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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GregoryOatmeal" data-source="post: 6452729" data-attributes="member: 6667661">This is key:The moments players will remember for years are driven by player choices and not your preparation. Be on the lookout for these moments in game.For example: the orc warlord has 25 hitpoints left. The PCs happen to be losing to the orcs and are stressing. The raging barbarian rolls a natural twenty to hit the warlord with a warhammer and does 23 damage in the middle of the tense fight.Tell the barbarian he just flung the head like a baseball homerun out of the park. Talk about the skull-crushing blow, the teeth flying out of the orc's mouth, the way the tribe bows to their new warlord in fear. The moment that die lands on a 20 the orc warlord stops beating his drum. The needle scratches the record and the music stops, everything gets quiet, everyone murmurs in confusion and no one knows what to make of the situation. The key is that you start generating these descriptions the moment the die lands on a 20. Make that 20 count.Technically the orc had 2 hitpoints left and should still be alive. Maybe the barbarian needed to roll an intimidation check. Screw it, run with it, run hard with it. Make it totally awesome. You probably didn't plan on including orc henchmen in the game.Make up some quick names. Grunkalunk and Dung the orcs. Give them a few characteristics. Make them awesome. Go with the vibe in the room.When the druid howls at the moon have other wolves howl back. Make sure they know he is the alpha. When the wizard casts lightning bolt have it shake the castle walls and reverberate with thunder. Have chandeliers collapse. When the party fails make them fail epically (but use this sparingly so they don't get frustrated).The key to a good game is players act and DMs react. The more interesting and spontaneous the reaction of the DM is, the more empowered and awesome the players feel. You may prep the best ideas ever before the game, but if you force them on the players they feel helpless.</blockquote>

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