Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TedEBear 04-11-07, 12:32 PM	I am now about to DM my first game, after 4 years as a player, with many aspirations. I've noticed that, under various DMs, they tend to downplay roleplaying as apposed to a strict hack-n'-slash style. And even in that, the dialogue of the campaign consists of, "You miss. He hits. Take 12 points of damage", and so forth, as apposed to "With a mighty roar, the orc swings his halberd, delivering a large gash on you midsection." Now, I know that not in all situations should a DM illustrate the battle, but shouldn't be more active than a you-hit-he-misses encounter? Also, if you have any pointers to keep in mind during a campaign and dealing with PCs, please let me know. Thanks.
LCD2YOU 04-11-07, 12:38 PM	What I do, and this is not RAW, I flesh out a few NPCs and I "run" them through a few "encounters", from being waylaid and begging for their lives from evil bad guys, to having to put up with some cleric who is stopping them from selling wares at the market, putting up with a bunch of (1st level) snot nosed kids who think they're adventurers and more. Here's a help for fleshing out NPCs, it's called "Murray's Needs". It helps to make some NPCs truly different and not just the same cardboard cutout: http://changingminds.org/explanations/needs/murrays_needs.htm Later
Karish 04-11-07, 12:39 PM	To be honest, its all about what your players like as far as roleplay and dialogue. In a game with people like me, we might like to hear some description on critical hits or any spectacular incidents (player dies, someone KOs an entire squad in one attack, etc). But for the most part, "he hits, you miss" those things can help speed up play and are used about 80% of the time. Out of battle, RP what's important or useful. Don't talk out the discussion with the barmaid over rooms and drinks. Get get a night's stay. Roll Gather info and let people know of anything interesting they overhear or find out. But when there's a situation, like the BBEG's lieutennant having a change of heart as he starts dying from your successful battle, and in a last moment where good kind of shines over him and he helps you with something or gives you a last request to help his soul to a better place, you get the point where I'm going here. -- But yeah, few points of advice. Don't overdo one or the other, unless your players are ALL the same way. Don't play favorites, and be careful with DMPCs unless you can manage to play them effectively without overshadowing or burdening the PCs.