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DMs — Have you read the Dungeon Master's Guide? (Patreon)

Published:
2024-09-06 17:08:44
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Poll

DMs — Have you read the Dungeon Master's Guide?

  • I've read it cover-to-cover. 187
  • I've skimmed the whole book, and read some sections in-depth as needed 382
  • I've read some sections as needed, but there are chapters I've never even glanced at 257
  • I have never read any part of the Dungeon Master's Guide 36
  • I am not a Dungeon Master 117
  • 2024-09-06
  • 979 votes
{'title': "DMs — Have you read the Dungeon Master's Guide?", 'choices': [{'text': "I've read it cover-to-cover.", 'votes': 187}, {'text': "I've skimmed the whole book, and read some sections in-depth as needed", 'votes': 382}, {'text': "I've read some sections as needed, but there are chapters I've never even glanced at", 'votes': 257}, {'text': "I have never read any part of the Dungeon Master's Guide", 'votes': 36}, {'text': 'I am not a Dungeon Master', 'votes': 117}], 'closes_at': None, 'created_at': datetime.datetime(2024, 9, 6, 17, 2, 48, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), 'description': None, 'allow_multiple': False, 'total_votes': 979}

Content

This applies to any edition that you play — so if you play 5e, have you read the 5e DMG? If you are not a Dungeon Master, please mark "I am not a Dungeon Master" even if you've read the DMG!

I've tried my best to cover all possible categories with the answers, but feel free to elaborate in the replies.

Comments

Alexis

I haven't, yet. But I'm a brand new DM! I will be reading it soon

Hayden Olson

It's interesting! Looking forward to the next!

Jesper Fledelius-Gehrke

Read the earlier editions (and other games) more, so with every edition, less need to read it. :)

Bryce Carlson

Every edition so far, which makes me more aware that the writers don't do sufficient research.

Matt Malone

The first edition AD&D Dmg is a really interesting read. Gygax just puts in some much idiosyncratic stuff into it. Really strange stuff that’s really wonderful.

Azereaux

While I have read it for 3.5 cover to cover at least once, my answer above applies to 5e. I've definitely skimmed the whole book, but only a few areas have come up enough to read in full

Ananda Sage

Have read the first 1/4 in depth, have skimmed the rest, am not a dungeon master YET

Walt Flood

I just ask the Dungeon Dudes! :D

Skott Holck

I read all of AD&D, some of 3.5 and some of 5e.

James Robertson

I find this a funny question because my gaming group behaves like we are playing Hackmaster instead of 5e anyway. We view the rules as a loose framework at best. Maybe I am not a dungeon master as much as I am the lunatic in charge of the asylum.

Jocelyn

I followed the Dungeon Dudes' Essential Reading for New DMs guide video, which really helped not get overwhelmed! Then I've looked up things as needed since.

mark erhardt

Ever one cover to cover for 40 years and yes even 4th ed

Jason Megatron Burrows

From what I have seen of the new book, I'm REALLY excited for it to come out.

MatthiasKL

As we noted on the discord: did homebrew from the jump, so only skimmed and then read sections as needed, and geez, I wish I had read the worldbuilding section earlier.

Hans Peter Bak

I've read some parts but I've never played 5th Ed. I bought it six month ago because I have heard so much good about it. I've mostly played 3.5, AD&D and D&D since 80's.

Lorcan Murphy

I am the weird person who enjoys reading crunchy manuals. Having read roleplaying supplements for so many systems and editions over time, I read each new edition and ruleset's manuals and so my actual table play is a gestalt of mistakenly and deliberately included rules from various editions and systems. So I've read the rulebooks deeply, but you might not know that if you played at my table and are a RAW stickler.

DMZ_73

At this point, I only use it as a reference when there is a rules question

Amberly Lorenz

I had had the intention of reading the 5e cover to cover, but honestly can't remember if I actually did at this point. It's been just a reference for so long.

Graves

a long term dm I read the part that were a change from earlier editions (1st and 2nd) rather than cover to cover

EventMage

I've read the AD&D 2nd Edition DM's guide cover to cover =)

Richard Riley
>>148701290

Same - I don't think I qualify as a DM though since 1) I haven't tried running a game since the 90s and 2) both attempts ended quickly and poorly.

Richard Miller

I have bits and pieces 1st Edition and OSE, but I am not a DM.

Jeremy Martin

I am not a DM (yet, want to try soon), but have read certain sections for player help regarding downtime/treating diseases w/out access to spells or healing abilities like Lesser/Greater Restoration/Lay on Hands, etc.

ChatN

I've skimmed most of it but, honestly, when I need concrete edge case advice it's plain easier to just google it than go directly to the DMG.

Nowisthewinterofourdiscord

In ten years how can you not have at least seen the whole book even if you're functionally illiterate like me where your dyslexia is sooo bad you goad rules lawyers into quoting chapter and verse just so you can hear all of it

IceTooth101

I’m a DM and I’m currently in the process of reading it cover-to-cover

Gerard Hoey

I read it entirely about 6 years ago . . . and hardly ever again afterwards. Didn't offer much in the way of practical resources or guidance to reduce the DMs monolithic burden! (in my opinion 😄)

Aina Love

I choose this option "I've read some sections as needed, but there are chapters I've never even glanced at" I have been GMing for 30+ years and only read the sections that seemed new or had something to offer me.

Scott

I’ve read the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 3.5 DMGs cover to cover. Figured there wasn’t too much in 5th I haven’t already read.

Tracy Castleberry Knowles

Magic Items are the most useful thing in the DMG....and those cards are handier than the book...

Twi

I've read the 3e, 3.5e, and 4e cover to cover. I've only looked at specific things in the 1e and 2e AD&D DMG. But I've never read the 5e DMG.

