Great advice. As a DM I love the players who help to drive the story, whether that's recklessly nursing through a door, callously rejecting the tempting offer of the BBEG, or just talking to each other to ask how they interpreted recent events. The best DM moments are when you can sit back and listen for blocks of time.
I get weak in the knees when a player says "how do you spell that?" note takers are so few and far between at my table, I love when players take an active role in my lore and world
I personally like to just guess and inevitably get the spelling wrong lol. There's plenty of examples, but the only one that's coming to mind right now is that I've written Manshun in my notes like a thousand times, but a conversation with the DM over text reveals that it was spelled Manshoon the whole time
One of the reasons I love this channel so much is that Ginny is always looking for more creative and engaging ways to present her content. From ads to today's theme of "getting ready for D&D", it makes every episode feel fresh.
Thank you! Not gonna lie, I worked really hard on this one. I was really happy with how it turned out... now let's hope that RUclips shows it to people 😅
@@GinnyDi worst case scenario I can go door to door around my building and personally show it to my elderly neighbours. Surely they’re not that far from your target demographic dw girl we got you
@@GinnyDi Id be curious about what you keep your dice in for when you are storing or playing with them. I need to find some holders for my dice at the moment. Im sure you have many more ideas than I do! Maybe that would be a good idea for a video??
@@GinnyDi Seriously the fact that you had a meta narrative running with interesting a and b shots throughout what could have been a dry talk to camera list video is genuinely impressive! I really hope you get rewarded for content like this because its just so good and pleasant to see!
@@GinnyDiyoutubers can tell how well a video is performing 1-2h after release? Fascinating. I always figured you had to wait like 24h so it would have a chance to catch people awake in most time zones or something
I’ve gotten a trophy for it! Highly recommend. My group and I do this thing at the end of every year, around Christmas or New Years, called the RPies (pronounced are-peas). Basically we give a bunch of awards to each other like certificates and 3D printed trophies and we all vote at the table so we can reminisce. We do like “Coup d’grace” for best finisher move. “Best Scrollplayer” for the person who has the worst habit of scrolling in their phone but still manages to know what’s going on at the game. “Archivist” for best note taker. “Best moment”, “favorite character”, favorite NPC” are other categories. Yes we have DM trophies too. You should try it!
One of my fav things to see as a DM is when one of my players comes up with a creative new way to solve a problem which completely blows me away. Being in awe of the creativity and incredible skills of your players just can't be beat.
In one of my recent sessions, there was a cult summoning a demon from a ritual spell and were using enchanted rocks as guidelines and focus of the spells. After one of my players used all their efforts to take the rocks as other party members distracted the cultists, the leader used Suggestion, telling him to "Put the stones back where they belong." His character starts walking in the opposite direction to a nearby box full of ordinary rocks and proceeds to place them in one by one. I was so shocked but it was such a great moment. Then another player cast Thunderwave to displace all the other ritual stones. The creativity was amazing.
My favourite 20 minutes DMing were spent listening to my players trying to work out what the BBEG was up to and dismissing most of them ... the last two they were still discussing were both better than I had vaguely planned ... so I of course picked the one they didn't ...
@@wafflexplode I love the implication that the character was able to mind game around the suggestion, just adds so much to the character and makes the magic feel more whole to.
Sometimes, my players are like, "That was a really complex solution. I'm glad we got it, but I don't know how most people would!" And my response is, "Oh, that wasn't the solution. The solution was actually WAY easier, and you weren't even close, but given you weren't close and I liked your solution better, guess what? It BECAME the solution." It's a response to modules and pre-written adventures mostly because if I created the adventure then either I didn't come up with a solution or if I liked theirs better I'm just pretending it was my intended solution all along and making them feel like geniuses. (I don't let them have the same feeling in modules because the "correct" answer is written down somewhere, and if they ever come across it, then my whole cover is blown.)
Can absolutely verify on bold. One of the most frustrating games I ever ran featured the players regularly discussing/planning for half a session on what they wanted to do. Everything set to go. next session comes around and suddenly the person (who got the plan they wanted) wants to revisit everything because dear god...there might be some danger involved in assaulting a Dragon's lair to stop it from burninating the country side.
Yeah when my old group first started we did keep on the Borderlands and our DM got annoyed because we would not engage with anything that seemed dangerous. We got better.
I think people forget that many D&D players are busy adults. When we finally sit down to play, we don't want to spend all our time planning and strategizing. Sure, being bold may result in some mistakes but I'm actually more precious about my free time than I am about my character's wellbeing (genuinely shocking, I know 😂)
This is my 2nd character ever and the first one I put a lot of time into in terms of backstory and working out details, in no small part thanks to your videos, and I'm very attached to it and afraid of losing them. More than my free time to be honest. But it's a Half-Orc, so being careful doesn't quite resonate either.
@@DJcs187 Here's a fun thing that you maybe haven't realized, or maybe in your head it doesn't work the same way: No one can take the character from you. Their part in that story may end, but you can always play them in other games, make art about them, write other adventures for them. Death isn't the end of a character. It's only the end of that version of the character in that game. I still have lots of characters in my head from games I played and loved over the years. Some of them may find the right game to come out again. Some may not. But I still have them, I can still share stories about them, and they're never really far away if I need them.
Positivity is nourishing. Back when CinemaSins was in vogue, I found out about its counterpart; CinemaWins. Sure, Sins was funny in its own way, but Wins actually lifted my mood. Same is happening here. In a sea of DnDHorrorStories, Ginny puts a smile on our faces.
@claude-alexandretrudeau1830 And it helps that CinemaWins offers actual criticism, while CinamaSins mixes jokes and criticism so much it's hard to tell what's actually a sin
absolutely agree. It can be way too easy to focus on the negatives. Humans who avoided bad stuff probably survived better than the oblivious and optimistic folks, but at the same time, it can make us miserable if we can't let go a little easier
had a player do this after his wife had a baby and realized he would quit the group. Luckily, after his character was knocked off, one of us was able to one shot the bone dragon with a healing lance on a crit.
"This goes beyond just learning your character sheet and showing up for sessions." Yo if I had a group where everyone just did those two things I'd be so stoked. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who is actually excited to play.
Be bold is such a great way to articulate on what I mean when I encourage my table to 'follow the fiction'. I'm gonna share this during my next session 0. ❤
I might have stolen it from Aabriya, I honestly can't say, but I love the ethos of the sentiment. Get into the character, into the world, into the scene, roll around in it and don't be afraid to get messy. ❤️
One of my favorite bold choices was in this pirate campaign I was playing in. I was playing a Gold Dragonborn Totem Warrior Barbarian. Through a wish on a magical crystal skull, I got wings. As our ship was sailing one night, we noticed an enemy pirate crew was tailing us. In a risky move, one that genuinely could have killed me, I flew to the enemy ship, just above the surface of the water. I flew up and used my Breath Weapon to ignite the enemy ship’s gunpowder for their forward cannons, setting the ship on fire. This led to me getting into a one-on-one fight with the enemy captain, who already had a grudge against my character from a prior encounter when I burnt one of his masts. For reference, I was Level 6, and the enemy captain was a Level 10 character (a Fighter/Barbarian multiclass). My character very well could have died. I knew that he probably could rip me apart with how much higher leveled he was than me in a 1-on-1, but it felt like the right choice for my character to take up that challenge… And I actually survived! I enabled the rest of the party and our crew to attack the enemy ship and sink it with minimal casualties in our part. Neither me nor the enemy captain died, as our fight was interrupted by the sinking, but my DM said I took a massive chunk out of the guy, so I felt proud in that moment 👍🏻
Lmao Ginny always knows how to nail those endings. Love the thought and care you put into not only making this a great advice video, but also a thoughtful narrative element that fits the theme! I’m personally the type that definitely leans into characters that aren’t too far from me (as in they’re usually antisocial in one way or another so I can easily fade into the background, but you inspire me to go outside my comfort zone a bit more often.
I am all for playing the characters that you enjoy, and that are fun for you to play! But I hope that least some of the characters in your party are social and outgoing, because if you get a whole crew of quiet folks, it can be a little tough for the game master. 😅
As a DM, I love when my players show genuine growth, both as a player and as a character. When a 2D character suddenly gains depth, you can see it in the players' eyes. And when the player goes from CE Murder Hobo to contributing player, it's pure gold.
I love it when my players start lore dropping world history to explain their actions and motives. Or, when players do some wild things that I could never anticipate but work wonderfully for the current circumstance. Good stuff.
There's no way you got that perfect eyeliner on the first try. HOW?? But also thank you for the advice, I always feel a bit bad when my all out, acting DM is just not met with same energy...
