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Post by monkeywithtacos on Nov 19, 2013 16:52:14 GMT
Hey all I'm working on putting together a list of DM tips, tricks and reminders, as well as a few minor house ruled bits that I can keep on my DM's screen. If you have any you use or that you find yourself forgetting please feel free to add them in the thread. I'd love the input....
This is what I have so far:
• Describe the scene as if you are describing it to someone who is blind.
• Remember to be descriptive in combat and encourage the players to do the same.
• Monster Morale: Have them start rolling checks vs. their fortitude when they reach bloodied status. Give them a +1 bonus for every ally still up in the combat.
• Intelligent creatures are likely to try to return later when the situation is to their advantage if they do flee a combat.
• Remind players to check and utilize their racial and class features and feats.
• Describe the appearance of the monsters and other enemies, do not name them to the players, let the players name them themselves. Allow skill checks to determine if a player character has any knowledge of said creature(s).
• Determine who the monsters target based on their wisdom or intelligence as appropriate.
Thanks in advance...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2013 12:44:05 GMT
List the players passive Insight and Perception checks. List the Easy, Moderate, Hard and Very Hard Difficulty Class for the player character's level. Assuming a roll of 10 on a D20, list the number a player can hit (Fortitude, AC, Reflex, Will), check their At Will and Encounter powers they most commonly use during combat. Get to know the combat powers the character has, and figure out how those powers can be used outside of combat. Give the players rewards for great game play, hand out action points, experience bonuses for the whole group, additional uses of encounter or daily powers, charges for magic items and additional healing surges.
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Post by thedmg on Nov 23, 2013 15:11:27 GMT
Bring food, sacrifice gummy worms to the DM!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2013 3:28:15 GMT
Have some stand in items for your adventurer miniatures for when they need to squeeze through tiny spaces that the miniatures will not fit through. Stack D10s to indicate elevation in squares, because those are the damage dice you will be rolling if the character falls that far. Make a pre-printed list of how you handle spectacular agility and strength checks for specialist characters (Rogues and Rangers with extreme agility, Clerics with amazing perception and insight, Barbarians with Conan level strength).
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Post by grym247 on Nov 26, 2013 8:37:27 GMT
Do not throw the dice and the DM
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Post by grym247 on Nov 26, 2013 12:53:02 GMT
on a serious note.... don't let the game session get bogged down with Mechanics, by that i mean if you cant remember a rule dont spend the next 30mins looking for it, play on and look later but for that moment you can just make a Percentage roll to determine what happens, some people are fine with finding rules, others will get bored and you will lose there interest in what is happening and may not even get it back for the rest of the night.
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slurpy
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 197
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Post by slurpy on Nov 27, 2013 0:49:50 GMT
Have the players roll a set of "hidden" checks at the beginning of each level. When something occurs that they would normally have to roll for (say an elf passing a secret door, or a sense motive against an NPC that is lying to them), you can refer to that sheet instead of having the elf's player make a search roll, tipping everyone off that there is a secret door next to the PC. Just don't forget to cross the rolls off at the end of each session!
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Post by onethatwas on Nov 27, 2013 2:50:18 GMT
I remember that one from the last board Slurpy. Really awezome. With a z.
If you can have a GM assistant, put them on duty with rules indexing, helping with gameflow, etc. also, make your players do some work too. A little bit of trust in cooperative gameplay can really help (but don't let your gaurd down on players who try to break/ bend the rules in their favor).
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Post by skunkape on Dec 1, 2013 3:21:45 GMT
What I did when I ran 3.5 was to have a list of any skill bonuses the players had in those skills that would need hidden rolls, spot, search, stealth, knowledges, etc. Then when I needed a roll, I would have the player roll their d20 and add whatever bonus was required. They never knew what I was having them roll for at the time, sure they might have suspected, but I would sometimes have them roll for no reason at all, just to keep them on their toes.
I also would roll behind the screen for no reason what so ever, just to again not let them know when I was rolling something important.
