Cheat Sheet

Mindset

• Don't panic. You will do this and have a lot of fun learning. You are destined to be a Dungeon Master!
• You are not in charge of the fun
• You do not need to know all the rules
• It does not take a long time to run your first game
• You do not need to be a great storyteller
• You are not the adversary
• Use tropes without apology
• Embrace the beginner's mindset

Warm Up

• Give a warm welcome and review expectations
• Review the character sheet structure
• Deliver the start signal
• Tell the characters why they are here 🐉
• Have each player describe their character
• Deliver the strong start 🐉

Running the Adventure

• Don't be afraid to pick up the pace
• Take a 10 minute break after the first 2 encounters
• Do not judge the quality of the game while playing
• Address players by their character names
• Only roll dice when there's a possibility of failure
• Encourage player ideas
  • Add more with Yes! And..
  • Add interesting decisions with Yes! But...
  • Reveal other options with Yes! Or...
  • Soften the blow with No. But…
  • Introduce complications with “No. And…”

Exploration

• Use the 5 senses 🐉
• Show pictures of things you describe 🐉
• Bring the characters to the action quickly 🐉
• Make the world seem real

Social Interaction

• Use voice acting or third person voice to bring NPCs to life
• Give NPCs motivations 🐉
• Roll dice when players want something to happen that an NPC would resist

Combat

• Track initiative in plain sight
• Describe the situation at the start of each turn
• Describe monsters with visible quirks to help keep track of who is who
• Think like your monster would 🐉
• Give roleplaying opportunities
• Bias to action. Keep the action moving instead of looking for the "best" move.
• Combat can end many ways. You do not need to kill everything. 🐉

When you feel stuck

• Remember the Core Loop of D&D: The DM describes a situation → The Players describe what they want to do → Roll dice to determine success or failure
• Remember to slow down
• When a ruling is uncertain, make a judgement call
• When you are struggling to make a decision:
  • Ask your NPCs. What would they do in the situation?
  • Ask your players. They can help describe the world or provide suggestions.
  • Let the gods decide. Choose a number and roll dice to see what happens.

When your players seem stuck

• Ask simple questions. "So what do you want to do?"
• Put the focus on one player using body language. Help them ignore the distractions at the table.
• Ask roleplaying questions. "What would you do if you were your character?"
• Have NPCs prompt them with ideas

Wrap up

• Summarize accomplishments
• Leave them with a cliffhanger 🐉
• Establish the time and place for the next game
• Talk about the game
• Take notes about what happened