@@GinnyDi So, perferct eyeliner in half a minute video will be next on the schedule? :D (I'm not joking. I'd genuinely love to hear your tips and tricks :D )
The only way I have gotten good at eyeliner is by doing it over and over again. If you don't want to wear it out, put it on right before you remove your makeup in the evening.
I'm the notetaker for our group & what I do is out of character notes first that cover the entire session then I'll do in character notes in a way that makes sense. I find by doing them in character it helps me remember the sessions better too As an example my most recent character Cleo Hughes is a bloodhunter who has been sent to investigate ruins so she sends regular reports to the leader of her order which is flavoured as her using her blood to cast find familiar as a ritual. I also help my DM with world building by getting permission to expand on world elements by basically making a skeleton for him to expand on
Hey wait a minute, this is just four interpersonal-relationship-advices in a TTRPG trench coat! As a forever DM I'm... kind of a crappy player at times. This is a good set of pillars to use while I try to do better.
A lot of my sessions are more story driven than combat heavy, so when there's a legitimate threat (such as last session when a bone devil possessed the party's dwarven ally) I make sure to telegraph that information in advance. This is the time for them to go in fully prepared, and boy did they come up with some unique tactics. If game masters use this approach then they can likely avoid the over-preparing trap that slows down regular gameplay and turns caution into boredom.
The videography in this video was actually really great, I can tell you put a lot of effort into it! Physically showing you waking up at the start, getting ready throughout the video and ending on you leaving made the video start, end and flow REALLY naturally! Seriously good job!! ❤️
That opening hit too close to home lol. I recently had a dream (as a DM) that one of my players told me she really loved the city they've been spending time in, that it was so much flavour and a strong atmosphere and is so unique, and that she just immediately came to care about that city. I was so sad when I woke up and realized she never actually said that...
“Mechanics last” is something that I’ve really learned a lot in my short time GMing and something I aim to improve more - it’s tough when the “catchphrases” of dnd are things like Insight checks and Nat 20s which are removed from the narrative context
I love the comment, I roll for survival vs search the area. This is 100% great, we speak like this and let the dm tell us what rolls he wants. Much more immersive game with this vs just thinking in terms of rolls all the time! Another great video!
Important caveat: It depends on your DM's style. Some DMs don't want to tell you each time what to roll, they want you to declare your mechanical action along with the rp, and maybe ask if you're not sure what you might roll for that, otherwise just roll or take 10 if applicable. Then they tell you narratively what the result was. This seems to come up more in crunchier systems where there are set rules for most actions, or just when the DM is comfortable shortcutting a bit for flow. It's not the usual approach for story-driven games, but it is a legitimate approach as long as the mechanics serve the narrative and don't replace it. E.g. "I ask the guard if there's anything we can do to change his mind, trying to look cute and innocent. (Rolls persuaion check)" "The guard's eyes narrow- are you trying to bribe me?"
Yup, not showing up was why my dad's sessions ended. My sister killed the one real chance I had to play d&d. "It's so slow and boring, and dad just reads the stuff out of the book." She would say. Yea, dad was kinda bad at being a dm, but he hadn't done it since he was a kid. She could have given him a break. 😢
As a DM its literally my biggest pet peeve when players tell me what they want to roll. Tell me what you want to *do*, and I'LL tell you what you need to role, if you even need to role at all.
Okay but some of us choose Skill Proficiencies during character creation based on our understanding of what will be useful in gameplay the most often. So when considering our options in any given situation, we may be thinking in terms of what specific Skills apply and THEN considering how to manifest them in taking specific actions.
@thoughtgaming492 What call is there to make, other than whether or not the action succeeds? If I'm playing a 6'8" Barbarian packing a maul the size of a child, and I say I'd like to make an Intimidation check with my STR modifier added by smashing the chair a guard was just sitting in, would you shoot the whole thing down purely on the basis that I described it in terms of game mechanics?
@@TrueRomancer04 no I would simply tell you that you don’t need to roll. I have already judged the situation as a success. Tell me what you want to do, and if a roll is required, I’ll let you know.
Over-prepping hurts for sure! I've played in two long-running campaigns (over 5 years and one still ongoing), and the DM style can make a huge difference in whether players feel comfortable and encouraged to make those bold decisions. TLDR; Reward the behaviors you want to see, which may mean fudging the rules. If your players know there's a crash mat, they're way more likely to try some cool stunts. In one campaign, there was a lot of room for shenanigans. The story leaned episodic, the climactic battles frequently ended with a rule-of-cool escape montage after the enemy was defeated, and there were a lot of theater kids in the group who were happy to lean into the drama of a decision over the mechanics. And since doing the dumb thing didn't have a real risk of character death (unless the DM explicitly asked in advance), there was more emphasis on emotional stakes. We got to have the scenes of PCs fighting each other in front of an enemy because of personal character revelations, as well as players actually crying real tears over the death of an NPC former comrade. In contrast, my other campaign feels very much like a simulation, with a deep, rich world the DM homebrewed and has been running with various groups for over a decade. There are real consequences to messing up, and several close calls. The result is that we as a party have become paranoid. For example, I spent months working on an entire stringboard to track 14 different factions, 8 mythical figures, 5 locations, and over 40 NPCs and their connections in a desperate attempt to stop an oncoming apocalyptic event, only for us to fail utterly because we had made one mistake: two of the NPCs we'd trusted wound up being double agents, so our entire plan unraveled instantly. Honestly, we were so wrung out at that point that when the big bad finally showed up, the DM *tried* to convince us it was a winnable fight and we flat out didn't believe him. The big bad won uncontested, and we're dealing with the consequences over a year of real time later. It's still a fabulous game (I wouldn't still play if it wasn't), but it has frustrated both the players and the DM that we now either overprepare or don't bother to try prepping at all when heading into major conflicts. So, if you're a DM and want players to make bolder choices, it may take some flexibility on your part. If you're in a world where PC death is expected and everyone's on board with it, that's great! Make them work for it so victories feel earned! But if your players are set on a long-term path with high stakes, don't be afraid to fudge numbers or change plans if you need to. If you see your players running toward a cliff because they've missed something vital, you can insert a scene to spell it out for them more, giving a chance to course-correct and also drive home the danger that they were close to. It's often the near-misses that feel empowering, rather than smooth sailing or harsh punishments. [end rant 😅]
I agree! You can't encourage boldness in one breath and punish the consequences in another. Losing fights or failing checks should always open up more story and avenues for character growth - even death can open up exciting stories and ways to explore the afterlife. That way boldness is always rewarded in some way 🙏
Your second example (the simulation one) was a very welcome reminder for me as a DM to not overwhelm my players with secrets and obscurity. The players tend to overthink! Not that my world has anything near that kinda stuff (yet). Thank you for the insight!
Your second example is literally what is happening in an online campain I joined over a year ago. Really long story, (I joined at 12th level) apocalypse is on the way, we have even a miro board for the clues. Complicated stuff that I still need to ask about because the only person who seriously cared and mostly made the board, left the story (personal situation with DM). Some players are traumatized because of their wrong decisions and consequences and they just DON'T WANT to take bold moves. Also some blame themselves for not planning enough after something bad happens. Our dangers are highly lethal now because we are high levels but it can’t to be to the point we are afraid to make choices! I am cheerful harper drow bard, as a player have lacking knowledge about the realm (Forgotten Realms) compared to rest of the group. So I'm asking a lot of questions about magic (as a character), make impulsive choices I know my character would do and I'm trying to make us MOVE and do things in game. Outside of the game I'm trying to make and propose plans for the later or discuss some things on chat in discord server. Thanks to that we already did a few thinks otherwise we would overthink on the session. (Also I think I trust our DM more because I only played with him in Call of Cthulhu xD More unforgiving system but you don't have a story if you don't make bold choices. Like going into haunted house.)
There is a difference between suicidal indifference to a character's well-being and being adventurous too. Charging Tiamat with your 3rd level barbarian is just suicidal.
I love when players make a game their own. Those are the most memorable. I remember I designed a game for my mom's birthday based on the historical dramas she was watch at the time. The players needed to prevent a set of plan from making it out of port to a general planning an attack on a town. I figured they'd either disguise themselves or fight people on the boat and planned the encounter. When the players decided the simplest solution was simply to blow up the boat, all that work on the encounter was out the window - but the process of them blowing up the boat was so memorable it still comes up at family dinners. I love that they did what they thought was the most fun.
