[@Vinemaple]

My mother despises fireworks. But that's irrelevant to OP's metaphor, because (one would hope) the people who don't like fireworks (or TTRPGs) are staying home, and not ruining the experience for everyone else.

[@downrightlefthiill8081]

This. Is beautiful. Thank you so much buddy. It really inspires me, I'm trying to be a DM for my buddies. I've never done it before. And this really helps to explain that exact feeling. I'll try my best. ❤

[@witchdoctorwill1796]

I loved/ hated when a future villain popped in for a quick cameo, but the party was way more prepared than I gave credit for. I was shocked. They both worked well together and had some lucky rolls. I was sad to say goodbye to what was supposed to be a recurring villain, but they earned it, much as I hadn't wanted that to happen. Quite a memorable moment, though.

[@nimz8521]

We were playing Dark Sun and we our background was "criminals". We took on a mission and botched it so terribly that we fled the city we were in. After that our DM stopped preparing before games because he had a lot of material for that city...

[@LoveProWrestling]

@@nimz8521 I'd send bounty hunters to catch them and bring them back for trial, then make them a suicide squad type deal, orrrrr, give them a good enough reason to voluntarily return like an old friend in need type situation.

[@milesmatheson1142]

An event which created a power vacuum in the world of villainy, and now somebody even worse has moved into town... Right? Right?

[@greyhunter3271]

I mean. There are plenty of ways to save the villain tho without strong arming it

[@OrangeDragon04]

One of my players wanted to take revenge on a nobleman, who imprisoned their friend for stealing from him. So he and another player snuck into the room he was sleeping in and killed him. This was before I revealed that this guy was a cultist and was responsible for killing that PC's parents. The character died next session when escaping the guards for murder. The other PC that helped him tried to carry him away by flying. Unfortunately, he wasn't strong/fast enough, so he was shot by an arrow. (6 guards with disadvantage - 1 hit) I let them do saves to see if he can hold on, to catch him while he was falling and for the rest of the party to do something, unfortunately, the sorceress who knew feather fall was on her way to the scene and wasn't fast enough. ... Yep

[@therealdoomsage]

"The door is over there!" Are you sure, though? It could be a mimic. Or a door shaped section of hinged wall that can be latched shut, like a door. Or it's a rogue with max ranks in disguise, pretending to be a door, ready and waiting to do nefarious, door-related crimes.

[@Daves_Not_Here_Man_76]

Or it could be an awakened door possessed by a low intelligence demon. Imagine the fuckery you can do if the door has to have a demon exorcized before it can be opened. Doors can be the source of much hilarity

[@mrl9418]

The third is my favorite

[@therealdoomsage]

Day 35: Guy has still not confirmed the location of the door. Time is running out. They are coming.

[@turtlekappa7141]

Day 57: I'm wondering if I took the guildmaster's task of, "hiding in plain sight" a bit too seriously. Either that, or I've become the newest God of stealth. Also, I should definitely tip that wizard for the cloak of the mimic. Oh yeah, I stole it ....drats. Welp I'm just writing this waiting for someone to find me....someone ....anyone?

[@hammeredshitsteak]

If you're a new prospecting DM, please understand that this is just content slop for the youtube pig pen. It's purposefully provocative, and it's target audience is not you, but the sort of folks who love D&D horror stories and other negative slop. No player group is going to hold you to this kind of scrutiny, nor should you blame yourself for toxic player behaviour. You are not a customer service worker, but a fellow player, who is also allowed to explore and express themselves, and above all make mistakes. The hobby has a serious DM shortage problem, and I hope slop like this won't discourage anyone from giving it a go, or sticking with it.

[@shindoko]

Never punish players for being crafty and badass

[@grantbarday5760]

I had a villain who successfully casted Dominate Person on a Player and gave the command “kill then all”, and the player started to kill the villain’s bodyguards because “kill them all” didn’t specify who “them” was. Pissed me off to high hell, but I let it happen.

[@shindoko]

@@grantbarday5760 yea ok that is incredibly crafty as long as after the guards were taken care of he continues onto the party

[@grantbarday5760]

@@shindoko they killed the boss before he got the chance, so unfortunately no.

[@shindoko]

@@grantbarday5760 ok interesting

[@thelorewright]

One of my absolute best experiences as a GM was watching my players team up with a merrow to topple a hag's hut into the lake instead of taking the much more dangerous approach the adventure module said they should take. Sure, they bypassed a number of encounters and traps that I thought would have been interesting, but the whoops of joy as they forced the hag up onto the roof of her destroyed hut to avoid drowning was an amazing feeling.

[@dragonfan8647]

That's sounds like so much fun. 😄 And the best part is that you can still put those cool traps in another dungeon

[@Julien-Limosino-87]

I would have given the proper exp to rewards them :)

[@thelorewright]

@@Julien-Limosino-87 We were running with milestones, so defeating the hag let them level up, but I did add some extra loot as they rifled through the remains of the hag's hut.

[@mikeb.1705]

Exactly as it should be! The best part is that years later you and the players will have that awesome memory that only happened because they "went off the rails" and did it the way they wanted. I love stuff like that :-)

[@aldemarranthisspaceintenti9852]

I love these sorts of players! As a DM I recommend this perspective. Don't try to win. It doesn't matter how difficult even the BBEG encounter is for the players. What matters is that they feel THEY had to solve the problem. The greatest moments your players will ever experience are when THEY find clever solutions. And typically the more clever their solution, the more it trivializes your encounter, but it increases THEIR satisfaction. Our job as DMs is to present the players with an interesting scene and challenge. Offer them the "roll the dice" solution, but cheer them the most when they find the solution you didn't find!

[@SeeleyOne]

I remember once when my DM had a massive outdoor maze. It was made out of dirt and stone, and the wizard was able to bypass it by casting the Dig spell multiple times as we knew the direction of the goal. The DM shrugged and took it well.

[@The_Custos]

Anhkhegs.

[@PlaidypusPond]

Yeah, good DM for rolling with it. Better than pitching a fit, but as someone who's primarily a player I would rather see what the DM had prepared for the party in the maze. An outdoor maze isn't just an obstacle its a cool environment. Players who ignore story for the sake of solutions are just as annoying as a DM who says "No" to players.

[@SageDarkwind]

DM: "Already, here's a maze. What would you like to do?" Wizard: "I want to dig a hole."

[@SeeleyOne]

@@PlaidypusPond True. Nowadays I would say something. The DM put all that effort into it, might as well have fun with it.

[@ari638]

Accidentally stone-shaped my way out of what was supposed to be a session-long puzzle adventure. I was very apologetic but my dm accepted it and said he could just use the quest in a oneshot sometime

[@mattt9278]

I would add "remember that you are NOT in competition against the players. You're all in it together" which I guess falls under the part that you mentioned that we're all building a story together. I played with a DM that within the first few sessions would have all of the characters backgrounds/resources/etc nullified through no fault of their own. It was super frustrating and really took the fun out of it.

