Tips for Running a Game in a D&D Encounters-Type Environment?

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

Any tips for running a game in a D&D Encounters-type environment?

I'll be DMing D&D Encounters this season. I played the last season and jumped in to DM the last session when the regular DM couldn't make it. I DM a 4E game at home with a group that's been together for ~5-6 years.

Areas of concern:
Different players every week.
Different number of players every week.
Wildly different play styles in the party.
Extremely different amounts of experience with the game.
Short play time (1-2 hours).
Printed adventure with lots of combat.
Game is based on rules no one will have access to for 2/3 of the campaign.
No shared history with the players (though there will hopefully be some with regular players towards the end of the season).
Playing in a retail environment instead of someone's home.
Metagame point system.

What did I miss?

I'm flexible and players tell me I'm a good DM who balances role-playing and roll-playing well. But I like to be prepared and want to be an excellent DM, especially to new players who will be discovering the game through me.

What are your experiences? What have you done that didn't work?

Thanks in advance!

 

[UniversalMonster]

Just to be clear: Are you running D&D Encounters or are you trying to create a home game that has some of the benefits and features of D&D Encounters (drop in players and 2 hour time limit, etc)...

Here's my tip: the battle in a typical D&D encounter rarely takes up even half the time. So you can create some other fun stuff.

Often I start with going around the table, and having each player introduce his/her character and give a description of what they look like. Then go around a second time and introduce some improvised roleplaying situations.

So for example, a druid player might be wandering through the forest when he meets an improvised NPC Treant who tells him about some animal caught in an abandoned hunters trap and suffering. Then you might have the druid do a nature check to find it, and thievery or dungeoneering or athletics to disarm it.. and then have him move to the next PC.

So by improvising this stuff, the players get more grounded in their PCs, and by the time you reach an encounter they have more imagination invested.

You can use the same technique with D&D Encounters, just improvise and don't sweat that you are going off of the script. Be A FEARLESS DM.

 

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

To be clear I'll be running D&D Encounters at my FLGS.

But I don't know why you couldn't use a different system to do something like it. That makes me wonder: Are there other systems better suited to Encounters-style gameplay?

 

[UniversalMonster]

To be clear I'll be running D&D Encounters at my FLGS.

But I don't know why you couldn't use a different system to do something like it. That makes me wonder: Are there other systems better suited to Encounters-style gameplay?

Same as the RPGA- any system would likely benefit from an organized and social approach. Any.

Ok, so if this is Encounters, same deal: use some of that time up front to try and get the players to talk about their characters a bit, and improvise some situations for them..before you get into the encounter. It doesn't matter if you are going off script a bit, or if you are making up new NPCs. Have fun with it, and treat it like it's a home campaign with your friends, and you'll get the best results.

I DM a lot of RPGA stuff, and I think the "formula" a lot of DMs use (read the boxed text and run the encounter) is just too wooden, and people only do it that way because they feel like , "well, it's an official event, so I shouldn't deviate from what is written..". Really though, you have tons of room to get comfortable without deviating. Just be the great Dm you know you are. Speak directly yo the players. Rather than read the boxed text aloud, try and read it to yourself first, and then describe it to the players in your own words. Don't sweat combat tactics. Roleplay the monsters. make sure your DM combat turn takes the least time out of any of the players sitting at the table, even if it includes tactical blunders.

The combat part of the encounter itself is an opportunity for roleplay. Villians should taunt the players, cackle nastily, or quip one-line threats and insults.. use your DM skills.

Have fun!

 

[mudbunny]

You are aware of the WotC group devoted to D&D Encounters??

Also has lots of tips, suggestions and advice from the author.

 

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

Nope, I was not aware of it. I abandoned the "official" boards during the Gleemax fiasco, checked it out briefly during its ugly, painful transition to "Communities", and have never gone back.

 

[mudbunny]

Nope, I was not aware of it. I abandoned the "official" boards during the Gleemax fiasco, checked it out briefly during its ugly, painful transition to "Communities", and have never gone back.

It might be worthwhile checking out, even if you only go to that one group.

As I mentioned above, the author of the adventure is there, answering questions, and there is a lot of DM advice there as well.

 

[nedjer]

Perhaps clear and consistent boundaries. If everyone can get a hearing and bickering is banned, by example and interdict, the rest becomes easy (ish).

 

[firesnakearies]

That WotC forum for D&D Encounters is really good, actually. Every question you could have is answered there, and there are some very smart and helpful people on there providing tons of great ideas and even a number of nice DM aids for download. And the author of the adventure, and other WotC guys, post on there a lot, too.

If you're running D&D Encounters, you'd be very well-served by frequenting that particular forum.

Good idea on the link, mudbunny!

 

[Thanlis]

Any tips for running a game in a D&D Encounters-type environment?

First: thank you for doing this. GMing in public is such an awesome way to give back to the hobby. It's a pain sometimes, it can be frustrating, but I always feel good about myself when I run Encounters for new players.

OK, specific tips, based on running the first season...

I went into every evening with a game plan for integrating new PCs and explaining why old PCs weren't there. It may be easier in some ways for this season, because of the pregens -- you can hand a new player the pregen used by the guy who didn't show up this week. On the other hand, that kind of affects continuity, so I don't know. And I haven't seen the Dark Sun module yet, since I'm starting the season a bit later.

But for the first season, yeah. I knew how I'd explain new characters showing up, and I had the party's employer react to the new PCs, so it all felt coherent to the players. They seemed to appreciate it.

Have people introduce themselves each night if you have even one new player. It makes them feel like they're on equal footing with the people who've been coming all along. Also, introduce yourself.

Be on good terms with the store owner. You may get a problem player, and if so, it's the owner/manager who needs to help you deal with it. You want to be comfortable in the space, and you want to be able to ask for anything you need.

Make calls on the fly; don't worry about looking rules up. That'll make the combats go faster. You should have the powers at hand, so it's OK to check those. Encourage ad libbing. I'm more liberal running Encounters than I am running my home game because I want people to feel like they can take risks.

Don't be afraid to tell experienced players to back off advising inexperienced players if it's turning into dictation, if you know what I mean. Advice is usually welcome; telling someone what to do is bad. There's this trick where you ask the inexperienced player to express an opinion, because you don't want him to feel like two veterans are arguing over him (or her) -- you want to give the new player room to be assertive, rather than being assertive on his behalf.