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Slo_matt

As or possibly more important than the DMG

Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2018

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I've been running RPG games since I got the red box set at age nine. I'm damn good at it. Better than most I've met.

That being said, I bow before the genius of this book.

Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master breaks the creation of a gaming session into simple steps that can be completed within an hour or two. What's more, the vast majority of games will actually be improved using these methods. In his book, Mike Shea has focused in on what makes a RPG adventure great with an intensity that would put a beholder's eye-beams to shame.

I've read a lot of how-to-DM guides, from the latest DMGs for Pathfinder and 5e to Gygax's old Master of the Game and too many Dragon Magazine articles to recall. This book tops them, and makes it look easy.

The only downside to this book is that it isn't for brand-new DMs. If you've never run a game before, don't start here, it assumes knowledge you don't have yet. Once you've been at it for a year or so, however, come pick it up. Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master is an absolute must-have, and a steal at the list price.

Amazon Customer

Not as helpful as the first Lazy Dungeon Master book.

Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2018

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The book offers more insight and expands upon the system implemented from the first book. There is a checklist of eight steps in this book for session building vs four from the last one. Overall the theme of the book seems to "you need to do more than I said you should do in the last book."
There aren't any additional helpful tables in this book. I was a big fan of the "Here's 20 random npc names to use in your game" table in the back as well as additional quick guides. This book has options and references regarding outside resources, but nothing specific to the book.

Overall it's an okay book. I'd recommend reading the first Lazy Dungeon Master over this one and I would only recommend this one to anyone who thought that the first book didn't flesh out the ideas as much as they would have liked.

Fortune_Faded

Optimizing game planning to make prep time count

Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2019

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I really enjoyed this book. Specifically it refocuses attention in game planning to avoid creating content that your players will never see, and instead lead you to set up games where their decisions matter, your prepared content gets used, and it's well laid out enough to be accessible when needed. From the first instance of prepping using the layout described in chapter 2, I got immediate positive results with my group. I'm going to continue using this to refine my games.

PawnMower

A great method of easy DM prep

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2018

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This book really took the stress out of DM prep. I used to over prepare which actually railroads your players. I like the previous book but this is a much better approach.

Justin H.

Incredibly Helpful

Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2019

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This book was a game changer for me. It provides a solid format for adventure planning that I've used for my last 10 sessions and its been great for my confidence. The guide does a good job of making sure you focus on the important stuff that enriches your sessions rather than getting caught up in the minutiae. Previously, I would just kind of outline each session like a story, adding details if they seemed important. It was alright, but it was unfocused compared to what this book taught me.

The Secrets and Clues have been especially useful, as it lets me think about what lore is available to the players. I'm still learning how to integrate them into each session better, but it's been good practice. I'm someone who tends to hold onto information for far too long to make my players "earn" it, but this is helping me be more free and open with how the players move the story along.

Lightsleeper

Useful resource

Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2018

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If you find yourself spending a lot of time to prepare for an RPG session, this is for you. It will give you techniques for streamlining your process and avoiding the wasted work of over-planning.

B. Carl

Great updates resource for GMs short on time

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2019

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Loved the checklists at the end of each chapter. Tons of practical advice to maximize your prep time so you're ready for a session but don't waste time on things that won't get referenced. Great job, Michael!

Jarrod

Fantastic Fantasy Philosophy

Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2020

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I really enjoyed reading the Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master by Sly Flourish. The philosophy of how to approach your gaming session was enlightening and refreshing.
I am a returning DM. I used to play AD&D when I was a kid, both as a player & DM, and now am a much older player & DM that restarted a little rusty, trying to understand the "new" 5th edition D&D game. My players are my family, with no previous experience, except for them listening to podcasts like Damage Guild, Not Another D&D Podcast and the Adventure Zone. (Talk about having DM expectations from brand new players!)
This guide book was fantastic for helping a nuts and bolts, follow the rules, look up the answer in the books- kinda guy like me.
The way I see each session now is so much easier, more fun and entertaining, and so much more focused on my players and their characters, than just "what does the rule books say about..."
My players have commented on how much better the sessions are since I've been using the philosophies covered in this book.
What are the philosophies discussed, what was the biggest change in perspective? For me, it's the realization that the whole game is about the characters, the heroes, getting to do awesome things. That's what the players want, to see their character be an awesome hero! As the DM, it's not my job to know every single rule and follow every rule to the letter, it's about me presenting challenging sessions that allow the players to be amazed at how cool their characters get to interact in a fantasy world.
I highly recommend this to any DM no matter what game you're playing. It's written in a philosophical way, not just for 5th Edition D&D, but is useful for any table top roll playing game.
Now, go forth and create awesome worlds!

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Emilio Mestiga

Only really useful for neophyte GMs

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 28, 2019

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I bought this book on a whim, based largely on the nice cover art and its good reputation. For what is essentially a self-published book the physical quality is first rate - large format, easy to read layout, clean fonts, clear diagrams, no typos (that I spotted anyway) and an unfussy prose style. Furthermore, the art is plentiful and better than you'd find in most gaming books. There are two artists involved, one is decent, the other properly good - his is the picture on the cover.

