D&D 5E The Mystery of the 5E Dungeon Master's Guide

[Ruin Explorer]

What I'm concerned about regarding the DMG is that it be a useful reference for hard crunch regarding adjudication of the three pillars of the game: Exploration, Combat, and Roleplaying. It should be at least as useful to me in constructing worlds, adventures, and encounters as the PHB is for players constructing characters. Not in a self-help manual way, but in a do-it-yourself guide way.

Is there a meaningful, hard difference between a self-help manual and a do-it-yourself guide? Honest question - the only ones I've really read related to fitness and there seemed to be considerably crossover between the two.

 

[DMZ2112]

Is there a meaningful, hard difference between a self-help manual and a do-it-yourself guide? Honest question - the only ones I've really read related to fitness and there seemed to be considerably crossover between the two.

Let's say my toilet has a leak (true story, actually). The DIY guide gives me step-by-step instructions on removing the tank and replacing the gaskets, and gives me some advice regarding water conservation upgrades I might want to make while I have the toilet disassembled.

The self-help manual tells me to take a deep breath and remember to be grateful that I have a toilet at all.

I don't mean to be flip -- I suffer from an anxiety disorder, and I have derived great personal peace from books that have told me to take a deep breath and be grateful (maybe not in so few words). But all the inner peace in the world isn't going to stop my toilet dripping like a torture chamber of politely indeterminate Asian origin.

By the same token, all the well-intentioned advice in the world isn't going to help me when I need to quickly generate dungeon dressing for a room off the beaten path that my PCs have decided to search top-to-bottom, or when I need to know what the development team has playtested with regard to Constitution saving throw DCs versus poisons of various lethality, or when I need a guideline for an appropriate end-of-quest treasure reward to a party of seven 4th-level PCs.

A campaign is no less complicated a thing than a character, so why should the tools available to me for its construction be any less load-bearing than those provided to players? We don't load the PHB down with roleplaying advice until /after/ all the races, classes, ability scores, feats, skills, equipment, and spells are properly tabulated and organized. All I ask is the same consideration.

 

[exile]

The DMG will probably be a little of both (do-it-yourself guide and self-help manual); and, in my mind, that's a good thing. I don't think the construction of a campaign setting, campaign, or adventure can be so quantified; it is more art than science. Individual encounters, on the other hand, should be able to be constructed in a very scientific, formulaic way, but even they should be able to benefit from a bit of artistry/panache.

 

[DMZ2112]

The DMG will probably be a little of both (do-it-yourself guide and self-help manual); and, in my mind, that's a good thing. I don't think the construction of a campaign setting, campaign, or adventure can be so quantified; it is more art than science. Individual encounters, on the other hand, should be able to be constructed in a very scientific, formulaic way, but even they should be able to benefit from a bit of artistry/panache.

I can handle the art; I've been arting for (sweet Jebus) 23 years. Bring me dat science.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Mike said on Twitter a while ago that the DMG won't have much DM advice, since it'll be aimed at people who are already expert DMs. New DMs are the target audience for the starter set (and I guess some mysterious in-between step).

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Yes, you did! It has more to do with the sheets fed into a printer which cover 16 pages (times two for both sides), though.

Also the number of pages usually is set before the whole stuff is ready. The authors are just given a number of words to aim for which in turn corresponds to the number of pages in the product. Typesetting and layout provide you with some wiggle room, though.

 

[DMZ2112]

Mike said on Twitter a while ago that the DMG won't have much DM advice, since it'll be aimed at people who are already expert DMs. New DMs are the target audience for the starter set (and I guess some mysterious in-between step).

I hope the mysterious in-between step is a sharp whack with a stout stick. Gotta keep those noobs in line.

 

[HobbitFan]

I'm confused by what product is being marketed to what group.
How can the starter set be marketed to DMs primarily? What is the intro product for players?
So the DMs guide will be for expereinced DMs only and assume that they bought the starter? That doesn't make any sense at all.

Shouldn't the DMs guide be written for BOTH experienced Dms and new ones?

 

[DMZ2112]

I'm confused by what product is being marketed to what group.
How can the starter set be marketed to DMs primarily? What is the intro product for players?

You can't play D&D without a dungeon master. If a player buys the Starter Set he has two choices: become a dungeon master, or find a dungeon master.

Game stores everywhere will be littered with the smoldering bodies of the failed. It will be glorious.

Shouldn't the DMs guide be written for BOTH experienced Dms and new ones?

To become a dungeon master is to be forged in a white-hot crucible. One does not forge steel over a candle.

 

[GX.Sigma]

I'm confused by what product is being marketed to what group.
How can the starter set be marketed to DMs primarily? What is the intro product for players?

I think the philosophy is that there doesn't need to be an intro product for players. All you need to play D&D is a DM with an adventure to run.

Though there will be that 15% of the PHB as a free PDF, as an intermediate step for players who want to make their own basic characters (I'm assuming there will be a similar thing for the MM and DMG for intermediate DMs).