cool video, KR. One thing that some GMs avoid that can be used to great affect is narrating through parts of the map. Instead of "you see large double doors, what do you do?" "You're in the entrance way, what do you do?" "You're in a 100' long hallway with a curtain at the end, what do you do?" You know what the players will do, so you can narrate through that - "the large entry doors slowly open and you see a great entrance way. Following down long main hallway you arrive at a curtain hiding the room beyond, that do you do?" Justin Alexander talks about this in his latest book
Rock solid advice and good examples. About half my players are also GMs of various systems, and I keep sending them here. :) I've gotten increasingly into the habit over time of jotting down a handful of creatures, action moments, and other things that I can just slot in at a moment's notice to spice things up and manage pacing. Additionally, I flat out steal ideas from movies, TV shows, and action RPGs. Even on those very rare occasions when players may ask "Did you steal this from XYZ?" they always sound happy about it. Because it worked, and we all had fun.
There is a free PDF titled "Scripting the Game" by Mike Pondsmith that takes common storytelling ideas from Hollywood movies and converts them into a format that GMs can apply to their table. It's system agnostic and provides a way to structure sessions using alternating story "beats" to keep players engaged. Some of the best moments of D&D I've experienced have come from using the pdf. Can't recommend it enough!
I've tried to DM generally treating my adventures/sessions as movies, but this style is best suited for those who Appreciate Story-telling, while those who are min-maxers/, those who want to fight every thing or every one, roll dice, do stat checks, will generally get bored. I am far more about the story than the "game". I share this with ALL PLAYERS during their Session Zero where they ask questions, hear about "House Rules" so they understand it may be a slower, character driven campaign rather than most other generic action packed story which after 49 years of DM'ing I've no time or interest in... Well Done!!
I agree that I have fought so many battles as a GM and player that it can be a slog to include more than one per session. So I have an elaborate story that is unfolding and hope the players will find it interesting. And which I can facilitate by keeping that unfolding happening as quickly as possible. Unless the whole table wants it to unfold slowly.
@@DDHomebrew With respect Sir, one of our strengths generally is being older. I/We have a Lot of "House Rules" in The Campaign which immediately should reveal to players even with previous experience that this is not their "normal D&D Campaign or Game. Players create a "Stable" of characters when they begin, 3-5 characters on the Day One, Session Zero. They break down as either One 3rd level, One 2nd level, and One 1st level for a 3-Character Stable or, Two 3rd level, Two 2nd level, and One 1st level If they want to create 5 characters for their Stable. These are the Only characters they will be playing in the campaign. None of their characters will be evil, no more than 1 or 2 will be either of the same class or the same race. A Short Rest is a 4-Hour event, which only restores 2-5 H.P. Plus their Con Bonus as applicable. A Long Rest is a 12-Hour Event which only restores 3-10 H.P. Plus a Con Bonus as applicable. This restores the value of Clerics as Healers, yet as well as Potions of Healing and Extra Healing, Greater Healing, Superior Healing, etc,... In AD&D, recovery after an adventure was 1 H.P. per day , sometimes the DM would allow the Constitution bonus to apply. Another thing about the current 5E long rest is that it supports the Hacker Types, The Murder Hobos, etc,...Now their same character needs time to recover for most. This also allows the player to experience more than one character all the time. As one is injured at mid-high level, it may take them 7-30 days to recover H.P. (Maximum recovery for characters barring death/ongoing disease, curse, etc is 30 Real Days. 3 Months of Real Time is a Game Year. My/Our Campaign Uses An Economy "Almost" That Of 1950 USA, When The Average Income In The USA Was $ 3,300. - $ 3,600. Per Year Based Upon Where You Look, Thus Averaging Out To Approximately $275 - $300. Per Month. Prices For Items Are 1940 - 1960 Prices for Food and Other Items. Therefore Relatively Equitable To Incomes Accordingly. A Half Copper Penny or "Half-Cob" As Is Called Is Equal To 6 1/2 Cents, A Copper Cob Equals 12.5 Cents. 20-Twenty Copper Cobs = 1-One Silver Noble or $2.50. 4-Four Silver Nobles = An Electrum Plate or $10.00. 20-Twenty Silver Nobles=$50. Or 5-Five Electrum Plates =$50. Or = 1-One Gold Crown. 10 Gold Crowns Are Called A "Winged Helm" Piece = $500. 20-Twenty Gold Crowns= 1-One Platinum Throne= $1,000.00. 20 Platinum Thrones Or 400 Gold Crowns Are =To 1-One King's Bar= $20,000. And 5 King's Bars, 5 x $20,000 = 1-One Emperor's Brick=$100,000. - Due to the amounts involved, Both the King's Bar & the Emperor's Brick while actual forms of physical currency are usually moved, loaned, exchanged, financed, etc, via letter of credit with either Royal Notary Co-Sealing Merchant Seal or Royal Seal. Anyway, I enjoy your videos and am quite sure you're an excellent DM because you actually give a damn (That's certainly my problem). Stay Strong, Live Long, Shout Out Anytime!! Korum
@@KorumEmrys Always great to see a GM who has thought through their world like you have. There's a lot of RAW that doesn't add up or tell you as the GM how to solve the issues you've outlined. Such as the healing in 5e! I like your idea on prices as well.
