Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Never played D&D and taking role as DM
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="deltadave" data-source="post: 3007911" data-attributes="member: 13875"><p>If someone can't afford the books - check out the hypertext searchable srd at: </p><p><a href="http://www.d20srd.org/" target="_blank">http://www.d20srd.org/</a> . Stick to the core srd on the left hand side and ignore the rest of the sections.</p><p></p><p>Here is the cheat sheet that I put on the inside of my dmscreen during every game:</p><p></p><p><u><strong>Conflict moves the story forward.</strong></u></p><p></p><p>*Pace - keep the game moving</p><p>*Time - be aware of passing time</p><p>*Don't give the roll if you don't want it to happen</p><p>*When in doubt - Throw Orcs. (generic for some small monster or bandit)</p><p></p><p>1) Physically plausible and consistent </p><p>2) Discipline at the table - no negativity, no meta-gaming</p><p>3) Reward and Punish</p><p>4) Don't talk players to death - less is more</p><p>5) Difference in Levels - 7th is better than 5th</p><p>6) NPCs are people too</p><p>7) Don't buy players</p><p>8) Speed is better</p><p>9) Make it like a movie - eliminate the unimportant.</p><p> Doesn't move the plot? it doesn't belong</p><p>10) Monsters are fell</p><p>11) Details matter - give the world texture</p><p>12) Stop with the DM control</p><p>13) Story - invest in the players</p><p>14) Entertain</p><p>15) Self contained game world - leave the real world at the door</p><p>16) Countdown clock - to stress players, force them to act quickly</p><p>17) Go against expectations often</p><p>18) Use twists and turns</p><p></p><p>Start campaign small and work larger.</p><p>Remember the little things, small details that add depth</p><p> weatherbeaten, careworn face</p><p> ship needs paint</p><p> equipment is well worn</p><p><u>Dont's</u></p><p>dwell on one player - spread DM time around.</p><p>forget the NPC’s.</p><p>Be predictable</p><p></p><p><u>Building Conflict</u></p><p>Three levels of conflict</p><p> Man Vs Environment</p><p> Man Vs Man</p><p> Man Vs Self</p><p></p><p>Only 2 roots of conflict: Sex & Violence</p><p></p><p>Force important decisions with incomplete or conflicting information</p><p>Moral decisions</p><p>Fear of Loss</p><p>Reversal of expectation </p><p>obstacles and surprises</p><p>two dogs, one bone</p><p></p><p><u>To get better -</u></p><p>Consistently DM</p><p>Don’t get discouraged if you flop at first</p><p>Enjoy the game - Have fun.</p><p>Stick with it - Don’t quit.</p><p></p><p>These are the things that I have found enable me to run a consistently good game.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="deltadave, post: 3007911, member: 13875"] If someone can't afford the books - check out the hypertext searchable srd at: [url]http://www.d20srd.org/[/url] . Stick to the core srd on the left hand side and ignore the rest of the sections. Here is the cheat sheet that I put on the inside of my dmscreen during every game: [U][B]Conflict moves the story forward.[/B][/U] *Pace - keep the game moving *Time - be aware of passing time *Don't give the roll if you don't want it to happen *When in doubt - Throw Orcs. (generic for some small monster or bandit) 1) Physically plausible and consistent 2) Discipline at the table - no negativity, no meta-gaming 3) Reward and Punish 4) Don't talk players to death - less is more 5) Difference in Levels - 7th is better than 5th 6) NPCs are people too 7) Don't buy players 8) Speed is better 9) Make it like a movie - eliminate the unimportant. Doesn't move the plot? it doesn't belong 10) Monsters are fell 11) Details matter - give the world texture 12) Stop with the DM control 13) Story - invest in the players 14) Entertain 15) Self contained game world - leave the real world at the door 16) Countdown clock - to stress players, force them to act quickly 17) Go against expectations often 18) Use twists and turns Start campaign small and work larger. Remember the little things, small details that add depth weatherbeaten, careworn face ship needs paint equipment is well worn [U]Dont's[/U] dwell on one player - spread DM time around. forget the NPC’s. Be predictable [U]Building Conflict[/U] Three levels of conflict Man Vs Environment Man Vs Man Man Vs Self Only 2 roots of conflict: Sex & Violence Force important decisions with incomplete or conflicting information Moral decisions Fear of Loss Reversal of expectation obstacles and surprises two dogs, one bone [U]To get better -[/U] Consistently DM Don’t get discouraged if you flop at first Enjoy the game - Have fun. Stick with it - Don’t quit. These are the things that I have found enable me to run a consistently good game. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Never played D&D and taking role as DM
Top