🌟 Return of the Lazy DM (DriveThruRPG): www.drivethrurpg.com/product/251431/Return-of-the-Lazy-Dungeon-Master?affiliate_id=1987166 🌟 Return of the Lazy DM (Amazon): amzn.to/30j32F2 ❤️ Subscribe on RUclips: ruclips.net/user/bobworldbuilder
@@BobWorldBuilder There's an old story that goes that Bill Gates would find the laziest person to do a job because he knew that person would find the most efficient method of accomplishing a task.
That is why lazy people are useful if you know how to use them. Give them a process to follow, see what they would cut from the process and analyze why they would do it. You will see that a lot of the process can be easily shortened to basic components. Now, do never get a lazy person to do non flexible jobs, that usually winds up being the worse mess possible.
"When in doubt, start with a challenge" is how I would personally phrase it. Throw in a skill check, a challenge to a character's integrity or history, or even an amusing inconvenience to get them interacting with environment.
I started a few sessions with my kids (see my other comment) with them finishing their shift as security guards for a storage facility. They'd punch the clock and then hit the mean streets of Silver City to go find some action.
💯 I was gonna comment that starting w combat or as you state a challenge anything thing to get the players warmed up rollin 🎲. It kinda takes the edge of a seems they relax a little and pay better attention once the 'call to action' is somewhat sated.
@@digitallurke7710 Exactly. I find it helps to diffuse awkwardness at the table (I'm much the same when I play), get people who have been hyped all week to burn some of that energy, and give people a topic to roleplay about after the fact.
I come from a screenwriting background. I recognize that there are major differences between these two entertainments, but there are a few key screenwriting concepts that can be very useful when running a game. My formulation of this suggestion is “Grab your players’ attention and get them involved and invested in the first five minutes”. A fight is one way to accomplish this, but a chase, a rescue, or any type of emergency that requires immediate response will work. Even better, this first scene can set the stage as the first clue or hook. Who set the tavern on fire? Why was the village idiot kidnapped? Where did the rampaging monster come from? The worst thing you can do is start the game with a 10 minute debate between the players as to what they want to do next. Second worst is the tavern opening, where players seek rumors from the bartender and clientele (which then often leads to the 10 minute debate).
I think Return of the Lazy dungeon master is better at what the DMG claims to be, a guide for dungeon masters. However I think the DMG still has lots of good resources, like Random Tables, Ways to make your game more suited to you with rules and such, and good Ideas for plot points. I feel like the dungeon masters guide should be called "the phantastical things of DND" It would fulfill that roll very well.
The only reason I’m at this channel is because Mike Shea/Sly Flourish said, in one of his videos, something akin to “and when I’m not sure, I just go watch Bob World Builder.” So, I guess this is full circle.
As someone who primarily plays non-D&D TTRPGs (L5R has been my jam for a while now), the Lazy Dungeon Master has been useful for creating adventures set outside the dungeon, even social intrigues. Creating a spiral campaign has also been great for making what I call “primers”, which lets me share my loose structure of an adventure with my L5R community. The Lazy Dungeon Master is one of my most visited books for prepping campaigns, with Dungeon World being a great supplement of ideas to set up your campaign worksheet.
I recently started summing up the previous session instead of the group doing it. I find it gets the game going quicker and my players like it because they're reminded of relevant plot points. They have no issue bringing up things they were interested in that I didn't mention. So, basically it's group dependent and you should experiment to find what is best for your group.
I think “it’s group dependent” is one of the top tips for new DMs to learn. There are no absolute rules, the trick is to figure out what works for you and your players to have the most fun!
Since I have been following the 8 steps, not only has my prep time massively decreased and my games have become so much more open, fluid and progressive, but I feel like I am actually playing the game too.
I've been DMing with this book for about 2 years now and I have players who are convinced I'm thinking like 5 session in advance. Usually only prepare 1-2 hours before and then just sit down and talk with them before the game starts!
Yeah, I wish I had this earlier. For the price, it’s totally worth it! Can’t over emphasize what a good tool it is because it actually guides you to find your own style 👍
best companion book in the business! it is the first suggestion every time one of my players asks about starting to DM,.. the 2nd being "The Monsters Know What They're Doing"
As far as chapter 19 goes, one thing I started doing a couple of campaigns ago is I offer bonus XP to any player that journals about the session - we have a FB group and they publish it there so all the players can see. This does the job of allowing me to see the session through the player’s eyes so to speak.
Those kinds of incentives can work really well, but I’ve also heard of that getting out of hand. As long as the whole group is cool with it, keep it going! :)
@@BobWorldBuilder Out of hand? Like people writing too much? I could see some players that don’t want to write a journal being unhappy they don’t get the XP but I have not experienced that thankfully.
I really like this idea. Maybe give Inspiration instead so it's not tied directly to the PCs advancement, but is a fun bonus you get to immediately use.
Yeah, basically if some people have no interest in taking notes, they could become resentful of the players who do it so well and are rewarded for it. Like I said, as long as it's working for your group, it's all good :)
I don't know how I've never come across this channel before. I had never heard of Bob or even the Lazy DM book(s). This review was incredibly thorough, informative, and articulate. Instant sub! Well done, sir!
I've said it before, I'll say it again: this book should be core. Player's Handbook + Lazy DM Guide would give a total beginner everything needed, from understanding the core mechanics, races & classes, to learning how to even DM. With this approach you can take any Module you want and as you read, you build your session the Lazy DM way. You use the Module as a inspiration and can easily run with like 70% true to the book and 30% your own flair.
I bought this book and almost instantly became a better dm. I recommend to everyone that asks for dm advice. I will say I disagree with your assessment of the fast start and the recap section. I don’t necessarily start with combat, but I do try to create a sense of urgency. Even with my long flowing campaign, the sessions where I use the fast start have generally been more productive and rewarding. As for the recap, I found that letting the players each give a one or two sentence recap with me filling in the rest works best. It lets me know which parts are truly sticking with them from session to session.
I've bought this manual some years ago and it helped me a lot, teaching me how to prepare adventures in less time, though I don't follow all his advices (e.g. I don't throw away secrets I haven't used, if they look cool, to me it would be a waste). I've recently bought The Lazy DM's Workbook, which is very useful at the table (though I already have many of its tables in my custom made DM screen) and I'm planning on supporting the recently kickstarted Lazy DM's Companion and buying it. Truly, Michael E. Shea's channel is one a DM should follow, the guy is full of good ideas, explains them well and is constantly concerned about the practical things that make a game session run smoothly.
