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Message: <blockquote data-quote="fba827" data-source="post: 5099511" data-attributes="member: 807">you're not alone -  I have the same problem all the time.To counter this, I usually come up with a couple stand bys ...1) Come up with 2-3 encounters that can be tossed in but still fit some ongoing theme or plot.  Like a group that works for the big bad eviil guy from some ongoing plot, maybe someone from a PC's background coming after them for some reason (be it combat or noncombat), etc)2) I come up with a 2-3 plot hooks and ways to introduce them at the start of the session.  They can serve as the stand by if the players are meandering without ideas, or if they seem to be rushing off in a direction that you hope to delay for one more session ... just make sure at least one of these plot hooks, if used, would have some sort of time urgency or otherwise have some goal/benefit that is so appealing the PCs would follow it first/now (i.e. have some carrots ready to dangle and entice them)3) similar to the above, have an encounter that might serve as a road bllock or detour, plain and simple.  a side-trek if you will.  maybe the road the pcs choose on the side of the mountain has an avalance and they have to detour through a cave that you just happen to have prepared... maybe they get zapped by some crazy wizard and that puts them in some different area that you can have prepared, etc.4) prepare to wing it, and wing it hard.  reread any campaign notes you have so that the various plot hooks are somewhat fresh in your head. at least so you know what theme/flavor you want5) glance through a couple scenarios/encounters/adventures either published or online/etc just to get -ideas- so that when you do wing it, you may be able to pull some feature/thing you saw in that scenario/encounter/adventure.6) while this should (in my opinion) only be used as an absolute last and final resort, consider just asking the players if they can hold off on X until next session because "you had one more thing you wanted to work out for that particular option"Edit, adding 7) See if you can't wrap up the previous session with getting the PCs to start their travel in the next direction, thus answering the question for you... "just as you start to head out ...; okay guys let's stop there, and pick up next time"  (not exactly like that, but you get the idea)Edit, adding 8) Ask them over email "what are some plots/ideas your PCs are considering following up on for next session?"anyway, that's all i can think of off the top of my head.  i can't help but feel like i'm forgetting something else, but this is what happens when you're old like me <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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