Dungeon Masters, do you want to fix your D&D game? Who doesn’t, right? Well, here are what I think are 5 common mistakes DMs make and how you can avoid them. These apply whether you’re a brand-new DM or have been running the game for years. I hope they help you out.
Be sure to stick around for #1 … it’s the one I think most DMs don’t even realize they’re doing. Here goes.
#5: Overprepping the wrong things
You build ten pages of lore, design three languages, map out a kingdom and then your players decide to spend the entire game session drinking in a tavern and to find a goblin they can keep as a pet.
The trick is to prep scenes, not scripts. Instead of predicting what your players will do, prepare tools such as a few detailed NPCs, some conflicts, and a map you can shift to on the fly.
Think of yourself like a jazz musician: you’re better when you improvise around a framework rather than by following a precise sequence of notes.
#4: Railroading your players
If your players always end up in the fight you planned no matter what choices they make, you’re not offering choice, you’re offering illusion, otherwise known as ‘railroading.’
To Fix this, present real options and then actually follow their choices. Let them fail. Let them skip the boss if they choose. It’s scarier for you, but it will be much more rewarding for both your players AND you. Your job isn’t to win D&D. It’s to let the story unfold, potentially surprising everyone including you.
If you insist on things going a particular way, write fantasy fiction. Or do both like I’ve done.
#3: Forgetting your players’ goals
If your paladin wants redemption and your rogue wants gold, but you’re only giving them war and politics… you’re gonna lose your player’s interest.
Ask your players: what does your character want? Then feed it to them in small, tempting bites but let them choose to engage with it or not. That’s how you hook them into your story without forcing it, or force-feeding them what YOU want them to eat.
Understanding what your players goals are, and what their character’s goals are, can be a boon to your creativity. It gives you a starting place for what your encounters, your sessions, and maybe even your entire campaign can entail.
Here’s a pro tip: Write down one personal goal per player character and tie it into your next session or two. Even one line of dialogue can make your players’ eyes light up.
#2: Not letting players be awesome
Some DMs fall into the trap of making everything too hard. They provide too many resistances, too many gotchas, too many potential pitfalls. If the rewards don’t exceed the effort required to acquire them, players will get frustrated and leave.
This can require a bit of dice roll fudging, but on occasion let them one-shot an epic opponent. Let their wild and crazy plan actually work. Let the bard seduce the dragon. If everyone’s laughing, cheering, or quoting the moment later on, that’s a win.
#1: Don’t take the game too seriously
Rules are there to serve the story, not the other way around. They are the agreed-upon language you all choose to speak but are not the agreed-upon outcome. When in doubt, follow the Rule of Cool and let fun take precedence over the letter of the law.
Also, don’t take yourself too seriously or be too hard on yourself. As DMs, we all have room for improvement, but at the same time, if your players keep showing up, you’re at least doing something right. Be proud of that.
Your game doesn’t have to be Matt Mercer-level. Instead of trying to be someone else or comparing yourself to another person, famous or not, know your players and what they enjoy and know your own strengths. Combine those to serve a dish everyone wants to eat. You just need players who leave the table saying, ‘That was awesome, when can we play again?’
That’s how you win at D&D.
