How to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM

Ulv stumbled through the snow covered trees. He’d been stripped of his weapons and shirt and was given a pouch of herbs to crush and smoke when he felt the time was right. Apparently, they were supposed to give him some sort of vision about what  his test was. “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” Ulv grumbled to himself amid strides through the knee deep snow. He needed to find shelter soon. There was no way he’d survive if he didn’t get out of the blowing wind and snow. As if in answer to his mental request, he spotted a cave up the slope of the hill he was climbing. The cave was almost covered with snow, but had an opening large enough for Ulv to enter. The interior was cold, but less so than the freezing forest outside. It was dark, but some light reflected in from the outside snow. Ulv made his way as deep in as he dared without a torch. The cave was much deeper than he’d anticipated. That meant more warmth but less light. So what would you like to do?IntroOne important thing you’ll want to remember is that for the most part, these questions work when asked to specific individuals. Singling them out can help to get a better response from some of the more unresponsive players. Just make sure that the question is set up the right way. In fact, before we begin with the actual questions, let’s talk about a few requirements for a good NPC roleplaying-prompt question.PurposefulYou can’t just ask random questions and expect that  every question results in better or more roleplaying. For each question, you need to have a specific purpose. Maybe you ask an open ended question to allow the player more freedom and creativity. Or maybe you ask a very specific question designed to get the player to actually respond.Player directedThe best questions are focused on specific players. If you ask questions directed at the party, it is very likely that the person who is most used to roleplaying will respond. Getting a player to respond who rarely roleplays requires direct questions. That’s not to say that every single question needs to be focused on stimulating roleplaying. Some questions are just for the sake of the story. Now with those two question requirements in mind, let’s get to the actual questions of today’s show.What do You Think?When directed at a specific player, “What do you think?” can be a very powerful tool to help re-engage a player who may have lost focus, or just help jumpstart the party into helping everything collaborate. I’ve used this with ally NPCs or even some NPCs that are slightly adversarial, though I haven’t ever used this question from the standpoint of a complete villain. I haven’t really found a scenario where that makes sense. Simply ask this question using the character’s name and voila! They have to respond with at least something. Even if they say, I have no idea, they’ve at least said something! That is a win in my book.What’s Your Story?I find this question works the best when it’s an NPC that is somewhat neutral to the party, like a shopkeeper or something. Naturally, the party will look different compared to the normal customers (usually), so a shopkeeper could take interest in the party, if only to hear a new story. You can also use this question from the point of view of an NPC traveling with the party. The only drawback with that is once the question has been answered, that’s it. If it didn’t lead to more roleplaying, you can’t really ask it again from the same NPC.That’s a nice piece of equipment, where’d you get it?This question is very similar to the previous question. From the point of view of NPCs, most of the equipment that our adventurers have is really nice and shiny. Normal folk rarely have opportunities to encounter the types of magical items that adventurers carry. I also like this question, because it has an obvious answer. Any roleplay shy character can give an easy answer as to how they acquired a particular item because rather than having to make up some answer on the spot, they can just respond by recounting the history of the game. Anyone can do that.How’d you all meet?Remembering that these questions work best when directed at a specific character, this question works well because like the previous question, it’s simply a matter of recounting history. It’s also a good question if the campaign has been going on for a long time. It’s nice to remind your players where you all began the adventure and how far you’ve come.Why’d You Become Adventurers?This question works best in one-on-one settings, like two people keeping watch, or a player walking the town alone during a shopping session of D&D. You might have to warm up the player to get the optimum roleplay experience. Thinking of a deep question from their backstory like this one might be too much right out of the gate. I would maybe warm it up by commenting on how difficult the road has been thus far and pointing out some of the foes that have been faced. Then the question can be breached about why the particular character became an adventurer in the first place.What are Your Goals?This question is hugely helpful for the Dungeon Master looking to add in story arcs that deal with a particular character’s backstory. Like the previous question, if the table is generally dominated by one or two roleplaying geniuses, then it’s better uses in a one-on-one scenario. This question will give you, the DM, a lot of ammo for preparing future twists and turns in the story. It can also help you fulfill on promises to each player. Each player will want a specific experience, even if they don’t know it. By asking what the characters want, you’ll be better able to fulfill on those promises. Become a Roleplaying MasterUsing these questions can help, but the best thing to help your players