Whether it is a character feature that grants players the ability to have a familiar or an animal companion or you have players that just want to befriend every potential pet they encounter, the game you run can change significantly with these additions. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about how to integrate these creatures into your game, as well as the differences between familiars, animal companions, and pets. If you have a comment about this or any other episode, please...
Nov 11, 2021•55 min•Ep. 50
In the second part of our two part series, John and Danielle continue their discussion on running games with little or no prep. In this part, they cover how to get out of trouble you may have created (overpowered magic items, unintended plot lines) as well as some additional improv tips. Join use for more! Let us know if we have missed anything. If you have suggestions for additional content for this or any other episodes, please reach out one of the following ways: Web: https://becomingDM.com F...
Oct 28, 2021•45 min•Ep. 49
Sometimes you don't have time to put together a plan for your next session. Life gets in the way, or maybe you even got writers block. Whatever the reason, if you're a DM, at some point you will find yourself needing to run a session with little or no prep. In this episode, John and Danielle talk about their suggestions for successfully running games this way. Whether it's John's experience gradually reducing the amount of planning time that goes into his well established world or Danielle's sty...
Oct 14, 2021•43 min•Ep. 48
Let's face it, your adventurers can't go from quest to quest indefinitely. Eventually they are going to find a town where they need to take a little break, recover, maybe even do some research or build their own business. Adding downtime to your games is an important piece of making your world feel like a living environment instead of a place that the characters just travel through to get to the next dungeon. Join John and Danielle as they discuss some tips, tricks, and ways to implement downtim...
Sep 30, 2021•50 min•Ep. 47
One shot adventures can be a great way to break up a campaign if you need some time off from the main story line. They can also be a good way to introduce players that haven't played together before or just try out a new type of adventure with your group. But how do you keep a one shot to actually only take up one session? How do you structure the story so it can be completed in that time? In this episode of becomingDM John and Danielle will talk about how to structure the story and time for run...
Sep 16, 2021•49 min•Ep. 46
Whether it's the dark spooky forest just outside of town or the raucous bar that the characters find themselves in, having the right description so that players understand what's going on around them is extremely important. That's why, in this episode of becomingDM John and Danielle are talking about tips and trips to guide you in improving your descriptions. They talk about things to consider for each of the senses you can use to describe a scene as well as tools and resources to improve your d...
Aug 19, 2021•56 min•Ep. 45
Do your players yearn to lose some money at a casino? Or maybe they are just looking for an illicit back room card game. Do they want a game of chance or would they prefer to use their skills at a gambling to win some money? In this episode, John and Danielle talk about implementing games of chance and gambling into your world. We will cover locations where gambling might happen, types of games to include, as well as other things to consider when deciding to put gambling games in your world. We ...
Aug 05, 2021•54 min•Ep. 44
When you have players that stop paying attention when it's not their turn, that's a problem. But if they aren't following the storyline at all and have been checking out, that's a huge problem! Join Danielle and John in this episode of becomingDM where they talk about strategies for keeping your players engaged and excited about your game and sessions. With incorporating player back stories, setting rules for digital devices, and streamlining combat there's a lot of stuff to cover! We always wan...
Jul 22, 2021•55 min•Ep. 43
Eventually your players are going to get to the point where they are interested in leveling up their characters. But maybe you have questions on how they get to that point or even what happens when the character is ready for the next level. Join Danielle and John as we discuss options for leveling up. Whether you go old school and use gold as a way to get experience, more modern with milestone leveling, or somewhere in between we've got suggestions and tips for how to up your leveling game. We a...
Jul 08, 2021•51 min•Ep. 42
Holidays and calendars? No, we're not talking about creating homemade gifts, it a new episode of becomingDM! This time John and Danielle talk about using holidays to create unique experiences within towns and also to represent the passage of time. They also talk about calendars and determining whether or not creating a calendar makes sense for your game. So whether you're looking to create a harvest festival or a day of the dead for your RPG, join us as we discuss the options and pitfalls for ad...
