She’s a Mystery to Me: How Long To Keep Secrets and Clues From Your Players In Your D&D Game

3 Wise DMs

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Andrew Stein: Living with Lions 46:39

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“If we march into that village and we start trying to persecute people for using poison, something that's very illegal, nobody's going to talk to us. We're not going to find out where the poison came from. We're not going to be able to shut anything down. We should take the approach that people are using poison because they're desperate, because they see no other alternative.” – Andrew Stein Andrew Stein is a wildlife ecologist who spent the past 25 years studying human carnivore conflict from African wild dogs and lions in Kenya and Botswana to leopards and hyenas in Namibia. His work has long focused on finding ways for people and predators to coexist. He is the founder of CLAWS , an organization based in Botswana that's working at the intersection of cutting-edge wildlife research and community driven conservation. Since its start in 2014 and official launch as an NGO in 2020, CLAWS has been pioneering science-based, tech-forward strategies to reduce conflict between people and carnivores. By collaborating closely with local communities, especially traditional cattle herders, CLAWS supports both species conservation and rural livelihoods—making coexistence not just possible, but sustainable.…

for ca. et år siden 44:05

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One of the beauties of TTRPGs is the ability to not just watch or read an amazing story, but to experience it… to create it. The mystery, the action, the climactic battle between good and evil; D&D gives us the ability to create our favorite stories.

One of the most important aspects of that, as the DM, is creating a level of mystery to the story that the players get the chance to uncover as they delve deeper into the adventure.

In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss a listener question about the mystery that they’re planning on having last for 10 levels and ask, “am I being cruel by leaving them in mystery so long?”

4:05 3 ways it can go: 1) your plot twist becomes campaign defining, 2) players will rage quit, or 3) it falls flat.

4:55 Your campaign is not a novel.

7:30 New players might not even understand what they’re choosing when they’re still trying to understand the game mechanics.

9:40 If you have something to get through to the players: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.

11:00 The difficulties of conveying the story in a spoken medium.

12:30 DM Tony discusses his difficulties in conveying lore-heavy campaigns.

14:08 What will the player’s choose? How this can affect the overarching campaign if its too set in stone.

16:25 New players might not be as new as you think with the advent of live-play games. But, then again, they might not remember what all the different dice are either.

19:05 DM Chris’ analogy of trying to teach something to someone and the lessons we can learn for in-game use. Listen for when the players begin to “parrot back” your plot drops.

23:50 The difference between YOUR reveal and THEIR reveal… tie the reveal to the characters. Matt Colville’s “A Tale of Two Campaigns” video.

28:40 For a campaign-defining mystery like “Mystara is dying,” there are infinite ways to create a breadcrumb trail for the players to pick up on.

35:55 Final Thoughts

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#Lifestyle #Podcasting Education #Games and Gambling #Hobbies #3 Wise DMs #Dungeons and Dragons

She’s a Mystery to Me: How Long To Keep Secrets and Clues From Your Players In Your D&D Game

3 Wise DMs

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One of the most important aspects of that, as the DM, is creating a level of mystery to the story that the players get the chance to uncover as they delve deeper into the adventure.

4:05 3 ways it can go: 1) your plot twist becomes campaign defining, 2) players will rage quit, or 3) it falls flat.

4:55 Your campaign is not a novel.

7:30 New players might not even understand what they’re choosing when they’re still trying to understand the game mechanics.

9:40 If you have something to get through to the players: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.

11:00 The difficulties of conveying the story in a spoken medium.

12:30 DM Tony discusses his difficulties in conveying lore-heavy campaigns.

14:08 What will the player’s choose? How this can affect the overarching campaign if its too set in stone.

16:25 New players might not be as new as you think with the advent of live-play games. But, then again, they might not remember what all the different dice are either.

19:05 DM Chris’ analogy of trying to teach something to someone and the lessons we can learn for in-game use. Listen for when the players begin to “parrot back” your plot drops.

23:50 The difference between YOUR reveal and THEIR reveal… tie the reveal to the characters. Matt Colville’s “A Tale of Two Campaigns” video.

28:40 For a campaign-defining mystery like “Mystara is dying,” there are infinite ways to create a breadcrumb trail for the players to pick up on.