roleplay more is to work on your own roleplaying. By leading them with the example of a Dungeon master who isn’t afraid to be the tavern keeper, the villain, or the strange drunk on the side of the road, your players will feel more comfortable themselves getting into character. So loosen up and start practicing. Take every session as an opportunity to improve. Your players might not react right away, but soon enough, they’ll realize just how much fun it is and they’ll join in the roleplaying.If you think I missed any questions, let me know by going to Instagram at Betterdungeonmaster.We’ll be back next week with another amazing episode. Until then, let’s go ahead and roll initiative.Mentioned in this episode:Why Listen to Ads?Ugh, another ad break. Let’s be real—ads are the worst. If you’re anything like my wife, you’d rather quit a show entirely than sit through another ad. So why suffer? Just skip them. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster and enjoy ad-free episodes with exclusive patron-only content—all for just $5 a month. Look at you, all fancy with your uninterrupted listening experience. So stop wasting time on ads (like this one). Go to patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster and upgrade your listening today!PatreonBrought to you by Session 0 StudiosVisit session0studios.com for more information.Do You Want to Earn some Money?🎲 Want to Earn Some Extra Gold? We’re offering a referral incentive for our professional Dungeon Mastering services! Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ Refer someone to session0studios.com/prodm 2️⃣ They sign up for a free consultation. 3️⃣ They mention they were referred by a podcast listener. 4️⃣ We DM an unforgettable session for them. 5️⃣ They get 10% off their booking. 6️⃣ You get 10% of what they paid—straight into your coin purse. 7️⃣ We celebrate with a virtual high-five. 🙌 We run games for private groups and corporate teams—whether it’s a one-shot or a long-term campaign. 💰 Want to earn some gold and help someone level up their game night? Send them to session0studios.com/prodm and start earning today!

Here are some things Tanner and Justin want to work on for 2023. End of the yearDM Tips and Techniques BookDungeon Master KitAdding new team members to the showLiveplay ShowMore Dungeon Master Critique EpisodesA DiscordMentioned in this episode:Do You Want to Earn some Money?🎲 Want to Earn Some Extra Gold? We’re offering a referral incentive for our professional Dungeon Mastering services! Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ Refer someone to session0studios.com/prodm 2️⃣ They sign up for a free consultation. 3️⃣ They mention they were referred by a podcast listener. 4️⃣ We DM an unforgettable session for them. 5️⃣ They get 10% off their booking. 6️⃣ You get 10% of what they paid—straight into your coin purse. 7️⃣ We celebrate with a virtual high-five. 🙌 We run games for private groups and corporate teams—whether it’s a one-shot or a long-term campaign. 💰 Want to earn some gold and help someone level up their game night? Send them to session0studios.com/prodm and start earning today!Save time with Roll and Play PressSave yourself some precious time with Roll and Play Press. Go to https://session0studios.com/rollandplay and use code BETTERDM10 at checkout.Brought to you by Session 0 StudiosVisit session0studios.com for more information.

The entire tribe sat around the feast. They’d managed to down a mammoth and this was cause for celebration. The shaman claims the downing of the beast coincides with the yearly Midwinter celebration Hogash. All the children have been making gifts for each other and the adults have been creating altars for their ancestors. Now the tribe is sat all around the fire pit, feasting on delicious meat. Ulv stands up. The entire tribe hushes and the shaman waves for Ulv to speak. “I wish to attempt the trials. I will lead this tribe.”Suddenly the men of the tribe start beating the ground with their weapons and chanting.The shaman stands up. “Dnuk has accepted the call to the trial. Truly this is a celebration!”We being the preparations at dawn!”IntroWarrick’s Problem.Main Topic: Tips on How to Make D&D Christmas ThemedJustinAdd in a Random Celebration in the setting where your players are. This will give the feeling of the holidays even if the celebration is set in the middle of a desert.Change the “skins” of NPC’sYour players don’t actually have to fight Santa Clause. They could fight a giant that looks like Santa Clause but has all the same stats as a giant. D&D is half narrative and half mechanics. Instead of homebrewing your own Santa, just take the mechanics of something else and say it looks like Santa.Give your Players a GiftEvery player loves getting new loot. Have a random patron show up and gift the adventurers some sort of interesting item. If you don't want to break your game have them give some sort of consumable item that is interesting. If you don’t know what sort of consumable, just choose the form (potion, food or other time) and then pick your favorite ability and give it a one-time use.Change the weather.For most people, Christmas is synonymous with winter. Make it obvious that the weather is changing. Make it snow and give them consequences for the snow. Either have someone open up their home during a snowstorm (spread Christmas cheer) or have the characters have to avoid getting stuck in a blizzard. Go all out with Christmas Homebrew MonstersYou can subscribe to people like GamingBrew from Episode 63. He for example has loads of themed monsters that are custom created for the right feeling and setting. Subscribing to him saves time because you don’t have to do anything other than plug and play.Mentioned in this episode:Do You Want to Earn some Money?