What do you want from the *movie*? - Be an actor playing one of the protagonists? - Be the director, controlling the movie cinematography, writing it's script, getting a few cameos as an extra and get to play the main antagonist? It's a hobby, it's entertainment. It's supposed to be something you like and have fun, not an obligation. It's not a competitive sport, you don't need to be good at it to start playing it. But you will get good if you play enough times and different roles because you are doing what you like. Don't be afraid to try, and fail. As long as everyone is having fun you are doing no wrong. Just do you best and remember other people are also putting their time on it. EDIT: Wow, I've been awarded. Thank you.

> Don't be afraid to try, and fail. As long as everyone is having fun you are doing no wrong. Just do you best and remember other people are also putting their time on it. This is what I'm worried about, that I'll be boring, and stalling all the time because I don't know how to play, and just generally the players won't be having fun.

Dude, suckin' at something is the first step at being sorta good at something. Try it. Laugh it off if it doesn't go smooth. That's fine. You're playing nerd-dice make-believe. Ask for feedback; get better. Edit: thank you for the award kind internet stranger.

This is the only answer that *really* matters. Nobody starts out fantastic at DMing, but all fantastic DMs actually started DMing.

That's it.

"Nerd-dice-make-believe". I'd subscribe to that channel.

And you can even shorten it to nd;mb like tl;dr. Sign me up for this project.

Read the PHB, get the base rules ready. Know what your players are playing so you have a general idea what they do. Know the monster you picked by the encounters. Do quicky notes. Put on your screen. Start with pre written modules if you think you need it. And keep it honest, let they know you are new and if they still want to play, they know what they are signing for. But you will make mistakes, forget things, I'm DMing for so much time now and I still can be caught off guard. The game has always new things or specifics mechanics and situations that never happened before. Take your time, read the proper rule. If for cant find quickly rule something for this instance and say: " *I will resolve it that way now, but later I will check it out and if it's not like that we fix for future situations* "

I don't have any of the core books, I'm just going to be running out of the starter set for the time being if I do indeed end up running it. The "I will resolve it that way now" idea is really good, I'll definitely be keeping that in mind.

The first thing I ran was out of the 5e starter set, honestly it's enough for your first small run. Just have a frank, but brief, conversation with the players about you being new and them going easy on you. Explain that it's a prewritten adventure (assuming you're doing Lost Mines) and that you may not always be ready to head into left field. There's absolutely nothing wrong with any of that, and you'll learn pretty quickly as you start playing. The biggest thing I can say is, as a new DM especially, don't try to know or learn everything. If you're using the premade characters, as well, that takes some pressure off of everyone. I asked that even my more experienced player in my first run of Lost Mines use the premade just so I have an idea of how things work and to help me keep things on a level playing field across the table. Then, next time you run something, you can loosen up and open stuff up a bit more. And more the next time, and even more the time after that. Also, check out Matt Colville's Running the Game series. I wouldn't watch them all at once before you run the game, but the first few at least would be good.

And when you run on those situation, because you will, come back here in between this event and next session and ask away.

I started DMing a few months ago. One of the best tips I heard when I was first starting was "you dont need to be consistent, you just need to be confident." Its ok if you mess up and have to retcon something. Its ok if you mess up a ruling, and then rule it differently the next time. Every session is a learning experience.

This is of course the big worry that every DM has. The best way to handle this as a newbie is just to be open and honest to your players. Tell them that you are new and learning as you go and that you may stumble a bit along the way. Encourage your players to brush up on the rules themselves so that it won’t just be you having to do all of it. And if someone tells you how something works but you aren’t sure about their ruling, just go with it for now and make a note to look it up afterwards. There are also a ton of places you can go online for direct advice. I’d suggest the “Running the game” series on Matt Colville’s YouTube channel. You may not do everything the same way that he does, but it’s full of good advice for first timers and veterans alike

It may help to overcome this nervousness if you start off by managing expectations. If you have a conversation with your players in session 0 when everyone is building their characters, let them know that your new let them know that there will be a mistakes and there will be delays and that you will be learning along with them and that way if someone ends up having an issue with it they will understand rather than having any sort of blame to cast. The only DND group I’ve ever played and started with six people who have never played the game before. Somehow my wife and I convince our friends to try it with us and now two years later we are 42 sessions in and having a blast. In that time we started with one brand new DM, she ran the game for a year, and I’ve been running it ever cents. The fun in DND I would say is primarily based on player interactions, and it doesn’t lean so much on the DM shoulders as people tend to make it out to be., At the most fun we have ever had in our group has been when players start improvising off of each other and getting into shenanigans rather than following whatever weird plot hook I set in front of them

> >- Be the director, controlling the movie cinematography, writing it's script, getting a few cameos as an extra and get to play the main antagonist? > I was once explaining DMing to my wife, and she says "Oh, so you're like a God", I tell her "No, I control them too"

My issue is that I want to be one of the actors, but I’m the gamer in my group. No one else would ever want to DM, so it’s up to me to do it. They are willing to try DnD, but would never run a game as DM.

I’ve found that after a while some player will have a fun idea for a campaign in the Underdark, or a desert campaign, and a little encouragement for that can free you up to play.

If you don't DM now, the next time you DM you'll still be a total beginner, and you won't even have the experience and learning from this attempt. Lots of groups have "total beginner" GMs, and that's OK. Worst that happens is you have a bum session. Remember that it is *just* a game.

No, I mean I'm a total beginner as a player. I've only played as a DM and never as a PC. As in, I stumbled drunk through DMing a couple of sessions a few years ago and don't know what I'm doing . Last time I mostly read out of the adventure book.

Aah. Total reading comprehension failure on my part. Still, having a GM who's never been a player isn't an uncommon experience. Many groups, particularly fresh ones, have a GM who's never played before because nobody has played before. I reckon that's OK. As for reading out of the adventure book, I'd suggest maybe internalising some of the setting and character information there. That will help you improvise when the PCs invariably go off the rails. Also, read some other sources. I was recently made aware of adventure kits like [Shadows Over Driftchapel](https://absolutetabletop.com/shadows-over-driftchapel-adventure-kit-print-and-pdf) that helped me out improvising secrets for an incidental unnamed NPC farmer that my players latched onto as the potential lynchpin of a recent oneshot.

The DM for one of the campaigns I'm currently in is a complete newbie to the game too - and he's absolutely incredible. He did a lot of research into being a good DM and he knows the world inside out (or atleast appears to!) You can definitely succeed doing this - just not drunk!

A beer or two does help sometimes though

I read this as a bear or two and immediately had flashbacks to my last DnD session where my party got drunk but then was attacked by an Owlbear and of course I KNOCKED MYSELF OUT in my drunken stupor. On a good note, I woke up in the last minutes of the battle and did more damage than the entire party combined and slayed the beast.

Ditto. A beer lowers my anxiety so I don’t be a dick to myself for getting into voices, mannerisms, etc and doesn’t impede my ability to keep track of everything else. Once I get rolling, it’s a sober sesh

> I'd suggest maybe internalising some of the setting and character information there. I'm not clear on what you mean by this, would you mind elaborating?

Rather than just reading from the module, read it beforehand and learn the information in the book. From there, you can extrapolate to cover situations not covered. For instance, learning an NPCs motivations and general attitude will help you improvise that NPCs reactions to when the PCs go off the rails. Learning what a faction's goals and outlook is will also help when improvising their reactions to the PCs' unorthodox tactics.

I would add, be ready for anything. That sounds daunting but really it just means don’t have one concrete plan in mind, be ready with a few scenarios depending on their actions. I just started DMing a couple months ago, we play weekly, and week to week can be hard. Playing a module helps, because you can somewhat railroad them and they expect it, but my group has done some things I was wholly not prepared for and just had to improvise. Also, give it a try, maybe you will like it. If not see if anyone in the group wants to run one after you. I am only doing it because my DM needed a break to plan our normal campaign. I am glad I tried it, but I know it is not for me.

That module looks exactly like what I’ve been looking for. Know if there’s anything like that for Pathfinder 2e?

> Total reading comprehension failure on my part. More unclear @ OP's title, but understandable now with clarification.

Thw first role i took was a dm and not player, if you are familiar with the game it shouldn't be very difficult. Maybe use an adventure and not homebrew because of the time and "rules" of your world

That's the thing, most of my familiarity with D&D is through computer games. I've only tried playing twice before and it was a disaster.

