I've started DMing an adventure of one-shots for my group last year, after they introduced me to D&D 4 years ago. We've had a change of DM's a couple years back, taking us from our previous Mid-Fantasy setting to the Underdark, and later a Wild West version of Eberron.
I've floated with our new DM the idea of running an East Asian-inspired "Monster of the Week" type campaign during his off-weeks, since I'm, frankly, very inattentive, so being in charge of running one-shots in a setting I'm already invested in seemed like a perfect fit. And so I started DMing them on occasion since last year.
Until now I've had the players in a Monster Hunter-type deal, where I give them a list of potential quests, with each relating to a new creature or location, and they go and have a little self-contained story with it; Kill the Wang-Liang, Bring a Ki-Rin scale, Help this Slaad find his superior, Stop the Beholder Ceremony, etc - As long as the players complete the mission, I go with whatever means they pick.
I've become a bit too invested in the setting, though. I've recently commissioned a fantasy mapmaker to help me make a Warring States Period version of MTG's Ravnica, I've come up with a creation myth based on the Si Xiang (thanks to Monsters of the Orient by Marc Altfuldisch!) and borrowed the Theros pantheon from MTG. I'm already invested in a hidden endgame plot to bring a certain villain to power and revive a God.
All those, and still I fear my campaign might start to overlap with our regular campaign - travel around to stop the thing from happening, and meet random cool monsters on the way.
How do I make sure my campaign stays fresh? How do I keep my players interested in my campaign when our other DM is more experienced and better suited?
Note: Our players are relatively combat focused, always going for intimidation followed by combat, and not really focused on roleplaying, acting as pretty much the same characters across campaigns, regardless of race, class or background. It's what they find fun, so character stories haven't really occurred since we started playing...
Recurring bad guys are a fun way to build campaign and plot with players who are mostly combat focussed. Some Bad guy who gets away, always plotting, always on the fringe. It builds frustration and anticipation, just cause they want to kill this thing so bad. Make it creative. It could be a creature from the Shadowfell, maybe something Abyssal, or whatever the relevant plane would be in your world. It could be someone they let live (if that ever happens), or someone who gets raised from the dead. Someone who's plans get thwarted or complicated by their involvement in something seemingly unrelated.
In all of your spare time (lol) maybe draft up an alternate world or something. Not too different, but noticeable. Just draft, mind you, don't get as engrossed as you already have. Then, if things start to get stale, throw in a planar rift or something and ZZOOMP, you're off to Feudal Japan, a world without magic. Or a DIFFERENT magic. Make them adjust their combat techniques. All that stuff they worked so hard to acquire or learn? Sorry, it's no good to you know. You're not back to square 1, you still have skills and stats have increased, but you have to figure out all the new mechanics, knock some dude on the head and steal his weapon etc.....
As far as the other DM being more experienced and better suited? It's your world! Who's better suited than you to run it. You built it, you understand where and what you want it to be, so when the time comes to think on your feet, you're the most suited to not make something that doesn't fit. As far as experience, that's going to come. And for what it's worth, sometimes experience is over rated. I've seen DM's who seem so stuck in a rut with their style. They've been DMing for years, and honestly, it just seems like they need to stop and just PLAY for a bit. So don't let the expertise of another DM hold you back. Otherwise I would have hung up my dice immediately after discovering Critical Role.
They actually did miss a Yuan-Ti who stole the instructions for the ritual to bring back said Big Bad Evil God, so I'll keep recurring characters in mind!
I've been playing Nioh recently, and I can totally use that as a basis for an alternate world that's definitely far enough from the regular campaign XD
That's a good way to look at it - hopefully they'll let me steer this ride and we'll see where it goes :)
The single most important piece of advice I can give to any neophyte GM, is the same one I give to experienced GMs: Ask your players.
After every game, I talk to my players, both as a group and individually to see what they liked and what they didn’t like. I also ask them what they want to do and where they want to take their characters. Sure, that does have a bigger impact for players who want to do more RP than combat, but it doesn’t hurt.
Some additional advice would be to talk to table-top miniature wargamers for some ideas and tactics to keep your battles fresh. A 3d-Printer, to print new terrain and figures (FDM for terrain, DLP/SLA for figures) to keep your players guessing.
Also, re-skinning monsters is a time-honored tradition. Find a creature you like, and give it a different look.
Hey all!
I've started DMing an adventure of one-shots for my group last year, after they introduced me to D&D 4 years ago. We've had a change of DM's a couple years back, taking us from our previous Mid-Fantasy setting to the Underdark, and later a Wild West version of Eberron.
