How to DM

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If you don't have an idea for a campaign, you probably shouldn't be DMing.

>>48936321
well it's either follow a script first so I know how it's done or no one gets to play, since I'm the only one in my group of friends who is willing to learn.

>>48936287
If you won't even go through the effort of reading a book, you probably shouldn't be DMing.

Trust me, I recently encountered someone fucking up a very simple and newbie-friendly game because he thought seeing other GM's in action would be enough.

>>48936287
Just read the godamn book, you lazy faggot.

>>48936287
Actually, it's more important to read the Player's Handbook. That's where all the Class rules and spells are. The DMG is mostly just magic items and advice. The monster manual is monsters.

>>48936350
Or, you know, come up with an interesting campaign idea.

>>48936383
the players handbook wouldnt mention anything like XP or monster levels though would it?

>>48936287
>>48936350
>Unwilling to read one book
>Unwilling to generate any ideas
>wants a script to follow despite being unwilling to read
>of the group, they're the most willing to DM
Your first game is going to be shit.
Accept it.

It's okay though because you all could still end up having a lot of fun.
Don't worry about the fiddly rules in the middle of the game.
Just make something up for the moment and make a note to look it up later.
Explain any mistakes at the start of the next session.

>>48936383
this.
you need to be familiar with the player's handbook and it wouldn't hurt at all to give this a read through: http://media.wizards.com/2016/downloads/DND/PlayerBasicRulesV03.pdf

the more you read, the better you are at DM'ing.

>>48936287
Watch this playlist. It's a goldmine of how to information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8&index=1&list=PLlUk42GiU2guNzWBzxn7hs8MaV7ELLCP_

>>48936533

this guy's great

This is slightly off-topic, but how hard is 5e to learn from Pathfinder? I understand 5e is a streamlined system compared to 3.5, but I've literally never played anything WotC, only Paizo. How long will it take to develop an understanding and appreciation for the lore, and the rule differences?

>>48936287
OP, this is how I learned how to DM
Just read the Players Handbook, (if your lazy or short on time, at least read the level 1 information about your pc classes) and copy/paste a few creature stat blocks from the monster manual onto a sheet of paper
For your first session, prepare one mini dungeon (Literally "Go investigate a house and the McGuffin McGuffin-s" works great), have a loose storyline (The McGuffin was taken by bandits!) and ad-lib the rest. Your PC's are paranoid little bastards and will practically make the story for you. I'll repeat-- ad-libbing is very important.
Also, your first session will be awkward as hell, but you'll get the hang of it towards the end, and you'll have a blast.
Don't forget the first rule, have fun!

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>>48936588
A lot of it will feel like familiar territory. Both PF and 5e stem from an earlier D&D framework. 5e is easier to run IMO, as it requires less memorisation of rules.

>>48936666
I really need to just hurry up and jump ship, my players all prefer 5e, just seems a waste to no longer need all those rules memorized.

>>48936588
5e is considerably simpler. Core mechanic is essentially the same (d20+mods vs DC.), but a lot of things are streamlined (no skill points, archetypes are built-in advancement mechanism that every class has etc.) and various things are defined more loosely. Which is honestly what I want from the game right now.

Default setting is FR, which most of the currently put out adventures are set in, but I was never interested in it, so can't say much about lore side of the issue.

>>48936471
Awarding xp is like, one of the least important parts of DMing. You're primary job is ensuring everyone, INCLUDING YOU, has fun during the game and that the story moves forward.

In regards to the campaign/story
>Adversity moments are essential
>Relaxation/Lull moments are essential
>Maintaining consistency is essential

As far as style goes that can be whatever, you'll find your style after DMing for a bit, all DM's fall under some axis of Prep vs improv, action/rule of cool vs rules, fun/comedy vs serious/drama. There isn't really a wrong place to be in regards to style its more about finding out what your good at, using that, and then practicing to patch up your weak points just a bit.