35:55 Final Thoughts

163 episoder

#Lifestyle #Podcasting Education #Games and Gambling #Hobbies #3 Wise DMs #Dungeons and Dragons

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3 Wise DMs

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Too Much Time On My Hands – Our 8 Best Hacks For Busy D&D Players 47:10

for 14 dager siden47:10

47:10

Multiple times a week. Once a week. Every other week. Once a month. Once every several months. We’ve referenced how frequency of play can really alter how you run the game, how the story flows, etc. But, our longtime listener, Dr. DM, has brought up how real life has really gotten in the way of scheduling their usually weekly games and how it has affected his confidence with running the game. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to really delve deep into how frequency of play affects how you run the game, and even what type of game you run. Along the way, they offer their eight best tips and hacks to help whenever life alters your gaming schedule. 1:45 Our long-time listener (and now co-DM!) Dr. DM, catches us up on his seafaring campaign we discussed in episode 148 , as well as his question. 5:56 Frequency of play is going to change how you might want to play with certain aspects of the game, like how long it took for DM Tony’s legendary Barbarian to read the Manual of Gainful Exercise. 7:45 Tip#1: If you’ve got the time between sessions, use it to focus on your players goals. 10:05 Tip #2: What is your usual frequency of play? If you start monthly, it won’t be as jarring if you’re used to playing weekly, and now it’s a month. 11:35 Tip #3: Try to end your session on a completed note. And, if you can’t, the beginning recap is your best friend. 12:35 Tip #4: Be big and bold with your secrets, clues, and rumors when weeks have passed since your last game – No Sublety! 14:15 We return to DM Tony’s Barbarian, Hawk, and his quest to forge the Sword of Power in a once-a-month “Race Against Time” type of game. 17:10 Tip #5: If you’re worried that the time between games is letting your DM skills get rusty, start another game to keep “riding the bike.” 19:35 Tip #6: Giving something like a quest to forge a legendary sword needs to be given its due, regardless of your frequency of play. Narrative side quests and LOTRs mechanic of “The Fellowship Phase” offer some options. 30:30 DM Dave’s tangent about a possible Star Wars campaign utilizing the West End d6 system. 31:35 Tip #7: Game flow and frequency of play is going to change depending on how new or experienced your players are. 33:25 Tip #8: How long should it take your players to accomplish things? As long as it needs to in your game and your frequency of play. DM Tony shares the story of DM Dave’s dragonborn cleric, Bhim, trying to gain proficiency in the longsword. 37:50 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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Halls of Valhalla - 3WDs Player Review of Our D&D Viking Epic, Journey to Ragnarok 1:00:59

for 28 dager siden1:00:59

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It’s apropos that our first-ever players review of a campaign was for DM Tony’s Storm King’s Thunder campaign , as our newest iteration has us returning to the frozen world of the original giants in Mana Project Studios Journey to Ragnarok! We bring on return guests Scott (the Terrain Wrangler) , Bonnie (the Chaos Engine) and our newest player to join the group, Jen (the Girlfriend!) In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down with the other three players to review a campaign that had several adjustments made over the course of it – refining it from a completely open-world sandbox-style campaign to a Monster-of-the-Week style. DMs always have to be adjusting dials, so listen in as we discuss how DM Tony had to adjust for vastly different play types to still create a fun and engaging campaign. DM Chris stated it best: “TTRPGs aren’t reliant on lore, backstory, and epic narratives… sometimes its just about getting together and having fun as a group.” 2:25 Player and character introductions. 7:20 Setting the characters in the world: Origins and Viking Clans! 18:35 How much backstory is enough or is it even required? 19:45 The real time adjustment to how you run the game with various types of gamers. 27:30 Refining a multitude of adventures, political brinksmanship, and storylines down to a Monster-of-the-Week tour of the Nine Realms. 29:20 How new and inexperienced players can help us evolve our DM style. 36:00 The players experience between two completely separate campaigns: completely open world and Monster-of-the-Week within the same campaign. 41:40 Forest for the trees: Seeing a character’s story arc in the macro. 44:47 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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Conquer the Viking Saga! 3 Wise DMs Campaign Review and Wrap-up of Journey to Ragnarok 53:51

