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DM tips - improv
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<blockquote data-quote="Waterbizkit" data-source="post: 7116880" data-attributes="member: 6802604"><p>I'm not especially familiar with the NPC and situation you're describing only because I never ran LMoP... I threw my group straight into CoS. But on improv in general all I can honestly say is it's a skill that comes with time and practice, there are very few who are good at it right out if the gate. And hey, if you're feeling backed into a corner and your improv is failing you there's <strong>nothing</strong> wrong with disappearing in a puff of smoke. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /> </p><p></p><p>Just keep practicing it and you'll get there. One thing I try to do that's helped me is purposely not absorbing every piece of information a module throws at you regarding specific encounters with NPCs and the like. This sounds like terrible advice, and it probably is to be honest, but what I tend to do is commit the truly important stuff to memory and then use that as a framework to make the encounter my own. What does the NPC know, what don't they know, what are their motivations and what are their fears. Write this stuff down as little bullet points in your notebook and then make the NPC and the rest of the encounter your own... forget whatever else the book says.</p><p></p><p>That's something else that comes to mind too... write stuff down. If you're running a published adventure always read through the book a few times cover to cover and by all means reread each section as you know it's coming up in the next session, <strong>but</strong> write down your own notes. Just because you have a book there to refer to doesn't mean you should act like you don't need to take notes, writing things down helps commit them to memory. The less you find yourself referring to the book... or even those notes... the more comfortable you'll probably be just shooting from the hip when the PCs inevitably throw you a curve ball.</p><p></p><p>Something else I've done more than a few times come up with a short adventure of my own creation, typically unconnected to any campaign or even involving the same characters, basically a one-off to change the pace a bit, that's almost entirely a blank slate. Get the plot for the adventure sketched out, some NPCs with the relevant information about them (the short bullet points I mentioned before), and then whatever maps and stat blocks you might need... and that's it. Don't over prepare it. Don't write out every scene, don't think too much ahead about what's <em>supposed</em> to happen at any given part of the adventure. Make it the barest bones you can... and then just run it. Basically force yourself to fill in the blanks on the spot. Now, this is fundamentally different from running something published because you can make the argument it's almost impossible to screw up a one-off creation of your own if your improv isn't up to snuff, whereas with a published adventure you might botch something important... that's the whole point. If you can take the pressure off of yourself and just improv an entire session, mostly, you'd be surprised how much more comfortable you'll be improving something that's more structured and not your own work. I've improved several eight hour sessions like this and it helped me noticeably. </p><p></p><p>Anyway, these are things that have helped me over time. Every person will be different. Some with disagree entirely with everything I've said and have their own take, and that's cool! Take their advice too. We're all DMs, but we're all going to find our own styles and what works for one may not for another. </p><p></p><p>Good luck and keep practicing. Final note, forgive any awful typos or grammatical errors, I'm phone posting and it makes proofreading and editing my posts difficult. Hopefully this hasn't been painful to read.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Waterbizkit, post: 7116880, member: 6802604"] I'm not especially familiar with the NPC and situation you're describing only because I never ran LMoP... I threw my group straight into CoS. But on improv in general all I can honestly say is it's a skill that comes with time and practice, there are very few who are good at it right out if the gate. And hey, if you're feeling backed into a corner and your improv is failing you there's [b]nothing[/b] wrong with disappearing in a puff of smoke. :p Just keep practicing it and you'll get there. One thing I try to do that's helped me is purposely not absorbing every piece of information a module throws at you regarding specific encounters with NPCs and the like. This sounds like terrible advice, and it probably is to be honest, but what I tend to do is commit the truly important stuff to memory and then use that as a framework to make the encounter my own. What does the NPC know, what don't they know, what are their motivations and what are their fears. Write this stuff down as little bullet points in your notebook and then make the NPC and the rest of the encounter your own... forget whatever else the book says. That's something else that comes to mind too... write stuff down. If you're running a published adventure always read through the book a few times cover to cover and by all means reread each section as you know it's coming up in the next session, [b]but[/b] write down your own notes. Just because you have a book there to refer to doesn't mean you should act like you don't need to take notes, writing things down helps commit them to memory. The less you find yourself referring to the book... or even those notes... the more comfortable you'll probably be just shooting from the hip when the PCs inevitably throw you a curve ball. Something else I've done more than a few times come up with a short adventure of my own creation, typically unconnected to any campaign or even involving the same characters, basically a one-off to change the pace a bit, that's almost entirely a blank slate. Get the plot for the adventure sketched out, some NPCs with the relevant information about them (the short bullet points I mentioned before), and then whatever maps and stat blocks you might need... and that's it. Don't over prepare it. Don't write out every scene, don't think too much ahead about what's [i]supposed[/i] to happen at any given part of the adventure. Make it the barest bones you can... and then just run it. Basically force yourself to fill in the blanks on the spot. Now, this is fundamentally different from running something published because you can make the argument it's almost impossible to screw up a one-off creation of your own if your improv isn't up to snuff, whereas with a published adventure you might botch something important... that's the whole point. If you can take the pressure off of yourself and just improv an entire session, mostly, you'd be surprised how much more comfortable you'll be improving something that's more structured and not your own work. I've improved several eight hour sessions like this and it helped me noticeably. Anyway, these are things that have helped me over time. Every person will be different. Some with disagree entirely with everything I've said and have their own take, and that's cool! Take their advice too. We're all DMs, but we're all going to find our own styles and what works for one may not for another. Good luck and keep practicing. Final note, forgive any awful typos or grammatical errors, I'm phone posting and it makes proofreading and editing my posts difficult. Hopefully this hasn't been painful to read. [/QUOTE]
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