🎲 Want to Earn Some Extra Gold? We’re offering a referral incentive for our professional Dungeon Mastering services! Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ Refer someone to session0studios.com/prodm 2️⃣ They sign up for a free consultation. 3️⃣ They mention they were referred by a podcast listener. 4️⃣ We DM an unforgettable session for them. 5️⃣ They get 10% off their booking. 6️⃣ You get 10% of what they paid—straight into your coin purse. 7️⃣ We celebrate with a virtual high-five. 🙌 We run games for private groups and corporate teams—whether it’s a one-shot or a long-term campaign. 💰 Want to earn some gold and help someone level up their game night? Send them to session0studios.com/prodm and start earning today!Listen to Our New PodcastAs a listener of this show, you obviously love story. Now that you’ve learned how to craft your own story on this show, wouldn’t it be nice to have some inspiration? Or maybe just a moment of immersion and escape? Then come join us in our new Actual Play D&D 5e show, Pact and Boon. Enter the World of Calignos where our characters, Jolly, Wolfgang and Alon will meet each other in Hell. Enjoy our troublemaking and near-death experiences wherever great podcasts are heard. Just go to session0studios.com/pactnboon and start listening today. Brought to you by Session 0 StudiosVisit session0studios.com for more information.

Hello, and welcome to How To Be A Better DM. My name is Tanner Weyland, and together we will learn about how to prepare the best adventures and environments for our players to enjoy. I hope you are all doing well this holiday season, and maybe even fitting in a couple sessions with your friends or family. Today’s topic: between session check-ups with your player.We have a favor to ask you: we are always trying to be better DMs, but we also want to become better podcast hosts so we can create more useful and interesting content for you. As part of that, we need your feedback. We set up a super quick survey at https://betterdungeonmaster.com/feedback. If you could take a few minutes out of your day to help us, we would be so appreciative!Mentioned in this episode:Add the Magic of Sound to Your GameplayWhen you set the scene you need to tap into the five senses. When it comes to sound one of the best ways to do that is with music, sound effects, and ambience. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Monument Studios. Monument Studios provides an easy-to-use Soundboard perfect for Dungeon Mastering. If you want to see this in action, go to fantasy-plus.com and get 10% off of your first month of their Fantasy+ App by using the code BETTERDM at check out. Again that is fantasy-plus.com and BETTERDM at checkout. Monument StudiosBrought to you by Session 0 StudiosVisit session0studios.com for more information.Signup for Our Email NewsletterDo you love the show but can't always listen to it? Do you prefer written content? Go to session0studios.com/newsletter/ and sign up to get weekly tips and tricks sent to your inbox so you can become the greatest DM the world has ever seen.Level Up Guide

“For the last time, my name is Ulv and I’m not supposed to be here!”“Whatever you say D’nuk, whatever you say.”Ulv was busy working a leather hide that he and T’Sichk had obtained from downing a large caribou. It was a good find. Ulv had been here for weeks. He didn’t know how he’d gotten here but for some reason, he was now in the far north. Ulv had a sinking suspicion that this was a vision, but it felt much more real than that. Everyone in the village called him D’nuk and since Ulv had no way of getting back to Herlia and Hipam, he just lived life in the village. To be honest, Ulv wasn’t sure he wanted to go back. Judir was dead. Cojari, imprisoned. The Kingdom, still under the rule of his stepbrother. Ulv had no idea what to do, so he continued working on the leather hide. “You know, you can’t run from it or hide forever.” T’sichk said.Ulv froze. “What did you say?”T’sichk looked at Ulv and said, “I know you’ve been thinking about the Elder’s challenge. The village needs you D’nuk. You have to join the council. You have to attempt the trial.”This was the first Ulv had ever heard of that.D’nuk walked over to Ulv and put his arm on his shoulder. “Look, brother, you are wise and strong like the bear. The trial is difficult, yes, but you can overcome it. You should not think of the task in front of you, but the people behind the task waiting for you to stand up and be a bonfire to all who sit in the cold darkness. We need you brother.”What would you like to do?IntroWelcome back to How to Be a Better DM. I’m your host Justin Lewis and I’m here to help you create better stories as you DM sessions of Dungeons and Dragons.Main TopicIn one of my previous episodes, I talked about tips on improving your writing skills. As a Dungeon Master, you are one part writer, one part performer, and all parts crazy. You’ll need to know how to craft a story correctly and that means writing. So today, I’m continuing my discussion of how to improve your writing skills with these tips:Join a Writing GroupMy cohost, Tanner Weyland, and I joined a writing group in college. While we had both met working at Papa Murphey’s when we were younger, we really developed our relationship by going to this writing group together. At the time, I didn’t have any particular project I was working on, but being in the group forced me to write something. That exercised both my ability to just put pen to paper as well as my ability to think up creative things. You too should look at forming or joining a writing group. The culture of writing groups is generally one of constructive criticism that looks at how the story is written. It is immensely helpful for those who have never shown their work to others before. It allows you to see how people perceive and accept your writing, thus