A great tip for new DMs/GMs - your players will give you better story inspiration than you would come up with in your prep. You should have an idea on how things will start and end, but player interaction will take you down paths you would never have expected. If there is one thing you can guarantee in DND, it's the players will NEVER do the thing you plan for, so being flexible and creative in your story will always give you better end results!
I've really gone off games that require this kind of preparation. My favourite game to run now is Urban Shadows where the prep consists of "have a decent under standing of the rules and leave the characters and story for the session." But the same principle can apply to almost any game. Tactical combat games like D&D will require some planned encounters or an expert-level knowledge of game mechanics, but as far as plot and characters go you can still improv it. Ask players about their characters. Who are they? Where did they come from? Who do they know? What do they want? When you combine all your players' backstories you'll have more than enough to make the world feel expansive and connected, and plenty of characters for them to interact with - with conflicting goals and motivations to generate conflict. Let's say you're running D&D so prepare a simple encounter with goblins, followed by a chase through a maze of alleys, then a showdown with a wizard. You could come up with some reason for all this but chances are it's not going to mesh with what your players are bringing to the table. So don't plan it. Let the players tell you who their characters' enemies are, what they know or suspect about the world. Let them tell you who the wizard is, and then drop hints about that in the goblin encounter and pay them off when they catch the wizard. If the sorcerer is looking for her father's killer and the bard is hunting a notorious criminal and the cleric is seeking their missing teacher, why not make them all the same person? That's drama. And it all comes from the players telling you what they want to have happen in the plot. It's collaborative storytelling instead of you taking on the majority of the work so everyone else can faff around and roll to hit without getting invested in the story.
Stripping of player agency is reserved for 5 diesel-engined max-tonnage freight trains of brutal fun-destroying momentum. Planning linear encounters is more like a wagon train that understands the safety in numbers and appreciates the flexibility of navigation to our promised land on the far side of the wilderness.
coming home from hoidays and having a new video from Dan :-D happy me also a help for new GMs: you don't have to prep EVERY village your players visit (not even if you are playing a prewritten advenutre) .... your players will really love the village and it's NPCs if you just say: ok what's the name of the village, what's the tavern .... and let players describe what the characters see :) suddenly the impact of any abducted NPC is WAY harder for them if it's hit their favorite weed... ah i mean "herbs and healing stuff" vendor they have created :D Also yeah: hairy men i mean gnomes liked to be fingered :-P
2:27 "Gnomes should be a sex symbol in all our worlds" 🌍 Me: Having just completed planning a community of Gnomes cursed with a form of lycanthropy that is transforming them into Goblins and Kobolds. Trying not to endorse SA.
1:24 "first of all: know your world" (i.e. general environment and state of the immediate surroundings) 3:00 secondly, know your players (i.e. prep and play to your players interests and their character's builds; give them opportunities to use their cool abilities)
@@Worthless-one Solid defense. I retract my criticism. I was just expecting more than play with friends and be somewhat competent. I think I’m a few generations older than his target demographic. Best of luck and thank you for the clarification.
My obligatory comment below. 🤪
I really love this channel. Keep up the good work!
Whey!!!!
A great tip for new DMs/GMs - your players will give you better story inspiration than you would come up with in your prep. You should have an idea on how things will start and end, but player interaction will take you down paths you would never have expected. If there is one thing you can guarantee in DND, it's the players will NEVER do the thing you plan for, so being flexible and creative in your story will always give you better end results!
Solid!
Love nicking sections from existing modules...
I've really gone off games that require this kind of preparation. My favourite game to run now is Urban Shadows where the prep consists of "have a decent under standing of the rules and leave the characters and story for the session." But the same principle can apply to almost any game. Tactical combat games like D&D will require some planned encounters or an expert-level knowledge of game mechanics, but as far as plot and characters go you can still improv it.
Ask players about their characters. Who are they? Where did they come from? Who do they know? What do they want? When you combine all your players' backstories you'll have more than enough to make the world feel expansive and connected, and plenty of characters for them to interact with - with conflicting goals and motivations to generate conflict.
