I think that even if someone doesn't run a West Marches style game, there's still a lot of advice here that you can port over to a "regular" D&D campaign such as: letting players make up their own map, dropping multiple plot lines and seeing which ones the players gravitate towards, and exploring the wilds. I've never run a West Marches game, but I have used those tactics and it has turned out great!
Love your content man. Know you probs get this all the time, but you were what got me into D&D, and any ttrpg in general. Thank you for introducing me to this awesome hobby!
I am currently the president of the newly founded D&D club at the college I attend. Our members have expressed interest in having the games be set in one world and having the ability to switch groups if they wanted. This game type seems perfect for what we are looking for.
That sounds really cool though certainly a challenge to pull off. I see this was a while ago but I’m sure a lot of people would love to know how it worked out if you ever undertook it
I would like to make my opinion heard: I do not want shorter videos. Your videos are incredibly indepth and inspiring. I put one on while I work on something else and it is very enriching. If I miss out on pieces of information, I'm not concerned because, like the reference manuals of the game, these videos are fantastic reference materials. Any time I need a little push in a topic described in a video, I can just throw it on again. The explanations and enthusiasm match the first time I watched, only now I am more ready for the information, and I will absorb more. Long story short, your videos are best when they're long
A lot of people assume a West Marches game is the same as a Hexcrawl, but I want to do another video on hexcrawling. Then there'll be one video on Sandboxing, one on the West Marches, and one on Hexcrawling, and people can combine them however they want.
Could you do a video (or point me in the direction thereof) on and about GenCon? This year being the 50th anniversary of Gary Gygax's table-top convention, I think this would provide an opportunity for an interesting video. It would show support for D&D at its source and bring more attention to an amazing opportunity to get together and play.
Matthew Colville I just had a thought about how to divorce the two. Traditionally, West Marches is about exploring a geographical territory, but I think it could be adapted to a political/story one. Instead of a bunch of adventurers sitting in a tavern in an unexplored wilderness, the PCs are agents of a nascent intelligence service identifying and addressing threats to the realm. Instead of a treasure map, you have a list of rumors and hearsay about potential threats.
I've always thought that you could very easily convert the West Marches style of game into a guild based adventure as well. Every player is a member of an Adventurer's Guild, which are hired for something as simple as exterminating a few rats in a lady's house to backing up an entire army or even forming an entire army to deal with another kingdom or some equally large threat. The players form different groups and take different quests, depending on what they think they can handle or how much the reward(s) interests them. The quality and quantity of the rewards for different quests could vary drastically, allowing for anywhere from 1-10 players being involved in a single mission.
This video has started me on the path of setting up a west marches game, which we started last February. It has gone rampant, playing 2-3 sessions every week, and last night we had our 100th session with players exploring a yuan ti ruin that was first discovered in session 28. We have had more than 20 different players, and over 40 characters, most regular players having multiple characters. And we're having a great time!
the longer I hear this description the more I think Running a West Marches is basically running an MMO. Lots of players, talking between themselves and picking from a menu of quests they can go on, and then party up to do that quest. I think about the online MUDs (Multi User Dungeons) that were and probably still are a thing (though much more niche now I think). Very interesting!
when I had my game store... we did this sort of thing and when I explained that to one of my younger friends, who wasn't there, he said we had an in person MMO... so, yeah, very astute observation
My conspiracy theory is that no one has actually run a west marches or hex crawls. We just love to write and plan them but none has actually happened. Who has 15 friends??
The players explore the maze and kill the Minotaur, but discover a door that can only be opened by a Minotaur. Later, they learn that a Necromancer has moved into the maze. Another group (or the same group exploring the rumor) goes to explore the maze to discover the Necromancer has raised a Skeletal Minotaur, opened the door, and now has access to all the epic loot! Or maybe another floor of the maze! After clearing out the goblins, wolves have been savaging the livestock. Upon exploring further, the players discover that a Werewolf has taken over the pack, leading their savagery. This Werewolf is being opposed by a Werebear, who was once the Werewolf's mentor and friend, who can provide the players with a silver weapon. Remember, every decision should have a consequence.
HOLY CRAP For about a week I had this idea in my head... this idea that I really wanted to make a big group conversation with all the players, DMs and aspiring players that I know to schedule stuff so I wouldn't have to deal with all these smaller conversations and wouldn't have to organize everything myself. And the entire time I was thinking: How in the world can I do this efficiently? Won't this become super annoying an complicated? How can I get players to open their mouth and actually organise something? How can I do this without getting overloaded with one shots I will have to run for entirely different groups, with different goals, different levels and perhaps even in different worlds? How can I get players to not only play with other people but with other characters than the one they grew attached to without invalidating the established story? And then, from the heavens shone a brilliant light, blinding not only my eyes, but my very soul. Divine music filled my ears, haunting and joyous, otherwordly yet familiar, as a radiant figure descended through the clouds. His form was sexy, his beard and hair glorious and he smelled of cat. And Matthew Colville, for that was his name, leaned down to me and whispered softly in my ear: "Don't worry, I got you." And all became clear. So yeah I'm totally gonna run a west marches style game. It's gonna be great (I hope)!
It's fun to learn that I spent a lot of time re-inventing the wheel when I ran my "Northern Reaches" campaign. Never heard of West Marches when I started it, and could have saved a month or two of trial and error. Good times.
An idea for this to keep the level difference from breaking it would be retiring characters. Say that, at 10th level, your character has to retire. Retired characters can still do npc things like share stories, sell items they found, build strongholds in or near the town, and maybe rescue/ shelter current PCs.
How many games are going to go for long enough for you to reach beyond 10th level? I say let it fly and then whenever your campaign is ending (if you get the chance) do a huge sendoff mission with every character fighting off some existential threat to their home base. With players having to organize to effectively use everyone they have.
I've run four of these kinds of campaigns over the last five years for my University club, we call them 'Living Campaigns'. Each campaign had around 30-50 players (depending on popularity that year) and between 4-9 DMs. We had game nights twice a week, DMs would post their availability, players would form a group and then play the game. Their characters lived in a central hub, a group would go on an adventure and hopefully survive to return to the central hub at the end of the session. We encouraged Write Ups by awarding XP for doing them. Trying something new this year with fixed groups. Essentially, four parties running around in the same world. Really excited for it - four DMs and nineteen players in the world of Ord ( a nod to you Matt :) ).
