D&D Adventurers League

Getting Started as a Dungeon Master

Step 1: Read the AL Dungeon Masters Guide

Head on over to 📄Documents and download the AL Dungeon Masters Guide (this is not the same thing as the D&D DMG hardcover book). It includes information needed by Dungeon Masters in order to run AL-legal games.

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AL Rules For Older Adventures

When you DM an older D&D AL adventure (eg. something from DDEX1 or DDAL04), the PDF may include old AL rules. These old rules may mention experience points (XP), treasure points (TP), advancement points (AP), DM rewards, etc. Ignore all those rules. Always follow the current AL rules, even when DMing an older AL adventure.

See 📼Running Older AL Adventures for more information.

Step 2: Decide Which Adventure You Will Run

AL One-Shots

Most Adventurers League adventures are one-shots. These are short adventures designed to be completed in 2 or 4 hours (usually). AL-legal adventures can be purchased and downloaded from Dungeon Masters Guild.

Important: Not everything on Dungeon Masters Guild is AL-legal. Make sure it has the Adventurers League logo on it.

If you are looking for some adventures to run as a first-time AL DM, these have been recommended in the past.

DDAL05-02 The Black Road (5e) - Wizards of the Coast | Dungeon Masters Guild Caravans are having a difficult time getting through to Parnast via the Black Road. Organized attacks by orcs and other www.dmsguild.com
The Last Resort WBW-DC-TLRMB-02 - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild For years, Mwynhad was famous as a Feywild resort for relaxation and refreshment. Now terrible events are unfolding at t www.dmsguild.com
Sisterhood of the Blade (CCC-UNITE-AN-04) - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild LIVE THE EXCITING LIFE OF AN ADVENTURER!  FREE TRAINING PROVIDED!  WANT TO KNOW MORE? New posters advertising free tr www.dmsguild.com
Dead in Daggerford (FR-DC-MELB-00-01) - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild Strange things go bump in the night in an old manor in Daggerford. Is the place really haunted? Or is something more www.dmsguild.com

Official D&D Hardcovers

Most official WotC D&D hardcovers have been made AL-legal (but not all of them). Download the Adaptation Guide from 📄Documents to see the list of available hardcovers and the modifications (if any) required to make them AL-legal.

Not all D&D hardcover adventures are in the AL Adaptation Guide, even though they are still AL-legal. The ALPG also includes some notes near the end about what adventures are legal.

A handy list has been compiled at 📘AL-Legal Hardcover Adventures

Homebrew/Custom Adventures

AL does not allow homebrew or custom adventures. You cannot invent your own settings, classes, races, magic items, etc. Everything must come from allowed sources per the AL Players Guide and AL Dungeon Masters guide.

If you want to create your own adventure, you can create a DC (Dungeoncraft) following the DC guidelines found in 📄Documents.

Step 3: Decide Where You Will Run Your Game

Adventurers League games can be played anywhere. Run your game at your FLGS, on Discord, at your school, or in your home. As long as players bring AL-legal characters and you play by the rules of AL, then your game is AL-legal.

Step 4: Profit

As a “thank you” for being a Dungeon Master, you can collect rewards for the time you dedicated to DM’ing your game. Please see 🏆Service Awards for more information.