Can I Ask You A Question? When and How to Exert Your Unlimited Power as a DM in D&D

3 Wise DMs

Several listener questions came in that were spiraling around the same general idea, and one that DMs have fielded since the very beginning of the game: how, and when, to exert the unlimited level of power that you possess as the DM.

In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave, take part in a grab bag of listener questions that deal with players constantly interrupting, as well as how to best approach using, or not using, the newest 2024 version of the Player’s Handbook. For any DM who has wrestled with how and when to exert their God-level power, this is the episode for you.

3:30 The first listener question that deals with the player that constantly interrupts the BBEGs monologues.

4:25 The pro is that you have an excited and engaged player as well as DM Tony’s idea of the “cutscene.”

5:40 Exerting your control to set a scene.

10:00 Teaching players how your world works and allowing the players to adjust the setup of the scene.

13:15 “We’ll get to that” – a bookmark for all the actions players want to take because it is still a turn-based game.

17:20 We delve deeper into DM Tony’s idea of the “cutscene.” What is it and how to use it.

21:10 The awesomeness of the hero punching the villain in the jaw and not caring about their speech.

24:07 The second listener question regarding using the new 2024 update to 5e.

26:00 We already decide what races, classes, and rules we allow in our campaigns – this is no different.

29:15 5e.tools – a great digital resource for DMs and the new Mastery properties of weapons.

34:00 Changing rulesets halfway through a campaign.

38:50 Final Thoughts.