15 Types of Problem Dungeon Masters (and How Not to Become One)

By Luke Hart

Every dungeon master has bad habits. We all start somewhere, we all make mistakes, and we all have blind spots. But there are certain patterns of behavior that consistently frustrate players, derail campaigns, and slowly poison a gaming group from the inside out.

Today, we’re going to talk about the different types of problem DMs you’ll encounter—or accidentally become—and, more importantly, how to avoid falling into these traps yourself. If you recognize bits of yourself in any of these descriptions, don’t panic. Awareness is the first step toward improvement, and the goal here isn’t to shame anyone. It’s to help you run better, more enjoyable games for your players and yourself.

By the way, are you a NEW GAME MASTER feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything involved with running a role-playing game? If so, the Secret Art of Game Mastery can help. Get over 100 years of GM experience distilled into practical, easy-to-read advice.

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1. The Timid DM

The Timid DM means well—truly. They care deeply about their players having a good time. Unfortunately, they care so much that they let the players do whatever they want. They never say “no.” They avoid consequences. They allow murderhobo antics to go completely unchecked because they’re terrified that imposing real danger, stakes, or repercussions will upset someone at the table.

But this approach slowly drains all meaning from the game. If players can do anything with zero pushback or fallout, nothing feels dangerous, interesting, or satisfying. And because the Timid DM also avoids confronting problem players, side conversations, or table disruptions, the entire gaming environment can easily spiral out of control.

A DM must lead the table. You can be kind and still hold boundaries. You can be considerate and still enforce consequences. The solution to timidity is not cruelty; it’s confidence.

2. The Railroader DM

A Railroader has already written their story, and the players are there merely to march through it. The DM has a very specific plan for how events “must” unfold, regardless of what the characters want to do or how the dice fall.

Player autonomy? Optional at best. Illusionary at worst.

These DMs often start campaigns by telling players exactly which roles or character types they “need” for their grand narrative, and then force the story along predetermined tracks. Nothing players do can alter the path; the plot is protected by enough railings and walls that it might as well be a theme park ride.

The fix? Adapt. Let the players’ choices matter. Treat your campaign world as a living space that reacts, evolves, and sometimes derails your precious plans. That’s the beauty of the game: shared storytelling, not scripted fiction.

3. The Unprepared DM

Improvisation can be a powerful tool… when used intentionally. The Unprepared DM, however, shows up with absolutely nothing: no notes, no encounters, no story beats, no maps. They spend huge chunks of the game with their nose buried in a book, flipping pages while players sit around bored.

This isn’t “sandbox style.” It’s disrespect.

A DM’s time is valuable, but so is the players’. When people set aside a night to play, they deserve a game, not a disorganized scramble.

Preparation doesn’t have to be complicated. A handful of encounters, a few NPC notes, general story direction—that alone makes the experience ten times more enjoyable for everyone involved.

4. The Overbearing Mother Hen DM

This DM loves their world. They love their lore. They love their characters. And they desperately want players to love it all just as much as they do.

Unfortunately, this results in infodumps, endless NPC monologues, and DMPCs tagging along with the party to “help”—which usually means overshadowing the actual heroes. They guide players too much, reveal too much, and metagame constantly because they want their world and story to unfold just so.

But D&D is a game about player agency, not DM self-expression.

If you’re using NPCs to show off your world or steer the party, stop. Present situations. Let players explore. Let them learn through action, not lecture.

5. The DM Who Shows What’s Behind the Curtain

Some DMs can’t resist narrating all the secrets the players shouldn’t know.

“I fudged that roll to save you.”
“That trap wasn’t actually that dangerous, and here’s how it worked.”
“You can ignore the puzzle box; it’s not solvable anyway.”

This destroys immersion, mystery, verisimilitude—everything that makes the game exciting. Players may ask about what’s behind the DM screen, but showing them the inner workings usually diminishes their experience, even if they don’t realize it in the moment.

The solution is simple: keep the magic behind the curtain.

6. The Adversarial DM

The Adversarial DM sees the game as DM vs. players, and they fully intend to win.

They delight in character deaths, design unfair encounters, metagame against the party, refuse compromises, and view every player request as an opportunity to say no. They create “gotcha” moments not as narrative tension but as punishment.