for 6 weeks siden53:51

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After a little over 2 years and 20+ sessions, we have finally concluded our adventure through the Norse Kingdoms in Midgard and the remaining 8 worlds of Yggdrasill, the World Tree, where the Auspicious Signs were successful in stopping Ragnarok: the Twilight of the Gods. Journey to Ragnarok was in the campaign queue for quite a while (with DM Thorin originally wanting to run it) and DM Tony finally took the reins and led us through an epic adventure and campaign. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to review and wrap-up our Journey to Ragnarok campaign. Along the way, we delve into the tips and tricks that DM Tony used to tie characters into the story, capture the essence of a Viking campaign, introduce new classes, abilities, and even a new addition to the leveling system of 5e! 3:12 DM Tony reveals the impetus behind running Journey to Ragnarok from Mana Project Studios as well as navigating the immense amount of lore in, not only the campaign setting, but in the breadth Norse Mythology. 6:55 Tying the six characters into the world and the adventure as well as the flavor of the backgrounds in this setting. 12:15 How restrictions in character creation (like being only human in the Viking lands) adds to the campaign and makes it special. Lean into them! 13:15 Some examples of the new subclasses in Journey to Ragnarok as well as the entirely new class. 18:00 The example from our finale of the ridiculously awesome and epic abilities of the Glima Monk! 21:15 An aside into the balance between the theme of the character and the mechanics of the character. 25:20 DM Tony’s introduction of the Farthak Die and Rune Casting into our campaign… even without the Rune Master class. 29:15 The introduction of “Icebreakers” during rests, etc. to encourage roleplay and character development. 33:00 DM Tony’s new additions to leveling – the concept of “Runic” levels. 38:40 Understanding what your players are understanding and what they aren’t – adjusting the sessions to work with the table you’re at. 45:28 Final Thoughts…

3 Wise DMs

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Master the Art of Non-Combat D&D Encounters with 16 Essential Tips! 47:35

for 8 weeks siden47:35

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D&D does combat well. It can slow down time and can be more or less crunchy than you like, but it definitely creates aa play area that a new DM can handle during a session. Unfortunately, while the books talk about the other two pillars of roleplay, there isn’t a lot for the new DM to latch onto to understand the best way to run a seamless session. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to answer a listener question about the best ways to create and run all the non-combat encounters that the characters will become involved with and how to develop them beyond “roll me an x” situation. 1:15 DM Dave reminisces on the Time Life Rock ‘n Roll Era CD collection. 3:15 Listener question: a new DM asks about the best ways to lend gravitas to non-combat encounters without it just boiling down to a dice roll. 4:38 Tip #1: What do your players like? 5:30 Tip #2: Prepare ahead and let the players guide the movement forward. 6:50 Tip #3: Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. 11:15 Tip #4: Mini-games are an easy way to let the players roleplay while also rolling dice. 12:45 Tip #5: The evolution of the game reflects the evolution of DMing… give yourself some time to develop. 14:00 Tip #6: Lean on some resources that help newer DMs to understand how adventures can run between all the pillars of play. 15:11 Tip #7: What are the characters objectives/mission/quest? Let that guide you. 18:20 Tip #8: Story prompts and campfire tales… fuel for roleplay. 20:00 Tip #9: Go easy on yourself… you will screw up. 23:30 Tip #10: Rest times are a great time to spur talking amongst themselves. 24:40 Tip #11: The Lever NPC… use them to spur forward momentum. 25:50 Tip #12: What do your favorite movies, series, and books do to create “non-combat encounters.” 26:45 Tip #13: N arrative side quests. 29:50 Tip #14: Skill Challenges. 33:35 Tip #15: Create Open-Ended scenarios… developing inciting incidents. 37:15 Tip #16: “Sandbox” and “Railroad”: It’s not either/or… it’s always AND. 39:12 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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I Don't Know: 9 Tips to Master D&D Settings That You're New to Running 49:46