I love that!! It can be so easy to railroad characters into certain encounters because we've planned them so kudos to you for letting them do their own thing. I agree, that's so often where the magic happens, and you get to have more fun as a DM 🥰
Years ago, I renamed TTRPG's "Interactive Improvisational Theatre". If you think about your live-gaming this way, rather than as a slow-ass video game or narcissistic therapy session, you will get (and give) a lot more out of it. You are part of a theatre company, with yourselves as the audience (so a little narcissistic lol) you can see the value in knowing your character and setting up the other characters for great scenes. "An assist is as good as a score." It's all about the moments you discover together, and that makes the show a big hit. The GM is giving you the material to play off, so make the best use of it.
The last line of this video is PURE GOLD! Same Ginny, same. I work on doing all the other things to be a good player, but I'm the person who's consistently a couple minutes late.
Your production values are always great. I don't always get to watch videos, because im a truck driver and just play videos for the audio most of the time. But when i do get to watch things, i appreciate all the extra details youtubers put into their work. It's honestly why i still spend so much time on this platform. Tv has to spend alot of money on talented people to equal the love that some content creators put into their videos. Thank you m'lady!
I love your advice about "doing what you character would do" rather than focusing on game dynamics. I recently started doing this and am enjoying RPGs so much more than when I used to try to optimise encounters
I just really want to thank you for the things you said on immersion. There are times that it’s easier to just say “can I roll nature” but just the little effort to say “I look to see what kind of plant this is”. Your an inspiration and I want you to know you make so many people happy 😊
These are great tips! Something I've run into is that players want more combat sessions, but also want to use diplomacy to solve every issue. Sometimes those goals are opposed lol.
Maybe that's a good hint to start using more monsters and deeply evil baddies, rather than complex, humanized villains! You can't use diplomacy on a hoard of languageless, rabid demon-spawn 😜
@@GinnyDidefinitely!! though even after introducing a super evil dragon theyre still trying to figure out a way to avoid killing it. Need to introduce some completely non sapient ooze or something 😂
Good advice for sure. There's certainly an element of 'being a player' that players should have, like asking questions, recognising hooks, paying attention, that makes the game better for everyone. As really enjoyed the down-to-earth style of the video!
I love this! I feel so grateful for my current players as they really lean into the setting, and they try to give life and depth to the NPCs. We all have a shared trait where we fall in love with what we build in-game, and it’s just so special.
1. Those are some very nice house plants! 2. Are there any examples that you can think of where players were *too* bold or is that just something we shouldn't bother thinking about? The only thing that comes to mind is maybe being so bold that you run the risk of main character syndrome and deprive the other PCs of their chance to be bold themselves. 3. Don't worry, Ginny, I'm sure you'll get a trophy one of these days.
To answer number 2, I think it's best practiced when also paired with her third point of considering the other players. So long as you do that, I don't think you should ever have to worry about main character syndrome. Some good rules of thumb, I find, is: If doing something bold that would affect the entire party, consult them first. This can be in or out of character, but the point is that if they genuinely don't want to deal with the consequences your actions would smack them with, it's okay to back down, or even make changes to the plan because of something you might not have considered. If the spotlight has been on you for a while because of something you're doing, you can always check in with the others to see if they would like a turn. Try to be cognizant of just how much time you're taking up. Or if now might be a good time for cutting back to the rest of the party. If you're doing something bold, be ready to accept the consequences if things go wrong. It should be obvious, but I have met players that do something because they are feeling confident and love the idea of what happens when they succeed, but then spoil the mood by being grumpy that things go the way they imagined. Learn to have fun with failure.
This was put brilliantly by @KantankerouslyK ! I also think 'being bold' is an agreement the party has to make together. The other players are probably also kind of tired of long planning sessions so choosing to collectively make a commitment to 'being bold' means that they're happy to accept those consequences, within reason of course!
This game is so much more fun when players know the particulars of their abilities. ...and not just THINK they know them but keep getting it wrong in their favour.
Last night, when we returned to a campaign after a hiatus, my players remembered incredible details that I'd forgotten. Realizing how much fun they'd had and how invested they are was a huge win.
I had a player write a response to an NPC letter. Not just my character says, but a full blown letter in character. I was blown away her fiancée (also a player in the campaign) told me she took a full half an hour writing a letter in the game lore and with the appropriate saltation and everything i was honestly fearful that she took the game that seriously and it meant so much to me.
I have to disagree with you on one point. You putting yourself out here on RUclips in your first video and keeping going day after day is quite fearless and daring.
Playing an antisocial evil aligned character (GM approved), I often find it difficult to interract with my party, which is sad cuz I love roleplaying. But the simple advice of asking questions is so good?? I will be bringing this to our table next time. Also, "Bold" is something I strive to be better at, and I think the difficulty comes from the trust between the player and the GM. If you trust your GM to not gravely punish you for making mistakes (which bold decisions often can lead to), then you feel more comfortable being bold. I love my GM SO fjucking much, but I am also a bundle of anxieties and I'm prone to imagine the worst case scenario in most situations (in game or IRL). This video has helped me feel a little better about bold decisions being something GMs generally appreciates in a player, not someone who never fails at anything because they always play it safe. We all want the same thing: to tell a good story.
I'm a relatively new DM. For me, the #1 thing I appreciate about a player is good communication. Posting on discord "Forgot to mention, your characters leveled up! Please level up before next session" and getting a simple thumbs up from everyone really helps. After spending hours prepping for a session and having players just take a few seconds to respond to posts and then actually show up prepared makes it worth it. Conversely, if you get no response cause they couldn't take a few seconds to check the discord between sessions really makes you feel like you're wasting your time. Communication is so important to a good game.
I didn't have time to read the other comments, but I greatly appreciate the sub-story in your presentation today, by transforming yourself throughout the video, a subtle cue for how you're talking about transforming from an ordinary player into a favorite player. Subtlety for the win!
Being mindful of plot hooks and being very purposeful in taking them has single-handedly leveled up my RP game. I'm embarrassed by how many years it took me to actually recognize hooks for what they were. But once I started GMing myself, it helped me start looking at games from a "What would my GM want me to do in this situation to make for some fun?" perspective. Suddenly I noticed all those hooks for what they were and began building my characters to be ones that would take the bait--reckless or curious or nosy or maybe a little too caring and compassionate. I got FAR more invested, FAR more curious, and FAR more daring!
I tend play a lot of different characters, but most of them share a single characteristic- they're always ready to throw hands. So I have no problem with the "be bold" part. And one of my DMs used that to storytelling's benefits, during a recent session he was great at roleplaying how annoyed a sea devil was with my monk attacking him (That devil struck first, not literally but he forced another player's character to sleep and entered their dream while simultainously remaining outside in his physical form).
Another part of commitment and honesty is not taking advantage of the DM's offer to let the players engage with world building by shoveling in a ton of insane advantages for your character at every opportunity.
Definitely! I would categorize that under the note about GMs ultimately just wanting players to come to the table to play the game in good faith. Don't cheat, don't metagame, don't try to "win" a cooperative game by taking advantage of the other players.
My current character has the feylost background and got the "Pumpkin cupcake that magically regenerates itself in its paper cup each day at dawn". But because he was stuck in the feywild for so long, without alot of other trustworthy food, he developed a severe distaste for pumpkin-flavor. So now, he just gives that cupcake to one of the other players every day. Great for just starting a conversation specially at the very beginning, because who trusts a cupcake, that you got from a weirdo goblin you just met? XD
Love the ongoing background story incorporated into Next Level advice beyond the basics. The down the earth nature of the video is a very cool warm vibe that is a nice change from usual camera talking that people do (no shade, vtubers are life).
Another thing about being a good player is to not mention when someone is late to the game, unless it's habitual. The player is already probably beating themselves up about it since they left, and being excited to see them instead of reminding them what they already know can be a good way to turn their mood around and get into a fun state of mind again.
I know this channel is largely D&D focused, but one of the things I like about Star Trek Adventure's rules is the concept of the Spotlight Milestone, where players vote for Excellence in Roleplaying, which can eventually lead to perks. It definitely can be abused or result in punishing quieter players if the party doesn't make a conscious effort to reward a player who may have pushed herself outside of her comfort zone, but as long as you're playing with decent people who respect and root for one another, it can be a great system for encouraging and rewarding players who make an effort to engage with the narrative.
My DM sent me this and said "the opening bit is you" and I don't know how I can go on Devastation aside, I really needed to hear your advice on not being afraid to be a little cringy or to take some risks!! My panic about using up my spell slots is such a symptom of this!
This is a really great video in general (as per usual) but also just wanna say i really Love the idea of doing the video as a Getting Ready for DND setup; it's a really cute and clever idea!
This video popped up randomly on my feed and I'm about two minutes in. I just want to say that you have a beautifuly clear speaking voice and great diction!
