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It doesn’t matter whether you call yourself a dungeon master, a game master, or a grand overlord of the universe. If you’ve tried running a TTRPG session, you already know how much time and mental energy goes into putting together a cohesive story that you can adapt just in case your players do something plot-breaking. And the notes. Almost every DM I know has a dedicated notebook for their campaign filled with bullet points on the main story beats and hastily scribbled ideas for worldbuilding.
Analog works for a time, but eventually, you have to develop either a fully digital or hybrid system that can keep track of everything for you. If you’re a new dungeon master who’s already dreading the notespocalypse, here are some of the best apps you can try.
These apps for dungeon masters go beyond the usual note-taking tasks so no, you won’t get the usual Notion recommendations here. These apps let you plan plots along a timeline, create idea webs, and handcraft maps that will bring your story to life.
Best Notetaking Apps for Dungeon Masters
Obsidian
Obsidian is a powerful notetaking app that lets you connect your notes to each other Wikipedia-style. That might not seem so special since even Google Docs lets you connect your documents to each other via hyperlinks, but because Obsidian is built for primarily offline use, switching between note pages is much faster and smoother than Google Docs.
Another neat thing about Obsidian is the graph view which lets you look at your notes as an interconnected web of ideas. It quite literally allows you to see the connections between your ideas. The bigger the dot, the more significant the idea. As your campaign progresses, you can use it to track the story choices your players have made.
See? Quick solution to the age-old dilemma of what to do when your players derail the plot.
OneNote
If a graph isn’t important to you, you can opt for OneNote. It is hands-down the best notetaking app out there for general purposes. The syncing between devices is smooth and you have the option to take your notes completely offline, unlike some apps on the market. When I’m taking notes during sessions, this is my go-to. OneNote can keep up with rapid notetaking because it lets you abandon typing in favor of quick scribbles — the key benefit of an analog notebook. So, if you’re hoping to ditch traditional pen and paper altogether but don’t want to lose the efficiency of your shorthand, this is the notetaking app for you.
Keep Notes
Google’s Keep Notes isn’t going to get awards for how powerful its features are anytime soon, but that’s not what makes this app so great. The fact that it’s a generic phone app that lacks distracting extra features makes it great for jotting down ideas as they come to you. Sure, organized notetaking on a laptop is great and easier to manage in the long run if you’re running a campaign, but that’s not when the best ideas strike you. Often, the idea that gets you out of a tight spot your players put you in comes to you while you’re walking your dog or on a commute to work. That’s what Keep Notes is for.
Best Map-Making Apps for Dungeon Masters
Inkarnate
Inkarnate deserves credit for being the map-making app that carries a significant chunk of worldbuilders and dungeon masters on its back. It’s accessible, detailed, and has a decent free mode that makes it perfect for whipping up a quick map or, if you have the money, making a cartographic masterpiece. Unlike map generators, Inkarnate gives you full control over how your landmasses and settlements are placed so it’s actually possible for you to replicate the same map with slight differences. Not only that, the app has extensive support in the form of regular asset updates that you can get access to with a subscription.
How good is Inkarnate? It’s the map-making equivalent of Canva.
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Wonderdraft
Wonderdraft is a gorgeous map-making tool that’s a step above Inkarnate in terms of features but isn’t quite Photoshop levels of hard. All of the assets have a rustic, hand-drawn feel to them versus the chunkier, more comic-sy look of Inkarnate. There’s also the option to change paper styles and fonts as well as map out roads in your map. But wait, you might be thinking, doesn’t Inkarnate let you do that?
Well, it does, but you have to pay a monthly subscription for it. Wonderdraft? All you need is to make a one-time payment.
Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator
Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator may not let you customize your maps the way the previous two apps do, but it does do a great job of sketching out landmasses for you. After that, you can decide to replicate the map in Wonderdraft, Inkarnate, or Photoshop so you can add finishing touches. Or, if you’re not really picky, just change the map labels and call it a day. It helps cut down on the indecision that comes with deciding locations when worldbuilding for a campaign.
Best Background Music Apps for Dungeon Masters
Spotify
Yes, seriously. There are tons of premade Spotify playlist for just about any mood and scenario you can think of. Music for medieval taverns? It’s there. Music for a gothic horror-themed campaign with a Jennifer’s Body style antagonist? Haven’t checked, but someone’s likely made it already. And if it’s not there? You can whip it together yourself.
Pro tip, if you’re trying to put together a medieval bard playlist, look for folk music from [insert country].
Soundraw
Maybe popular songs made by real artists isn’t the thing you need because you want to start a podcast or YouTube show about you and your friends’ adventures. For free, no license-needed music, you can check out Soundraw. It’s a music generator that makes background music for just about anything you can think of.
It helps that Soundraw doesn’t leave you to guess prompts on your own. Instead, the app gives you a bunch of moods or themes to choose from so you can pick what suits your game session best.
Best Character Generators for Dungeon Masters
Fast Character
Fast Character is a site that lets you generate player characters and NPCs alike so it’s good for getting a player started, especially if it’s their first time playing, or making an NPC at the drop of a hat. It’s a DM’s lifesaver when your party suddenly decides they want to take the local barkeep with them on their quest.
Midjourney
A big leap above PicCrew and Pinterest mood boards, Midjourney is an image generator that lets you create pictures with just text prompts. If you need help visualizing characters for your players but visual art just isn’t your thing, Midjourney can bridge the gap between your mental eye and theirs.
Fantasy Name Generator
Another community favorite, Fantasy Name Generator has every fantasy race you can think of and a name generator that can make names to fit their cultures.
If apps just aren’t your thing, why not commit to analog with an in-theme leather journal?
