DM Tip Twitter Archive: July 2010

by Mike Shea on 21 August 2010

Below is an archive of all of the Sly Flourish DM Tip Twitter posts for July 2010. Get daily DM tips athttp://twitter.com/slyflourish!

#dnd tip: use MM3 solos as a model for older ones. What do they do differently when they're bloodied?

I like Vor Rukoth by @gregbilsland. High production value for $11. I wish it had more read-aloud text, though. http://amzn.to/dwctW2

Komarck has some awesome art to inspire represent your character, or for handouts http://bit.ly/aC9jv5 thanks @aquelajames!

#dnd Tip: Mix a roleplay encounter with a combat encounter to make it fun for folks who prefer either.

RT @Zelgadas: @SlyFlourish I made minions with resist 10 all. The resist went away when their master was killed.

RT @warpgames: I wrote an article in response to (and expanding a bit on) @slyflourish's take on Status Effects. http://tinyurl.com/23a6 ...

This 3D terrain set looks awesome: http://bit.ly/b9uiF7 Not as expensive as Dwarven Forge either.

RT @Stitched: @slyflourish - Impressive location for a church : http://englishrussia.com/images/churches_on_rocks/eszt9.jpg

#dnd tip: Opposite from yesterday: Try making an armored minion that can ONLY be hit by direct attacks.

Really awesome article by @ChrisSSims on minion use in games: http://bit.ly/bRh3cG #dnd

RT @4E_DnD_DM: I don't like the DM's who treat their monsters as if they're PC's. They get so offended when they are killed.

Another awesome DM Round Table with @deadorcs, @DMSamuel , @SarahDarkmagic , @gamefiend , @ThadeousC, and me! http://bit.ly/9NrPM7 #dnd

#dnd tip: Want a minion with some survivability? Try making minion swarms immune to everything but bursts or blasts.

There's a new Balor with updated MM3 stats in the Demonomicon. 6d10+11 on sword hit. Awesome! http://amzn.to/agRtVD

@rkneufeld most getups won't get over the hate of having their gear stolen even when they get better gear

#dnd tip: Give players a status effect choice: Shake off stuns but take 20 damage? Break immobilize but take ongoing 15? Hard choices!

@b_s_lynn Look up "Immediate" in the #dnd compendium glossary: "you cant take an immediate action on your own turn."

I got the answer: "ready the action to charge him on his turn". He can't do OAs on his own turn. Good for minions too. Thanks @pdunwin!

RT @pdunwin: @SlyFlourish If you can still shift as part of a readied action, shift in and grab him. Maybe? #dnd

#dnd tactics needed: how do I defeat my fighter's Polearm Gamble + Mobile Warrior + Long Step with medium brutes? He slips away too easily.

#dnd tip: Use unhallowed ground as Fantastic Terrain that removes undead radiant vulnerability until it is blessed with religion checks.

RT @gamefiend: New blog post: Worldbreaker: Maim the Minotaur, First Visit http://bit.ly/dtKqAE

A burst one could result in nine strawberry Starbursts. That's a high calorie per attack score! http://yfrog.com/c9uherj

#dnd tip: Have players write action types and triggers with a big marker at the top of their power cards so they don't forget.

@JaredvonHindman there's also a big difference playing all the way through Epic and just playing an Epic one-shot.

#dnd tip: Use statistics from equally leveled Monster Manual 3 creatures to recalculate stats for older monsters.

RT @ObsidianCrane: The hardest part of giving the players choices is fulfilling the story of the choice they make #dnd #rpg

RT @ThadeousC: #DnD tip: To get other's at the table involved ask your group what the results of a failed skill check should be.

@ChrisSSims polearm gamble is far more dangerous to minions than magic missile. Minions can't go anywhere near the fighter in my group.

#dnd tip: Let two of your players roll their attacks at the same time to speed things along.

The new high level solo #dnd Dark Sun preview monster has an interesting way to get rid of status effects: http://bit.ly/9ATHRz

New pics of my game last night in @brucecordell's Kingdom of the Ghouls module: http://bit.ly/a7kxFZ - http://bit.ly/aOdFRA #dnd

Here's a possible adventure seed: An ancient chaos ship is found buried under an otherwise mundane city: http://bit.ly/b9sis5

I had an awesome time talking about all things #dnd at the DM Round Table podcast: http://bit.ly/bUWSkw

RT @JaredvonHindman: Previous D&D Tip to balance other advice; I suggested murder victims of evil PC rise to haunt him until the party s ...

#dnd tip: The white gargantuan dragon works well for a wraith dragon or a dracolich.http://amzn.to/az8DVW

RT @TheAngryDM: #dnd Tip: DMs: keep a paper shredder handy to make a PC death a much more emotionally moving experience.

