Can ChatGPT be a Good Dungeon Master?
By Beren Goguen (human)
OpenAI’s game-changing chatbot can do some impressive things, from writing essays to fixing code to designing entire websites – all in just a few seconds.
But can ChatGPT play Dungeons and Dragons?
Given the apparent shortage of dungeon masters in the current TTRPG ecosystem, I found myself pondering whether a large language model AI could run a DnD adventure (and make it fun).
So, naturally I had to test it out.
Can ChatGPT DM?
Before I can answer the big question, let’s briefly define what makes a “good” dungeon master.
Here are a few DM skills most of the community can agree are important:
Creativity and collaboration, i.e. the ability to co-create a compelling world and story with players
Adaptability and a knack for improvisation
A solid grasp of game rules (and knowing when to ignore them)
Flexibility, i.e. not “railroading” players too often and maintaining player agency
Surprisingly, ChatGPT can do most of these pretty well.
After playing a short DnD campaign with it, I’m pleasantly surprised at how not terrible the AI was at being a DM, at least for a single-player campaign. In fact, I’m now wondering if an AI DM could be a viable option for people struggling to find a carbon-based lifeform to run their favorite game.
How I Played Solo DnD with ChatGPT
After signing up for a free ChatGPT account, I was up and running on the app.
Here’s the prompt I used to kick off our first session:
“Hello. I’d like to play Dungeons and Dragons. You be dungeon master. I will play a hill dwarf druid.”
Here’s how GPT responded:
“Hello! I’d be delighted to be your Dungeon Master for a game of Dungeons and Dragons. A dwarf druid sounds like a fascinating character choice. What’s the name of your dwarf druid, and would you like any guidance on creating your character’s backstory or any specific details?”
Since I already had my level 2 character built in DnD Beyond, I didn’t need help (but I imagine GPT could walk new players through the steps of character creation).
I told GPT my hill dwarf’s name: Wyll Duskwarden of the Dalelands.
After a couple seconds of computation, GPT replied:
“Excellent! Wyll Duskwarden is a great name for your dwarf druid. Being from the Dalelands adds an intriguing background to his story. The Dalelands are known for their lush forests and deep connection to nature. As a hill dwarf, Wyll likely possesses great resilience and a strong affinity for the earth.
Now, let’s think about Wyll’s personality, motivations, and backstory. What drives him to become a druid? Does he have any particular goals or values that shape his actions? Additionally, feel free to share any specific questions or ideas you have about the world or the adventure you’d like to embark on.”
I affirmed my character’s deep connection with the land, along with his neutral-good alignment. I also explained that Wyll is an outlander and wanderer who seeks ancient knowledge.
Oh, and he has a hawk companion named Dusk. Because… why not?
GPT was into it:
“Wyll’s deep connection with the land and his quest for ancient knowledge make him an intriguing character. As an outlander and wanderer, he likely has a unique perspective on the world and a strong affinity for solitude in nature.
His alignment as neutral good suggests that Wyll values fairness and helping others, while his comfort around animals and trees showcases his strong connection with the natural world. These traits can bring interesting dynamics to the adventures he’ll undertake.
As Wyll embarks on his quest for ancient knowledge, he may encounter ancient ruins, forgotten tombs, or wise hermits who hold the secrets he seeks. The journey could involve unraveling the mysteries of ancient druidic rituals, protecting endangered creatures, or defending sacred groves from external threats.
Is there a specific quest or objective you have in mind for Wyll, or any other details you’d like to add to his background? Additionally, let me know if you have any preferences or ideas for the world in which your adventure will take place.”
Going into this experiment, I though ChatGPT would be an awkward and clunky DM.
It wasn’t. I was shocked at how adept and flexible the AI was.
It was like playing DnD with an enthusiastic fantasy writer who loves to offer highly detailed exposition.
After telling GPT that I wanted to play a game in the classic Forgotten Realms campaign setting, it replied:
“While exploring a dense forest, Wyll and Dusk stumble upon an ancient stone circle bathed in an ethereal glow. As they approach, they notice a faint hum in the air. Intrigued, Wyll senses a powerful magic emanating from the circle. Suddenly, a figure cloaked in leaves and moss emerges from the shadows.
