DM 101: 5 Tips the Beginning D&D Dungeon Master

There are a lot of book on how to run the mechanical aspects of the Dungeons & Dragons, but not many of them are great at actually telling new DMs how to be better at running the game in terms of managing the table, players, or being a good servant leader. Here is my list of 5 beginner tips when starting out your journey as a new Dungeon Master.

00:01 - Introduction
00:30 - The 5th Edition Dungeon Master Guide doesn't really teach how to run a game.
01:40 - 4th Edition DMG has some excellent DM advice sections.

03:10 - Tip #1: Session 0
                More on Session 0
                  http://ragingowlbear.blogspot.com/2018/01/dnd-why-is-session-zero-important.html
                  https://ragingowlbear.blogspot.com/2018/05/gm-101-ep-1-importance-of-session-0.html

05:55 - The Social Contract (Tip #1.5)
                  More on the Social Contract
                    https://ragingowlbear.blogspot.com/2018/02/gm-101-what-is-social-contract.html
                    http://ragingowlbear.blogspot.com/2018/08/gm-101-problems-players-and-social-contract.html

09:50 - Tip #2: Start small. Grow gradually.
10:30 - Instead of a long campaign, consider smaller adventures like the Starter Set or Essentials Kit.
12:40 - Short 3rd party publisher adventures
14:22 - Starting small with a homebrew
15:47 - Not every adventure needs to be "Throw the Ring into Mt. Doom"

16:38 - Tip #3: Do not write plots. Set up hooks (scenarios).
17:05 - Pirate campaign example.
                  More one Railroading and Player Agency
                    http://ragingowlbear.blogspot.com/2018/02/gm-101-railroads-sandboxes-player-agency.html
21:10 - Writing adventure hooks (fronts in Dungeon World / Apocalypse world)
23:50 - Write several hook ideas, present them, and find out which one(s) interest your players.
26:20 - Have non-combat resolutions available as alternatives. Write some non-combat scenarios.

28:35 - Tip #5: Don't fudge die rolls.
                  More on fudging the dice
                    https://ragingowlbear.blogspot.com/2018/10/gm-101-why-i-dont-fudge-dice.html
                    https://ragingowlbear.blogspot.com/2017/05/gm-101-just-say-no-to-fudge.html
29:45 - Discuss with your players in Session 0 about PC death

34:00 - Starter Set or Essentials Kit?
36:30 - Outtro

DM 101: Persuasion can't do that!

Can we discuss this like civilized people?

I've read a lot of new DM questions that come up on social media, and one that seems to really confuse a lot of newbies is the use of the Persuasion skill.

Some of this confusion results from the misunderstanding of skill checks in general, but much of it is related to how powerful Persuasion can be when used. To clarify, let's start with skill checks in general. A skill check is just a special kind of ability check that allows the PC to add their proficiency bonus if they are proficient in that skill. Here are the Rules as Written in regards to ability checks. 

WizKids Adult Red Dragon Unboxing and Review

Hey folks!

In today's video I unbox and talk about the Icons of the Realms Adult Red Dragon (~$70) which is one of the new huge miniatures (bigatures?) from WizKids. As you may know they've gone a bit dragon crazy lately, so it you're into big. nasty dragons for your game or display shelf, there's no better time to buy. In the video, I compare today's offering with the past ICONS Gargantuan Dragons from Wizards of the Coast back in the early 2000's. 

If you don't quite have the cash for one of the larger adult dragons, there are some slightly smaller, or unpainted versions for much less, like the unpainted Gargantuan Red Dragon ($25) or the City of Lost Omens Adult Red and Adult Black together for around $50 (more links below). 

WizKids also offers an Adult Blue, an Adult White, an Adult Green, an Adult Black, a Blue Dracolich, and a Green Dracolich. If you really want to go big, there's always Arveiaturace the Ancient White.

Grenadier announces new Tiamat miniature

April 1, 2021 - Grenadier Models announces a new Tiamat miniature for use with Dungeons & Dragons retailing at $398. They new model measures a stunning 8” from heads to tail.

“Not only do we have this fantastic new Queen of the Dragons, we are using a new casting material that is extraordinarily durable that we’re calling Plumbum, or ‘Pb’ for short,” says Grenadier CEO, Julie Guthrie. 

“With our cheaper and more durable metal minis, WizKids can eats our dust!”

PS - Apologies to Julie. We love your sculpts!

Wizards announces D&D 6th Edition play test

April 1, 2021 - In a move that surprises many in tabletop roleplaying, Wizards of the Coast announced that the playtest for the 6th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons would begin as early as June 2021.

"We believe in striking while the iron is hot," notes Wizards of the Coast CEO Chris Cocks. "D&D 5th Edition is selling more that any edition in the history of the game. There is no better time than now to begin testing the latest ideas and improvements for the next iteration.”

New D&D DM asks: Which hardback should I run?

I often see new Dungeon Masters asking on social media what hardback they should run after the Starter Set or the Essentials Kit. While the hardbacks from Wizards of the Coast are excellent, they are not always the easiest to run for newer DMs due to the sheer volume of adventure. In this video, I break down my recommendations for what adventure(s) to run next. Number 4 might surprise you!

D&D Hardbacks - Candlekeep Mysteries, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Tales from the Yawning Portal

Kobold Press - Tales of the Old Margreve

Troll Lord Games - 5th Edition Adventures

Goodman Games - Fifth Edition Fantasy

The Village of Hommlet (4e)

Warlock Tiles Town & Village Review (vs. Dwarven Forge, OpenLock, etc)

Too Long, Didn't Watch Summary: The Warlock Tiles Town & Village set is a reasonably good deal for the money, even if you are already invested in 3D printing or Dwarven Forge sets. Some features will appeal specifically to owners of 3D printed tiles. Timestamps follow below.

Warlock Tiles offer some limited compatibility with OpenLock and DragonLock 3D tiles, but in my opinion, it would be nice if they allowed 3D enthusiasts to print their own combination clips to allow even more interchangeability. The Dwarven Forge City System is a bit more than twice as expensive than Warlock Tiles Town & Village, and Warlock Tiles offer more versatility, but do not have the same enclosed exterior presentation that Dwarven Forge buildings offer. In a sense, the two systems have different goals -- Warlock Tiles for interior playability and Dwarven Forge for an outdoor village or city display.

You can view more about OpenLock and DragonLock offerings here.

00:00  Intro
00:35  Warlock Tiles description
01:40  Town & Village box contents
07:00  Tile system using magnets and clips
09:05  How much can you build with the Town & Village box 
10:05  Using Warlock Tiles with 3D printed dungeon tiles
11:00  You can use Warlock Tiles with OpenLock and DragonLock
13:08  Warlock clip force issue
15:22  Standout Feature: Interior Walls and Doors
16:30  Example layouts using Town & Village box
16:45  Using the interior walls and doors to easily alter your layout
19:05  Using the interior walls with OpenLock or DragonLock
21:00  OpenLock and Warlock tile compatibility
22:00  Half height walls vs. full height walls
24:30  Thin doors and walls will also appeal to 3D printing enthusiasts
25:40  Warlock Tiles vs. Dwarven Forge City System
32:20  Warlock Tiles vs. OpenLock and DragonLock
34:30  Warlock Tile Pros
36:20  Warlock Tile Cons
41:40  Warlock Tile Mystery Notch
47:35  Wrapping Up
50:00  Owlbear Approved -- Please Like and Subscribe!