[@TheDoctor1225]

I agree 1000% and that actually led to me not playing D&D of any kind for a number of years (I started with AD&D). DM's and, indeed, the game itself seemed to be built around being adversarial (i.e. manage to roll the stats in the right order to play a Paladin? GUARANTEED to get into a situation where you either (a) die or (b) do something that the DM says is against your morals and so POOF no more Paladin - that kind of thing) and I despised it. Thankfully that changed and when I began to DM, myself, I vowed never to do that. I have a friend who says that he is "way too easy going" but in reality he only is with the people he is afraid will get mad and not come back - with the rest of the group, he's merciless and adversarial. No thanks :)

[@sidscott6064]

I feel a touch of dm vs players is needed for boss fights. I have played in a campaign where we steam rolled everything and combat felt useless like we were the real gods of the universe and any time something would have been a challenge something would help us nuke it.

[@AuntLoopy123]

I told my Mother, when she started playing with us, "The DM's goal is not to beat you. The DM's goal is to challenge you. If there's a TPK, then the DM lost." Mind you, I remember back in the 80's when it WAS player vs. DM, as the norm. That's not nearly as much fun, though, in my opinion. I've played WITH GMs, and I've played AGAINST GMs, and I much prefer WITH. That said, the GM IS supposed to challenge the players. Just make sure that there IS an out and there IS a way to beat the challenge, and that way is not some esoteric thing that nobody's going to think of. Now, if the answer to the puzzle is X, and they think of Y, instead, and THEY MAKE Y WORK, then let them use Y, by all means. Don't say, "Well, that WOULD work, but the correct answer is something else, and you haven't guessed it, yet, so back to the drawing board. Oh, and the timer is still ticking." Let them have the wins they have earned, even if they're not the wins you had planned!

[@francisvassallo6757]

They think they're playing a game against me. Unbeknownst to them, we're all writing a story together.

[@creationzikaz4836]

@@AuntLoopy123 Uh? Why would the DM lost if there’s a TPK? I’m confused.

[@quesoblanco444]

A couple months ago, my GM kept ignoring me during a game. I wanted to question an NPC before letting them into the house of the guy we were hired to guard. The DM just refused to acknowledge what I was saying. When the NPC got inside, they were an assassin, who attacked our client. One other person at the table got annoyed, but the regulars were all used to this, and just let it slide. After the game I said to the GM, "It really seemed like you were just ignoring me so your NPC could get inside." He said, "It does? Well, I don't see it that way." End of conversation.

[@aliciaantoniadis9100]

That makes me very sad to read. I wish you the best of luck. Sincerely, Alicia

[@ttrev007]

sounds like a railroader

[@Zenas521]

Sounds like the GM needs a reality check. If they fail the check, you need to find a different GM, or maybe become a GM yourself.

[@chazzitz-wh4ly]

He couldn’t find a way for his assassin to find a work around? Kinda one-dimensional and poorly ran.

[@somecallmetimelderberries432]

Wow.

[@millersj]

Regarding your tenth point, it's also important to identify your scope as a GM. It's *a lot* of work, and it helps if your players divvy up other responsibilities the GM doesn't need to micromanage. Things like scheduling, snacks, or even clarifying rules to other players who are learning (assuming you have another ambitious player with a copy of the rules in front of them). That's a fast track to burnout if the weight of everything is on your shoulders while the only expectation your players have is to simply show up and play.

[@The_Custos]

Delegate

[@timblighton6216]

A big “yes” to this.

[@isaaclawson3126]

I built a game for my adult kids. If there is a NPC of any sort it has a sheet, right down to bunnies. Every environment has its own creatures and story line. Day one was character development for my players and everything was moving great. Day 2, they caused a zombie apocalypse. I still laugh remembering back then. The game started in 2018, still going.

[@PxSkills]

Sounds super fun to be honest, how did they start the apocalypse?

[@isaaclawson3126]

Sorry it took so long to respond, KZbin doesn't send me notifications. Pity from me, to be honest, caused it. My youngest tried to play the way my older kids played. He was a paladin and defied his order by sacking a small town. In this game a paladin loses its powers for not following the order. He was on the run from two of my strongest NPCs at the time. He hid in an abandoned mausoleum where he met my map 1 super villain Zylla Shade, who almost ended his game. Instead, she gave him a deal. Become a Nonducor knight, my version of Death Knight, and raise her lieutenants across the map from the dead or die and become one anyway. At that point, I control his character. He took the deal and surprisingly did the job. Everyone else set out to destroy his efforts. He was outnumbered and asked Zylla for the power to raise more people from the dead for defense. She did. He raised everything he came across. Made deals with the lieutenants to raise an army for Zylla. Battles have been raging ever since. So far, I have 8 large nation maps, and only one person has followed my original storyline and character Wehawke to the 2nd map, lol. Ravensgate is way more than an isolated zombie apocalypse.

[@alexwaddington9808]

Crossing my fingers I'm on the list so I can be a player for once Edit: *sad forever DM noises*

[@ismirdochegal4804]

Pets you on the back. Interesstingly as a Gamemaster I developed a note taking technique, that works fine for me. But as a player, I don't use this technique and rarely even take notes. Once I showed up at the table and had totally forgotten what my character was capable of and how the mechanics worked.

[@alexwaddington9808]

@@ismirdochegal4804 lol, same. I once got so used to mutli-attack/action surge as a fighter, by the time we reached the BBEG, I realized my 1d8 battlemaster dice were supposed to be d12s (aka I also missed d10s level up)...

[@dodde216]

@@ismirdochegal4804 What is your note taking technique? If you dont mind sharing that is

[@InSanic13]

I don't know what your group situation is, but I can tell you that what worked for me (in avoiding the forever GM situation) was setting up a rotation where everyone takes turns GMing short campaigns in systems of their choice.

[@ismirdochegal4804]

@@dodde216 It is Linking Information about persons, events and locations on paper. When writing, I leave space free for location and space free for people. The rest is scribbled with bullet points about what is happening. The bullet points also get symbols. For example, a sword for a fight, or an exclamation mark for a contractor. In addition, people get the letter K and a number (K for known; fg K04). Locations get an L (L02). Between two sessions, I try to write as much as possible of the notes and my memories of what happened as formulated sentences to go with the notes. In addition, the most important things about the person (K04) and the location (L02) are summarised in Known and in Locations. The symbols and indexes are highlighted so that I can quickly flip between them.

[@ProfArmitage218]

If you devise elaborate storylines around the social interactions between NPCs without pausing to ask "How do the players actually get involved in this scenario?" I almost made that mistake in a Champions game, planning a doomed romance between two NPCs and then realizing that the players wouldn't have actually been doing anything.

[@The_Custos]

For realism, some npcs should have existing relationships and interactions the players can get a sense of via play. Players don't always have to be the centre of the world.

[@ProfArmitage218]

This would have been a romance between two NPCs, one of them seemingly dies, then they eventually return from the dead, and are then later revealed to have become a villain. Significant plotline, no direct player involvement. Inspired by Goliath and Demona at the start of "Gargoyles".

