Deciding to create and host a Dungeon & Dragons campaign can be both an exciting and daunting task. It's the job of the Dungeon Master to create a new world, weave together a fascinating story, and know the rules of Dungeons & Dragons inside and out. However, the enormous responsibility shouldn't shy away players who've considered sitting at the head of the table.

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While being a Dungeon Master can be an intimidating task, it can also be a highly rewarding experience that the other players will hopefully remember for years to come. For anyone considering heading their own campaign, knowing just where to begin is a great first step.

Updated March 30, 2022, by Jason Van Duine: For fans of tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, being a Dungeon Master can seem both scary and exciting at first. While experienced Dungeon Masters will likely know these tips by heart, anyone new to the role might be unfamiliar with exactly what's involved in creating a fun and memorable experience for the players. These tips for first time Dungeon Masters should help players aspiring to fill that role to succeed at the task and hopefully run a successful campaign along the way. Eventually, new Dungeon Masters will become experienced themselves, and these pointers will seem almost like second nature.

11 Know the Players

DnD 5e concept art of various characters facing down an army

The last thing a Dungeon Master wants is to prepare an "intrigue" campaign filled with tense dialogue and negotiation, only to discover that their players expected an action-heavy story. Or vice-versa, where players are thrown into difficult combat with unprepared characters.

Dungeon Masters should prepare the type of campaign their running ahead of time, and tailor that campaign to their players. Players should at least have some idea of what to expect in each session, as well as what flavor of fantasy the campaign will be, so that they can plan accordingly. Dungeon Masters should also consider what kind of campaign their players might or might not enjoy. For example, don't plan a horror campaign if none of the players are into the idea.

10 Understand the Rules of D&D

A set of dice for tabletop roleplaying games

Maybe players can get by if they're a little confused the difference between Intelligence and Wisdom, but not the Dungeon Master. Picking up a copy of Dungeon Master's Guide can certainly help, but Dungeon Masters shouldn't be afraid to consult the internet or other players if anything is confusing.

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Knowing just exactly how combat works or how to handle saving throws can mean the difference between hosting an exciting campaign or hosting a dull one. However, this is ultimately the Dungeon Master's campaign, and Dungeon Masters should also not be afraid to tweak a rule here or there if need be.

9 Prepare The World

DnD concept art of various characters overlooking a series of waterfalls

Perhaps the Dungeon Master knows exactly where the campaign will go, and does absolutely everything in their power to make sure the players head there. But at the end of the day, the players decide what they'll do, not the Dungeon Master. New Dungeon Masters should expect to have players unexpectedly derail their campaign more than a few times per session.

Carefully planning out the world can make it seem alive and exciting, as if there's always something to discover around every corner. And if the Dungeon Master had planned an encounter in one direction, but their players go in another, they can always pick up that encounter and place it in front of the players instead. The players don't know the world, the Dungeon Master does — and they can manipulate it as they like.

8 Don't Be Afraid To Improvise

DnD concept art of various characters in a tavern

While planning ahead is to be expected, as mentioned above sometimes players will do things the Dungeon Master doesn't expect. The best thing to do, and mind the pun, is to roll with it. Thinking on one's feet can capture memorable new characters and unexpected twists that deepen the world the Dungeon Master creates.

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This may take some getting used to, especially to players who aren't familiar with improv. But if an idea pops into the head of the Dungeon Master, they shouldn't be afraid to put it into the game. As far as players are concerned, it was all planned the whole time.

7 Be Descriptive

DnD 5e concept art of various characters facing down a dragon

What players don't want to hear when they walk into a new room is a bland description of everything. The way the Dungeon Master describes a new character or location can say a lot about the atmosphere. A new location can come across as lively, dreary, mysterious, or unsettling based solely on the words the Dungeon Master chooses to describe that location.

This is especially true in horror-themed campaigns, where building the right atmosphere can be key to inducing fear in the players. Of course, it is possible to overdo it. Describing a location or character in too much detail can bore the players, and in certain cases lead to meta-game thinking.