The content of the book is another matter. All the author is really saying is - just prep your story hook, NPC's and locations with a few bullet points to remind you of the crucial bits. But since the players will probably do something you didn't expect, be ready to bin it all and improvise.

And that's pretty much it. At the end of each chapter is a paragraph which tells the reader to just go with what works best for them. Yep, I couldn't have thought of that one myself. There is also a chapter on what the book calls the DM's Toolkit of essentials to have to hand during play. This includes a notebook so that you can, y'know, take some notes. Also, the reader is informed, you'll want to have the actual rulebook of the game you're playing, presumably so that you don't have to memorise the whole thing first which is what most people must have been doing. If you are running a published adventure, you should have it to hand. If you use miniatures in your game, then make sure you have some miniatures. So you can use them.

It does seem a bit mean spirited to mock Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master like this; it is a nicely put together book and the author is clearly sincere in what he's trying to do, but I cannot imagine a DM of any experience not already doing all of what's in this book and more (or less, as the case may be). If you are a total neophyte and have zero experience, or possibly if you're going to run a convention game with a limited time slot and players you don't know, then there might be something of value here. For anyone else it's inessential.

Richard the Taijigerheart

Best D&D supplement going...?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2020

Verified Purchase

The Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master is a real gem of a book. Fantasy Roleplaying is a huge market these days, and there are countless titles out there to choose from, by both long-established companies and small independents.

Where on Earth do you start? Well, no matter what game system you’re playing, the Lazy DM is an absolute godsend.

It’s ostensibly written for D&D 5E, but the advice within its 90-odd pages is universal. It’s also written specifically for DMs, though there’s plenty in there to give players food for thought, too.

In essence, it’s a slim tome of wise counsel. Fledgling DMs need to hear it, as do the long-established and certainly the set-in-their-ways. This book isn’t just a time saver; it will boost the enjoyment and enthusiasm of both you and your players a thousandfold.

Michael E Shea gets to the crux of what’s important both in terms of preparing and running a session. Instead of wasting hours planning elaborate encounters your players will probably bypass and never see, or, even worse, be forced into kicking and screaming as you impose your precious set piece upon them, Shea’s advice is to only prep the things that really make a difference. Relax. Trust. Enjoy.

Tailor the adventure to your player characters’ motives and strengths, he exhorts. Create a strong start, identify secrets and clues, outline a few great locations and invent some compelling but loosely sketched NPCs, monsters & rewards.

The author rightly emphasises the need for an improvised approach that sees DM and players working together, rather than against each other, to tell extraordinary stories.

If you follow these tips and tricks, I guarantee that your game will be transformed for the better.

The only other book that comes close is the more lengthy and less colourful “Gamemastering” by Brian Jamison, which contains much of the same advice, only with much more detail. It’s no coincidence that these two books extol the same principles of economy of preparation, organic improv and character-based storytelling. Each author has come to the same conclusions from their own extensive experience of running RPGs. The results will speak for themselves if you apply them.

Both books will save you from falling into the many traps that ensnare the unwary DM. The Lazy DM is a quicker read and has better production values than Gamemastering, and contains enough info to get you off to a really good start. If it’s working, consider getting Jamison’s book, too, which at 300-or-so pages is absolutely stuffed with great ideas and advice. Taken together, they really are the Holy Duo of good DMing! It’s a pity really that this sort of wisdom isn’t to be found in the core books - and it’s not just D&D that’s guilty of this omission.

The Sly Flourish series of which the Lazy DM is a part also comprises Fantastic Locations and Fantastic Adventures. Both are great resources for ideas, but if you’re going to get only one, choose this one. You won’t look back.

In fact, your whole library of modules and adventure paths will instantly turn from slavish follow-throughs that never quite work into a rich source of ideas that you and your players can riff on to your hearts’ content.

All hail the Lazy DM! Truly, it’s the best D&D supplement out there. Don’t take my word for it. Buy it, read it, absorb its ideas, apply them and watch with delight as your jaded players’ faces are prized upward from their mobile phone screens and light up with glee before your very eyes!

D

Its good to be lazy

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 28, 2019

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This is a great book for any DM. But especially good for those DM's who (like me) totally over prepare, stress and get writers cramp. The book is a philosophy in how to take less time to prepare, save paper, have more fun and relax. It is better than any official DM's guide.

Linda

Every dungeon master should have this book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 21, 2020

Verified Purchase

I liked all of it and I found every chapter helpful.
I particularly enjoyed the chapters that showed me how to create my own campaign. This is something I have been wanting to do for a long time but I always got bogged down and lost. This book lives up to its name and shows a lazy way of doing it but one that works.
Don't know if Sly Flourish intends a third book, but I will be first in the queue if he does.

Torben

Not just for lazy GMs

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2019

Verified Purchase

I used this to focus my preparation, got all I needed noted down in two notebook pages and a couple of slips of paper, and managed to run a session successfully, without awkward pauses, without railroading and, most importantly, WITHIN TIME. If that is not a ringing DM endorsement, I don't know what is.

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