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Post by sgtslag on Dec 2, 2013 3:06:56 GMT
Universal ideas/tips, regardless of edition you play: Print out name tent cards: use card stock; keep it functional, but as artistic as you like; list the PC's name, the Player's name, Class, Race, Level; require players to put these tent cards in front of them, so that everyone can see their PC's name, class, etc. Use a name generator, to create a list of NPC names, prior to the session; organize them by race (use different 'languages' for different race names; the Ever Changing Book of Names (EBoN) is excellent, affordable, and available 24/7 for download -- use two names, to form first/last names from the list it generates); note whether a name is M/F; put them in a list, with a long line after them, so you, the DM, can make short notes about each name, as it is used in the session, for spur-of-the-moment NPC's who need a name [ Everyone needs a name! Players will write them down, so that they can bring them up later, to haunt you, their DM... It prompts Players to take better notes; it gives you, the DM, names, and NPC's to bring back later, to haunt the Players, "You don't remember Gront Clydno?... That's a shame -- he remembers you! Roll initiative..." It also helps aid immersion for all involved, into your carefully crafted 'world'...] I create my own, Book of Names, orgainzed into groups of 100 First/Last names, organized by races/locations/languages. And, yes, I do have to go back and print more, from time to time, as they get 'used up'. EBoN is one of my favorite tools. Cheers!
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rifken
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 112
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Post by rifken on Dec 2, 2013 13:01:45 GMT
Couple I have that are system free (and grid free as well)
Going off what Slag said there- Have a stack of 3x5 cards next to you (ive found these better than notebooks) Personally I have names written on one that any old Npc the players latch onto can be named and suddenly important to the game. I use another card to quickly fill out things to help me remember how to play that npc.
Dont get married to your story. If you find yourself getting upset because the players head west or off to the gamma quadrant and not east or off to the armpit of the sun, you should be writing a novel, not playing a game. Roll with the punches do things that are AWESOME and fun for (at least try for) everyone. Yes this is a story you are telling, yes the gm(dm, storyteller, stick holder whatever) is in control of everything but the players have a stake in it too.
Most important tip to anyone.....Yes and or Yes but. Sorta goes with my dont get married to your story tip as well. As GM you control the world they get their character. I use Yes and, Yes but, to give them a greater stake in the game, to show that their input is not only wanted but cool.
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Bael
Room Planner
Posts: 288
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Post by Bael on Dec 3, 2013 19:50:45 GMT
When designing cities, use a 3.5 card to describe the building with the description in quotes or with a box around it. "Strultlam's Leather Shop 3 Story wood and clay building, shop on first floor." Inside: "Strultlam and 3 other male workers are busy on various leather projects. List of good for sale: Leather pouch X SP"...Second floor storage area and hides. 3rd floor living quarters for Strultlam. Locked coffer with 234 gp, 576 sp (in case the thieves in the group ever want to burgle...) Keep it fast keep it simple. Put all the cards in a box. I made my own Greyhawk, Loftwick, and Erelhei-Cinlu cities doing this method.
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DM Michael
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Preparing for 'In the spider's web' part of LMOP
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Post by DM Michael on Sept 5, 2014 14:23:17 GMT
"Yes, you can."
This should be the answer to players when they want to do something crazy. If it doesn’t break the game, this should be your standard answer.
"Can I use my tower shield to surf down the river of molten lava?" - Sure. "Can I run the back of the vampire, pull out his trouser and pour holy water down them?" - Indeed, you can. "Can I make a doll that looks like a hot female beholder from three larges sacks, 5 pairs of trousers, and stuff it with hay and a barrel of gunpowder, before I roll it into the beholder cave?" - Why not.
I'll bet that if you say yes to these questions, both you and the players will have a lot more fun.
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Post by DarthTaco18 on Sept 9, 2014 3:33:49 GMT
Remind the players often not to get too comfortable with their character's mortality. This doesn't mean to kill a character ever session either though. Just rough them up a bit. I once a player walk into a grove and see what honestly I constructed to be like dnd Venusaur, and the player was all like "oh it's it's just a Venusaur. I know all about those! I got this!" Then wham! 6 vines with improved grab to the beard! He walked out ok, but afterwards he learned, even if it does look familiar, don't assume you know everything about it. Which brings me the next suggestion. Mix it up a bit - occasionally throw something that even your most experienced veterans have never faces. Now I know homebrew isn't for everyone, but there's a reason all those charts are in the back of the Monster Manual Just whip up something simple, can be something small the players might not take seriously until it hits them, or something big to freak them out a bit just to strengthen their sense of accomplishment when they beat it. Also, go ahead and make that Dragon look just a little bigger than it is by your rules. Don't worry, your players won't notice. They'll just think they took on something big and nasty all on their own.
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