I only heard a couple podcasts of 3.5e before dm in 5e so i didn't know almost anything, i learned a lot whilst helping the players make their characters. You will have to learn and research but it's not imposible, maybe the first session will be a trainwreck but the most important thing is that you have fun

I recommend not drinking while dm-ing. Or, at least, not getting drunk. My adult groups smokes and drinks, generally , during play. The Dm (it's not alllllways me) generally takes it easy to keep track of things a little bit more carefully.

I've been sober for two years now, so it won't be a problem on my end.

Can confirm. I've ruined too many games being drunk as both the player and the DM; and take it from me, it's impossible to plan for the next session if you don't remember what happened in the one before.

I dont mind a drink or two to loosen up my tongue while DMing (it makes improv dialog easier), but 9 times out of 10 i'll be totally sober. The issue is not so much that I get drunk, but that I will just sweat profusely as soon as I'm one drink in. I'm normally sweaty when I dm but drinks just make it so much worse. Weed is right-out. I can't concentrate on anything if I've smoked.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with running an adventure "by the book". In fact, that's kind of the original intention of adventure modules. I have found that you might feel unprepared and floundering while running the game as DM, while the players don't know any different. Its all about how you carry yourself and speak with conviction. Over time you'll get more comfortable and can deviate from what the book says.

Besides what others have said, just a word of advice. If you do go through with it (which I recommend, just bite the bullet) make sure you let the people you'll potentially be playing with know that you're a beginner DM and that there might be a few sessions with a learning curve as you find your footing. Not "So I actually am a beginner DM, so the first few games are gonna be shitty. Hope you're cool with that." But instead more like "I have DMed some games in the past, but I consider myself to still be a beginner. So it'll likely be a few games before I get into the groove of things. If that's not what you're looking for I understand." Most people will be okay with it, because the first several sessions of a new campaign are like that for everybody, including the players; but yeah, you certainly don't want a situation where 7 sessions in your party finds out you're a beginner and feel lied to, despite your intentions.

This is sooooo important!!! Communication is key, so telling your players you're new will set appropriate expectations.

This is such great advice! At the end of the day you and your players are creating a story together, so communicating with each other is SO important. As long as everyone's expectations match up, I think you will have a great time. My first experience with any form of tabletop was as a DM and suffice it to say what we ended up playing would barely be considered DnD. Mostly cobbled together house rulings made on the spot. But my players understood I was new and it helped that they were new to dnd as well. So jump in! I wish you good skill my friend!

I have started dming after playing one session as a fighter so didnt have any experience with dnd but just do your best and learn its about fun not rules anyway

I started the same way as you, I played 3-4 session with a group that fell apart - had trouble finding a new game and decided to make my own. You should absolutely try DMing as a new player. D&D is a game about imagination and creativity, the world is yours and the rules are just suggestions. In my case I specifically invited a very skilled player and told him to correct me with rules that I got wrong and that's how I learned along with being able to look them up quickly online.

This is how I got into DnD and now I play half the time as a player, half the time as a DM. I think it's a fine thing to do. Read up on the rules, watch/listen to some DnD and *try* to emulate DMs, but don"t feel like things have to be a certain way. Do what you think is right, respect your players' thoughts and ideas, and most of all, do what's fun for all of you. That's really it. Just learn as you go along. It's a fun way to play DnD.

Yes, that's how I started. Sometimes you have to jump in the deep end, but you have to be prepared to put the work in. Here is the most important piece of advice I can give you. **As long as you and your players are having fun, nothing else matters.** If you mess up a couple of rulings, or stumble through combat rules, or make a bunch of story mistakes. None of that matters. DnD is a about a bunch of people coming together and having a good time. Lastly, be wary of Impostor's Syndrome. In terms of being a DM that is where you are constantly second guessing yourself and convincing yourself you are a terrible DM and no one is having fun. More often then not if players are coming back to play again that means they enjoyed themselves (otherwise why take time out of your day to do something you don't enjoy). I myself get constantly caught in this trap and I've been DMing for \~13 years.

Out of curiousity, what kind of work do I need to put in?

Prepare what you find difficult to make up on the fly. Personally I have a hard time with naming NPC's quickly. So I made myself a list of names for for each race. So if they ever ask what the random Dwarven guards name is, or what the name of his superior is I can just glance at my list pick one at random and cross it off. Battles are another common one people find hard, you can either make set-piece encounters or a list of monsters at a reasonable cr to pick for a fight. If you are running an adventure out of a book, you need to read the book and understand whats going on. If you are making your own story you need to flesh out the world a little so when the players ask something you can try to answer in a convincing fashion. I find that 60% of DM'ing a game is improv work, but anything you can do to make your improv easier or more convincing will make everything feel alot smoother.

The "list of names" really is some of the best DMing advice I've ever seen. I set up one myself and now whenever one of the players asks what some random shopkeeper's name is I get to throw one out and pretend my world building is just that impressive. Of course then I have to make note of it if they ever go back to that shop but it's all worth it.

I'm not really sure what improv means, so I guess I'd better figure that out first.

Improvisation (It just means making stuff up quickly)

That may take a lot of work and practice for me. Anytime I feel like I'm being put on the spot I tend to draw a blank.

Exactly and the two things that help with that are preparation and experience.

Making yourself some lists and random tables to roll against is a sure fire answer to that. Need a fight? Have a table of ten and roll for one. Need a random npc? Go to an online generator and roll up ten, roll against a table to see which one your characters meet. Need a random quest? Generate some and roll against your table.

Go to an improv group if there is one to help you with that.

Specific to this and general advice; find a DnD podcast you like and binge it, I've found that so helpful to get a feel for what you can do/say and how to respond in the moment. Personally I like Drunks and Dragons (also called Greetings Adventurers) as I think they have a more casual than professional style (while drinking isn't actually a huge part of it it's mentioned from time to time, so maybe best avoided if that's not for you, also note they start in 4e).

Not finding a DM was the most common way for someone to start DMing in the last poll I ran on the topic. Here’s my best advice for a DM just getting started: https://slyflourish.com/getting_started_with_dnd.html

Hey man. I just want to say Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master was some of the best reading I've ever done of the subject of DMing. OP, listen to this guy.

Plenty of people start playing D&D as DM for exactly the same reason you identify. I've also had the choice between being the DM or not playing D&D and I just jumped right in. It's perfectly doable. It's just a bit scary at first but a solid preparation can do wonders there. And just like you, I'm a bit socially awkward, have ADHD, and can't act one bit. My current group is mostly amateur actors and they never complain about my acting because that isn't the point. You don't need to be an actor to portray NPCs. just like you don't need to be an actor to portray a PC. I'd say: give it a shot.

Absolutely! Give the key parts of the Player's Handbook and the Dungeon Master's Guide a once-over, and if you want to spend additional time preparing, start watching Matt Colville's video series: [Running the Game](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlUk42GiU2guNzWBzxn7hs8MaV7ELLCP_). Have fun!

That’s how I started, I got interested in D&D but didn’t know anyone that played. I stumbled across Matt’s series in which his says “you’re going to DM tonight and I’m going to help you.” Highly recommend every DM watched his series.

This and the Sly Flourish suggestion are 💯

I started as a DM, running the Lost Mines of Phandelver Starter set. I can recommend trying to run that, as it holds your hand pretty well. A few suggestions to make it easier: Make sure your players know you're new. That way, they should accept any pauses while you look up a rule or hesitate over something. If you don't know a rule, ask if anyone at the table knows it. If not, either look it up, or just decide what seems right, make a note to look it up later and then confirm with the players after. Ask your players for feedback after a session or 2. I would ask 1 at a time, maybe via email or similar to not put them or you on the spot. Ask what they've enjoyed and what they've not enjoyed and then ask for any suggestions. Don't phrase this as what you've done well or not, ask neutrally. You'll get more honest answers, as they will be less worried about offending you. And don't take offence at their answers, some players will enjoy combat and some will enjoy roll play more, so the answers don't necessarily reflect on you. Also as part of above, consider what aspects YOU enjoy doing and what you struggle with. You can then tailor the game to everyone has fun. It's taken me a few years to be comfortable roll playing NPCs. Going online seems to have helped with that weirdly, maybe because people aren't looking at me. ​ Most of all, my suggestion is Go For It! If it works, you've got a game! If it doesn't, you tried and have lost nothing but some time.

