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5 PRO TIPS
Become a great GM

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BREATHING LIFE
INTO A CHARACTER person, or the heart. If you want to play a
fighter, you might try a big person. They are
usually quiet, prefer solitude, and fight to
defend their lives as well as the people they
Discovering your new character is one of the best parts of
roleplaying! Ensure you have as fulfilling an experience as As you play, your choices begin
possible by starting out with a three-dimensional character.
Let’s take a closer look at what it takes to create a great to define your character.
tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) character.
care about. Want to be the smartest in the
room? Consider a smart person character.
Once you’ve made your choice, you’re set

I
f  you’ve been playing tabletop roleplaying games to start rolling dice. But if you’re ready to
(TTRPGs) for any length of time, there is a good bring your character up a notch, move on to
chance you’ve either been the person or been at a the next step.
table with a person who has no idea how to make a com-
pelling character. Let’s face it: Character creation takes
time and skill. Often, it’s easier to pluck a character like STEP 1 ADD MOTIVATION
Kanye the Giant (from the excellent Key & Peele sketch, Clichés are clichés because The next step to developing a character is
“When Hip-Hop and D&D Collide”) out of the good they work. Start by taking to add motivation. Choose a desire. Give
ol’ trope machine to settle in and get to the action. Take a character you love from them something to want. Once you know
one of our go-to characters, a bard called Miley Cyrus another story or video game what your character wants, you will know
who wants nothing more than to reach the fabled and roll with that. what motivates them to make the decisions
land of Las Vegas, for example. Whether it’s a lack of they make.
interest, lack of time, or a desire to get to the meat Let’s take another look at Miley the
of a TTRPG campaign, many of us take shortcuts STEP 2 bard. She did not start out wanting anything
when it comes to character creation, and there isn’t Every character needs to specific.
anything wrong with that. want something. It doesn’t The easiest way to add motivation is
As you play, your choices begin to define your charac- really matter what it is. If to simply start asking questions of your
ter. Starting with a trope is fine. It’s what we add to the that thing helps them make character. Why is Miley a bard? Is it because
barebones structure of those archetypes that gives our decisions, it’ll work! she likes to sing? Does it help her deal with
characters depth. a personal trauma to tell other people’s
stories? She once heard tale of a magical land
STEP 3 of secrets called Vegas. Does she want to go
CHOOSE A TROPE Once you know your because she can start over fresh as someone
An archetypical trope defines a character that fits into character’s motivation, use else? What secrets might Miley have, and
a pre-existing idea of what a specific sort of character that desire to help you make what does the player know about her that
might look like or enjoy. Don’t know what kind of char- choices. Don’t sit back and Halrun, Dragon Knight the other players don’t?
acter you want to make? Start with one of five-character wait. Have your character Warrior of the Wastes
types: the leader, the lancer, the big person, the smart become active by choosing! Alfonsus Wong
 PLAYER COMPANION
Characters are defined
The Player Companion lets players store and by choices and how
transport everything they need for game night! It also
doubles as a play area with a dice tray and character
they respond to the
sheet overlay.
Once you’ve arrived to play, the space inside the
circumstances created
Player’s Companion transforms into a dice tray which as a result, but they are
gives an incredibly satisfying sound when rolling dice.
further defined by their
SIMPLY CHOOSE contradictions.
Throughout the normal course of a cam-
paign, your characters will make choices.
Those choices might be as simple as taking a
left or a right or as life-threatening as saving
a burning village. Take the motivations you
gave them in the previous step and use those
to guide your decisions in-game.
An example: Miley just finished a show
at the local tavern. She steps outside for a
quiet moment to drink an ale. She hears
two thieves in the alleyway talking about
smuggling a magical artifact out of town.
They mention the artifact can be used to
travel between worlds. She is about to ask
them more about it when she hears someone
screaming for help in the building across the
way. It’s burning.
What does she choose?
The answer to that question will add CONTRADICT YOURSELF she protected from an abusive parent grow- more harrowing interactions. The most im-
dimensionality to her. By virtue of what she Characters are defined by choices and how ing up. Maybe she just has a strong sense of pactful story points are the ones that cause
does, and what she doesn’t, she is taking a they respond to the circumstances created as right and wrong. Regardless, she can hold internal conflict.
stand in the world and defining who she is as a result, but they are further defined by their two thoughts in her head at the same time: Creating big moments of emotional payoff
a character. Say she chooses to ignore the cry contradictions. When they want one thing “I want to go to Vegas” and “I must help with three dimensional characters is easier
for help and instead follows the thieves. Even but choose to act in another way, it adds people.” By weighing those desires against than with one dimensional characters. Hav-
if she succeeds in gaining the artifact and complexity. Let’s continue with the Miley one another and choosing one, especially if it ing said that, if you just want to go around
traveling to Vegas, she might still be haunted example above. We know she wants to go to hurts her down the road, she becomes more hitting things, then a one-dimensional
by the screams of the person she ignored, Vegas more than anything, so logic would defined. character might fit the bill quite nicely. As
even as she sings night after night in a glitzy dictate she must then go after the thieves always, it’s up to you!
Vegas casino. On the other hand, if she saves and ignore the person crying for help.
the person and forgoes her chance at the arti- But she can’t do it. Something innate to WRAPPING UP
fact, will she regret giving up the opportuni- her being says that she can’t ignore someone By enriching your character with backstory
ty? One need only choose to find out. in pain. Maybe she has younger siblings who and conflicting needs, you set yourself up for
5 TIPS TO BECOMING Listen to your players. Ask them
what kinds of encounters they like
A GREAT GM and what they want to get out of
their roleplaying experience.
Even if you don’t watch or listen to the latest episodes of the most popular YouTube
videos or podcasts dedicated to live-play Dungeons and Dragons, you may have
noticed an expectation among some players that all D&D games should have insane
production values, a thousand different voices, and the set dressing of a Broadway
play. How does a GM enhance their gameplay without going overboard or breaking
the bank? Let’s take a look.