This is poison for a campaign.

A DM’s job is to challenge the players—but secretly root for them, too. You want them to struggle, triumph, and feel the thrill of overcoming something meaningful. You’re not the villain. You’re the world.

7. The Whimsical DM

This DM’s enthusiasm is genuine, but chaotic.

They change systems, settings, themes, and storylines based purely on whatever they’re currently obsessed with.

One week it’s classic fantasy.
Next week it’s Eberron.
Next week it’s sci-fi space opera because they watched a cool movie.

The result? Zero continuity. Constant resets. Players abandoning characters they barely got to play.

Consistency is a kindness. Commit to a direction and see it through. If you need variety, run side games or one-shots—but don’t yank your players from story to story because your attention has wandered.

8. The DM Who Steals Agency

Few things frustrate players more than being told, “That’s not what your character would do.”

This DM believes they know the characters better than the players who created them. They police alignment, correct roleplay choices, and sometimes outright take control of characters in the name of “story integrity.”

This is nonsense.

The DM already controls everything else in the world. The one thing they don’t get to dictate is how the players portray their own characters.

Let players play. Full stop.

9. The DM Who Plays Favorites

Sometimes it’s subtle. Sometimes it’s blatant. But favoritism is corrosive.

A favorite player gets the best storylines, the best loot, the spotlight, the custom magic items, the DM attention… and the rest of the table notices.

Or, conversely, one player becomes the DM’s target, singled out for negative treatment.

Both are equally destructive.

The cure? Intentional fairness. Treat every player with balanced attention and opportunity. Even if one of them drives you nuts sometimes.

10. The DM Who Doesn’t Set Expectations

This DM launches into a campaign without ever communicating the tone, themes, or type of game they’re running. Players expecting political intrigue get a hack-and-slash dungeon crawl. Players excited for grimdark horror get goofy slapstick.

Everyone is disappointed, confused, or both.

A proper session zero avoids this. Pitch the campaign. Explain what kind of adventure players are signing up for. Let them decide if it’s the right fit.

Clarity creates harmony.

11. The Cutscene DM

This DM loves long descriptions, dramatic monologues, and cinematic moments, but takes them too far.

Entire scenes play out with zero player input. Major plot events happen off-screen. The DM narrates everything while the players sit there like an audience.

It stops being a game and becomes a performance.

Cutscenes should be rare, brief, and only used for events already determined by the players’ choices or the dice, not as a tool to drag them through your novel.

12. The DM Who Doesn’t Respect Player Boundaries

A player expresses discomfort with certain themes, and the DM shrugs them off—or worse, includes them deliberately because “it’s their world.”

This is not edgy. It’s inconsiderate.

You don’t need to sanitize your entire campaign, but you do need to respect your players’ lines and veils. Ignoring boundaries damages trust and diminishes enjoyment for everyone.

Ask. Listen. Adjust.

13. The Negative, Cynical “Forever DM”

Many of us are forever DMs, and we’re happy about it. But some DMs slip into bitterness.

They complain constantly:
“If I don’t run the game, nobody will.”
“I never get to play.”
“My players don’t appreciate me.”

They feel trapped in the role, burned out, and resentful, and that negativity leaks into their DMing.

It’s okay to feel those emotions, but it’s not okay to dump them on the table.

Take a break. Ask someone else to run a one-shot. Join another group as a player. Refill your cup.

14. The “My Way or the Highway” DM

This DM refuses to listen to feedback or alternative perspectives. Rules discussions are shut down immediately. Any suggestion is dismissed because “the DM is always right.”

Is the DM final arbiter? Yes.
Should the DM listen? Also yes.

Humility is part of leadership. Listening to your players doesn’t diminish your authority—it strengthens your game.

15. The Immature DM

Immaturity isn’t about age; it’s about behavior.

This DM reacts emotionally, runs juvenile stories, disregards the rules, wings everything with no structure, and sometimes throws in shock-value content that leaves players confused or uncomfortable.

Their campaigns feel chaotic and unfocused. Encounters make no sense. Tone shifts constantly.

Some groups composed of equally immature players may enjoy this style, but for most tables, it’s simply not sustainable.

The only real solution? Grow as a person.

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