giving you an understanding of what is or isn’t clear.The simplest way to join one is by starting one, but to join or start a writing group, you need to know people who like writing, so ask your friends and family. If that doesn’t work, you can try apps like Meetup or try posting it on social media.Kill Your DarlingsOriginally coined by Arthur Quiller-Couch, the term “murder your darlings” means sometimes you need to kill your favorite part, character, scene or aspect of your story. I once worked with a colleague who loved to draw. His love for animation ignited in me a desire to try and draw. So I started, and when I thought I had something spectacular I’d show him. He ended up saying, “Try changing this or that.” I wouldn’t because I was too afraid of messing it up. He eventually told me to not be afraid of messing something up, because my best work will always be in the future, and I could always draw something better. Well, with my pitiful drawing career behind me, the same rings true for writing. You need to sacrifice your favorite parts of your story so you can write the best parts of the story. It may be a cool idea, but does it fit? Is it what your players really need right now? Take your writing and then as an exercise, imagine what you would write if you took your favorite thing out.Write OutlinesThis tip has helped me in writing podcast episodes, Instagram reels, and D&D sessions. You can think of it like the building of a house. First is the foundation and the framing (or the concept and the outlining of the concept) then all the important details are filled in (full disclosure, I’ve never built a house and may not know what I’m talking about). The point is being able to think on a macro scale and then slowly fill in what you need allows you to make sure the timing works and you’re hitting all the parts of the story that you want to. You don’t necessarily need to think up every single detail but having an outline can really help. One simple outline is the 3 act play outline. As defined in Writing Excuses, a podcast all about writing better, Act 1: Put your characters in a tree, Act 2: Throw rocks at them, Act 3: Get them down. This is a great way to think about story arcs both in and out of D&D. You can even simplify it down to 3 part sessions. Each part in your D&D session will either be an exploration part, combat part, puzzle part, or roleplaying part. There’s really not to much else that D&D can be. It can also be more fluid and less structured, but using this can help get you started.Write More than you Think You Should when it comes to character developmentA good writer generally creates much more for a specific story than what they publish. The audience might only see a quarter of all the content the writer has prepared whether in their mind or on paper. I believe that this is because that’s what is necessary for something to feel real. You have to feel like the shopkeeper on the edge of town has a fully fleshed-out backstory because in real life that’s how it would be.So with your main NPCs, make sure you prepare a whole lot more about their character than you think you should. This means filling in their memories, adding in character quirks, and answering silly questions about them like what’s their favorite color. That last question might not be exactly pertinent but you get the point. Fill out more info about the character because if you’re player ever asks, you need to have an answer that makes sense and rounds out the character in a complete way.Take a Writing CourseThere are thousands of writing courses online and therefore thousands of options. You could even find free Youtube videos online that might do the trick. If you’re considering this option I would encourage you to consider a paid writing course because then you’ve actually committed. You will likely get far more out of it than if you didn’t pay.I will also mention that not every writing course or writing instructor is the same. You may like some more than you like others. That’s ok. Try and vet them before you pay that way there is less buyer’s remorse. Also, taking writing courses with friends can help you to stay committed.Take an Improv ClassAs a Writing course can help you write better, an improv class can help you become more creative. There are generally improv classes as comedy venues but sometimes you might have to find a local group that hosts it. This will also push you out of your comfort zone and help you get comfortable showing your creative work to other people. As humans, we are naturally scared of what people might think of what we’ve created. It’s almost like showing a baby to someone who doesn’t care. Taking an improv class can help you get comfortable with that and become more self-assured so you don’t care as much about what people think.ConclusionIn the end, there are countless ways to improve your writing. I only mentioned a few more on this list but I bet you could think up way more. I’d love to hear your suggestions so email them to me at howtobeabetterdm@gmail.com.The important thing is that you keep working at it and you keep getting better. Because then you will be the world’s greatest DM. We’ll be back next week for another great episode. Until then, let’s roll initiative.Mentioned in this episode:Introducing WolfgangMeet Wolfgang. This is who Tanner will be playing in our upcoming Actual Play Show, Pact and Boon. Go to Session0studios.com/pactnboon to learn more information.Signup for Our Email NewsletterDo you love the show but can't always listen to it? Do you prefer written content? Go to session0studios.com/newsletter/ and sign up to get weekly tips and tricks sent to your inbox so you can become the greatest DM the world has ever seen.Level Up GuideBrought to you by Session 0 StudiosVisit session0studios.com for more information.