I have never read the original version of the Lazy Dungeon Master, but this does look like a very useful book. I am also a sucker for books with great artwork.
Got this to help get me started, and it's a great read. I know he says it's for experienced DMs, but I find it is super helpful getting me focused on what I actually need to do to get my first DM game together.
I have learned over the past two years, much to my disappointment and satisfaction at the same time, that WotC are just never going to be able to make resources as good as professional homebrewers/DM's. (Professional meaning well reviewed sold books)
And that is a pretty counterintuitive idea! You'd think by bringing any writers together with lots of time and resources all dedicated to the same project, they'd be a win every time. I guess it's a little unfair if we judge every WotC product against the very best 3rd party products, but yeah, the 5e DMG missed the mark in my opinion. It's more of worldbuilding book (which I'm fine with of course) than a guide for DMs
The companion book for this one: "The Lazy DM's Workbook" is awesome too! It comes will full on worksheets for game prepping, an awesome thing to have as a new DM/GM. Now, I don't even have to worry about how I format my notes 👍👍 Thanks for spreading the word about Sly's great material Bob!!
Welp, that's a purchase. I've only been DMing for about 5 months and have been kinda struggling. Just the points covered in the review has already changed how my session is going to be run this afternoon.
I second how good this book is for a new DM like myself , it really made a big difference in my games immediately . they were more fun and i was a bit more confident in running games .
I picked up a bunch of $1 glass bottles with corks at Hobby Lobby. Then I get M&M's and fill them with specific mixtures that represent potions. The colors of M&M's denote which potion is which, and the M&M's are counted out to denote how many doses are in the vial. Thus, when they use the potion, they remove the appropriate M&M's (and eat them if they want to). Additionally, they have learned (the hard way) that if one (or more) players eat the M&M's while playing, it is representative of the characters sipping it as they are doing stuff such that, if that vial has no M&M's in it when it's needed, someone slowly drank it without the others taking notice. To say the least, they ALL watch those vials more closely. The players have found this to be a fun interactive prop and for those comfortable eating the M&M's, they give the PLAYER a chance to enjoy the potion directly.
Thank you for the review. I had been eyeing this book for a long time because of all the recommendation. It turns out it conflicts pretty strongly with what I was expecting or what I would want to buy.
Great review. It did lead to my deciding this book was not for me since I do focus on things like dungeon and hex crawls, and have no desire or intention of planning plot points or specific scenes.
I think the strong start is not always meant to be a combat, but only if you can't think of something better. I often use a surprising story beat as a session start or when we are in a dungeon, the story starts with something changing in the dungeon and/or the room the party is in, maybe some apparatus activating, some monster walking in but without direct initiative roll etc.
Many many years ago, us lazy DMs would have a map, some notes on key locations, religions and politics, a list of random encounters and a list of random NPCs. That last one was the most important. Then you would have some starting situation and go from there. Absent of anything the players try to do, the story was mostly driven by random encounters, with the DM tying the random encounters into whatever was going on. It worked really well and required little effort. Since I was mostly a world builder, I had a world primed with factions, characters and locations, but no actual story. The story was supplied by the characters and/ or random rolls.
This would have been such a help to my small want-to-learn-everything-at-once-but-not-read-nonsensical-unneeded-text brain when I first started GMing (I now run an inherited MotW campaign and I’m working on my own ttrpg for my next campaign, and got here through a rocky road of failed homebrew and half-read books)
Hey Bob! Convincing video. I went out and picked up the book. Glad I did. I recall you having reservations about the “when in doubt, start with a fight” part. I think here we can safely substitute “fight” with “conflict” in terms of the “strong start” he’s calling for, and then support that idea with either the other two pillars of the game (social or exploration) if we wish, while aiming for an “in medias res” start. That’s my take. Please keep the great videos coming!
Love this book and most of his ideas on the art of being a DM. I think you may have missed the point of the one recommendation. It says, When in doubt, start with combat. Doesn't mean always start with combat. Doubt is the key word here.
Yeah, combat is an easy way to have a strong start but its far from the *only* way. I think is important even for ongoing campaigns. Maybe there's a parade outside. Maybe someone notices something's been stolen. The main thing is, **something happens** when the start of the session occurs.
@@SlyFlourish Like being at breakfast when a Frost Giant Jeweler walks in and approaches your table. That's how we started ove season of Rime of the frost maiden. It sure gets the players heart rate up. 😀
@@SlyFlourish great opportunity for real prop or dramatic NPC cold open(only final resolves is in hand of players) comic or tragic- a great story hook can beat combat. I always like the easy riddle that though was hard - a success or tiny wish fulfillment to get them off to a start- the dwarves bum rushed bilbo for dinner- far from combat -no doubt-
Great video Bob, and thanks for the recomendation. Will be ordering this book tonight. Am i the only one that feels like Bob World Builder is the Bob Ross of DM'ing?
This book is so good I’ve given a copy to every DM at my club as a gift. it is a real game changer, cutting down all the prep work that never gets used, it just gives you so much more time to focus on what is really important for each session.
These are the tips that define my DM style: > Learn the basic principles of storytelling > Your time is valuable so prep less. > 4 brains can improvise better than 1 > Ask "What do you want?" > Practice makes the master
yeah the dmg does not help you as much with prep and/or running actual adventures. hell the magic items section is so disorganized it's laughable. love this book. the gamemastery guide from pf 1.0 is also a favourite.
Like most 5e books, it has a lot of good info, but doesn’t make a great tool because of how it’s organized. This one isn’t the only book you would need, but it’s really helps consolidate the important lessons from other books.
@@BobWorldBuilder you know it! I feel like they approach the game from the wrong side every time they do the rules. Tell me how to play/run it first! Then explain how to build a world and how poison works
As controversial as it may be, I love playing into the DM's hands just to progress the story and experience what they put together. I like my characters but I'm really at the table for the story/group experience
Greetings from Finland Bob! Your channel is among my favourite channels for learning DnD. You've helped me so much as a totally new player/DM, thank you for your efforts! Totally going to finally get this book. Solid review 6/5
I don't ever remember my games being focused on anything but memorable moments. I reinforced this by making my players feel like they earned successes and deserved failures, but the events are my focus on the life the characters lived. I started playing in the early 90s for reference.
