D&D 5E Matt Mercer Just Changed My Mind About Multiclassing

[robus]

It depends on the players. The group I play with now are terrible note takers and the DM has a memory like a steel trap. I've played with other folks who are incredible note takers. And quite frankly even as DM there have been moments I've forgotten what happened last session.

Recaps always feel very...schoolish or TVish though. I'm not saying that's bad, and maybe it's just me, but it always feels like I'm either a naggy teacher "Alright students did you remember to do your homework? We're reviewing Chapter 4 today." or "LAST TIME ON DRAGONBALL Z!" Haven't managed a happy medium, but the latter certainly gets people's attention.

After being in a game with no recap (except what us players could manage to cobble together) this article resonated with me: https://theangrygm.com/the-art-of-the-recap/

 

[S'mon]

AngryGM’s posts on running the game were very illuminating when I was starting out and Iserith’s adjudicating actions guide I found here was icing on the cake (and a major reason why I stuck around)

I thought AngryGM’s schtick was just against DMing styles he didn’t like but it turns out he’s got a lot of retrograde opinions, so my enthusiasm for him has dimmed considerably (thank goodness he got off twitter!), but he still continues to produce thought provoking articles damn him!

I really don’t want to see him DM though, I might end up disappointed like I was, surprisingly, with Colville.

Colville's GMing does look lame on Youtube but I am sure is fine for the players. Whereas Matt Mercer GMing is a lot like how I imagine myself to be.

 

[robus]

Colville's GMing does look lame on Youtube but I am sure is fine for the players. Whereas Matt Mercer GMing is a lot like how I imagine myself to be.

Ha you're absolutely right. That's crying out for a "How I think I GM/How my players think I GM/How I actually GM" meme

 

[MNblockhead]

How I think I DM:



How my players think I DM:



How I actually DM:

 

[robus]

[MENTION=6796661]MNblockhead[/MENTION] - bingo!

 

[iserith]

Oh no - the carbs in that pizza will make the group sleepy for the back half of the session! Avoid! Avoid!

 

[Swarmkeeper]

After being in a game with no recap (except what us players could manage to cobble together) this article resonated with me: https://theangrygm.com/the-art-of-the-recap/

Thanks for this. Angry always seems to provide some good food for thought. I'm still going to have my players share in the recap, but I will be sure to sprinkle in some important things that happened before the prior sessions.


Also, MM did a fine job with that recap. I'll definitely be checking out the series. Always good to review what we think we know just to be sure.

 

[robus]

Also, MM did a fine job with that recap.

MM=Matt Mercer? Mike Mearls? Mickey Mouse? Marshall Mathers?

 

[Gradine]

MM=Matt Mercer? Mike Mearls? Mickey Mouse? Marshall Mathers?

Mega Man, obviously

 

[5ekyu]

I expected the game to sparkle with talent and yet it just kind of slogged. Colville's narration seemed particularly weak which surprised me given his authorial talents (and how to vids) and there were some rules questions (and opening the game up to outside input via twitter seems like a bad idea). Also some of the players seemed quite unengaged/unhappy. It wasn't what I imagined at all. Very low energy.

I didn't make it through the first episode of "The Chain" to be honest, so perhaps it got better, but it also made me sympathetic to those who say watching people play D&D is not enjoyable.

I also found the chain badly managed. Whoever thought spending so much time on diecroll bids and skipping the "who am I and what am I like" portions on the first episode needs to be sent to pluck live cockatrices.

It was bombing on other details but that was the most egregious.

The second most was "'jumping right into it" with a fight that wasnt compelling that it seemed heading to a foregone conclusion. But I might be missing that a tad - seems like my attention was elsewhere.