Great video. I was dazzled when I first read the 4-part series on West Marches years ago. A straight Robbins'-Rules table would be too much for me, as I've already experienced intra-competitive dragon-slaying from my days of leading raids in World of Warcraft. While the constant shifting of players who group out of compatibility, convenience, affinity and opportunity is fascinating, the agony and ecstasy are every bit as volatile as Robbins himself recounts - and enough for one lifetime. What I have done is incorporate the decentralized, player-driven, thread-pull style of West Marches in a SWRPG table. Starting with a sector map of 40 systems, each with a Mass Effect Codex-style write-up, I gave players a narrative push in the beginning, and have since maintained a supply of 5-6 new or developed hooks and leads each session. My players love it - when they've said, "There's so much to do, it's almost overwhelming," they've meant it as a compliment.
Oh my gosh! @Matthew Colville THIS is what I've been doing with my son! Didn't know it was a certain style of play. It's just that we can't get the same people together on a regular basis, so I started with your Delian Tomb, and he played to great effect with one of my friends who happened to be in the same waiting room as us. :) Followed up with a companion tomb I made for Lady Delia, whom the knights were sworn to protect. This he played with his best friend, and they've requested a forest adventure next! I didn't know I was doing a certain style - it just fell out that different people are available at different times. My son and I are the only constants thus far. Thank you so much for your Books, and your videos - it's always a pleasure to listen and learn and try things out.
Good idea for a "new World" scenario. The heroes are explorers on a newly discovered continent and the only safe spot is the colony that's just starting. The heroes have no history to rely on, no idea what monsters they will encounter, no idea what civilizations are already here.
I'd have thought you would have spared a few minutes to mention Steven Lumpkin's The West Marches that was on Rollplay- it was the practical implementation of the West Marches principals. The first few episodes were rocky, but I was extremely impressed with the way Lumpkin procedurally generated game material (he made a mass of random encounters, locations, and roll charts that would often indicate what the players happened across as they explored the wilderness), but managed to make it seem fresh and impromptu. -Nerdarchist Ryan
I know this is a dead, dead comment, but I think dear old Steve Lumpkin managed to work the West Marches format for all it was worth, especially with the way he solved the way that narrative gets pushed aside in that type of game and mechanizing inspiration better all in one fell swoop.
Need to give the players a reason to explore the world? Have them be hired by the Cartographer's Guild. Why hasn't the world been explored? People just arrived on this world/continent, and it hasn't been explored.
I really really like this style! It's something I would love to try but I only have like 4 people irl that do want to play! The idea that you make a huge map and do a lot of work once, and then let them decide is something that sounds like a thing I would love to DM. It Would also weed out the people that "want to play" but never bring it up or ask about it so they clearly don't ACTUALLY want to play. This also is great to help out me in particular because it allows me to work on improvisation with small prompts, and being good at improv is great in a lot of situations in dnd and real life. Great video Matt !
I started watching these videos a few months back. Just want to say thanks for all your work you've put into this. Because of your help, the people I DM for are now enjoying this game more than ever! Keep up the good work bro x
Really glad you've done a video about this; been wanting to get back into RPGs for years and this is one of the things I want to run. Uh, it's Monday tomorrow - it's already Monday here ... go to bed!
I was just watching your 'Running the Game' playlist for the millionth time and what a treat it was to get to a new video! These are great resources, Matt, thank you so much for making these videos.
wow this came at the perfect time. I just talked to a group of old highschool friends about playing DnD and got a much bigger group interested than i thought i would. I'm definitely going to propose this and give it a shot!
I watched this video because I am co-DMing a Western Marches campaign with another DM, and learned so much, I started this series from the beginning. There is something to learn in every single video. You've inspired so much of my content and my friends have even become better players because of it, even in my standard campaign. Thank you for your help!
I dislike them a lot because the GMs are different (usually these games aren't just 1 GM doing it alL), the party is always different and it lacks the personal feel. It favors action over RP and short hooks over any long lasting plot hooks with epic twists and turns.
+Some Guy I feel the same way. I haven't actually played one, but I would like it to be done by 1 or 2 collaborated DMs, with both short and long hooks. I like the idea of getting halfway through a quest, then realizing my team isn't fit for the job, and having to go back, or wait for re-enforcements.
Just wanted to say that I watched this video about six months ago, and was so inspired that I reached out to all of my RPG friends about playing this sort of game. Long story short, TONIGHT will be our first session in a 4-DM, 40+ player West Marches campaign in an original setting. Super excited! Thanks for your inspiring and informative videos, Matt!
So I saw this a little over 3 months ago...and promptly implemented it for a player group of about 30 people at my local university. We just wrapped up the end of gameplay for the semester (finals > D&D) and are now 70 players strong. I recruited additional DMs too to make it flow better, the final DM guild for the campaign contained 14 DMs of varying skill. In 3 months we... Played more than 100 sessions. More than 600 hours of play. Across ~25 adventures. We've adapted many rules from earlier editions to accommodate the motivations of players, such as the 3.5e strongholds supplement book. It's been CRAZY fun... Thanks man!
Ive been running a west marches style game for a couple of years now, we use a priority system based on the last time they played. So I announce when I can run, and people say they want to play and go by priority. The person with the highest priority gets to pick the adventure, usually that player gets feedback from the group on the adventure they want to pursue. Its been really great as a fall back when one of my regular campaigns has player that needs to cancel we will just run a west marches session. Or if I randomly have some time I can run an adventure its easy to get a group together for it.
"Hopefully a short video," said Matt Colville, not realizing at the time that he had never been more wrong. I mean, not like it's problem. Loved this video, super inspiring as always.
Just when I thought your videos couldn't get any better or more informative, you joyfully put me my place. Yes, please, and thank you, Matthew Colville!
20:35 If they TPK, are the players sworn to secrecy? The bard sings “no one lived to tell the tale. 21:27 Did you notice the picture in the background move?