Here we are again dissecting Justin's one shot from September.We talk about how to make a session mysterious as well as when to reveal certain elements of a mystery. Thanks for listening today. Mentioned in this episode:Listen to Our New PodcastAs a listener of this show, you obviously love story. Now that you’ve learned how to craft your own story on this show, wouldn’t it be nice to have some inspiration? Or maybe just a moment of immersion and escape? Then come join us in our new Actual Play D&D 5e show, Pact and Boon. Enter the World of Calignos where our characters, Jolly, Wolfgang and Alon will meet each other in Hell. Enjoy our troublemaking and near-death experiences wherever great podcasts are heard. Just go to session0studios.com/pactnboon and start listening today. Brought to you by Session 0 StudiosVisit session0studios.com for more information.Signup for Our Email NewsletterDo you love the show but can't always listen to it? Do you prefer written content? Go to session0studios.com/newsletter/ and sign up to get weekly tips and tricks sent to your inbox so you can become the greatest DM the world has ever seen.Level Up Guide

Hi everyone,Today is a short episode since it is Thanksgiving here in the U.S., but we just wanted to take a moment and express our appreciation for all of you who support and listen to us. You have made our experience with this podcast just amazing, and we will never forget that. Thank you.As I mention in the episode, please take some time and express your thanks and appreciation to your players, whether that is today or the next time you meet. It can mean a lot to them, and it can make a significant improvement in the atmosphere at your gaming table. Until next time, enjoy your week!Mentioned in this episode:Brought to you by Session 0 StudiosVisit session0studios.com for more information.Signup for Our Email NewsletterDo you love the show but can't always listen to it? Do you prefer written content? Go to session0studios.com/newsletter/ and sign up to get weekly tips and tricks sent to your inbox so you can become the greatest DM the world has ever seen.Level Up GuideI Made a CR 100 MonsterI made a Monster with a Challenge Rating of 100 Why? Because I could—and it only took me 5 minutes using Worldsmith. And the best part? You can do this and much more. Get a free 7-day trial at session0studios.com/worldsmith and unlock their full suite of TTRPG generators from monsters to mythic magic items and everything in between. Yep, that’s a full 7-day trial—completely free. That’s a whole week of monsters, magic items, and more—whatever you need, zero burnout. Try it now at session0studios.com/worldsmith. Save time and make unlimited creations with Worldsmith.

