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<blockquote data-quote="Quasqueton" data-source="post: 3344331" data-attributes="member: 3854">How much detail should a DM give in a description? [This all assumes that the description does not hold some kind of clue or information.]For instance, should a DM say, “an ornate jewelry box”, or “a teakwood jewelry box carved with elaborate designs of butterfly-winged fairies on roses, tulips, and daffodils”? Should a DM describe a magic sword as, “a glowing sword with a gem,” or “a heavy, bright-steel sword of exquisite workmanship, etched with extensive interweaving designs; a marquee-cut emerald at the base of the blade is the source of a soft green glow”?Should a DM describe the castle on the hill as, “a castle on the hill,” or “a gray fortress, with tall towers topped by bright pennants, and surrounded by crenellated walls of made of large granite stones”?How much detail should a DM give to guide the Players’ imaginings of the world they experience? Is using “ten-dollar words” a sign of a good DM, or should the DM keep description to more natural, conversational terms?Whenever I see people around here give an in-game description of just about anything, it comes across as something I would never say normally, and something I would never to expect to hear at a game table. I’d actually feel a bit taken out of the game if the DM (or a Player) started giving me flowery speech and descriptions. Such is good for novels, but not gaming.Quasqueton</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Quasqueton, post: 3344331, member: 3854"] How much detail should a DM give in a description? [This all assumes that the description does not hold some kind of clue or information.] For instance, should a DM say, “an ornate jewelry box”, or “a teakwood jewelry box carved with elaborate designs of butterfly-winged fairies on roses, tulips, and daffodils”? Should a DM describe a magic sword as, “a glowing sword with a gem,” or “a heavy, bright-steel sword of exquisite workmanship, etched with extensive interweaving designs; a marquee-cut emerald at the base of the blade is the source of a soft green glow”? Should a DM describe the castle on the hill as, “a castle on the hill,” or “a gray fortress, with tall towers topped by bright pennants, and surrounded by crenellated walls of made of large granite stones”? How much detail should a DM give to guide the Players’ imaginings of the world they experience? Is using “ten-dollar words” a sign of a good DM, or should the DM keep description to more natural, conversational terms? Whenever I see people around here give an in-game description of just about anything, it comes across as something I would never say normally, and something I would never to expect to hear at a game table. I’d actually feel a bit taken out of the game if the DM (or a Player) started giving me flowery speech and descriptions. Such is good for novels, but not gaming. Quasqueton [/QUOTE]

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