Those who are called to be Dungeon Masters are nothing if not a varied breed. Levels of investment in the craft range from spending a few minutes to put together a couple of encounters for an evening, to spending hour upon hour world-building. Some are strictly “Rules as Written,” while others may house rule the majority of the system to match their preferences. But one characteristic that’s common to most DMs is creativity.
However, organized play such as D&D Adventurers League imposes some constraints on DMs. And constraints often chafe creative, passionate people. But boundaries aren’t inherently a bad thing. Look at shared universe work such Timothy Zahn’s Star Wars novels, Michael Stackpole’s BattleTech stories and Robert Bloch’s Lovecraftian fiction. Many of those authors work as just well in franchises as they do with their own creations.
As writers often discover, working within an established framework can be very beneficial. Regarding his work on the Conan novels, Robert Jordan said, “I had to work with a character and a world that had already been created and yet find a way to say something new about the character and the world. That was a very good exercise.”
Similarly, the exercise of running D&D Adventurers League games can improve DM skills and foster creativity. To get the most from this experience, DMs should approach their organized play sessions with the following frame of mind:
- Flexibility. Some players live to min/max. Others like the challenge of roleplaying ridiculously silly characters. Some demand grids and miniatures. Others prefer theater of the mind. But regardless of style, all of them deserve an enjoyable time while participating in D&D Adventurers League play.
- A willingness to step into the framework provided. The campaign world that a DM sacrificed their health and well-being to develop may be more fully realized than Westeros. A group of friends may love their Greyhawk/Al-Qadim/Spelljammer mash-up more than they love their own children. But organized play has to have a uniform setting. D&D Adventurers League is set in the Forgotten Realms; DMs running it must embrace that.
- Appropriate channelling of creativity. D&D Adventurers League DMs must focus their creativity into the framework provided by the administrators. Although DMs cannot change the substance, or direction of the campaign, they can be creative in other ways, such as fleshing out the personalities of NPCs, engaging in colorful roleplaying or finding novel ways to engross the players in the storylines.
Above all, D&D Adventurers League DMs have to adopt a collaborative mindset. Organized play is not the same as home play, where a DM’s word can be gospel. DMs must adjust style and pacing to players’ preferences. They should uphold “Rules as Written” and campaign guidelines, while also prioritizing the D&D Adventurers Leagues golden rule: “Make decisions and adjudications that enhance the fun of the adventure when possible.”
And finally, DMs must communicate civilly with store owners, convention organizers, fellow DMs and D&D Adventurers League administrators. Sure there may be missteps, failed experiments, or mediocre adventures along the way. But trolling message boards and discouraging players from participating isn’t the answer. Just like a shared world author collaborates with an editor, D&D Adventurers League DMs should work constructively with others through thoughtful feedback, helpful suggestions and civil discussions.
During a recent interview in Dirge Magazine, Forgotten Realms author Richard Lee Byers said, “When the story is set in a shared world, naturally, it must still be dramatic and satisfying, but it must also suit the purposes of the setting as a whole.” Although he was talking about writing in a shared universe, this concept encapsulates the ideal of being a Dungeon Master for the D&D Adventurers League: DMs should have great experiences facilitating enjoyable sessions—not in spite of the limitations, but because they’re focusing creativity and contributing unique perspectives to the setting in a positive way.
Want to read more advice for the Dungeon Master? See all of our DM advice blogs.
What are some ways that you as a player or DM help grow the shared universe you play in?