6 Say "Yes" Whenever Possible

DnD 5e concept art of various characters at sea in combat with sea monsters

While writing a Dungeons & Dragons campaign can often feel like writing one's very own novel, Dungeon Masters should remember that they don't have complete control over the story. Sometimes the players will want to take any action that will completely destroy that session or even the entire campaign. It can be tempting to just say, "No, you can't do that." But this kind of dialogue will often leave players feeling frustrated and railroaded, and can take away some of the fun.

The players are both figuratively and literally the stars of the show, and should have the agency to do anything within the realm of D&D possibility. For example, players could (and should) be able to theoretically kill the villain in the very first encounter. This might mean that Dungeon Masters will have to go back to the drawing board, but it will make the players feel as though they have real push and pull within the fictional world.

5 Be Creative During Combat

DnD 5e concept art of various characters fighting a dragon on a snowy mountain

Combat should be the most exciting aspect of any Dungeons & Dragons campaign, but it can be terribly easy for action to feel like a repetitive chore. It might take more than a tough boss or more enemies to get players engaged.

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As with settings, being descriptive during combat can make the ordeal feel fast and exciting. Give players awesome and fun maneuvers to describe their actions during combat. It can also be helpful to find creative and natural transitions between player turns rather than bluntly stating whose turn it is; for example, prompting the next player in the order to react to the previous player's turn.

4 Make It Personal

DnD 5e concept art of various characters

One way to create a memorable Dungeons & Dragons campaign is to tailor it specifically to the characters that players create. Comb through each of their personalities and backstories. Come up with encounters and scenarios that will challenge the characters. Better yet, don't be afraid to incorporate their backstories into the actual campaign.

Doing so will make the world feel alive, and make the players feel as though they have real, personal stakes in the story. Bonus points if the Dungeon Master is able to conjure up a conflict that pits two characters and their ideals against each other. This is a great way to make a campaign feel like a one-of-a-kind adventure rather than a story that just any Dungeon Master could have run with any players.

3 Recap Previous Sessions

Dnd dragons (1)

A lot can happen in the weeks between sessions, so it shouldn't be too surprising if players need a bit of a refresher each time they sit down to play. And that's if sessions can occur weekly; it's doubly true if there are multiple weeks without a session, which can happen more often than one would think. Much like how many television shows recap the events of previous episodes, Dungeon Masters will typically ask if anyone at the table would like a recap of the story so far.

Of course, this also means that the Dungeon Master also needs to keep track of where the story has been so far. While some Dungeon Masters can probably list off the major story beats from memory, most will probably accidentally lose track of a plot thread or two. It's helpful to then write down notes on where the story goes during each session. This can help not only help with recapping the story, but also during sessions, just in case the Dungeon Master might have forgotten something. Not to mention it's also helpful in determining where the story will go next.

2 Add Humor

D&D barfight with a drow and a tiefling

With the popularity of dramatic fantasy stories such as The Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, it isn't uncommon for first-time Dungeon Masters or Dungeons & Dragons players to approach the game with a dramatic angle. Most players, however, find that once the game gets started, it becomes far more enjoyable when players can loosen up and have some fun with the campaign.

This will vary from person to person, but ultimately the goal of the Dungeon Master is to make the game fun for everyone, and a great way of doing that is to have a fun sense of humor. Humor can lead to memorable moments, characters, and encounters that players will joke about throughout the entire campaign. It can also alleviate some stress or disappointment when things don't go the way players wanted. The blow of a critical failure, for example, can be dampened by making the fail a bit more comical.

1 Get Inspiration from Stories

DnD 5e books Tomb of Annihilation, Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide

The point of Dungeons & Dragons is to tell a story, so Dungeon Masters should be well-versed in the art of storytelling. If Dungeon Masters are having trouble coming up with story ideas, looking towards favorite movies, books, and video games can often provide the right spark.

Dungeon Master's Guide also provides many brilliant jumping-off points for narrative ideas and complications, meaning that Dungeon Masters won't be running out of ideas any time soon. The index of the Dungeon Master's Guide also includes a wide variety of books about storytelling if new Dungeon Masters aren't sure where to begin.

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