Maybe this is splitting hairs, but I find myself avoiding bold, risky moves specifically *because* I am putting myself in my characters shoes. From the perspective of my character, consequences _are_ real. In order for me to make the fun, adventurous choices, I often have to avoid thinking "would my character really do this"? Not saying there wouldn't be characters who take risks, but I would say in a well realized world, most characters would try to avoid taking needless risks just because "failing is fun" and "consequences aren't real".
To be clear, though, ultimately I still think it's good advice! I just disagree slightly with how it was paired with the "what would my character do?" thing
I can totally see what you mean! I was thinking of it from the perspective of "would my character be mapping out the dungeon mathematically to see which of their AoE spells would most effectively cover the battlefield, or would they just throw a spell at their enemies." But the top-level point of "be bold" should definitely supercede "what would your character do" when they come into conflict, imo!
I get completely what you mean. To prevent having these thoughts as often though, I have some tips - make an adventurer! Someone that wants to achieve goals, protect people, and is willing to overcome dangerous situations because they believe it HAS to be done. You NEED to get rid of the zombie plague. You NEED to find a cure for that disease your sister is suffering from. You NEED to get rid of all those that worship Tiamat! That way, it will more often be"yes, this is what my character would do". - during initiative, you might have time to overlook the battlefield.. but your character doesnt. Smoke and chaos seers the battlefield. Someone tries to attack you and meanwhile your friends somewhere about 30ft away are getting surrounded. You cannot afford to weigh if fireball or lightning bolt is better in these measily 6 seconds you have. You lob that fireball in there! - your character cares about their place in the party. Sure you might hesitate to go along with this plan, but remember the time that Urien put asside his differences to help you out from that prison you sort of got yourself into? Make amends and compromises for the sake of your group. I hope this helps a bit 😁
The “silliness” can really contribute to the story in a big way too, especially if it means that the player is making less optimal plays in order to stay true to their character. I DM’d the other night for the first time and was nervous about the story being too bland, but the players simply playing their characters well and asking questions that their character would be thinking MADE it interesting. I believe that the players are driving the story just as much as the DM.
In the last session, our DM let us train for a new Proficiency. My cleric wanted to traind deception, but in game, I asked the other cleric to use her Medicine skill to check my pulse and look for "tells" as I told blatant lies. It was a fun session.
I've gotten consistently good results out of putting together a little list after the whole creation process is done full of "Neat story hooks I would totally roll with if you thought it was fun or it got us out of a rut". It's usually just a "He will absolutely adopt an NPC with X traits" or "obsessed with pretty bugs, but tries to keep other people from noticing" or "genuinely hates chickens and thinks they're out to get him. Also loves to eat chicken" sort of thing. Generally only a couple show up in games (if any) but they've usually been really fun, especially if I've forgotten about them by the time they come up. I don't know if there's a name for it or anything, I feel like it's something a few other people did wayyy back when I was playing D&D on BBSes and I got it from someone else.
As a Dm I absolutely love everything that you're saying, I do very much wish that my players we better at small talk and other low stakes stuff. Not only is it fun for me because its like i'm reading a book but it helps them understand each other as characters and gives me more time to think.
Lots of great points. D&D really should be player-driven as much as is reasonably possible. I think the DM's role is as a neutral referee for the players making their own story, rather than someone who just dishes out content for them to consume.
*"Trust the DM" is vital.* The worst group I ever DM'd for violated at least two of these: They were not bold, instead they sat in a tavern and refused to even walk around town. They expected adventure to come to them. They would not investigate or follow leads and hooks. They likewise complained the hooks didn't promise enough gold and magic upfront. They wanted huge prepayments. They did not believe the DM's hooks would have a good game or adventure. They had no trust at all. The game disintegrated because they refused everything. They failed as players, but insisted the game itself was no good. How would they know? They never played it.
This is good advice. Be bold and commit. Nothing kills my excitement to run a game than: (1) players that nope out of every encounter, hook or situation that seems risky. (2) players that have to spend a few minutes debating on the safest, easiest or most efficient way to open every door they encounter. Just, for the love of the gods.... Do *something* !
@Ginny Di, every compliment you get on this video is richly deserved- -beyond the content, the presentation choices were outstanding. You modeled the spirit of preparation. Personable vibes at a professional production level?!? So good 😎
I'm 3 minutes in and I wanted to say I love this video. Thanks for basically inviting us along for your day and just being that colorful-haired clever friend that's both a good listener and has good ideas! We need you and others like you in the community for sure.
hey Ginny Di! My first DnD session ever is in 2 days and im trying to figure out as much about the game as possible! these videos are really helping, so thank you!!
NOW WE’RE ON-BRAND!! I died. 😆 Feeling very seen when Ginny says, “GM”. ☺️ Thanks again for another video with great advice I can take to any friends’ tables!
Friend I over all love this vid concept, its good to see you as a real person and I love the shots and over all feel of the vid. also the content is something that while i looked away to do work the first time watching, when I rewatched i was glued to the vid and its content. Great stuff Genny
That was a great video! Thank you for continuing to bring content that is more than builds and guides. Tip #3 really hit home for me. After about 10 sessions I just check out of the campaign, but I do appreciate the idea of continuing to choose the campaign.
RE: Learning your character sheet. Yes, every DM wants their players to know their characters abilities, but I believe all but the most hardass won't expect them to memorize it. We have character sheets for a reason; paper or digital, they're records of abilities and inventories! So if you as player find yourself struggling to remember what your character can do, doing your best to make the information easy to find is also a great thing.
Honestly, I started to get a little bit nervous after joining a new group, because after the first couple of sessions, the two DMs were messaging me with ideas to integrate my character more into the world by linking her with powerful and badass NPCs and making her ridiculously awesome. The ideas were great and I was game to incorporate them, I just worried a bit if it'd come over as favouritism. After another couple of sessions and I was more part of the friend group (DMs and other players knew each other previously), I jokingly brought it up and my worries were put to rest by everyone, they're all just super nice and we gel really well. The campaign is completely insane and utterly brilliant and my character is now an absolute BEAST because of the DMs. It's so much fun to play.
Great advice. As a DM I love the players who help to drive the story, whether that's recklessly nursing through a door, callously rejecting the tempting offer of the BBEG, or just talking to each other to ask how they interpreted recent events. The best DM moments are when you can sit back and listen for blocks of time.
Nursing through the door?!
@Brainstrain you know what... I'm going to leave it. Sometimes we have a few drinks during session, and this is accurate. Thank you predictive text.
Bursting
@@BrainstrainI’m gonna assume he meant to write bursting and since N is right next to B.
I get weak in the knees when a player says "how do you spell that?" note takers are so few and far between at my table, I love when players take an active role in my lore and world
I personally like to just guess and inevitably get the spelling wrong lol. There's plenty of examples, but the only one that's coming to mind right now is that I've written Manshun in my notes like a thousand times, but a conversation with the DM over text reveals that it was spelled Manshoon the whole time
That makes me feel better about asking that all the time ^^
When we used Zoom, I always put names in chat
@@maxechilsemptyspace7184 I thought a guy called Arthur Mizory was called Arthur Missouri. Like he was Duncan Idaho's cousin or something lol
Most of my players do that! I’ve been spelling out things so much xD
One of the reasons I love this channel so much is that Ginny is always looking for more creative and engaging ways to present her content. From ads to today's theme of "getting ready for D&D", it makes every episode feel fresh.
Thank you! Not gonna lie, I worked really hard on this one.
I was really happy with how it turned out... now let's hope that RUclips shows it to people 😅
@@GinnyDi worst case scenario I can go door to door around my building and personally show it to my elderly neighbours. Surely they’re not that far from your target demographic
dw girl we got you
@@GinnyDi Id be curious about what you keep your dice in for when you are storing or playing with them. I need to find some holders for my dice at the moment. Im sure you have many more ideas than I do! Maybe that would be a good idea for a video??
@@GinnyDi The hard work shows, and I think at least it really shines through.
@@GinnyDi It shows! Definitely a step up from your normal content, fantastic stuff!!
That overhead bed shot took commitment.
hey, why have a tripod with an overhead arm setting if you don't use it? 😜
@@GinnyDi Seriously the fact that you had a meta narrative running with interesting a and b shots throughout what could have been a dry talk to camera list video is genuinely impressive! I really hope you get rewarded for content like this because its just so good and pleasant to see!
this video is performing like garbage unfortunately 😅 but at least I had fun making it!!
