How To Play D&D Without A DM
Traditional tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons assign one person the role of Dungeon Master and the rest of the participants as players, but many indie TTRPGs do not have a DM role, a concept aD&D party can adapt to create an unconventional campaign experience. The indie tabletop RPG scene has experimented with several creative approaches to collaborative storytelling. Most of these do not fit within the structure of a classic D&D campaign, where the DM crafts the story and controls the actions of all enemies and NPCs. All the classic elements of D&D are still possible, even without a traditional DM role, by borrowing a page from indie RPGs.
This sort of game requires a more experienced group. The complexities of shared narrative control alongside the challenges of D&D mechanics might be overwhelming for new players who are still learning D&D’s skill check and combat rules. Experienced Dungeon Masters juggle a variety of skillsets, including knowledge of the rules, creating balanced challenges, crafting an interesting story, and being flexible to allow for player agency. For those who are new to the hobby, learning the rules of the game and how to roleplay well are enough of a challenge. The indie RPGs that lack a DM, or a similar role such as Game Master, Storyteller, etc., tend to be “rules light.” While 5e D&D is certainly a leaner rule set than some prior editions of the game, it is still a complex system by the standards of most indie RPGs where there are often fewer rules for combat resolution.
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