for 10 weeks siden49:46

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“What elements would this game need to include to feel complete for a fan of the setting and the story?” That was the question from Forever DM Larry about running a Dragonlance campaign for players that had read the books… which he hasn’t. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave reveal the best tips they have for running a setting that you’re unfamiliar with while the players are steeped in it, whether it’s Krynn, Middle-Earth, or a Galaxy Far, Far Away. 1:45 Shout out to The Epic Beatles Tribute Band on DM Dave’s recent Norwegian Cruise. 2:50 Our listener question from Forever DM Larry. 5:05 First Tip: Hit the Broad Strokes. 8:25 Second Tip: Take a Cue from the Star Wars Stories. 10:55 Third Tip: Focus on the Fun of the Adventure First. 12:15 Fourth Tip: Set Expectations. 14:00 Fifth Tip: What Source Material are you Using? 190 novels exist in the world of Krynn. 16:15 Sixth Tip: Use Lore and NPCs as Easter Eggs, Let Your Unique Story Flourish. 20:40 Seventh Tip: Know What Notes You Need to Hit. 26:25 Eighth Tip: You’re Always Planning for the Next Session. 29:15 Ninth Tip: Pick the System That Leads to The Most Fun for the Whole Table. 40:15 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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Dragonlance Decoded: Your Front-Row Seat to Shadow of the Dragon Queen 1:08:59

for 13 weeks siden1:08:59

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Following the footsteps of our Storm King’s Thunder and Curse of Strahd campaigns, we gather all five players from our Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen players wrap-up! In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave welcome The Wizard Washburn, Monster Wrangler Matt, and our own Chaos Engine, Bonnie, to sit down and discuss the epic entirety of our Dragonlance campaign: what we enjoyed and what we didn’t in this campaign that clocked in at just under 2 years! For anyone wanting to run or play in Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen , this episode is for you. 1:50 Player Introductions: Sir William de Grey – the Knight of Solamnia who makes a devil’s bargain with Sargonnas to gain power to defeat the Dragon Army, only to be redeemed by Chislev and fulfill his Anakin arc. Rasgueado Vilhuela de Latigo – A whip-wielding Bard who was in search of The Great Song, as well as his Father – only to find that his Father was Lohezet of the Black Robes, High Wizard of the Dragon Army! Adran Oakenheel – An orphaned Kagonesti Elf who was left with the Sanctuary of the First World; a monastic order dedicated to the Prophecy of the Ascendant Dragon. Mikros – A Kender Rogue who was searching for her missing past but who was chosen by Lunitari to wield magic. Dame Eeva Pyrope – An orphaned girl who squired for the Knights of Solamnia, wishing to one day become a full-fledged Knight… only to realize that she has been chosen to herald the return of the Gods! 7:45 Crafting backstories and character concepts that fit within the deep lore of Krynn and Dragonlance. 31:50 We discuss the implementation of the Warriors of Krynn strategy board game developed for the SotDQ adventure: what we liked, what we didn’t, and some changes we would make. 47:40 We discuss the extensive narrative stories that developed the character’s arcs well beyond what we could have achieved at the table. 52:40 The #1 Rule for DMs: Meet Your Players Where They Are. 57:10 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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The High Tale of the Dragonlance: What We Loved and 3 Things We Didn’t in Shadow of the Dragon Queen 55:13

for 15 weeks siden55:13

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Happy New Year! As promised, we’re kicking off our 5th Season with one of our favorite episode varieties: the 3 Wise DMs Campaign Reviews! Following the footsteps of our Storm King’s Thunder, Curse of Strahd, and Woodstock Wanderers campaigns, we delve deep into the High Tale of the Dragonlance with our DM Review of Shadow of the Dragon Queen . In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave review how we experienced running and playing it; what we enjoyed and what we didn’t in this campaign that clocked in at just under 2 years! For anyone wanting to run Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen , this episode is for you. Stay tuned for Part 2 when we bring ALL the players on for our Player Wrap-Up episode! 1:50 How close to the book did the DM run the campaign? 3:30 The momentum that is created with the overall theme of impending war in a campaign. 4:30 Why DM Dave chose Dragonlance as his next campaign to run. 7:00 This is the Way: How Dragonlance did NPC death right. 9:30 The Kingfisher Festival: How mini games help get players invested, like fishing for Old Benebog. 12:30 The first stumbling block in the adventure – the translation of the adventure into the Northern Wastes. 17:50 The second stumbling block – Lord Soth is introduced only as a plot device. 22:20 The majority of the adventure is found in The Northern Wastes. 23:50 The Third Stumbling Block - the strange design decision to provide the players with the ability to fly over all the travel mechanics of The Northern Wastes. 27:10 The homebrewed Journey Game that we debuted in SotDQ. 32:00 Classic “Fetch Quests” to get the ball rolling for the players in a new territory. 35:55 The #1 Reason why this was DM Dave’s favorite game to ever run… 41:20 The 2 great things WotC learned leading up to SotDQ: the Adventure Hook and Encounter Difficulty. 44:05 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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The Great Pretender – How To Lean Into Metagaming To Enhance Your D&D Games 42:02

