I have been dming 2 dragon of icespire peak campaigns and one of my groups just cannot be invested in it they keep on running off to do something else entirely or literally just walk away. How can I keep them invested is it just me being a bad dm?
If you have your players interested/invested in the game enough that they are coming up with self-directed goals, finding things in your game to care about, I don't think you can say you're a bad DM.
What kinds of things are your players getting sidetracked doing? Unless it's murderhobo stuff like just killing every npc they find, then maybe try and find a way to connect it to the plot of the adventure. If you take Thing A, that the players already care about and have been working on on their own initiative, and tie it up with Thing B, the larger plot, they're more likely to get invested in Thing B without even noticing that you did anything.
For example, your players quit adventuring to start a tavern? Business seems to be drying up due to this dragon business, and if something doesn't change soon the bank is gonna repossess the place!
Or maybe the players are more interested in hunting bandits than whatever the plot is (I've never ran Icespire Peak)-- maybe have one of the bandit lieutenants in league with the dragon, plotting to conquer the countryside or something. Have players discover evidence in the bandits' camp that there's more going on here than meets the eye and it leads all the way up to X plot point.
You should insist on the threat Cryovain the white dragon pose to the region of Phandalin and the urgency to act. This should prop them in seeking help needed to defeat it by going to Gnomengarde and Dragon Barrow and to secure a safe place for people of Phandalin in Axeholm in case of evacuation. Others quest with less apparent link may be harder to find motivation for them. Another incentive could be the lure of treasure and to find where Cryovain lair.
Well it’s not like getting sidetracked in the story they literally just get up an walk around. We play in a after school club and its in a cafeteria we’re there’s other distractions (phones other people etc)and I don’t want to yell at them or anything I just want to play
Oh, okk then. Run a session 0 in the middle of your campaign and try to make some ground rules such as: No phones, if you don't roll initiative then your turn gets skipped(to get them to pay attention), and other stuff like that.
Oh well if they physically walk away from your table, you need to insist that this is very disruptive to the game flow and that players getting a warning will be replaced if they keep doing it.
talk to your school and ask if there's a side room you can use to play, that should cut down on the distractions. As others have said, establish the rules of the game, and if they don't commit to them, try to find another group. If you really like the group, ask them if there is any chance they would prefer to play somewhere and somewhen else?
You can call them out on it. As soon as they get up, just say "Where are you going?". Stop the action dead. don't let them slip away without any consequence. This should let you know who is actually dedicated to the game.
Well it’s not like getting sidetracked in the story they literally just get up an walk around. We play in a after school club and its in a cafeteria we’re there’s other distractions (phones other people etc)and I don’t want to yell at them or anything I just want to play
Who's idea was it to play dnd? Maybe not everyone in the group is down? Have a chat with them. If it turns out they're not really into the game, you should play a different game when you hang out. If it turns out they *do* really want to play and just don't know what's expected of them, then you're well within your rights to lay some ground rules if the game is to continue. I suggest not allowing phones out at the table (or if people's character sheets are on the phone, at least insist they only use it for that at the table), insist that people remain present at the table and pay attention to the game, even the parts they're not directly involved in (and then they know when the spotlight is on them, they can also expect to be listened to), and just practice basic respect for the game and people's time.
Not everyone has experience playing ttrpg's, and what is and isn't acceptable isn't obvious to everyone, and I definitely think you can point this out without it seeming like you're yelling at them. Just frame it as a frank group discussion. If people are here to play dnd, let's play dnd.
talk to your school and ask if there's a side room you can use to play, that should cut down on the distractions. As others have said, establish the rules of the game, and if they don't commit to them, try to find another group. If you really like the group, ask them if there is any chance they would prefer to play somewhere and somewhen else?
You can call them out on it. As soon as they get up, just say "Where are you going?". Stop the action dead. don't let them slip away without any consequence. This should let you know who is actually dedicated to the game.
It could be maybe they’ve played a bit and don’t like it. That doesn’t mean it’s you, could just be not their kind of hobby. Id agree with the above, session 0 idea. Have an out of character talk and make sure they still want to play, and if they do, set some ground rules going forward.
What are your expectations of the players? If you have clear ideas on how you want to run it and they don't want to follow your lead, then you'll probably get frustrated.
I've been running an after school high school group too for the past two months with the Icespire campaign. Instead of making it how I wanted it to be, I adjusted to their personalities. That's the compromise I made. You may not want to compromise your style. My group is now three players. Two players have dropped out. Some other interested people have stopped by to watch.
I also added some new content to the campaign by creating a small quest inside Phalandin itself. I based the quest on some interesting ideas the players were talking about. They were really excited to start and to see something they imagined become a part of the game. We may complete Icespire or not, but it's fine because they get experience playing the game.
