How to Be a Better DM

Weekly Tips and Tricks on Thursdays

Listen as we talk about how to craft amazing stories for yourselves and your players. Join hosts Justin Lewis, Tanner Weyland, and Cayden Ottley every Thursday morning.

All Episodes

April 2, 2026

The 5 Senses of DMing (Part 1): Feel, Smell, and Taste

In this episode, we break down one of the most important—and most overlooked—skills in Dungeon Mastering: performance.But instead of keeping it vague,

March 31, 2026

The Art of Climaxes: What Do Pop Songs and Videogame Power Creep Have in Common?

Welcome to the ninth episode of Creative Contraband! Danny Barrett dives into very popular TV shows to enlighten us about the art

March 26, 2026

4 Combat Expectations That Work for Both High- AND Low-level Combat

Have you ever sat around your table while you and your party are in a combat encounter and thought, "This should be

March 23, 2026

What Solo TTRPGs Teach Us About DMing

In today's episode, we explore the potential teachings of Solo Roleplaying, guided by our usual host, Danny Barrett.Learn how to identify your

March 19, 2026

The Rules of Great Encounter Design (and How to Prep Them) – Part 2

What actually makes a great D&D encounter?In this episode, we break down 7 essential rules for encounter design that will instantly level

March 16, 2026

Plot Armor: What Michael Scott and GoT Can Teach Us About Stakes in DMing

Welcome to the ninth episode of Creative Contraband! Danny Barrett dives into very popular TV shows to enlighten us about the art

March 12, 2026

5 Underutilized Skill Checks and How To Use Them

Doesn't it always feel like more than half of your skill checks are perception or insight checks? Which is an absolute shame

March 9, 2026

From Chess to Rats: How to Make a Great First Impression.

In today's episode, we feature the first of many videopodcasts to come! Our usual host, Danny Barrett (and his support dog), unveils

March 5, 2026

The Rules of Great Encounter Design (Most DMs Miss These) – Part 1

Great D&D encounters don’t happen by accident—they’re designed.In this episode of How to Be a Better DM, we break down the first

March 2, 2026

Dentists and Comets: The Importance of the Final Scene

In today’s episode, we’ll take magic concepts to the doctor’s office and will mix it all together to learn how to make

February 26, 2026

Going Big: Making Memorable NPC Conversations

Listen... if an NPC or a roleplayed conversation is unmemorable, why is it in your campaign? More importantly, is it possible to

February 23, 2026

The unexpected upside of the CASE framework: Diegesis and the fourth wall in DnD

Today we’ll dissect the ins and outs of immersion, guided by our usual host, Danny Barrett. In this sixth episode, we will