I wish D&D were a good game for noobs rather than just a passable one (still beats the days of 3.x though, when it was an actually bad game for noobs). Something rules-light like Barbarians of Lemuria is preferable, though rules-light games don't typically handhold you through game mastering, which can actually be a significant weakness for folks who have never played before. Still, in the age of the internet, it's pretty easy to find guidance and play-throughs elsewhere.

>>48936287
You could just play a game where GMing is only a section of the core rulebook instead of a book of its own.

>>48936287
Okay, so, First, you don't need DMG for now. But you'll need to do what I'm about to say. I think I'm about to give a good advice.

I'll repeat a few things anons already said but bear with me.

1. Read Player's Handbook. Read the rules. Memorise core mechanic. When in doubt about something, roll d20 + appropriate ability + proficiency if applicable vs DC. If you don't remember some specific rule, rely on that.

2. Prepare your game.
You can start with published modules or do something yourself but the important bit is:

Your first game should be short.

Why? Because it's going to be bad. And it's okay. That's how that always goes. It's going to be fun still. Think about like 3-4 sessions with strong obvious conclusion.

3. If you want to use published modules, go with the 5e Starter Set. It can be a bit daunting to you, but it's a solid adventure alright. But..

4. ...If you don't want to use published modules, it's okay. Trust me, they're not very good examples of how to actually make an adventure. They can be inspiring but it's always someone else's idea. Ad you can deal with your ideas in the way that suits you. But I understand, it's confusing. Where do you start?

Well, first of all, make it simnple and explicit. "So you guys are about to explore Snow Caves, since nearby mining town's council is bothered that its denizens are about to intervene with mining business. Or whatever. You'll get a reward and probably some nice treasure!"

Dungeon is a good structure for an adventure. Check this basic model of doing them, which is all you need for an evening worth of play: http://roleplayingtips.com/readissue.php?number=156#1

5. Once you figured this out, here's another stuff to remember:

- Combat is a big part of D&D, but it's not the best part. Not every encounter should be a combat. It's actually a good idea to put some powerful but not inherently hostile monster in the dungeon (cont.)

Try to

>>48937103
You can even make it a dragon, actually delivering on the game's name! So, whatever it is, it's something a party can talk to or parley with. Or leave the fuck alone. Some challenges should be about this, not about the power of dice.

- Reward creative thinking. If there's a river full of crocodiles and players decided to feed them poisoned meat instead of fighting them, that's really good. You should be open to creative solutions to your challenges.

- So yeah, not everything should be resolved with a die roll. If there's no tension or immediate consequence for failure, don't roll the dice. Like, if the rogue fails to pick this lock right now, will it attract monsters? Or there's a really really good treasure inside of it? If so, roll. If not, don't bother.

- In general, don't waste time during the game looking things up. Remember what I said about core mechanic? That should help you out. After the game, look up whatever you forgot and do it like this in the future.


- But, you also need to make your game consistent. So remember to take notes. You're playing an NPC, people ask his / her name? When you answer, write it down. Prepare statblocks you need before the game to not look them up in the book. Stuff like that.

Ok I guess that's it. Hope it'll help. DM never stops learning so the more you're willing to read and research and improve, the better.

>>48936350
Even when using a premade adventure, a GM needs to be able to improvise.

>>48936287
>Do I really need to read through that entire Dungeons Master's textbook just to figure out how out DM in 5th edition?

Not the whole thing cover-to-cover, no. Maybe you could, but that is not the way it's supposed to be read.

You're just supposed to look up individual sections as needed to help you figure out what you're doing. Like you look up the dungeon-stocking bits while you make a dungeon, the magic item bits when you need rules for those, the climate bits when you expect the party might go to a desert or a cold place, and so on.

And yeah, running an adventure module is a good idea for new GMs who are intimidated of making an entire world, or who are unsure as to whether or not they can make such a commitment. Their whole purpose is to reduce the GM's workload, although you still have to familiarize yourself with the module and the game's most important rules beforehand.

Also, there's no shame in calling a short break to look up one or more rules.