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Minimizing Prep Time - Forked from "DMing: from fun to work "
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<blockquote data-quote="I'm A Banana" data-source="post: 5165420" data-attributes="member: 2067"><p>My prep time is more under 4e than it was in 3e, but I still manage a pretty good ratio. </p><p></p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Use Prepublished Material</strong>. There's about 700 pages of raw monsters, and the DDI has something over 5,000. 3e/PF has plenty of online resources (like the Monster Finder). Use keyword searches to match your theme (e.g.: "goblin" or "fire" or "bat"). Try to fill out a variety of roles, and quickly note the special abilities (auras, at-wills, recharges, encounters). If you can't fill a group, or if you're lacking role variety, search for other critters at about the level/CR you want, and reskin as necessary.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Thow out hooks like candy</strong>. I like to have players tell me their characters' goals and dreams so I can specifically work them into the rewards for the challenges I come up with. If a character really wants to avenge his father's death at the hands of orcs, all I have to do is toss out rumors of orcs, and the character's on board. Wealth and power are typical "one size fits all" motivators.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Let the Player Lead</strong>. Once I have motivated players and a few encounters, I let the players tell me how they get there. If I have a map, I'll maybe introduce some hazard on the way. If not, they just get the encounters. I prep more than I use so that the choices the players make are distinct (so this choice is going to be Encounter 1-A and encounter 1-B: does the party climb the mountain, or go through the underpass? Here's some hints as to what may lay in store:...). Become reactive, rather than active. Let them do whatever they want, and just react. Say yes. Say "you can try." Say "Yes, but..."</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Embrace the Chaos</strong>. Their action, and your reaction, and their reaction to your reaction, and then your next move....all of this creates something of a spiralling effect out of a single grain of chaos. Stay consistent, don't contradict, and keep saying yes. See where the ride takes you. Reskin your encounters as necessary.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Go Big</strong>. Let the players accomplish something significant. Let the challenges be big. Let them smash the orcish tribes. Let them kill the rampaging monster. Let them thwart the nefarious plot. Let them have a significant effect on the world when they're done. </li> </ol><p></p><p>It's served me well for quite a while. It's very much "a butterfly flaps its wings and causes a hurricane on the other side of the world." A little bit of unexpected chaos churns the whole affair.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="I'm A Banana, post: 5165420, member: 2067"] My prep time is more under 4e than it was in 3e, but I still manage a pretty good ratio. [LIST=1] [*][B]Use Prepublished Material[/B]. There's about 700 pages of raw monsters, and the DDI has something over 5,000. 3e/PF has plenty of online resources (like the Monster Finder). Use keyword searches to match your theme (e.g.: "goblin" or "fire" or "bat"). Try to fill out a variety of roles, and quickly note the special abilities (auras, at-wills, recharges, encounters). If you can't fill a group, or if you're lacking role variety, search for other critters at about the level/CR you want, and reskin as necessary. [*][B]Thow out hooks like candy[/B]. I like to have players tell me their characters' goals and dreams so I can specifically work them into the rewards for the challenges I come up with. If a character really wants to avenge his father's death at the hands of orcs, all I have to do is toss out rumors of orcs, and the character's on board. Wealth and power are typical "one size fits all" motivators. [*][B]Let the Player Lead[/B]. Once I have motivated players and a few encounters, I let the players tell me how they get there. If I have a map, I'll maybe introduce some hazard on the way. If not, they just get the encounters. I prep more than I use so that the choices the players make are distinct (so this choice is going to be Encounter 1-A and encounter 1-B: does the party climb the mountain, or go through the underpass? Here's some hints as to what may lay in store:...). Become reactive, rather than active. Let them do whatever they want, and just react. Say yes. Say "you can try." Say "Yes, but..." [*][B]Embrace the Chaos[/B]. Their action, and your reaction, and their reaction to your reaction, and then your next move....all of this creates something of a spiralling effect out of a single grain of chaos. Stay consistent, don't contradict, and keep saying yes. See where the ride takes you. Reskin your encounters as necessary. [*][B]Go Big[/B]. Let the players accomplish something significant. Let the challenges be big. Let them smash the orcish tribes. Let them kill the rampaging monster. Let them thwart the nefarious plot. Let them have a significant effect on the world when they're done. [/LIST] It's served me well for quite a while. It's very much "a butterfly flaps its wings and causes a hurricane on the other side of the world." A little bit of unexpected chaos churns the whole affair. [/QUOTE]
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