Stephan Regula

I have read 1st edition cover to cover about 5 times, 2nd, 3rd, 3.5?, 4th, 5th at least once each cover to cover. I still run a hybrid 1st/2nd game unbroken since the 70’s. (2nd was added into my 1st ed game when it came along.)

Geoff Gilbert

Being ADHD, I cannot read such a dry text cover to cover. However, I've read up on sections as needed. When I started building my own world, I read through a lot of Chapter 1 & 2, which are honestly better put together than they get credit for. Chapter 8 is a good read for any DM (great placement WotC). Most tables I just get online, but if I'm looking for loot inspiration, I will ABSOLUTELY thumb through the magic items. Otherwise, most other information relevant from other chapters are available on a DM screen or there are better versions (like downtime) in Tasha's or Xanathar's.

Geoff Gilbert
>>148700802

This seems counter-intuitive, but I'd start with Chapter 8 and if you get through that quickly continue with Chapter 9. Chapter 8 is a more detailed breakdown of the rules which clarifies some common confusion the Player's Handbook doesn't fully explain. Feel free to skip things that might not be relevant to you (i.e. not a lot of overland travel in your campaign, don't worry about travel pace), but also reading about Chases, Skill Challenges, Etc., are the little tricks that can really make a rookie DM look like a pro. Chapter 9 gets more into how to modify or customize the rules of the game. It's kind of extra, but at least for me, know how to adjust it, helps me learn how it works. Either way, good luck! More than anything just know your players likely won't know if you're making a mistake and they are very grateful you're stepping up to the plate! Kudos to you!

Wolioon

Not D&D, but for Pathfinder 2's remaster. I haven't even purchased the GM guide, and I don't see myself doing it anytime soon.

Anna K

I'm an autistic DM. Tell me I need to read the DMG, and I *will* read it cover-to-cover, even if it takes me months to finish.

Roxy Shaw

I learnt dnd by playing (as a player) and looking up rules as needed, and I'm pretty sure the first session I ran I didn't even have access to the DMG? Since then I've flicked through my flatmate's copy occasionally but I definitely haven't read it all. Honestly it's kind of odd because I DO read ttrpg rulebooks cover to cover for fun just... not dnd?

Dusty

I've read about 70-80% of the 2014 DMG for 5e. I read most of that when back in 2019-2020, and most of what I've read I've only read once. Now I just look it up whenever a particular piece of information is brought to my attention. DMing since 2019, I've only ever opened the DMG during a session once ever. I've read the PHB for 5e dozens of times, at least 5 times cover-to-cover, and I usually open it up at least once a week. I open the book to check something every single session I run.

Mike

I'm not a DM yet, but I plan to be after my group finishes our current campaign. Next chance I get to sit down and read, I was actually going to start the DMG (5e) since I've been building my campaign.

Brave-Wild Ocarina

I read the DMG after the PHP. There's lots of useful stuff in there, like chase scenes and optional rules to near-death more meaningful. I also like it for novel-writing advice. There's a lot of overlap between dungeon-mastering and writing a fantasy novel.

Paul Means

I have been reading from the OG DM Guide and trying to keep up with changes as they occur

Heather Hatch Boone

Always use it as a reference but haven’t read it like a book… but maybe i will now that you’ve said it out loud…🤔

Jonathan & Megan Pierson

So I answered that I read the DMG cover-to-cover, which is true for 1e (AD&D) and 3e (and 5e PHB and DMG are both on my way too long RPG reading list; does sometime in the future count?). The catch might be, I don't actually play D&D. Or, I kind of do, just not with the D&D rules :-) But I do steal extensively from D&D, both concepts and crunch, so ... I guess if you're trying to get a feel for, "How many GM's GM without reading the core rules, or reading only bits and pieces," I'm definitely NOT in that category; I always read the core rules of whatever RPG I'm playing (or cannibalizing) all the way through, cover to cover.

Greg Stockton

I read the 4th edition DMG cover to cover, and honestly thought it was one of the best DMGs ever. In shifting to a "rules go in the Players Handbook; guidance and support go in the DMG" model, they produced a fantastic DMG, which guided even my ongoing 3.x game. I haven't run 5e enough to read the 5e DMG.

Bastien Durel

I read most of it despite I didn't got it in my native language.

Gentoo Penguin (Joshua R)

I've read all the DMGs cover to cover since AD&D, and 5e has been my least favorite. I don't know how new GMs are supposed to get value out of it, to be honest. I'm excited about the 2024 update.

Bryon Kershaw

I've read way too many DMGs over the years, so that they all kinda blend together! I've read the 1st edition AD&D DMG (with the green robed wizard on the front) cover-to-cover. I've skimmed through the 2nd edition DMG (monsters kicking the door with a black border); the 3.5 D&D DMG cover-to-cover (with the metal globe at the center), the DMG II (because that was a crazy thing we had at one point in ye old days), I skimmed the 4th edition DMG (and DMG 2!), and did the same for 5th edition. Not sure if I'll pick up the DMG for 2024, as well as the other new books just yet.

Jesse Trucks

I plan on reading all of the 2024 DMG like I’m reading all of the 2024 PHB, but the last time I read the entirety of the core rule books was in the late 90s.

Gianni Grioli

Never really read it when I was DMing and most of the time I use it as a reference book to the multiversal planes or to look at the magic items. Otherwise it stays tuck away until my D&D game

Anthony Docimo

if i've ever read the entire thing in total, I'm not aware of having completed it - i always did it too piecemeal for it to register.

Jamonster66

Um, I've not read 5e cover to cover. I am old so AD&D was cover to cover. 5e has been as needed.

Randall Case

None of the DMGs ever hit me as a book to be read, cover to cover. It's a resource book to be consulted as needed IMO.