What should go in there? You can cite what you like about previous edition's DMG's, or be generalized.
For me, I figure giving them the tools to create encounters quickly, and good advice on how to avoid un-fun situations, to get the plot rolling without the players feeling like they're backseat in your minivan.
I just flipped through my 2nd, 3.0, 3.5, 4e and essentials book for this.
Everything you mentioned is pretty much the core of what needs to be in DM guides along with magic items and how to moderate and wing it. Assuming how the new system actually turns out, a section for playble npc races, custom classes, and spells would be very good too.
You'll of course also want rules for different terrain, playing in different realms and traps for the more adventurous DM.
Again these are the things I found in all the DM guides consistantly.
There is one, and only one thing that absolutely must be included in a DMG:
Chapter 1: The Dungeon Master Experience 1.1: What is a Dungeon Master? 1.2: What is the Dungeon Master's Job? 1.3: How to be a Good Dungeon Master Not the rules of running a game, but how to be a DM. The 4e DMG lacked this section, and it shows. The 3.5/3.0 DMG lacked this section, and it shows. By contrast, the WoD ST guide did have this section, and it showed.
And if they want to do it right, they hand this assignment to Perkins and tell him to take his time with it.
-m4ki; one down, one to go
"Retro is not new. Retro-fit is not new." --Seeker95, on why I won't be playing DDN
DDN Metrics (0-10) | enthusiasm: 1 | confidence in design: -3 | desire to play: 0 | Sticking with 4e?: Yep. | Better Options: IKRPG Mk II
The Five Things D&D Next Absolutely Must Not Do:Show
1. Imbalanced gameplay.Any and all characters must be able to contribute equally both in combat and out of combat at all levels of play. If the Fighters are linear and the Wizards quadratic, I walk. 2. Hardcore simulationist approach. D&D is a game about heroic fantasy. I'm weak and useless enough in real life; I play RPGs for a change of pace. If the only reason a rule exists is because "that's how it's supposed to be", I walk. I don't want a game that "simulates" real life, I want a game that simulates heroic fantasy. 3. Worshipping at false idols (AKA Sacred Cows). If the only reason a rule exists is "it's always been that way", I walk. Now to be clear, I have no problem with some things not changing; my issue is with retaining bad idea simply for the sake of nostalgia. 4. DM vs. players. If the game encourages "gotcha!" moments or treats the DM and players as enemies, adversaries, or problems to be overcome, I walk. 5. Rules for the sake of rules. The only thing I want rules for is the things I can't do sitting around a table with my friends. If the rules try to step on my ability to roleplay the character I want to roleplay, I walk. Furthermore, the rules serve to facilitate gameplay, not to simulate the world.
1. When in doubt, wing it. 2. Keep the story moving. Go with the flow. 3. Sometimes things make the best characters. 4. Always give players lots of things to do. 5. Wherever possible, say ‘yes.’ 6. Cheating is largely unnecessary. 7. Don't be afraid to give the characters a fun new toy. 8. Don't get in the way of a good players exchange. 9. Avoid talking too much. 10. Save some details for later. 11. Be transparent. 12. Don't show all your cards.
"Essentials zigged, when I wanted to continue zagging..." -Foxface on Essentials
"Servicing a diverse fan base with an RPG ruleset - far from being the mandate for 'open design space' and a cavalier attitude towards balance - requires creating a system that /works/, with minimal fuss, for a wide variety of play styles, not just from one group to the next, but at the same table." -Tony_Vargas on design
"Mearls' and Cook's stated intent to produce an edition that fans of all previous editions (and Pathfinder) will like more than their current favourite edition is laudable. But it is also, IMO, completely unrealistic. It's like people who pray for world peace: I might share their overall aims, but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them to succeed. When they talk in vague terms about what they'd like to do in this new edition, I mostly find myself thinking 'hey, that sounds cool, assuming they can pull it off', but almost every time they've said something specific about actual mechanics, I've found myself wincing and shaking my head in disbelief and/or disgust, either straight away or after thinking about the obvious implications for half a minute." -Duskweaver on D&D Next
There is one, and only one thing that absolutely must be included in a DMG:
Chapter 1: The Dungeon Master Experience 1.1: What is a Dungeon Master? 1.2: What is the Dungeon Master's Job? 1.3: How to be a Good Dungeon Master Not the rules of running a game, but how to be a DM. The 4e DMG lacked this section, and it shows. The 3.5/3.0 DMG lacked this section, and it shows. By contrast, the WoD ST guide did have this section, and it showed.
And if they want to do it right, they hand this assignment to Perkins and tell him to take his time with it.
That, the DMG should primarly be "How to use correctly the rules".
Actually, that is not DM-only territory, I propose to rename the "Dungeon Master Guide" into "Learn HOW to use the rules Guide".
That, the DMG should primarly be "How to use correctly the rules".
Actually, that is not DM-only territory, I propose to rename the "Dungeon Master Guide" into "Learn HOW to use the rules Guide".