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Metagaming. It’s one of the many topics that will spark controversy among those in the hobby. A listener wrote in explaining that they love making terrain and minis and have offered their services to their DM. Unfortunately, the DMs are reluctant, as they don’t want the player to have metaknowledge or spoil the reveals of the campaign. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave bring on our return special Wise DM, the Wizard Washburn, from our Terrain and Minis episode , to discuss how we have leaned into the inevitability of metagaming to enhance our campaigns by letting Scott build out a ton of our terrain, maps, and minis and how we have let it not spoil the fun for the DM, Scott, or any of the other players. 3:40 Our return special guest… Scott “The Wizard” Washburn from Paper Terrain ! 5:05 The overview of how we approach compartmentalizing the knowledge of the player and the knowledge of the character. 7:05 The fact of the matter – once you’ve played once, you now have “meta” knowledge. 10:15 The Wizard Washburn reveals his general approach to planning with the DM in multiple campaigns he’s been a player in. 13:35 The idea of context in metagaming. 18:22 Terrain is one thing… but what about miniatures and seeing what the other team is playing with? 25:50 Always remember that RPG means roleplaying GAME. 30:05 Leaning on players to help decrease the level of prep necessary for your game. 32:07 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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Can I Ask You A Question? When and How to Exert Your Unlimited Power as a DM in D&D 46:46

for 19 weeks siden46:46

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Several listener questions came in that were spiraling around the same general idea, and one that DMs have fielded since the very beginning of the game: how, and when, to exert the unlimited level of power that you possess as the DM. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave, take part in a grab bag of listener questions that deal with players constantly interrupting, as well as how to best approach using, or not using, the newest 2024 version of the Player’s Handbook. For any DM who has wrestled with how and when to exert their God-level power, this is the episode for you. 3:30 The first listener question that deals with the player that constantly interrupts the BBEGs monologues. 4:25 The pro is that you have an excited and engaged player as well as DM Tony’s idea of the “cutscene.” 5:40 Exerting your control to set a scene. 10:00 Teaching players how your world works and allowing the players to adjust the setup of the scene. 13:15 “We’ll get to that” – a bookmark for all the actions players want to take because it is still a turn-based game. 17:20 We delve deeper into DM Tony’s idea of the “cutscene.” What is it and how to use it. 21:10 The awesomeness of the hero punching the villain in the jaw and not caring about their speech. 24:07 The second listener question regarding using the new 2024 update to 5e. 26:00 We already decide what races, classes, and rules we allow in our campaigns – this is no different. 29:15 5e.tools – a great digital resource for DMs and the new Mastery properties of weapons. 34:00 Changing rulesets halfway through a campaign. 38:50 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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Misty Mountain Hop: Unleash Epic Adventures and Elevate Your Game with Middle-Earth's Magic 50:18

for 22 weeks siden50:18

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Low Magic. We’ve discussed it before and, in last weeks article , DM Chris delved into ideas of how to make magic rare and special in your D&D campaigns. In our discussion online regarding the article, there was a debate over what low magic means. The issue seemed to revolve around confusing Low Magic with Low Fantasy. Middle-Earth, while being a High Fantasy setting, is, in terms of D&D, a Low Magic setting for the simple fact that there are no spellcasting classes. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss the preparations for the upcoming LOTR campaign ; how magic will work, the lack of spellcasters as a class, the types of characters that we’re thinking of developing, among many other topics. For anyone that is hoping to really approach magic differently in their home games, this is the episode for you. 1:50 Our continuing discussion about our upcoming Lord of the Rings campaign and how we’re approaching a setting with low access to magic. 4:01 What are you going to do now? Trying to top your previous campaigns. 7:15 DM Chris delves into his thoughts surrounding how to lessen access to magic as he began preparing and planning his Lord of the Rings campaign. 11:55 Middle-Earth as a world is highly magical, but how that plays at the table changes it significantly from all other D&D settings – Bilbo and the Dwarves didn’t have a Boss Battle with Smaug. 17:35 How much Meteor Swarm would change the Arthurian Tales. 19:05 How rare magic will turn everything into significant encounters: healing, journeys, rests, etc. 22:52 A rare Rock and Roll DM story about short rests and long rests. 24:55 DM Chris explains the idea of the “Fellowship Phase” and “Shadow Points” in LOTR, like Call of Cthulhu Sanity points in Middle-Earth. 32:05 What’s the economy of Middle-Earth? 37:50 How to build characters that will hook into the setting of Middle-Earth. 40:30 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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We’ve Only Just Begun: Kickstarting An Epic D&D Campaign With Expert Player Guides 38:31

