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Oh, Man, Do I Need Some DM Tips. . .
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<blockquote data-quote="Flamestrike" data-source="post: 7037392" data-attributes="member: 6788736"><p>Hate to say it but the players win this one. Its pointless you running a game that they dont want to play in.</p><p></p><p>I would suggest looking into why they prefer the combat side. It's usually down to rewards (xp and loot). If you provide social challenges that also provide xp, loot or other rewards (the NPC offers to teach you a special ability) then you should see their intrest in social encounters increase.</p><p></p><p>I bet you in a computer RPG these players are walking around talking to every NPC they encounter to get quests, loot and so forth. Let them see that they get rewarded by roleplaying and social encounters, and they might just come to the party more.</p><p></p><p>Of course, they may not. Some players just arent into that kind of stuff.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Players should be tracking their own stuff, with your only job to double check (via spot checking). Note when an ability gets used (action surge, spell slots, hit points, spells) and keep an eye on it by spot checking or pulling a player up on it from time to time (No Frank, you cant action surge, you havent short rested yet). Make the players self police.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Thats inevitable. The most common tactical error that leads to this is fear of attacks of opportunity. Dont be scared of them and move your monsters to get to the squishies (generally an attack of opportunity isnt an issue). Succesfully doing this will encourage the players to do the same, and places value on feats like Warcaster, and Sentinel.</p><p></p><p>I like doing this with Wizards. Move (proviking an AoO)... then move back and clobber them (the Wizard is now out of reactions for shield).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Thats going to happen from time to time.</p><p></p><p>If there is one bit of DMing advice for 5E that I would offer related to this point its this:</p><p></p><p>5E balances around the presumption of a longer adventuring day (specifically 6ish medium-hard encounters and 2ish short rests bracketed by long rests). Its vital that you enforce this longer adventuring day on your party as a default (dont do it every adventuring day, but do it often enough that the players come to expect it as the default and self police around this expectation). Throw the occasional longer adventuring day at them, and dont be scared to dangle the occasional shorter one at them. Vary short rests as well (some days they get more, some days less).</p><p></p><p>Timed quests (do X) (by Y) or else (bad thing Z) happens are your friend here. Plus, they're a heck of a lot of fun. If the PCs know they have till midnight to stop the BBEG from completing his ritual, you can sit back and let them figure it out. If they fail then there are immediate consequences to that failure (showing them that their actions matter).</p><p></p><p>Within that paradigm let them figure out how to achieve the quest. From there you can have some of your encounters be social encounters (brings us back to point 1) that they can talk past saving resources for the BBEG at the end of the Adventuring day.</p><p></p><p>Remember, DnD is a resource management game (hit points, hit dice, spell slots, short rest and long rest keyed abilities, charges, xp, gp, sorcery points, ki points, superioirity dice, rages per day etc). One of your central roles as DM is managing and policing this.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That happens mate. If every session ends on a cliffhanger they get boring (just like if every TV show ended with a 'to be continued'). Cliffhangers are great... when used sparingly.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Flamestrike, post: 7037392, member: 6788736"] Hate to say it but the players win this one. Its pointless you running a game that they dont want to play in. I would suggest looking into why they prefer the combat side. It's usually down to rewards (xp and loot). If you provide social challenges that also provide xp, loot or other rewards (the NPC offers to teach you a special ability) then you should see their intrest in social encounters increase. I bet you in a computer RPG these players are walking around talking to every NPC they encounter to get quests, loot and so forth. Let them see that they get rewarded by roleplaying and social encounters, and they might just come to the party more. Of course, they may not. Some players just arent into that kind of stuff. Players should be tracking their own stuff, with your only job to double check (via spot checking). Note when an ability gets used (action surge, spell slots, hit points, spells) and keep an eye on it by spot checking or pulling a player up on it from time to time (No Frank, you cant action surge, you havent short rested yet). Make the players self police. Thats inevitable. The most common tactical error that leads to this is fear of attacks of opportunity. Dont be scared of them and move your monsters to get to the squishies (generally an attack of opportunity isnt an issue). Succesfully doing this will encourage the players to do the same, and places value on feats like Warcaster, and Sentinel. I like doing this with Wizards. Move (proviking an AoO)... then move back and clobber them (the Wizard is now out of reactions for shield). Thats going to happen from time to time. If there is one bit of DMing advice for 5E that I would offer related to this point its this: 5E balances around the presumption of a longer adventuring day (specifically 6ish medium-hard encounters and 2ish short rests bracketed by long rests). Its vital that you enforce this longer adventuring day on your party as a default (dont do it every adventuring day, but do it often enough that the players come to expect it as the default and self police around this expectation). Throw the occasional longer adventuring day at them, and dont be scared to dangle the occasional shorter one at them. Vary short rests as well (some days they get more, some days less). Timed quests (do X) (by Y) or else (bad thing Z) happens are your friend here. Plus, they're a heck of a lot of fun. If the PCs know they have till midnight to stop the BBEG from completing his ritual, you can sit back and let them figure it out. If they fail then there are immediate consequences to that failure (showing them that their actions matter). Within that paradigm let them figure out how to achieve the quest. From there you can have some of your encounters be social encounters (brings us back to point 1) that they can talk past saving resources for the BBEG at the end of the Adventuring day. Remember, DnD is a resource management game (hit points, hit dice, spell slots, short rest and long rest keyed abilities, charges, xp, gp, sorcery points, ki points, superioirity dice, rages per day etc). One of your central roles as DM is managing and policing this. That happens mate. If every session ends on a cliffhanger they get boring (just like if every TV show ended with a 'to be continued'). Cliffhangers are great... when used sparingly. [/QUOTE]
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