I am a veteran D&D player, but new to 5e and being a DM for my son and his friends. I'm curious how far some of the veteran DMs plan in advance. I don't want to get too far ahead because I don't know where my players will go, but I also don't want to be lost for the next point in the campaign arc. So, any advice?
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I don't like quotations, tell me what you know. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
I try to plan about 3 sessions ahead. Plus adding notes after each session in case the players have mentioned stuff (downtime, side quests, things they think they need to follow up on) so that I can have hat ready in case it happens.
This normally means that I only use 25% of what I've prepped, but this way it means I have it for another session or campaign, can reskin and away I go.
Since I use the modules I usually plan 3-4 chapters ahead. Some groups will spend several sessions to do a couple of chapters and some, like my current group, will breeze trough it so fast and so creatively that it's hard to keep up. For example in the first session they were attacked by a dragon. The Dragon was to intimidate and after a few shots go away, well one dwarven rouge decided he didn't want to fight and was able to convince the Dragon to play a game of Toss the Kobold instead of fighting. So as a DM prepare ahead as much as you think necessary, be flexible to anything that might happen, and don't be afraid to take a small amount of time in a session for tweaking if the need arises.
I play a fairly open world game, but I have the main questline planned out for the next stage at any time. Random side quests are usually something I make up as we go, making a handout to get the party's interest and having a loose idea what would be required.
For the main story however, I try and plan each stage in detail. So as an example, my players are going to a dwarf city where they will run into a Drow Theif who will use some magic to cause chaos etc etc. Later, the party will encounter the same Drow but need to work together to overcome a strong enemy. While this will be a recuring villain for the main quest, I have fully planned out the dwarven city quest, but left all the other sessions open for playing.
Planning 2 / 3 sessions of content seems a good limit, as some players may find short cuts to your current session and get to session 2 content in the first session. Always prep more than you think you need, as players will always make unexpected choices.
I am a veteran D&D player, but new to 5e and being a DM for my son and his friends.
There is a lot of great advice about being a DM in general across this site, but I'm going to make a wild assumption and guess your son and his friends are on the younger and/or newer end.
When you're playing with kids or even teens, pacing is even more difficult. Be ready for slightly shorter sessions than you'd expect, and for things to take longer (not necessarily battles, just figuring out what is going to happen next or talking to an NPC.) Sometimes younger players don't have as much stamina, so you have to gauge when your players are getting tired. I played with my younger brother and a bunch of his high school friends, and a few of them got really frustrated with a puzzle and started getting punchy. You have to leave yourself a few exit strategies, and be ready to make your campaign simple.
My first DM was my dad, and it became a really special bonding experience for us. Like you, he was a veteran DM who was new to 5e, but he was able to fall into his role with ease, I'm really excited for you, have fun!
I am hoping that this can bring my son and I closer together. (I'm trying to get his sister in on it, but she isn't biting.) My son and his friends are teens, and they are new to tabletop RPGs in general so I am trying to teach them, and figure out how they like to play at the same time. I just don't want to run out of material and have lots of time left in a session.
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I don't like quotations, tell me what you know. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
The first game I did with three teens took us two hours just to find the adventure hook and get the party together. The second game I did with a group of teens took significantly less time, but the pacing was still pretty slow. As a DM, I always tend to over-prepare, but with a group of new (and young) adventurers, don't get too frustrated when they don't make it to that really cool encounter you made. I highly suggest you come up with a reason that the party is together before the game begins, and include that in your intro. It could save you two hours at a tavern.
I always like to get a sense of what everyone wants to get out of the campaign while we make character sheets. With new players, it's also nice to know all of their stats.
I plan events as an outline in my campaign. I'm putting up the framework, but letting my players tack the drywall and choose the colors/decorations.
