GuildHall GM Training Programme
A 5-Session Workshop Course For Aspiring Game Masters
So You Want To Run The Game
Maybe you’ve been playing D&D for a while and you’re curious what it’s like on the other side of the screen. Maybe you watched Critical Role and thought “I could do that.” Maybe you just want to create worlds and see what your friends do inside them.
Whatever brought you here — we built this course for you.
The GuildHall GM Training Programme is a 5-session hands-on workshop that takes you from curious player to confident Game Master. This isn’t a lecture series about rules. It’s a practical course about craft — how to design experiences that make people feel something, how to run a table with energy and momentum, and how to handle the beautiful unpredictable chaos of a live game.
We don’t train rule-readers. We train conflict designers who happen to use rules.
What You’ll Learn
Session 1: The GM’s Role & Fundamentals
What a Game Master actually does. The three pillars, the design-for-feelings framework, Session Zero, safety tools, and inclusive worldbuilding.
Session 2: Running Games
Sly Flourish’s 8-step prep framework, momentum and energy, strong starts, failing forward, and keeping your table on the edge of their seats.
Session 3: Story Design
The 5-act structure, node-based design, the Three Clue Rule, compelling hooks, foreshadowing, and adventures that feel personal.
Session 4: Encounter Design & Mechanics
Timers, Threats, and Treats. Room design. Smart enemies. Combat that serves the story. Encounters beyond fighting.
Session 5: Roleplaying & Improvisation
Creating memorable NPCs in 30 seconds. Voice techniques. Villain design. Improv skills. Full dress rehearsal.
The Trial Game
After completing all 5 sessions, you’ll run a complete one-shot adventure for real players — with your instructor observing and providing feedback. You design the adventure. You create the NPCs. You run the table. This isn’t a test. It’s a celebration of everything you’ve learned.
Built On The Shoulders Of Giants
This curriculum draws from the collective wisdom of the best GM educators in the world
<strong>Matt Colville (MCDM)</strong> — GM philosophy, campaign design
<strong>Sly Flourish (Mike Shea)</strong> — The Lazy DM framework, efficient prep
<strong>The Alexandrian (Justin Alexander)</strong> — Node-based design, the Three Clue Rule
<strong>Runehammer</strong> — Room design, Timers/Threats/Treats
<strong>Seth Skorkowsky</strong> — Session Zero, social contract
<strong>Ginny Di</strong> — Roleplay techniques, NPC voices
<strong>How to be a Great GM</strong> — NPC creation, storytelling
Who Is This For?
<strong>Players who want to GM</strong> — Ready to move from the adventurer’s seat to the Game Master’s chair
<strong>Complete beginners</strong> — No D&D experience needed. We teach everything from the ground up.
<strong>Existing GMs who want to level up</strong> — Deepen your craft with proven frameworks and professional techniques
<strong>People who want to GM professionally at GuildHall</strong> — This is the pathway to becoming a GuildHall instructor
Course Details
<strong>Duration:</strong> 5 sessions of 2-3 hours + Trial Game
<strong>System:</strong> D&D 5th Edition (2024)
<strong>Prerequisites:</strong> None
<strong>Location:</strong> GuildHall, Singapore
<strong>Class Size:</strong> Maximum 6 per cohort