Nice review! I am a big fan of the "lazy dungeon master"-method and prep every session this way. It is a pretty efficient way of doing things and it helps you stay focused and allows you to prepare in an flexible manner. The DMG is a rule book and an inspirational book. It helps you, if you are drawing a blank when trying to get an idea for the next campaign, quest or magic item, but it does not offer you much in terms of how to plan - it is missing a plan for planning. In the ideal world, chapter two of the Lazy DMs Guide should have been chapter one in the DMG.
Got this book after watching half this video. It really is so so brilliant. It absolutely seems to nail the core of what you need. The secrets and clues chapter is worth it’s weight in gold!
Thanks for the recommendation! It's the first time ever I buy something recommended by a RUclipsr :) I live in Thailand so the printed book will take a while to get there (I still prefer old school paper books) but I also got the pdf and can't wait to use it for our next campaign!
I've bought the 5e DMG. Other than the treasure tables, and monsters by terrain type, very little of it seemed essential. Even combat is covered pretty well in the PHB. The monsters by terrain type doesn't cover Volo`s or Mordenkainen`s books.
I have to interject and say PLENTY of people still play the "old" way of dungeon crawls, episodic adventures(think like monster of the week X-Files style adventures.), and sand box PC ambition driven style games. I call modern 5E campaigns "Marvel Style" as it kinda reminds me of the Marvel superheroe movie formula.
Back in 1980-81, we were playing narrative non-dungeon crawly campaigns. Sure, we did some delving in the deeps, but there was a lot more to it than “go to dungeon, fight monsters, get treasure and Xp, repeat”. We had entire sessions with few-to-zero dice rolls as the party got entangled in palace intrigues, went in search of information, and solved puzzles. I’m not saying this is the best way to play, but it wasn’t ALL dungeon crawling back in the day.
I think random can be good, can lead to some emergent storytelling, some dice generated inspiration, reoccurring antagonists, etc. It's what makes hex crawls fun, for example- You can lean on dice and such for individual encounters which will help you reassign your brain power towards building your big set pieces and story involved places on the map. Tables and random generation can help you split your focus between making an immersive sandbox and building your main story without getting overwhelmed or overdeveloping. I'm also not really of the modern perspective. I come from 3.5 and 90s Whitewolf. No one element of the game should be put in front of the others. Except for, maybe, immersion. I think I look at the game, the characters, the story, and world immersion as all equal parts important. When one eclipses the other, the game gets stale for me. If there's no crunchy meat to the system, that gets boring. If there's too much, that gets distracting. If the character's and player's agency and hand in the story eclipse the immersion, danger, and stakes of the game that gets boring. If there is no character or storytelling then it's just boring numbers. It's ALL important, they all need each other. Putting one or the other on a pedestal is pretty cringe for me lol I hate that it's the trend. Anyhow, I'm also not big on putting so much on the player's hands and on the player's shoulders. Their characters are important, but their agency should not be put above the coherency or danger provided by the setting. Like, I let my settings to be reactive to my players and their characters, but not submissive to them and their desires. That reduces the stakes and makes the highs and lows less meaningful. The 'always start with combat' advice is bad, I agree. Mostly seems like a good book.
Lazy DM: "What is an interesting characteristic of this monster?" Me: "It's so weird, but this little kobold has this gold, gem-encrusted crown and some dragon scale armor that would fit me perfectly. Super weird, wonder where he got these? All well I guess I'll loot those now!"
I’m currently reading through the book, and I can tell you that pretty much _all_ of the “disagreements” you have with the tips are fixed when you simply read the _context._
EVERYONE'S HERE TO HAVE FUN PLAYERS DONT CARE AS MUCH AS YOU THINK PLAYERS WHAT TO SEE THEIR CHRACTERS DO AWESOME THINGS YOU ARE NOT THE ENEMY PLAYERS LOVE BREAKING THE GAME these are good things for game developers to know. not every bug needs to be squished
I kinda figured a lot of this out but it's nice to hear it from a more polished perspective. Funny as it is, I figured it out with my 9 year old kids. They wanted to play some sort of TTRPG so I whipped up a simple system and took them through a cyberpunk story arc. I only made set pieces and left the city around them up to the whims of the dice and a few random encounter charts. There was a helpful NPC, a few reoccurring NPCs who may or may not be helpful and an NPC team of mercs after them. It all worked pretty well when I let them do what they wanted (which was usually pretty silly) and I'd railroad them when it came time to move the story along.
The first book is also useful for very different reasons. Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master is a system agnostic guide to campaign prep. It's got a lot of great tools for running games in any system or setting. The first book, Lazy Dungeon Master, is not that. It's a condensed collection of all the tables, guides, and lists that are scattered throughout the DMG. It's very much a 5e only book, but if you're playing 5e and need a specific table from the DMG you will find it faster by flipping through the lazy DM's guide. It even has a few pages of random names.
Great channel. And yes, independent content will always be better than the stuff Hasbro published which is bloated, expensive and unoriginal. 5e feels like a superpowered video game that uses 3.5 rules and 2nd edition settings. I have not purchased a WOTC book in decades.
PC's backtory should be a side dish in the game, not the main course. Edit: unless of course the whole game is about their backstory, like the PCs are all brothers trying to avenge their family or recover their land, etc.
In this metaphor, it's important to note that side dishes are meant to compliment and enhance the flavor of the main dish! They are no less important, they are just unified by the main dish.
Excellent review/overview. I like that although you really like this book you also say where you do things differently. In my mind that makes a helpful combination for new and experienced DM's to make the most of their time. Thank you.
Thanks, Will! Yes, I think a big part of what makes this book great is how it doesn't claim to have all the answers, and reinforces the idea of using it to find your own style
@@BobWorldBuilder And here too what is so great is that you are keeping alive (or even reviving) an original concept of not just following the rules for rules sake but instead making it your own through house rulings. Bravo!
I do have to agree with Have a Strong Start. Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi both use that formula with the battle of Hoth and Rescue Han From Jabba's Palace respectively!
You totally skipped right past the 3x5 index card thing. That was transformative for me. Concise cards on each player (info, background, hopes, goals, etc.), each major NPC, places, etc.