[@Lurklen]

@@ProfArmitage218 Not necessarily a problem, it all depends on how much screen time you're giving them and why. Like if I'm in that game, and there's a bunch of scenarios where me and the party have to sit around and watch this romance play out while we do nothing, that's boring. Alternatively, if this is something that we just notice happening ("You see the prince and the captain of the guard become flustered as their eyes meet at the strategy meeting.") as we go through our adventure, we can get as involved or not as we like, and it only intrudes as much as we involve ourselves, or have to react to NPC motivations. Maybe it's just something we notice while we're busy adventuring and we all have a laugh at this relationship playing out between unlikely partners or the like (Or depending on the scenario, use this information to our advantage), or maybe if we want to we can become involved and help one of them muster the courage to get with the other, then there's opportunity for investment. Set it up with opportunities to get me invested, and now *I* care when one of them seemingly dies. Now *I* care when one of them returns as a villain, not only because I possibly care about their loss, but because possibly I care about the other NPC as well. But even if this is just something that plays out in the background with important side characters, it only becomes problematic when you are forcing the players to focus on it whether they like it or not. It's okay for the world and the NPC's to have drama playing out, it's just not fun if the players are doing the equivalent of watching a movie for long stretches of time and feel like their hands are tied while hearing about it.

[@FongBot]

I always enjoy these videos. I have used "we're a bunch of adults playing pretend" for years now when someone gets all worked up over a game. But you know what you're right, I should be more specific and spell it out more. Definitely gonna include elves and fairies on the list.

[@The_Custos]

Not taking it seriously was one of his weakest points, because good prep and caring about players' wants is also part of taking the game seriously.

[@rallyfeind]

Not doing the homework of being a DM and the idea of not taking the act of being as some noble or glorious task are different context. Should the DM penalty xp or rolls if you forgot a pencil in the same thoughts? The message about it all being a shared responsibility for a group having fun is a great point that is the point overall.

[@suicune2001]

I had a DM who took himself and pretty much everything WAY too seriously. To the point he even fiddled with my character card to make it how HE wanted it. As someone who is visually impaired, having everything touched and moved around irked me to no end and made it so much harder for me to play. I hated having him as a DM and refuse to play with him again.

[@oz_jones]

Yeah no, i would have thrown hands. It's one thing to alter the spell list because the BBEG did something "lol no more fire bolts in the world" but that's just rude

[@Calebgoblin]

Honestly with mooning the big bad bit, I feel like it is fully and entirely in a DMs purview to via annoyed at this behavior and admonish it, if there has already been as session zero that establishes a tone for the game, and the player is deliberately rebelling against that agreement

[@josephperez2004]

Hehe, for number 5, I felt not offended that a player would moon a BBEG, but gleeful to remind that player that until they use an action to properly pull up and secure their pants, they have a -1 Ac penalty and will need to roll an Acrobatics check whenever they move more than 10 feet to avoid falling prone. Not a huge issue since its probably a Cleric, but something to remind them of consequences for their actions while still letting them do as they do (removing protective coverings fight before a fight is a bit awkward and risky, you can do that if you want but just be ready to own it).

[@Washeek]

Hi there. From experience as both the GM and a player, this type of behavior has several possible reasons and most of them are as Guy puts it failures in communication. The issue is that it's extremely difficult for you as a GM to make sure whether the player is being deliberately obstinate or not. There could have been a miscommunication in session 0. - Very typical. Also just because 20 sessions ago you made an agreement does not mean it cannot be renegotiated. The moment is too serious and the player is trying to alleviate the pressure (it's analogous to nervous laughter). They are possibly trying to express something about their character - bravery? goofiness? Trying to rile up the BBEG? They are bored with the game. From their perspective the moment is epic, while to you the GM it feels disrespectful. - See Braveheart with Mell Gibson - epic mooning scene there. I for one whenever I see the Haka dance from Australia I have trouble to stop myself from laughing, some other people get chills and goosebumps. If you read through these and imagine those situations, surely you will agree, that it is far more productive to stop the game and figure things out than to try and punish the player behavior. And if you cannot work things out with the players, then staying in a game/group where you're in an adversarial role to the player/players is just wasting your life. Sometimes even booting off one offending player from the group is an option, sometimes it has to dissolve and you have to start with someone else, sometimes you just need a pause.

[@AbyssalDrake88]

You've given me a lot to consider about my approach to games. I think sometimes I have trouble letting go or not feeling like I should be entertaining all the time. Thanks.

[@Lord_Godd]

I definitely feel like I should be entertaining all the time. Or maybe I'm worried that people will have less fun if I am not maximizing the entertainment, that the world needs to be constantly dynamic, even without the players input.

[@The_Custos]

The list has many problems, but if you are steadily improving f*ck him and his idea that you shouldn't be dming if you have some faults and issues.

[@Tiyev]

Honestly, I'd live for a game where I as a player could just interact with NPCs and other PCs, rather than a game master feeling like they have to get to the next plot point of the module or adventure book.

[@Puzzles-Pins]

​@@TiyevThis has been some of my more successful sessions. Last one the PCs just interacted with each other for 2 hours before even entering the dungeon. They all had fun and so did I, even though I was mostly just sitting there being entertained by them. It's the GM's job to set the stage, but the players are the stars. Everyone should have an active role in creating the experience.

[@TheBearMoose]

I've had to overcome hanging onto my creations, whether it be NPCs or dungeons. "No! That's not what's supposed to happen!" Says who? That was admittedly hard to get past, but the games are more enjoyable for me since I did! Players will never follow your expectations or plans, so just have fun and let them enjoy their achievements. 😁

[@The_Custos]

Yeah, but there can always be consequences. I don't mean vengeance, I mean if they are knocking off or offending npcs, have fun altering the world and reactions.

[@TheBearMoose]

@Custos Oh, totally. I just used to take it kind of personally if they just blew past something I worked hard to set up. I am learning how to better assign consequences through videos like these though. I don't think I really held players accountable for stuff like that previously. So much to learn...

[@thrahxvaug6430]

I think a solid one I would add to all those is. "You are supposed to have the fun too." From personal experience. I was running into the issue were I would try to prep ahead of the players by asking them what their plans were. I would spend a lot of time putting things together I think is fun ahead of where they were planning. They would be aware of this too. And then come next session they just... didn't. Which would be really stressful. I'm expecting them to go heist this stronghold and then they just don't even go to the stronghold. I had to sit down and talk with them about all of it. They started to understand that they were making the game unfun to keep up with no matter how hard I tried. I do my best work and they have the most fun when I get a bit of extra time to cook to make it special. I do my best not to make something linear and keep them having agency. They should be respecting your part in all of it as a world builder, map maker, and NPC puppeteer as much as you should be respecting the players wants and moves. You should be able to have the fun villain monologue as much as they can moon and flip off the villain as a response.

