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Tips, Tricks, And Hints For Dungeon Masters - Page 2

Yes I have used the skeleton method to start my world. Once the main stuff is in place it is not hard to go into a continent and start to develop it with counties or unexploered wilds if the expansion is new. Then go to those countries and add in a capital city. Border towns, mining towns and even ports of trade whether over land or by sea. From there you start to branch out. Where did that caravan come from. How did they get there. Soon trade routes and such are in the game and soon you have gone from a basic skeleton of a world and now you have a working world with trade and wilderness. From there it is easy to start adding more detail.

Edited: KNtoran on 22nd Feb, 2017 - 11:28pm

Masters Dungeon Hints Tricks Tips

Another consideration if you want players to consider certain paths or for them to go a particular path give them a reason to care or be interesting.

Not everyone is able to have a truly provide an open world experience but as long as your provide choices and work behind the scenes to get players interested and focused on what you want them to it but have it come naturally and not forced.

I am very much of the idea it isn't railroading if none of the players realize you have everything planned out and they they are being guided. In truth, roleplaying is an illusion and as long as such is not broken those involved can allow all sorts of things to happen.

Admittedly, this doesn't work with all players, especially if they are playing a chaotic or rebellious sort wanting to go their own path. In such a situation you adapt, and perhaps consider reworking what you have planned.

Tips, Tricks, And Hints For Dungeon Masters Reviews RPG & Card Board

There is always that factor. I do try to ensure people are following the story more or less willingly.

If someone wants to do their own thing, I'll improvise something appropriate and try to nudge (Not force) them back on course.

Not sure how I'd handle it if they go completely wildcard on me.

Page 2 Masters Dungeon Hints Tricks Tips

Yes, that is often those players who wish to blaze their own trail or otherwise have their character do that which perhaps unknowingly derails the tracks. Then, of course, their are those do do so purposefully which while it may come at the enjoyment of the other players can frustrate the Dungeon Master.

Otherwise, other players may also be getting annoyed with the disruption of the story. I have been a player in such a situation, where I have to remind myself that we are all here to have fun and that I need to be careful not to take things so seriously.

Masters Dungeon Hints Tricks Tips

I do not mind a character or characters going off on a tangent of their own. I actually prepare for it at times just in case. I can improvise most anything. Never know what you will run into in the wilds. Some things could be extremely dangerous but others not so much. Either way one can get a lot of experience being off the normal track of things.

Tips, Tricks, And Hints For Dungeon Masters

So as I build my world while it's in the development stage I use excel. I have my map broken into grids and I put a description of each grid. I don't have to populate everything at the start because the characters are low level and almost always stay fairly close to their starting point. Especially since I give them a lot to do and a lot of options near to home. I use excel to track what happens in each grid as the game progresses because the characters interactions may change what I originally had. That den of evil is cleared. That thief is caught. And at higher levels that man is reinstated to his Barony, etc. I continue to populate grids further and further out as we play so I always have a populated area when the characters get there. I often go back to old grids and make changes because the world is alive and things change. This person died and someone else took over. This cleared out area is now home to an ooze that slithered in. Etc. This keeps the players on their toes as they realize things don't stay static.