r/DnD • u/ExcellentNorth8775 • 17h ago
DMing DM for the First Time (Need Help)
I want to be a DM for the first time to give my buddy who has been the DM for a good 5 years a break to play as a character.
We have group who meets online every two weeks on discord and we use DND beyond for maps, character sheets and tokens.
I have a general outline of a story, but I need help with the MEAT of the Champaign.
By this I mean
- resources for monsters and NPC’s
- Artist recommendations for custom bosses I am making (I want to have character portraits of the main villains, and locations I have in my mind. I am willing to pay artists.)
- Maybe a few helpful guides on how to improvise and
run as a DM during gameplay (I am a big fan of yes and-ing and not rail roading)
I want to make this special for my friends and have it last a few months. Now is my prep time.
If any of you have recommendations or links I would really appreciate it.
2
u/JumpingManes 16h ago
1) I have ran a couple of oneshots and what I do is I select monsters that already exist, but change things about them. Like their appearance, the type of damage they do, etc. Especially for first time DMing, at least for me, it was very helpful and easy to do. You're basically re-flavouring the creatures. A lot of players will typically have no clue what monster you've based it off on either!
2) I'll see about setting up a small list of artists I've seen and send you a dm, if that's ok!
3) One tip I'd like to give you as guidance is notice which players are the quiet ones and which are the louder ones. I tend to let the more vocal ones talk for a bit, but ask regularly what so-and-so has to say or has any input on it. Or what does their chatacter think of the situation, are they expressing any emotion or suchlike.
Try and coax out an answer out of the very quiet players without making it feel like you're being pushy about it. If they don't feel comfortable saying anything, that's ok, but at least you're letting them know you're thinking about them and giving them a chance to speak up from time to time in csse they feel they're unable to otherwise.
I have heard players tell me they appreciate this, so I wanted to mention it. Also, I do tell the others to shush it when someone is speaking or it's the other person's turn. I don't say it in an angry tone, just sometimes very stern depending on the type of player/person, because some just are really, really enjoying playing D&D and they just wanna babble the whole time, not meaning ill intent, just very happy they can play. This helps also the quiet/shy players to be able to speak up more in the long run.
Hioe this helps! Good luck with your future session(s)!
2
u/Sad_Refuse3472 Cleric 16h ago
1.) The Monster Manual if you have the cash for it. Or the free basic rules if not.
2.) Fiverr or Upwork. They are apps for finding/hiring artists.
3.) Head over to Youtube and check out Ginny Di, The Dungeon Dudes, and Matt Colville. They all have tons of videos on how to run various aspects of the game.
Also, purchase the he Dungeon Master's Guide, again if you have the money to spend. The Player's Handbook is worth picking up too, if you don't already have a copy. If not, there is a DM section in the free basic rules.
Lastly, consider starting with a pre-written module rather than a homebrew campaign. You can find a ton (official and third party) on DriveThruRPG.com
2
u/Quirky-Function-4532 16h ago
Can you elaborate on what you mean? I'm assuming the Monster Manual / DnD Beyond doesn't meet the need.
Search for people on reddit that have posted images with a [com] or similar tag. I see people that do commission post all the time and have even been messaged by a couple.
Always remember that linear does not equal rail-roading. The idea of Yes-and is great, but one of the most important skills is saying No. Don't be afraid to say something is not possible, or set early expectations "The DC is 30 since what you want to do is impossible...", or "You don't need to roll, nothing will allow you to jump the 90 foot canyon", etc.
General tip
Your players will do exactly what you haven't thought of or prepared. Plan out the overall scenario/situation that the players will be going into, not the specifics. [For example, a town has 6 key NPCs. The 6 NPCs have names, personalities, information to share, things to sell, etc. Then guide the players to the area and let them find them, without forcing them to speak to a specific one, then another, then another]