Being a Fan of the Characters in D&D

Player characters are the protagonists of our D&D game

A transformative concept for dungeon mastering is this: Be a fan of the characters. This motto comes from the game Dungeon World but we can easily use it for our D&D games. Being a fan of the characters means that we, as the DM, think of the characters as the protagonists of the TV show we’re running. We cheer for the characters victories, and we lament their failures.

This approach contrasts a DM vs. player mentality in which the DM is out to get the characters. As a fan of the characters, on the other hand, we still put challenging situations in front of the characters, but we focus on the characters overcoming these obstacles, instead of trying to make them fail.

Let characters do what they’re good at

In fiction, we rejoice when characters succeed by doing what they’re good at. Sherlock Holmes solves crime. Iron Man invests stuff. Walter White cooks meth. In D&D we can let characters shine not by tailoring every situation to their skill set. But instead by creating a dynamic world with many solutions to any given problem. That way, the players decide how to best use their characters’ specialities in a situation.

An easy way, as a DM, to keep an open mind towards multiple solutions is to not think of solutions at all. We create the situation, we come up with obstacles and complications, but the solutions come at the table. During the game, we—as fans of the characters—work with the players to see the characters shine.

Let characters keep what makes them unique

It’s tempting to challenge players by taking away something that they rely on often. How will the rogue disarm the trap without their thieves tools? What if the warlock loses all their magic? Can the fighter survive without his sword arm? While these sound like interesting challenges, they can make a character feel powerless. Something we don’t want to see as a fan.

There are limited exceptions to this approach, but in general we should let characters keep and use the things that make them competent and unique.

Prepare around the characters

Being a fan of the characters means focusing the game on them. And that starts in game preparation. When we focus our D&D prep around the characters, we set the stage for them being in the spotlight when the game begins. Instead of focusing on the lore of the world, the backstories of NPCs or mechanical details, we can build our prep from the characters outwards.

Here are some questions we can ask ourselves during prep to focus on the characters:

Who are the characters and what are their names?
What is important to this character right now?
Which unresolved backstory element does this character have?
Which skill or ability of this character could become relevant next session?
Which NPC related to the character could I introduce?
Which NPC might have heard of this character, or even be a fan of them?
What magic item would this character benefit from?
What can the villain do to threaten this character personally?
What kind of location could be interesting for this character to explore?
Which secret might this character know?

Answering some of these questions helps us prepare content for the game which will be relevant to the characters. Instead of exclusively following our vision for the world, the story, or the direction of the game, we remember that we’re fans of the characters. As protagonists, they determine where the story goes.

Describe the characters as competent—even when they fail

Comedy can be a big part of D&D. A player rolls a 1, and everyone laughs when their character trips over their own sword. While describing failure can be fun, we need to make sure to describe the characters as generally competent. But how do we do that if players roll terribly?

When a character fails at something we can externalize the reason for their failure. Instead of tripping over their own sword, the fighter was pushed by a cunning enemy. A miss in combat is actually a hit but the thick hide of the monster protects it from taking damage. When we describe the reason for failure as external to the characters, we maintain their image as competent protagonists.

Another way to let characters save face is to let them fail forward. A character fails at something but their failure opens up new possibilities. As the fighter is pushed they reveal the location of the cunning enemy and can call it out to their fellow party members. A missed attack reveals a weak point in the monster’s armor, making it easier to hit.

As fans of the characters, we always look for opportunities to make characters look competent. Externalizing the reasons for failure, and failing forward are a great way to narrate failure as a fan of the characters.