It is a huge moment to first sit down behind the Dungeon Master’s screen, and it can be hard to decide if you are ready for the responsibility.
Being a Dungeon Master is a ton of pressure; you are the guiding force behind the plot, the action, and the main determinant of how the entire session will turn out.
It’s scary, to say the least.
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However, there may come a time when being a player isn’t quite the same as it used to be… and it might be time to try out something new.
Here are five signs you are ready to take the next step in your D&D career:
You are the most involved in the story
You may feel like you are carrying the social interactions, or you may occasionally have to get the rest of the party back on track. This changes the way you play as a PC, and can leave you a little worn out at the end of a long session of being the designated note-taker/decision-maker/bard-coraller.
You’re constantly exploring other ways the story could go
You begin to put yourself into the DM’s chair; to imagine what twists and turns would make the story most enjoyable. Usually, the plotline you thought up isn’t what happens in-game, and if you’re particularly invested in that story, you may end up feeling disappointed.
You overwork your character
You want more D&D time, so you focus on your character. I once spent over an hour preparing idioms for my in-character roleplaying that I never actually used! Tis may result in you feeling tired of your character, and wishing you could control more than one PC during the game.
You have a lot of character relationships
Often spinning out of overworking your character, your character has a ton of in-game relationships that may not be necessary. This in itself isn’t bad, but if they all have a backstory with your character and none of the other players’, then it can isolate you from the rest of the party.
You contact the DM several times between sessions
You may text them in the middle of the night with a great idea that you dreamed up, eager to share. This can be really fun both as a DM and as a player (hooray for collaborative storytelling!) but may also be a little annoying for your DM.
Did you relate with most of these? If so, you might want to try out being a Dungeon Master. You don’t have to jump straight into the deep end; try out a one-shot or a short campaign, maybe even take over from the current DM for a small side session.
Even if you don’t like it, the experience will broaden your perspective. Just like how your character doesn’t have to multiclass, you can level up in player all you want — every DM needs a good player at their table.
But, just maybe, something could awaken inside you as you gaze out over the DM screen at the stunned and amazed faces of your party after the reveal of a great plot twist; when you laugh along with your group at a particularly eccentric NPC you whipped out of your sleeve for fun; or when a touching scene brings everyone together in a shared moment of emotion.
So, if you feel ready, give it a try.
Being a Dungeon Master is a huge responsibility, it’s true, but it’s also a huge joy.
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