The events which dot my campaign always have multiple angles to them - puzzle aspects, brute force, or social manipulation. Occasionally, there are multiple subsets or factions looking for opposite results, giving my players plenty of option to choose which direction to continue. If you place NPCs in towns on a map, the players will likely make their way there at some point to discover/investigate. Save the side quests and story-line for them there; Just avoid creating linear progression and you'll be okay.
Players are known to go on wild tangents in opposite directions, but you can be creative with discreetly placing them back on track. Perhaps a camp of bandits drop a ransom note from a pocket, pointing to your next campaign hub. Maybe they overhear rumors of riches buried below an oak tree in a far off village. Plan ahead so that you are prepared with a great story, but give your players freedom - corralling them behind the scenes, if needed.
I only design surface of events and environments. Everything else appears spontaneously. Sometimes I take my players into a undesigned situation and waiting for them to make decisions. If they come to me with a logical solution, I accept or determine DC for the solution. When you design some of the details, you find out that other people will never think like you and they will never find the certain answer you want. Let their logic speak.
I am hoping that this can bring my son and I closer together. (I'm trying to get his sister in on it, but she isn't biting.) My son and his friends are teens, and they are new to tabletop RPGs in general so I am trying to teach them, and figure out how they like to play at the same time. I just don't want to run out of material and have lots of time left in a session.
If you run out of things or the PCs go way off course you can always add a random encounter or two to take up some game time if you feel yourself lost.
Before running the game make sure you have the original story arc planned out, with encounters, NPCs, complications, etc. I would say it's a good idea to have a concrete idea of the elements in the world that they may need to know/ be able to interact with.
This doesn't mean everything has to go as planned and not change as you are running it, but it's good to know where things are initially heading.
Make sure the PCs are invested in the hooks. Gold/magic items can work as well using their backgrounds to explain what their motivation is. Nothing is worse than PCs being like, eh we'll pass.
But if that happens let it. So I'd have some random encounters prepared just in case. You could have the PCs attacked by some thugs or wolves etc. If thugs have the towns folk complain about the gang. If wolves add something unnatural to them to make the PCs want to investigate. Dark red eyes without pupils for example.
Think about the second story arc and perhaps the third so that you can weave those elements into the story. Nothing is better than the PCs hearing about how a traveler was attacked by an orc tribe or dragon up north and then when the PCs make it north they finally run into the creature/creatures they have heard about. (but don't drop the hint every game session only when it comes up naturally)
Mention trolls at the bridge or other ideas before they happen. Have the PCs run into major NPCs while they are minor.
Don't just describe the major NPCs. When the PCs walk into a room have everyone (or a reasonable number) with unique descriptions. Having a list of names helps in case the NPCs need someone.
Best thing to do is make some NPCs that run all the major things the PCs will come on contact with. If the PCs never go to Draken the Blacksmith in town A then you can use him when they finally do need a blacksmith. Generic names/descriptions can fill in when you didn't realize you needed something. Make sure to take notes on what descriptions and names you use when making stuff up on the fly. Nothing is worse when the NPC blacksmith goes from Draken to Bob to Calus to Wicker in a town of 50 people.
Also take notes and make sure you write down important things that happen each game session.
So I need help I'm making a weapon and I have it as a buster sword that can be used like a long sword I have it do 2d8, 1d4 acid it's a Hexblades with the soul of a black dragon in it it can also do if u stab it in the ground it add 1+1d4 to ur ac I was told it does not follow lore and it's OP so if it is how do I fix it
I am a veteran D&D player, but new to 5e and being a DM for my son and his friends. I'm curious how far some of the veteran DMs plan in advance. I don't want to get too far ahead because I don't know where my players will go, but I also don't want to be lost for the next point in the campaign arc. So, any advice?
I'm new as well, but I plan what I hope they would do in the next session. I always have a few ideas for encounters just in case things don't go as planned. I do have the main plot and villains in the back of my mind, and I have a vague idea of what the main plot looks like.