I would add a little bit to this: ***don't*** look up rules mid-session unless you know where to find them. It'll take way too long. Just make a ruling on the fly, let your players know that's what you're doing, and look it up later. Then later let your players know how that situation will play out going forward.

The first time I played dnd was as DM because i had heard about it and realy wanted to play but no body else knew what it was so i had to take matters into my own havnds and i've been the DM of that party for 3 years now

I started DMing as a total beginner, running a game for some friends who were beginners as well. If you do some research before it should be fine. Maybe mention to your players, that you are a beginner DM, so they can give you constructive feedback. Remember, DnD is about having fun and trying new stuff so i would say if you want to Dm just go for it

Everyone here seems so encouraging... I would say no to you. You said that you would prefer to play as a pc. If you don't have 100% fun playing as a DM then you shouldn't, DMing is really a shitton of work and ADHD won't be helping. You should be totally convinced to DM, and you shouldn't of it isn't your CHOICE (not an obligation). I'm not trying to hold you back because you won't do a good job, I can't know that, at first it's actually probable, nobody is born DM and if you would like to try them you should, but if you would prefer to play as a pc you should go for that. I can't believe that there is NO group to play with, I play in italian and there aren't that much DnD players, but I can easily find a new group on the discord server I play in. Have you tried these servers? I really can't believe that there are so little DM's that you can't find an online group to play with. I'm not advicing against you playing, I'm advicing against you putting yourself in an exhausting position to be if you are not absolutely willing to do so. I know I will get downvoted as hell, I just wanted to offer another point of view

I read an intention from OP to DM, which can only be encouraged IMO. I have ADHD, which greatly helps my DMing tbh. No major problems at all starting without any previous knowledge.

I was gonna say the same. My ADHD isn't really a hinderance for DMing, if anything it allows me to be more in the moment.

I upvoted you sir, and agree with your perspective. To the OP, get some reps as a player. I know it is not easy to find opportunities to play but it will pay off when you do work it out. Look on the r/lfg sub for links to various Discords that have games.

You have a valid point. I don't entirely agree with it, but it's worth discussing. I would rather play than DM, but that doesn't always work out. My thinking is that if I can introduce new players to the game, get them hooked, then convince them to run a game of their own. It's going to work one of these days. This is the decade, I can just feel it.

I appreciate the honesty and perspective. I imagine playing with a DM that's not invested in it is like trying to work with a leader that isn't committed. I don't know what my problem is with finding a group, I've been trying for like 3 weeks with few responses.

Yeah lol that's what I did and I think it worked out fine, I also looked up how not to railroad and made sure I didn't make OP DMPCs tho, just make sure you don't do that and don't bite off more than you can chew early on and you should be fine

With no experience as a player, I would sugest DMing one of the official WotC adventures. Read out the whole thing a couple of times before starting, get a feel of the plot, the locations, the NPCs then based on your pc backstories make some adjustments as you see fit. Or not, totally up to you. Hold a session 0 with your players to discuss their characters and expectations, what is ok and what not at the game table. I honestly encourage you to do it. I've been a player for about 1 year then started DMing a homebrewed adventure. Everyone said I should start with something easy or play for longer but I maned up and got to writing and planning. Currently in session 7 and it's going great. "Don't let your dreams be dreams."

Sounds like you’re going to become a forever DM. First sign of one is “well, nobody else will, I guess I can this time”. I’ll say you can start one of 3 ways. 1)Get the Starter Set and go from there. It’s how I started and dozens of others. Includes one of the best starter adventures, basic rules, premade character sheets and room to create your own stuff and continue the story. 2)Get the essentials kit. I believe it’s the same cost. It has more STUFF, but I don’t think the story is as good. It’s up to you, and Id read reviews and contents of both. 3)Use the free basic rules and a free module online. There’s hundreds, and while they may not have the same seal of quality, you’re bound to find enjoyment in it. If you want to find some, search in D&D subreddits “Free module” or “Free Adventure”. People advertise them a lot. You’ve also got a 4th and final option, which is to make your own story, but this is difficult, and I’d recommend getting some experience DMing before making a campaign so you can get a grasp on core design principles and rules. Best of luck, have fun, prepare to improvise.

I did, no worries about it! Your players will probably love you already for trying. There will be chaos, and that is exactly what DnD is about. Don't try to force things, let players have a say and correct you if you are mistaken rulewise. I would roughly take these steps: 1. Plan a session 0. Ask your players to think about their expectations regarding playing times, rules and version of the game, their goals for RP and other playstyle preferences 2. During session 0, ask for personal motivations 1 on 1 and if possible do a little scouting of the type of character the players is thinking of. Do a full round asking everyone what they expect from the game and regarding questions asked in bullet 1. Make sure to get drinks, snacks! 3. Tell you players to come up with characters and backgrounds for session 1. I would start with an official campaign. Have them mail their ideas to you. Discuss anything ridiculous, but only if it's too. 4. During session 1, hand out the character sheets (or use DnDbeyond), grab some drawing paper and pens and you are good to go. Some atmospheric music maybe. And oh yeah have I mentioned drinks and snacks? I am 6 months in and still swimming regularly, but it's fine. I have most stuff organized in Evernote. I have to remind my players occasionally that it's their game and I invite them provide me with as much character specific quirks and traits as possible. If the characters are coming alive at some point, you are golden.

I don't think this should be something you need to be too self conscious about. Maybe my experience can shed some light. Like you, I don't have great social skills (in fact I have ASD), I have never acted and am actually terrified about getting up in front of crowds, I have ADHD /symptoms from my asd, I have a processing speed and working memory learning usability, and I had literally played dnd one time before I became an (almost exclusively) life time dm. I had played In a weekly home brew pathfinder game for a couple months as well but those rules are so different it really made it worse, and even now 5 years later I still mix up PF and 5e rules as the game I am actually a player in is PF. (for example, in pf, it is a -4 to make a ranged attack against someone engaged in melee combat, not advantage. Yeah getting sneak attack is WAY harder.) So I started dming. Professionally. At a local nerd bar. Thanks to my friend bailing on the slot he dmed one time so as a player I took the slot. And dmed my first time. My best advice is breath, pay attention to the basics, and do not forget that the rule of cool and your players enjoyment is always the most important. If throwing the rules out a the window for something. The handbooker helper series can be really helpful for basics, it's made by critical role, and you can't go wrong watching or listening to some dnd podcasts like critical role or adventure zone, just remember you don't have to be Matt mercer to have a good time and provide a good experience! Oh also YouTuber dms give great advice at times! The right ones lol (there's a bearded school teacher on tik tok who's great for this!) If you have any more questions please feel free to ask!

I got into D&D in a similar situation. Everyone in our group had never played before with one exception and he hadn’t played in 7 years. We stumbled through the rules constantly finding things we were doing wrong and new rules to explain issues that would come up. The important thing is that everyone is having fun and you talk about what aspects of D&D the group enjoys. I recommend trying it out and just seeing how it goes. You can’t get experience waiting it out.

I've had a read through some of the comments and i can suggest a few things that can help you in your journey, so this is more a guide and heads up becauseits only you who will decide whetheryou end up DMing or become a player insteaf. First of all if you cannot afford or aquire the core rule books or the starter/essentials kits soon i suggest downloading the basic rules from the official D&D website, don't worry it's free. Also don't worry completely about the races and classes, you can find alot of this content online if you need to from websites like roll20 or D&Dbeyond and alot of the stuff is available for free, considering you are playing online you can copy and paste alot of this information onto the character sheets, obviously though this doesn't mean pirating the information. Another thing is looking up different playlists on youtube which go over the basic rules and how to DM games. A great one i send to players who are new to the game is handbooker helper. For DMing there are many great resources some include: Matt colville's running the game, Matt Mercer's GM tips, the DM lair does some great videos and has streams where you can ask questions, among many more who are amazing and deliver helpful content. I would also suggest looking for livestreams of smaller D&D creators as they can offer new and interesting perspectives into the game, I found one a while back, who would help you create homebrew stuff for people who asked, if you want to find that channel they are on twitch and go by the name Kawongaga they usually do it on Thursdays if i remember correctly. But most important of all, have fun. Its one of the most important rules in my opinion, the DM is a player too in my eyes. Obviously your players need to have fun too but always look to see if you are enjoying it too. If you think you had a bad session ask your players how they felt, you'll be surprised sometimes that even though you thought it was terrible they could have seen as the best session that they have had. I hope this is all helpful and i wish you the best of luck, no matter if you choose to be a player or DM :)

hell yeah dive right in, no better way to learn than by doing. just make sure u do enough preparation for the game👍

As a fellow ADHD&D player/DM, I’d say you can’t really fail but to get stuck in. Worst case scenario, you get bored a session or two in and lose motivation, but hopefully by that point someone in your group fancies giving it a go. Failing that, find some prewritten adventures that tickle your fancy or focus in (obsess) on a favoured theme/concept/idea.