I played DND as a kid. Now as a 47 year old, running a weekly campaign for 9 kids between 8-12 years old, I can honestly say that your review has given me hope! We are currently on chapter 3 of Lost Mines of Phandelver, but a couple of the older kids have asked to start developing their own adventure. This book will help immensely. Bought on your recommendation! Thanks man!
Hey there, thanks for the review. Just received my copy after ordering it on Amazon, does everyone have a blank page on 72? or is it a printing issue ? @Sly Flourish
Hmm, sounds like a print-on-demand error from Amazon. I don't recall any blank pages in my copy (except near the covers of course). You could try messaging Sly on twitter because I don't think he'll see these comments, or reach out to Amazon customer support
Hey Bob, have you got any tips for balancing encounters as best as possible? I find my encounters are far too easy for my party but I’m apprehensive to give them a much harder challenge I don’t want to TPK lol. Thanks :)
I like to lean on the side of encounters being more than I think they can handle, because they usually come up with ways to make stuff easy! Noting this as a future video topic
I don't have Return of... (yet), but I do have great respect for the original Lazy DM book and the advice I have found on many of the Sly Flourish videos (and also for your videos!). Each of us needs to develop their own unique DM style, borrowing from a number of sources and experiences. My advice is to watch others DM, talk to them about how they prepare, read everything you can, watch vids like this one, and try (many) ideas at your table. Actually serving DM time at the table is the only way I know to find what works for you (and what doesn't). Oh, yes, and I have found ideas that work well with one group of players may work less well with a different group.
Excellent point that actually DMing is the best way to learn. Making mistakes, running for different groups, and talking to other DMs will help you grow fast!
I thank you for your comment on chapter 19. Every time i attempt to have my players recap, it's usually crickets chirping. We are all such budding socialites. :p Glad to hear such things aren't atypical.
I've started picking out a random player to do the recap instead of asking. Everyone ends up adding to the recap cuz the stage fright goes away right then
Agree on not starting with combat. D&D combat is kinda tedious compared to most systems. Exploration and social interactions are just so much easier. Especially as a lazy/efficient GM combat is those annoying math problems that get in the way of the story.
With summary of the last session I think the point is to find what the players hold in value, rather than "LAST TIME ON DRAGON BALL Z!" I would assume after they said their piece you fill in the gaps with your own summary, but take the points they made to remember or seem most excited about as bullet points for later expansion.
Wish it was sold in stores. Don't want to purchase from Amazon, but the shipping on DMsGuild cost $5 and will take a month. Would love to see it at Bullmoose stores in New England! They are my go to for D&D products.
I imagine some FLGSs might order a handful of copies if a few people recommend it or they see how popular it is. I'm not exactly sure how that works, but you'd think they would WANT it on their shelves!
🌟 Return of the Lazy DM (DriveThruRPG): www.drivethrurpg.com/product/251431/Return-of-the-Lazy-Dungeon-Master?affiliate_id=1987166
🌟 Return of the Lazy DM (Amazon): amzn.to/30j32F2
❤️ Subscribe on RUclips: ruclips.net/user/bobworldbuilder
Nice video, Bob!
The book you're showing in this video, is it the softcover/paperback version?
Made my purchase thanks to you
My old man used to say the difference between Laziness and Efficiency is how much you get done in the end.
"Efficient DM" is a better title, but probably not as good for book sales lol
@@BobWorldBuilder There's an old story that goes that Bill Gates would find the laziest person to do a job because he knew that person would find the most efficient method of accomplishing a task.
That is why lazy people are useful if you know how to use them. Give them a process to follow, see what they would cut from the process and analyze why they would do it. You will see that a lot of the process can be easily shortened to basic components.
Now, do never get a lazy person to do non flexible jobs, that usually winds up being the worse mess possible.
Thank you so much, Bob!
My pleasure, Mike! :)
My favorites ❤️
This book helped me so much getting out of the 'my story was so cool but my players ruined it' mindset!
That’s awesome! I know I’ve been there too!
The only problem I have with this book is that as an ultra lazy DM, I really don't want to spend time reading it :D
Hahah you’ve already reached peak efficiency!!
Ha! The first chapter actually covers this! It tells you how to skim the whole book to get what you can get with whatever time or effort you can give!
@@SlyFlourish My god, you've thought of everything, haven't you! (I too should get around to reading my copy)
@@SlyFlourish That's pretty cool!
@@SlyFlourish I bought the dead tree version but turning pages is sooo hard so I got the audio book version as well
"When in doubt, start with a challenge" is how I would personally phrase it. Throw in a skill check, a challenge to a character's integrity or history, or even an amusing inconvenience to get them interacting with environment.
That's a great adjustment!
I started a few sessions with my kids (see my other comment) with them finishing their shift as security guards for a storage facility. They'd punch the clock and then hit the mean streets of Silver City to go find some action.
💯
I was gonna comment that starting w combat or as you state a challenge anything thing to get the players warmed up rollin 🎲.
It kinda takes the edge of a seems they relax a little and pay better attention once the 'call to action' is somewhat sated.
@@digitallurke7710 Exactly. I find it helps to diffuse awkwardness at the table (I'm much the same when I play), get people who have been hyped all week to burn some of that energy, and give people a topic to roleplay about after the fact.
I come from a screenwriting background. I recognize that there are major differences between these two entertainments, but there are a few key screenwriting concepts that can be very useful when running a game.
My formulation of this suggestion is “Grab your players’ attention and get them involved and invested in the first five minutes”. A fight is one way to accomplish this, but a chase, a rescue, or any type of emergency that requires immediate response will work. Even better, this first scene can set the stage as the first clue or hook. Who set the tavern on fire? Why was the village idiot kidnapped? Where did the rampaging monster come from?
The worst thing you can do is start the game with a 10 minute debate between the players as to what they want to do next. Second worst is the tavern opening, where players seek rumors from the bartender and clientele (which then often leads to the 10 minute debate).
I think Return of the Lazy dungeon master is better at what the DMG claims to be, a guide for dungeon masters. However I think the DMG still has lots of good resources, like Random Tables, Ways to make your game more suited to you with rules and such, and good Ideas for plot points. I feel like the dungeon masters guide should be called "the phantastical things of DND" It would fulfill that roll very well.
I definitely agree with this assessment! The DMG makes a better sourcebook than a guide
The only reason I’m at this channel is because Mike Shea/Sly Flourish said, in one of his videos, something akin to “and when I’m not sure, I just go watch Bob World Builder.” So, I guess this is full circle.