#dnd DMs should definitely take note of what you can and can't do with teleport: http://bit.ly/ccOez9

Some great #dnd tips in this Critical Hits interview with Steve Townshend on the Demonicon. Find tips further down. http://bit.ly/di5tNJ

RT @sparqman: @slyflourish Good inspiration for a Far Realms entity: http://bit.ly/d9TCvJ

@SarahDarkmagic I use pillars a lot as environmental effects. Cursed fire pillars, for example, can entrap and burn those close by.

#dnd tip: The Thunderblast Cyclone miniature can be useful for environmental effects too: http://bit.ly/a0dMtI

RT @mikesdndblog: Move, Minor, Standard http://bit.ly/9ymeNT #dnd

#dnd tip: The time to worry about how long your game is running is during the first battle, not the last battle.

@thadeousC, @deadorcs, @sarahdarkmagic I'm hoping I might join you in a #dnd round table tonight. Is it on? Know the time?

RT @Morrus: My PHB at the moment: http://yfrog.com/j5c51tj #dnd

Listen to @gamefiend, @squach, and I as we discuss the Monster Manual 3 on this week's Tome Show: http://bit.ly/9Am1pO

@ThadeousC why not just make your own site as good as you can make it?

RT @Squach: This Tome ep has a LOT of links in it. Oh, btw, Tome 140 is out. :-) http://tinyurl.com/387eoph MM3 feat. @gamefiend and @sl ...

@Neldar Yeah, I'm hoping that will be soon. You can order the ePub version and add it to your books on iTunes. It looks exactly the same.

RT @WeNeedtheXP: combined with @JaredvonHindman 's art, the book is an excellent value. http://bit.ly/cczQ8s Two weneedthexp thumbs up.

RT @WeNeedtheXP: Just read @SlyFlourish 's new ebook and really enjoyed it. Excellent tips at a good price. His solo conditions rule sho ...

#dnd tip: Resking Forsaken from the Monster Manual 3 ( http://amzn.to/aMMuHB ) into high-level vampires.

RT @DaveTheGame: Just posted: my quick look at the DM Tips ebook by @slyflourish http://bit.ly/aRYjGG

@neuroglyph just did a review of Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips: http://bit.ly/aBsE2x Overall A-. I can live with that!

l@pokedigimaniac Brutes use high, standard attacks for non-brutes use medium. Weaker attacks use low. Limited attacks use high / ltd high.

That chart is courtesy of Jhaelen on the Enworld forum: http://bit.ly/93Gk2a Anyone know if he's on Twitter?

In case you missed it, this is the new damage chart I used to Sharpie the hell out of my original Monster Manual: http://bit.ly/cYxGCK #dnd

@ve4grm @gamefiend in my experiences, all solos need some sort of lock protection. Whether it's stun resist or brutal shakeoff.

@ThadeousC I love lichs of all types, draco, demi, whatever. They're bad-ass and frighten players.

Yay! I fixed dracolichs! http://yfrog.com/5mowpqj

#dnd tip: cut-up dark pillow cases work well to cover up your 3D battle maps before the battle. http://yfrog.com/5zba9doj

My Monster Manual 1 is looking like the potion book of the half-blood prince http://yfrog.com/jmtknpj

I'm taking a sharpie to my MM1 to update damage. Atropal Abominations are nasty now!

The condition removal house rule probably works best on a condition by condition basis behind the screen.

Here's an excellent Nentir Vale map for players: http://bit.ly/9oMsB8 #dnd

So critique this house rule for me: All characters and creatures can shake off a status effect by taking their level in damage. Discuss.

Very useful new damage tables from Jhaelien on Enworld: http://bit.ly/axxmoF here's the table: http://bit.ly/cYxGCK

RT @SarahDarkmagic: The only #dnd rule that I attempt to follow 100% of the time is that the game will be fun. What fun means is determi ...

I hate player powers that say "no" to the DM. I end them with Orcus.

#dnd tip: If you want a status effect penalty that won't slow the game down, give PCs -4 to defenses instead of -4 to attacks.

Really interesting ideas about death states in guild Wars 2: http://bit.ly/dfIW7J What if you could use daily powers at 0 - kill and surge?

Really enjoying the natural conversations of DM Round Table (http://bit.ly/aXOYDi) with @ThadeousC, @sarahdarkmagic, @deadorcs #dnd

#dnd tip: Copy and hand out the last two pages of the #dnd Players Strategy Guide entitled "Don't Be A Jerk" to all of your players.

I think campaign settings work best when the players aren't too knowledgeable about the canon of the setting. I've been lucky, I think.

Great article by @chrisSSims on following campaign Canon - http://bit.ly/9hGBaJ - I like playing in the canon free Nentir Vale so far.

