I suspect the holiday season had something to do with it. My guess is, everyone else was busy and he was the one available to write, and with it being the holidays he probably had a lot on his plate to begin with as well. Of course that is pure speculation on my part, but that's what I think is most likely.
Does every joke Dan tells land? Nah. That's just how comedy works. Sometimes it falls flat, and he can only correct so far in a written article.
Is the man Ruining a Generation of Roleplayers(TM) or Destroying D&D As We Know It(C)? Of course not. He's one guy writing some funny words on the Intarwebs. If a DM can't counterweight anything Dan says with a bit of communication, that DM shouldn't be running games.
Some of what Dan's produced is gold. His latest on describing utterly mundane things players just cannot let alone is honestly pretty genius - it's an excellent way for a DM to make the point that whatever the players have spent ten minutes poking at is just a piece of furniture in a way even they can't help but pick up on. The pocket mimic was brilliant, and frankly the Nightmare Tavern pieces were excellent seeds for one-shots, or twisty little mini-adventures woven into larger games.
James Haeck's Class 101 isn't useful for every player who reads it, either. Nobody gives him guff over it. Back when DDB actually did Critical Role content, that content was useless for anyone who didn't follow the show. Didn't make it useless content.
If Dan pokes a stick at some of the crappy tropes of D&D? Well, hell - if you can't laugh at them you're doomed to repeat them. And I'd rather have more funny comedy pieces than more "Encounter of the Week' now that EotW is nothing but advertising hype for whatever the next book is. Man that was a pisser...
But Yurei, don't you realize Dan personally impugned their family's and/or sensei's and/or dog's honor with his jokes about Dire Naked Molerats and cashew-based Warforged?
In seriousness though, it's fine to not like his material, but there are some people who have blown things waaaaaay out of proportion...like, if they dislike him that much, why are they reading his articles? Again, it's fine to dislike someone's material and request different content from the site, but when someone (who shall be unnamed) is still complaining about an article almost a month after it's been published, then I can't help but feel maybe the problem isn't Dan...
Dan stepped up his writing and the other authors have written more lately, so I'm pretty happy with the front page lately. I think some people took the criticism too seriously while some of us just wanted more variety since we were feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of Dan's content.
I agree. His newer articles are better, and pretty clear that the articles are jokes. Some of them are actually good advise, like the describing things too much to throw off the players. Genius, and I've used it before the article was posted.
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If I had a nickle for every time one of my players turned a piece of flavor detail into an entire side plot... Sometimes a chair is just a chair, and sometimes you're feeding the DM your bizzare chair based plot hooks.
To be faaaaaair: When I see Dan has an article, I always set aside a bit of time to read it despite my luke-warm opinion. I wish I could say I always read the rest, but I gotta choose where to spend my time. So, there's that. It must mean something.
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Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I've only read his more recent articles but so far I haven't minded them. Sure, they don't make me laugh out loud or anything and not every joke hits for me personally but humor is funny that way. Overall they still tend to be fun articles that I'll at least skim based on the context. The playable races article was fun and the mention of a dire naked molerat actually gave me ideas for dumb creatures I could have players bump into.
FWIW, there hasn't been a Telfer article in a month. There are none on the home page. They used to come out roughly once or twice a week (excepting around the holidays).
If, like us, you're worried about the threat Dan Telfer poses to the sanctity of your game, make sure you talk to your players before they read too many of his articles. Young players are especially impressionable and vulnerable to peer pressure, so it's important you warn them early about the danger. Check in with them when they get to your game, ask about what they're reading online, know who else they hang out with, and make sure they know they can get in touch with you. Help them understand that some experimentation is healthy, but that moderation is the key to safe enjoyment. You may face some resistance, and that's normal. Young players are going through a lot of changes, and asserting their independence is one of them. Just remember - you're their DM, and when it comes to caring there's no substitute for being involved in your players' lives.
I'm not worried about outside influences to our games. That's all on us, and our actions will overcome any expectations.
Dan's stuff isn't dangerous. The whole DM-vs-players trope can be funny if the context is properly set, but the forums show me that the cooperative group-storytelling can offer a lot of humor in greater variety than the singular topic of pulling fast ones on players.
I think Dan just needs to stretch a bit more into stories of cooperation and not always creating adversity (and be a little more blunt about the article being what NOT to do - the intent is obvious to those of us who recognize his style but we have to assume that there are new readers).
I'm sure he's capable.
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Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I think Dan just needs to stretch a bit more into stories of cooperation and not always creating adversity (and be a little more blunt about the article being what NOT to do - the intent is obvious to those of us who recognize his style but we have to assume that there are new readers).
I'm sure he's capable.
I think this sums up how I feel; it's evident Dan is a talented and funny writer, I just wish he'd write stuff outside of the adversarial themes.
For me, I enjoy humor just fine. I don't mind sparing use of the adviserial stuff even though I don't know anyone who actually runs their game like that. I was more annoyed that at one point his articles were overwhelming the other content on the site. Several 'random articles full of randomness' get stale quickly to me.
I liked his alternative alignment articles. Reminded me of some people I knew. XD
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Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
While D&D Beyond appreciates and fosters discussions with dissenting opinions, we do not appreciate arguments over an individual's personal merit. Please keep in mind that we are all members of this amazing community that is Dungeons & Dragons, and D&D Beyond, and treat one another with respect and kindness. :)
At this time we will be locking this thread, and clearing the posts that choose to make a commentary on their fellow community members, as the discussion has run it's course.