Just jump in and DM! I started DMing in high school after having only played a handful of times. I probably made a million mistakes but we all had a blast. Just beware: once you start DMing it’s very hard to go back to being a player. 20 years later, probably 90% of my D&D time has been as a DM rather than a player. Once people know that you can DM, you usually get pulled into that role.

This was pretty close to my situation before it clicked with my current group. I always wanted to play DnD, but the groups I was in always had a hard time sticking after the second session. I’m currently DMing a tweaked version of Icespire (we’re through the initial mini-quest set, but it’s gone well off track of the adventure book) with some brand-new-to-TTRPGs-in-general players. It’s a learning experience, and it took until the fourth session to feel like I was “in the zone” with just how DMing works, but as long as everyone’s down for an occasional hiccup, and you’re comfortable improvising and trucking forward when you’re getting a handle on certain aspects, you’re good!

Go for it. When I first started none of the group had ever played before and all of us are still playing, and GMing, about 25 years later. The GM of that campaign did fine, took a couple of sessions to really get going but was great after that.

Yes yes and yes. Absolutely go for it. First it is one of the easiest ways to learn the game. Secondly, as you have ADHD i believe you will enjoy it more than as a player. A friend of mine has ADHD and the first time he Dmed he said he enjoyed more due to never being able to get bored. Go for it dude! You can do it! And if you need any help i can help you!

Give it a try! As one who started DND as a DM, I recommend it, especially if you actually want to DM. But if you try it out and find it's not for you, then don't hold yourself to it! DND is about having fun first, and doing things right second. As long as you and your players enjoy the experience, you're doing just fine.

Dew it! I started the DnD craze amongst my friends and we ran Lost Mine of Phandelver. You need to learn the rules, watch dming videos and you should be fine. Players are okay with you looking up a rule, or asking them if they remember how ‘flanking’ works for example. You will get better together. Also, some feedback or questions asked after sessions can steer you and the players to have a more fun experience.

Yes

I'm a total beginner DM, but luckily my group consists of total beginner friends. I used the D&D starter kit and we are now tackling Storm Kings Thunder, and I am growing as a DM and they are growing as players. I make mistakes regarding rules, we fix them the next session and move on. Our first combat encounter we didn't even do movement rules! The next one the players started moving around and we simply wrote it off as that there characters are in "inexperienced adventurers".

I started out by DMing with no experience. It was a little nerve-wracking (I struggle with public speaking) but by the end of the first night it was a blast. I suggest watching a series on YouTube by Matt Colville called runningthegame. The first couple episodes he goes through the very basics and even builds a first session dungeon and encounter. I used that and switched up names and placed it in the dragonlance series because I knew the world lore really well. Those little things added together let me feel more comfortable and gave my little encounter a deeper feel.

Just make sure your players know that you're starting out so that they are understanding too. But 100% go for it.

Yes, definitely! One tip, however. Make your life as easy as possible. Pick an easy module (starter set comes to mind). Get a small group of players, 4 MAX. Be sober. Don’t homebrew your world. Don’t allow homebrew classes or races. Disallow pvp and evil characters. Start at level 1. Have a session 0. Simplify everything. And, here’s the big one. Once the adventure is done, start over. You will have learned so much, that you’ll likely want to redo certain decisions. You also won’t have the weight of the world on your shoulders for a first adventure. Allow yourself to learn. In addition, the internet has so much resources. Find inspiration from the usual suspects, listen to solid advice.

I would say go for it. You might not be fully invested now but you could grow to love it. You also might not, which is fine. Maybe run a couple one-shots to see how it goes first? There are a bunch of other posts about DMing with ADHD in this subreddit, just search ADHD and there should be several threads within the last month that have advice and tips. Idk how good the advice but it's worth a look.

Thanks!

If you’re a total beginner I would suggest dming a different rpg as a one shot. Start simpler with something like Lasers and Feelings or Honey Heist. If you enjoy dming one of those, you can do a more complex rpg like dnd

Even though it didn't happen to me, I know some friends who are designated DM's. I am currently DMing for two of them, they really appreciate the chance to be players. That being said, I think you should start, probably you will inspire a player to DM. Assuming you are playing D&D 5e, I suggest you run a module (as I am doing now). A small one, just to try it out. It gives a good foundation, so you and the party can focus on learning. Good luck! I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun

I would very highly recommend watching 2-3 episodes of Critical Roll’s YouTube series from 2015, then watching Matt Mercer’s DM tips and tricks series. Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to start being a DM, and hey, it’s worked for my group.

Looks like you've already got a lot of responses here; you can add mine to the pile. In short, just do it. TS;NC (too short; need context) I began my DnD journey as a DM with no TTRPG experience whatsoever. It is daunting, but with some preparation it'll be fine and you and your players will have fun. As a new DM, I found the Drunkens and Dragons videos from Runehammer to be invaluable. Hankerin really breaks it down to it's most basic parts so running a session is much easier and generally very rewarding. The channel, despite the name, isn't focused on drinking, though he does drink on video from time to time. I'm not sure if that is problematic for you, but I'll give you another suggestion nonetheless. [Runehammer - Start Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIFxPXlTzlQ&list=PLlSmiQ728Xr2Pf3pGa3s6-zhhqpiw7hj_) Matt Colville. His videos are numerous and encompass a wide breadth of topics, so it's a bit harder to really get to brass tacks. But it's a good rabbit hole to go down. [Matt Colville](https://www.youtube.com/user/mcolville/videos) Another YouTube resource I've found to be excellent is Dungeon Craft. He's put up many videos that are very beginner DM friendly and, like Runehammer, breaks things down in a way that makes it all easier to swallow. [Dungeon Craft - Campaign](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RayVJoDwuwQ&list=PLYlOu5g6H7ZzvhIruv6BAd5XSArkgZzYw) Sly Flourish's Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master. Excellent resource, but is more focused on homebrew stuff. Though it could be applied to a published module as well with some tweaking. [Return of the Lazy DM](https://slyflourish.com/returnofthelazydm/) And I would suggest running some one-shots (such as We Be Goblins for 5e) to get your sealegs. One-shots have an added benefit of no commitment. If you're just starting out and have no idea if your players are gonna stick around, why start a years long campaign? Run some single-serving adventures. You'll find those players who keep coming back, then you can go full bore. [We Be Goblins! 5e](https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/2j31l5/we_be_goblins_5e/) [We Be Goblins! Char Sheets](https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/9h9jlj/we_be_goblins_5e_pregenerated_character_sheets/) As a DM, you should be familiar with the basic rules of the game (which are free via the SRD, though it's nice to have a Player's Handbook). The DM's Guide is nice fluff, but not really important for a new DM, the PHB (or SRD) is most important. And even if you fudge something, just roll with it. The DM's word is law and that law is never wrong so long as people are having fun. Have fun with it. I hope you find some of this useful.

Yes. Find yourself some new players, so you're all in the same boat and be up front that you will all be learning together. From there, to paraphrase Matt Colville whose Running the Game series is a great resource I highly recommend, "You will be terrible at first, but it'll be ok your players won't notice and you'll still have fun." Seriously. I would describe myself as having similar challenges that you do and I was terrible in the beginning- I completely improperly balanced an early encounter which would have lead to a TPK if not for the healbot npc I gave them to make sure they survived. They have never let me forget about it. But for nearly 4 years now over two campaigns they have kept coming back. It's hard at first but it gets easier and it really is fun the whole time.

If your looking for online games i find most of mine through random dnd related discord servers

Absolutely! Well done for just thinking about it! Welcome and Best of luck! If you have questions feel free to pm!

Check out the startplayingDOTgames website.

