"Dungeon Master" is a Trademark owned by Wizards of the Coast LLC. No infringement on their Trademark is intended.
What is it?
This is a course packed full with tips and suggestions for Dungeon Masters/Game Masters (or those thinking of DMing for the first time)
Become more efficient in your game-prep, cut time, focus and avoid common pitfalls.
The course takes you from complete beginner to confident DM. Tips on compelling narration, voice acting, finding the right players, dealing with issues on the gaming table, creating unforgettable moments, running combat beyond "roll the dice and substract something" and so much more..
What's included?
Lifetime access to the course & future updates, no recurring membership fee. Quick overview (see below for a detailed one):
► Foundation #1: Game preparation. Make props, DM/GM screen setup, maps and handouts, increase efficiency, prepare where it matters...
► Foundation #2: Players! Find the right players, deal with issues, set the right expectations, match the game to the individual players
► Foundation #3: Running the game. The DM/GM role, building drama and excitement, pacing, combat tips, battlemaps, miniatures, magic ..
► Foundation #4: Special situations. Playing online, dealing with missing players, making magic special, creating monster variations, avoiding that total party kill (TPK) and more..
... we will cover more ground than present on the elemental plane of earth.
What do you get out of it?
► Confidently run a game. Even with experienced players. Even if it's your first time!
► Save time on your game prep. Prepare where it matters.
► Handle and resolve issues that come up on the gaming table calmly and confidently.
► Hone your skills with the included exercises whenever you have time to spare.
► Learn how to run a game players (and you!) will love to remember.
► Add arrows to your storytelling quiver by changing between different styles.
► Create hundreds of monster variations and tips to make monsters and magic more than just stat blocks.
Is it for you?
It depends. The course is written for players who intend to take on the Dungeon Master role, and for game masters who already have a few years experience but would like to hone their craft.
Novice dungeon masters will learn frameworks and tools that make it easy to confidently run a game, even if you have never done it before.
More experienced DMs will benefit from tools to spend time more efficiently and to handle problem players and difficult situations with ease.
This material is not for you if you are only looking for tips to write storylines for your campaigns rather than game mastering. In this case please have a look at: Crafting Creative Adventures.
Everything in the course works across all roleplaying systems.
A brief comparison of our courses:
Course inventory:
- Preparation: introduction (0:52)
- Different levels of preparation (6:00)
- Session preparation in more detail (3:40)
- One Shot games vs. Campaigns (2:01)
- Do you need to know all the rules? (4:28)
- How much should you prepare? (3:17)
- Exercise: Speed preparation (1:01)
- Power levels characters vs. world (2:33)
- Finding good adventure hooks (3:25)
- Design elements: dungeons, buildings, environments (4:51)
- Design elements: Traps and secret doors and rooms (2:46)
- Design elements: Riddles and puzzles (3:30)
- Dealing with commercial campaign settings (2:05)
- Game master screen setup (7:52)
- Running the game: introduction (0:24)
- The game master role (Leadership) (8:56)
- The rule of cool (3:18)
- Managing conflict (7:23)
- Dealing with stage fright and anxiety (5:48)
- Building drama: narration (5:49)
- Exercise: variations on a theme (4:24)
- Building drama: cutscenes (2:39)
- More options to build drama and immersion (3:03)
- Props and handouts (2:55)
- Character rewards (loot, gold and other things) (4:49)
- Running combat: Encounters (5:33)
- Running combat: Battle maps and miniatures (4:11)
- Danger ahead: player character death (2:15)
- "GM cheating": should you be fudging the dice? (3:58)
- Dealing with failed skill checks: failing foward (4:30)
- Pacing the game (4:02)
- Winging it: improvisation (4:46)
- Exercise: Stanislavski improvisation (1:57)
- Exercise: after action report (1:13)
- Special Situations: introduction (0:52)
- Taking care of your voice (5:11)
- Voice acting (6:15)
- Dealing with challenging players! (18:28)
- GM to the rescue: TPK and Deus Ex Machina (4:40)
- Making magic magical (3:30)
- Making monsters more interesting: variations (6:06)
- Homebrew rules (4:38)
- Dealing with in- and out of character knowledge (2:24)
- Dealing with missing players (3:59)
- Dealing with a split party (3:47)
- Character (over-) optimisation & Min-Maxing (3:10)
- Playing online or remotely: what are the options? (4:38)
- A touch of evil: should you allow evil characters? (3:45)
- Final words (0:58)
User feedback on courses:
FAQ
+Will this course help me even if I have never been a GM before?
Yes! I designed this course so first-time GMs have everything they need to run their first session.
+Will this course help me if I have experience as a GM?
Yes! The Preparation lessons include time-saving tips that even experienced GMs will find useful. And my unique perspective may provide other insights they hadn’t thought of before. If you want more advanced material, check out my Adventure Writing course here.
+Will this course work with X Game System?
Yes! The fundamentals that I teach in this course work with any role-playing system and genre, not only Dungeons and Dragons or fantasy games.
+What if I don't like the course, can I return (refund) it?
Yes! I will never ask you to spend your money on something you don't enjoy. There is a 30-day, 100% money back guarantee. The only condition, to prevent abuse, is that you didn't start more than 50% of the lectures.