You and other DMs can elect to run DM Workshops to present and discuss different aspects of the craft of DMing, such as monster design or more. A DM Workshop must be advertised in #game-listings and you and participating server members gain 5 DTP per hour of the workshop’s length (2 DTP for a half hour).
You can assist and receive assistance from DMs on specific game elements for upcoming games in the #dm-collaboration channel. See the channel for details.
Is there something you want to try to do in a game that isn’t covered here? Feel free to submit an associated request in #dm-requests for review.
The following are miscellaneous tips and tricks to consider when DMing on the server:
If you have questions or need assistance, reach out to other DMs in #dm-chat as well as Staff for assistance. You are encouraged to collaborate with other DMs of the server to create interconnected adventures. To coordinate with other DMs, use #dm-collaboration and #campaign-collaboration. To stay up to date on server lore, refer and add to #session-logs as well as the Hawthorne Kanka.
You are free to run almost any kind of D&D 5e session on the server and in the server setting, but you are encouraged to use a mix of combat, exploration, and social interaction to help create a varied narrative and gameplay experience.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide provides guidance on the Adventuring Day and creating and balancing encounters. However, bear in mind that PCs in T3 and T4 play often have capabilities beyond the game’s written expectations, so encounters beyond recommended encounter allowances may sometimes be needed to pose a true challenge to powerful PCs.
If you have the Homebrew tag, you can create more challenging encounters by using the rules for Mythic traits and actions as seen in Mythic Odysseys of Theros and further refined in Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons and applying them to an existing monster.
You can reflavor loot you award to the PCs beyond what is strictly listed as the item’s description to fit your game’s narrative, provided there are no notable mechanical changes. For example, you could reflavor a Helm of Comprehending Languages into a hat.
Any loot you predetermine for a game should fit the session’s narrative and themes, but never be for your own characters as loot to be later traded
You can choose to have your own DMPCs act as NPCs in a game, but remember that the adventure’s focus should be on the player’s PCs, not yours
Consider using TTRPG safety tools to help with table management in your games, such as an X-Card
Hawthorne Guild