[@fitz8923]

Any time someone asks me to explain D&D to them, I usually give them a nice and compelling explanation about fantasy and choice and consequence. And then conclude by saying, "but basically, it's just advanced Pretend."

[@Daves_Not_Here_Man_76]

That is exactly what D&D is. Pretend with a whole lot of "see what kind of fucked up thing we can get away with". People who try to keep the character alive aren't playing the game nearly as fun as it can be. I reward suicidal stuff as long as it's awesome. They either win or die in such a way that songs about that will become intregal to the game. I've built entire cults around players that died in an outrageous way. Cults that overthrew the local lord and had to be put down by the party because it was funny

[@fitz8923]

@David Larson I run a pretty serious campaign with a dark homebrew setting. But my friends are all hilarious and I give out DM inspiration to anyone that makes me laugh lol it doesn't matter the setting, players will be players. And players are silly little gooses 😂

[@The_Custos]

More complicated and more to it than that. If it was just pretend, why do I have to prep? Why are there maps? Rules? Cultures? It's storytelling, interaction, and the machinery behind it, not to mention the history of gaming and many influences. "Pretend" is a lazy summary.

[@selkiara1272]

My current campaign has mainly been the players destroying the world, city by city, with bad decisions from level 1-10, everyone but one person dying, recruiting everyone's backup character into the party and filling them in on what happened... Only for everyone to realize they were the baddies from 1-10 and setting out to undo the mistakes of party A. They are now level 11 and heading to the ruined Mage's Guild to close the po0rtal of endless winter the Wild Mage got the god of chaos to open for them.

[@doernhunt9601]

Lol its ampt that a group of players is having a much harder time saving the world than ending it

[@Jeffcostarica]

My thing is that I am not comfortable raising the risks and see a character die in my table. But I learned that this is this is a decision to be made, in order to let everyone have fun as it should be. So, yeah, gotta give the players what they want/need. :)

[@angrytheclown801]

There's many games where you can raise the stakes as high as you want and death never becomes an issue. Saturday Morning Action Hour and Toon immediately spring to mind. SMAH is what it sounds like, 80s Saturday morning cartoons, and Toon is based on the old looney tunes and Disney cartoons we all love. You run out of HP, you're knocked out, or with Toon, flattened, Swiss cheese, or whatever. Comedy RPGs tend to have very low death rates except Paranoia.

[@Puzzles-Pins]

That's more something that depends on the group. Some groups want it hard, and death is one mistake away. Others will be real upset if the character they spent a lot of time and energy developing dies because a goblin got real lucky with his crossbow. It's always gonna be a balance though yeah. Just try to set clear expectations and hold to them. 😊

[@Jeffcostarica]

@@Puzzles-Pins thx you! I just made the decision to make it harder, so they can enjoy it. The hard part was to take the decision, but I remembered that they asked for it... haha!

[@luminous3558]

@@Jeffcostarica Also keep in mind that there are many ways to revive a player if things do go wrong. Either the players have the spells and gold for it or the DM does some narrative stuff with the Dark gifts from the DMG to revive the player but at a cost which can lead to future story and roleplay opportunities.

[@THEPELADOMASTER]

In my opinion, if there's never a risk of death, then the stakes never matter because the players will always succeed. In my latest session, the party of five level 5s went into an assassin's hideout. There were 8 spies and 6 slightly less powerful assassins. It was a difficult fight, by the end they were almost out of spells and everyone was very low in health. BUT, they didn't fight every enemy. They brought 10 guards with them, and although all the guards ended up dying, they did kill most of the spies and one assassin. That was a good decision on their part, and having more enemies to fight could've been very bad for them. If they had gone in on their own, someone could've easily died. But they didn't, they played tactically, they got reinforcements and they won.

[@EverydayMick]

You lost me with the very first point. I mainly play by post these days, and I’ve been lucky enough to find a group of excellent writers, people who both play and GM. I read back through the adventures from time to time. There’s definitely a place for people who take role playing seriously.

[@Logan_Baron]

I don't keep track of my keys, my medical records, even my car title, nor when I did what (like when I last changed my furnace filters) but I do keep track of my worlds history and all the stuff the players have done, discovered, and collected. That's important.

[@garylane6227]

I love seeing how my players approach problems. I have learned over 45 year of playing and DMing RPGs that players will ALWAYS come up with things you never thought of and most of the time it is fun to see. As a GM it is not only your job to adjucate it fairly, but to maybe even judge things to let it work if is creative and makes the game more fun.

[@omynus]

There seems to be a recurring theme of "don't be so serious" in the early tips. I agree with that in part - that's healthy advice for life in general - but in the same breath, I do want SOME degree of gravity in my games. I daresay more gravity than levity, to be honest, and that's a personal preference. Humor and silliness are very different things. The Hound was one of the funniest characters in Game of Thrones, but he did it in a way that preserved the bleak and dangerous air of the setting. I don't believe it's a GM-sin to want to recreate that kind of atmosphere in your game. There's certainly a wrong way to do it, but it's not anathema to find excessive silliness a little boring.

[@olavjensen1590]

Number 11: A vengeful GM/DM. Example: Player(s) kill someone that the GM/DM are not happy about being killed. GM/DM then plots a vengeful act against those players or that specific player that "crossed" him/her, and enact it out.

[@BoojumFed]

To be fair; if the *_players_* kill someone, they should be reported to the police.

[@kasane1337]

The only time I use this is when the PCs kill a character who has connections - which means that I will not try to artificially punish the player for their behaviour, but if the PCs e.g. just kill an important person from a criminal organization, they will sure as hell get into trouble with said organization.

[@josephperez2004]

​@BoojumFed Though it should be kept in mind if they COULD be reported. If the PCs go into a dungeon with an NPC assisting them, then decide to murder the NPC once they have gotten all the treasu treasure, it's unlikely a random monster from the dungeon they may have missed is likely to go out to report to the authorities. Now, the NPC could have family who are very sad, who may want to PCs to retrieve the body or ask how the NPC died, and if the players are suspicious or evasive, maybe they have a feeling something is up. You could take the choice to kill an NPC and add an undercurrent of uncertainty, and perhaps even in a long time frame game, pull a Princess Bride. " My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

[@BoojumFed]

@@kasane1337 Those are PCs, not *_players_* . ;^)

[@BoojumFed]

@@josephperez2004 Those are PCs, not *_players_* . ;^)

[@CavernadoLekkis]

The door is not the only way. One can play solo by using a oracle. Then they can be serious as they want, protect their world from being destroyed and so on. Moreover, it is really fun. 😊

[@linkatronic]

Recently discovered your channel while I'm looking to elevate my GM skills for a game I run with my kids. Thanks for all the great content!

