Book excerpt: Design your own fantasy D&D epic filled with adventurous exploits, cloaked characters, and mysterious monsters If you're a Dungeons & Dragons fan, you've surely thought of becoming a Dungeon Master. Learning to be a DM isn't as hard as you might think, especially if you have Dungeon Master For Dummies tucked into your bag of tricks! Whether you've assumed the role of Dungeon Master before or not, this illustrated reference can help you run a D&D game, either online or in person. From organizing your first D&D game to dealing with difficult players, this book covers everything a DM needs to know. Written for the newest edition of D&D by the experts at Wizards of the Coast, the game's creators, it shows you how to: Run your very first campaign, from shaping storylines and writing your own adventures to dealing with unruly players and characters Build challenging encounters, make reasonable rulings, and manage disagreements Recognize all the common codes, tables, and spells Understand the parts of a D&D adventure and how to create dungeon maps and craft monsters Shape storylines and write your own adventures Find your style as a DM and develop a game style that plays to your strengths Script an encounter, vary the terrain and challenges, and establish rewards (experience points and treasure) Decide whether to use published adventures Use and follow the official Dungeon Master's Guide Develop a campaign with exciting themes, memorable villains, and plots to entrance players If you're getting the urge to lead the charge in a D&D game of your own, Dungeon Master For Dummies provides the information you need to start your own game, craft exciting stories, and set up epic adventures. Grab your copy today, and you'll be on your way!