I would love some sort of like reddit or similar thing of a West Marches game where we just sort of advertise little adventures and people sign up like an adventurer's guild. That sounds rather fun and a good way to meet random people
This is SO perfect for everybody's busy schedule. I was thinking about just running a bunch of One Shots - but linking them in a single world, with mix-and-match groups is just brilliant! :D
I dont care how long your videos are because I can always count on them being interesting and informative. So many tubers make short D&D videos that are unwatchable and fluffy. You do it right every time Matt. Thank you.
west Marches sounds like the perfect solution for someone like me, who has my consistent home group but also knows lots of people who want to get into D&D but I can't nor do I want to run multiple groups at once. Thanks so much for elucidating the process in a clear and concise way like this.
I am honestly in love with all this information. Giving me a whole new perspective on how to DM and getting players more involved. Thanks for all the videos Matt ^_^
I think a discord server would probably be perfect for a west marches game, especially if you had specific channels for roleplaying, posting drafts of maps, etc
I read about this Game/style years ago and I've been hyped about it ever since. I think it has an interesting feel to it while allowing a player made story to evolve out of it. Really glad to see that others feel the same!
20:30 "Heard you had a tough time in the Barrow" "Sure did! Got jumped by half a dozen specters!" "Wow, how'd you survive?" "I didn't! I died!.......any powerful clerics come into town recently?"
Thanks Mat. When I started to follow this channel I knew nothing about rpgs, but your tips and experience guided me through my first games as player and as Dm. Greetings from Europe, Peace, out!
I played a west marches game for a couple of months but didn't really like it, since I was always playing with different players and dm's and it was like whatever I did last game storywise and rp-wise, didn't matter. It felt more like a bunch of one shots in a setting than a game where I can have character development. I think min-maxers would like it more than people who like rp. We didn't have a main goal that would've taken many games to unfold.
+E21 F1F I imagine the boon to RP a game like this could inspire wouldn't be seen as well if there are multiple DMs in the campaign. Especially if they don't communicate the minutia of their sessions to the other DMs. I campaign like this COULD shine on RP if it rewarded good RP and had 1 DM running these sessions for everyone, so the DM always knew when a player/character was advancing the RP story of a player. Someone above mentioned checking out the West Marches RollPlay done by Steven Lumpkin ... that series is, IMO, an example of how RP could shine on a game styled like this.
I'm not sure my bunch of DnD nooblets would be ready to roll with something like this, but if there's one point that I took out of this video and will definitely apply to my next games is asking the players what do they want to do next at the end of a session. That way I can write something that is interestiing to them and it takes the responsibility of keeping them entertained all on my own off my shoulders.
I am something of a returning "DnD nooblet" and I would love the idea of trying this out myself, personally. I see it it as a way to flex my roll playing and develop my character. An other way to more focus my skils and learn my abilities with different situations and groups. Perhaps even, run more than one character that I can use and develop and jump into games when the opportunity arises. Imagine the fun... I could be on a quest deep into it and then kick myself when I really think my character should have been a Rogue instead of a fighter.. lol.
At 21:27, the plaque or picture on the wall over Matt’s left shoulder shifts a little bit toward the door. My passive perception is 18, and I guarantee you there’s a secret compartment behind that thing! 😜
not really. the key is that time flows in game world at same rate as real life in between play sessions. another is that at end of each session, the party must return to a safe base. this is how d&d was originally played
This video couldn't have been more timely. I'm having the issue of too many players and while I'm glad that so many of my friends are getting into the game, it is getting pretty chaotic. I think this will be perfect. Thanks for another great video Matt!
I super love the tangent about making settings through other games, I'd recommend The Quiet Year (buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-quiet-year/) for making towns there's less of an explicit emphasis on characters but they really quickly crop up anyway
After watching this video I realized that i should DM a West Marches game, which was unknown to me, furthermore all of these tips made me confident that i can do it! Thanks Matt!
So literally an hour before this came out, I was rewatching your video on the Deck of Many Things (one of my favorite topics you've talked about) and thinking "Man, it's already been a week since the last episode. When's the next one? I'm jonesing for it!" Then you uploaded this. Idk what it is about your videos, but I genuinely sit in anticipation for your next tip. I'm just about days away from starting my first dm campaign and I'm dying for every tip you have to give before it begins. Long story short, I really appreciate not just the advice, but the tangents and stories, and even references, you provide that, however minor they are, provide massive inspiration to me.
Dear Matt, I love ur stuff and as a new DM I have a question for you: why does the painting/relief moves between 22:08 and 22:09!? But seriously, this is very interesting and useful stuff. Thank you.
Long time viewer, first time commenter. Thank you, Mr. Colville, for making this channel and these videos. You are the reason I am bringing my own campaign to a conclusion, am planning another campaign afterwards, and have started comparing and contrasting RPG systems. I take all of your advice to heart, even if I don't follow all of it to the letter, and my players have never been more interested and engaged than before. Thank you. :) Also, +1 vote for the next video being on keeping time.
it sounds crazy, but even just idea of having 15-20 people all in like a metagroup could really lead to something amazing. all I could think about while watching was having all my players being apart of a town's Adventurer's Guild. So it gives a sense of camaraderie. What sounds like a lot of fun is having a Session 0 for a game like this. people hammer out their characters but also add in a bit of role playing to it. say it's the Guild's headquarters and everyone is meeting each other as characters for the first time. Allows them to connect and network and gives a face to the characters so when things lead to that forum style, everyone has a general idea of what people are like.
Matt, I took the plunge and bought Priest a couple days ago. I just started reading it and now its 3 am and I realized I've read over a fourth of the book. You have a new fan!
This is amazing, I simply felt my head exploding and expanding with each new novel concept. Listening to Matt, is like listening to a 50-cal machine gun shooting spent uranium tipped D&D bullets. Each thought is a crit and there is loot with every round! Fascinating, I jumped in and watched #30 first, I'm definitely starting over at episode #1 and will be a long time listener.
I did buy his books and honestly they are pretty good. I finished the first book and immediately picked up the second book and started reading it because I HAD to know what happened next. Thank you Mattew great work!
I've never run or played a West Marches campaign but I have run two "normal" games where I had my players create the world they were playing in with Microscope beforehand. After they created the timeline they picked what era they wanted the campaign to take place in and I would come up with an adventure that made sense in that time . Both times my players loved it . It gave all of them input into what kind of game they wanted to play and even my new players had some grasp of the lore of the world because they helped to create it.