No. That's PHB territory--the book that contains the rules of the game.
-m4ki; one down, one to go
"Retro is not new. Retro-fit is not new." --Seeker95, on why I won't be playing DDN
DDN Metrics (0-10) | enthusiasm: 1 | confidence in design: -3 | desire to play: 0 | Sticking with 4e?: Yep. | Better Options: IKRPG Mk II
The Five Things D&D Next Absolutely Must Not Do:Show
1. Imbalanced gameplay.Any and all characters must be able to contribute equally both in combat and out of combat at all levels of play. If the Fighters are linear and the Wizards quadratic, I walk. 2. Hardcore simulationist approach. D&D is a game about heroic fantasy. I'm weak and useless enough in real life; I play RPGs for a change of pace. If the only reason a rule exists is because "that's how it's supposed to be", I walk. I don't want a game that "simulates" real life, I want a game that simulates heroic fantasy. 3. Worshipping at false idols (AKA Sacred Cows). If the only reason a rule exists is "it's always been that way", I walk. Now to be clear, I have no problem with some things not changing; my issue is with retaining bad idea simply for the sake of nostalgia. 4. DM vs. players. If the game encourages "gotcha!" moments or treats the DM and players as enemies, adversaries, or problems to be overcome, I walk. 5. Rules for the sake of rules. The only thing I want rules for is the things I can't do sitting around a table with my friends. If the rules try to step on my ability to roleplay the character I want to roleplay, I walk. Furthermore, the rules serve to facilitate gameplay, not to simulate the world.
1. When in doubt, wing it. 2. Keep the story moving. Go with the flow. 3. Sometimes things make the best characters. 4. Always give players lots of things to do. 5. Wherever possible, say ‘yes.’ 6. Cheating is largely unnecessary. 7. Don't be afraid to give the characters a fun new toy. 8. Don't get in the way of a good players exchange. 9. Avoid talking too much. 10. Save some details for later. 11. Be transparent. 12. Don't show all your cards.
"Essentials zigged, when I wanted to continue zagging..." -Foxface on Essentials
"Servicing a diverse fan base with an RPG ruleset - far from being the mandate for 'open design space' and a cavalier attitude towards balance - requires creating a system that /works/, with minimal fuss, for a wide variety of play styles, not just from one group to the next, but at the same table." -Tony_Vargas on design
"Mearls' and Cook's stated intent to produce an edition that fans of all previous editions (and Pathfinder) will like more than their current favourite edition is laudable. But it is also, IMO, completely unrealistic. It's like people who pray for world peace: I might share their overall aims, but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them to succeed. When they talk in vague terms about what they'd like to do in this new edition, I mostly find myself thinking 'hey, that sounds cool, assuming they can pull it off', but almost every time they've said something specific about actual mechanics, I've found myself wincing and shaking my head in disbelief and/or disgust, either straight away or after thinking about the obvious implications for half a minute." -Duskweaver on D&D Next
Normally this is about the point where I'd go on a long-winded rant about how being a good DM has nothing to do with the rules, but I've become convined in the last three weeks that mediocrity is all people want from their DMs, and prefer to treat someone who has mastered the skillset of storytelling as it applies to running an RPG as some sort of mythical, unattainable ideal.
So, fine: charts, graphs, tables, magic items, random x generators. You can fill 300 pages with that. You'll have a book that is utterly meaningless, but it'll sell.
-m4ki; one down, one to go
"Retro is not new. Retro-fit is not new." --Seeker95, on why I won't be playing DDN
DDN Metrics (0-10) | enthusiasm: 1 | confidence in design: -3 | desire to play: 0 | Sticking with 4e?: Yep. | Better Options: IKRPG Mk II
The Five Things D&D Next Absolutely Must Not Do:Show
1. Imbalanced gameplay.Any and all characters must be able to contribute equally both in combat and out of combat at all levels of play. If the Fighters are linear and the Wizards quadratic, I walk. 2. Hardcore simulationist approach. D&D is a game about heroic fantasy. I'm weak and useless enough in real life; I play RPGs for a change of pace. If the only reason a rule exists is because "that's how it's supposed to be", I walk. I don't want a game that "simulates" real life, I want a game that simulates heroic fantasy. 3. Worshipping at false idols (AKA Sacred Cows). If the only reason a rule exists is "it's always been that way", I walk. Now to be clear, I have no problem with some things not changing; my issue is with retaining bad idea simply for the sake of nostalgia. 4. DM vs. players. If the game encourages "gotcha!" moments or treats the DM and players as enemies, adversaries, or problems to be overcome, I walk. 5. Rules for the sake of rules. The only thing I want rules for is the things I can't do sitting around a table with my friends. If the rules try to step on my ability to roleplay the character I want to roleplay, I walk. Furthermore, the rules serve to facilitate gameplay, not to simulate the world.
