D&D General Win The Title of D&D's Best DM

WotC is running a competition called the Dungeon Master Challenge. Similar to Paizo's old RPG Superstar contest, it features various design rounds which whittle down the contenders until only one remains.

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The winner gets a trophy and some D&D products worth just over $2K.

Note: your entry becomes the property of WotC, which can use it in any way it wishes, even if you don't win. They don't even have to credit you for it. Be sure to consider this when deciding whether to enter.

• The first design challenge for a 1,000-word entry is Thursday June 17th, and contestants have three days to submit their entries. This round is open to everybody who qualifies (18+, in one of a list of countries).
• 10 contestants will then proceed to the next round in July, which is an elimination stage with various weekly 1,000-word design challenges.
• Three of those will go on to the final challenge in September, which involved being a DM on a livestream, judged by a panel.

What's a Freelance RPG Writer Worth?

Freelance writers (as opposed to those on salary) tend to be paid per word. The rate varies from publisher to publisher, and on how experienced the writer is. Ed Greenwood, for example, can command a much higher rate than a new writer can. Obviously only you, the freelancer, can decide...

www.enworld.org

 

[Oofta]

I was kind of thinking what the heck I have nothing to lose ... then saw the stipulation about incorporating existing lore/canon. So, nope. Unless they mean lore/canon for my homebrew world I'm out.

Which is fine, odds are about the same as winning the lottery in any case. It does make sense I suppose, they want to showcase their campaign settings and world not some rando's idea of a world that works better than FR. I'll just have to live with my players looks of terror as their PCs meet a fate worse than death ... I mean the laughter and fun times that we have when we play.

 

[Parmandur]

So are you hiring any time soon orrrr...?

I mean, he does, yeah.

 

[Parmandur]

I was kind of thinking what the heck I have nothing to lose ... then saw the stipulation about incorporating existing lore/canon. So, nope. Unless they mean lore/canon for my homebrew world I'm out.

Which is fine, odds are about the same as winning the lottery in any case. It does make sense I suppose, they want to showcase their campaign settings and world not some rando's idea of a world that works better than FR. I'll just have to live with my players looks of terror as their PCs meet a fate worse than death ... I mean the laughter and fun times that we have when we play.

I'd submit on a lark, but I honestly don't have the time.

 

[pming]

Hiya.

Seems ok, but man... it sure does seem... a bit on the "sleazy used car salesman" side of things for some reason. A company owned by a mammoth company worth billions of dollars, basically trying to take advantage of their customers. Don't get me wrong... $2100 worth of merchandise is nothing to sneeze at, but it's all the other 'conditions' that raise my eyebrow. They are basically saying "Hey D&D community! We want ALL your ideas! Give them to us, and ONE of you people will get some books and stuff we have laying around the office".

In particular:

"..any and all publicity and advertising or other promotions by Wizards without any further attribution, notification or compensation to Entrants."

The part I bolded is the "scummy" part. I mean, it'd be a nice gesture (and pretty common 'in the real world of artists') that if someone creates something that was inspired by some other artists work, that the inspiring artist gets a mention. So simply having a nice little paragraph at the bottom of the credits that says "Other Material in this book inspired by..." and then just put a list of the artists who's ideas/whatever were, well, inspiring to WotC. No money, no compensation...but damn. Not even a mention? That's pretty low... just sayin'...

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[dracomilan]

The new setting proposal contest during the 3e age was what made me write down and eventually sell my setting, so I'm pretty excited about this.

 

[J-H]

I will probably try to enter, although keeping it to 1,000 words is a challenge. There won't be room for any homebrew magical items or enemies, aside from maybe a couple of custom boss/spellcaster statblocks.
I'll have to review the XGTE Chapter 2 guidelines, too.

Not sure how I'd handle livestreaming a game. The people who host have mediocre wifi and we're playing on a couple of folding tables in an enclosed porch.

I'll probably do something built for level 16 characters. High level play doesn't get enough love.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Based on the cost per word WotC normally would pay a freelancer (thanks for the link @Morrus!) the total cost for 1,000 words is $60.

Not much, but 1,000 words 'aint much. Still, get a 1,000 submissions, that's $60,000 worth of material!

 

[Pjack]

The "we own this" language doesn't bother me, honestly. It's pretty boilerplate stuff. WotC doesn't want to steal your ideas. They just don't want to be sued if they happen to be working on something similar to what you submit.

What's frustrating for me, as someone who works Friday through Sunday, is that I don't have 72 hours to complete a submission: I have nine hours, tops. Also, as someone who can't afford a good streaming setup, I'd have to find someone in town willing to host me. I wish there was some version of this challenge that was more forgiving for people with non-standard schedules and with tight finances.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The cynic in me is looking at this competition as an ignoble way for WotC to farm the community for content that it won't need to license/pay for.

The cynic in you has never read through a slush pile of contributions from the general public.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I will probably try to enter, although keeping it to 1,000 words is a challenge. There won't be room for any homebrew magical items or enemies, aside from maybe a couple of custom boss/spellcaster statblocks.

Do we know what the prompt will be? It's entirely possible that magical items and enemies won't be a part of it. It sounds like at least one of the challenges is creating a new monster.

The 1,000 words thing is a big deal if they want to use these folks as freelancers, as being able to adhere to guidelines is one of the key things that separates a good freelancer from a bad one.

Even if they don't intend that, more than 1,000 words (which is a lot more than I think many people realize) means judging this would take forever. As it is, I don't envy them the work ahead of them.