Tabletop Roleplaying

Tabletop games are some of the most adaptable sandboxes ever invented and you don't need any high definition screens, or expensive graphic cards to enjoy it to its fullest. This post is written from the perspective of Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (5E) though a lot of the advice will be applicable to most Tabletop roleplaying games. Some of the most important details being world building, knowing your players and their respective characters, and having a general sense of the game.

World building or if you're using one of the alternate universes (AUs) from the game itself (such as Eberron, Forgotten Realms, etc...) then its more about making sure you know the world like the back of your hand. What this will do is make it that much easier to answer questions on the fly, or to give information that may be unrelated to your campaign that will pique your player's interest. If you're world building (especially if it's your first world) start small, only make the parts of the world you need to tell the story. The rest you can fill in as you need, it also helps you weave the characters into the history if there are at the least a few blank spots. There are some world building tips in the Dungeon Master's(DM) Guide; Chapter 1 is written like a discussion meant to get you thinking about all the necessary details to constructing the backdrop for the tale you tell.

Knowing the personalities of the players and the characters they've created will give you insight into how they will play and the options they have (spells, special abilities, etc...). Knowing how they're most likely to play and the limits to their character can help you to build challenging and well tailored sessions. It will help when trying to decide how you lure them into playing out your story (A.K.A. the hook). The bane of a DM's existence is the fact that we will never know how a session or a campaign will unfold regardless of how much rigorous planning, if the game is being played well then each person sitting at the table (virtual or otherwise) will tell the story together. With that note in mind always have a backup plan (or two) and practice your improv because I promise it will come in handy.

Last but not least, having a sense for the rules of the game and why the rules are in place is key. It gives you the ability to know when it is safe to bend the rules for a player without breaking the balance of the game. Its a trick to learn even I haven't mastered it, but if you mix an in depth knowledge of your world you can start to make decisions based solely on creating a story your players will become enraptured in. The rules are a guideline (Wizards of the Coast literally writes this into their DM Guides), the DM (you) has final say on what's what in your world. So learn the game and you wont doubt yourself in your decisions (hopefully).

Once you've gotten these talents down there won't be any tabletop that you couldn't conquer. Don't be afraid to try new things, a lot will fail. Though that is where the secret to success lies, as long as you've learned from what doesn't work you can begin to discover what does. Find what works for you, and just like with the rule books from the Tabletop of your choice, use my advice simply as a guideline not strict rules. Only you can write the perfect campaign for you and your friends. Happy adventures, and may your heroes live long.