Jun 24, 2021•41 min•Ep. 41
Are you feeling unmotivated when it comes to planning out your games? Do you get more frustrated with your players than usual? Have you stopped caring about the outcomes of your game sessions? If so, you may be experiencing DM Burnout. Join us in this episode of becomingDM as John and Danielle talk about identifying the symptoms and causes. Additionally, they will talk about how to avoid burnout or cure it if you're in the middle of a funk. We always want to hear from you! If you have ideas for ...
Jun 10, 2021•52 min•Ep. 40
Maybe you've been stuck and all of the shops in your world look the same. Or maybe you skip over the shopping experience altogether. Whatever the reason, John and Danielle are ready to help you create more interesting shopping experiences for your world. Join us as we talk about everything from creating the shop itself, to the patrons of the shop, the shopkeep, and even the merchandise that they carry. If you would like to contact us about this or any episode, please feel free to reach out! You ...
May 27, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 39
We've said our farewells to Felicia, now let's get acquainted with Danielle and the show! becomingDM is a podcast devoted to tabletop role-playing games and helping DMs and GMs have a better experience in their game. In the trailer we'll talk about the qualifications of our two hosts, John and Danielle and have a little fun while we do it. We hope you'll stick around for our every-other-week show! To find out more about the show, check out one of the links below. Stay nerdy, friends! Web: https:...
May 23, 2021•3 min
If your players stay in an area long enough, chances are they will become known for something. That something could be for their good deeds or for doing bad deeds as well. The consequences of gaining notoriety is sometimes something that DMs don't include when building out their world. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about notoriety and how to leverage notoriety in your game to create a more enriching experience for your players. As always, we want to hear from you! Contact ...
Apr 01, 2021•47 min•Ep. 38
Whether they are using their kung fu skills or mastering the mystic forces of Ki, a good number of DMs have not had the experience of running games for Monks. So if a Monk joins their game, they may be at a loss for how to better integrate them into and challenge them with their campaign. In this episode, we are continuing our Dealing With series to talk about Monks and how to make them a better part of your game! Join us for the conversation! As always, if you have comments about this or any ep...
Mar 18, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 37
Are your players tired of finding short sword after short sword? Has it gotten to the point where gold doesn't even excite them anymore? Then maybe you need to look at upping your treasure game. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about treasure that your players can discover that isn't just weapons, gold, and armor! Join us for this episode! If you've got comments for this episode or you had ideas for different episode topics that you would like to hear, please let us know! You...
Mar 04, 2021•50 min•Ep. 36
In the latest release of our Dealing With series, we're talking all about Fighters! Even though they have been a part of role playing games since pretty much the beginning, fighters can sometimes stump DMs when they start to blow through your carefully constructed combat scenarios. Or sometimes DMs are looking for additional ways to integrate a fighter into their storyline or highlight their fighter skills. In this episode of becomingDM John and Felicia cover it all! We talk about challenging fi...
Feb 18, 2021•47 min•Ep. 35
In this episode we continue our conversation with Malcolm about adding factions to your game! We get further into faction creation in discussing how the factions are organized, creating methods by which players can attempt to join factions, and even touch on how to create storylines that rely on your factions. Join us to hear the exciting conclusion of this two part series! We'd love to hear what you think! If you have comments on any of our episodes or have ideas for a future episode, please le...
Feb 04, 2021•47 min•Ep. 34
The players in your games don't have to be the only ones that bond together for a common cause! Adding factions to you game allows you to create groups that can have goals that align with or counter to the goals of your party. Whether it's a government, a criminal syndicate, a mages college, adding factions to your game can be a great way to add depth to your games and create a launching point for new storylines. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk with special guest DM Malcolm ...
Jan 21, 2021•48 min•Ep. 33
The first episode of becomingDM in 2021 features a listener requested topic of running published modules. Join us as John and Felicia cover choosing the appropriate published module to run, what to do when you first get started, key things to look out for in your modules, and even how to deal with missing elements in the module. Whether you're running a module for the first time, or you've run several before, there's likely some info here that will be useful to us. so join us! We always want to ...