Thanks KR! I have not really thought it out this way. It’s often been intuitive. Note I said often, not always. Admittedly we had some sessions where it was about getting rid of the bodies from the battle in the prior session. Or a whole session of figuring the logistics hauling out a dragon’s treasure horde. Boring but important! Hard to find the cinema in those situations. Not often… 😅
This is the best video topic you covered. I run my game like this and it removes pressure as a Dm. The only downside is when you do this in combat and use a grid the players stay in combat mode even when it over
Or just have what they are to investigate stick out like a sore thumb. You've entered a dining hall, there is a dais with seven high-backed leather-bound chairs, in front of them are three tables two have 17 leather bound chairs the other has 15 and a blood red, satin-bound, eight-legged, monstrous, love seat. What in that room do you check? That's right the one mimic in the room that didn't get the memo to come disguised as a leather-bound chair.
cool video, KR. One thing that some GMs avoid that can be used to great affect is narrating through parts of the map. Instead of "you see large double doors, what do you do?" "You're in the entrance way, what do you do?" "You're in a 100' long hallway with a curtain at the end, what do you do?"
You know what the players will do, so you can narrate through that - "the large entry doors slowly open and you see a great entrance way. Following down long main hallway you arrive at a curtain hiding the room beyond, that do you do?"
Justin Alexander talks about this in his latest book
Really good point. Thanks!
Don't know Justin Alexander, but you're quite correct and it's an excellent reminder and point!!! Best Wishes Sir.
@@KorumEmrys You too!
Rock solid advice and good examples. About half my players are also GMs of various systems, and I keep sending them here. :)
I've gotten increasingly into the habit over time of jotting down a handful of creatures, action moments, and other things that I can just slot in at a moment's notice to spice things up and manage pacing.
Additionally, I flat out steal ideas from movies, TV shows, and action RPGs. Even on those very rare occasions when players may ask "Did you steal this from XYZ?" they always sound happy about it. Because it worked, and we all had fun.
When you see something cool in movie: Steal It! As you found, even if the players realize it, they will thinks it's cool that it turned out different.
There is a free PDF titled "Scripting the Game" by Mike Pondsmith that takes common storytelling ideas from Hollywood movies and converts them into a format that GMs can apply to their table. It's system agnostic and provides a way to structure sessions using alternating story "beats" to keep players engaged. Some of the best moments of D&D I've experienced have come from using the pdf. Can't recommend it enough!
Thanks for the recommendation! I checked out the PDF: very easy to digest and as you say, full of ideas.
I've tried to DM generally treating my adventures/sessions as movies, but this style is best suited for those who Appreciate Story-telling, while those who are min-maxers/, those who want to fight every thing or every one, roll dice, do stat checks, will generally get bored. I am far more about the story than the "game". I share this with ALL PLAYERS during their Session Zero where they ask questions, hear about "House Rules" so they understand it may be a slower, character driven campaign rather than most other generic action packed story which after 49 years of DM'ing I've no time or interest in... Well Done!!
I agree that I have fought so many battles as a GM and player that it can be a slog to include more than one per session. So I have an elaborate story that is unfolding and hope the players will find it interesting. And which I can facilitate by keeping that unfolding happening as quickly as possible. Unless the whole table wants it to unfold slowly.