I've floated with our new DM the idea of running an East Asian-inspired "Monster of the Week" type campaign during his off-weeks, since I'm, frankly, very inattentive, so being in charge of running one-shots in a setting I'm already invested in seemed like a perfect fit. And so I started DMing them on occasion since last year.
Until now I've had the players in a Monster Hunter-type deal, where I give them a list of potential quests, with each relating to a new creature or location, and they go and have a little self-contained story with it; Kill the Wang-Liang, Bring a Ki-Rin scale, Help this Slaad find his superior, Stop the Beholder Ceremony, etc - As long as the players complete the mission, I go with whatever means they pick.
I've become a bit too invested in the setting, though. I've recently commissioned a fantasy mapmaker to help me make a Warring States Period version of MTG's Ravnica, I've come up with a creation myth based on the Si Xiang (thanks to Monsters of the Orient by Marc Altfuldisch!) and borrowed the Theros pantheon from MTG. I'm already invested in a hidden endgame plot to bring a certain villain to power and revive a God.
All those, and still I fear my campaign might start to overlap with our regular campaign - travel around to stop the thing from happening, and meet random cool monsters on the way.
How do I make sure my campaign stays fresh? How do I keep my players interested in my campaign when our other DM is more experienced and better suited?
Note: Our players are relatively combat focused, always going for intimidation followed by combat, and not really focused on roleplaying, acting as pretty much the same characters across campaigns, regardless of race, class or background. It's what they find fun, so character stories haven't really occurred since we started playing...
Thanks in advance!
Jonathan.
Recurring bad guys are a fun way to build campaign and plot with players who are mostly combat focussed. Some Bad guy who gets away, always plotting, always on the fringe. It builds frustration and anticipation, just cause they want to kill this thing so bad. Make it creative. It could be a creature from the Shadowfell, maybe something Abyssal, or whatever the relevant plane would be in your world. It could be someone they let live (if that ever happens), or someone who gets raised from the dead. Someone who's plans get thwarted or complicated by their involvement in something seemingly unrelated.
In all of your spare time (lol) maybe draft up an alternate world or something. Not too different, but noticeable. Just draft, mind you, don't get as engrossed as you already have. Then, if things start to get stale, throw in a planar rift or something and ZZOOMP, you're off to Feudal Japan, a world without magic. Or a DIFFERENT magic. Make them adjust their combat techniques. All that stuff they worked so hard to acquire or learn? Sorry, it's no good to you know. You're not back to square 1, you still have skills and stats have increased, but you have to figure out all the new mechanics, knock some dude on the head and steal his weapon etc.....
As far as the other DM being more experienced and better suited? It's your world! Who's better suited than you to run it. You built it, you understand where and what you want it to be, so when the time comes to think on your feet, you're the most suited to not make something that doesn't fit. As far as experience, that's going to come. And for what it's worth, sometimes experience is over rated. I've seen DM's who seem so stuck in a rut with their style. They've been DMing for years, and honestly, it just seems like they need to stop and just PLAY for a bit. So don't let the expertise of another DM hold you back. Otherwise I would have hung up my dice immediately after discovering Critical Role.
Best of luck to you and your party.
Thanks, that's actually rather inspiring! :D
They actually did miss a Yuan-Ti who stole the instructions for the ritual to bring back said Big Bad Evil God, so I'll keep recurring characters in mind!
I've been playing Nioh recently, and I can totally use that as a basis for an alternate world that's definitely far enough from the regular campaign XD
That's a good way to look at it - hopefully they'll let me steer this ride and we'll see where it goes :)
Set them a quest to find some shitake mushrooms for a princess who will only eat shitake mushrooms on rice.
Then unleash Totoro's evil twin on them.
Only one of the players has actually seen Totoro, so I don't know if it'll work perfectly or horrendously XD
The single most important piece of advice I can give to any neophyte GM, is the same one I give to experienced GMs: Ask your players.
After every game, I talk to my players, both as a group and individually to see what they liked and what they didn’t like. I also ask them what they want to do and where they want to take their characters. Sure, that does have a bigger impact for players who want to do more RP than combat, but it doesn’t hurt.
Some additional advice would be to talk to table-top miniature wargamers for some ideas and tactics to keep your battles fresh. A 3d-Printer, to print new terrain and figures (FDM for terrain, DLP/SLA for figures) to keep your players guessing.
Also, re-skinning monsters is a time-honored tradition. Find a creature you like, and give it a different look.
That all sounds like really good advice, I'll be sure to ask my players for some out-of-session meetings and one-on-one time :)