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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Flamestrike" data-source="post: 8003509" data-attributes="member: 6788736">I design my encounters broadly using the DMG guidelines.Before I do that, I do the really important bit that a lot of DMs dont do; I frame the encounters within the adventuring 'day'.Basically my routine goes:1) Start with a premise or theme. I ask myself what the PCs are doing and what happens if they fail? In this example it'll be an Undead infested tomb as my theme, with the PC mission to stop a Necromancer from completing a ritual at midnight. Failure by the PCs leads to an undead army terrorising the nearby area and a ton of undead encounters for the next month or so.2) Map out the area the encounters will be set in (map out the undead tomb)3) Design encounters for those areas using the DMG guidelines (encounter areas within the tomb)4) Place areas to rest in (not really needed any more as I use 5 minute short rests/ max 2 per long rest)5) Design hooks for the adventureI try and make each encounter unique and dynamic, with a mix of mooks plus a 'leader' type or a 'heavy' type, or both. I also like trying to slot a Legendary monster in there somewhere. A trap or two will sometimes substitute for an encounter. Ill turn my mind to special terrain features and dynamic terrain for encounters as well.All in all I spend probably around 2-3 hours in prep for a quest that lasts 1-3 sessions, and 1 adventuring day.</blockquote>