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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > D&D NEXT Advice Thread: Newbies Click This
 
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Lurks With Wolves
Jan 14, 2013

At least I don't dance with them, right?

QuarkJets posted:

But that should go without saying! The DM is the mediator between the system and the players. It's going to be impossible to write a module that is suitable for every party composition.

What if a party is really lovely at dealing with melee opponents? Should modules not include monsters with melee attacks, either?


They would assume that a newbie DM would at least read the DM's guide, which explicitly states that the DM is in total control and should modify encounters so that they're appropriate for the players.

No, but they should give people advice on what to do when their party varies from the assumed default fighter/rogue/cleric/wizard setup. Something that tells newbies that having a bunch of harpies fly out of reach of their melee-heavy party and shoot them with bows all day would make for a really dull encounter, or that you need to give parties without a cleric a bunch more healing potions or they'll die horribly because they can't heal. Just give them advice that guides people towards being a good dungeon master, you know? That's all anyone can ask for, honestly.

But seriously, if the DMG was better at teaching people how to use the ultimate power of being a DM we wouldn't be having this conversation.

* # ¿ Mar 1, 2015 07:38
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# ¿ May 17, 2024 19:53
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Lurks With Wolves
Jan 14, 2013

At least I don't dance with them, right?

koreban posted:

I managed to get through the first DM session to generally positive feedback from my friends. They're excited to play again (so they say).

I put their characters into a situation to bring them together, but now I'm trying to think up a hook to keep them together. Other than the "we're all friends and want to keep playing, so we'll follow this weird dwarf around", I want to give them a narrative reason not to just all go their own ways, as they probably logically would.

Does anyone have tips on how to work that sort of thing into their games?

Personally I'd just give them a general goal (say, finding the Lost Emerald of Ixn for Archmage Xavinar) and ask them why they're still traveling together. After all, they're as invested in keeping this group of PCs together as you are. They probably have a reason to stick with the rest of these idiots in their heads that they'd probably like better than whatever you'd come up with.

* # ¿ Aug 4, 2015 17:44
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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > D&D NEXT Advice Thread: Newbies Click This