Hahah it all comes back around :)
Yes! Bob's the best.
As someone who primarily plays non-D&D TTRPGs (L5R has been my jam for a while now), the Lazy Dungeon Master has been useful for creating adventures set outside the dungeon, even social intrigues. Creating a spiral campaign has also been great for making what I call “primers”, which lets me share my loose structure of an adventure with my L5R community.
The Lazy Dungeon Master is one of my most visited books for prepping campaigns, with Dungeon World being a great supplement of ideas to set up your campaign worksheet.
It's awesome to hear that this book's concepts apply to all GMs, not just DMs! :)
I recently started summing up the previous session instead of the group doing it. I find it gets the game going quicker and my players like it because they're reminded of relevant plot points. They have no issue bringing up things they were interested in that I didn't mention.
So, basically it's group dependent and you should experiment to find what is best for your group.
Exactly!!
I think “it’s group dependent” is one of the top tips for new DMs to learn. There are no absolute rules, the trick is to figure out what works for you and your players to have the most fun!
Sure, I do it that way too sometimes.
Since I have been following the 8 steps, not only has my prep time massively decreased and my games have become so much more open, fluid and progressive, but I feel like I am actually playing the game too.
What a great compliment to Mike and his work! In his behalf, thanks! :)
I've been DMing with this book for about 2 years now and I have players who are convinced I'm thinking like 5 session in advance. Usually only prepare 1-2 hours before and then just sit down and talk with them before the game starts!
True mastery!
I’d have to say that this is THE book for DMs. It’s my go-to for every campaign and session.
I completely agree!
Thank you!
I've been wanting to get this book. This was all I needed to pull the trigger. I'm very new to dm'ing, and I've been over prepping like crazy.
Yeah, I wish I had this earlier. For the price, it’s totally worth it! Can’t over emphasize what a good tool it is because it actually guides you to find your own style 👍
I hope you dig it!
I have been using the sly flourish fill in sheets for a while, but this has convinced me to pick up the book. Fantastic review, thanks Bob!
Good to hear! Thanks for supporting Sly, and for your kind words about the video :)
Thank you!
best companion book in the business! it is the first suggestion every time one of my players asks about starting to DM,.. the 2nd being "The Monsters Know What They're Doing"
Yes! That other one is on my shelf (got it for my fiance last xmas) but I still have to read it
"So if I wanted to start every session with combat as was recommended here..." but it's not, it's when in *doubt* start with combat...
Yeah I was a little heavy handed on that point
Great recommendation! I’d suggest doing a video with an example of preparation of a session using the book’s resources and tips.
Great suggestion! I've been talking a lot about prep lately so that would be perfect :)
As far as chapter 19 goes, one thing I started doing a couple of campaigns ago is I offer bonus XP to any player that journals about the session - we have a FB group and they publish it there so all the players can see. This does the job of allowing me to see the session through the player’s eyes so to speak.
Those kinds of incentives can work really well, but I’ve also heard of that getting out of hand. As long as the whole group is cool with it, keep it going! :)
@@BobWorldBuilder Out of hand? Like people writing too much? I could see some players that don’t want to write a journal being unhappy they don’t get the XP but I have not experienced that thankfully.
I really like this idea. Maybe give Inspiration instead so it's not tied directly to the PCs advancement, but is a fun bonus you get to immediately use.
@@O4C209 true!
Yeah, basically if some people have no interest in taking notes, they could become resentful of the players who do it so well and are rewarded for it. Like I said, as long as it's working for your group, it's all good :)
I don't know how I've never come across this channel before. I had never heard of Bob or even the Lazy DM book(s). This review was incredibly thorough, informative, and articulate. Instant sub! Well done, sir!
Thanks :D Welcome aboard!
I've said it before, I'll say it again: this book should be core. Player's Handbook + Lazy DM Guide would give a total beginner everything needed, from understanding the core mechanics, races & classes, to learning how to even DM.
With this approach you can take any Module you want and as you read, you build your session the Lazy DM way.
You use the Module as a inspiration and can easily run with like 70% true to the book and 30% your own flair.
That's definitely my top two as well!
I bought this book and almost instantly became a better dm. I recommend to everyone that asks for dm advice.
I will say I disagree with your assessment of the fast start and the recap section. I don’t necessarily start with combat, but I do try to create a sense of urgency. Even with my long flowing campaign, the sessions where I use the fast start have generally been more productive and rewarding. As for the recap, I found that letting the players each give a one or two sentence recap with me filling in the rest works best. It lets me know which parts are truly sticking with them from session to session.
Yeah I think I do want to at least start doing player recaps more often!
I've bought this manual some years ago and it helped me a lot, teaching me how to prepare adventures in less time, though I don't follow all his advices (e.g. I don't throw away secrets I haven't used, if they look cool, to me it would be a waste). I've recently bought The Lazy DM's Workbook, which is very useful at the table (though I already have many of its tables in my custom made DM screen) and I'm planning on supporting the recently kickstarted Lazy DM's Companion and buying it. Truly, Michael E. Shea's channel is one a DM should follow, the guy is full of good ideas, explains them well and is constantly concerned about the practical things that make a game session run smoothly.
I have never read the original version of the Lazy Dungeon Master, but this does look like a very useful book. I am also a sucker for books with great artwork.
Yeah I think with successful kickstarted books like this, almost all of the money goes into getting awesome artwork :)
This book is the only one you need of the two.
Got this to help get me started, and it's a great read. I know he says it's for experienced DMs, but I find it is super helpful getting me focused on what I actually need to do to get my first DM game together.
I have learned over the past two years, much to my disappointment and satisfaction at the same time, that WotC are just never going to be able to make resources as good as professional homebrewers/DM's.
(Professional meaning well reviewed sold books)
And that is a pretty counterintuitive idea! You'd think by bringing any writers together with lots of time and resources all dedicated to the same project, they'd be a win every time. I guess it's a little unfair if we judge every WotC product against the very best 3rd party products, but yeah, the 5e DMG missed the mark in my opinion. It's more of worldbuilding book (which I'm fine with of course) than a guide for DMs
My favourite thing about this book is that in the music area, they've listed Conan: The Barbarian at the top of the list 😃
Classic!
