HeyJaredHow to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM
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…
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 15
- Latest publication
- Sep 3, 2026
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 6, 2026
Latest episodes
Stop Blaming Your Players. Start Coaching Your Table (opens the original)
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In this episode, I’m breaking down the three levers every DM has to fix frustrating table behavior without turning into the bad guy: structural changes to your game, direct asks you’re probably avoiding, and the mindset shifts that matter more than either one. If you’ve ever resented your players without knowing how to say so, this one’s for you. 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: Worldsmit
How to Quickly Build an Interesting Combat Encounter (opens the original)
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Is it possible to build a combat encounter quickly while also making it interesting? After all, most quickly-planned encounters end up just being a bunch of random enemies thrown at the players. But that's not as interesting as an encounter that has a concept, unique terrains, and monsters to match (which is the formula Tanner will be exploring in today's episode). Let's roll initiative!
Stuck? How to Keep the Cogs of the World in Motion - C.C. S2E12 (opens the original)
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Welcome to the Season Finale of Creative Contraband! Today Danny Barrett helps us deal with slow sessions or stuck campaigns. With these 4 different techniques, you will be able to make things move again whether you are a Dungeon Master or a Game Master. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alik
Mimics and Networking with DM Neal - C.C. S2E11 (opens the original)
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In the third and last interview of the season, we join the very productive DM Neal, and talk about everything from Mimics and subverting expectation, to IT work and business practices. Grab a pen, open a beer and enjoy this talk filled with useful information! Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof Listen to DMs Block here: https://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/ Listen
The Insecure DM Trope (And How Not to Become It) (opens the original)
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You know the trope: the DM who builds an unwinnable encounter, or a puzzle so clever it’s basically unsolvable — not because the story needed it, but because somewhere underneath, they needed to feel untouchable. In this episode, Justin unpacks the inner work behind that trope: a concept he calls “okness,” the diamond-level self-security that keeps insecurity, jealousy, and thin skin from leaking into your games. You’ll get four practical exercises — the Negative Feedback Loop, the Gratitude Jou
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