Let's say you're running D&D so prepare a simple encounter with goblins, followed by a chase through a maze of alleys, then a showdown with a wizard. You could come up with some reason for all this but chances are it's not going to mesh with what your players are bringing to the table. So don't plan it. Let the players tell you who their characters' enemies are, what they know or suspect about the world. Let them tell you who the wizard is, and then drop hints about that in the goblin encounter and pay them off when they catch the wizard.
If the sorcerer is looking for her father's killer and the bard is hunting a notorious criminal and the cleric is seeking their missing teacher, why not make them all the same person? That's drama. And it all comes from the players telling you what they want to have happen in the plot. It's collaborative storytelling instead of you taking on the majority of the work so everyone else can faff around and roll to hit without getting invested in the story.
Oh yeah, was looking forward to this! Very good timing!
Would you say you were prepared this video was coming?
@@Excalibaardhe did a community post about it about 2 days ago so yeah I sort of was
Very good.
Hope you enjoyed
@@DexSaveDan I did greatly, always making me happy with your videos
When you say "railroading", are we talking transcontinental bullet train, or light urban commuter rail?
Stripping of player agency is reserved for 5 diesel-engined max-tonnage freight trains of brutal fun-destroying momentum. Planning linear encounters is more like a wagon train that understands the safety in numbers and appreciates the flexibility of navigation to our promised land on the far side of the wilderness.
This
Aw, Daisy. Like a little flower
.... yup
Big red onesie and a flaming guitar suits you.
4:45 That’s just a variation on Matt Colville’s _The Delian Tomb._ 100% a good way to start a campaign.
Boom!
Or ドーン, if you’re into anime 😅
FYI, Juliette from Dogtanian isn’t a princess, she is a lady in waiting. Thought you should know.
Can confirm MiLady is not a princess. She's actually based on Constance Bonancieux from Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers novels.
She’s a right dog.
He’s right.
Yeah they're right. All for 1 and all that.
That was the best video shop ever!!!
It really was!
@@DexSaveDan I spent many Friday evenings looking for a film, I'd spent at least an hour in there.
I need a T-shirt with the gnome....where can i get one??
Check out the store page on my channel.
tooey-1-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp/
I will be getting one of those ❤️
Notes video: ruclips.net/video/2-uU5FWYYSU/видео.html
There it is. Thank you!
Obligatory 'Best boi Eddie!' x)
The bestest!
@@DexSaveDan truly!
Good video!
Thank you!!!
As usual...
Useful advice...
And a good laugh 😂
Thank you! It's all about the LOLZ
coming home from hoidays and having a new video from Dan :-D happy me
also a help for new GMs: you don't have to prep EVERY village your players visit (not even if you are playing a prewritten advenutre) .... your players will really love the village and it's NPCs if you just say: ok what's the name of the village, what's the tavern .... and let players describe what the characters see :) suddenly the impact of any abducted NPC is WAY harder for them if it's hit their favorite weed... ah i mean "herbs and healing stuff" vendor they have created :D
Also yeah: hairy men i mean gnomes liked to be fingered :-P
Love all of this. Hell yes!!
2:27 "Gnomes should be a sex symbol in all our worlds" 🌍
Me: Having just completed planning a community of Gnomes cursed with a form of lycanthropy that is transforming them into Goblins and Kobolds. Trying not to endorse SA.
😂 you are hilarious
I'm glad someone thinks so!!
Has anyone told you that you look and sound a lot like Simon Whistler?
They won't stop!
Found the below to leave this comment.
Glad someone acknowledged that!
Sorry man, 3 min in and it’s all jokes and no content. I tried.
1:24 "first of all: know your world" (i.e. general environment and state of the immediate surroundings)
3:00 secondly, know your players (i.e. prep and play to your players interests and their character's builds; give them opportunities to use their cool abilities)
Hey man thanks for lasting 3 mins .......... THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!! JOKES!!!
@@Worthless-one Solid defense. I retract my criticism.
I was just expecting more than play with friends and be somewhat competent.
I think I’m a few generations older than his target demographic.
Best of luck and thank you for the clarification.
It's cool. Why not check out one of my Dicey Discussions? Interviews with people who have a lot more to say than I do!!