The companion book for this one: "The Lazy DM's Workbook" is awesome too! It comes will full on worksheets for game prepping, an awesome thing to have as a new DM/GM. Now, I don't even have to worry about how I format my notes 👍👍 Thanks for spreading the word about Sly's great material Bob!!
Welp, that's a purchase. I've only been DMing for about 5 months and have been kinda struggling. Just the points covered in the review has already changed how my session is going to be run this afternoon.
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it too!
I've Been using this book for years. Besides the PHB, it's definitely the most useful book on my shelf.
Nice! Yeah, PHB is still my number one 5e book. Maybe it would be fun to review that too :P
I second how good this book is for a new DM like myself , it really made a big difference in my games immediately . they were more fun and i was a bit more confident in running games .
I picked up a bunch of $1 glass bottles with corks at Hobby Lobby. Then I get M&M's and fill them with specific mixtures that represent potions. The colors of M&M's denote which potion is which, and the M&M's are counted out to denote how many doses are in the vial. Thus, when they use the potion, they remove the appropriate M&M's (and eat them if they want to).
Additionally, they have learned (the hard way) that if one (or more) players eat the M&M's while playing, it is representative of the characters sipping it as they are doing stuff such that, if that vial has no M&M's in it when it's needed, someone slowly drank it without the others taking notice. To say the least, they ALL watch those vials more closely.
The players have found this to be a fun interactive prop and for those comfortable eating the M&M's, they give the PLAYER a chance to enjoy the potion directly.
I like his work
Thanks for bringing it to my attention
Happy to show off this book! It's helped me a lot
Thank you for the review. I had been eyeing this book for a long time because of all the recommendation. It turns out it conflicts pretty strongly with what I was expecting or what I would want to buy.
I know your channel is D&D focused and most people here are probably D&D DMs, but this book seems pretty system agnostic, which is very cool.
Great review. It did lead to my deciding this book was not for me since I do focus on things like dungeon and hex crawls, and have no desire or intention of planning plot points or specific scenes.
Happy to help!
Not using secrets and clues is not wasted prep. Saving the unused material saves you prep time in the next session(s) and adventures.
I completely agree!
I think the strong start is not always meant to be a combat, but only if you can't think of something better. I often use a surprising story beat as a session start or when we are in a dungeon, the story starts with something changing in the dungeon and/or the room the party is in, maybe some apparatus activating, some monster walking in but without direct initiative roll etc.
Yeahhh I might end up doing a video just on this topic to really dig into the details of how this step can be approached
I would love that:)
The Lazy DM guide has been a well that I can come back to time and time again, still learning new ideas as I progress in the hobby.
That's awesome to hear! :)
There are many Dungeon Master Guides that do a better job than the DMG 5E. I have liked the Lazy Dungeon Master for sometime. Great review.
You said it! Thanks Fred!
Many many years ago, us lazy DMs would have a map, some notes on key locations, religions and politics, a list of random encounters and a list of random NPCs. That last one was the most important. Then you would have some starting situation and go from there. Absent of anything the players try to do, the story was mostly driven by random encounters, with the DM tying the random encounters into whatever was going on. It worked really well and required little effort. Since I was mostly a world builder, I had a world primed with factions, characters and locations, but no actual story. The story was supplied by the characters and/ or random rolls.
I love that. And I totally agree that the list of NPCs is one of the DM's greatest tools
Love this video! I really appreciate you covering third party products like this
My pleasure! It’s one of my favs!
Yes; more like this!
I tend to start all my campaigns with combat or on the cusp of combat. I like starting with the team together
That's a great point in favor of starting with combat!
Lazy DMs guide changed how I prepped and reduced the time spent. I don't follow it religiously but it helps prepare the session at hand.
Thank you so much!
So simple, so good.
Now i want all my campaign in a excel sheet lol.
Hahah excel is one of my top DM tools :P
This would have been such a help to my small want-to-learn-everything-at-once-but-not-read-nonsensical-unneeded-text brain when I first started GMing (I now run an inherited MotW campaign and I’m working on my own ttrpg for my next campaign, and got here through a rocky road of failed homebrew and half-read books)
This book is simply amazing, it cut down my prep time significantly
Hey Bob! Convincing video. I went out and picked up the book. Glad I did. I recall you having reservations about the “when in doubt, start with a fight” part. I think here we can safely substitute “fight” with “conflict” in terms of the “strong start” he’s calling for, and then support that idea with either the other two pillars of the game (social or exploration) if we wish, while aiming for an “in medias res” start. That’s my take. Please keep the great videos coming!
I love that interpretation! Presenting challenges for the party is a big part of the DM’s job!
Well, you got me sold. It was an easy sell though, I picked up the lazy dm's workbook as an impulse buy, but this is going into my cart now :)
Sweet! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! :)
Love this book and most of his ideas on the art of being a DM. I think you may have missed the point of the one recommendation. It says, When in doubt, start with combat. Doesn't mean always start with combat. Doubt is the key word here.
The problem is I’m always doubting myself!! Jk that’s a great point :P
@@BobWorldBuilder Same here. Always think I'm under prepared.
Yeah, combat is an easy way to have a strong start but its far from the *only* way. I think is important even for ongoing campaigns. Maybe there's a parade outside. Maybe someone notices something's been stolen. The main thing is, **something happens** when the start of the session occurs.
@@SlyFlourish Like being at breakfast when a Frost Giant Jeweler walks in and approaches your table.
That's how we started ove season of Rime of the frost maiden.
It sure gets the players heart rate up. 😀
@@SlyFlourish great opportunity for real prop or dramatic NPC cold open(only final resolves is in hand of players) comic or tragic- a great story hook can beat combat. I always like the easy riddle that though was hard - a success or tiny wish fulfillment to get them off to a start- the dwarves bum rushed bilbo for dinner- far from combat -no doubt-
Great video Bob, and thanks for the recomendation. Will be ordering this book tonight.
Am i the only one that feels like Bob World Builder is the Bob Ross of DM'ing?
Hope you enjoy it! And nope, you are not the first to say that, and you won't be the last :P
This is amazing! Thanks so much for sharing! I'm sending this video to our DM!
Whoa! Thank you for sharing it!
Second video I've watched of this channel today...and again...never so peacefully disagreed with the information provided in a video
This book is so good I’ve given a copy to every DM at my club as a gift. it is a real game changer, cutting down all the prep work that never gets used, it just gives you so much more time to focus on what is really important for each session.