This style is so much fun for everyone, cannot recommend it enough! As a GM this is almost a strainer for your players. Separates those that are truly into playing from those who aren't really interested. As a player this is fantastic way to get super into a story you have so much invested in. My friend's character basically became a land baron in the "safe town." My character saw this, and I realized I could get more invested, so I had a cafe made. Now as more players are joining, I have this legendary cafe that survived a couple of town disasters, off limits to all the new turf wars and imperial policing.
As someone who has paying attention in general, and who only ever seems to have time at 2am, your videos always seem to demand my FULL attention. DAMN YOU FOR MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO HOMEWORK WHILE WATCHING. Eh it's worth it. Thank you so much for the fulfilling content
My dm is running a west marches game. Same world but different times in the worlds history. It’s amazing cuz the dm would bring up old characters we retired. We as the players were taking part of writing history. So amazing
Matt, I just watched this video. If you still want to run a West Marches style game, I am totally in. I’ve only ever played a character twice, but I’m here for it
Every time I watch one of your videos I have a whole new massive idea about how to play D&D. Now I really want to try running a west marches campaign! Keep up the great content!
I was thinking of running a PMD style campaign with all of the players in the same explorers guild, and just running different people different nights. This style of play is perfect! Thank you!
Hey Colville, I just wanna tell you that im a relatively new DM (been Playing for around three years) and your videos are extremely useful and interesting. This video came very handy, and inspired me to start a D&D Campaign at my local game club. I now DM for 31 people who have never played D&D before! (In addition to my normal Thursday group) This means that i have to start teaching people to DM as well, as that is WAY to much for me, cause everyone wants to play every week! I will be sure to send them your way! Cheers, Emil Christensen
Love the idea of using Microscope and Kingdom to build the world together. So much fun. I like the idea of having a portion of my world that is adventure ready but then also having a portion of the world that seems to be unexplored that the adventurers can sail to and that be the West Marches area.
Perfect timing Matt! We were in the process of planning a West Marches through roll20 when this came out. It really helped me answer some of the questions I had designing it. We have a gowing pool of players that are joining, and we have our intro session next week. Should be a hoot. Using all the available tools online, this sshould be doable now. Thx again!
I think that even if someone doesn't run a West Marches style game, there's still a lot of advice here that you can port over to a "regular" D&D campaign such as: letting players make up their own map, dropping multiple plot lines and seeing which ones the players gravitate towards, and exploring the wilds. I've never run a West Marches game, but I have used those tactics and it has turned out great!
Absolutely, it enhances any hex-crawl or mega-dungeon, and incorporating all those in a narrative driven adventure path? Big Plays, much fun, Wow!
Love your content man. Know you probs get this all the time, but you were what got me into D&D, and any ttrpg in general. Thank you for introducing me to this awesome hobby!
YOOOOOOOOOOO THIS MY BOI MR. FOREST HIMSELF
@Lourdes Parkison I do know that no one cares
Yeah, but what do you know about D&D? ;)
I am currently the president of the newly founded D&D club at the college I attend. Our members have expressed interest in having the games be set in one world and having the ability to switch groups if they wanted. This game type seems perfect for what we are looking for.
That sounds really cool though certainly a challenge to pull off. I see this was a while ago but I’m sure a lot of people would love to know how it worked out if you ever undertook it
I’m very jealous lol
The other way is using an Adventurers' Guild so players can come and go.
"This is a hopefully a short video."
Haha. Silly Matt. There's no such thing on this channel.
It isn't a hour so it's short for him ;)
and thats just the way we like it!
Yup, I really don't think anyone's gonna mind! -Nerdarchist Ryan
"short" as in "not 3-hours long".... Just the way I like it too ^_°
7 years later, and the videos still are never as short as he hopes
I would like to make my opinion heard: I do not want shorter videos. Your videos are incredibly indepth and inspiring. I put one on while I work on something else and it is very enriching. If I miss out on pieces of information, I'm not concerned because, like the reference manuals of the game, these videos are fantastic reference materials. Any time I need a little push in a topic described in a video, I can just throw it on again. The explanations and enthusiasm match the first time I watched, only now I am more ready for the information, and I will absorb more.
Long story short, your videos are best when they're long
Foxie Neikun I like these short, 30-min vids ^_^
agreed, can listen to them while playing other games like league or warships and it's good to hear for ideas
I like both but 1 he long videos he has done have been aces
When it's the TPK, players have a hell of a story to tell when they get back to town
The most metagame thing I've ever heard)
They got better
A lot of people assume a West Marches game is the same as a Hexcrawl, but I want to do another video on hexcrawling. Then there'll be one video on Sandboxing, one on the West Marches, and one on Hexcrawling, and people can combine them however they want.
Could you do a video (or point me in the direction thereof) on and about GenCon? This year being the 50th anniversary of Gary Gygax's table-top convention, I think this would provide an opportunity for an interesting video. It would show support for D&D at its source and bring more attention to an amazing opportunity to get together and play.
Matthew Colville I just had a thought about how to divorce the two. Traditionally, West Marches is about exploring a geographical territory, but I think it could be adapted to a political/story one. Instead of a bunch of adventurers sitting in a tavern in an unexplored wilderness, the PCs are agents of a nascent intelligence service identifying and addressing threats to the realm. Instead of a treasure map, you have a list of rumors and hearsay about potential threats.
this sounds awsome. brilliant idea
And.... i dont know what any of that is. I feel like i just walked in to the room of 20th level nerds as a level 3
If only there were videos you could watch explaining it all!
Wow, this video is so relevant to some issues I am having with my campaign right now, it really gave me a lot to think about, thanks Matt!
You know it's a good video when AJ says thanks!
I've always thought that you could very easily convert the West Marches style of game into a guild based adventure as well. Every player is a member of an Adventurer's Guild, which are hired for something as simple as exterminating a few rats in a lady's house to backing up an entire army or even forming an entire army to deal with another kingdom or some equally large threat. The players form different groups and take different quests, depending on what they think they can handle or how much the reward(s) interests them. The quality and quantity of the rewards for different quests could vary drastically, allowing for anywhere from 1-10 players being involved in a single mission.
check blue hoods discord
@@ΝίκοςΠ-ι4η pretty sure you might be one year too late
@@lucasdelaplace2795 I'm writing from Internet Explorer
@@ΝίκοςΠ-ι4η Wait. I saw that server listed. What do you mean its outdated?