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I have been dming 2 dragon of icespire peak campaigns and one of my groups just cannot be invested in it they keep on running off to do something else entirely or literally just walk away. How can I keep them invested is it just me being a bad dm?
Just a newbie trying to get into the game
If you have your players interested/invested in the game enough that they are coming up with self-directed goals, finding things in your game to care about, I don't think you can say you're a bad DM.
What kinds of things are your players getting sidetracked doing? Unless it's murderhobo stuff like just killing every npc they find, then maybe try and find a way to connect it to the plot of the adventure. If you take Thing A, that the players already care about and have been working on on their own initiative, and tie it up with Thing B, the larger plot, they're more likely to get invested in Thing B without even noticing that you did anything.
For example, your players quit adventuring to start a tavern? Business seems to be drying up due to this dragon business, and if something doesn't change soon the bank is gonna repossess the place!
Or maybe the players are more interested in hunting bandits than whatever the plot is (I've never ran Icespire Peak)-- maybe have one of the bandit lieutenants in league with the dragon, plotting to conquer the countryside or something. Have players discover evidence in the bandits' camp that there's more going on here than meets the eye and it leads all the way up to X plot point.
You should insist on the threat Cryovain the white dragon pose to the region of Phandalin and the urgency to act. This should prop them in seeking help needed to defeat it by going to Gnomengarde and Dragon Barrow and to secure a safe place for people of Phandalin in Axeholm in case of evacuation. Others quest with less apparent link may be harder to find motivation for them. Another incentive could be the lure of treasure and to find where Cryovain lair.
Well it’s not like getting sidetracked in the story they literally just get up an walk around. We play in a after school club and its in a cafeteria we’re there’s other distractions (phones other people etc)and I don’t want to yell at them or anything I just want to play
Just a newbie trying to get into the game
Oh, okk then. Run a session 0 in the middle of your campaign and try to make some ground rules such as: No phones, if you don't roll initiative then your turn gets skipped(to get them to pay attention), and other stuff like that.
DMing:
Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Playing:
None sadly.
Optimization Guides:
Literally Too Angry to Die - A Guide to Optimizing a Barbarian
Oh well if they physically walk away from your table, you need to insist that this is very disruptive to the game flow and that players getting a warning will be replaced if they keep doing it.
Ok I’ll try that out thanks
Just a newbie trying to get into the game
talk to your school and ask if there's a side room you can use to play, that should cut down on the distractions. As others have said, establish the rules of the game, and if they don't commit to them, try to find another group. If you really like the group, ask them if there is any chance they would prefer to play somewhere and somewhen else?
You can call them out on it. As soon as they get up, just say "Where are you going?". Stop the action dead. don't let them slip away without any consequence. This should let you know who is actually dedicated to the game.
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Who's idea was it to play dnd? Maybe not everyone in the group is down? Have a chat with them. If it turns out they're not really into the game, you should play a different game when you hang out. If it turns out they *do* really want to play and just don't know what's expected of them, then you're well within your rights to lay some ground rules if the game is to continue. I suggest not allowing phones out at the table (or if people's character sheets are on the phone, at least insist they only use it for that at the table), insist that people remain present at the table and pay attention to the game, even the parts they're not directly involved in (and then they know when the spotlight is on them, they can also expect to be listened to), and just practice basic respect for the game and people's time.
Not everyone has experience playing ttrpg's, and what is and isn't acceptable isn't obvious to everyone, and I definitely think you can point this out without it seeming like you're yelling at them. Just frame it as a frank group discussion. If people are here to play dnd, let's play dnd.
Well that’s the thing you have to willingly sing up for the club they wanted to play dnd I just dont understand why there now not wanting to play
Just a newbie trying to get into the game
Thanks
Just a newbie trying to get into the game
Alright
Just a newbie trying to get into the game
It could be maybe they’ve played a bit and don’t like it. That doesn’t mean it’s you, could just be not their kind of hobby.
Id agree with the above, session 0 idea. Have an out of character talk and make sure they still want to play, and if they do, set some ground rules going forward.
What are your expectations of the players? If you have clear ideas on how you want to run it and they don't want to follow your lead, then you'll probably get frustrated.
I've been running an after school high school group too for the past two months with the Icespire campaign. Instead of making it how I wanted it to be, I adjusted to their personalities. That's the compromise I made. You may not want to compromise your style. My group is now three players. Two players have dropped out. Some other interested people have stopped by to watch.
I also added some new content to the campaign by creating a small quest inside Phalandin itself. I based the quest on some interesting ideas the players were talking about. They were really excited to start and to see something they imagined become a part of the game. We may complete Icespire or not, but it's fine because they get experience playing the game.