@GinnyDi it just dropped, I'm sure it'll turn out fine. Well, at least I'm enjoying it
@@GinnyDiyoutubers can tell how well a video is performing 1-2h after release? Fascinating. I always figured you had to wait like 24h so it would have a chance to catch people awake in most time zones or something
I’ve gotten a trophy for it! Highly recommend. My group and I do this thing at the end of every year, around Christmas or New Years, called the RPies (pronounced are-peas). Basically we give a bunch of awards to each other like certificates and 3D printed trophies and we all vote at the table so we can reminisce. We do like “Coup d’grace” for best finisher move. “Best Scrollplayer” for the person who has the worst habit of scrolling in their phone but still manages to know what’s going on at the game. “Archivist” for best note taker. “Best moment”, “favorite character”, favorite NPC” are other categories. Yes we have DM trophies too. You should try it!
That's so cute!! Which ones have you won?
Player Of The Session...
Omg i love it 😂❤
That's so cute!
One of my fav things to see as a DM is when one of my players comes up with a creative new way to solve a problem which completely blows me away. Being in awe of the creativity and incredible skills of your players just can't be beat.
Yes! I love ripping up my notes on the solution if the players think up something more fun/interesting
In one of my recent sessions, there was a cult summoning a demon from a ritual spell and were using enchanted rocks as guidelines and focus of the spells. After one of my players used all their efforts to take the rocks as other party members distracted the cultists, the leader used Suggestion, telling him to "Put the stones back where they belong." His character starts walking in the opposite direction to a nearby box full of ordinary rocks and proceeds to place them in one by one. I was so shocked but it was such a great moment. Then another player cast Thunderwave to displace all the other ritual stones. The creativity was amazing.
My favourite 20 minutes DMing were spent listening to my players trying to work out what the BBEG was up to and dismissing most of them ... the last two they were still discussing were both better than I had vaguely planned ... so I of course picked the one they didn't ...
@@wafflexplode I love the implication that the character was able to mind game around the suggestion, just adds so much to the character and makes the magic feel more whole to.
Sometimes, my players are like, "That was a really complex solution. I'm glad we got it, but I don't know how most people would!" And my response is, "Oh, that wasn't the solution. The solution was actually WAY easier, and you weren't even close, but given you weren't close and I liked your solution better, guess what? It BECAME the solution." It's a response to modules and pre-written adventures mostly because if I created the adventure then either I didn't come up with a solution or if I liked theirs better I'm just pretending it was my intended solution all along and making them feel like geniuses. (I don't let them have the same feeling in modules because the "correct" answer is written down somewhere, and if they ever come across it, then my whole cover is blown.)
Can absolutely verify on bold. One of the most frustrating games I ever ran featured the players regularly discussing/planning for half a session on what they wanted to do. Everything set to go. next session comes around and suddenly the person (who got the plan they wanted) wants to revisit everything because dear god...there might be some danger involved in assaulting a Dragon's lair to stop it from burninating the country side.
Yeah when my old group first started we did keep on the Borderlands and our DM got annoyed because we would not engage with anything that seemed dangerous. We got better.
I think people forget that many D&D players are busy adults. When we finally sit down to play, we don't want to spend all our time planning and strategizing.
Sure, being bold may result in some mistakes but I'm actually more precious about my free time than I am about my character's wellbeing (genuinely shocking, I know 😂)
This is my 2nd character ever and the first one I put a lot of time into in terms of backstory and working out details, in no small part thanks to your videos, and I'm very attached to it and afraid of losing them. More than my free time to be honest. But it's a Half-Orc, so being careful doesn't quite resonate either.
@@DJcs187 Here's a fun thing that you maybe haven't realized, or maybe in your head it doesn't work the same way: No one can take the character from you. Their part in that story may end, but you can always play them in other games, make art about them, write other adventures for them. Death isn't the end of a character. It's only the end of that version of the character in that game. I still have lots of characters in my head from games I played and loved over the years. Some of them may find the right game to come out again. Some may not. But I still have them, I can still share stories about them, and they're never really far away if I need them.
They were right to worry, for even a max level party is no match for Trogdor.
I love the phrasing of these types of videos more than ‘worst things you can do as a player’. just positive vibes make me happier thank you
Positivity is nourishing.
Back when CinemaSins was in vogue, I found out about its counterpart; CinemaWins. Sure, Sins was funny in its own way, but Wins actually lifted my mood.
Same is happening here. In a sea of DnDHorrorStories, Ginny puts a smile on our faces.
@claude-alexandretrudeau1830 And it helps that CinemaWins offers actual criticism, while CinamaSins mixes jokes and criticism so much it's hard to tell what's actually a sin
absolutely agree. It can be way too easy to focus on the negatives. Humans who avoided bad stuff probably survived better than the oblivious and optimistic folks, but at the same time, it can make us miserable if we can't let go a little easier
The camera work and general "get ready with Ginny" b plot was super fun
DM, "There's a button."
Me, "I press the button."
Group, "Noooooooooooooooooooooo!"
Me, "You heard me DM, what happened?"
Found Reyn's player, guys
chad
I love doing these kinds of things as a player. It’s a lot of fun.
had a player do this after his wife had a baby and realized he would quit the group. Luckily, after his character was knocked off, one of us was able to one shot the bone dragon with a healing lance on a crit.
Me: "okay.. Button.. I eat the button"
Next Ginny video: Progressively becomes a Mr. Rogers episode, welcoming the audience to her house to talk about D&D 😂
With sweater and shoe change...
love the staging of this as prepping for going to the game
Thank you! It was a lot of fun to film
What do you mean staging?!
@@DungeonsLover Staging the method of presenting a play or other dramatic performance.
@@GinnyDi Oh it was staged. Thank goodness. I was so worried like "Won't filming take time and make her late?"
"This goes beyond just learning your character sheet and showing up for sessions."
Yo if I had a group where everyone just did those two things I'd be so stoked. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who is actually excited to play.
Be bold is such a great way to articulate on what I mean when I encourage my table to 'follow the fiction'. I'm gonna share this during my next session 0. ❤
I love the phrase 'follow the fiction!'
I think it's tempting to try and win D&D but so often my best sessions are when everything goes wrong.
I might have stolen it from Aabriya, I honestly can't say, but I love the ethos of the sentiment. Get into the character, into the world, into the scene, roll around in it and don't be afraid to get messy. ❤️
I misread this as "follow the friction" and it still worked, heh.
One of my favorite bold choices was in this pirate campaign I was playing in. I was playing a Gold Dragonborn Totem Warrior Barbarian. Through a wish on a magical crystal skull, I got wings. As our ship was sailing one night, we noticed an enemy pirate crew was tailing us. In a risky move, one that genuinely could have killed me, I flew to the enemy ship, just above the surface of the water. I flew up and used my Breath Weapon to ignite the enemy ship’s gunpowder for their forward cannons, setting the ship on fire. This led to me getting into a one-on-one fight with the enemy captain, who already had a grudge against my character from a prior encounter when I burnt one of his masts. For reference, I was Level 6, and the enemy captain was a Level 10 character (a Fighter/Barbarian multiclass). My character very well could have died. I knew that he probably could rip me apart with how much higher leveled he was than me in a 1-on-1, but it felt like the right choice for my character to take up that challenge… And I actually survived! I enabled the rest of the party and our crew to attack the enemy ship and sink it with minimal casualties in our part. Neither me nor the enemy captain died, as our fight was interrupted by the sinking, but my DM said I took a massive chunk out of the guy, so I felt proud in that moment 👍🏻
Lmao Ginny always knows how to nail those endings. Love the thought and care you put into not only making this a great advice video, but also a thoughtful narrative element that fits the theme!
I’m personally the type that definitely leans into characters that aren’t too far from me (as in they’re usually antisocial in one way or another so I can easily fade into the background, but you inspire me to go outside my comfort zone a bit more often.
I am all for playing the characters that you enjoy, and that are fun for you to play! But I hope that least some of the characters in your party are social and outgoing, because if you get a whole crew of quiet folks, it can be a little tough for the game master. 😅
I literally DM for the first time next week. I'm so excited! Your videos are a huuuge help.
Good luck!! I'm sure you'll be brilliant 🥰
This was me a year ago, and Ginny was a huge help. Best of luck!
Good luck! Never forget the rule of cool.
Welcome to the chaos, enjoy it
Have fun!
As a DM, I love when my players show genuine growth, both as a player and as a character. When a 2D character suddenly gains depth, you can see it in the players' eyes. And when the player goes from CE Murder Hobo to contributing player, it's pure gold.
I love it when my players start lore dropping world history to explain their actions and motives.
Or, when players do some wild things that I could never anticipate but work wonderfully for the current circumstance.
Good stuff.
There's no way you got that perfect eyeliner on the first try. HOW??
But also thank you for the advice, I always feel a bit bad when my all out, acting DM is just not met with same energy...
I've been doing my eyeliner like this for yeaars 😅
Glad it helped!