Hello, and Welcome to How To Be A Better DM. My name is Tanner Weyland, and together we will learn about how to prepare the best adventures and environments for our players to enjoy. Today, we are going to jump right into the announcements!First, Rob from Dungeons, Dragons and Psychology will be running a one-shot for some of our listeners this Saturday the 19th at 7 PM. We will be streaming the one-shot live to YouTube, so check us out there at the link in the show notes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDjN4ICKUuW7HSNI_Nsv6Wg If you would like to sign up for future one-shot podcasts, sign up at this link: https://how-to-be-a-better-dm.captivate.fm/one-shot. We always love playing with you!Other than that, we have a favor to ask you: We are always trying to be better dms, for sure, but we also want to become better podcast hosts so we can be more helpful and interesting to you. As part of that, we need your feedback. We set up a super quick survey at https://betterdungeonmaster.com/feedback. If you could take a few minutes out of your day to help us, we would be so appreciative!Today’s topic is House Rules: What makes a good house rule, and what are some good and bad examples?Mentioned in this episode:Brought to you by Session 0 StudiosVisit session0studios.com for more information.Get The Swampberry Moonshine Jamboree For FreeTake a trip down to the bayou in The Swampberry Moonshine Jamboree. We teamed up with Studio Fantasms to bring you a raucous one-shot adventure full of gatorfolk, catfishing, and a whole lotta moonshine. We wrote the adventure, they designed the minis—it’s a sweet little bundle, and it’s totally free for the month of May. Just head to https://session0studios.com/fantasms and sign up to grab it. Don’t wait—May’s free, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.Add the Magic of Sound to Your GameplayWhen you set the scene you need to tap into the five senses. When it comes to sound one of the best ways to do that is with music, sound effects, and ambience. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Monument Studios. Monument Studios provides an easy-to-use Soundboard perfect for Dungeon Mastering. If you want to see this in action, go to fantasy-plus.com and get 10% off of your first month of their Fantasy+ App by using the code BETTERDM at check out. Again that is fantasy-plus.com and BETTERDM at checkout. Monument Studios

Welcome back to today's show. We try something new on today's show. We look at Justin's September One-Shot and we critique it. Thanks for listening.Mentioned in this episode:Get The Swampberry Moonshine Jamboree For FreeTake a trip down to the bayou in The Swampberry Moonshine Jamboree. We teamed up with Studio Fantasms to bring you a raucous one-shot adventure full of gatorfolk, catfishing, and a whole lotta moonshine. We wrote the adventure, they designed the minis—it’s a sweet little bundle, and it’s totally free for the month of May. Just head to https://session0studios.com/fantasms and sign up to grab it. Don’t wait—May’s free, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.Brought to you by Session 0 StudiosVisit session0studios.com for more information.Why Listen to Ads?Ugh, another ad break. Let’s be real—ads are the worst. If you’re anything like my wife, you’d rather quit a show entirely than sit through another ad. So why suffer? Just skip them. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster and enjoy ad-free episodes with exclusive patron-only content—all for just $5 a month. Look at you, all fancy with your uninterrupted listening experience. So stop wasting time on ads (like this one). Go to patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster and upgrade your listening today!Patreon

“Hipam, can’t you do anything? Herlia asks with an exasperated tone.“Well, Miss Herlia, I’m not exactly suited for..”“What about you you dumb bear?” Herlia yells at the large brown bear at the back of the cave. You’d all found this cave a few weeks ago while looking for shelter. “Herlia. I’m not exactly sure something can be done. He’s just lost his uncle. That’s not exactly something you get over in a matter of minutes. Have a little heart.”Herlia walks up to Hipam who’s sat propped up against the large brown bear. She crouches down in front of him.“Let me tell you something little halfling. I’ve had my fair share of losses. After all of it, I found my way into the city guard where I could at least do some good. I was able to stop beatings and prevent murder. Now, I’ve been pulled away from that to do what? This?” Herlia gestures to the front of the cave where Ulv sits motionless as snow covers his face. Herlia gets up and walks over to Ulv and spins him around and cries, “Your uncle died but Cojari is still alive and he needs our help. The entire kingdom needs our help. You haven’t said a word in weeks. What are you waiting for?”No response from Ulv. So Herlia punches him in the mouth.Suddenly, Ulv finds himself on a warm rug. Surprised by the change of scenery, he sits up. He’s in a large teepee made of animal skins. What would you like to do?IntroChristmas is coming the goose is getting fat! And we’re getting ready for it with this list of Dungeon Master Gift Ideas. Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM. I’m your host, Justin Lewis and I’m here to help you craft better stories for yourself and your players as you DM sessions of D&D.The first announcement today is who won the giveaway! The winner is …… twisted.toga !!!!! I’ll reach out to you today to get you your download key!We’ll also have some more announcements at the end of today’s show so stick around for that.Main TopicWith the holiday season fast approaching, I thought it would be a good idea to create a sort of Christmas wishlist for gifts to give to the aspiring Dungeon Master. This list can serve as ideas for you to give a gift to someone else, or you can hand this list over to your significant other to help them with their shopping for you. I’ll be honest, this list is pretty long, but that is because there are many things that you can buy for a Dungeon Master. Let me also just say that almost all of these things are “luxury” items. That means you don’t actually need them to play D&D, they’re just really nice to have. I also need to mention that I have no stake in mentioning any of these products. I have not been paid or compensated in any way. I just like them. That said, let’s get into the list and see what I have in my Santa Sleigh of holding….Player’s HandbookNumber one on the list is really the only thing that you should get for your DM if they don’t already have it. It has the rules of how to play the game as well as the rules on how to create characters. To be honest, though, Wizards of the Coast is releasing Unearthed arcana in parts for free, meaning if you wait long enough, you’ll probably have enough to use to play the game for free anyways. If you want to know about unearthed arcana go back and listen to Episode 68 and Episode 66. But there are two options for buying the player’s handbook. You can get the digital copy (which is being sold on DNDBeyond for $29.99 as of me writing this episode) and the physical copy (which is being sold on Amazon for $22.95 at the time of me writing this episode, though it does look like that is a sale, and usually it sells for $49.95). Obviously there are pros and cons to both having the book digitally or physically. I would pay attention to what your Dungeon Master uses normally and then get them that. You can always get them the other one next year.Dungeon Master’s GuideNext to the Player’s Handbook the Dungeon Master’s Guide makes the perfect gift for the DM or aspiring DM who does not have it. This one is nice to have both online and in person, so gift-givers, feel free to give either one because they both have their benefits. Right now the Dungeon Master’s Guide is selling for $27.95 on Amazon (though that seems to be a sales price with the original price being $49.95) and the digital copy is being sold for $29.99 on DnDBeyond. This gift is a nice-to-have gift as it is more focused on being a Dungeon Master while having less content that you actually need. Naturally, there are case by case situations where you might need one thing within the DMG but overall, I’d say this book is a luxury.Monster ManualLast of all, there is the Monster Manual. This book is exactly what it claims to be, a manual of monsters. Compared to the DMG I would say this is a little bit more of a need for dungeon masters simply because every story needs conflic, and there are a lot of conflicts that happen between two living entities. This manual inspires you with those entities. It makes it really easy to fill up your games with baddies. Right now you can buy the physical copy on Amazon for $26.90 though the original price is $49.95 and you can get the digital copy for $29.99 on DnDBeyond. Now if you want to get the Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide and Player’s Handbook, you can get a bundle which might save some money. Right now the physical bundle is available on amazon for $85.99 and comes with a DM screen and the lost mines of Phandelver adventure. A Resin 3D PrinterUsually, I stick with the cheaper things when giving tips on this podcast however, I know there is someone out there looking to give their dungeon master a high ticket gift so these next two are more expensive. Number 4 on the list is a resin 3d printer. A resin printer would allo your DM to print their own minis and even tabletop terrain in extremely high detail. A quick nitro resin printing. Your DM will need to have a computer so if they don’t have that this might not be the best gift. Also, the resin can be toxic so your DM will need a space where the resin printer can be kept away from children and pets. Also extreme hot or cold does not produce great prints so an insulated place is very important too. So let’s look at some prices. Now, this episode is not looking at which printer to buy. Instead these prices are just to set your expectations. Right now on Amazon I found a Creality Official Halot One for $199. Your DM will likely need a washing and curing machine as well in order to make sure the prints actually cure correctly. If you’re looking to do that I found a full bundle with all three from Elegoo for $378.99. Remember you’ll also need to buy that actual resin which I found for about $19.99. I would also recommend having paper towels and rubber gloves and a mask on hand too.A TabletAgain, among the expensive items of this list is a tablet. It would allow the DM of your life to access DnDBeyond without having to lug around their laptop. It’s simply a much more convenient tool than a computer. It can also be used in conjunction with computers. So there are lots of tablets out there but I found an Apple IPad mini on Amazon for $468 to set your expectations.A Dice TrayHaving a dice tray is just really nice. It so allows you to set your style as a DM and I think it helps your players get in the mood too. There are millions of dice tray creators out there. Find one you like and get it! I love what @sterlingmakes does on Instagram. These are beautiful dice trays made out of wood, often with resin details added. They are quite beautiful to look at. Dice trays come in all shapes and sizes and therefore, all price ranges so find one that fits your DM and get it for them.A Subscription to DNDBeyondDnDBeyond offers Dungeon Masters the ability to craft encounters and campaigns with characters uploaded online so you can play anywhere. Their free account allows you a select number of these encounters and characters. For Christmas, gift your DM a yearlong subscription to DnDBeyond so they can have unlimited encounters and characters. The Hero Subscrition is about $40 for the year and the Master Subscription is about $70 for the