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We’re getting geared up for some new campaigns to begin. Both our Dragonlance and Journey to Ragnarok campaigns are coming near their finale, so we’ve begun thinking about what’s next up. Just in time, DM Chris sent out his Player’s Guides for the upcoming Lord of the Rings campaign that he’s going to be running in the new year. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss what makes a good Player’s Guide, what to include, what to leave out, and how they can help to start your campaign off on the right foot before your players ever get to the table. 2:53 What’s different in this campaign from other campaigns? 3:23 Session Negative One; giving your players time before Session Zero to reflect on choices. 8:30 The types of choices in different settings that the players might want to reflect on. Including the one-sheet Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen campaign guide. 11:45 Some campaign settings, like Lord of the Rings, require a lot of information prior to starting the campaign. These Player Guides can also be helpful as fodder for character backstories. 13:55 Depending on how experienced your group is will provide how much additional information you send along. Don’t send a 20-page Player Guide to the newbie player, the PHB is MORE than enough. 15:50 Building excitement about the new campaign. 18:30 Assembling the Player’s Guide can serve as a focusing mechanism for you as you build out the campaign. 23:50 Setting the flavor, tone, and rules of the road before players ever come to the table. 25:05 The excitement for the campaign is not just for the players, it’s for the DM as well. Injecting something new keeps your game table fresh. 30:20 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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The Time Warp – Mastering the Strange Way Time Flows in Your D&D Campaign 52:02

for 26 weeks siden52:02

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Play through an adventure and you’ll realize how strangely time can move in your D&D campaign. Longtime friend of the show, Dr. DM (Jason) returns with a question about his ocean-based campaign that we discussed in Episode 148. His question revolves around how quickly leveling can affect the passage of time in the adventure. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss the strange way time can move in your campaign and how to best handle that. Is your game a non-stop march towards the inevitability of the BBEG or is it more a classic-type of campaign with a bunch of adventures linked together? As DM Tony wisely states, “The passage of time is not nearly as important as the passage of good sessions.” 1:25 Dr. DM returns with the ongoing ocean-based campaign that started from our Shipping Up To Boston episode! 4:08 How does time work in your campaign? One crazy summer or lasting over decades of the characters lives? How fast, or slow, are you leveling? 6:45 Using a campaign calendar and how it shows how quickly time can move in D&D. 9:45 Many adventures don’t allow for a lot of “downtime” or times when you’re not actively adventuring. 11:40 Structuring your campaign to allow for time to pass. DM Chris explains the Fellowship phase in the Lord of the Rings 5e campaign he’s preparing. 18:25 Does training and time really matter in your campaign? The Luke Skywalker example. 23:05 Hiring crew, guides, and hirelings for your keep. How much do your players want control in this? DM Chris reviews the hiring of guides in Tomb of Annihilation. 32:12 Using your NPC hirelings and townspeople to hook the characters deeper into the story… the Invasion of Vogler in Dragonlance. 37:09 A slight aside to an addendum of Dr. DMs question: paying dues in game… yes or no? 42:35 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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Don't Worry About A Thing: Essential Tips To Turn Your D&D Fails Into Wins 50:09