What about... This, but it's Paranoia?
"Hopefully a short video"
*Looks at run time* - *laughs*
exactly my reaction, lol.
Me too ;)
thebobsterjones This is a pretty short video compared to some of Matt's other videos. I have now associated "Short Video" with 25-30 minutes.
If it's less than an hour, it's short in my book. I want more of sexy beard man's voice
30 minutes IS a short video.
This video has started me on the path of setting up a west marches game, which we started last February. It has gone rampant, playing 2-3 sessions every week, and last night we had our 100th session with players exploring a yuan ti ruin that was first discovered in session 28. We have had more than 20 different players, and over 40 characters, most regular players having multiple characters. And we're having a great time!
the longer I hear this description the more I think Running a West Marches is basically running an MMO. Lots of players, talking between themselves and picking from a menu of quests they can go on, and then party up to do that quest. I think about the online MUDs (Multi User Dungeons) that were and probably still are a thing (though much more niche now I think). Very interesting!
when I had my game store... we did this sort of thing and when I explained that to one of my younger friends, who wasn't there, he said we had an in person MMO... so, yeah, very astute observation
Yes! Dnd was originally the first REAL TIME MMO! Time passed in the fantasy world whether you played or not!
Yep, It has a lot of similarity.
Typical of Dave not to pair up with Lisa...That is such a Dave move
Come on Dave. Get your act together man
Frick'n Dave...
It's not my fault Lisa always tries to tame every animal we encounter and we end up getting shredded.
@@UncleGus007 I'm with Dave on this one.
My conspiracy theory is that no one has actually run a west marches or hex crawls. We just love to write and plan them but none has actually happened. Who has 15 friends??
I played it for 4 years (1year 5e and 3 of Pathfinder 2e) it is perfect for online group
I just started one for my dnd club at college :) hope it goes well
There are online West Marches servers with literally hundreds of players.
It's me
The players explore the maze and kill the Minotaur, but discover a door that can only be opened by a Minotaur.
Later, they learn that a Necromancer has moved into the maze. Another group (or the same group exploring the rumor) goes to explore the maze to discover the Necromancer has raised a Skeletal Minotaur, opened the door, and now has access to all the epic loot! Or maybe another floor of the maze!
After clearing out the goblins, wolves have been savaging the livestock. Upon exploring further, the players discover that a Werewolf has taken over the pack, leading their savagery. This Werewolf is being opposed by a Werebear, who was once the Werewolf's mentor and friend, who can provide the players with a silver weapon.
Remember, every decision should have a consequence.
Thank you for posting Matt, we know you're busy man. We appreciate you and all your hard work!!! Stay up & take care 💪
HOLY CRAP
For about a week I had this idea in my head... this idea that I really wanted to make a big group conversation with all the players, DMs and aspiring players that I know to schedule stuff so I wouldn't have to deal with all these smaller conversations and wouldn't have to organize everything myself. And the entire time I was thinking: How in the world can I do this efficiently? Won't this become super annoying an complicated? How can I get players to open their mouth and actually organise something? How can I do this without getting overloaded with one shots I will have to run for entirely different groups, with different goals, different levels and perhaps even in different worlds? How can I get players to not only play with other people but with other characters than the one they grew attached to without invalidating the established story?
And then, from the heavens shone a brilliant light, blinding not only my eyes, but my very soul. Divine music filled my ears, haunting and joyous, otherwordly yet familiar, as a radiant figure descended through the clouds. His form was sexy, his beard and hair glorious and he smelled of cat.
And Matthew Colville, for that was his name, leaned down to me and whispered softly in my ear:
"Don't worry, I got you."
And all became clear.
So yeah I'm totally gonna run a west marches style game. It's gonna be great (I hope)!
Part of one right now (as a DM), if you want to join as a DM, I would welcome you aboard!
So how'd it go?
"who cares if there's a TPK. now they have a hell of story to tell when they get back" I get what you meant here, but also lol
It's fun to learn that I spent a lot of time re-inventing the wheel when I ran my "Northern Reaches" campaign. Never heard of West Marches when I started it, and could have saved a month or two of trial and error. Good times.
An idea for this to keep the level difference from breaking it would be retiring characters. Say that, at 10th level, your character has to retire. Retired characters can still do npc things like share stories, sell items they found, build strongholds in or near the town, and maybe rescue/ shelter current PCs.
How many games are going to go for long enough for you to reach beyond 10th level? I say let it fly and then whenever your campaign is ending (if you get the chance) do a huge sendoff mission with every character fighting off some existential threat to their home base. With players having to organize to effectively use everyone they have.
I've run four of these kinds of campaigns over the last five years for my University club, we call them 'Living Campaigns'. Each campaign had around 30-50 players (depending on popularity that year) and between 4-9 DMs. We had game nights twice a week, DMs would post their availability, players would form a group and then play the game. Their characters lived in a central hub, a group would go on an adventure and hopefully survive to return to the central hub at the end of the session. We encouraged Write Ups by awarding XP for doing them.
Trying something new this year with fixed groups. Essentially, four parties running around in the same world. Really excited for it - four DMs and nineteen players in the world of Ord ( a nod to you Matt :) ).
DUUUDE! THIS TOTALLY FITS MY GROUP OF FRIENDS! Three dm's and like 15 players. Thank you!
Ben Watson a group with more then one DM count yourself blessed
Merci!
Great video. I was dazzled when I first read the 4-part series on West Marches years ago.
A straight Robbins'-Rules table would be too much for me, as I've already experienced intra-competitive dragon-slaying from my days of leading raids in World of Warcraft. While the constant shifting of players who group out of compatibility, convenience, affinity and opportunity is fascinating, the agony and ecstasy are every bit as volatile as Robbins himself recounts - and enough for one lifetime.
What I have done is incorporate the decentralized, player-driven, thread-pull style of West Marches in a SWRPG table. Starting with a sector map of 40 systems, each with a Mass Effect Codex-style write-up, I gave players a narrative push in the beginning, and have since maintained a supply of 5-6 new or developed hooks and leads each session. My players love it - when they've said, "There's so much to do, it's almost overwhelming," they've meant it as a compliment.