year. The Master just allows you to share downloaded content with your players which is nice for DM’s who heavily use DNDBeyond for their character creation process.A DM ScreenI particularly love the Dungeon Master Screen because it hides what you’re doing, and it gives you some authority and credibility at the table. It also has some really nice references as far as conditions and other things go. Here you can also find a screen as expensive as you want. From a quick Google Search I saw a range of screens going from $40 to $240 so you can really find one that fits you and your table. The nice thing about buying special or custom screens is that they are taller which is nice because the screen that comes in the normal D&D kit is somewhat short. It’s the one that I use though so don’t let the shortness of it stop you.A Nice but Simple Sound SystemAmbience can be a great tool for the burgeoning dungeon master. Giving them the opportunity to add ambience in full surround sound is a great gift! Some things to note here. Before getting the DM surround sound you might want to check with them about hooking things up to walls or what their plans are in this area. Usually people hook up Surround sound on walls and such. You don’t want to get them a gift they are unwilling to use. Next, often, surround sound systems require cabling. Make sure you get that as well. It’s annoying to get a gift that you can’t use. That said, surround sound systems are not as expensive as you might think. Just looking on amazon I found one that is $49.97 and it comes with one large subwoofer with 5 smaller speakers and it is Bluetooth capable. You can then get speaker cable for $12.99 and you have a passable speaker system in your D&D room.A MicrophoneThis gift is for the online DM or the intrepid streamer, or the prospective podcaster. Microphones are pivotal for excellent gameplay over the airwaves. Here you want to think of a few things. There are two types of mics. There is a dynamic microphone which is designed to pick up everything. This sort of mic is best used in a very controlled environment like a recording booth. It will give great audio but may need some engineering on the backend. The other type of microphone is a compressed microphone which is designed only to pick up the voice of the speaker. You can use this microphone in a lot more of a noisy location (though you still want to get your audio as clean as you can as you record). For most people, I would recommend a compressed mic because it’s just easier. Bar-none I recommend the Samsun Q2U Microphone (you can get the recording and Podcasting pack for $70 on Amazon). It has excellent sound quality and USB and XLR connection and you can hook up your headphones to the mic to hear how you sound as you use it. It is the best in plug and play mics.A Very Fancy NotebookDepending on your DM, a fancy notebook might be just the thing for them. You’ll definitely want to pay attention to them to make sure that it’s something they would use though. I have an amazing notebook made from listener of the podcast, Anna. I use it everyday to record thoughts and insights. There are some really cool options on Amazon right now that are around $25 and would make a perfect gift.A Fancy Medieval MugIt’s a small touch, but supplying interesting mugs for players can help them to immerse themselves into the game. It can do the same thing for your DM. As you DM you are talking a lot so you naturally want to drink to keep your throat moiste. What can be cooler than drinking from your very own D&D styled mug. There are a lot of options on Amazon. You can even get a Viking horn mug for around $50. There are endless options.A Gift Card to Hero ForgeIf you haven’t heard of Hero Forge, it is an online site that allows you to create custom miniatures to match the character you are playing right now. They have a lot of options and you can buy the mini, buy the STL file to print the mini or buy the mini and have them paint it. You can also create a character and then import them into software like Dungeon Alchemist to play online in a 3D fashion, pretty cool. Naturally a gift card is the best choice because you don’t know what your DM would like to use it for. For example, last year, my older brother got me a $25 gift card to hero forge and just recently, I used some of it to create a mini that looks like me and then buy the STL. I printed it out and now I’m using it to make reels on Instagram.Dungeon AlchemistIf you’ve been paying attention to the podcast these last couple weeks you’d know that I am a huge fan of Dungeon Alchemist. They are a software you can download on Steam that allows you to quickly make maps of dungeons. You can simply select the type of room you want, draw the shape and click the check mark and the software will design the room complete with furniture and treasure in a 3d Fashion. You can export the map to use on online platforms like Foundry or Roll20. It’s incredible and like I just mentioned, you can import minis from Hero Forge and use them as 3D avatars for your players. If you want to know more about Dungeon Alchemist go to betterdungeonmaster.com/dungeon-alchemist. And here again I have to say that I am not being paid to say that, however I do have that link so then I can hopefully go to Dungeon Alchemist and show them that our listeners love their product so then they will sponsor us. Just being transparent. Anyways, I really love their software and I use it all the time. A Subscription to World AnvilWorld Anvil is a tool that anyone can use to world build their homebrew project or even just use it for their current campaign. You can create Dungeon Master specific pages or let everyone see everything. You can even keep notes on your current campaign as you run it. There is a free account that allows you to get started, but that doesn’t offer nearly any of the really cool features like Secrets or Word Count Goals. The Cheapest acco