Jan 07, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 32
Are you looking for that next monster to populate your dungeon with? Maybe you need something to throw at your players as they are traveling across a wooded area. In the latest episode of becomingDM we are continuing out series on My Favorite Monster where John and Felicia discuss many of the monsters they have found and used in their games. In this episodes they will cover Shambling Mounds, Trolls, Black Pudding, and Displacer Beasts. Grab your bestiaries and monster manuals and join us! We wou...
Dec 24, 2020•48 min•Ep. 31
We've always said that preparation is one of the best ways to be able to pivot and improv when your game goes an unexpected direction. But what happens if the players make such a radical decision that if feels they've left the map entirely and are forging a completely new way? In this episode of becomingDM we're talking about tips, tricks, and strategies for improvising when your players forge a completely new path that was never expected or planned for. We'd love to hear back from you! If you h...
Dec 10, 2020•36 min•Ep. 30
Whether you are starting a new game, expanding the group you currently play with, or replacing someone that has left, finding the right player for your game is critical to ensure it's continued fun and success. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about things to consider when looking for new players as well as some tips on where you might look for them. If you have questions or comment about this episode, please contact us! Use one of the following channels: Web: https://becomin...
Nov 26, 2020•51 min•Ep. 29
They're always sneaking up on the enemies and sneak attacking them! How do you hide in the middle of combat? What exactly does uncanny dodge do? If you have a rogue in your game, chances are that you may have said one of these things at this point. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia are talking about Rogues, their skills, and how to integrate and challenge them in your game. We dive into some of their skills and really get an idea for the way that the rogue can work. Join us to lear...
Nov 12, 2020•43 min•Ep. 28
If you run role-playing games long enough, you will eventually experience the death of one of the characters in the game. Whether it's intentional when a player is leaving the game or the result of bad luck on rolls or just simple stupid mistakes, death always brings the question to your game of, "what's next?" Understanding how to deal with character death and what the next step options are for your players is a huge part of being a DM! In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia cover how ...
Oct 29, 2020•53 min•Ep. 27
Have you gotten tired of magic always coming to the rescue of your players? Maybe you just want less magic in your campaign because Joe always tries to get a +5 battle axe of head severing. Whatever the reason, running a low or no magic campaign can be a way to change up things from your average role playing game. But there's a lot of stuff that could potentially disappear or change in your game if you go this route! Join John and Felicia as they talk about the things to consider when reducing o...
Oct 15, 2020•39 min•Ep. 26
It's that time of year! With Halloween right around the corner, a lot of DMs are thinking about running Halloween themed or horror games. But where does an enterprising DM start? Have no fear, in the first episode after returning from a break John and Felicia talk about the different kinds of games that you can run to get your table in the theme of the season as well as some tips and tricks to set the mood to keep your players immersed and on the edge of their seats. Join us, if you dare! We'd l...
Oct 01, 2020•44 min•Ep. 25
You've just wrapped up a session of you're favorite role playing game and you start feeling a sensation of dread. "Did the players have fun? Was my story even interesting? They probably thought that I don't know what I'm doing because I don't know the rules as well as some of the players". If you're thinking thoughts like these, it could be that you're a victim to imposter syndrome! In this episode John and Felicia talk about what DM Imposter Syndrome is as well as tactics to help DMs of all exp...
Jul 09, 2020•50 min•Ep. 24
Looking for new monsters to try out in your game? Or maybe you've got that perfect monster and don't know quite the way to use it to make an interesting or challenging scenario for your players. In the latest installment of our every-so-often series, My Favorite Monster, John and Felicia are talking a whole new set of monsters! This time we're covering some all-time classics like mimics and dragons as well as some potentially lesser known monsters. Join us as we talk abilities, stats, and tactic...
Jun 25, 2020•38 min•Ep. 23
Critical success and critical failures can make your favorite role playing game more exciting or nerve wracking, but what does it actually mean to have a critical success or critical failure. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about rolling nat 20s and nat 1s, what the rules say about them as well as potential changes that some DMs make to their games. Whether you're a purist follower of the rules as written that don't allow automatic success or failures for skills on rolls or ...
Jun 11, 2020•44 min•Ep. 22