@@GinnyDi So, perferct eyeliner in half a minute video will be next on the schedule? :D (I'm not joking. I'd genuinely love to hear your tips and tricks :D )
@@GinnyDi I felt cheated :( I was like "yaassss we are going to see how she does eyeliner!" but you cut the scene
The only way I have gotten good at eyeliner is by doing it over and over again. If you don't want to wear it out, put it on right before you remove your makeup in the evening.
I'm the notetaker for our group & what I do is out of character notes first that cover the entire session then I'll do in character notes in a way that makes sense. I find by doing them in character it helps me remember the sessions better too
As an example my most recent character Cleo Hughes is a bloodhunter who has been sent to investigate ruins so she sends regular reports to the leader of her order which is flavoured as her using her blood to cast find familiar as a ritual.
I also help my DM with world building by getting permission to expand on world elements by basically making a skeleton for him to expand on
Hey wait a minute, this is just four interpersonal-relationship-advices in a TTRPG trench coat!
As a forever DM I'm... kind of a crappy player at times. This is a good set of pillars to use while I try to do better.
A lot of my sessions are more story driven than combat heavy, so when there's a legitimate threat (such as last session when a bone devil possessed the party's dwarven ally) I make sure to telegraph that information in advance. This is the time for them to go in fully prepared, and boy did they come up with some unique tactics. If game masters use this approach then they can likely avoid the over-preparing trap that slows down regular gameplay and turns caution into boredom.
The videography in this video was actually really great, I can tell you put a lot of effort into it! Physically showing you waking up at the start, getting ready throughout the video and ending on you leaving made the video start, end and flow REALLY naturally! Seriously good job!! ❤️
The little blurb at the end about not being a perfect player and just working to bring more fun to the table makes me so happy 😭😭😭💚💚💚
That opening hit too close to home lol. I recently had a dream (as a DM) that one of my players told me she really loved the city they've been spending time in, that it was so much flavour and a strong atmosphere and is so unique, and that she just immediately came to care about that city.
I was so sad when I woke up and realized she never actually said that...
Didn't expect my love of D&D and ASMR makeup tutorials to cross paths today, but here we are....
“Mechanics last” is something that I’ve really learned a lot in my short time GMing and something I aim to improve more - it’s tough when the “catchphrases” of dnd are things like Insight checks and Nat 20s which are removed from the narrative context
I love the comment, I roll for survival vs search the area. This is 100% great, we speak like this and let the dm tell us what rolls he wants. Much more immersive game with this vs just thinking in terms of rolls all the time! Another great video!
Important caveat: It depends on your DM's style. Some DMs don't want to tell you each time what to roll, they want you to declare your mechanical action along with the rp, and maybe ask if you're not sure what you might roll for that, otherwise just roll or take 10 if applicable. Then they tell you narratively what the result was.
This seems to come up more in crunchier systems where there are set rules for most actions, or just when the DM is comfortable shortcutting a bit for flow.
It's not the usual approach for story-driven games, but it is a legitimate approach as long as the mechanics serve the narrative and don't replace it.
E.g. "I ask the guard if there's anything we can do to change his mind, trying to look cute and innocent. (Rolls persuaion check)" "The guard's eyes narrow- are you trying to bribe me?"
Yup, not showing up was why my dad's sessions ended. My sister killed the one real chance I had to play d&d. "It's so slow and boring, and dad just reads the stuff out of the book." She would say. Yea, dad was kinda bad at being a dm, but he hadn't done it since he was a kid. She could have given him a break. 😢
As a DM its literally my biggest pet peeve when players tell me what they want to roll. Tell me what you want to *do*, and I'LL tell you what you need to role, if you even need to role at all.
Okay but some of us choose Skill Proficiencies during character creation based on our understanding of what will be useful in gameplay the most often.
So when considering our options in any given situation, we may be thinking in terms of what specific Skills apply and THEN considering how to manifest them in taking specific actions.
@@TrueRomancer04 you don’t get to make that call my friend. The DM does.
@thoughtgaming492 What call is there to make, other than whether or not the action succeeds?
If I'm playing a 6'8" Barbarian packing a maul the size of a child, and I say I'd like to make an Intimidation check with my STR modifier added by smashing the chair a guard was just sitting in, would you shoot the whole thing down purely on the basis that I described it in terms of game mechanics?
@@TrueRomancer04 no I would simply tell you that you don’t need to roll. I have already judged the situation as a success. Tell me what you want to do, and if a roll is required, I’ll let you know.
Over-prepping hurts for sure! I've played in two long-running campaigns (over 5 years and one still ongoing), and the DM style can make a huge difference in whether players feel comfortable and encouraged to make those bold decisions. TLDR; Reward the behaviors you want to see, which may mean fudging the rules. If your players know there's a crash mat, they're way more likely to try some cool stunts.
In one campaign, there was a lot of room for shenanigans. The story leaned episodic, the climactic battles frequently ended with a rule-of-cool escape montage after the enemy was defeated, and there were a lot of theater kids in the group who were happy to lean into the drama of a decision over the mechanics. And since doing the dumb thing didn't have a real risk of character death (unless the DM explicitly asked in advance), there was more emphasis on emotional stakes. We got to have the scenes of PCs fighting each other in front of an enemy because of personal character revelations, as well as players actually crying real tears over the death of an NPC former comrade.
In contrast, my other campaign feels very much like a simulation, with a deep, rich world the DM homebrewed and has been running with various groups for over a decade. There are real consequences to messing up, and several close calls. The result is that we as a party have become paranoid. For example, I spent months working on an entire stringboard to track 14 different factions, 8 mythical figures, 5 locations, and over 40 NPCs and their connections in a desperate attempt to stop an oncoming apocalyptic event, only for us to fail utterly because we had made one mistake: two of the NPCs we'd trusted wound up being double agents, so our entire plan unraveled instantly.
Honestly, we were so wrung out at that point that when the big bad finally showed up, the DM *tried* to convince us it was a winnable fight and we flat out didn't believe him. The big bad won uncontested, and we're dealing with the consequences over a year of real time later. It's still a fabulous game (I wouldn't still play if it wasn't), but it has frustrated both the players and the DM that we now either overprepare or don't bother to try prepping at all when heading into major conflicts.
So, if you're a DM and want players to make bolder choices, it may take some flexibility on your part. If you're in a world where PC death is expected and everyone's on board with it, that's great! Make them work for it so victories feel earned! But if your players are set on a long-term path with high stakes, don't be afraid to fudge numbers or change plans if you need to. If you see your players running toward a cliff because they've missed something vital, you can insert a scene to spell it out for them more, giving a chance to course-correct and also drive home the danger that they were close to. It's often the near-misses that feel empowering, rather than smooth sailing or harsh punishments.
[end rant 😅]
I agree! You can't encourage boldness in one breath and punish the consequences in another.
Losing fights or failing checks should always open up more story and avenues for character growth - even death can open up exciting stories and ways to explore the afterlife. That way boldness is always rewarded in some way 🙏
@@GinnyDi This. Absolutely this.
Your second example (the simulation one) was a very welcome reminder for me as a DM to not overwhelm my players with secrets and obscurity. The players tend to overthink!
Not that my world has anything near that kinda stuff (yet).
Thank you for the insight!
Your second example is literally what is happening in an online campain I joined over a year ago.
Really long story, (I joined at 12th level) apocalypse is on the way, we have even a miro board for the clues. Complicated stuff that I still need to ask about because the only person who seriously cared and mostly made the board, left the story (personal situation with DM).
Some players are traumatized because of their wrong decisions and consequences and they just DON'T WANT to take bold moves. Also some blame themselves for not planning enough after something bad happens.
Our dangers are highly lethal now because we are high levels but it can’t to be to the point we are afraid to make choices!
I am cheerful harper drow bard, as a player have lacking knowledge about the realm (Forgotten Realms) compared to rest of the group. So I'm asking a lot of questions about magic (as a character), make impulsive choices I know my character would do and I'm trying to make us MOVE and do things in game.
Outside of the game I'm trying to make and propose plans for the later or discuss some things on chat in discord server. Thanks to that we already did a few thinks otherwise we would overthink on the session.
(Also I think I trust our DM more because I only played with him in Call of Cthulhu xD More unforgiving system but you don't have a story if you don't make bold choices. Like going into haunted house.)
There is a difference between suicidal indifference to a character's well-being and being adventurous too. Charging Tiamat with your 3rd level barbarian is just suicidal.
But it is what I would do
I love when players make a game their own. Those are the most memorable. I remember I designed a game for my mom's birthday based on the historical dramas she was watch at the time. The players needed to prevent a set of plan from making it out of port to a general planning an attack on a town. I figured they'd either disguise themselves or fight people on the boat and planned the encounter. When the players decided the simplest solution was simply to blow up the boat, all that work on the encounter was out the window - but the process of them blowing up the boat was so memorable it still comes up at family dinners. I love that they did what they thought was the most fun.
