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<blockquote data-quote="TallIan" data-source="post: 7151508" data-attributes="member: 6853819"><p>Good improve comes from good planning.</p><p></p><p>I usually run published adventures, as I don't really have the time to commit to creating my own stuff. My planning focuses on learning the over arching plot line. More specific details (locations and NPCs) I tend to keep as generic as possible and slot them in as required. My players will never know that the Wizard's Hat Inn was meant to be Haventon in the other valley.</p><p></p><p>This way it doesn't matter where the players go I can put interesting encounters in front of them and avoid having them feel railroaded when their choice of direction fizzles out due to lack of prepared material. It is very easy to move vital plot clues to a generic NPC that has just enough background to make him appear important, rather than bandit number 739 drops this letter that has no right to be anywhere near here.</p><p></p><p>I always have a list of names, adjectives and professions handy to make stuff up on the fly (mix and match is your friend). Bits of dungeon/tavern/manor and some level appropriate bad guys, from mooks all the way up to a BBEG. A DM I used to play with also had pictures to hand. Then your only improve is the why. You could even just chance the names of things. No one will know if you say goblins attack while you have a human bandit stat block behind your screen.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TallIan, post: 7151508, member: 6853819"] Good improve comes from good planning. I usually run published adventures, as I don't really have the time to commit to creating my own stuff. My planning focuses on learning the over arching plot line. More specific details (locations and NPCs) I tend to keep as generic as possible and slot them in as required. My players will never know that the Wizard's Hat Inn was meant to be Haventon in the other valley. This way it doesn't matter where the players go I can put interesting encounters in front of them and avoid having them feel railroaded when their choice of direction fizzles out due to lack of prepared material. It is very easy to move vital plot clues to a generic NPC that has just enough background to make him appear important, rather than bandit number 739 drops this letter that has no right to be anywhere near here. I always have a list of names, adjectives and professions handy to make stuff up on the fly (mix and match is your friend). Bits of dungeon/tavern/manor and some level appropriate bad guys, from mooks all the way up to a BBEG. A DM I used to play with also had pictures to hand. Then your only improve is the why. You could even just chance the names of things. No one will know if you say goblins attack while you have a human bandit stat block behind your screen. [/QUOTE]
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