Oh my gosh! @Matthew Colville THIS is what I've been doing with my son! Didn't know it was a certain style of play. It's just that we can't get the same people together on a regular basis, so I started with your Delian Tomb, and he played to great effect with one of my friends who happened to be in the same waiting room as us. :)
Followed up with a companion tomb I made for Lady Delia, whom the knights were sworn to protect. This he played with his best friend, and they've requested a forest adventure next!
I didn't know I was doing a certain style - it just fell out that different people are available at different times. My son and I are the only constants thus far.
Thank you so much for your Books, and your videos - it's always a pleasure to listen and learn and try things out.
I was already organizing a west marches game by the time the video ended
Good idea for a "new World" scenario. The heroes are explorers on a newly discovered continent and the only safe spot is the colony that's just starting. The heroes have no history to rely on, no idea what monsters they will encounter, no idea what civilizations are already here.
I'd have thought you would have spared a few minutes to mention Steven Lumpkin's The West Marches that was on Rollplay- it was the practical implementation of the West Marches principals. The first few episodes were rocky, but I was extremely impressed with the way Lumpkin procedurally generated game material (he made a mass of random encounters, locations, and roll charts that would often indicate what the players happened across as they explored the wilderness), but managed to make it seem fresh and impromptu. -Nerdarchist Ryan
I know this is a dead, dead comment, but I think dear old Steve Lumpkin managed to work the West Marches format for all it was worth, especially with the way he solved the way that narrative gets pushed aside in that type of game and mechanizing inspiration better all in one fell swoop.
Lumpkin's West Marches is by far the best D&D show I've ever seen. It's a real shame the way it ended.
Hey uh, maybe nerdarchy could do a video on that. Don't forget to crit hit that subscribe button and attune *harp sounds* to the notification bell.
For a guy I don’t know, you sure are a reliable friend when it comes to consistently having the answers to the questions I have. 🙏🏽
Need to give the players a reason to explore the world?
Have them be hired by the Cartographer's Guild.
Why hasn't the world been explored?
People just arrived on this world/continent, and it hasn't been explored.
this has been the style of play i've used for decades,love that this has been discussed on your feed.....great job sir
I really really like this style! It's something I would love to try but I only have like 4 people irl that do want to play!
The idea that you make a huge map and do a lot of work once, and then let them decide is something that sounds like a thing I would love to DM. It
Would also weed out the people that "want to play" but never bring it up or ask about it so they clearly don't ACTUALLY want to play.
This also is great to help out me in particular because it allows me to work on improvisation with small prompts, and being good at improv is great in a lot of situations in dnd and real life.
Great video Matt !
I started watching these videos a few months back. Just want to say thanks for all your work you've put into this. Because of your help, the people I DM for are now enjoying this game more than ever!
Keep up the good work bro x
Really glad you've done a video about this; been wanting to get back into RPGs for years and this is one of the things I want to run.
Uh, it's Monday tomorrow - it's already Monday here ... go to bed!
Mitchell Quinn same!
I was just watching your 'Running the Game' playlist for the millionth time and what a treat it was to get to a new video!
These are great resources, Matt, thank you so much for making these videos.
wow this came at the perfect time. I just talked to a group of old highschool friends about playing DnD and got a much bigger group interested than i thought i would. I'm definitely going to propose this and give it a shot!
7 year old comment? How did the westmarches game go?
I watched this video because I am co-DMing a Western Marches campaign with another DM, and learned so much, I started this series from the beginning. There is something to learn in every single video. You've inspired so much of my content and my friends have even become better players because of it, even in my standard campaign. Thank you for your help!
IF ANYONE RUNS A WEST MARCHES GAME ON ROLL20, let me know! Dying to try this!!
I'm with you man! I wanna get in a West Marches game so bad! Hopefully soon something comes up.
There are tons of these on Roll20 but instead of west marches they are called 'living campaigns'
I dislike them a lot because the GMs are different (usually these games aren't just 1 GM doing it alL), the party is always different and it lacks the personal feel. It favors action over RP and short hooks over any long lasting plot hooks with epic twists and turns.
would also like to play as a player! Someone produce a willing DM!
+Some Guy I feel the same way. I haven't actually played one, but I would like it to be done by 1 or 2 collaborated DMs, with both short and long hooks. I like the idea of getting halfway through a quest, then realizing my team isn't fit for the job, and having to go back, or wait for re-enforcements.
Wow, this is a blast from the past! I played in the 70's with the original boxed set and can confirm that we played this way. Definitely recommended!
wow, this is very old school. you at my Deep Silence you will see how many players I ran for. I love this idea. Good Job
woah it’s Jim Murphy!
Just wanted to say that I watched this video about six months ago, and was so inspired that I reached out to all of my RPG friends about playing this sort of game. Long story short, TONIGHT will be our first session in a 4-DM, 40+ player West Marches campaign in an original setting. Super excited! Thanks for your inspiring and informative videos, Matt!
Thanks for making this vid! It's helping me begin working on my West Marches project again.
Awesome video as always Matt! Thanks for taking time to relay awesome content and ideas to us!
Oh man. I didn't know I needed to be in a game like this, but I do. A subreddit is the perfect forum for this.
So I saw this a little over 3 months ago...and promptly implemented it for a player group of about 30 people at my local university.
We just wrapped up the end of gameplay for the semester (finals > D&D) and are now 70 players strong. I recruited additional DMs too to make it flow better, the final DM guild for the campaign contained 14 DMs of varying skill.
In 3 months we...
Played more than 100 sessions.
More than 600 hours of play.
Across ~25 adventures.
We've adapted many rules from earlier editions to accommodate the motivations of players, such as the 3.5e strongholds supplement book.
It's been CRAZY fun... Thanks man!
Ive been running a west marches style game for a couple of years now, we use a priority system based on the last time they played. So I announce when I can run, and people say they want to play and go by priority. The person with the highest priority gets to pick the adventure, usually that player gets feedback from the group on the adventure they want to pursue. Its been really great as a fall back when one of my regular campaigns has player that needs to cancel we will just run a west marches session. Or if I randomly have some time I can run an adventure its easy to get a group together for it.
