Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

The short version: This is a great resource for new DM's looking to start off on the right foot with focusing their game prep time on the things that contribute the most to the fun while shortening their time spent on things that don't. Experienced DM's will also find a lot of really helpful ideas. Especially with planning your sessions to be able to adapt and improvise with player choices that you didn't anticipate and would otherwise derail the session.The long version: I've owned the PDF copy of the book for a few years and decided to get a hard copy to peruse more easily. The book arrived in perfect condition with no printing errors.I started DMing a few years ago as a newcomer to TTRPG's with a group of players who had also never played. I made plenty of mistakes and wasted lots of time in my session prep on low value activities like making full stat blocks for NPC's who would never be in combat. I was spending 3 plus hours prepping for a 4 hour session. Now using the ideas in this book plus my experience, I can usually prep for a session in about 30-45 minutes and feel prepared, and the sessions are more fun as well.A lot of the ideas in the book involve flexible plans with lots of room for improvisation so you can stay a step ahead of the players when they do unexpected things. For example in one of my sessions, the players cleared a dungeon of cultists and found evidence that a wealthy family in the city was involved. I expected that they would head straight to the manor and infiltrate the house. But instead they decided to go to the house of a rival family to try and get some support and Intel. So on the spot I improvised a handful of NPC's and the contents of the house, and the players were able to persuade the family to help them and created a diversion that helped them sneak in.There's no way I can anticipate every move the players might make, but with a looser improvisational game plan I can adapt to their plans on the fly and make them feel like they're actually making meaningful choices instead of reading from a pre written script. I highly recommend checking out the book, even if you don't want to run a high inprov session many of the ideas will still be helpful in running fun games.

I really enjoyed reading the Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master by Sly Flourish. The philosophy of how to approach your gaming session was enlightening and refreshing.I am a returning DM. I used to play AD&D when I was a kid, both as a player & DM, and now am a much older player & DM that restarted a little rusty, trying to understand the "new" 5th edition D&D game. My players are my family, with no previous experience, except for them listening to podcasts like Damage Guild, Not Another D&D Podcast and the Adventure Zone. (Talk about having DM expectations from brand new players!)This guide book was fantastic for helping a nuts and bolts, follow the rules, look up the answer in the books- kinda guy like me.The way I see each session now is so much easier, more fun and entertaining, and so much more focused on my players and their characters, than just "what does the rule books say about..."My players have commented on how much better the sessions are since I've been using the philosophies covered in this book.What are the philosophies discussed, what was the biggest change in perspective? For me, it's the realization that the whole game is about the characters, the heroes, getting to do awesome things. That's what the players want, to see their character be an awesome hero! As the DM, it's not my job to know every single rule and follow every rule to the letter, it's about me presenting challenging sessions that allow the players to be amazed at how cool their characters get to interact in a fantasy world.I highly recommend this to any DM no matter what game you're playing. It's written in a philosophical way, not just for 5th Edition D&D, but is useful for any table top roll playing game.Now, go forth and create awesome worlds!

I liked the quick summaries of strategies for improving TTRPGs. I don't have a lot of time to prep my campaigns because I work full time. So I want all the work I choose to do to meaningfully improve the game I run. I know a lot of GMs are passionate about their craft. I think this book is full of ideas on how to refine that craft.

All the contents are so perfectly explained and aligns with helping me to make use of my precious time as I'm working hectic hours at an airport. I'm hoping this will help me make use of my down time to get a session prepared faster by working smarter and not harder.I like to protect my books and keep them in the best possible condition that I can.Upon opening the box, the plastic side edges are peeling off which is ruining the hardcover.I'm thinking I should request an exchange to to get a product without these kinds of flaws

Let me "out" myself. I've played D&d for 3 years. With 3 different DM's in 4 campaigns. I love, love, LOVE the game! And I secretly, started thinking "I want to run a campaign -- that looks fun!"But of course, it seemed very intimidating. I've been reading fantasy books for 30 years. How could I live up to Zelazny, Tolkien, Donaldson, Brooks...? It seemed too daunting, let alone, living up to my 3 DM's who are pretty amazing story-tellers too....by reading this book. That's how.In all seriousness, you can't go wrong with this book. It lays out, clearly, and efficiently, in short chapters, how to be an efficient DM who spends time on the things that matter most to your players, and to the next gaming session you will be Dungeon Master of.If you want to DM, then you want to read this book.You will not be sorry. You will be GLAD, and THANKFUL, if you read this book.*ALSO....if your have a DM you like, but they are either stressed about the time they are putting into their preparation, or they are slacking a little bit...but it for them too :)

I have been a DM for a couple of years in a homebrew setting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and came away with a page of useful notes. I read the entire book in one sitting which is difficult for me to do. A great resource, highly recommend!

Lots of tips and tricks to save you time prepping as a DM. So glad I picked this up.

Estaba en mi salto de jugador a DM y este material me fue mucho mas de ayuda que la Dungeon Master Guide, recomendado totalmente si estas en una situación igual

war ein geschenk. aber kam super an

Great book and great quality

Se come me siete una di quelle persone che soende molto tempo a preparare le avventure e ha l'ansia continua di non preparare abbastanza e nonostante questo di non preparare bene, questo libro DOVETE leggerlo."Return of the lazy DM" é scritto in un inglese abbastanza facile e digeribile, ma consiglio comunque di tenersi un dizionario vicino per alcuni termini non proprio facilissimi, ma grazie al cielo non c'é nulla di arcaico e complessivamente questo libro é completamente pragmatico e dritto al punto.L'obbiettivo principale del libro é spiegare su cosa concentrarsi per evitare di perdere tempo in tutto ciò che non migliora l'avventura. Per quanto sia un libro piccolino con solo un centinaio di pagine, contiene più di 25 capitoli da 2 a 4 pagine con consigli molto pratici e ben mirati sui diversi aspetti prima citati. Il capitolo che più mi é piaciuto é stato quello sulla costruzione della campagna, in particolar modo su cosa fornire ai giocatori per meglio legarli sia all'avventura che al gruppo.Se ancora non vi ho convinto, vi basta sapere che non solo leggendo questo libro ho capito la quasi totalità degli errori da me commessi anni e anni fa quando iniziai a fare il DM, ma anche questo libro stesso negli ultimi capitoli spiega che in realtà, seguendo questo libro alla lettera, per preparare la base di una singola sessione serve al più una mezz'oretta: sapendo però quali sono le informazioni più importanti da cui partire, diventa anche molto più facile sapere e realizzare quali siano gli aspetti e i dettagli da aggiungere e/o approfondire e quali invece ignorare.Dato che gioco prevalentemente online il capitolo sugli oggetti da tenere al tavolo é stato abbastanza inutile, ma tutto il resto é caldamente raccomandato.