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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rune" data-source="post: 6167902" data-attributes="member: 67">Lesson 25: Get the dice to do the work.Now, I don't mean by using randmized charts (<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?316091-Full-time-DM-Part-time-Prep/page7&p=6167033&viewfull=1#post6167033" target="_blank">although, you certainly can get good use out of them</a>).I'm talking about a philosophical shift that could completely change your entire game.  The general idea that I'm going to present here is one that I feel is fairly innovative, but it is certainly not my own innovation.  Rather, what I'm going to present here is but a generalized distillation of rules that have popped up (in one form or another) in various different role-playing games in recent years.The basic idea is to use the dice (or whatever mechanic is used) not (only) to determine a binary success or failure of an action, but also to drive the game forward by giving the players something to work with when they don't succeed.In games where this kind of thing isn't already baked in, all you have to change is the way you see (and describe) things.  Instead of looking at that binary action mechanic as a success or failure generator, consider that the character is attempting to control a situation in some way and that a good roll probably means that the character demonstrates or maintains such control.  A poor roll means that the character doesn't.  Now that could mean outright failure, but it also might mean some unforeseen complication has arisen.And with that simple shift in outlook, you've opened up a world of possibilities in play.  For one thing, it will help to solve a problem that many groups have with attaching dice rolls to social or puzzle-solving situations—that is, the breaking of immersion that happens when the dice don't reflect what was actually said at the table—or are used in substitution.When you've divorced the pass/fail mechanic from the die roll, you open up room for the players' details and descriptions of characters' actions (and no, this does not mean acting) to determine success or failure.  The die, then, becomes a tool for adding depth and excitement to the campaign through complications.This is all good for any style of game, but it is especially good for a prep-light game.  Why?  Because of all of the opportunities that it presents!It presents you the opportunities to spring hooks on the players and to create them!  In so doing, it offers the players the opportunities to create plot.  By doing these things, you all are afforded the opportunities to build the setting, which presents the opportunity of building immersion, which, of course, can be utilized to build interest in the campaign.And all of this is being done in play, not in preparation!  Just about the only thing you might want to prepare ahead of time would be a list of common complications you can draw inspiration from.But, other than that, you're good if you just get those dice working for you.</blockquote>

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