How do YOU prepare for adventures?

[Evenglare]

I have asked this a couple times over the years , but how do YOU prep for adventures? Ive been DMing for a long while now , and i still dont have a sort of formal way of writing out a session. Does anyone have any tips?

We just started running a 5th level game and they are escaping from a dungeon. At this point i kind of just have some bubbles and links that show each dungeon area. No real whole dungeon map, just general drawings of the area that correspond to each "bubble" of my outline. In each area I have a couple notes abotu what it looks like and what skills may be used.

tldr :How do YOU design your sessions?

 

[Bolcien]

well I just started to write out my adventures in the style of a pathfinder module. putting stat blocks where I need to put them or put them in a second word file. I ran a alternate universe/parallel world encounter. The word file took up only 7 pages but I mostly let my players explore to their hearts content, unless I need to nudge them in the right direction with my 2 NPCs. so there really is no real way to plan a session with them.

 

[Crothian]

I map out plots and NPCs an memorize everything I expect the group to that session. I reference stat blocks and such as needed but try to keep an open mind so the PCs can go off and do anything.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I just do a rough outline of what I'm going to throw at them which includes NPCs, dungeons, cities, etc. I have learned not to plan too much for things because invariably the PCs always do something different than what I plan out. I'll toss things into my games where I deem appropriate and fitting to the story. Most of my best games come from me not having a plan at all and "winging it" where by the spur of the moment I think of something and toss it out there to great effect. I guess the stress of the situation actually spurs my imagination more.

 

[rkarnes]

I think of two things the party might do every session and I plan for both. I write four encounters by making a stat block and a map on an excell file. Each encounter has its own worksheet within a file. So, for the first game I will have 6 encounters planned, and I intend to use 3-4 of them, and save the unused ones for the next session. I reskin the encounters on the fly to fit in to whatever role I need them too.

If the players do something I don't expect, I go along with it, but having six or more encounters planned usually gives me enough material to know what to do.

 

[Mark Chance]

I make up/retool main NPCs, then I sort of wing it, pulling up stat blocks on the computer or just making stuff up. I've given up on extensive prep for a game as rules heavy as PF.

 

[rkarnes]

I make up/retool main NPCs, then I sort of wing it, pulling up stat blocks on the computer or just making stuff up. I've given up on extensive prep for a game as rules heavy as PF.

This is also basically what I do. There is a very large database of pre-made NPCs for community use at d20pfsrd.com which I simply copy-paste and retool as necessary.

 

[billd91]

Whether I'm prepping a published module or my own adventures, I usually put together a document of stat blocks - usually cutting and pasting from my PF Bestiaries. That lets me change a few things, put them on paper I can take notes on, note down strategies and tactics, and gives me a chance to review all of the stats. I find that helps me when it's time to run the game because I have better familiarity with my NPCs and critters.

 

[SkredlitheOgre]

I mostly run modules, so I read through the module (at least) twice. The first read-through is to figure out the story and how the characters will fit into it. I figure out where the plot starts and where it goes and then make sure to have two to three encounters per session, but I have four or five set up, just in case. The second read-through is for combat: figuring out who can do what, what tactics they'll use, and how I think the party will react to it. On the second read, I also make adjustments to the enemy stat blocks to fit the party level.

 

[rkarnes]

Whether I'm prepping a published module or my own adventures, I usually put together a document of stat blocks - usually cutting and pasting from my PF Bestiaries. That lets me change a few things, put them on paper I can take notes on, note down strategies and tactics, and gives me a chance to review all of the stats. I find that helps me when it's time to run the game because I have better familiarity with my NPCs and critters.

Do you have some old files from your games laying around? If so, I would very my like to compare notes! Can you message me a file?

I do the same thing, but with varying results. It just seems to me that using a document like word, evernote, or the like is... distracting. Ideally, I would compile the document, print it, and then write directly on the paper to make changes to the stat block. Magic effects, buffs, conditions, quick changes, hit points, the like.

On the other hand, having hyperlinks to relevant rules is nice... but that again is a distraction.