Thank you very much. MellieDM
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I suspect the holiday season had something to do with it. My guess is, everyone else was busy and he was the one available to write, and with it being the holidays he probably had a lot on his plate to begin with as well. Of course that is pure speculation on my part, but that's what I think is most likely.
Whole lotta people who need to lighten up.
Does every joke Dan tells land? Nah. That's just how comedy works. Sometimes it falls flat, and he can only correct so far in a written article.
Is the man Ruining a Generation of Roleplayers(TM) or Destroying D&D As We Know It(C)? Of course not. He's one guy writing some funny words on the Intarwebs. If a DM can't counterweight anything Dan says with a bit of communication, that DM shouldn't be running games.
Some of what Dan's produced is gold. His latest on describing utterly mundane things players just cannot let alone is honestly pretty genius - it's an excellent way for a DM to make the point that whatever the players have spent ten minutes poking at is just a piece of furniture in a way even they can't help but pick up on. The pocket mimic was brilliant, and frankly the Nightmare Tavern pieces were excellent seeds for one-shots, or twisty little mini-adventures woven into larger games.
James Haeck's Class 101 isn't useful for every player who reads it, either. Nobody gives him guff over it. Back when DDB actually did Critical Role content, that content was useless for anyone who didn't follow the show. Didn't make it useless content.
If Dan pokes a stick at some of the crappy tropes of D&D? Well, hell - if you can't laugh at them you're doomed to repeat them. And I'd rather have more funny comedy pieces than more "Encounter of the Week' now that EotW is nothing but advertising hype for whatever the next book is. Man that was a pisser...
Please do not contact or message me.
But Yurei, don't you realize Dan personally impugned their family's and/or sensei's and/or dog's honor with his jokes about Dire Naked Molerats and cashew-based Warforged?
In seriousness though, it's fine to not like his material, but there are some people who have blown things waaaaaay out of proportion...like, if they dislike him that much, why are they reading his articles? Again, it's fine to dislike someone's material and request different content from the site, but when someone (who shall be unnamed) is still complaining about an article almost a month after it's been published, then I can't help but feel maybe the problem isn't Dan...
Yeah his articles aren't my thing but I know a lot of folks love them so no skin off my nose.
Dan stepped up his writing and the other authors have written more lately, so I'm pretty happy with the front page lately. I think some people took the criticism too seriously while some of us just wanted more variety since we were feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of Dan's content.
I agree. His newer articles are better, and pretty clear that the articles are jokes. Some of them are actually good advise, like the describing things too much to throw off the players. Genius, and I've used it before the article was posted.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
If I had a nickle for every time one of my players turned a piece of flavor detail into an entire side plot... Sometimes a chair is just a chair, and sometimes you're feeding the DM your bizzare chair based plot hooks.
I know, right! One night I had to spend 1 hour convincing the party that a moose wasn't the BBEG!
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
Having met moose in person, I would be terrified in a campaign where a moose is the BBEG. Moose bites can be pretty nasti.
To be faaaaaair: When I see Dan has an article, I always set aside a bit of time to read it despite my luke-warm opinion. I wish I could say I always read the rest, but I gotta choose where to spend my time. So, there's that. It must mean something.
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I've only read his more recent articles but so far I haven't minded them. Sure, they don't make me laugh out loud or anything and not every joke hits for me personally but humor is funny that way. Overall they still tend to be fun articles that I'll at least skim based on the context. The playable races article was fun and the mention of a dire naked molerat actually gave me ideas for dumb creatures I could have players bump into.
Full of rice, beans, and bad ideas.
FWIW, there hasn't been a Telfer article in a month. There are none on the home page. They used to come out roughly once or twice a week (excepting around the holidays).
If, like us, you're worried about the threat Dan Telfer poses to the sanctity of your game, make sure you talk to your players before they read too many of his articles. Young players are especially impressionable and vulnerable to peer pressure, so it's important you warn them early about the danger. Check in with them when they get to your game, ask about what they're reading online, know who else they hang out with, and make sure they know they can get in touch with you. Help them understand that some experimentation is healthy, but that moderation is the key to safe enjoyment. You may face some resistance, and that's normal. Young players are going through a lot of changes, and asserting their independence is one of them. Just remember - you're their DM, and when it comes to caring there's no substitute for being involved in your players' lives.
I'm not worried about outside influences to our games. That's all on us, and our actions will overcome any expectations.
Dan's stuff isn't dangerous. The whole DM-vs-players trope can be funny if the context is properly set, but the forums show me that the cooperative group-storytelling can offer a lot of humor in greater variety than the singular topic of pulling fast ones on players.
I think Dan just needs to stretch a bit more into stories of cooperation and not always creating adversity (and be a little more blunt about the article being what NOT to do - the intent is obvious to those of us who recognize his style but we have to assume that there are new readers).
I'm sure he's capable.
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I think this sums up how I feel; it's evident Dan is a talented and funny writer, I just wish he'd write stuff outside of the adversarial themes.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
For me, I enjoy humor just fine. I don't mind sparing use of the adviserial stuff even though I don't know anyone who actually runs their game like that. I was more annoyed that at one point his articles were overwhelming the other content on the site. Several 'random articles full of randomness' get stale quickly to me.
I liked his alternative alignment articles. Reminded me of some people I knew. XD
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
Hello everyone!
While D&D Beyond appreciates and fosters discussions with dissenting opinions, we do not appreciate arguments over an individual's personal merit. Please keep in mind that we are all members of this amazing community that is Dungeons & Dragons, and D&D Beyond, and treat one another with respect and kindness. :)
At this time we will be locking this thread, and clearing the posts that choose to make a commentary on their fellow community members, as the discussion has run it's course.
Thank you very much.
MellieDM