This figure introduces themselves as Eldara, an ancient woodland guardian who has been observing Wyll’s journey from afar. Eldara explains that the stone circle is a gateway to an enchanted realm that holds forgotten knowledge and ancient artifacts. However, accessing the realm requires the completion of a series of trials.”
Wow, I thought. This is actually pretty interesting.
I decided to go all-in and play the full adventure.
Pretty soon, Wyll and Dusk explored the ancient stone circle and found themselves whisked away to an enchanted grove of ancient trees. The grove was full of magical creatures, including elves, sprites, pixies, treants, and driads. We also met a solitary druid named Elandra, who warned us of a dark corrupting force lurking in the grove: an ancient evil known as Malakar the Shadowbinder. Soon, we embarked on a mission to cleanse the enchanted grove of Malakar’s corruption, which a previous group of druids had failed to permanently irradicate. An epic tale unfolded and eventually concluded with a final showdown.
If you want to read a full transcript of my first DnD game with ChatGPT as DM, you can find that post here.
After this experiment, which included 100+ prompts and answers over several days, I can say the experience was mostly positive (although definitely a mixed bag).
The Good: Storytelling in an Interesting World
ChatGPT as DM offers a lot of flexibility and thrives at creating game narratives that evolve organically with player input. It also understands how role playing games work (at least on a fundamental level) and grasps the basic mechanics of DnD.
The exposition ChatGPT uses to describe the game world, atmosphere, NPCs, and actions can be surprisingly good.
Players will have almost unlimited potential to explore new ideas, story arcs, and worlds.
If something isn’t resonating, simply tell GPT to adjust and it will pivot.
This type of play is ideal for people who love RP (role playing) and are much less interested in battles, skill tests, solving puzzles, and the more “crunchy” aspects of the game.
The Bad: No Dice, No Checks… No Combat?
If you like rolling dice to determine the outcome of certain in-game choices, especially combat, you will be disappointed.
Not once did ChatGPT ask me to make an initiative roll, attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw.
Although there was a brief combat encounter with a “corrupted guardian,” the only dice rolls I made were initiated by me, such as:
“Wyll attacks with his scimitar, rolling a 22 to hit.”
Here’s how GPT responded:
“With a roll of 22, his strike connects solidly, finding its mark on the guardian’s corrupted form.
The blade slices through the guardian’s defenses, causing it to emit a pained howl. Dark energy oozes from the wound, dissipating into the air. Wyll’s attack weakens the guardian further, chipping away at its resilience.”
During this “combat” encounter, I also cast the spell Thunderwave, but was never asked to roll damage.
The monster I was fighting never made an attack roll, damaged my hit points, or hit me with any other effects.
It’s possible I could have asked ChatGPT to make me roll more or to handle combat differently, but I wanted to experience its natural out-of-the-box DM style. Also, I didn’t want to co-DM. I just wanted to play.
To make it feel more like “real” DnD, I periodically made a skill check and told GPT the results in my prompt. This worked fine, but felt like I was doing all the lifting in terms of actual DnD game mechanics.
Would I Play Again? Yes
From a cooperative story-telling standpoint, it was fun. I also got good ideas that could easily be integrated into one of my own DnD campaigns in the future.
But it didn’t feel like playing “real DnD.”
Although it’s certainly possible to play 100% story-driven DnD game without ever rolling dice, it’s not my cup of tea.
After this experience, I’ll likely test it out more. But I’m skeptical that stock ChatGPT will become a “great” DM without additional training and user input, e.g. how to run combat with dice rolls and ask players for periodic skill checks.
A New Era of AI Game Masters?
ChatGPT can function as a heavily story-driven AI dungeon master or game master. It just needs some additional training to actually compete with a flesh-and-blood DM. Although in-depth narrative description of the world is great, it takes more to run a fun, immersive game of DnD (or any TTRPG).
Of course, this is still very early days. It’s likely the technology will get better, especially if a company decides to train a model specifically for running TTRPGs.
I’ll be extremely curious to see what this technology can do in the future.
For now, give it a try, and see what stories you can co-create. At the very least, you’ll get some ideas for your own campaign.