Kids tend to be hard to run structured games for, because they have notoriously short attention spans. This is true all the way up to late teens. Rather than plan whole sessions to death, just identify a few things you want them to do or learn, and be prepared to improvise. For instance:
1. I want them to get hired by SOMEONE to clear out a dire rat's nest.
2. I want them to have a fight with some dire rats.
3. I want them to learn that something was controlling the dire rats.
This sounds like not much, but if everybody's new to DnD, then a single combat is going to take most of the session. And if it goes TOO quickly, you can tack on another encounter, or further intrigue. You can use the first session to feel out the personalities of all the players, and if it ends up running short, you know how much you need to add in the future. As long as you hit those three points, then nothing else matters. So you can keep it loose, give the kids a chance to goof around, while still having purpose and fulfilling a story arc.
Yes, I would say one trick to hook yourger audiance might be to simulate environments or styles they are familiar with. D&D can support many a setting and inspiring yourself with something they already appreciate like video games (overwatch or minecraft or the like) can help ease in your players in the format. One of the major hurdles I find for new players, especially younger ones is having to decide characters backgrounds/style and classes.
For first time users, having some premade characters could be interresting. Otherwise, having a mentor as part of the group (maybe you have a NPC with the players for the first few sessions only) that sort of shows them the ropes. The tirc is to make sure the NPC does NOT steal the thunder from the players.
As far as planning, I personnally try to have my story arc's major plot lines pre-decided in terms that I have intentions for the bad guys and as such, will have an idea of how they would react to the players. Also keep my maps(encounters) flexible so they can happen in many places, giving more freedom to my players to explore.
I agree that shorter sessions is a good means of keeping interrest in younger players. Also a trick I suggest is to have a small talk session with them after a game 10-15 min to get their feedback: what did you like/not like what was your favourite moment of this session? (maybe not every session, but from time to time so you can readjust)
Yes, I would say one trick to hook yourger audiance might be to simulate environments or styles they are familiar with. D&D can support many a setting and inspiring yourself with something they already appreciate like video games (overwatch or minecraft or the like) can help ease in your players in the format. One of the major hurdles I find for new players, especially younger ones is having to decide characters backgrounds/style and classes.
For first time users, having some premade characters could be interresting. Otherwise, having a mentor as part of the group (maybe you have a NPC with the players for the first few sessions only) that sort of shows them the ropes. The tirc is to make sure the NPC does NOT steal the thunder from the players.
As far as planning, I personnally try to have my story arc's major plot lines pre-decided in terms that I have intentions for the bad guys and as such, will have an idea of how they would react to the players. Also keep my maps(encounters) flexible so they can happen in many places, giving more freedom to my players to explore.
I agree that shorter sessions is a good means of keeping interrest in younger players. Also a trick I suggest is to have a small talk session with them after a game 10-15 min to get their feedback: what did you like/not like what was your favourite moment of this session? (maybe not every session, but from time to time so you can readjust)
Yes, this. "Good artists borrow, great artists steal outright." If your kids are fans of Tolkien, hook them by setting the game in middle earth. If they're into Dragonlance, set it in Krynn. Steal familiar themes. Especially with kids, giving them familiar things helps them feel grounded. It helped me a lot when I was young and starting out.
And the 10-15 minute session thing, I recommend ANY DM have a quick discussion at the end of their session with their players. Our post-session discussions (I think this is stolen from old World of Darkness) end with three questions:
What do you know about the world that you didn't know before? What do you know about your character that you didn't know before? Who was tonight's MVP?
It gives you an insight into what your players are learning, and what learning they're prioritizing. And the MVP question lets one player feel like a champ, and gives you insight into what they think is cool.
I am getting back into DnD after a couple decades away, on youtubes I have been watching vids in the following channels, How to be a great DM & The Dungeon Dudes. Lots of great advice, I encourage you to check them out.