1. When in doubt, wing it. 2. Keep the story moving. Go with the flow. 3. Sometimes things make the best characters. 4. Always give players lots of things to do. 5. Wherever possible, say ‘yes.’ 6. Cheating is largely unnecessary. 7. Don't be afraid to give the characters a fun new toy. 8. Don't get in the way of a good players exchange. 9. Avoid talking too much. 10. Save some details for later. 11. Be transparent. 12. Don't show all your cards.
"Essentials zigged, when I wanted to continue zagging..." -Foxface on Essentials
"Servicing a diverse fan base with an RPG ruleset - far from being the mandate for 'open design space' and a cavalier attitude towards balance - requires creating a system that /works/, with minimal fuss, for a wide variety of play styles, not just from one group to the next, but at the same table." -Tony_Vargas on design
"Mearls' and Cook's stated intent to produce an edition that fans of all previous editions (and Pathfinder) will like more than their current favourite edition is laudable. But it is also, IMO, completely unrealistic. It's like people who pray for world peace: I might share their overall aims, but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for them to succeed. When they talk in vague terms about what they'd like to do in this new edition, I mostly find myself thinking 'hey, that sounds cool, assuming they can pull it off', but almost every time they've said something specific about actual mechanics, I've found myself wincing and shaking my head in disbelief and/or disgust, either straight away or after thinking about the obvious implications for half a minute." -Duskweaver on D&D Next
I think you need at least 40 pages of advice on how to use the rules and run a game. This is really for new people who haven't run a game before, so it should be real real basic.
Since I've been doing this for a while, I rarely crack open a DMG except to find a specific rule and at this point I'll probably just use the rules compendium or the online compendium.
What I could really use is a big big chapter on ways to threaten the party (thus creating drama) that aren't monsters and aren't necessarily XP granting traps. Terrain effects, examples of evil organizations, how they fit into a setting, puzzles. These are what really make a game (especially a 4E game) challenging and interesting and there aren't nearly enough of these non-encounter threats in published adventures. This includes lots of advice on creating your own versions of these things.
Poking through a DMG should inspire ideas which requires flavor text and fluff. The 4E DMG adventure chapter had advice to create your own, but how about examples of those ideas put into practice? Like, I loved the Exemplars of Evil supplement in 3.5 because every line in that first chapter had an example of a villain trait, and then a potential villain that has that trait.
DMAIA: DMs Against Immediate Actions - Turning 6 seconds into 15 minutes since 2008.
Vampire Class/Specialty in 2013!
Wizard: I cast Burning Hands. Rogue: I grab a torch and a can of hairspray.
I prefer Next because 4E players and CharOpers can't find their ass without a grid and a power called "Find Ass."
The majority of "How to be a DM" advice and recommendations are the same across all editions, so you don't need an edition-marked book in which to print it. You can just make a "How to be a DM" advice book. The DMG should, in my eyes, explain to the DM how to mechanically construct sessions, campaigns, and worlds within the foundational rules of the system in which it is edition-marked.
So, fine: charts, graphs, tables, magic items, random x generators. You can fill 300 pages with that. You'll have a book that is utterly meaningless, but it'll sell.
Except those things aren't meaningless to me, but yet another book that repeats the same opinion columns that I have multiple copies of already is meaningless to me. I want a book that is packed with stuff that goes into a world, along with a good supply of random tables on the side for rapid on-the-fly generation. I don't need a book that tells me that maps are useful.
The pages that I have tabbed in my DMGs are the ones that inform me of the mechanical results of the actions or queries of my players. For instance, I don't put a door somewhere to be "easy" for the players to open, nor do I put one somewhere that is "hard" for the players to open. I simply put a door somewhere, and its ease of opening is based on what kind of door its builder placed there. When the players get to it, it may be impossible to open, it may be simple, it may just be unlocked.
I get the DMG needs to be for all DM's, novice and veteran, so at least a compromise on the above I can understand. But I need a DMG for things like, "I want an environmental challenge here," so I open the DMG and there it is. Or, "one of my characters has decided to Intimidate a street vendor, I'll assess (or use a roll to determine) the street vendor is a level 3 NPC classed Commoner," so I crack open the DMG and there are all the stats of a level 3 NPC classed Commoner; I know how the Intimidate check will mechanically play out, and I can even utilize that Commoner if the situation comes to blows, because I know exactly everything about that NPC.
Which brings me to the ONE, MOST VITAL thing I really, really want to see in the next DMG, which are the 8-12 pages of charts showing default statistics for an NPC of every PHB1 class at every level. Hopefully they include a chart of NPCs at each level for each of the NPC classes as well (and hopefully they have NPC classes). But I want it to take seconds for me to determine the answer if, say, a thief among my players decides to go pickpocket a town watchman, without having it require that I make up some arbitrary answer. If all the DMG is going to tell me to do is make up arbitrary stuff, I probably won't buy it (even though I may still play the system), because I already know how to do that.