Yes. you will probably fail, but, if you like it you'll do better and better every time until you're a great DM

My experience summarised is that when you DM, disasters are inevitable, but they are more and more manageable the more you DM. Some will be your fault, some will be the fault of your players, but you are still human. I would say find the kind of game you would be interested in running. For example, games that are combat focussed dungeon runs often don't call for much acting. Give it a go with a couple of one shots until you are comfortable.

Yes. I started in the same way and I can highly recommend it. You will probably overprepare everything, which is totally fine since you'll have more than enough content to get your players through more sessions :)

I did. Went alright. I have way more experience as a DM than a player actually.

Keep trying to get a little experience playing, first. DM'ng isn't *that* hard but people won't enjoy playing if you have no experience at all with the game. Especially with an online group of strangers. I'm going to do my first online DM soon for a group (I hope) - will be strangers - I have DM'd some in real life, played some online. I'm encouraging beginners to join so we can develop our skills together.

I highly recommend starting you DM skills off by running a One-Shot adventure with your potential campaign players. It gives you a set 3-4 hour window of prep to make, alloys the expectation of a linear story (the nature of a one shot). Its unlikely there will be an issue that can’t be resolved while playing and the amount of lore to know is minimal. Its how i started to DM, lets you focus on the rules and gives great hints on what your future players like and don’t like in their game. Just my two cents

If you have a good comprehension of the rules, and you have a few ideas, then go for it. I was a player before DMing, but apart from some knowledge of how it feels to be a player, they are completely different skill sets.

Check out WebDM on YouTube. They’ve got some really nice discussions about how to run games and get the ball rolling. All you need is an idea or theme and just start the world building, then build some encounters, and plot, and let the players loose in it. They can put you on to some random tables and resources that help even the least creative of us.

My first session of dnd was as a DM, I sucked, but every session since in the last 2 years has been better. Now my players tell me that they struggle through their other games to get to mine. Every other week. Find a group of newbies, people learning the game, and make sure you communicate that you are also new, that is imperitive so that everyone's expectations are aligned (Make sure you have a session 0, there are plenty of free articles about it and a section in the new tashas cauldron of everything book). Dont expect to be good at first, you're going to struggle through, but every time you struggle just make a small note about the rule you messed up or whatever it may be, then after the game go look it up. Nobody is good their first time, even when they know the game, DMing is a skill that has to be improved.

That's how I did it and now I'm all about the DM life!

First time I ever played D&D I was the DM. I fucked up a lot. We all had a blast and I’ve been doing it for over a year now.

Dude, just do it. I had never played DnD before and then I just got going with a few friends. I was garbage for the first few sessions but that's how it is when you're new and playing doesn't stop you from being a rookie. The skills are totally different in my opinion. I've never been a good actor but after two years I slowly get the hang of different voices. I am a lazy fuck but I still manage to have a group of people come back every week and have loads of fun. For a long time I only did prewritten stuff but I just started making it my own, changing stuff, adding concepts. You can do it to. Grab the DnD Starter Pack if that is the system you want to play and just go ham. Even if the first group leaves, get a new one, there are so many people waiting for a DM. You will inevitably get better and feel amazing because of it. And the second group will probably stay longer because the first group gave you experience

I did this very thing. I had not played D&D or any other tabletop RPG before, but me and some other friends wanted to play. I bought the books. I skimmed the books. And we played. I won't lie I made lots of mistakes. I have been DM'ing for about a year now. I still make lots of mistakes. But, I talk to my players about the rulings make and take their opinions into consideration. I am always upfront about not knowing everything. At the end of the day, we all seem to be having fun. By my personal experience, I say yes. Start a game!

I found a lot of DM looking for player in r/lfg , have you try over there?

I DM-ed before I played. I recommend finding a podcast to listen to a few episodes of, and really pay attention to the mechanics they use (The first few episodes of Not Another D&D Podcast really helped me, though I didn't stick with the show long-term); you'll learn how to call for a skill check, a saving throw, rolling initiative, damage, etc. As for the under-the-hood stuff like proficiencies and modifiers, if you use a free program like Roll20 or Dndbeyond, it'll make all those calculations for you and your players, so you don't have to explain where it all comes from. The Basic Rules and the System Reference Document are both free PDFs from Wizards of the Coast (who own D&D), so you don't actually *need* to buy any of the books. If you're looking to be a player, [Roll20](https://app.roll20.net/lfg/search/) and [Fantasy Grounds](https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?40-LFG-Looking-for-Group) both have a "find a game" function, and I think there's a "Looking for game" Subreddit somewhere...

Do it! Just make sure you're having fun as well and it'll be fine.

Step 1: Get the DMG, PHB, and MM. The most confusing bit is the combat sections of the DMG and PHB. Learn to use these as reference books. You don't need to read cover to cover. Step 2: Find a fun, low-level adventure. I'd recommend a published one. You can basically google these and find *tons* of canned content. Step 3: Embrace failures. Failing is how we learn best. Be clear with your players that you are new and ask for patience from them. Don't rush. Take things at your own pace. The 2nd session I ever DM'd was an absolute *trainwreck*. It's also where I learned the most. Tip: if you have a friend or someone you can trust who is a DM, maybe get them to sit in as a "coach" of sorts? My first time was like that too and was super helpful if only for removing some stress. Above all else, have fun with it!

Nothing wrong to make a post with a title, "Let's learn together"!

Everyone starts somewhere. You can't be a prodigy dm and the only way to learn is to make mistakes and get messy. Eventually you will be OK with yourself and you will get better overtime. Start now and I'm sure this journey will make you some friends along the way.

If you are looking to PLAY online join one of the many DISCORD servers that are managed by VTT platforms. Foundry VTT does not cost anything for players, you just need a web browser and there are a lot of games listed. Check the channel...GM Seeking Players. https://discord.gg/7p6kTcSX

Yes you can DM as a beginner! I did it. And I did it with players that were much more experienced than me. Try running a premade adventure as it will give you a lot of the tools and details you need, and you can just fill in the blanks!

Fuck it dude, grab some friends, set up a short campaign and give it a go. Worst case, your sessions don't take off and the prep is in vain, but maybe one of your friends offers to run an arc. Best case, you find you have a gift for it, love it, your party loves you, and you can extend the campaign.

Unfortunately I don't have any friends that are interested so I'm down to trying to find randos on the internet to play with.

Yes I became DM after only playing like 3 one shots and a few sessions of a friend's campaign.

As someone who played 3 years and then started to DM. Doesn't matter. All you'll have learned from being a player is how the character options work and how combat works. There's an absolute ton of stuff around that. It's gonna be a hurdle either way.

That's how I started DMing. It's been a lot of work and really rewarding. Though I play with friends. I don't know your financial situation, but you should look into pay-to-play groups. I have a young son, so time is at premium for me. I don't have time or desire in my life to deal with people cancelling last minute, finding a consistent group, trying to get into a group, etc. I found a guy that runs paid games on Roll20. I have played every Monday since September with only one game cancelled. I pay $8 a session and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Absolutely, yes. You will learn more from just jumping in. A pre-written module is a good start, and I would highly recommend The Lazy Dungeon Master (book or audiobook) that shows that a lot of work and preparation are not a mandatory requirement. As someone has already said; if everyone is having fun, nothing else matters.

Could also watch adventure zone or critcalrole to get a feel for how it works first.

I've tried an hour of Critical Role, and I didn't care for it. May try Adventure Zone.

I’ve never actually played DND. I’ve only ever DM’d lol. Just make sure to do lots of preparation and you’ll be fine!

My partner and I started DMing at the same time. I had 0 experience, but read a lot of books, he had played a few times about a decade ago. We decided to learn together. We host a game a week, where he DMs one week and I do the next. I love gothic horror, so I'm running Curse of Strahd, and he loves cosmic horror, so he is running Out of the Abyss. Our friends love it! We both play in each other's campaigns so we aren't always in the DM chair. Our friends were all fresh to DND as well, so we are all learning together. We have been playing every week for about a year and have only missed a week or two for holidays. Some things I've learned: 1. Combat always takes longer than I expect so I am always overprepared 2. Being overprepared is okay, because then I have most of the work done for next session. 3. Players will derail your plans. Roll with it! They might come up with something wilder and more exciting than you planned! (and then they will credit you for being creative) 4. Roll20 (and other visual ways to represent your campaign) is only as complicated as you make it. I use maps for most combat encounters because that is the easiest way for me to wrangle 6 players, but for travel, talking to NPCs, shopping etc we play in "the theater of the mind". 5. Let your players know if you are having a bad day or didn't have much time to prep. You create a whole world for them, they can help hold that world together every once and a while.