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Bad sessions. We’ve all dealt with them and we’ll continue to have them periodically. It’s all part of running TTRPGs. But how to you deal with them when they happen? What do you do to salvage the game at the next session? DM Dave offers a question to his fellow Wise DMs regarding a recent session that he felt he could have run better, smoother, better improv. But he got stuck. Hey, it happens. In this episode, Tony and Chris help Dave talk it out and, in the process, reveal what we all deal with… sometimes, everything just goes south in the game and it isn’t fun. It’s even tougher to deal with when you’ve handled these kinds of issues successfully before. So what are you going to do about it? 2:20 DM Dave gives a high overview of his Melora’s Light campaign that led to the recent game that went awry. 9:25 Disrupting the DMs plans. How new players are great for this. 11:20 Wait, the players just walked straight to the Big Boss? How to deal with it when they walk right up to the front door. 12:35 The forever debate between sandbox and rails. 18:12 It’s important to be honest about how you’re feeling about the game and what is fun for you and your group. 21:05 “Back in the Day” with DM Tony. 24:25 The unlikely team-up with the arch-nemesis. 27:05 Always remember to prep enough for you to feel comfortable improving through anything. 28:22 DM Chris reviews his recent issue with releasing an overpowered weapon and how to properly retcon it. Also, Baghtru . 35:05 There’s always the next session. 42:25 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

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Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Revolutionize Your D&D Games With Digital Tools 49:12

for 31 weeks siden49:12

49:12

Running the adventure outside of the game session? Yes, that’s right. Starting back in DM Dave’s Curse of Strahd campaign, we began to develop characters and backstories with narrative side quests via text, email, and online documents (like Google Docs). In our Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen campaign , we have utilized them from the very beginning for each character individually, as well as the whole party, to further flesh out the characters, world, and story. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss their strategies for running narrative side quests outside the game as well as completely text-based campaigns. Episode 358 of Dragon Talk. DM Tony’s article on running narrative side quests outside the game. 3:08 What do we mean when we’re talking about a narrative side quest? 4:55 Our most recent use of narrative side quests in our Dragonlance campaign. 7:25 There must be an active give and take for narrative side quests and campaigns to work. 13:00 DM Chris’ Days of Future Past text-based Marvel Super Heroes campaign. 14:35 Narrative side quests for individual characters are a time to build out backstory and character, not for leveling and gaining experience. 16:48 DM Chris literally “Squirrels”! 20:12 Narrative, or “Descriptive”, side quests. What is your threat level? Will the character die while away? 22:40 How narrative side quests can help spur roleplay moments in-game. 23:55 How to build out actual side quests with monsters, loot, and experience for individual characters. 25:26 How far away are your characters and how long will they be gone? How many players are you currently juggling with side quests? 32:20 Narrative side quests allow players who miss a session to not feel like they missed out. 34:35 Excellent method for important plot drops… when they find it, they’ll want to shout it from the rooftops. 39:32 Final Thoughts.…

3 Wise DMs

1
Shipping Up To Boston – Uncovering The Secrets To Running An Epic Pirate D&D Campaign 46:59

for 33 weeks siden46:59

46:59

Pirates. It doesn’t take long for a D&D group to want to play as pirates, swashbucklers, privateers, and sailors. In our modern day, we can blame Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean. But how do you approach running a seafaring adventure? Is it just a fancy travel mechanic? Is it just a vehicle to get from town to town? Or is it the basis of the whole campaign? In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to answer a question from a longtime friend of the show, Dr. DM himself, Jason, on how to run a great, epic, and memorable ocean-themed campaign outside of just being evil pirates who rob everything. 4:00 How is this different from every other setting? Taking care of the business of a sailing vessel. 6:30 DM Dave reviews how he has been approaching this in his Melora’s Light all-girl campaign. Including the idea of generating backstories and campaign settings through Call to Adventure. 9:10 Playing with resources: water, food, rests, etc. 11:55 Lean into the danger of setting sail in a wooden ship. 14:05 Using sourcebooks , like Ghosts of Saltmarsh, to stimulate your imagination. 16:25 The unique ability to travel to vastly different adventure locales when in a ship. 18:45 Focus in on the theme of the campaign that makes it different. 20:30 What happens when the ship is commandeered or stolen? 22:40 An ocean-themed campaign can be any type of campaign – High Fantasy, Pirates, Political, etc. 23:40 DM Tony using the airship in Storm King’s Thunder. 25:25 What are the character’s goals in this ocean-themed campaign? Will that change over the whole campaign? 35:30 We discuss how we made hex crawl travel interesting with our homebrewed Journey Cards. 39:15 Final Thoughts.…

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She’s a Mystery to Me: How Long To Keep Secrets and Clues From Your Players In Your D&D Game