1 GATHER THE RIGHT

PARTY MEMBERS 2 RUN A
SESSION ZERO
The first and potentially most important Whereas the first tip had you talking to
step to running a successful campaign is your potential players one-on-one, this one
making sure the people involved want to is about gathering everyone in one place to
be involved, both with you and with the make sure you as a group understand the
other players. How? Talk to your potential guidelines of the campaign and agree to
players. Tell them what kind of game you them. Session Zero is the unofficial title of
want to run, whether it will be filled with the first session of a new campaign during
comedic moments or if it is a very serious which players create characters and talk
campaign adhering to a rigid history. Some about many of the same topics mentioned
people prefer campaigns with pop-culture in the questions above. During session zero,
references whereas others want a more listen to your players. Ask them what kinds
immersive experience. By talking to your of encounters they like and what they want
players and asking them questions, you can to get out of their roleplaying experience.
set the right tone early and make sure expec- If they like action-oriented combat, go for
tations are aligned. that. If they like to socialize for hours with
Here are some questions you might ask, NPCs, then come prepared. A good session
but you can ask countless more: revolves around the players, not the GM.
Make sure to discuss real-life rules. How of-
• What appeals to you about TTRPGs? ten do you meet? How do you cancel if you
• How long do you want to play per session? are unable to make it to a session? Every-
• How often would you like to play? thing you agree upon during the session zero
• Do you care about the internal history? should set and align the expectations for the
• Do you already know about the setting? coming campaign. Think of session zero as Halrun, Dragon Knight
• What power level do you want to start at? a tool to put everything on the table, so to Warrior of the Wastes
speak, to make the game run smoother. Alfonsus Wong
 The included GM screen features an initiative tracker tables that can help you fill your world with
which gives both the players and the game master an easy locations and NPCs. Rolling dice to get
overview of turn order. The game master screen is highly
a random result can often aid you in your
customizable with room for print out inserts and it has
creativity.
straps to hold onto phones/pens while playing.