I love that!! It can be so easy to railroad characters into certain encounters because we've planned them so kudos to you for letting them do their own thing. I agree, that's so often where the magic happens, and you get to have more fun as a DM 🥰
Years ago, I renamed TTRPG's "Interactive Improvisational Theatre". If you think about your live-gaming this way, rather than as a slow-ass video game or narcissistic therapy session, you will get (and give) a lot more out of it. You are part of a theatre company, with yourselves as the audience (so a little narcissistic lol) you can see the value in knowing your character and setting up the other characters for great scenes. "An assist is as good as a score." It's all about the moments you discover together, and that makes the show a big hit. The GM is giving you the material to play off, so make the best use of it.
The last line of this video is PURE GOLD! Same Ginny, same. I work on doing all the other things to be a good player, but I'm the person who's consistently a couple minutes late.
Your production values are always great. I don't always get to watch videos, because im a truck driver and just play videos for the audio most of the time. But when i do get to watch things, i appreciate all the extra details youtubers put into their work. It's honestly why i still spend so much time on this platform. Tv has to spend alot of money on talented people to equal the love that some content creators put into their videos. Thank you m'lady!
I love your advice about "doing what you character would do" rather than focusing on game dynamics. I recently started doing this and am enjoying RPGs so much more than when I used to try to optimise encounters
The production quality here is nuts
I just really want to thank you for the things you said on immersion. There are times that it’s easier to just say “can I roll nature” but just the little effort to say “I look to see what kind of plant this is”.
Your an inspiration and I want you to know you make so many people happy 😊
These are great tips! Something I've run into is that players want more combat sessions, but also want to use diplomacy to solve every issue. Sometimes those goals are opposed lol.
Maybe that's a good hint to start using more monsters and deeply evil baddies, rather than complex, humanized villains! You can't use diplomacy on a hoard of languageless, rabid demon-spawn 😜
@@GinnyDidefinitely!! though even after introducing a super evil dragon theyre still trying to figure out a way to avoid killing it. Need to introduce some completely non sapient ooze or something 😂
Happy to see focus on how to be a better player! It is not all about the GM, a great game requires great players too!
I am loving the cinematography of the last couple of videos, I appreciate the amount of work changing place to film can be but it looks really good 👍
Good advice for sure. There's certainly an element of 'being a player' that players should have, like asking questions, recognising hooks, paying attention, that makes the game better for everyone.
As really enjoyed the down-to-earth style of the video!
I love this! I feel so grateful for my current players as they really lean into the setting, and they try to give life and depth to the NPCs. We all have a shared trait where we fall in love with what we build in-game, and it’s just so special.
i absolutely love this style of editing youve been using in videos lately and i hope you keep doing it!! really neat way of presenting all the info
1. Those are some very nice house plants!
2. Are there any examples that you can think of where players were *too* bold or is that just something we shouldn't bother thinking about? The only thing that comes to mind is maybe being so bold that you run the risk of main character syndrome and deprive the other PCs of their chance to be bold themselves.
3. Don't worry, Ginny, I'm sure you'll get a trophy one of these days.
To answer number 2, I think it's best practiced when also paired with her third point of considering the other players. So long as you do that, I don't think you should ever have to worry about main character syndrome.
Some good rules of thumb, I find, is:
If doing something bold that would affect the entire party, consult them first. This can be in or out of character, but the point is that if they genuinely don't want to deal with the consequences your actions would smack them with, it's okay to back down, or even make changes to the plan because of something you might not have considered.
If the spotlight has been on you for a while because of something you're doing, you can always check in with the others to see if they would like a turn. Try to be cognizant of just how much time you're taking up. Or if now might be a good time for cutting back to the rest of the party.
If you're doing something bold, be ready to accept the consequences if things go wrong. It should be obvious, but I have met players that do something because they are feeling confident and love the idea of what happens when they succeed, but then spoil the mood by being grumpy that things go the way they imagined. Learn to have fun with failure.
@@KantankerouslyK Thank you so much for all of this!
This was put brilliantly by @KantankerouslyK !
I also think 'being bold' is an agreement the party has to make together. The other players are probably also kind of tired of long planning sessions so choosing to collectively make a commitment to 'being bold' means that they're happy to accept those consequences, within reason of course!
@@GinnyDi That makes sense. Thank you, Ginny!
I love that you bring a story to your videos. Getting ready for a D&D session, getting outside, etc... love it!
big fan of the "getting ready" angle of this video, and i'm always excited when you show up on my page!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it 🥰
This game is so much more fun when players know the particulars of their abilities.
...and not just THINK they know them but keep getting it wrong in their favour.
Last night, when we returned to a campaign after a hiatus, my players remembered incredible details that I'd forgotten. Realizing how much fun they'd had and how invested they are was a huge win.
I had a player write a response to an NPC letter. Not just my character says, but a full blown letter in character. I was blown away her fiancée (also a player in the campaign) told me she took a full half an hour writing a letter in the game lore and with the appropriate saltation and everything i was honestly fearful that she took the game that seriously and it meant so much to me.
I took your advice for taking notes a while ago, and I became the official note taker and summary presenter each session to help out my DM.
I have to disagree with you on one point. You putting yourself out here on RUclips in your first video and keeping going day after day is quite fearless and daring.
0:53 Thank you for taking time for the important things in life.
Yesss!!
You gotta pet or kiss the kitty :3
Playing an antisocial evil aligned character (GM approved), I often find it difficult to interract with my party, which is sad cuz I love roleplaying. But the simple advice of asking questions is so good?? I will be bringing this to our table next time. Also, "Bold" is something I strive to be better at, and I think the difficulty comes from the trust between the player and the GM. If you trust your GM to not gravely punish you for making mistakes (which bold decisions often can lead to), then you feel more comfortable being bold. I love my GM SO fjucking much, but I am also a bundle of anxieties and I'm prone to imagine the worst case scenario in most situations (in game or IRL). This video has helped me feel a little better about bold decisions being something GMs generally appreciates in a player, not someone who never fails at anything because they always play it safe. We all want the same thing: to tell a good story.
I'm a relatively new DM. For me, the #1 thing I appreciate about a player is good communication.
Posting on discord "Forgot to mention, your characters leveled up! Please level up before next session" and getting a simple thumbs up from everyone really helps. After spending hours prepping for a session and having players just take a few seconds to respond to posts and then actually show up prepared makes it worth it.
Conversely, if you get no response cause they couldn't take a few seconds to check the discord between sessions really makes you feel like you're wasting your time.
Communication is so important to a good game.
I didn't have time to read the other comments, but I greatly appreciate the sub-story in your presentation today, by transforming yourself throughout the video, a subtle cue for how you're talking about transforming from an ordinary player into a favorite player. Subtlety for the win!
As both a DM and player this is all wonderful advice! Great video
Being mindful of plot hooks and being very purposeful in taking them has single-handedly leveled up my RP game. I'm embarrassed by how many years it took me to actually recognize hooks for what they were. But once I started GMing myself, it helped me start looking at games from a "What would my GM want me to do in this situation to make for some fun?" perspective. Suddenly I noticed all those hooks for what they were and began building my characters to be ones that would take the bait--reckless or curious or nosy or maybe a little too caring and compassionate. I got FAR more invested, FAR more curious, and FAR more daring!
I tend play a lot of different characters, but most of them share a single characteristic- they're always ready to throw hands. So I have no problem with the "be bold" part. And one of my DMs used that to storytelling's benefits, during a recent session he was great at roleplaying how annoyed a sea devil was with my monk attacking him (That devil struck first, not literally but he forced another player's character to sleep and entered their dream while simultainously remaining outside in his physical form).
When you did the hook in the beginning, I started thinking about who my example for who the best player is. It's Emily Axford!
When you're right, you're right!!
Another part of commitment and honesty is not taking advantage of the DM's offer to let the players engage with world building by shoveling in a ton of insane advantages for your character at every opportunity.
Definitely! I would categorize that under the note about GMs ultimately just wanting players to come to the table to play the game in good faith. Don't cheat, don't metagame, don't try to "win" a cooperative game by taking advantage of the other players.
I love the care and craft put into this video, as well as the great advice!
The glass gradually emptying at 0:58 was a great touch, always love the little easter eggs like those
My current character has the feylost background and got the "Pumpkin cupcake that magically regenerates itself in its paper cup each day at dawn". But because he was stuck in the feywild for so long, without alot of other trustworthy food, he developed a severe distaste for pumpkin-flavor. So now, he just gives that cupcake to one of the other players every day. Great for just starting a conversation specially at the very beginning, because who trusts a cupcake, that you got from a weirdo goblin you just met? XD
Love the ongoing background story incorporated into Next Level advice beyond the basics. The down the earth nature of the video is a very cool warm vibe that is a nice change from usual camera talking that people do (no shade, vtubers are life).
