Dungeon Master for Dummies

Every aspiring 'Dungeon Master' should get this book 'first', before getting any other D & D manual.

As much as I hated the other book in this set, this one was wonderful. It provided a solid layout of what a DM might run into and what he'd have to handle. It gives detailed examples for not just adventures, but interplayer problems that often crop up as well. I've been DMing for years, but I've got my copy of this well tagged with sticky notes. Sure I technically have most of the info in my other books, but this one is far easier to referance when players are waiting for an answer. Anyone that wants to run a game would do well to buy this helpful book.

First, please understand that this guide is written and intended for people who are new to being a DM or people that have very little experience as a DM. That being said, ignore the reviews with a poor rating because they bought the book without researching it first. I am new to being a DM after only participating as a PC for the last 20 years. I found the book very well written and it shed quite a bit of light on issues that I was having a hard time grasping because the actual DM Guide itself can be a little difficult to understand since there are several different types of writing styles used throughout the guide. This book is a good reference to have until you are comfortable running a game as a DM with just the DM guide. Please remember this: This book is written and intended for people who are new to being a DM or people that have very little experience as a DM.

Part of the fun of playing Dungeons and Dragons is being the story teller aka referee aka Dungeon Master. The idea is that other PC (Player Characters) are exploring your world and learning to overcome challenges that you create for them. The book is a good place to begin if you've never DM'd before since the authors are all skilled DM's and write from their own experiences. You're given game etiquette and how to host a game session advice as well as PC styles of play whether it's the Rules Lawyer who invokes the rules at every opportunity or the Power Gamer who builds his character for ultimate power, you're given ideas on how to deal with these types of mind sets which has proved helpful to me. I've DM'd in both 1st & 2nd edition of D & D and really felt lost in the new 3.0/3.5 editions. I have a lot of the rule books and supplements for 3.0 and I was kind of disappointed this was not covered in this book. I mean what does one do if they have a substantial investment in 3.0 edition books and all of a sudden, they're outdated?!?!?!?! I feel the authors could have discusses this a bit and given some ideas and ways around that setback. For a Novice DM, the sample town given in the book is a great place to use as a backdrop for your first games. The book does a nice job of dichotomizing a campaign based series of adventures versus the single module type of ones and even mentioned that you can interconnect these modules to create an ongoing campaign. (FYI: A campaign is where the PC's use the same characters from start to finish whereas a module based style of play means the PC's can roll up new characters to play) The Tens lists are helpful and many of the modules I'd never heard of before. (Used my own world primarily for 1st edition and Forgotten Realms for 2nd edition) Some of the modules I'm going to go out and get. In fact, Wizards of the Coast have graciously allowed many old 1st & 2nd edition modules & supplements to be downloaded free at their website. Overall I think the book rates 4.5 stars but I was quite disappointed at no mention for how to reconcile 3.0 & 3.5 core rulebooks & supplements!