5 REMEMBER
YOUR ROLE
YouTube channels like Critical Role play an
important… role in the tabletop roleplaying
game community. It has garnered massive
success by attracting new players and show-
ing them how wonderful the world of table-
top roleplaying can be. Your role, to continue
the metaphor, is not to copy that experience
one-for-one, but to add something to it by
making it dynamic, fresh, and unique to your

4 ...BUT
group. That means including your players in
GAME MASTER COMPANION DON’T FORGET the storytelling and remembering that the
The Game Master Companion lets game mas- TO IMPROVISE role of a GM is not to force story beats or
ters store and transport everything needed for As a GM, you are creating the illusion of moments, but to allow the players enough
game night, including an innovative game master
a world for your players. You don’t need to freedom, and enough guardrails, to create
screen which elegantly wraps around the box.
plan out every single detail in the world to memorable moments. Each game session

3 CONSISTENCY
keep up the illusion of a functioning world, has the potential to be the best one yet if the
but you should be ready and willing to players feel like they are involved, that their
IS KING… change your plans and come up with some- actions and choices matter, and that the game
As the game begins, be sure to respect thing on the fly. Don’t be was personal to them in
the session zero. A good campaign honors
the agreements made during session zero
afraid to get inspired by the
unique circumstances of the
Each game session some way. To those ends, it
is your job to create interest-
including how often to meet, how long game session. Perhaps you has the potential to ing problems that the players
the sessions should be, and how long the all have started an inside can solve. Don’t necessarily
campaign should last. If your players have joke during table talk. In- be the best one yet. think about how these prob-
expressed a wish for combat, include com- corporate that into the game lems should be solved but
bat. If they have expressed a wish for a lot if it makes sense. By creating these kinds reward your players for solving them in their
of social encounters, include a lot of social of interactions, you are creating emotional own way. It is important to allow players to
encounters. Be sure to check your session rewards that will enrich the gameplay and overcome challenges. Conflict is what drives
zero document, when you prepare for a ses- make the experience a more memorable one. stories forward. Resolution is what happens
sion, so that down the line you don’t forget Whenever your players want to do some- after. Create the conflict, but let your players
the original agreement. That way you can thing that ventures outside what you have come to the resolution that works for them.
continuously be consistent regarding the previously been describing, do your best to Forcing players to solve the problems they
agreed upon framework for the campaign. go with the flow and improvise. Improvising come across in specific ways removes their
Remember, playing a TTRPG is a col- isn’t always easy, so consider keeping several choice and leaves the players feeling like they
laborative experience. It’s about everyone random tables at hand for inspiration. At are actors in your story, rather than engaging
having fun! the end of this guide, you will find several in collaborative storytelling.
 LOCATION GENERATOR NPC GENERATOR

1d6 LORE 1d6 BIOME 1d6 PERSONALITY 1d6 QUIRK

1 Abandoned 1 Desert 1 Underhanded 1 Paranoid

2 Holy 2 Forest 2 Charismatic 2 Akward

3 Burned 3 Tundra 3 Brutish 3 Greedy

4 Cursed 4 Grassland 4 Dull 4 Senile

5 Consecrated 5 Dungeon 5 Friendly 5 Knowledgeable

6 Occupied 6 Jungle 6 Confrontational 6 Way Too Honest

1d6 LANDMARK 1d6 POPULATION 1d6 ARCHETYPE 1d6 DESIRE

1 Village 1 None 1 Rogue 1 Gold

2 Temple 2 A Few Scouts 2 Sage 2 A Magical Item

3 Wizard Tower 3 A Small Camp 3 Soldier 3 To Go Adventuring

4 Dragon Obelisk 4 A Settlement 4 Priest 4 A Secret

5 Burial Mound 5 A Warband 5 Diplomat 5 Another NPC

6 Bridge 6 An Army 6 Administrator 6 Information

GAME MASTER COMPANION
ACCES S O RY B OX A N D GM S C R EEN
Set the scene for a great roleplaying experience with this two-in-one
game master screen and storage box for accessories like miniatures,
RPG books, cards, dice and whatever else your adventure calls for.

PLAYER COMPANION
ACCE S S O RY B OX A N D D I C E T R AY
Everything you need as an RPG player in one elegant and innovative
solution. High quality storage box, built-in dice tray, tablet holder,
character folio – all in one. Magnetic closure.

Visit dragonshield.com/roleplaying for

more info and free TTRPG downloads

The Adventure Begins with Us