Basically, makes plans but don't box yourself in, if the players choose not to go to the dungeon u wanted them to go to you can move it back into their path later on. The story isn't just coming from you, it comes from the players as well so dont plan so much that you feel the need to railroad them down a path.
I am excited to be getting back in, I have been forming ideas for campaigns the past month and last night we sat down and made characters and now I have to figure out hoe to bring a mountain dearf druid and tiefling warlock together and a campaign to follow, i had no idea theyd make these kinds of characters.
good luck friend and welcome back to the best and hardes game on this planet 😄 to be a DM!
DM Laire is good for quick and good advice; I will look up the Dungeon Dudes 😏
The Tiefling warlock must fallow is power (Dreams, omens, etc.) so that can be easy to make him fallow the Dwarf, but one of them could save the other.
the first encounter could be that on get ambush by monsters and the other is in one round or two to act and join him?
Any how You will need to use up your creativity juice 😃
Thanks, no shortage of creative juices, though I am glad I have some time to come up with something good. Thanks for the DM Laire tip will look into what lore they have to impart.
07
~Draggin
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I am a veteran D&D player, but new to 5e and being a DM for my son and his friends. I'm curious how far some of the veteran DMs plan in advance. I don't want to get too far ahead because I don't know where my players will go, but I also don't want to be lost for the next point in the campaign arc. So, any advice?
I don't like quotations, tell me what you know. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
I try to plan about 3 sessions ahead. Plus adding notes after each session in case the players have mentioned stuff (downtime, side quests, things they think they need to follow up on) so that I can have hat ready in case it happens.
This normally means that I only use 25% of what I've prepped, but this way it means I have it for another session or campaign, can reskin and away I go.
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Since I use the modules I usually plan 3-4 chapters ahead. Some groups will spend several sessions to do a couple of chapters and some, like my current group, will breeze trough it so fast and so creatively that it's hard to keep up. For example in the first session they were attacked by a dragon. The Dragon was to intimidate and after a few shots go away, well one dwarven rouge decided he didn't want to fight and was able to convince the Dragon to play a game of Toss the Kobold instead of fighting. So as a DM prepare ahead as much as you think necessary, be flexible to anything that might happen, and don't be afraid to take a small amount of time in a session for tweaking if the need arises.
Its all about having fun!
I play a fairly open world game, but I have the main questline planned out for the next stage at any time. Random side quests are usually something I make up as we go, making a handout to get the party's interest and having a loose idea what would be required.
For the main story however, I try and plan each stage in detail. So as an example, my players are going to a dwarf city where they will run into a Drow Theif who will use some magic to cause chaos etc etc. Later, the party will encounter the same Drow but need to work together to overcome a strong enemy. While this will be a recuring villain for the main quest, I have fully planned out the dwarven city quest, but left all the other sessions open for playing.
Planning 2 / 3 sessions of content seems a good limit, as some players may find short cuts to your current session and get to session 2 content in the first session. Always prep more than you think you need, as players will always make unexpected choices.
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
PBP: Lera Zahuv in Whispers of Dissent
PBP: Evaine Brae in Innistrad: Dark Ascension
PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
I am hoping that this can bring my son and I closer together. (I'm trying to get his sister in on it, but she isn't biting.) My son and his friends are teens, and they are new to tabletop RPGs in general so I am trying to teach them, and figure out how they like to play at the same time. I just don't want to run out of material and have lots of time left in a session.
I don't like quotations, tell me what you know. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
The first game I did with three teens took us two hours just to find the adventure hook and get the party together. The second game I did with a group of teens took significantly less time, but the pacing was still pretty slow. As a DM, I always tend to over-prepare, but with a group of new (and young) adventurers, don't get too frustrated when they don't make it to that really cool encounter you made. I highly suggest you come up with a reason that the party is together before the game begins, and include that in your intro. It could save you two hours at a tavern.
I always like to get a sense of what everyone wants to get out of the campaign while we make character sheets. With new players, it's also nice to know all of their stats.
