GM Tips, Tricks, & General Advice

[cailano]

I generally do not GM PbP games, but I just wanted to toss in that you can make these same powerful descriptions with your flavor text for dungeons and such as well. Here are some that I have for current and past dungeons...

Aerthos, I am happy to announce that you've won the description contest, by virtue of being the only person to take a swing at it.

Kidding aside, that was a good description. You used sentences that were terse, evocative and purposeful. Well done.

[cailano]

As the PCs in my ongoing Jade Regent campaign are busy learning kayaking for their next encounter I've been putting some thought into unusual locations for a brawl. Elsewhere in this thread I've written about both combat and environmental encounters, but what about combining the two?

What if we had...

A vertical fight while scaling a cliff?

A high-speed horse chase through a crowded market, littered with all sorts of hazards and obstacles?

An automated forge, with dangerous running equipment?

Inside the belly of some enormous creature?

In an active volcano?

On a slick, icy mountain with plenty of crevasses and cliffs?

In a thick fog with an unknown number of opponents?

In a brothel?

In a bathhouse?

In an avalanche?


What else? Anyone have some good ideas?

[Mezrahy]

Now, these might not be the most original ideas ever, but...


Atop a gargantuan wall with catapults shooting through?

On a raft in a running river?

On a raft in a running river approaching the waterfall?

In an illusionary forest - ever-shifting, the trees never seem to be in the same place when you look back at them?

Amidst a stampede?

A freefall fight mid-air?

Through a gauntlet - while being chased?

In a burning building?

Through the long staircase to the temple?

Across several ships on open seas - some fast sinking?

In a corridor with trapped floor, taking chances with each tile?


Well, there are some for you.

[Rya.Reisender]

I guess Cailano is no longer around, but is this still the right place to ask questions about being a DM?

[Drew]

How can we help you, Rya? Shoot me a PM.

[cailano]

I guess Cailano is no longer around, but is this still the right place to ask questions about being a DM?

I do still come check this thread from time to time, happy to answer any questions people might have.

I've been thinking of starting up a blog that is based on this thread, but so far I haven't managed to motivate myself to do it.

[RealWittyAlias]

I'm not actually planning on DM-ing anything for a while, but the writing prompt things on here look really fun.
What about a narrow, crumbling bridge for the fight setting?
Or a room full of valuable, very fragile things; if you somehow manage not to break something during the fight, you get to keep it.
Or you could replace the fragile treasures with dragon eggs. If you step on one, the formerly indifferent mother dragon will rip your head off.

[cailano]

I'm not actually planning on DM-ing anything for a while, but the writing prompt things on here look really fun.
What about a narrow, crumbling bridge for the fight setting?
Or a room full of valuable, very fragile things; if you somehow manage not to break something during the fight, you get to keep it.
Or you could replace the fragile treasures with dragon eggs. If you step on one, the formerly indifferent mother dragon will rip your head off.

I like it. Like a fight in a treasure room where you get to keep whatever fragile treasures you don't smash? That just calls for some special rules for that fight that determine what gets broken. Maybe penalties for big weapons and area effect spells? Fantastic concept.

[craftingm]

this was very helpful, even today !

[Raistlinmc]

Nice! Glad to hear it, Crafting. And welcome to TTW!