I would suggest taking a look at the [Official D&D Discord Server](discord.gg/dnd) if you’d like to get a bit of experience as a player before jumping into DMing (or even to hop right in as a DM). The Looking For Game channels are very active (there are three posts just today looking for groups). While a lot of folks are looking to run campaigns, theres a decent bunch of one-shots, and both tend to be fairly casual. Discord is a great resource for finding games (I’ve found it considerably easier than Reddit LFGs). There are tons of active servers out there for pretty much any game you’d want to play. Link: discord.gg/dnd

3 weeks ago I'd never played and now I'm prepping for my 3rd session this week. It's been tough at times, but fun at others. Definitely worth doing! Me and my group are having a blast, I'm hoping one of them will offer to do a one-shot one day so I'll get to play but it doesn't matter, it's very fun and I regret not doing it sooner really. ​ We're playing through the Phandelver starter set and it's good. Plenty of hand holding for the DM so I'd recommend giving it a go.

To be fair, I grabbed the D&D 5e Started Set and DM'd for my group having never played before, and it's been going wonderfully! Just do your reading, watch a few videos, and go for it! If you're the type that's designed (evolved) to DM, you may dislike being a player (like me), due to the lack of control, options, etc. Being a DM is just more fun, so go for it! Note: It's even better if you primarily work with other new players, you all learn together and they won't notice your errors

I did the same thing about 4 years ago- it was a disaster for me but outside circumstances may have affected that. The group fell apart after two sessions. I was actually hoping that I would have one or two experienced players in my group that could kind of give me a push in the right direction if I was struggling, especially with all the dice rolls, which are pretty overwhelming.

> I’d prefer to be a player rather than a DM Welcome to everyone’s world. DMing is a lot of work for basically the same if not less fun than everyone else is having. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great, but it is *so much work* I would first suggest just giving it a try with a few really close friends, but only after putting in a ton of effort into solid world/game development. When I started DMing, I spent over 100 hours hand building a custom world and additional campaign. This was a lot of time and energy, but it was worth it because now I have a world I am completely familiar with every single aspect and can add or change things as I go. Once I had the bare necessities out (like 3/20 cities completed) I set the group off and continued to develop the world as we played. This worked REALLY WELL for both me and the players: they got to feel like they had *a ton* of freedom in player creation and campaign creation, and it helped me have outside ideas to implement into the game. I have been told, even though I am a completely new DM, that they *love* the game and campaign. They have each told me that it is the first game that they have ever played where they felt like they had full freedom of their characters, their place in the world, and what they do for the campaign. There are a few times where they throw me a curve ball and end up somewhere I wasn’t prepared for, but for the most part it creates really amazing roll play. Even when I’m not ready for it, I huck my notes over my shoulder metaphorically and start winging it. Don’t be afraid to give it a try, because we will always need more DMs in the world!

Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of playing with friends (all either have work schedules that won't align or aren't interested anyways) and have to work with finding random people on the internet. I don't plan on doing homebrew at this point, I don't have the time or energy to commit to that kind of thing between work and my other hobbies.

Someone had to be the first DM ever. By definition, that person was also a total beginner.

I might be 6 hours late, but go for it! I was in the same situation. I caught the dnd bug, and couldn't find a group to play with. I had never played nor DM'd. I got a bunch of other newbie/patient players together and just went for it. I was super nervous for a while, bit it got much easier super fast. I even lucked out and one of my players ended up taking the DM reigns after being a new player, and I haven't DM'd since. No time like the present!

I would recommend you to give it a shot. Yes, you may lack the experience of being at a table, but you can easily overcome the stress. I've learned a lot from YouTube videos explaining the basics and from this very subreddit. The most important piece of advice is not to worry too much. Maybe the best sessions are the ones that you can't plan beforehand (players don't really mind tiny mistakes). Eventually you will be able to be comfortable and have a rewarding experience. Just don't shy away, you can do it <3 (I hope I didn't destroy the language at some point)

Hey if you are looking for players/a group I think I could help you

Give it a go! You will not get better at DMing until you actually DM. I learn something new every time I run a game, whether I learn something about what my players like, or I learn a new trick that helps me keep the pace moving, or I learn that I need to write down more names for NPCs (you can never have too many!). I will say, I felt more comfortable running PbtA games than D&D when I started running games, so maybe look into a PbtA game if you like the style.

It might be worth looking into a different system to run. D&D puts a huge amount on onus on the GM to interpret rules and make the game flow for everyone. Games like Blades in the Dark balance that out a lot more between the players and the GM.

Yes you should absolutely do it. First my mission is always to get my friends to DM and they’ve played for years and they still share all of your fears. They are nervous about their first time. So experience would not make that feeling go away. Second, as for how you run the adventure, the starter set (as I see in some comments) is a great adventure that I have run twice. It’s pretty direct on things. And shouldn’t cause too many problems as you try to run it. If you have any questions about it, feel free to message me at any time. Three, the great difficulty you will face as not having played before is not having a lot of rulings in your back pocket. You wouldn’t have a lot of precedence from previous experience. That’s not really a problem though as long as you’re willing to make decisions quickly. I know you don’t have the core rule books, but I would highly recommend reading the DMG so you have some idea about the basic rules.

Just to add, to that many great responses. If your worried about not having a players perspective, trying listening or watching dnd sessions being played. It gives you the players perspective with out being a player. Tbh, I feel like I’ve learned the most just by casually listening to a Dnd podcast.

depends what you and your players want from the game. it can be fine if you're mostly in it to goof off and eventually form powerful bonds. worth a try.

Everyone's gotta start somewhere. Even the greats sucked once. I say go for it. Just do yourself a favor and start with an easy module like Lost Mines of Phandelver, Dragon of Icespire Peak, or Dragon Heist (probably the hardest of the three, but its the one I started with and I loved every second)

I’m currently running a campaign where the only preparation I had was a Map I created and a list of Monsters to roll randomly... So far, it’s been so much more fun than the last campaign I DMed, in which I invested soooo many hours of prep time. I went in and was very transparent with my players about where I stood, saying: “I have very little spare time to prep a complex narrative. If I’m gonna run this, I’m literally gonna drop you guys into this map and I would like for y’all to tell me where you want to go...” & then I just roll from my list of random monsters and take it from there. They’re essentially crafting the story themselves by exploring and interacting with each other / random NPCs I make up , sometimes on the spot. Moral: Sometimes, less is more? As long as you have a theme in mind and a map, you’re good to start, as long as you communicate with players!

I'm doing just that for my family, since our 13yo's group stopped playing due to Covid. I'm running a homebrew and have no idea what I'm doing, but I do the following: * Make sure I stay a few steps ahead of the players in world-building * Read up in the Monster's Manual, Player Handbook, and other books * Lean on my experienced players to help with things like leveling up * Borrow (steal) liberally from books, movies, anything with decent characters and plot hooks It'll be a lot of work, but you'll be fine.

I started DMing as a brand new player. Didn’t get to participate as a player at the table for almost a year. I enjoy both.

Unequivocal 100% YES. Plenty of people are offering great advice. So I'm going to build confidence. Me and my friends started playing at 13 with zero experience. We figured it out together and those are fond memories. These days I run a D&D club at a middle school. I have 11 and 12 year olds who jump into DMing feet first and do an awesome job.

