Becoming a GM Today. Part 1: Starting with the Basics.
In previous blog posts I have written about how I got started on my journey into Game Mastering, general advice, and best practices. However, a topic that I have wanted to tackle for a little while now is how I would get started as a Game Master if I were to start today. One of the lovely things about roleplaying’s relevancy in the recent fabric of pop culture is that there are a ton of resources available to new Game Masters nowadays that simply were not available back when I started my journey. Now you can watch professional Game Masters such as Matt Mercer of Critical Role fame run games or watch Michael E. Shea from slyflourish.com prep for their upcoming session in real time. There is even a daily blog, Gnome Stew, dedicated to providing thought-provoking articles for GMs.
So what I want to talk about in this blog series is how I would get started as a new GM if I were to start from scratch today. Since this is a blog about roleplaying, let’s do a little roleplaying exercise! Let’s pretend that we are a player who has limited experience with roleplaying but has at least watched some people play games ala Critical Role, Acquisitions Inc., etc. Let us also pretend that we, like many people who are just starting out in a hobby, are on a budget. Where do we begin?
The first task is to find your player group. If possible, I suggest playing with a supportive group of friends, coworkers, and/or acquaintances that you want to spend some quality time with. If no one immediately comes to mind or your schedules simply don’t allow for you to game together as you’d like, there are tons of players looking for and running games on roll20.net. Another great place to find players is your friendly local game store, or sites like meetup.com. I also suggest joining LFG (Looking for Group) and GM-ing Facebook groups.
Arguably the cheapest way to start (while being morally responsible; I see you, pirates 🏴☠️) would be to download and print off the basic rules and character sheets from Wizards of the Coast’s website found here:
https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules
https://dnd.wizards.com/charactersheets
I would also suggest running a module for your first session, which is also something that can be found on Wizards’ website. While running your own campaign is an incredibly rewarding endeavor, it is a lot of work. Trying to build a world from scratch is something you can try later when you have some GM experience under your belt. Pace yourself, it is not a race. Learn the system, get the basics down, and take notes as you learn. Again, there are some great places online to find simple modules, Wizards’ website (as I’ve mentioned) or on the DMs Guild Website. (Just remember to give those content creators some money for their hard work!)
https://media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/iceroadadv1_unsurefooting.pdf
Also, if you have the opportunity, I HIGHLY recommend playing in another player’s world while you are GM-ing. It will give you a fresh perspective and you can give the other GM feedback, ask them questions, and share resources. It will also remind you of what it feels like to be in the player’s shoes-- how scarce your resources are, how long the downtime is between turns, and what it feels like when the spotlight is not on you. Being aware of how the player is feeling and what they are experiencing is important if you want to be an effective GM.
If you wanted to spend the additional funds, you could invest in the D&D Essentials Kit which comes with everything you need to start your roleplaying adventure (minus the players)! It includes an introductory adventure, a basic rulebook, 6 blank character sheets, a GM Screen, a map for use with the adventure, cards for running the adventure, and even a set of dice! The adventure can be run with only one GM and one player, but I suggest playing with more to maximize the roleplaying experience. The adventure also makes some suggestions of where to take the story when you have completed the adventure. As a starting Game Master, you can’t ask for a more complete package!
Next week we will discuss what we can learn from others, including our friends and fellow Game Masters as well as professional Game Masters, and other ways that you can find direct answers to your questions.
‘Til then, Take Heart!
Karington Hess
Game Master and Founder of Open Heart Games
