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

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

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

By: Justin Lewis
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About this listen

 Learn how to be a better DM (Dungeon Master) so you can tell better stories for yourself and your friends. Learn things like how to start a campaign, how to create realistic NPCs, how to move the plot along, and how and why to use session 0's for your party. Join hosts Justin Lewis, Cayden Ottley and Tanner Weyland as they distill all the DM tips, tools and resources for the beginner DM, for the DM with a few years of experience and for the Forever DM who's been playing for 20 years. If you're sick of searching for things like, "How to create a homebrew DND campaign?", click the play button and listen to become the best dungeon master you ever could be! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster Discord Server: https://discord.gg/g77qt8quM2 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtobeabetterdmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@session0studios YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@session0studios Professional Dungeon Master Services: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ DM Coaching: https://session0studios.com/coaching/Justin Lewis
Episodes
  • 7 Dungeon Master Mistakes I’m Still Making

    7 Dungeon Master Mistakes I’m Still Making
    Aug 7 2025

    Welcome to How to Be a Better DM

    Today we talk about 7 mistakes I still make:

    1. ​Not taking in the moment and enjoying.
    2. ​Not surprising my party
    3. ​Trying to be a dungeon master that I’m not
    4. ​Comparing Myself to Other DM
    5. ​Not being me
    6. ​Forcing my expectations on other players
    7. ​Not Skipping the Boring Bits


    Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff:

    Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith

    Roll and Play Press:http://session0studios.com/rollandplay

    Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms

    Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord

    Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon

    Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
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    12 mins
  • Are You Starting Your D&D Campaign... With Fun?

    Are You Starting Your D&D Campaign... With Fun?
    Jul 31 2025

    Tanner shares a minor update about the podcast from his perspective, and talks about how to prioritize fun when starting a campaign. Hint: it's not with a lot of roleplaying like he did with his recent campaign...
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    13 mins
  • Why Your Combat Slogs and How to Fix It

    Why Your Combat Slogs and How to Fix It
    Jul 24 2025

    Here are today's sponsors:

    Worldsmith - Easy D&D Prep - Start a Free 7 Day Trial: https://session0studios.com/worldsmith-podcast

    Roll and Play Press - Easier D&D: https://session0studios.com/rollandplay

    Studio Fantasms: https://session0studios.com/fantasms

    Our Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon

    Why your combat Slogs

    1. You haven’t set the epectations with your players
    2. Because you’re building combats and not encounters
    3. You haven’t red shirted it - you’re not familiar with the baddies or the mechanics
    4. You as aren’t taking advantage of all 4 of the Pillars of DMing
    5. The party doesn’t want to do a combat.
    6. You don’t know how to make the combat intense
    7. Phones are at the table
    8. You make it go on too long


    Special thanks to:

    Benj Weyland for Graphic Design (https://www.instagram.com/benjweydesign/)

    TJ Max, Juka, and TechSenpai for being amazing moderators

    Kyle Wilson, Nick Ammann and Professor Nobody for being our patrons.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Save time with Roll and Play Press

    Save 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 Studios

    Visit session0studios.com for more information.
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    12 mins
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