The pressure (and pleasure) of being a forever DM

Techniques on how to cope with the ultimate compliment

Jun 26, 2025

I know exactly what you are thinking..

Yes, I desperately need to charge my phone. I know.

But beyond that — sometimes, no matter how many times you ask, you get absolutely no help or direction from your party. I want my players to feel a real sense of freedom and agency, like their choices are actually shaping the world they inhabit.

So when they say, “You decide,” I’m torn.

On one hand, it’s exciting — a blank canvas, the freedom to create the world and the narrative exactly how I see fit. On the other, it’s terrifying. What if I pour my energy into heading in one direction, only to find they wanted to go somewhere completely different?

I’m deeply appreciative that they trust me with their characters — that they let me decide the next big brushstrokes of their journey. But I like to be prepared. If there’s a scale that runs from “do nothing, make it all up” to “wildly overprepared,” I’m proudly on Team Overprepared. Every single time.

And let’s be honest: you can never be too prepared.

When your metaphorical battery is running low, it’s okay to ask your players for help — to check in, to get a little guidance on the direction of the next act. After all, you’re doing this for their enjoyment as much as your own.