How do you choose this priority? I assume it was the person that hasn't played for the longest time.
"Hopefully a short video," said Matt Colville, not realizing at the time that he had never been more wrong.
I mean, not like it's problem. Loved this video, super inspiring as always.
Just when I thought your videos couldn't get any better or more informative, you joyfully put me my place. Yes, please, and thank you, Matthew Colville!
in my place. see you got me so excited I can't type!!!
20:35 If they TPK, are the players sworn to secrecy? The bard sings “no one lived to tell the tale.
21:27 Did you notice the picture in the background move?
I would love some sort of like reddit or similar thing of a West Marches game where we just sort of advertise little adventures and people sign up like an adventurer's guild. That sounds rather fun and a good way to meet random people
This is SO perfect for everybody's busy schedule. I was thinking about just running a bunch of One Shots - but linking them in a single world, with mix-and-match groups is just brilliant! :D
Now you have the creative juices flowing, I absolutely need to attempt this.
I dont care how long your videos are because I can always count on them being interesting and informative. So many tubers make short D&D videos that are unwatchable and fluffy. You do it right every time Matt. Thank you.
Did anyone else notice the picture in the background move at 22:09? I went back a few second to make sure I saw it right 😂
west Marches sounds like the perfect solution for someone like me, who has my consistent home group but also knows lots of people who want to get into D&D but I can't nor do I want to run multiple groups at once. Thanks so much for elucidating the process in a clear and concise way like this.
i actually currently play in a marches game where our home base was destroyed by waking a sleeping god :')
Jariss Thompson omg yo jarris it's Bailey I didn't know you played dnd what edition do you guys use
BaileyWeasley 5e for one game 3.5 for another lol
Jariss Thompson nice I'm playing 3.5 with a group rn I'm having a lot of fun. :)
BaileyWeasley yeah its pretty fun haha
Jariss Thompson nice I'm just getting into the hobby I played a little of 4e before but not many session
I am honestly in love with all this information. Giving me a whole new perspective on how to DM and getting players more involved. Thanks for all the videos Matt ^_^
I think a discord server would probably be perfect for a west marches game, especially if you had specific channels for roleplaying, posting drafts of maps, etc
Yuup there are a bunch out there. Used to moderate for one.
I read about this Game/style years ago and I've been hyped about it ever since. I think it has an interesting feel to it while allowing a player made story to evolve out of it. Really glad to see that others feel the same!
20:30
"Heard you had a tough time in the Barrow"
"Sure did! Got jumped by half a dozen specters!"
"Wow, how'd you survive?"
"I didn't! I died!.......any powerful clerics come into town recently?"
Thanks Mat. When I started to follow this channel I knew nothing about rpgs, but your tips and experience guided me through my first games as player and as Dm.
Greetings from Europe,
Peace, out!
I played a west marches game for a couple of months but didn't really like it, since I was always playing with different players and dm's and it was like whatever I did last game storywise and rp-wise, didn't matter. It felt more like a bunch of one shots in a setting than a game where I can have character development. I think min-maxers would like it more than people who like rp. We didn't have a main goal that would've taken many games to unfold.
Yep, I experienced the same thing. Not a fan, of course different strokes for different folks.
Loxard really? that's interesting. I thought it would be better for rp because there would be a lot more inter-party roleplaying
+E21 F1F I imagine the boon to RP a game like this could inspire wouldn't be seen as well if there are multiple DMs in the campaign. Especially if they don't communicate the minutia of their sessions to the other DMs. I campaign like this COULD shine on RP if it rewarded good RP and had 1 DM running these sessions for everyone, so the DM always knew when a player/character was advancing the RP story of a player. Someone above mentioned checking out the West Marches RollPlay done by Steven Lumpkin ... that series is, IMO, an example of how RP could shine on a game styled like this.
It's all about how it is managed. I am starting a WM and I am making sure it won't be like that at all.
Very interesting point. This is crucial for me as a DM. Thank you.
AHHH!!! I've only got 1 left before I'm caught up. Glad this isn't as short as expected. Love your channel and looking forward to future content!
I'm not sure my bunch of DnD nooblets would be ready to roll with something like this, but if there's one point that I took out of this video and will definitely apply to my next games is asking the players what do they want to do next at the end of a session. That way I can write something that is interestiing to them and it takes the responsibility of keeping them entertained all on my own off my shoulders.
MrKagemitsu Also, check for their backstories.
Maybe you had the plot hooks there from tge begginning and just didn't identifird them as such.
I am something of a returning "DnD nooblet" and I would love the idea of trying this out myself, personally. I see it it as a way to flex my roll playing and develop my character. An other way to more focus my skils and learn my abilities with different situations and groups. Perhaps even, run more than one character that I can use and develop and jump into games when the opportunity arises. Imagine the fun... I could be on a quest deep into it and then kick myself when I really think my character should have been a Rogue instead of a fighter.. lol.
At 21:27, the plaque or picture on the wall over Matt’s left shoulder shifts a little bit toward the door. My passive perception is 18, and I guarantee you there’s a secret compartment behind that thing! 😜
Then at 22:09 it shifts back. I’m rolling an Investigation Check...
Okay, it’s a Star Wars wood cutting. Still... There’s a secret compartment there SOMEWHERE. 😉
I feel like tracking time in a West Marches style game would be a nightmare.
not really. the key is that time flows in game world at same rate as real life in between play sessions. another is that at end of each session, the party must return to a safe base. this is how d&d was originally played
This video couldn't have been more timely. I'm having the issue of too many players and while I'm glad that so many of my friends are getting into the game, it is getting pretty chaotic. I think this will be perfect. Thanks for another great video Matt!
29:11 That should be the episode thumbnail!
Odothuigon he looks so proud how it accidentally aligned with his face lmao
Newby DM here and I have been powering through this playlist. Absolutely amazing! Thank you so much.
I super love the tangent about making settings through other games, I'd recommend The Quiet Year (buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-quiet-year/) for making towns there's less of an explicit emphasis on characters but they really quickly crop up anyway
After watching this video I realized that i should DM a West Marches game, which was unknown to me, furthermore all of these tips made me confident that i can do it! Thanks Matt!
yes! new content :D
So literally an hour before this came out, I was rewatching your video on the Deck of Many Things (one of my favorite topics you've talked about) and thinking "Man, it's already been a week since the last episode. When's the next one? I'm jonesing for it!" Then you uploaded this. Idk what it is about your videos, but I genuinely sit in anticipation for your next tip. I'm just about days away from starting my first dm campaign and I'm dying for every tip you have to give before it begins.