[@Tachi2407]

Kinda bad advice in the first half. " You have to just accept whatever your players do and adapt to please them" is often repeated garbage that leads to burnout. If I want to run a serious game, then I say it's a serious game, if players agree to it then start doing slapatick jokes in-game or start shooting puns at the villain, I'll gently ask them to leave. If I want to run a lighthearted game and somebody tries to torture an NPC, I'm gonna ask them to leave. If somebody tries to use an exploit or relentlessly min-max just for the power trip, I'm gonna ask them to leave. A game has a social contract underlying it and it's certainly not "anything players want is fair game". As you said yourself, making a game great is not just on the GM and asking them to cater to anything a player comes up with is a great way to always have a shortage of them.

[@CarlosChagas-jx7qq]

What you mean with "relentlessly min/max"? Because if I even can choose my attributes and build, I am the one who ask to leave haha

[@garrettwhite3922]

I am terrible at notes so instead I get the players to submit logs (either in or out of character) for rewards after session. I get notes on what the players are attaching themself to and often switch directions based on them.

[@DoctorLazers]

I feel like "taking yourself seriously," is being equated to "Having an ego."

[@user-ct9jo4kp7z]

When I first started running a Star Wars campaign with my group, I tried to set up a near unwinnable scenario for the group where the villain of the campaign was making them choose between two very bad outcomes. While most of the group was discussing how to proceed, I answered seemingly innocuous questions from one player about how the trap was set up, reasoning about how remote signals would be transmitted, how the electrical system of the trap was set up, etc., forcing me to come up with the mechanics on the fly. He then proceeded to roll the communications skill, one of the most useless skills in the gam, to completely disable the trap and negate the entire conflict of the session. I was completely flabbergasted, then just laughed and learned a very valuable lesson about running campaigns.

[@liamwalsh4008]

Vindictiveness in GMs is absolute poison. The sort of petty person who feels that what the players are doing is stupid and nonsensical in comparison with the GM's secret conception of the universe, and feels the need to punish players for doing things that the GM deems intellectually sub-par, after presenting an extremely limited array of options, none of which leads to a worthwhile outcome, forcing the players to improvise. This after rolling their eyes and saying "uhhh, oooooookaaaayyy" like the player is a slow child, who somehow doesn't have omniscient awareness of whatever setting-parameters/universal laws the GM has dreamed up for the scene and kept hidden from the players. Then having some bunch of invincible antagonists appear out of nowhere to put the character (read: player) in their place, followed of course by the mandatory victim-blaming of the player for being stupid enough to get themselves into that situation in the first place. Not that any specific example that I might still be bitter about 3 years later springs to mind or anything... 😅

[@malteschaper3782]

It's highly subjective of course but for me, the last point was the most important: I definitely have to learn to share the responsibility of my gaming sessions. Thanks for the list and the ecouragement.

[@delraelnavarre9922]

Loved the video. Loved the dry humor overlaying the serious and thoughtful advice. Newer DM/GM/Whatever-you-desire-your-initials-to-be, this is worth the quarter of an hour to watch. I really don't have any bugbears in my games, just trolls. Lots and lots of trolls, and I'm fresh out of torches. Liked and subscribed.

[@Icosiol]

I might have missed it, but Rule 11: If you see your role as DM vs Players… 🚪.

[@KarizmaSan]

Number 10 hit me a bit I think I've been so focused on trying to be the best DM I can be that forgot to let myself have fun doing it on occasion and have taken to much responsibility for entertaining the party. The rest of the video thankfully has reassured me that I'm doing just fine and should carry on.

[@tristansutton2956]

Nothing brings me more joy, than creating a awesome bespoke monster with creative new abilities, and seeing my players destroy it in ways even the Geneva Convention couldn't even imagine

[@CRandyGamble]

Excellent information as always, Guy. Being a DM is not for everyone but it's more than people think. This is a great guide to rule out bad habits and those who would make for a miserable time at the table. That last point is my toughest. I do feel like it's my job to make the game fun but you're right, I need to let go. Looking forward to starting a new campaign soon with your sage advice as my guide.

[@Libertangoagrario]

i think that one of the main problems in the first half of the couting is that the objetives of players and GM do not align. because if a create a world and the players do not care for it. theres a problem and if it is the other way, theres a problem. all the table needs to play their role

[@aqualust5016]

Now I want to see the video that critiques player behavior because, as many of us know, respect and decorum at the table is a two-way street

[@sewingepiphanies]

there are many problem-player videos =)

[@jeffprzybylo7533]

Spot. On. Love your videos, Guy. Might be first time I’ve commented. These 10(ish) things are what I’ve been learning for 30 years, and what I’m trying to instill in my kids who are starting to GM for their friends. Thanks!

[@junglejoe40]

This is by far the best GM advice video I've ever seen, including all the countless GM sections in rpgs I've read. Helps me understand why I felt so frustrated with my last GM. Your experience really shines through here. Thank you!

[@The_Custos]

Pretty poor list. Contradictory in parts. A dm that prepares has to take what they are doing seriously and bring that prep into play. Not every dm is strong, we all have weaknesses, if we went out the door we wouldn't improve.

[@junglejoe40]

@@The_Custos it's not a "how to gm guide", it's a "how to relax, give over some control, and have fun" guide. put more narrative responsibility onto players, make world building collaborative as it shouldn't be about the GM's prep all the time, and enjoy the game. I've played a ton of games and the gm always takes way too much responsibility for prep and fun. it's not the gm's job to entertain everyone, that's way too stressful and the main reason why (in my experience) most gm's over prep and create a setting or world or even adventure that has little room for change or adaptation.

[@mythsmith5477]

For me, getting your descriptions of the scene across to the players is very important. So someone that doesn't have the terminology of the world your in. ( Cyberpunk, gothic horror, space travel. ) or has a hard time describing, will have a hard time as a GM.

[@BerndXYCV]

As someone whose first DnD campaign being a player was full of chickens that ran around in the forest with machine guns and cars driving by the DMs house becoming in canon cars, I just want to say that it is not wrong to have some respect about your own game world and the things happening in there. I mean you can have a silly or a more serious campaign but the important thing is that you communicate that with the players. I for one (and probably many other players) would love to have a DM who makes a more serious campaign, so don't be discouraged by the first point✌

[@PurrsPlace]

