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

Have you ever sat around your table while you and your party are in a combat encounter and thought, "This should be going more smoothly..." Well, you aren't alone! Fixing the stutters, the pauses, the minutes and hours spent on someone figuring out what they want to do often comes down to one word: expectations. So Tanner shares a few combat expectations that can really smooth out the wrinkles in your next combat encounter!

In today's episode, we explore the potential teachings of Solo Roleplaying, guided by our usual host, Danny Barrett.
Learn how to identify your strengths as a Dungeon Master with minimal effort, and while having fun.
 
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
Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios
Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord
Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon
Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

What actually makes a great D&D encounter?

In this episode, we break down 7 essential rules for encounter design that will instantly level up your sessions—whether you’re running combat, exploration, or social scenes.

You’ll learn how to design encounters that fit your story (not derail it), why your players need to want what’s on the other side, and how to create moments that feel real—even when they aren’t.

We also dive into:
• The CASE framework (and why most DMs ignore it)
• How to keep your encounters simple without making them boring
• Choosing the right pillars of DMing to emphasize
• Why every encounter needs meaningful conflict
• And how planning a fail state can actually make your game more fun

If you’ve ever felt like your encounters fall flat, drag on, or don’t matter—this episode will give you a clear, repeatable framework to fix that.

Run better encounters. Tell better stories. Be a better DM.

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
Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/
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

Welcome to the ninth episode of Creative Contraband! Danny Barrett dives into very popular TV shows to enlighten us about the art of “eliminating” characters (or not).
Today you’ll learn valuable lessons about resurrection, character arcs, keeping stakes high, and much more.
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
Monument Studios: ⁠session0studios.com/monumentstudios⁠
Discord: ⁠http://session0studios.com/discord⁠
Patreon: ⁠https://session0studios.com/patreon⁠
Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: ⁠https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Doesn't it always feel like more than half of your skill checks are perception or insight checks? Which is an absolute shame since there are so many other skills to use! In this episode, Tanner shares 5 skills and skill pairings that could be used in more creative ways than the pigeon-holed way we have used them in the past.