How to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM

Your party just walked into a magic item shop — and at least one of them is already casing the room for guards, cameras, and an exit route. Are you ready?
This episode breaks down how to run magic item shops that actually hold up under player scrutiny: how to protect items players will try to steal, how to stock a shop so it feels earned rather than random (crafters, trade routes, and discovery), and why you should always price higher than your gut tells you to — especially if you’re letting players haggle.
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:
Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith
Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/
Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord
Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon
Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Welcome once again, dear Dungeon Masters and Game Masters! Today we talk about how the Lord of the Rings trilogy can be described mostly as DnD checks and situations.
In this episode you will learn how to take a movie and analyze it in DnD terms, maybe even translating some situations into the table.

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 alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here:
Worldsmith: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/worldsmith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Roll and Play Press: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/rollandplay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Phantasm Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/fantasms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Monument Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠session0studios.com/monumentstudios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Railroading has a bad reputation in the TTRPG world — but is it actually the villain DMs think it is? In this live panel from FanX 2025, Justin Lewis, Tanner Weyland, and Cayden Ottley dig into what railroading really means, why every DM does it whether they realize it or not, and where the line sits between guiding a story and steamrolling player agency. Expect real talk on good railroading vs. bad railroading, how to course-correct when you've leaned too hard on the tracks, and how player perception shapes whether a table even feels railroaded at all.
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:
Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith
Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/
Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord
Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon
Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Welcome once again, dear Dungeon Masters and Game Masters! Today we talk about suspense and surprise from Alfred Hitchcock's movies and Game of Thrones.
In this episode you will learn how to make the most impact by managing the knowledge your players have about each situation.

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 alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here:
Worldsmith: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/worldsmith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Roll and Play Press: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/rollandplay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Phantasm Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/fantasms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Monument Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠session0studios.com/monumentstudios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Players (and DMs) have many unchecked assumptions for what they want out of a D&D adventure: they want "powerful loot," easy NPC interactions, and a cinematic, epic story for them to experience... right? Or is that just the surface level? Do they actually crave something more integral to D&D, like collaboration, creativity, and real consequences? Tanner discusses 5 hidden wishes that players have and DMs would benefit from addressing.