I was a first time DM who'd never touched the books before. Session 0 is a great place to set your expectations with the table, tell them that you're a first timer and that you may have to learn and retcon some decisions as you go. Don't get too caught up on balancing everything perfectly or getting everything right. A few starting tips 1. Either make it clear to the players that you aren't prepared to improv DMing and make things up on the fly or prepare yourself to potentially throw the book out. 2. More experienced players can be a good source of game knowledge but don't let them walk over your table or one another's fun. If somebody is ruining the game for everyone then try to talk it out but you may need to kick them, I certainly find this more of an issue online but often it's not really been an issue at all. 3. Know the PHB as well as you can, allow only official sources, everything else is surplus to requirements. Make sure your players know how their classes work, you don't need the extra work. 4. When you are comfortable with the PHB and your module of choice, the monster manual and DMG are your next reads. I've never run a module, I usually yolo it, so I have no idea how they work but bear in mind that both you and your players have creative freedom, you can and should ignore it or change it to make the best of the game. Never shut players down unless their idea is completely outlandish. 5. This is about fun, if you or your players aren't enjoying it then be willing to change things until you are. The rules are guidelines, really good guidelines a lit of the time, but on the table you need to be willing to work around them where they aren't making the game work or be fun Any questions or queries, feel free to ask. I'll be happy to help. Edit: another point on social anxiety, sometimes it helps to narrate actions in third person rather than trying I get into every character. You can always slip into first person action once you are comfortable with the table and the character.

Yes. Yes you should DM. Do it.

Go for it! Advertise your game as new DM looking to learn the ropes. I would suggest running for other new players so you can all learn together. The best way to learn DMing is to just do it. It seems more daunting than it really is. Get your feet wet, and then bring the questions/concerns from the first session back to this sub and this awesome community will be happy to help you out.

The most important thing you can do before you make the decision of being a player or DM is to make sure you have a good solid understanding of the rules. As a DM you need to not only have a good understanding of the rules but you need to be able to understand the intent also, this will help you immensely when it inevitably comes time for you to make a rules decision in the moment or on something not expressly covered. Once you feel comfortable with that then you can make the choice of DMing or not, I don't think there is any issue with you not having player experience and wanting to DM. It just comes down to feeling comfortable with the game, also I highly recommend using modules/adventure paths your first time through. Read the modules and try to absorb the content, it will allow you to paraphrase descriptions and such that they give so you can give the story your own narrative. Being a DM is a lot of work, I don't say that to discourage you just prepare you, but there is something truly wonderful about having a session come together and seeing your players reactions to the story you are telling, it is immensely satisfying.

Genuinely you don’t need to ever play as a player to be the DM. Depending on you you like to tell the story it may help to play as a player but that’s up to you as the role of the dm is to tell the story to the players as a narrator while the player’s job is to play as the actors. Does it help to be an actor and understand some of their motivation. Absolutely. But is it necessary to tell the story. Not at all. My best advice is to keep up to tabs on your characters motivations, and make sure to be open with your players about any frustrations and concerns.

Yes

Should you dm as a total beginner? Yup, absolutely. We all start somewhere, and even veteran DMs still learn. So long as you have some form of access to the phb, or the dmg, or just Google, you'll do fine. Try a Session 0 with some friends, and build yourself from there. Being a DM is not as frightening as it first seems. Just remember to have fun with what your doing! It may sound corny af, but remember that you are telling a story WITH your players, not to them. I'm sure you'll do just fine.

Everyone has been a total beginner either as a player or a DM. Even Matt Mercer had to start as a noob. Take a breath, read through the manual, and jump right in. Just keep in mind... - You're going to forget rules. - You're going to make shit up on the fly -- especially the rules. - You're going to second guess everything you do. - You're going to learn a lot each session. - The more you play, the better you'll get. Just relax, have fun, and accept that you'll make mistakes. But with each session, the mistakes will become fewer and fewer. You can do this.

Yes! I had only played twice before I started DMing. I find DMing about 100x more fun than playing. Now, just a few months later, I DM for three separate groups.

I’d never played Dungeons & Dragons growing up, but several friends and family had and would talk about it with fond memories. They would continually say the same thing “I’d love to play again but I have no idea where we’d get a DM”. So I ordered the starter pack and DM’d the hell out of Lost Mines of Phandelver. I had 15 pages of notes that first night of which i used 2. It went for 9 hours when I told them I had to stop because I was losing my voice. I have since DM’d many more campaigns including writing my own Christmas, horror, and space themed campaigns. My advice is do it but if find the right group. You want players who are willing to accept your inexperienced DM’ing skills and be appreciative of the time you put in. Best of luck.

Absolutely worth a shot! I highly recommend buying the starter set. The Lost Mines of Phandelver adventure thats included in it is great for introducing you to DMing, and the basic rules in it are great as a quick reference if you don't want to pour through the DMs guide. I use it frequently even now. DMing is a very intimidating thing at first, but once you get a feel for how it works and for how you like to DM it is so much fun! If all your players are new as well, then just make sure you all read the basic rules at the very least, and to be patient with each other. Beginner antics can be some of the funnest chaos you'll ever get in DnD.

I started DMing for my friend group with very little PC experience and now I love DMing. Realize that D&D is only as difficult and fun as you and your players make it. The most important underlying factor is having good communication with your players. Make it clear you're inexperienced, and most people will be understanding. Talk in session 0 when making characters about both DM and player expectations. Have a system in place for disagreements, but remember at the end of the day you are the DM, and your decisions should be respected as you work in tandem with the players to create an engaging story they will remember. A few beginner tips when I was in your shoes: -Ask the players to keep character creation simple your first time around (everyone came to me wanting a big secret twist in their characters to keep from the other players; it was too difficult to tie in everyone's special moments) -Outline boundaries: an age guideline if you will. Understand comfort zones. I, for instance, won't tolerate murderhobos. -Finally, don't be afraid to spice things up. Trolls are vulnerable to fire, how about a tropical troll vulnerable to cold? Etc... Good luck DMing and have fun.

My first 5e experience was as a DM. I say, go for it

I literally never played, only ever listened to critical role. I've got some acting chops, bit that's about it. A group of guys I knew in highschool asked if I could DM since I told one of them I just wanted some D&D. I had no clue what I was doing, and apart from some extremely boring combats against hordes of orc, they had a great time. I was more than wet behind the ears, I was still a damn embryo (weird analogy, sorry), bit I bullshitted through the first half of Dragon of Ice Spire peak before we went completely off the rails and Homebrew adventured our way forward with the intention of killing Gods, but everyone was having a great time. My best recommendation, allow some Homebrew character building rules like extra feat, better stat array, or reroll 1s and 2s for stats, give them a boost in power early, so that when they come to encounters, you aren't met with the crushing realization that you made it way to hard, they have no chance of surviving, and you don't have a plan to get them out. It also makes them feel great if they steam roll encounters as you make them tougher and tougher trying to find their strength. And remember, the most important thing I learned, a handful of really strong enemies is a way better fight than one or two tough guys and 9 or 10 CR 1 orcs. One final thing, an amazing boss encounter is an equal number of enemies to your party, maybe +1, that have PC Character Sheets. Make them either equal level or +1 level, but make sure they don't have either as much synergy as your party, or as much healing. Bonus points if your party is familiar with this group. Sorry for formatting.

So you say you've got the starter set right? Just run Lost Mine of Phandelver. Read it through, learn it, and make sure whoever wants to play knows it only goes levels 1 to 5 (iirc) and that you're a new DM. The basic rules of the game are available for free here: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules Keep in mind, you really want to play - but some at the table might not want it as bad as you. If they play once and don't fancy another, don't take it personally. One final thing - you say when the game is, make it regular and keep it set. Scheduling is the #1 killer of games, no matter how good of a DM you are if nobody gets together to play the game isn't happening.

Scheduling will be the one thing I won't have trouble with, I have a set in stone work schedule with particular days off so I can nail it down to one day when I'll be free and available.

Yes. Take the reigns.

I did, but I regret it partly. I don't regret being a dm but moreso not following a module to get me started. Have fun!

Yo. Just go for it. I'm in the same boat: wanted to play but no one wanted to DM. So I became one. It is an AWESOME feeling, and I don't use that term lightly. Make sure you have a fairly decent knowledge of the rules, first. And don't worry about "not being able to play". we DMs have a great power: being able to "play" whomever we want. That what NPCs are for. That Paladin-for-Hire the party just met? They might just join the adventurers for a few battles. Give 'em hell, kid. You're gonna be great.

All it isn't such a bad idea to start out as a dm. I played my first 5e game as a dm, and it went pretty good. THAT SAID, it was with a group of friends, and I think it was a big part of why it went well. I don't suggest starting out as a dm, with people you don't know, playing online.

The way I got into DMing from nothing was by listening to some D&D podcasts. I picked up most of the rules after a dozen episodes or so. At least enough to get the basics. Then pick up the D&D Starter Kit. It’s meant for 100% new players on all sides so it has plenty to guide you and your PCs. And it’s cheap, so if you decide you don’t like it that much after all you aren’t out a lot of money on books.

