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

Every Dungeon Master hits a wall eventually. The prep feels like a chore. The session you used to look forward to is now the thing you're dreading. The spark that made you fall in love with running games has gone quiet.
In this special live panel recorded at FanX 2025, Justin, Tanner, and Cayden sit down in front of a live audience to tackle one of the most real and rarely talked-about challenges behind the screen: DM burnout.
This isn't just a conversation about surviving — it's about understanding what burnout actually looks like, why it happens to even the most passionate Game Masters, and how to find your way back to the table with energy and excitement.
Here's what the panel digs into:
What burnout really looks like — and why it's not always obvious when it's happening to you.
The different flavors of burnout — creative, emotional, social, and scheduling exhaustion each hit differently and need different solutions.
What causes it — from over-prepping to under-appreciated effort, the panel gets honest about the real culprits.
Prevention vs. recovery — because keeping the spark alive looks different than reigniting it after it's gone out.
Practical tools and techniques — including leaning on your players, co-DMing, running one-shots, and reconnecting with what first made you love TTRPGs.
What NOT to do — the traps that make burnout worse when you're already running on empty.
How players can help — and how GMs can ask for support in ways that feel natural rather than vulnerable.
Whether you're deep in the weeds right now or just want to make sure you never get there, this episode is for you.
This episode is for the DMs who know the real end boss isn't the dragon — it's burnout. And it's for every storyteller who's ever wondered, "Am I doing this right?" — and showed up anyway.
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

Now with guests you might know from Youtube, we bring you more and better thoughts regarding Dungeon Mastering and other aspects of our beloved hobby.
Danny Barrett gives us a glimpse of what is to come for the next 3 months!

Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM.
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
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Discord: ⁠⁠⁠http://session0studios.com/discord⁠⁠⁠
Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/patreon⁠⁠⁠
Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: ⁠⁠⁠https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Every Dungeon Master has sat down at the table and thought, "Am I actually good enough to do this?" Whether you're brand new to the screen or you've been running campaigns for years, confidence is something every DM wrestles with — and almost nobody talks about it honestly.
In this special panel episode, Justin Lewis is joined by Tanner Weyland and Cayden Ottley for a candid, practical conversation about what DM confidence actually looks like, where it comes from, and how to build more of it.
Together they dig into:
What confidence really means for a Dungeon Master — and why it's not just about feeling good
The highs and lows every DM goes through, including the moments that shake you and how to bounce back
Practical techniques for building and maintaining confidence at the table
How players can either fuel or destroy their DM's confidence (and vice versa)
Why real confidence comes from time in the chair — not just prep
How to lean into your strengths instead of comparing yourself to the pros
This one is for the DMs who've ever hesitated to start a campaign, fumbled through a session, or wondered if they're cut out for this. Spoiler: you are — and this episode will help you believe it.
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/worldsmithHire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/Discord: http://session0studios.com/discordPatreon: https://session0studios.com/patreonDungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter

Episode Description
Live from FanX Salt Lake 2025, this is one of six panels we recorded at the convention — and it might be the most relatable one we've done. If you've ever had a player blow up your carefully crafted plot, chase a side quest for three sessions, or demand a demonic arm mid-campaign, this panel is for you.
Justin and Tanner are joined by Ian Hawkes and Cameron Cardoza from Worldsmith for a live audience conversation about one of the most common — and most misunderstood — challenges at the table: the chaos gremlin.
What We Cover
Framing the ProblemNot all chaos is created equal. We dig into what actually makes someone a "chaos gremlin," why chaos at the table isn't always a problem (and can actually be a gift), and how to tell the difference between harmless unpredictability and genuine disruption. One key question every DM should ask: is this chaos — or is it control? Is it excitement — or is it boredom?
Setting Expectations & Knowing Your TableWe talk about the importance of Session Zero, how to have honest conversations with your players about the kind of game everyone wants to play, and how to tell when chaotic behavior crosses the line from organic fun into a respect issue. There's a meaningful difference between occasional disruption and consistent derailing — and one of them needs a real conversation.
Managing Chaos in the MomentThis is where it gets practical. What do you actually do when your players go completely off-script? We cover managing your own reaction, using improv skills to embrace the chaos, and how to encourage beautiful storytelling even within unpredictable choices. Sometimes the session that goes sideways becomes the one everyone remembers.
Prepping for a Chaotic GroupIf your table is classically chaotic, your prep should reflect that. We discuss how to build flexible, modular sessions — random tables, adaptable NPCs, storylines that can bend without breaking — so that no matter what your players do, you're ready to make it feel intentional.
Folding the Chaos Into the StoryOne of the best long-term solutions: make the story big enough that there's no such thing as "off-script." Pull player backstories in. Let their chaotic choices reshape the BBEG. Change your expectations about what the story is supposed to be. The most memorable campaigns are usually the ones that went somewhere no one planned.
Featured Panelists
Justin Lewis — Co-host, H2BBDMTanner Weyland — Co-host, H2BBDMIan Hawkes — WorldsmithCameron Cardoza — Worldsmith

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

The back and forth. The planned and cancelled sessions. The frustration when you finally schedule a time to meet and one player can't make it... all of this will be extremely familiar for the common DM. But it doesn't HAVE to be a reoccurring, frustrating nightmare! In today's episode, Tanner shares 5 tips to avoid scheduling frustration with your D&D party.