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
PBP: Lera Zahuv in Whispers of Dissent
PBP: Evaine Brae in Innistrad: Dark Ascension
PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
I plan events as an outline in my campaign. I'm putting up the framework, but letting my players tack the drywall and choose the colors/decorations.
The events which dot my campaign always have multiple angles to them - puzzle aspects, brute force, or social manipulation. Occasionally, there are multiple subsets or factions looking for opposite results, giving my players plenty of option to choose which direction to continue. If you place NPCs in towns on a map, the players will likely make their way there at some point to discover/investigate. Save the side quests and story-line for them there; Just avoid creating linear progression and you'll be okay.
Players are known to go on wild tangents in opposite directions, but you can be creative with discreetly placing them back on track. Perhaps a camp of bandits drop a ransom note from a pocket, pointing to your next campaign hub. Maybe they overhear rumors of riches buried below an oak tree in a far off village. Plan ahead so that you are prepared with a great story, but give your players freedom - corralling them behind the scenes, if needed.
I only design surface of events and environments. Everything else appears spontaneously. Sometimes I take my players into a undesigned situation and waiting for them to make decisions. If they come to me with a logical solution, I accept or determine DC for the solution. When you design some of the details, you find out that other people will never think like you and they will never find the certain answer you want. Let their logic speak.
"What are you lookin' at, filthy mortal?"
Before running the game make sure you have the original story arc planned out, with encounters, NPCs, complications, etc. I would say it's a good idea to have a concrete idea of the elements in the world that they may need to know/ be able to interact with.
This doesn't mean everything has to go as planned and not change as you are running it, but it's good to know where things are initially heading.
Make sure the PCs are invested in the hooks. Gold/magic items can work as well using their backgrounds to explain what their motivation is. Nothing is worse than PCs being like, eh we'll pass.
But if that happens let it. So I'd have some random encounters prepared just in case. You could have the PCs attacked by some thugs or wolves etc. If thugs have the towns folk complain about the gang. If wolves add something unnatural to them to make the PCs want to investigate. Dark red eyes without pupils for example.
Think about the second story arc and perhaps the third so that you can weave those elements into the story. Nothing is better than the PCs hearing about how a traveler was attacked by an orc tribe or dragon up north and then when the PCs make it north they finally run into the creature/creatures they have heard about. (but don't drop the hint every game session only when it comes up naturally)
Mention trolls at the bridge or other ideas before they happen. Have the PCs run into major NPCs while they are minor.
Don't just describe the major NPCs. When the PCs walk into a room have everyone (or a reasonable number) with unique descriptions. Having a list of names helps in case the NPCs need someone.
Best thing to do is make some NPCs that run all the major things the PCs will come on contact with. If the PCs never go to Draken the Blacksmith in town A then you can use him when they finally do need a blacksmith. Generic names/descriptions can fill in when you didn't realize you needed something. Make sure to take notes on what descriptions and names you use when making stuff up on the fly. Nothing is worse when the NPC blacksmith goes from Draken to Bob to Calus to Wicker in a town of 50 people.
Also take notes and make sure you write down important things that happen each game session.
So I need help I'm making a weapon and I have it as a buster sword that can be used like a long sword I have it do 2d8, 1d4 acid it's a Hexblades with the soul of a black dragon in it it can also do if u stab it in the ground it add 1+1d4 to ur ac I was told it does not follow lore and it's OP so if it is how do I fix it
I'm new as well, but I plan what I hope they would do in the next session. I always have a few ideas for encounters just in case things don't go as planned. I do have the main plot and villains in the back of my mind, and I have a vague idea of what the main plot looks like.