Guy, this is solid gold and I thank you so much for it! This... needs to be said and because of you, it has been. This is the part where I share this now. Again, you have my honest gratitude (and your team for making it all look and sound great too)! =) As for things to add to this list... (NOTE: This reply of mine turned out to be Much Longer than I thought it would be! Enjoy? Hah!) ... do not play if you are not feeling right to DM. Like... being sick. I don't even mean contagious sick; I mean, you should be in bed and taking good care of yourself (preferably with your friends/players wishing you the best and helping where they may!). If you have the kinds of players that demand you show up no matter what, then these are not your friends and show *them* the door. If you do not have the backbone to stand up for yourself, and you are DMing just to have company (especially bad company), STOP IT! Please. You are wasting their time and yours. If you are not having fun, then you will regret it. You will have wasted time which is what life, ultimately, is made up of. And no, you can't get that time back. If you cheat... just to "win" at your gaming table. Go away. If you cannot be trusted, go play with yourself, er, find some other hobby where no one need rely on you and your inability to stop lying. If the game feels more like a job than a game, stop playing. RUN for the door. If you cannot help but play favorites - get-eth out-eth and NOW-eth. People will always how you made them feel. And when you are sprinkling little rewards to the people whom you don't find are your favorites (perhaps you think they are LUCKY to be having to share a table with you? Hmmm? Are you that person?), and you fail to notice their drawn faces and frowns when you lean over, smiling, to YOUR favorite and flip through the Dungeon Masters Guide in front of the rest of your players while you and YOUR favorite decide on YOUR favorite's reward - THIS week? The doorknob turns to the right. Then you pull. Then you walk yourself outside. Maybe, you know, touch grass? If you demand of your introverts to be extroverts, or you demand of your extroverts to be introverts, then sail on away from that gaming table. Life is not all about you. Introverts need the same affection as extroverts - they just have a much harder time asking for it (and, NO, they are NOT acting). Extroverts need the opportunity to express themselves (without overdoing it) and if they are told to "shut up" or are otherwise gagged by you - then go look at that welcome mat from its upside-down position - and keep walking until you are outside and far away from it. If you demand that players buy every last book, perhaps books they cannot rightly afford and HONESTLY don't need - goodbye! Have them buy the book(s) they need and perhaps share them? Let them use your copy (you DO have a copy of what your players need, don't you?). (This list is a lot longer than I first imagined it would be! Thank you, Guy & Co.!) If you cannot respect the rules of the household that you are playing in, don't be a DM. Learn respect and practice it. If someone doesn't want you smoking in their house, and you light up because you think you are God, don't be DM. Oh. And ah... a little secret here for you? You're not God! If you cannot be counted on to help players who genuinely need the help - don't even THINK about being a DM! What? One of your players has a serious cat allergy and can't play in your Feline Dominion? If they play, they'll become... inconvenienced to say the least? Then do something wise about it - play elsewhere, air out the house if that helps, but think of the people you play alongside. Psst! Your Cat isn't God either! Regardless of what you think They're telling you. If you have players that are new to roleplaying and aren't getting it, and you can't be bothered to help them? Especially if the cause is something they honestly can't do anything about like a brain disorder, emotional issue(s), injury, or the like? Don't bother with the door. Jump your selfish ass out the window. Face first. Oh, you're a few stories up? Get a running start. (I'm not serious about that, but you the get the point, I'm sure.) Do you have players that don't speak your language as well as you like, but they are still your players? Don't demand of them that they instantly do things your way! Better yet? Don't DM. You'll just make the rest of us look bad - and worse, you'll drive them away when they could be enjoying, laughing, and playing pretend instead. Have a problem turning down your music because it puts you in the mood even though IT'S SO LOUD NOT EVEN YOUR PLAYERS CAN UNDERSTAND YOU? Out. And take your soon-to-be-hearing-damaged-self with ya. Are you not the kind of person who can play when non-players are watching? Perhaps the mother or father or both who have no idea what you're doing, but would like to silently watch out of curiosity from the other room (you know, in the house they are providing?)? Now... I'm not saying don't DM on this one - I AM saying respect their household in a different way and understand that YOU are an ambassador of roleplaying games! The more welcoming you are, perhaps the more often you and yours will be invited back to play together (even if you live there if you get my meaning). Are you not playing with one or more of their offspring? Have they no right to see what's going on? Try to get used to it and be warm about it if you can. It probably won't be easy, but if the very idea revolts you or steps on your Altar of Boundless Independence, shoo. Finally, if you're the kind of "DM" that can't be bothered to show up on time, don't DM. What? You LIKE the idea of making everyone wait on you? You all AGREED to meet at "x" hour and you just don't feel like their feelings mean anything so you don't even bother getting out of bed until that hour? Or worse, you decide to play other games while they wait on you? Surprise! The planet Earth is not here to please and satisfy your needs. Oh. And but we've invented doors! You have to be a jerk? Time for you to try a door and see yourself out. It's just magical how you'll free yourself of the burdens of playing with other human beings. Folks, there are SO MANY WAYS to do gaming well! Get to know the likes/dislikes of your players and respect them. Be the first to bring a real spirit of contribution to the table! Smile! Enjoy the game, even if it's going badly (sometimes especially if it's going badly)! Guy is right - you cannot take yourself too seriously over a game! The sooner you learn these ropes, and the sooner you find the kind of gaming group that you can enjoy being a part of (as there are many kinds and not all kinds are compatible), the sooner you can enjoy Good Times and create lasting memories for ALL of you smile at for... maybe the rest of your entire life! I'm not kidding! Life is what you make of it. Don't be afraid to share, to be yourself, and compromise with those who would be your friends! =)

[@SuperTamaru]

I clicked on this video with dread. I'm soon going to run my first TTRPGs as the Storyteller. At the end I was relieved that I have barely any traces of the listed traits. At most I know I have issues with notes and stuff, but I've been doing my damndest to make notes in advance that can be edited and expanded upon as the play goes on. Starting out as a new Storyteller is terrifying, but I'm also very excited, and knowing that I'm not in any of these pitfalls have reassured me that I'll be able to create enjoyable experiences together with my players. Thank you for this video.

[@Cornu341]

Have fun. It is stressful and rewarding at the same time

[@ombrascura]

I cannot even begin to state how useful this channel is for a beginner! Keep up the good work!

[@robertb7293]

The 'if you cannot bear to see the stuff you made get destroyed' rule is one that I love to operate by. The bulk of the cities in my setting have deliberate slate wiped clean conditions. Stuff like proximity to a dam, or sleeping dragon, or other neighbours, whose function is to help players wipe solid chunks of the cities infrastructure should they stuff up bad (or well) enough. ALL locations exist in a state of quantum OSHA violation at all times.

[@angrytheclown801]

Really, me and my players have an unspoken compact: If they don't destroy my stuff, I will. Nothing is permanent, everything is ephemeral. My Rule 0a, 0b, and 0c are Rule of Cool, Rule of Fun, and the Electric Guitar Flamethrower Guy from Fury Road. If it's fun for everyone, helps the story, and is inherently awesome, game be damned, I'm allowing it. This is why they describe my sessions as a pro-wrestling event or monster truck rally.

[@SchwrtzD]

I feel like somehow you sensed my worries and created a video specifically to ease my mind for DMing with this one (except the notes aspect… working on that!). Thanks for the great video

[@Zedrinbot]

I'm surprised that feedback wasn't given its own point. Being unable to take feedback (whether because you think you're above it, or because you just can't handle it) is a huge problem, cause it removes any avenue for players to voice concerns if they have a problem with how things are being run, and will ultimately just lead to things boiling over with hurt feelings. Being able to be self-reflective is a huge step in preventing this, where you talk about what you wanted to do or wish you did better, and can be a good invitation for players to voice their own criticisms, ideas, and say what they liked/didn't.