That's really generous of you! Totally agree!
These are the tips that define my DM style:
> Learn the basic principles of storytelling
> Your time is valuable so prep less.
> 4 brains can improvise better than 1
> Ask "What do you want?"
> Practice makes the master
This book is the most important resoure on my shelf.
It is essential.
Sly's channel is also VERY helpful.
I agree!
Thank you so much!
yeah the dmg does not help you as much with prep and/or running actual adventures. hell the magic items section is so disorganized it's laughable. love this book. the gamemastery guide from pf 1.0 is also a favourite.
Like most 5e books, it has a lot of good info, but doesn’t make a great tool because of how it’s organized. This one isn’t the only book you would need, but it’s really helps consolidate the important lessons from other books.
@@BobWorldBuilder you know it! I feel like they approach the game from the wrong side every time they do the rules. Tell me how to play/run it first! Then explain how to build a world and how poison works
As controversial as it may be, I love playing into the DM's hands just to progress the story and experience what they put together. I like my characters but I'm really at the table for the story/group experience
Thanks this was a great video I’m buying this book now hah! Keep up the good work loving the content!
Thanks for the support! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I do!
What the??? Nerdarchist Ted must have found the fountain of youth, he looks 20 + younger. Perhaps this guys a simulacrum! Or doppelgänger?
Just some fey trickery! Ted and Dave are inspirational!
Great video man, thank you for bringing it to my attention!
Great job bob! Love that that rhymes! I’m yelling sorry!
Fantastic book!
Can’t agree more!
Greetings from Finland Bob! Your channel is among my favourite channels for learning DnD. You've helped me so much as a totally new player/DM, thank you for your efforts! Totally going to finally get this book. Solid review 6/5
You are very welcome! Thank you for the support :D
I don't ever remember my games being focused on anything but memorable moments. I reinforced this by making my players feel like they earned successes and deserved failures, but the events are my focus on the life the characters lived. I started playing in the early 90s for reference.
Well done!!
Nice review!
I am a big fan of the "lazy dungeon master"-method and prep every session this way. It is a pretty efficient way of doing things and it helps you stay focused and allows you to prepare in an flexible manner.
The DMG is a rule book and an inspirational book. It helps you, if you are drawing a blank when trying to get an idea for the next campaign, quest or magic item, but it does not offer you much in terms of how to plan - it is missing a plan for planning.
In the ideal world, chapter two of the Lazy DMs Guide should have been chapter one in the DMG.
Yeah, preparing to improvise is the key!
Got this book after watching half this video. It really is so so brilliant. It absolutely seems to nail the core of what you need. The secrets and clues chapter is worth it’s weight in gold!
Couldn't agree more!
Thanks for the recommendation! It's the first time ever I buy something recommended by a RUclipsr :) I live in Thailand so the printed book will take a while to get there (I still prefer old school paper books) but I also got the pdf and can't wait to use it for our next campaign!
That’s awesome! Thank you for the support, and I hope you enjoy it! :)
Thank you so much!
I've bought the 5e DMG. Other than the treasure tables, and monsters by terrain type, very little of it seemed essential. Even combat is covered pretty well in the PHB.
The monsters by terrain type doesn't cover Volo`s or Mordenkainen`s books.
I have to interject and say PLENTY of people still play the "old" way of dungeon crawls, episodic adventures(think like monster of the week X-Files style adventures.), and sand box PC ambition driven style games. I call modern 5E campaigns "Marvel Style" as it kinda reminds me of the Marvel superheroe movie formula.
I agree!
Back in 1980-81, we were playing narrative non-dungeon crawly campaigns. Sure, we did some delving in the deeps, but there was a lot more to it than “go to dungeon, fight monsters, get treasure and Xp, repeat”. We had entire sessions with few-to-zero dice rolls as the party got entangled in palace intrigues, went in search of information, and solved puzzles.
I’m not saying this is the best way to play, but it wasn’t ALL dungeon crawling back in the day.
Great. Video. Easy listen. Great review. Makes me want this book and made me subscribe. 👍
Awesome, thank you and welcome!
I think random can be good, can lead to some emergent storytelling, some dice generated inspiration, reoccurring antagonists, etc. It's what makes hex crawls fun, for example- You can lean on dice and such for individual encounters which will help you reassign your brain power towards building your big set pieces and story involved places on the map. Tables and random generation can help you split your focus between making an immersive sandbox and building your main story without getting overwhelmed or overdeveloping.
I'm also not really of the modern perspective. I come from 3.5 and 90s Whitewolf. No one element of the game should be put in front of the others. Except for, maybe, immersion. I think I look at the game, the characters, the story, and world immersion as all equal parts important. When one eclipses the other, the game gets stale for me. If there's no crunchy meat to the system, that gets boring. If there's too much, that gets distracting. If the character's and player's agency and hand in the story eclipse the immersion, danger, and stakes of the game that gets boring. If there is no character or storytelling then it's just boring numbers. It's ALL important, they all need each other. Putting one or the other on a pedestal is pretty cringe for me lol I hate that it's the trend. Anyhow, I'm also not big on putting so much on the player's hands and on the player's shoulders. Their characters are important, but their agency should not be put above the coherency or danger provided by the setting. Like, I let my settings to be reactive to my players and their characters, but not submissive to them and their desires. That reduces the stakes and makes the highs and lows less meaningful. The 'always start with combat' advice is bad, I agree. Mostly seems like a good book.
That's some great insight! I like your distinction between player agency and player take over!
This is great, just bought the book!
That's awesome! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Lazy DM: "What is an interesting characteristic of this monster?"
Me: "It's so weird, but this little kobold has this gold, gem-encrusted crown and some dragon scale armor that would fit me perfectly. Super weird, wonder where he got these? All well I guess I'll loot those now!"
I’m currently reading through the book, and I can tell you that pretty much _all_ of the “disagreements” you have with the tips are fixed when you simply read the _context._
Great review, thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Gotta do my own review on this. GREAT book!
I'd love to see your take on this book! :)
EVERYONE'S HERE TO HAVE FUN
PLAYERS DONT CARE AS MUCH AS YOU THINK
PLAYERS WHAT TO SEE THEIR CHRACTERS DO AWESOME THINGS
YOU ARE NOT THE ENEMY
PLAYERS LOVE BREAKING THE GAME
these are good things for game developers to know.
not every bug needs to be squished
The core messages for sure :D
I kinda figured a lot of this out but it's nice to hear it from a more polished perspective.
