I am of the opinion that the best way to build confidence in one’s ability as a Dungeon Master is simply to choose a local adventuring area and then stick with it.

There is something to be said for becoming intimately familiar with every blade of grass within your chosen local adventuring area. To become a ranger in a familiar wood, so to speak. And you can’t do that without tramping around the place a lot.

My choice was The Sword Coast, which is the local adventuring area for both Lost Mine of Phandelver and Dragon of Icespire Peak. Since rediscovering the hobby in 2017, I have guided many family members, friends, friend of friends, co-workers, friends of co-workers, and even strangers at events through those lands between the Sword Mountains and the Neverwinter Wood stretching from the High Road to the Long Road.

Along the Triboar Trail.

And it sounds silly, but in those years I have come to know the land, its people, its history, its threats, its wonders, and its secrets. And the best part is there are still new places to go and things to learn, such is the vastness of Forgotten Realms lore!

I don’t get stressed out about running a game anymore. And it’s not because I’m some old hand behind the DM screen (when I even use a DM screen) or because I’m awesome at what I do.

I don’t get stressed out because I’ve put in the reps. I’ve run these games, and then I’ve run them again, and again. And with each new telling of these stories, I draw inspiration from them and try new things, and make them more and more my own stories, while still maintaining fidelity to the original works.

That being said, I still buy Dungeons & Dragons adventures as they come out. Wizards of the Coast is a publishing company. And since it’s publish or perish for such an industry, I still faithfully open my wallet to purchase each new adventure whether I’d run them or not, especially since I mine these other adventures for inspiration.

For instance, I’ve tried running Tyranny of Dragons in the past, which was an absolute nightmare. But in my stories along the Triboar Trail, Daran Edermath chose a quiet retirement in Phandalin after suffering a grievous wound during the defense of Greenest. Edermath convinces the party to escort his old friend (Sergeant Markguth) to Gnomengarde in order to pay for and receive the auto-loading crossbow platform that the Gnomengardians have designed for Greenest’s upgraded defense.

I took a part of Tyranny of Dragons that I liked (Greenest In Flames) and used it to introduce lore, an NPC, and an adventure hook into my Dragon of Icespire Peak adventure. And I’ve blended in other aspects from adventures like Storm Kings Thunder, Princes of the Apocalypse, Curse of Strahd and Tales From The Yawning Portal into my Phandalin campaign as well!

Why? Because they’re fun modules that have some great things to offer. But will I run these other adventures that have story arcs for my table? No! Because then I’m starting from scratch, cramming everything I need to know about that hardback into my head, and likely failing spectacularly at doing so.

If you’re a Dungeon Master clinging to your notes or fumbling through the book as you try to breathe life into an adventure for the people at your table, it’s because you don’t know the material. And you will never know the material if you hop from one hardback adventure to the next, and to the next, and to the next.

Running a game is easy when you know the material. You’ll be amazed at how relaxing it can be (yes, RELAXING) to run a game for your family and friends when you not only know the land but, like Strahd von Zarovich, you are the land.

My advice to you in this new year is simply to choose a local adventuring area, develop a deep sense of connection with it, and then watch what a great Dungeon Master you become.

Happy New Year folks. I hope 2025 is a good one for you, your family, and the player at your table. Thanks for reading.

I’ve been having fun sharing my random D&D thoughts over at Bluesky. If you’re interested in following, I’m at @ticklecorn.bsky.social. I’ll follow back.

If you’d like to support my work, please consider checking out my supplements for Lost Mine of Phandelver and Dragon of Icespire Peak over on Dungeon Master’s Guild! All of my titles are Free/PWYW offerings.