[@nicolasespejo3039]

Yoo zedrin, whatsup

[@TonyCrenshawsLatte]

I'm glad that I am far away from many of those pitfalls, but I do have the #6 problem (not keeping good DM notes), and sometimes #7 (trying to do behind-the-scenes stuff and forgetting to listen). Definitely areas to improve upon.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

This is exactly me too…

[@Deka-92]

In my circle of roleplayers, I'm one of the very few people who can keep a group together long enough for a full campaign. My first one was 18 months. Mainly what I do is create the original concept of the world and some initial quests. Then the players are ready willing and able to destroy everything, and in that glorious destruction is the fun. The most fun the group and I ever had is when the party asserted themselves and didn't need me to put a goal in front of them. The party became sentient. It was awesome.

[@colbyboucher6391]

You had a party of GMs, the best kind of party.

[@jimmysanchez9150]

Amazing advice. These are very good tips for new GMs, because when someone starts playing RPGs and wants to be a GM, probably he'll feel like he has to do everything. So it's very useful to know that the players must help making the game fun.

[@zerberus_ms]

2:09 reminds me of when Caleb threw a fire bolt into a hole, and then Mat Mercer just tore a character sheet in front of everyone.

[@NickTheCat_DieGoettlichenZehn]

1. I take the story plot and the world serious, but still love what my players do in it and with. 2. My heart bleeds a little with everything that is changed, bit still have a lot of fun with it. 3. see 1. 4. Oh yes, I laugh at myself not often enough. I am autistic and I prefer to make things right. But I learn to take things easier now and then. 5. My players can do with the NPCs whatever they want. 6. How I keep track of stuff, is far beyond anything healthy almost. Sometimes I have to tell my players to do. 7. As an autistic person, I tend to talk in monologues A LOT. I tend to narrate and I would and will for hours. But I am also a good listener, so ... 8. This I also learn to get along with via our campaign. 9. Whenever one of us, me or them, needs a break, we have a break. I still struggle with it because I am into going on, but I get better. 10. We are luckily some of the most chaotic lunatic and funny people with each other, so even if I am unable to entertain with fun, they will. They feel entertained by me making a serious, real feeling world. Thanks for the video.❤

[@NickTheCat_DieGoettlichenZehn]

To add to this: A bad DM/GM/whatever would be someone who would let topics happen within the game although someone feels uncomfortable with it. Sometimes the game is not right for they player, but most of the time one topic could be erased from the game. Mental health is important.

[@benjie128]

I love giving my players a strong, RAW lethal encounter and they have to utilize their resources and teamwork to overcome. (They're overpowered able to handle way more CR than they technically should)

[@shawnwolf5961]

We need a version of this for players now! Lovely video!

[@SamCVA]

Great Video!I always like to watch these sorts of videos to remind myself and keep myself in check over time. I play online with my group so interjecting is always hard. Because we also play without face cams. lol Love the tips!

[@VarchildMarquee]

Have you done a version of this from a player perspective? I'd love to see those peeves brought to the table for discission. 😂😂😂

[@ismirdochegal4804]

If you lack one of the requirements for a Gamemaster, you can still be a player. If you lack the requirements for being a good player, being a good Gamemaster is even harder.

[@VarchildMarquee]

@@ismirdochegal4804 Yeah, I imagine it would be. I was asking if he'd done a video about what traits not to have as a player because I'm a GM having player problems. That said, I also found a video he did five years ago talking about the types of players and which are good and bad to have in the party. It's not quite the same thing, but it gave me some ideas of where my problem players are coming from. Now I can maybe adapt some things so they're less a problem and more an asset to the enjoyment.

[@bootstrappingcivilization5862]

Stop taking yourself so seriously 😛

[@JayTohab]

"Stop taking yourself so seriously" *BLELELELELELELEL*

[@danw3441]

Yup! Had to learn that one the hard way

[@LikeMadCops]

I love this hobby. So many people have their take on being a DM. I feel like the basics are listen and be a decent human with clear communication and teamwork. Everything else can get figured out.

[@lordheklsmosh9490]

I take my campaign very seriously, my world is where orcs are hyper intelligent, chickens are superheroes, and where cats murder everyone.

[@tjrooger1092]

Session 0 is a great place to get a lot of this sorted too. Some live for the ridiculous. Some do not. Get that sorted early. I tend to run low goofball, slap stickery limited type campaigns. Comedy should happen organically, not because everyone is trying to be as funny as possible all the time... IMHO.

[@insertjokehere212]

Ah, yes! Encourage people to not DM! It's not like we hardly have any DMs as it it!

[@TheAsvarduilProject]

Not everyone is cut out to DM, or at the very least may not be in the right headspace to do it well. I offer that a bad DM is worse than wishing for a DM.

[@seymourbuttz6419]

The fact that this is your takeaway tells me you shouldn't be a GM

[@HLR4th]

Great video! May I add Number Eleven? One should not DM if unwilling to work on the preceding items. We all fall into these behaviors from time to time, but we can work on them and improve. The key is being aware and viewing DMing like any other skill- it takes time, practice and guidance to master. The list with tweaks applies to players as well, as does the need to work toward improvement. Thank goodness we have this channel to aid us on our journey!

[@seymourfields3613]

DMs play to lose. If you can't do that, you will instantly be antagonistic.

[@jewabeus]

I was worried at the start, but, hey, you've built up my self-esteem with this video. I feel better about my DMing style. Thank you.

[@nohashtagshere4116]

Don’t tell me what to do.

[@liamwalsh4008]

@@cold_static Don't tell him what how not what to look like.

[@cylankail]

I learned a few of these points the hard way. I just started attempting to DM for my group. I do put a lot of stress on myself (only three sessions in, so I am still a greenhorn) and through feedback and being open with my friends I am learning to step back and re-evaluate how I am doing things. The #1 problem I have, and this is probably just something I will overcome with experience, is stage fright. I get SO NERVOUS that my mind goes blank and I forget words. Then I stumble to pick the momentum back up. So yes, the stress I put on myself to run a game that catches attention is something I have to overcome. I’m trying something new this weekend. This advice I am sure will come in handy!!

[@Immortan_JoJo]

Fantastic video and great call out piece! I tend to not take as much notes as a GM as I should anf in game when excited I cut off others. Hearing this is a good wake up call.

[@tarrker]

Solid list! Just about what I would expect. I'm very good at some and very bad at others. Which, I'm sure, is the case for most the DMs watching. Something I didn't expect, however, is that I'm also TOO good at some as well. Listening especially. I'm simply no good at cutting off talkative players. I love when players get invested in the material and I tend not to notice when they sort of go ham because that's when I'm having fun as a DM. What I'm trying to say here is that, your video reminded me of something I need to work on with my groups and, I'm grateful. I definitely need to work on sort of cutting off chatty players when other players seem like they're not getting enough prime time at the table. :)

[@EksaStelmere]

Joke's on you. All of my players are in a race to create the most epic tale possible without my input.

