DM help [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

DM help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Naveen
06-24-07, 02:32 PM Hey, I wasn't sure where to put this. Very sorry ^_^

As A DM, Ive campaigned two diffrent groups, but with a co-DM. We have recently spilt up, where he DMs the group I play in, and I DM the group he plays in.

Thats all fine and dandy

My problem is that I'm not very creative. He did a lot of the background work. I have the next couple of sessions planned out. I happen to be pretty bad at Ad-libbing, so if my group goes off track, I'm pretty screwed, but I dont want to force them from one adventure to another without giving them a choice.

I like pre-made campaigns, but again, they might go off, and I dont have a store near me.

Anyone have any ideas I can do on the spot? I dont like just adding mindless battle after mindless battle

Thank ya
tankschmidt
06-26-07, 12:08 PM There are plenty of free adventures online. What game do you play?
Naveen
06-30-07, 06:06 PM Um... just regular DnD? use the three basics books, with gods and unicorns and evil sorcerers and all that...

Where can I find these online games you speak of?
i_am_some_guy
07-02-07, 06:49 PM Um... just regular DnD? use the three basics books, with gods and unicorns and evil sorcerers and all that...

Where can I find these online games you speak of?

unicorns huh?

try here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b)
KidAnubis
07-31-07, 01:15 AM I haven't tried any online adventures, but I do use online tools to help flesh them out. I'd recommend trying a published adventure or two. Those should help get you started and see how to structure an adventure.

However, ad libbing takes practice. I find that no matter how much I plan, the players always do something I didn't think of. So I try to make several key points are fluid enough that I can move them or shift them if needed.

A couple things to keep in mind:

- keep the PCs the stars of the story (change the story if they are not)
- more combat
- more treasure
- say 'yes' more (but don't always give them what they ask for )
KidAnubis
07-31-07, 01:19 AM Or, if you don't have access to a published module, try the posted adventures at that link posted above. I've been a fan of Monte Cook's stuff.
TunnHarr
08-07-07, 02:48 PM If you have trouble creating a world that can be explored in any direction, it's definitely going to take a lot of work to make a campaign that will branch in any direction. A scheme I like to follow is as such. Make your main goal, some mission you want accomplished, but make it so that the players cannot complete it WITHOUT getting off track. Make the world around various small interactions that have an effect on the bigger picture. Say a man comes to the players with a proposition, a rather closed ended one, just to get the ball rolling. Perhaps, the players have been accused of a crime, and if they don't find a way into the castle to plead their case, they will be hunted down and executed in three days. Make the guards too much to overpower, but as they are leaving the castle area frustrated, they come into contact with a shady entity that tells them that they can get them into the castle for a price, but it is too high. the players must then find the capital to pay for this entrance, so they must look for work to pay the man/elf/dwarf/gnome/whatever. Have a town crier announcing a skirmishing group of gnolls/(appropriat level mob) harassing a nearby hamlet. have mundane jobs, like escorting a caravan from port to an inn outside the city, or policing a construction site that vandals are hindering. Once they get the money, have them led into an ambush by the figure, and they're back at square one! That's just a start, I'm sure with a little time and thought you could provide a path with these examples. I sincerely hope this helps!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Naveen 06-24-07, 02:32 PM	Hey, I wasn't sure where to put this. Very sorry ^_^ As A DM, Ive campaigned two diffrent groups, but with a co-DM. We have recently spilt up, where he DMs the group I play in, and I DM the group he plays in. Thats all fine and dandy My problem is that I'm not very creative. He did a lot of the background work. I have the next couple of sessions planned out. I happen to be pretty bad at Ad-libbing, so if my group goes off track, I'm pretty screwed, but I dont want to force them from one adventure to another without giving them a choice. I like pre-made campaigns, but again, they might go off, and I dont have a store near me. Anyone have any ideas I can do on the spot? I dont like just adding mindless battle after mindless battle Thank ya
tankschmidt 06-26-07, 12:08 PM	There are plenty of free adventures online. What game do you play?
Naveen 06-30-07, 06:06 PM	Um... just regular DnD? use the three basics books, with gods and unicorns and evil sorcerers and all that... Where can I find these online games you speak of?
i_am_some_guy 07-02-07, 06:49 PM	Um... just regular DnD? use the three basics books, with gods and unicorns and evil sorcerers and all that... Where can I find these online games you speak of? unicorns huh? try here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b)
KidAnubis 07-31-07, 01:15 AM	I haven't tried any online adventures, but I do use online tools to help flesh them out. I'd recommend trying a published adventure or two. Those should help get you started and see how to structure an adventure. However, ad libbing takes practice. I find that no matter how much I plan, the players always do something I didn't think of. So I try to make several key points are fluid enough that I can move them or shift them if needed. A couple things to keep in mind: - keep the PCs the stars of the story (change the story if they are not) - more combat - more treasure - say 'yes' more (but don't always give them what they ask for )
KidAnubis 07-31-07, 01:19 AM	Or, if you don't have access to a published module, try the posted adventures at that link posted above. I've been a fan of Monte Cook's stuff.
TunnHarr 08-07-07, 02:48 PM	If you have trouble creating a world that can be explored in any direction, it's definitely going to take a lot of work to make a campaign that will branch in any direction. A scheme I like to follow is as such. Make your main goal, some mission you want accomplished, but make it so that the players cannot complete it WITHOUT getting off track. Make the world around various small interactions that have an effect on the bigger picture. Say a man comes to the players with a proposition, a rather closed ended one, just to get the ball rolling. Perhaps, the players have been accused of a crime, and if they don't find a way into the castle to plead their case, they will be hunted down and executed in three days. Make the guards too much to overpower, but as they are leaving the castle area frustrated, they come into contact with a shady entity that tells them that they can get them into the castle for a price, but it is too high. the players must then find the capital to pay for this entrance, so they must look for work to pay the man/elf/dwarf/gnome/whatever. Have a town crier announcing a skirmishing group of gnolls/(appropriat level mob) harassing a nearby hamlet. have mundane jobs, like escorting a caravan from port to an inn outside the city, or policing a construction site that vandals are hindering. Once they get the money, have them led into an ambush by the figure, and they're back at square one! That's just a start, I'm sure with a little time and thought you could provide a path with these examples. I sincerely hope this helps!