Another thing about being a good player is to not mention when someone is late to the game, unless it's habitual. The player is already probably beating themselves up about it since they left, and being excited to see them instead of reminding them what they already know can be a good way to turn their mood around and get into a fun state of mind again.
Your channel has had a really positive impact on how I approach DnD as a player and as a DM.
I know this channel is largely D&D focused, but one of the things I like about Star Trek Adventure's rules is the concept of the Spotlight Milestone, where players vote for Excellence in Roleplaying, which can eventually lead to perks. It definitely can be abused or result in punishing quieter players if the party doesn't make a conscious effort to reward a player who may have pushed herself outside of her comfort zone, but as long as you're playing with decent people who respect and root for one another, it can be a great system for encouraging and rewarding players who make an effort to engage with the narrative.
Your role as a player is to go bite the bait!!
This single piece of advice is all I ever ask for.
My DM sent me this and said "the opening bit is you" and I don't know how I can go on
Devastation aside, I really needed to hear your advice on not being afraid to be a little cringy or to take some risks!! My panic about using up my spell slots is such a symptom of this!
This is a really great video in general (as per usual) but also just wanna say i really Love the idea of doing the video as a Getting Ready for DND setup; it's a really cute and clever idea!
This video popped up randomly on my feed and I'm about two minutes in. I just want to say that you have a beautifuly clear speaking voice and great diction!
Maybe this is splitting hairs, but I find myself avoiding bold, risky moves specifically *because* I am putting myself in my characters shoes. From the perspective of my character, consequences _are_ real. In order for me to make the fun, adventurous choices, I often have to avoid thinking "would my character really do this"? Not saying there wouldn't be characters who take risks, but I would say in a well realized world, most characters would try to avoid taking needless risks just because "failing is fun" and "consequences aren't real".
To be clear, though, ultimately I still think it's good advice! I just disagree slightly with how it was paired with the "what would my character do?" thing
I can totally see what you mean! I was thinking of it from the perspective of "would my character be mapping out the dungeon mathematically to see which of their AoE spells would most effectively cover the battlefield, or would they just throw a spell at their enemies." But the top-level point of "be bold" should definitely supercede "what would your character do" when they come into conflict, imo!
I get completely what you mean. To prevent having these thoughts as often though, I have some tips
- make an adventurer! Someone that wants to achieve goals, protect people, and is willing to overcome dangerous situations because they believe it HAS to be done. You NEED to get rid of the zombie plague. You NEED to find a cure for that disease your sister is suffering from. You NEED to get rid of all those that worship Tiamat! That way, it will more often be"yes, this is what my character would do".
- during initiative, you might have time to overlook the battlefield.. but your character doesnt. Smoke and chaos seers the battlefield. Someone tries to attack you and meanwhile your friends somewhere about 30ft away are getting surrounded. You cannot afford to weigh if fireball or lightning bolt is better in these measily 6 seconds you have. You lob that fireball in there!
- your character cares about their place in the party. Sure you might hesitate to go along with this plan, but remember the time that Urien put asside his differences to help you out from that prison you sort of got yourself into? Make amends and compromises for the sake of your group.
I hope this helps a bit 😁
Loved the faux-getting ready to go vibe, from getting up to getting in the car. Told a good visual story
The “silliness” can really contribute to the story in a big way too, especially if it means that the player is making less optimal plays in order to stay true to their character. I DM’d the other night for the first time and was nervous about the story being too bland, but the players simply playing their characters well and asking questions that their character would be thinking MADE it interesting. I believe that the players are driving the story just as much as the DM.
I respect the effort this video took, what a fun ride
This channel is such a wonderful place to visit. Thanks for all the videos on how to enjoy DnD. It is great advice!
Great advice - a lot of it feels like a player who makes an effort to match the DMs energy will easily succeed in these
In the last session, our DM let us train for a new Proficiency. My cleric wanted to traind deception, but in game, I asked the other cleric to use her Medicine skill to check my pulse and look for "tells" as I told blatant lies. It was a fun session.
Really enjoyed this video! Both the information to support players and the super creative way you made it!
Thanks, friend! really love this video, not gonna lie
I've gotten consistently good results out of putting together a little list after the whole creation process is done full of "Neat story hooks I would totally roll with if you thought it was fun or it got us out of a rut". It's usually just a "He will absolutely adopt an NPC with X traits" or "obsessed with pretty bugs, but tries to keep other people from noticing" or "genuinely hates chickens and thinks they're out to get him. Also loves to eat chicken" sort of thing.
Generally only a couple show up in games (if any) but they've usually been really fun, especially if I've forgotten about them by the time they come up.
I don't know if there's a name for it or anything, I feel like it's something a few other people did wayyy back when I was playing D&D on BBSes and I got it from someone else.
As a Dm I absolutely love everything that you're saying, I do very much wish that my players we better at small talk and other low stakes stuff. Not only is it fun for me because its like i'm reading a book but it helps them understand each other as characters and gives me more time to think.
Lots of great points. D&D really should be player-driven as much as is reasonably possible. I think the DM's role is as a neutral referee for the players making their own story, rather than someone who just dishes out content for them to consume.
I wish I could like this video multiple times. Not just for the content, but for the way you shared it! ♥
*"Trust the DM" is vital.* The worst group I ever DM'd for violated at least two of these: They were not bold, instead they sat in a tavern and refused to even walk around town. They expected adventure to come to them. They would not investigate or follow leads and hooks.
They likewise complained the hooks didn't promise enough gold and magic upfront. They wanted huge prepayments. They did not believe the DM's hooks would have a good game or adventure. They had no trust at all. The game disintegrated because they refused everything.
They failed as players, but insisted the game itself was no good. How would they know? They never played it.
This is good advice. Be bold and commit. Nothing kills my excitement to run a game than:
(1) players that nope out of every encounter, hook or situation that seems risky.
(2) players that have to spend a few minutes debating on the safest, easiest or most efficient way to open every door they encounter.
Just, for the love of the gods.... Do *something* !
I didn’t expect a GRWM disguised as a D&D video, but ya know what? I’m here for it
The structure and presentation of this video tickled all of the best brain buttons 😍😍😍 I watched while I was getting ready for my dnd game, too!
@Ginny Di, every compliment you get on this video is richly deserved- -beyond the content, the presentation choices were outstanding. You modeled the spirit of preparation. Personable vibes at a professional production level?!? So good 😎
I'm 3 minutes in and I wanted to say I love this video. Thanks for basically inviting us along for your day and just being that colorful-haired clever friend that's both a good listener and has good ideas! We need you and others like you in the community for sure.
Thanks, friend! I'm glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate the kind words 🥰
I am so impressed with the videography of this video, not to mention the excellent tips/content! Way to go, Ginny!
I love all the teal, and the splash of purple at the end!
hey Ginny Di! My first DnD session ever is in 2 days and im trying to figure out as much about the game as possible! these videos are really helping, so thank you!!
NOW WE’RE ON-BRAND!! I died. 😆
Feeling very seen when Ginny says, “GM”. ☺️ Thanks again for another video with great advice I can take to any friends’ tables!
Friend I over all love this vid concept, its good to see you as a real person and I love the shots and over all feel of the vid. also the content is something that while i looked away to do work the first time watching, when I rewatched i was glued to the vid and its content. Great stuff Genny
That was a great video! Thank you for continuing to bring content that is more than builds and guides. Tip #3 really hit home for me. After about 10 sessions I just check out of the campaign, but I do appreciate the idea of continuing to choose the campaign.
RE: Learning your character sheet. Yes, every DM wants their players to know their characters abilities, but I believe all but the most hardass won't expect them to memorize it. We have character sheets for a reason; paper or digital, they're records of abilities and inventories! So if you as player find yourself struggling to remember what your character can do, doing your best to make the information easy to find is also a great thing.
Honestly, I started to get a little bit nervous after joining a new group, because after the first couple of sessions, the two DMs were messaging me with ideas to integrate my character more into the world by linking her with powerful and badass NPCs and making her ridiculously awesome. The ideas were great and I was game to incorporate them, I just worried a bit if it'd come over as favouritism. After another couple of sessions and I was more part of the friend group (DMs and other players knew each other previously), I jokingly brought it up and my worries were put to rest by everyone, they're all just super nice and we gel really well. The campaign is completely insane and utterly brilliant and my character is now an absolute BEAST because of the DMs. It's so much fun to play.