No, DM, You're Not a Storyteller

DM, you're not a storyteller, and that's a good thing. The distinction is key to understanding your role and avoiding railroading in your D&D games. ** Get 10% off at Into the AM: https://intotheam.com/shortreststudios **

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There are shared skills between a Dungeon Master and a storyteller, like creating characters, designing environments, and building conflicts. But the differences are far more significant. A Dungeon Master (DM) or Game Master (GM) doesn’t control the plot, the resolution of conflicts, or the player characters themselves. Trying to control the narrative or force a pre-determined outcome is railroading, and that’s a surefire way to alienate your players. The best DMs create compelling scenarios, but then let the players' choices and the dice drive the story forward.

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A GM’s real job is to adjudicate rules and facilitate player agency. Whether you’re running a game of D&D 5e, Call of Cthulhu, or Dungeon Crawl Classics, the game system you choose influences the type of story being told. The dice resolve conflicts and introduce an element of surprise, which is where a lot of the fun comes from. Your role is not to write a book, but to manage the game world and react to the unpredictable choices of your players.

Ultimately, tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) are a form of collaborative storytelling. The story isn't coming from one person’s mind; it’s a living tale woven together by the choices of the players, the surprising roll of the dice, and the world you create. Understanding that you’re a Game Master, not an author, is the first step to running more engaging and fun campaigns for everyone at the table.

00:00 Intro
00:23 Shared Skills
01:42 Differences
03:53 What a GM DOES