DM Tip Twitter Archive, August 2009

by Mike Shea on 3 September 2009

Below is an archive of all of the Sly Flourish DM Tip Twitter posts for August 2009. Get your own daily DM tips at http://twitter.com/slyflourish!

#dnd tip: Not every battle has to be in wide open rooms. Consider a series of cramped hallways as a single encounter.

#dnd tip: Use Asmor's treasure parcel generator to build out a level's worth of treasure ahead of time: http://tr.im/phlH

#dnd tip: What motivations guide the drive of a thousand year old lich? What would such a creature want? Consider age with motive.

#dnd tip: Everything in Eberron is fantastic. Towers so vast they have weather within them. Bridges that span drops beyond sight. Fantastic.

#dnd tip: not everything needs to be a skill challenge. Sometimes all you need is a series of skill checks.

#dnd Sly Flourish Article: Four Tips for Trollhaunt Warrens: http://tr.im/tg5e

#dnd tip: always consider what environmental effect you can add to an encounter room.

#dnd tip: Who will be the Belloq (of Raiders of the Lost Ark fame) in your Eberron campaign. Nothing builds a good story like a good rival.

#dnd tip: For storing Dwarven Forge pieces, try the Sterlite 7 Drawer craft cart for $30. Holds 6 sets per cart. http://tr.im/qZJO

114 one-page dungeons from @chattydm Incredible treasure of dungeons of immeasurable use. http://tr.im/uWZx #dnd

#dnd tip: found a great zombie tile graphic to use for zombie hordes like those found in Demon Queen's Enclave: http://tr.im/qZI3

#dnd tip: The key to keeping a beholder dangerous is keeping everyone within 5 for the aura. Have him float four squares above the party.

#dnd tip: Add statues, gargoyles, columns, mirrors, and other objects that don't actually do anything just to throw off your players.

#dnd tip: Good list of retired heroes called back to action - great background ideas for NPC heroes or villains: http://tr.im/up2i

#dnd tip: Think of ways to run your game like a three-ring circus. Give them more to see than they can handle and they'll stay engaged.

RT @newbiedm very nice and simple online initiative tracker http://www.incompleteuserna.com/initracker/ #dnd

#dnd tip: Always ask your players if they're having a good time but also watch their body language during the game.

#dnd tip: Build encounters based on your favorite action scenes. Think "House of Blue Leaves" from Kill Bill.

#dnd tip: Boneclaws work best when they're using their substantial OA effects on ranged and casters. Against defenders, they're not useful.

#dnd tip: Be wary of high level soldiers. Missing all the time steals the fun away from players. High level brutes are more rewarding.

#dnd tip: You only get one chance to do a particular scene right. Blow it and you can never try it again. Prepare, prepare, prepare!

#dnd tip: Use magic items and treasure as keys or other plot hooks into the rest of your story. Who will hunt the party down for that loot?

#dnd tip: Mix slaughter wights and bodaks for a devastating weaken to death gaze attack combination. Take that, powergamers!

#dnd tip: What interesting plot motives do each of Demogorgon's heads have? Surely they conflict. He's a one-character plot twist!

#dnd tip: Print monsters on 5x8 cards using the Monster Builder. They look far better than the scaled images. It's like a monster deck!

#dnd tip from the #gencon high level seminar: don't always bring your monsters out at once. Surprise your players as they move in.

#dnd tip: Have trouble beginning your game? Write down a short, strong, and powerful introductory sentence: "Your friend, Hodar, is dead"

Prepping the Dwarven Insult Generator for my RPGA #dnd game, Fate of the Camp at @gencon. http://dwarvenconspiracy.com/insult.asp

#dnd tip from our Delve run. Let your players pre-roll and write down all attacks and damage the turn before their own and combat flies.

#dnd tip: Use a good word processing program to make good-looking quest cards with pictures and clear quest motivations.

#dnd tip: Running an encounter on a ship or airship? Have the rocking of the boat push and pull the combatants as an environmental effect.

#dnd tip: Consider your villain's dialog carefully. A misplaced word can mean the difference between being sinister and being silly.

#dnd tip: modify the traps on page 87-93 of the DMG by changing targets, elements, or effects.

#dnd tip: Skim through the DMG every month or so to refresh your ideas and get you thinking about how to improve your game.

#dnd tip: Always be on the lookout for a good prop. Antique shops, party stores, and dollar stores have great selections of crazy things.

Great #did tips from Nicholas on Dungeon Mastering (http://bit.ly/7l8B2) adapt difficulty, suggest help, bring minions to life!

#dnd tip: Create a Diablo-style loot pinata by crying out loud and throwing 3x5 treasure item cards into the air when your boss dies.

#dnd tip: Give bosses a way to control environments. Fire elementals may leave trails of molten rock or giants may crush walls.

#dnd tip: Customize your skill challenges to make them personal for the characters. Use them to aid in background creation and char plots.

Back to DM tips: Ensure you calculate encounter exp budgets right with 6 or 7 players. High level battles are ALOT more than you think. #dnd

#dnd tip: Order food and have it ready before the game begins. Interrupting a game for food can take up valuable time.

#dnd tip: Three battles taking too much time? Drop it to two battles with some leisure time for skill challenges and roleplaying.

#dnd tip: When using +1 tokens as motivators for fast rounds, let them trade them to another player when needed.

@ChattyDM @newbieDM @DaveTheGame Reinforce players deciding actions like firemen: pick the first action that can work and go with it. #dnd

#dnd tip: What is your adventure's soundtrack? Listen to your old tunes while dreaming your adventure like Tarrantino: http://bit.ly/basterd

#dnd tip: Clear quest goals help tie your players to the story. Don't put too many twists into them. Players want to feel in control.

From @toddster: PDF template for init tracking hang-cards. Print on cardstock and drape over your DM Screen: http://u.nu/92e43about 14 hours ago from Tweetie in reply to toddster

#dnd tip: Use elemental miniatures as flame effects for your battle maps. They look great.7:00 AM Aug 31st from Twuffer

#dnd tip: Be careful of making the black dragon's dark cloud too cheesy. Think of it as an offensive tool, not a defensive one.

Send feedback to mike@mikeshea.net.