Welcome to Dungeon Mastering 101, my Dungeon Mastering course based on over 30 years of experience. In this series I will share my failures and successes and the lessons learned along the way. In this episode, I will cover game preparation. This includes knowing the player’s characters, non-player’s characters, overpreparation, and actively avoiding railroads.




https://youtube.com/live/W5dg0cV1nJk




Show Notes



Intro



Welcome to my second DragonLance Saga, Dungeon Mastering 101 episode! It is Palast, Darkember the 9th, my name is Adam and today I am continuing my Dragonlance Gaming series all about Dungeon Mastering. The number one complaint I hear about the Dragonlance Modules is the railroading they present. I will make the argument that with proper game preparation, railroading can feel more like an open world exploration.



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Discussion



1. Know the Story You’re Telling — But Don’t Marry It




* Preparation begins with clarity of intent.

* Understand what kind of story you’re running — heroic fantasy, dark intrigue, political drama, exploration, or something else — and design your prep around that tone. 





* However, don’t over-script the story.

* The best DMs plan situations, not outcomes. The players’ choices will take the story places you never expected — and that’s the magic of D&D.





* Know the Setting, era, and world




2. Start Small, Expand Naturally




* New DMs often over-prep.

* You don’t need a fully fleshed-out world map, economic systems, or the pantheon of gods. 



* Start with one region, one central conflict, and one memorable NPC. 



* As the story grows, expand your world outward, responding to the players’ actions. 





* Organic worldbuilding always feels more authentic than forced detail-dumping.



* Let the players’ suspicions or thoughts in game define the outcome.

* It makes them feel involved in the storytelling






3. Establish the Campaign’s Tone and Expectations




* Before the first session, discuss the tone of your game with your players — heroic, gritty, cinematic, or tragic?

* Let them know the kinds of challenges and moral dilemmas they might face. 



* Setting expectations up front avoids disappointment later and helps guide how you prepare each adventure.






4. Prepare NPCs with Purpose, Not Paragraphs




* Every non-player character doesn’t need a novel-length backstory.

* Focus on role and motivation: what does this NPC want, how do they go about getting it, and how might they interact with the players? 



* Give them one memorable trait — a nervous stutter, a distinctive piece of jewelry, or a strange laugh — and you’ll bring them to life more effectively than any long biography.





* IF the players ask, be creative and improvise, then flesh out details after the session

* Tank notes!






5. Build Encounters with Flexibility