B028 - Campaign Builder - Preparing for a Fight (Level Five)

So much of our favourite pop culture is based upon destroying the status quo, making a hair-brained scheme, and then fighting the insurmountable odds, but in D&D the hair-brained scheme is often overlooked.  So how do you offer opportunity and agency without having the session go wildly off the rails?  Adam and Dan walk you through what it means to go from storyteller to audience, and why Dungeon Masters should not necessarily be concerned with the realism surrounding player schemes.

 

Takeaways:
- When the party plots and schemes while the tension ratchets up, and the Dungeon Master steps back to a reactionary role, the campaign is operating at peak performance.
- Revenge is a major motivating factor for most players, but they might try to surprise their DM.  If this is the case, be cognizant of whether or not this is because they want to have a big cool moment, or if they just don't trust you as the Dungeon Master.
- One of the major issues with giving the players total agency over a story beat is simply that analysis paralysis might set in.  Providing boundaries and nudges might be required to keep them on track.
- Dungeon Masters should take more notes than the players to maintain consistency.
- Using enemy powers and tactics against the players in this session may inspire them to use similar powers and tactics in the next session against the big boss fight.

 

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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe

Logo by: Kate Skidmore