[@shay212]

I'm both excited and kinda terrified about DMing for the first time. Especially because two of my players are my DM's for different games and I want them to have as much fun playing as I've had playing in their games. Videos like this really help with taking a step back from the nerves and feel more confident about running a game, and gives me the language I need to address things that might come up. Thank you. ^^

[@thomasengstrom1525]

This is very good stuff...Thank you!!

[@Eisenwulf666]

Food for thought, definetely. I think we all have made these mistakes,i know i have at various points during my GMing life. The "adults playing pretend" is something i try to remember when i or one of my players is stressed out by something happening at the table. It doesn't happen often but it happens once in a year maybe. One "trick" i've found works wonders is running some pre-written module: less prep time, no involvement with the NPCs or the story, you can sometimes laugh at how some stuff just doesn't make sense together with the PCs, you have a clear idea of what is coming next.

[@SquirrelGamez]

1- I always have funny stuff in my games. 2- 100% expect players to destroy stuff. It's what players do. If you don't want PCs to break stuff, make them not want to. 3- GMs create scenario outlines. Players create their own story within it. Sometimes they have great ideas too. 4- I laugh at myself more than my players do. 5- NPCs are supporting cast. That's it 6- I have a pretty good memory of event and I take notes for important stuff. Of course, players should do it too, but GM need to. 7- Yeah that's a given. Listening is one of the most important GM skills. 8- I do interrupt players... not to anticipate what they will say, but sometimes a player goes on and on and assumes nothing else is happening around then. Sometimes, event will happen while someone is talking or doing something IRL, and that should be represented in games. 9- I don't like salad. Also being a bad loser is indeed ridiculous for a GM because you're supposed to WANT to lose. 10- I NEVER believed that, even when I started out. And professional DMs are a plague on the hobby. So yay, I pass. I would only add, "if you can't think on your feet, or improvise, or have poor judgment". Cause those are all necessary things, as necessary as being good at listening.

[@kevoreilly6557]

Ok - watched several times, wrote a long response, but, instead only have 3 things to say 1. The good advice in this is - “you’re here to have fun as well”. Now your fun might come from “building”, but remember this context to “playing”. Best advice is don’t put too much effort into prep; sink cost causes railroads. 2. There are roles at the table beyond playing - who is DMing (usually constant), who is hosting (where we play), who is notetaking (doesn’t have to be the DM), who’s feeding us tonight (should change weekly) …. And what about micro tasks? - whose tracking initiative, who’s tracking damage, who’s moving minis… these are good because they keep the player engaged, rather than the character 3. There is no door. We all sucked at DMing when we started, even Matt Mercer. Give 15 minutes at the end of a session for recap and encourage feedback … this is a great life skill. And most importantly, don’t be a pompous douche.

[@zhontac6194]

I had a campaign I was working on for 13-14 years. It was down to a final battle, the party actually talked to the BBEG. I went into that conversation thinking that no matter what, we would have our final battle. The role-play was incredible, as the party used facts evidence within the campaign setting to persuade the BBEG to stop his plan, and ultimately thwart a greater scope villian. I was so proud and amazed at their work. They had brought the campaign to the point that if I pushed for a fight, I would be having to break character, and violate my player's free will. They did the work, they took the notes, and they ultimately overcame their journey and the largest campaign I ever wrote ultimately and finally came to an end. Those guys were and are amazing and I am so proud to know all of them. If you guys are reading this, I am so happy to know you.

[@sageunix3381]

I Love your passion about these genres of games! Keep up the excellent work.

[@lanceknightmare]

I did not pass the test and have been a dungeon master for around thirty years.

[@johnandrewbellner]

Wow. Great video. Thanks for making it. I have someone in need to send this too.

[@Adrian_Lee6113]

Great list! Letting stuff happen is such a big thing for a GM. I used to be so sad if someone I liked died but that’s kindof the game.

[@pigeonhed2979]

I had a player once who kept doing ridiculous things to the point where I was thinking "I'm going to have to kill this PC because he keeps doing stupid stuff". But I didn't want to have to do that, so I kept modifying every situation so he survived. Then after one session, my buddy asked me why I didn't kill his PC. I told him I didn't want to penalize him for being creative. He said "I'm totally cool with rolling a new character". He had YEARS of experience playing D&D, so it turns out he was trying to teach me (a brand new DM at the time) a lesson. Follow the rules, and sometimes PCs die. Best DM advice I ever received.

[@DoctorInk20]

Legendary "Story Seminar" creator Robert McKee had a good philosophy that I feel ties to most of the point you've made here. I'm paraphrasing a bit, but he more or less said _"If you're overly precious about your work, write novels. If you're open to things changing and evolving for the better when other people come into contact with it, write scripts/screenplays."_

[@mikestanmore2614]

I distinctly remember planning a massive pirate battle to start "The House of Dust and Ash" in Dark Heresy. One of the PCs shouted "Take them alive!" pulled out a grenade launcher, one-shotted the con on the pirate vessel and took it out. So I ad-libbed the rest of the intro and that shot became a highlight of the campaign and a story that was retold whenever a new player joined. From that moment on, whenever the PCs were in a tight spot, and everyone had to let loose, the battle cry "Take them alive!" resounded around the table. 😂

[@blackmage471]

Great video. Introspection is important for GMs and players alike. If you're not willing to make an active effort to improve and be better, don't GM, or play at all really. Keep these videos coming!

[@AFable-sr6gk]

I was skimming through the segment titles and saw "Torture your NPCs" as something in the DON'T DO video and had to skip straight to it. Thankfully you were talking about not taking your NPCs as main characters and more important than player characters and player enjoyment, because "Torture your Characters" is one of the main advice tips I learned in creative writing and add to my games. The NPCs that have pain and hardships are my player's favorite ones. Characters that have survived terrible situations or ones currently experiencing them that the players choose to go and help not because I set it up that way, but because they want to. I had a maid whose mother died and was cursed to be forever in a gentle repose. It was just minor flavoring I did to set up a future villain who was currently working his way in the background. The players jumped at the chance to help her, broke the curse and stopped that villain from becoming the BBEG that I had planned because he wasn't able to complete his plans. That is what I love about the game!

[@jolabrese]

As always, a great list!

[@EspoVenNahive]

Well as a new DM I'm glad to say that I don't believe I have any of these traits or expectations. I'm really excited to do my first games. Thanks for your help!

[@zacht.3432]

This is good advice to reflect on as a current dungeon master. Some of these traits may not be apparent at first but may surface deep into campaigns.

[@BarelyMonthly]

Great advice! Very curious to see more of your shirt.

[@rogergraf1634]

OMG 8:20 is so funny, i'm still laughing and about to fall of my Chair. I Love your Work and all of your Videos. Thanks a lot.

[@genearmstrong9974]

Absolutely some of the best DM Advice ever!

[@inntil]

You need to take one step back when it comes to keeping track of stuff. The players should make the recap, because then you learn what is interesting and what you can build on. You can remember everything in your world, but if the players don't care about something, you might as well forget it.