Long story short, I really appreciate not just the advice, but the tangents and stories, and even references, you provide that, however minor they are, provide massive inspiration to me.
Dear Matt, I love ur stuff and as a new DM I have a question for you: why does the painting/relief moves between 22:08 and 22:09!? But seriously, this is very interesting and useful stuff. Thank you.
That look of pleasure when unpacking the templates :) Nothing can beat the fealoing of peeling away any kind of plastic
any idea when your Stronghold Rules will be on Kickstarter Matt.
I'd like to throw some money your way for completely unselfish reasons of course
I think about 2 months.
Thank you Sir I'll be sure to lend my support.
Checking in two months later. How about now?
Maybe now?
Brilliance takes time and I suspect Matt will deliver something Spectacular
Thanks for peeling that off for us, really needed that
Custom lightsaber?
Show and tell Mr. Colville.
Saberforge? VadersVault?
UltraSabers is best lightsabers
Long time viewer, first time commenter.
Thank you, Mr. Colville, for making this channel and these videos. You are the reason I am bringing my own campaign to a conclusion, am planning another campaign afterwards, and have started comparing and contrasting RPG systems. I take all of your advice to heart, even if I don't follow all of it to the letter, and my players have never been more interested and engaged than before.
Thank you. :)
Also, +1 vote for the next video being on keeping time.
"Short video" *30min long*
Now to watch it.
DFAnton it's a running joke. gives me a smile every time he opens with it
it sounds crazy, but even just idea of having 15-20 people all in like a metagroup could really lead to something amazing. all I could think about while watching was having all my players being apart of a town's Adventurer's Guild. So it gives a sense of camaraderie. What sounds like a lot of fun is having a Session 0 for a game like this. people hammer out their characters but also add in a bit of role playing to it. say it's the Guild's headquarters and everyone is meeting each other as characters for the first time. Allows them to connect and network and gives a face to the characters so when things lead to that forum style, everyone has a general idea of what people are like.
I've never heard anyone pronounce "cliques" as "cleeks". My entire life, everyone has pronounced it "clicks". Just nitpicking, good video regardless!
Matt, I took the plunge and bought Priest a couple days ago. I just started reading it and now its 3 am and I realized I've read over a fourth of the book. You have a new fan!
Matt, your eyes are looking a bit tired. You working too hard, bud?
Eyes look baggier the later in the day I record, this was recorded around 9PM.
Quiet, you. He looks as glorious as ever.
Just glad he's ok. Burnout is a horrible thing, I'd hate for him to be overloading.
This is amazing, I simply felt my head exploding and expanding with each new novel concept. Listening to Matt, is like listening to a 50-cal machine gun shooting spent uranium tipped D&D bullets. Each thought is a crit and there is loot with every round! Fascinating, I jumped in and watched #30 first, I'm definitely starting over at episode #1 and will be a long time listener.
The sound followed by the facial expressions at 29:08; Priceless. For everything else, you can look for it in the "doobly-doo".
I did buy his books and honestly they are pretty good. I finished the first book and immediately picked up the second book and started reading it because I HAD to know what happened next. Thank you Mattew great work!
I've never run or played a West Marches campaign but I have run two "normal" games where I had my players create the world they were playing in with Microscope beforehand. After they created the timeline they picked what era they wanted the campaign to take place in and I would come up with an adventure that made sense in that time . Both times my players loved it . It gave all of them input into what kind of game they wanted to play and even my new players had some grasp of the lore of the world because they helped to create it.
goddammit, I love this man.
every single second of this video is gold
This style is so much fun for everyone, cannot recommend it enough! As a GM this is almost a strainer for your players. Separates those that are truly into playing from those who aren't really interested. As a player this is fantastic way to get super into a story you have so much invested in. My friend's character basically became a land baron in the "safe town." My character saw this, and I realized I could get more invested, so I had a cafe made. Now as more players are joining, I have this legendary cafe that survived a couple of town disasters, off limits to all the new turf wars and imperial policing.
Thanks for all the new stuff to think about, Matt!
Matt peeling off the backing to the spell templates was incredibly pleasing
As someone who has paying attention in general, and who only ever seems to have time at 2am, your videos always seem to demand my FULL attention. DAMN YOU FOR MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO HOMEWORK WHILE WATCHING. Eh it's worth it. Thank you so much for the fulfilling content
Do your homework, Chase! :D
My dm is running a west marches game. Same world but different times in the worlds history. It’s amazing cuz the dm would bring up old characters we retired. We as the players were taking part of writing history. So amazing
Matt, I just watched this video. If you still want to run a West Marches style game, I am totally in. I’ve only ever played a character twice, but I’m here for it
Every time I watch one of your videos I have a whole new massive idea about how to play D&D. Now I really want to try running a west marches campaign! Keep up the great content!
I was thinking of running a PMD style campaign with all of the players in the same explorers guild, and just running different people different nights. This style of play is perfect! Thank you!
Just bought both your books because I have enjoyed this channel so much! I'm looking forward to reading them.
Hey Colville,
I just wanna tell you that im a relatively new DM (been Playing for around three years) and your videos are extremely useful and interesting. This video came very handy, and inspired me to start a D&D Campaign at my local game club. I now DM for 31 people who have never played D&D before! (In addition to my normal Thursday group) This means that i have to start teaching people to DM as well, as that is WAY to much for me, cause everyone wants to play every week! I will be sure to send them your way!
Cheers,
Emil Christensen
Love the idea of using Microscope and Kingdom to build the world together. So much fun. I like the idea of having a portion of my world that is adventure ready but then also having a portion of the world that seems to be unexplored that the adventurers can sail to and that be the West Marches area.
Perfect timing Matt! We were in the process of planning a West Marches through roll20 when this came out. It really helped me answer some of the questions I had designing it. We have a gowing pool of players that are joining, and we have our intro session next week. Should be a hoot. Using all the available tools online, this sshould be doable now. Thx again!