@@DDHomebrew With respect Sir, one of our strengths generally is being older. I/We have a Lot of "House Rules" in The Campaign which immediately should reveal to players even with previous experience that this is not their "normal D&D Campaign or Game. Players create a "Stable" of characters when they begin, 3-5 characters on the Day One, Session Zero. They break down as either One 3rd level, One 2nd level, and One 1st level for a 3-Character Stable or, Two 3rd level, Two 2nd level, and One 1st level If they want to create 5 characters for their Stable. These are the Only characters they will be playing in the campaign. None of their characters will be evil, no more than 1 or 2 will be either of the same class or the same race. A Short Rest is a 4-Hour event, which only restores 2-5 H.P. Plus their Con Bonus as applicable. A Long Rest is a 12-Hour Event which only restores 3-10 H.P. Plus a Con Bonus as applicable. This restores the value of Clerics as Healers, yet as well as Potions of Healing and Extra Healing, Greater Healing, Superior Healing, etc,... In AD&D, recovery after an adventure was 1 H.P. per day , sometimes the DM would allow the Constitution bonus to apply. Another thing about the current 5E long rest is that it supports the Hacker Types, The Murder Hobos, etc,...Now their same character needs time to recover for most. This also allows the player to experience more than one character all the time. As one is injured at mid-high level, it may take them 7-30 days to recover H.P. (Maximum recovery for characters barring death/ongoing disease, curse, etc is 30 Real Days. 3 Months of Real Time is a Game Year. My/Our Campaign Uses An Economy "Almost" That Of 1950 USA, When The Average Income In The USA Was $ 3,300. - $ 3,600. Per Year Based Upon Where You Look, Thus Averaging Out To Approximately $275 - $300. Per Month. Prices For Items Are 1940 - 1960 Prices for Food and Other Items. Therefore Relatively Equitable To Incomes Accordingly. A Half Copper Penny or "Half-Cob" As Is Called Is Equal To 6 1/2 Cents, A Copper Cob Equals 12.5 Cents. 20-Twenty Copper Cobs = 1-One Silver Noble or $2.50. 4-Four Silver Nobles = An Electrum Plate or $10.00. 20-Twenty Silver Nobles=$50. Or 5-Five Electrum Plates =$50. Or = 1-One Gold Crown. 10 Gold Crowns Are Called A "Winged Helm" Piece = $500. 20-Twenty Gold Crowns= 1-One Platinum Throne= $1,000.00. 20 Platinum Thrones Or 400 Gold Crowns Are =To 1-One King's Bar= $20,000. And 5 King's Bars, 5 x $20,000 = 1-One Emperor's Brick=$100,000. - Due to the amounts involved, Both the King's Bar & the Emperor's Brick while actual forms of physical currency are usually moved, loaned, exchanged, financed, etc, via letter of credit with either Royal Notary Co-Sealing Merchant Seal or Royal Seal. Anyway, I enjoy your videos and am quite sure you're an excellent DM because you actually give a damn (That's certainly my problem). Stay Strong, Live Long, Shout Out Anytime!! Korum
@@KorumEmrys Always great to see a GM who has thought through their world like you have. There's a lot of RAW that doesn't add up or tell you as the GM how to solve the issues you've outlined. Such as the healing in 5e! I like your idea on prices as well.
Thanks KR! I have not really thought it out this way. It’s often been intuitive. Note I said often, not always. Admittedly we had some sessions where it was about getting rid of the bodies from the battle in the prior session. Or a whole session of figuring the logistics hauling out a dragon’s treasure horde. Boring but important! Hard to find the cinema in those situations. Not often… 😅
Those can be exciting too! Just put a ticking clock on it and go!
This is the best video topic you covered. I run my game like this and it removes pressure as a Dm. The only downside is when you do this in combat and use a grid the players stay in combat mode even when it over
So glad you liked it!
Thanks again, KR. Great perspective as always to keep an engaging flow 🍻
Glad you liked it!
So I’m thinking “Office Space “! Red stapler as the McGuffin! 😂
Say hello to Lumbergh for me!
I think there is a deficit of how to narrate the world, and a surplus of... Top ten this, top five that, etc. Great topic to discuss!
I totally agree!
I love this advice. I cant wait to try to apply this next game
Glad you liked it!
Or just have what they are to investigate stick out like a sore thumb. You've entered a dining hall, there is a dais with seven high-backed leather-bound chairs, in front of them are three tables two have 17 leather bound chairs the other has 15 and a blood red, satin-bound, eight-legged, monstrous, love seat. What in that room do you check? That's right the one mimic in the room that didn't get the memo to come disguised as a leather-bound chair.
Just discussed momics for a future podcast with Daniel Norton. I went with the chair mimic as well!
Plot twist: it's mimics all the way down
@@MemphiStig How is that a plot twist, it says, " the one mimic in the room, that didn't get the memo to come disguised as a leather-bound chair."
@@carlosvillanueva8530 Think "Mimic World" and this was just their first step toward seeing the truth. Tip of the iceberg kind of thing.
@@MemphiStig You'll see this exact scenario coming up on my podcast!
Good Vid. Pace and Flow, that is the hall mark of a great GM and great movie. Just be careful not to over narrate.
You still want the players to drive the action and do a lot of the talking.