Room for Improvement

I'd like to take a moment to delve into one of the core principles that defines my own style as a DM: constant self-improvement. It's why I always identify and change one thing about my technique after every game I run. I don't think there has ever been a 'perfect' DM in the history of gaming, so there's no sense in kidding ourselves... no game-runner is infallible. Mistakes happen, we learn from them and iron out those bugs in our future endeavors. Sometimes it might not even be a mistake, it might just be a way of organizing or presenting your material so that it is more accessible to you or your players. As long as you are looking for ways to make things better for your group, you are on the right track as a game-runner.

The trickiest part of this process is, of course, identifying the parts of your games that need improvement. The simplest method of doing this is asking your players. After the end of a game I will often ask my players what they liked or disliked about the session so that I can make adjustments for next time. It's best to wait a while after the session ends before asking this, to give your players a chance to rest, converse, and reflect on the game. Don't press the issue, but listen to your players if they have some concerns about the way the game went. This is the opportunity to make your players feel comfortable about sharing their thoughts on things and to invite them to make those thoughts known.

Another way of spotting problem areas is to note any moments of obvious confusion or trouble that might crop up during the game. If there was a particular event in your game that caused it to slow down or stop, something that needed to be corrected or undone, that's something that you can aim to avoid in the future. Don't make a big deal about it at the time it happens, but once your game is finished you will want to figure out how to avoid the issue in the future. 

Finally, you also want to look at the parts of your game that are already going well and figure out how to make them even better. Don't settle for adequacy when you have the opportunity to optimize your campaign. Use this opportunity to think as a writer, an engineer, or an inventor. Innovate and improve upon what's working, and remove whatever doesn't fit. Keep moving forward.

Some examples of what I'm talking about include:

• Placing a sticky note of a rule you keep forgetting in a prominent place at the table.
• Implementing a house rule to make initiative easier.
• Having a separate area for snacks so that they don't spill onto the game table. 
• Seating a very hands-on player closer to the map so they can reach it.
• Collecting more minis or tokens for setting up battlefields.
• Describing the players' critical hits in more detail when they strike enemies.
• Resolving to spend less time flipping through the rulebook.

The list goes on and on... the point is, the number of things you can change and build upon is enormous. It's easy to get overwhelmed and start picking things apart about your methods and tools... so don't get carried away! Just focus on that technique I mentioned. Find a single problem and figure out how to fix it. What can you do to make it better? If you just keep taking it step by step after every session you will find your skills as a DM will improve exponentially over time. Your players will be appreciative of your efforts to make the game as fun as it can be, and you will be more comfortable in the hot seat. There may not be a zen-like state of perfection when it comes to DMing, but the desire to improve your technique is certainly the path to tabletop Nirvana.

Happy ventures!