this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2023
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Ask Game Masters
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(Hi again! I'll repost my comment from the other thread.)
In my experience, the best way to prepare for running any RPG is to first have someone run the game for you. That can be hard, but the good news is, D&D 5E is the most widespread TTRPG in history, so finding a game shouldn't be too hard, especially since you're already talking online games. (Some areas are TTRPG deserts, but finding a one-shot 5E game online is as easy as it gets.)
If that doesn't work for you for some reason, I would suggest the following:
Finally, I'd like to share a few thoughts about what it means to "DM effectively". Running a game is an art, not a science. Whole books have been written on the subject, and no two agree on most things.
The best thing to keep in mind is: everyone is there to have a good time. Yourself included! Players want to do cool things. The DM wants to thrill and excite and entertain their players. Mistakes are going to happen, but don't let them live rent-free in your head. It doesn't matter if anyone gets rules wrong, especially when you're all still learning. It's been years and I still can't remember certain 5E rules (passive perception and darkvision, yikes). My group still has a fun time playing, because the game runs smoothly enough. Things like safety tools, cheat sheets, one page prep notes, all this stuff is designed so you run into as few roadblocks to fun as possible at the (virtual) table.
Good luck, and feel free to ask any followup questions if need be. :)