Funny as it is, I figured it out with my 9 year old kids. They wanted to play some sort of TTRPG so I whipped up a simple system and took them through a cyberpunk story arc. I only made set pieces and left the city around them up to the whims of the dice and a few random encounter charts. There was a helpful NPC, a few reoccurring NPCs who may or may not be helpful and an NPC team of mercs after them. It all worked pretty well when I let them do what they wanted (which was usually pretty silly) and I'd railroad them when it came time to move the story along.
Just ordered the book.
The first book is also useful for very different reasons.
Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master is a system agnostic guide to campaign prep. It's got a lot of great tools for running games in any system or setting.
The first book, Lazy Dungeon Master, is not that. It's a condensed collection of all the tables, guides, and lists that are scattered throughout the DMG. It's very much a 5e only book, but if you're playing 5e and need a specific table from the DMG you will find it faster by flipping through the lazy DM's guide. It even has a few pages of random names.
Ahh, thanks for making that distinction!
Great channel. And yes, independent content will always be better than the stuff Hasbro published which is bloated, expensive and unoriginal. 5e feels like a superpowered video game that uses 3.5 rules and 2nd edition settings. I have not purchased a WOTC book in decades.
Well said! I actually have a short video about this idea coming later this month
PC's backtory should be a side dish in the game, not the main course.
Edit: unless of course the whole game is about their backstory, like the PCs are all brothers trying to avenge their family or recover their land, etc.
Yeah, I love it when I can get my party to have a lot of overlap in their backstories!
In this metaphor, it's important to note that side dishes are meant to compliment and enhance the flavor of the main dish! They are no less important, they are just unified by the main dish.
Excellent review/overview. I like that although you really like this book you also say where you do things differently. In my mind that makes a helpful combination for new and experienced DM's to make the most of their time. Thank you.
Thanks, Will! Yes, I think a big part of what makes this book great is how it doesn't claim to have all the answers, and reinforces the idea of using it to find your own style
@@BobWorldBuilder And here too what is so great is that you are keeping alive (or even reviving) an original concept of not just following the rules for rules sake but instead making it your own through house rulings. Bravo!
I do have to agree with Have a Strong Start. Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi both use that formula with the battle of Hoth and Rescue Han From Jabba's Palace respectively!
What an amazing review - I bought it and the workbook and they are awesome! Thank you, Builder Bob!
Glad you like them!! :)
Thank you!
You totally skipped right past the 3x5 index card thing. That was transformative for me. Concise cards on each player (info, background, hopes, goals, etc.), each major NPC, places, etc.
Proves the point that this book helped us form different DM styles! :)
To emphasize the lazy part they should have made him napping in that chair on the cover.
Haha that would have been great!
I played DND as a kid. Now as a 47 year old, running a weekly campaign for 9 kids between 8-12 years old, I can honestly say that your review has given me hope! We are currently on chapter 3 of Lost Mines of Phandelver, but a couple of the older kids have asked to start developing their own adventure. This book will help immensely. Bought on your recommendation! Thanks man!
Come on now, You have to be "Lazy" to read this book as the DM..... XD!!!!
Great Review as always :D!!!
Hey there, thanks for the review.
Just received my copy after ordering it on Amazon, does everyone have a blank page on 72? or is it a printing issue ?
@Sly Flourish
Hmm, sounds like a print-on-demand error from Amazon. I don't recall any blank pages in my copy (except near the covers of course). You could try messaging Sly on twitter because I don't think he'll see these comments, or reach out to Amazon customer support
@@BobWorldBuilder Thanks Bob, sent a message on twitter, we will see
Hey Bob, have you got any tips for balancing encounters as best as possible? I find my encounters are far too easy for my party but I’m apprehensive to give them a much harder challenge I don’t want to TPK lol. Thanks :)
I like to lean on the side of encounters being more than I think they can handle, because they usually come up with ways to make stuff easy! Noting this as a future video topic
I have a video on that! ruclips.net/video/05VWofhNMHI/видео.html
I don't have Return of... (yet), but I do have great respect for the original Lazy DM book and the advice I have found on many of the Sly Flourish videos (and also for your videos!).
Each of us needs to develop their own unique DM style, borrowing from a number of sources and experiences. My advice is to watch others DM, talk to them about how they prepare, read everything you can, watch vids like this one, and try (many) ideas at your table. Actually serving DM time at the table is the only way I know to find what works for you (and what doesn't). Oh, yes, and I have found ideas that work well with one group of players may work less well with a different group.
Excellent point that actually DMing is the best way to learn. Making mistakes, running for different groups, and talking to other DMs will help you grow fast!
Thanks Bob, immediately went to buy this and managed to get it on kindle offer for £3 (probs about 1 dollar these days!)... Total Bargain!
What a steal! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do :)
I thank you for your comment on chapter 19. Every time i attempt to have my players recap, it's usually crickets chirping. We are all such budding socialites. :p
Glad to hear such things aren't atypical.
Haha, glad I'm not the only one
I've started picking out a random player to do the recap instead of asking. Everyone ends up adding to the recap cuz the stage fright goes away right then
@@crackydoodlepizza i'll give that a try. I worry whomever i choose will run away screaming.
Wow. I did all this without having to be told it! 😂 Universal things are universal.
Channel? Subscribed.
Book? Purchased.
Hotel? Trivago.
Agree on not starting with combat. D&D combat is kinda tedious compared to most systems. Exploration and social interactions are just so much easier. Especially as a lazy/efficient GM combat is those annoying math problems that get in the way of the story.
With summary of the last session I think the point is to find what the players hold in value, rather than "LAST TIME ON DRAGON BALL Z!" I would assume after they said their piece you fill in the gaps with your own summary, but take the points they made to remember or seem most excited about as bullet points for later expansion.
Yeah I think that is the sentiment. It didn't really work with my group, but I do want to try getting back into the player summary
Wish it was sold in stores. Don't want to purchase from Amazon, but the shipping on DMsGuild cost $5 and will take a month. Would love to see it at Bullmoose stores in New England! They are my go to for D&D products.
I imagine some FLGSs might order a handful of copies if a few people recommend it or they see how popular it is. I'm not exactly sure how that works, but you'd think they would WANT it on their shelves!