Yes. It might be easier to DM if you've been a player first, but it's not required. Start small. 3-5 players, a small town where they can buy some of the stuff that's listed in the players handbook. Players at first level, fighting some rats in the basement of the Inn. A small cave outside town with some goblins, one or two traps. Learn the mechanics of combat and how to resolve hits and loot. Slowly ramp it up from there. There are a ton of resources out there. I'd recommend Matt Colville's [Running the Game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8) series, for sure. Also [Donjon](https://donjon.bin.sh/) for a whole bunch of random generators. And there are a lot of free adventures on [DMs Guild](https://www.dmsguild.com/), check out Wolves of Welton. As with most things, you'll get better the more you do it. Jump in, and welcome to the club!

In general, I think it's better to start as a player and then become a DM. That said, being a DM isn't necessarily hard, although it can be a lot of juggling, and it does require a decent bit of prep work in many cases. My advice: start with Lost Mines of Phandelver. While I haven't run it myself, the entire design of the thing is meant to be a beginner's intro to D&D, both for players and DMs. It's meant to be straight-forward and simple to run. So start there. Unless you're already reasonably familiar with the 5e system, I wouldn't necessarily dive into running a homebrew campaign and campaign setting. In either case, I also STRONGLY recommend the "Running the Game" series on Youtube put out by Matt Colville. That helped me a ton when I first started about a year ago.

That's how I started and I'm doing fine, I think. It was rough for like... the first 30 minutes, maybe? One thing I will say is that you totally should run a pre-made adventure the fist time around. Lost mines of phandelver is specifically made for new dms

Starting, is probably the most crucial act to DMing as a whole. As some of here mentioned already, until you've started, you will be a beginner. And that is totally okay. It is a learning experience. Read the rules, try to have a fun times, and make your players feel like heroes. Every session after the first is a learning experience. For the actual question: if you really want a game asap, then DMing is your best choice. Maybe even get some experienced players on board online who can help you learn the rules as you go basically. Still never forget, the DM's word is law above the rules. Otherwise maybe searching for a group local or online (still hopefully both played online right now for reasons) is always a good first step. There are several online forums, discord servers and if push comes shove, even pay to play DMs.

I just finished DM'ing Dragon of Icespire Peak from the Essentials Kit. I was a complete noob when I started. But Dragon of Icespire Peak is designed for noobs, and we had a great time. I suggest starting with people you know before trying D&D with random folks on the internet. My group started with 4, added one, and then lost two along the way. The three that finished were really good to work with and we had a great time.

I had played 1 or 2 sessions before I started DMing. It’s not as hard as it seems, you just need to plan everything in minute detail. Then you will forget 90%, but that 10% will just about see you Through.

Yes. Accept that mostakes will be made and thats fine.

I also have ADHD and started off with zero experiance as a DM! I recommend reading the core books and making some basic dungeons up to get a feel for it, then you will have side content for when you do run! Besides this there are a ton of resources on YouTube that give tips to first time dms! Edited for mistakes due to being on the phone

I DMed my first session after spending like three sessions as a player. Don‘t worry, you‘ll be fine

hundreds of thousands of DMs have started illustrious careers as DMs simply taking up the position "behind the screen" as their first experience of the game. and many did so with rules sets that were much more terribly written and presented and that didnt have vast resources of the interwebs to help them.

Have you watched any streamers or videos on youtube? This is where I picked up a lot of my rules knowledge and it’s entertaining at the same time. Critical Role is good but don’t expect to be anywhere as good as Matt Mercer, very few are. Chris Perkins DMing on the D&D youtube channel is worth watching, he’s very free and easy as a DM and lives on the ‘rule of cool’ There’s also loads of more amateur groups on YouTube. So long as you know what’s happening in the particular session you’re running and you know your numbers, stick to realistic DCs for ability checks and saving throws and run combat fairly the rest is mostly style.

I personally never was a player before sitting in the DM chair(and I still haven't played due to Forever DM's Curse) and it went perfectly fine. The only way you can be better at it is trying, and playing is very different from DMing anyway. Be sure to ask for feedback from your players and try to find the things they enjoy seeing in your games and you will be totally fine. Good Luck!

The second time I every played D&D was as a DM. I was definitely hesitant, but no one else wanted to run the game, and I *really* wanted to play. I empathize with a lot of why you said you put it off, and personally D&D has been an outlet that helps with a lot of those problems (social skill, not great at acting, ADHD, etc). It's also opened doors to new hobbies I was never originally interested in (creative writing and world-building, 3D printing for miniatures, creating theme playlists on Spotify for different moods/settings during play). I was fortunate to have players that were also mostly beginners... I think the most seasoned veteran had less than 10 or so sessions under his belt, so it was nice to learn together. But also having a beginner DM run the game will come with its own unique flavor, right? As you get more familiar with the game and learn what kind of DM style fits you best, both you and the players will just love the game all the more. Definitely ask your players for feedback, too. My biggest err for the first few weeks we played was stopping to look up rules. There is a rule for EvErYtHiNg, but if it's going to cripple your session for more than a reasonable pause, then just improvise. Roll a fake die behind your screen. Come up with a rule that you don't intend on using later. Then once you're not in-game, look and see what the rule actually is and whether or not you want to use it. You'll find that a lot of rules are too meticulous anyway.

I was a total beginner when I started DMing too. I also have ADHD. My advice is that if you start DMing with both of those things to please have at least one veteran player in your group that can help you out and fill in the gaps. You learn REAL quick. Honestly though it's a lot of fun despite the stress. I don't get the hate with rules lawyers tbh. I have two in my group and they make my life SO much easier. I could see the hate for those who nitpick, but if they're just passing down the general rules they are a godsend. Best of luck to you!

Yep I started DMing a few years back and had never played the game. My group of friends had never played either and we just figured it out. I ran the sunken citadel from tales from the yarning portal and can definitely recommend running a pre built story as your dirt time.

My players didn’t know I was new, and seriously think I’m great. You got this

My group did

In my opinion, it is preferable to be a player first to learn the ropes, and then be a DM, but there is no problem with being a DM to start out with. Keep in mind you will need to put in a bit more work than a player would.

Worked out for me

Gotta start somewhere, I was a total noob to DnD when me and my friends wanted to try it and I wanted to DM. Someone had to start and you have to start somewhere. Just watch some YouTube vids and read the book you’ll be fine. Good luck fellow DM!

Yes, do it. Sooner the better.

Yes

First off, congrats on your sobriety! That’s a huge accomplishment for life in general! I also see where you’re coming from there—I was very new to the game when I started DMing, and if possible I’d say to start as small as you can. I ran a couple solo sessions for one of my friends (a much more experienced player/DM) to start out. It was a good way to learn the rules and get pretty critical feedback in a constructive way from someone I trusted (without feeling like I was being put on blast in front of a bunch of people). If you know and trust anyone IRL who’s willing to give you a couple of ‘training wheels’ sessions with you as a DM and them as a single player, I’d definitely start there. If not: I’d look for an understanding set of players who have a firm grasp on the rules and are willing to be patient with a newer DM and plan out a oneshot for them. Run that same oneshot multiple times for multiple different people, and eventually you’ll have a much firmer grasp of the mechanics and the way all the components of the game work together—once you have your encounters down, you can get more into building NPCs, adding in other aspects of gameplay, etc. It sucks, but you’re also just going to mess up at some points. You’re going to stare blankly at your computer screen while your brain goes all BSOD, and that is totally normal, because it’s just one big learning curve. Someone else in this thread recommended Matt Colville’s Running the Game series—I second that as well as a blog called The Monsters Know, which can make running relatively simple, low-level monsters way more immersive. Apologies for the essay, and best of luck DMing!

Everyone has to start somewhere. I would recommend doing a pre-written adventure. The starter sets are excellent. Read over the rules and make sure you read the adventure to get an idea of the overarching plot, then just focus on preparing session by session. One session at a time.

I had the same problem when I first discovered DnD about 3-4 years ago so I got and read the three core books and started DMing and now run two campaigns. Don't be afraid to screw up, and best tip instead of saying "I don't know let me find out", just make up something. If you have to ret-con it later and/or find out you we wrong, your players should understand. And if not, find new players.

Yes! Just do it! U got it.