D&D Encounters, just what the Dr ordered?

[TarionzCousin]

For those of you unsure what "DnD Encounters" is (like I was), the information is here.

Also, a summary:

Heroes needed! Are you game?
D&D Encounters is an exciting, weekly campaign that plays out one epic encounter at a time. As you defeat enemies, solve puzzles, finish quests, and perform heroic deeds, you’ll earn Renown Points that you can use to get exclusive rewards.

Each session only takes 1-2 hours to play, so it’s easy to fit your game in after school or work. And each week there’s a new and exciting challenge. Jump in anytime!

Season One: Undermountain
March 17 – June 2
Explore lost passages of the infamous Undermountain dungeon as you play through the mini-campaign Halaster’s Lost Apprentice! As a special bonus this season, characters created are compatible with Living Forgotten Realms! Character creation rules for this season are available on the Official D&D Group. Get a play tracker to chart your character’s progress on the D&D Event Downloads page.

Want to DM?
With D&D Encounters, DMing is easy. Your store organizer will have everything you need——the adventure, maps, tokens (for PCs & monsters), as well as all the other game elements you and your players will need.


Need a character?
We’ve got you covered – your Dungeon Master will hand you a ready-to-play hero. Or you can bring your own 1st level character. You decide.


Rewards and Renown Points
As you raid dungeons, you’ll earn Renown Points that you can use to get exclusive rewards, like bonus cards, that will give your character an in-game advantage. (And those will carry over from season to season.) DMs get exclusive game aids you can’t get anywhere else.

Renown Point Accomplishments*
Complete an Encounter: 3 Renown Points
Hit a Milestone: 2 Renown Points
Complete All Quests: 5 Renown Points *
Revive a Dying Adventurer: 1 Renown Point *
Hit for +15 Damage Against 1 Enemy: 1 Renown Point *
Kill 3 Minions with 1 Attack: 1 Renown Point *
Take 50 Enemy Damage in 1 Session: 1 Renown Point *
Survive 8+ Sessions without Dying: 2 Renown Points *
Moment of Greatness: 2 Renown Points *
Create a Character Builder Adventurer: 5 Renown Points *
Player’s Handbook 3 Class or Race: 2 Renown Points *
Player’s Handbook 3 Feat: 1 Renown Point *

(Accomplishments with * are only earnable once per season, per player)

 

[Jdvn1]

I wanted to add that D&D Encounters is definitely working.

Sure it's growing at my FLGS, but not just because we're getting more players in, but because it's attracting new players to the hobby. My GM table this week was entirely composed of people who either having played D&D since 2nd edition (or older) or people who had never played D&D before.

The other table going at my shop is mostly new players. It's definitely growing the hobby in Houston.

Also: I'm having a blast running the games (especially with minimal prep time) and my players are having fun playing. D&D Encounters has been pretty awesome so far, so congratulations to WotC on the success.

 

[renau1g]

I'm really glad to hear it's growing the hobby, maybe I'll have to try and get out to a few...stupid tax season

 

[Vanifae]

This week will be the first time I am going to this, they do ours on Saturday here. It seems like a ton of fun though I am more excited for the second season since I think it will be Dark Sun, yes?

 

[Saracenus]

Here in Portland, OR D&D Encounters (DDE) has been just what the game store ordered. We currently run 5-6 tables a week @ Guardians Games.

I have more judges than tables (I like having more than I need to cover illnesses, family matters, and real life). In fact I have lost a couple of judges over time and I have had people step up each and every time. The only LFR veteran DMs are me and one other.

Before DDE I ran a single table of LFR once a month. 6 players a month to an average of 28 players a week is absolutely amazing.

How are we so successful? We advertised aggressively. We used twitter (the game store feed), the game store's forums, meetup (local D&D group), my RPGA e-list, flyers and talking it up to folks in the store. The staff is trained up to answer questions from folks that come in when we are not playing.

Over all this has been the best thing to happen to organize D&D play here, period.

BTW, I fully expect us to fill all 8 tables we will be ordering for Season 2: Fury of the Wastewalker set in Dark Sun. Starts June 9th.

 

[Scribble]

Saracenus: Has it increased sales in your store?

Just curious.... I'm really hoping it not only helps the D&D line, but game stores that partake as well.

 

[Saracenus]

Saracenus: Has it increased sales in your store?

Just curious.... I'm really hoping it not only helps the D&D line, but game stores that partake as well.

I am not the store owner or an employee so I cannot speak to specifics. But I know folks that are players in DDE have purchased books because of the program. It has definitely brought people to the store.

Angel, the owner, has a WotC Premier store and gets all D&D books 11 days before street release and she gives a discount for pre-orders. She is very happy with the foot traffic I have helped generate by organizing DDE in her store.

Bryan Blumklotz
Guardians of the Gameday Organizer
Guardians of the Gameday : Event Overview

 

[evildmguy]

As I have said, I wanted to help bring DND to others, so starting running Encounters at Mayhem in West Des Moines. (shameless plug but I am not an employee or owner!) I went to a game day and was told about the DND encounters and the person organizing it needed help. I gladly volunteered.

I run one table of five to seven at six and the organizer runes a table of five to seven at six and then another table at eight. If there were enough for two tables at eight, I would stay and help with that. In talking with him this past Wednesday, the other gaming before Encounters was bringing it about ten people but the new format has brought in over twenty, but that has waxed and waned every week, as they tend to do. So, it's been a big success here!

And, yes, the next season, as they call them, is Dark Sun! Very pumped for that! We got the preview this past Wednesday but no information on Dark Sun, just the general information about the season. It is going to be divided into three parts of five sessions, for fifteen sessions total. Further, it starts at first level and the characters advance a level after each part. I can't wait to see the adventure!

In general, this has been a lot of fun and I am glad I am helping out!

edg

 

[Celebrim]

II had begun to consider running another game as a DM, but D&D Encounters locked it for me. The fact that they were providing the bulk of the materials and presenting a campaign designed specifically to be run in small chunks was very appealing to me as a newbie DM.

...

Well we launched Encounters with a group of 6, none of whom came over from the old group. Over the course of the last 6 weeks, two more DM's have volunteered to run Encounters each of which are now running groups of 4-6 each week.

In a matter of week's we went from 1 game to 4. The players in each group are predominately new to 4E or D&D altogether.

I can't help that think that Encounters has a lot, if not everything, to do with this. Has anyone else experience this kind of growth in their Encounters group? Do you think this is exactly the kind of thing needed to revitalize interest in tabletop RPGs?

I think that there is currently a massive unfilled demand for DMs. I advertised a game and got 7 players and had to turn down more players. I think I could fill 3 tables had I the time to do so. Pure ancedotal, but talking around after this revelation, I think there must be about 10 million players out there in want of a game but unable to find one.

Welcome to this side of the old 'DM screen', fellow Dungeon Master. If WotC has realized the problem and started doing more to develop new young DM's, then props to them regardless of my complaints with their current system. This is what the RPG hobby desperately needs right now, and I think a program that creates new DMs could create a tremendous revival in the tabletop RPG.

 

[Festivus]

What I think is working really well is the Robot Chicken videos in concert with DDE. I have more than my fair share of people coming in saying "I saw this video on YouTube..." and they want to sit down for an hour and give it a try. It's like how crack dealers give out the first couple hits free.

What also is nice for retailers who participate in the program is being able to sell the books two weeks before other places can. The grin on the FLGS owner's face was priceless when he realized this.