Kids tend to be hard to run structured games for, because they have notoriously short attention spans. This is true all the way up to late teens. Rather than plan whole sessions to death, just identify a few things you want them to do or learn, and be prepared to improvise. For instance:
1. I want them to get hired by SOMEONE to clear out a dire rat's nest.
2. I want them to have a fight with some dire rats.
3. I want them to learn that something was controlling the dire rats.
This sounds like not much, but if everybody's new to DnD, then a single combat is going to take most of the session. And if it goes TOO quickly, you can tack on another encounter, or further intrigue. You can use the first session to feel out the personalities of all the players, and if it ends up running short, you know how much you need to add in the future. As long as you hit those three points, then nothing else matters. So you can keep it loose, give the kids a chance to goof around, while still having purpose and fulfilling a story arc.
Keep it simple !
Dungeons and Dungeons, you can find generator on line
http://donjon.bin.sh/5e/dungeon/
and just play with the kids they will make link to all the dungeons
and you play along like you did the link your self 🤩
and have game of max 3 hours
Peace be with you friend.
Yes, I would say one trick to hook yourger audiance might be to simulate environments or styles they are familiar with. D&D can support many a setting and inspiring yourself with something they already appreciate like video games (overwatch or minecraft or the like) can help ease in your players in the format. One of the major hurdles I find for new players, especially younger ones is having to decide characters backgrounds/style and classes.
For first time users, having some premade characters could be interresting. Otherwise, having a mentor as part of the group (maybe you have a NPC with the players for the first few sessions only) that sort of shows them the ropes. The tirc is to make sure the NPC does NOT steal the thunder from the players.
As far as planning, I personnally try to have my story arc's major plot lines pre-decided in terms that I have intentions for the bad guys and as such, will have an idea of how they would react to the players. Also keep my maps(encounters) flexible so they can happen in many places, giving more freedom to my players to explore.
I agree that shorter sessions is a good means of keeping interrest in younger players. Also a trick I suggest is to have a small talk session with them after a game 10-15 min to get their feedback: what did you like/not like what was your favourite moment of this session? (maybe not every session, but from time to time so you can readjust)
Yes, this. "Good artists borrow, great artists steal outright." If your kids are fans of Tolkien, hook them by setting the game in middle earth. If they're into Dragonlance, set it in Krynn. Steal familiar themes. Especially with kids, giving them familiar things helps them feel grounded. It helped me a lot when I was young and starting out.
And the 10-15 minute session thing, I recommend ANY DM have a quick discussion at the end of their session with their players. Our post-session discussions (I think this is stolen from old World of Darkness) end with three questions:
What do you know about the world that you didn't know before?
What do you know about your character that you didn't know before?
Who was tonight's MVP?
It gives you an insight into what your players are learning, and what learning they're prioritizing. And the MVP question lets one player feel like a champ, and gives you insight into what they think is cool.
I am getting back into DnD after a couple decades away, on youtubes I have been watching vids in the following channels, How to be a great DM & The Dungeon Dudes. Lots of great advice, I encourage you to check them out.
Basically, makes plans but don't box yourself in, if the players choose not to go to the dungeon u wanted them to go to you can move it back into their path later on. The story isn't just coming from you, it comes from the players as well so dont plan so much that you feel the need to railroad them down a path.
I am excited to be getting back in, I have been forming ideas for campaigns the past month and last night we sat down and made characters and now I have to figure out hoe to bring a mountain dearf druid and tiefling warlock together and a campaign to follow, i had no idea theyd make these kinds of characters.
good luck friend and welcome back to the best and hardes game on this planet 😄 to be a DM!
DM Laire is good for quick and good advice; I will look up the Dungeon Dudes 😏
The Tiefling warlock must fallow is power (Dreams, omens, etc.) so that can be easy to make him fallow the Dwarf, but one of them could save the other.
the first encounter could be that on get ambush by monsters and the other is in one round or two to act and join him?
Any how You will need to use up your creativity juice 😃
Axe High friend I go
Peace be with you friend.
Thanks, no shortage of creative juices, though I am glad I have some time to come up with something good. Thanks for the DM Laire tip will look into what lore they have to impart.
07
~Draggin