RT @ObsidianCrane: DMTip: If terrain is giving monsters an advantage let PCs make checks as a minor to work out how to change that. #dnd

Every time I sell a book, I play a vuvuzela and annoy my wife! Help out! http://bit.ly/dmtipsbook #dnd

#dnd tip: The purple worm mini can work well for the Hundred-Hands abhorrant from Plane Above ( http://amzn.to/b7TTdI )

A more accurate way to add brute damage is 1+ level/3.

Too lazy to add 50% damage for limited attacks? Add 5+1/2 level to damage. #dnd

Too lazy to add 25% damage for brutes? Just add 5 at paragon and 10 at epic. It's not perfect but it's easy. #dnd

Here's an interesting discovery. Average damage of the new #dnd "damage per level" charts is level+8 in damage.

If it will fix some of the rough edges of 4e (long combat, paragon+ threat), I'm happy with the updates we'll see in #dnd essentials.

WOAH! Check out the new damage per level charts in the recent #dnd update. http://bit.ly/dt1DR9 The 25% / 50% stuff is complicated, though.

#dnd tip: Githyanki are all about the psionics. Find lots of ways to show how this type of power is different from arcane magic.

RT @Alphastream: @SlyFlourish Goody Hair Bands: much better than soda rings for marking/conditions. http://bit.ly/9qov6K

Looking at these Dwarven Forge images gives me a ton of new ideas: http://bit.ly/cBlCLq #dnd

#dnd tip: Pipe cleaners and Alea Tools magnets don't play nice together. Stick to bottle rings for marks and conditions.

#dnd tip: Stuck trying to make a map? Use one of the delve maps from Dungeon Delve, Planes Below, or Planes Above with different monsters.

Saw a frog slide at the water park that looked like it was vomiting children. I'm going to turn it into a solo monster that vomits ghouls.

#dnd tip: Even if monster identification skills take an action, have the players roll them off-turn while someone else is up. Saves time.

@ThadeousC practice and cheating behind the screen, though as little as possible.

RT @gamefiend: tired of forgetting what your character does exactly? This combat sheet from @theweem will help: http://bit.ly/cH78Fu

#dnd tip: If a player looks bored, ask them to roll a skill check to learn something interesting.

Excellent advice on running a #dnd Epic tier game http://bit.ly/dmZuBe - above all, have a way to deal with status effects on solos.

RT @matt_james_rpg: #DnD Tip: Be fair when DMing a game. If you bend too much, players lose the fear of consequences. Make them pay atte ...

@gamefiend My campaign is going to end with Orcus. I'm just glad the mini came out in time.

RT @criticalhits: New Critical Hit: The Dungeon Master Guys, Episode 3 http://critical-hits.com/2010/07/01/the-dungeon-master-guys-episo ...

Very much enjoying this months #dnd @wizards_dnd podcast on the MM3 http://bit.ly/9hNJI6

Look who followed me home! Time to start feeding him virgins. http://yfrog.com/bcrt2jj

.@cwgabriel describes the mechanics behind his awesome Elemental Chaos encounter design: http://bit.ly/9CNy9L #dnd

#dnd tip: Watch out for too many dazes and weakens - they generally just slow down a battle.

RT @gregbilsland: The DM's Dirty Secret: http://wp.me/pPNTx-4D

@blindgeekuk Sorry, I meant that a level 30 party is definitely going to resist a lot of necrotic damage.

@newbiedm I think its tweaked from the E3 adventure. Still somewhat lame.

@blindgeekuk Doesn't look much better than the original Orcus. 10 necrotic damage is like 0 necrotic to any level 30 party. 20 is maybe 5.

So with the coming of the Gargantuan Orcus mini, how would you rebuild Orcus's monster stats using MM3 math, powers, and style?

Take a look at how @cwgabriel built his #dnd Elemental Chaos adventure: http://bit.ly/cTDXHI

#dnd tip: When customizing monsters, think about what makes that monster unique. Example; vampires have dominate, enervate, transformations.

RT @thekiko: The Elemental Chaos is a pretty interesting place #dnd http://twitpic.com/20uugb http://twitpic.com/20uvl0

RT @plays2much_DnD: Enjoying the MM3. Whoever said that they should go back and redo MM1 and MM2 with MM3 style and math was right. #dnd

RT @Kersimus: @slyflourish write a campaign recap as a bard recounting the party's exploits to catch up new players #dnd

#dnd tip: Remember not to run a monster more than 4 levels higher than your PCs. They might still win but it will take hours.

If you enjoyed these tips, take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips book.

You might also consider using these links to purchase theMonster Manual 3, thePlayer Strategy Guide, thePlayers Handbook 3 or theGamemastery Flip-Maps from Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor. You can also support Sly Floursh by bookmarking and using this link topurchase anything from Amazon.

Send feedback to mike@mikeshea.net.