DM Tip Twitter Archive: November 2010

by Mike Shea on 18 December 2010

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

RT @criticalhits: Junkulator: #gammaworld junk generator http://bit.ly/eVgzSb by @jaredvonhindman http://bit.ly/eIqcQs

#dnd tip: Try running #gammaworld as a ten session one-level-per-session mini campaign.

#dnd tip: Running E3, Prince of Undeath? Dig up a copy of Throne of Bloodstone and consider thematics from that Orcus focused adventure.

By the way, if you need some beholder minis, the Beholder Collector's Set is awesome: http://amzn.to/ikvzHd #dnd

#dnd tip: Houserule the beholder's triggered eye attack so that it doesn't trigger defender marks.

#dnd tip: Auras are the best friend of epic-tier solos. Auras ignore status effects completely and rarely require a hit.

Picked up some cool Star Wars minus for Gamma World PCs from Troll and Toad for under $1 each: http://yfrog.com/14vus0j

#dnd tip: Monsters don't scale up too well against level 1 characters. Go easy on them and use monsters no higher than level 2.

#dnd tip: You can still combine multiple treasure hoards together when using the random treasure tables in the Rules Compendium or DMK.

Celebrate Thanksgiving by listening to @sarahdarkmagic, @squash, @DMsamuel and I on this week's Tome Show: http://j.mp/gTXR8E #dnd

#dnd Guest Article: Artifacts are for the Dungeon Master http://goo.gl/fb/uCShy

#dnd tip: Have players group powers by standards, minors, moves, and immediates. Fewer choices = faster turns.

It occurs to me that the #dnd virtual tabletop found the right balance of features and simplicity. It does only what you need.

#dnd tip: Give your magic item vendors a couple of random uncommon items to spice things up.

Good advice on dealing with treasure, large groups, and pc death by @SRMacFarland: http://j.mp/g8GYsH #dnd

#dnd tip: Three things to consider with traps: For whom was it originally intended? How did it last all this time? How does it reset?

Is it me or is Glados from Portal the ultimate Gamma World villain?

Now that Orcus is dead, I can throw myself deep into Gamma World. My only problem - shoehorning in Dwarven Forge encounter settings.

This is the best Gamma World quick reference sheet I've seen: http://bit.ly/akhv8X Thanks @blindgeekuk

#dnd tip: When designing ancient mechanical traps, remember that big components would last longer than small components.

#dnd tip: Keep a companion char or two ready at your PC's level in your game just in case @matt_james_rpg doesn't show.

.@ThadeousC I've had players track damage for monsters. That's' a nice way to speed up a big battle. Particularly if Defs are visible.

Now that they have such awesome standard products, its time for a new Dungeon Delve focused on the Mon Vault and Dungeon Tile Master set

I love how the DM Kit + Monster Vault + Tile Master Set all work together perfectly. It makes old tiles + minis + advs look like a mess.

The new marilith mini is much better than the old one. Worth the four bucks. http://yfrog.com/643xksj

#dnd tip: Don't try to do too much at once in a game. Run fewer awesome encounters instead of many mediocre ones.

#dnd tip for finding a great group: Figure out a way to interview your players before you let them join. Play some one-shots at a shop.

Not to bring up anti-extended-crit propaganda again but listen to Mearls at the 17 minute mark in this podcast: http://bit.ly/bz96x3 #dnd

.@newbiedm Getting a good group is the number one hardest thing in our hobby and something no book or advice can really help with.

Just wrote up the final adventure log in my 1-30 #dnd Shieldbasher's campaign: http://bit.ly/9Zwthn

I think if I could implement one single house rule in my #dnd high level campaign, it would be that nothing crits on anything but 20 ever.

#dnd web-based virtual dungeon tool with voice chat! Yay for mac compatibility! http://bit.ly/cKTBXd

The campaign ended with our band stepping out into the courtyard of the Raven Queen to find Lolth's chaos ship waiting outside. #dnd

Just finished my 1 to 30 campaign. Orcus, God of Death, beheaded with a vorpal glaive critical hit.

Tonight...Orcus, God of Death. http://yfrog.com/6z4t1aj

#dnd tip: Get your NPC ideas from everywhere. Don't overuse fantasy characters, steal from Mad Men or Sons of Anarchy if you want.

I was corrected that Groucho Marx was the one who said "I would never belong to any club that would have me as a member."

I'm such an egotist. I'll listen to any podcast that I'm on. It's like reverse Charlie Chaplin "I don't belong to any club that accepts me"

I managed to once-again shoehorn my way in to the most recent DM Round Table podcast: http://bit.ly/a5e2yx #dnd

.@chattydm @newbiedm I think Dragon Age showed great ways to have important decisions built in "on the rails" encounter paths.

I checked and it looks like the entire #dnd Monster Vault adventure can be built with included maps + Dungeon Tile Master Set. Very cool.

#dnd tip: Customizing a monster? Make sure to add in some choice mechanics. Take 30 damage to remove stun as a free action for example.

Very cool ideas on Living Traps by @saveversusdeath : http://bit.ly/ad9lJD #dnd

The Monster Vault has 175 heroic, 117 paragon, and 12 epic. That's disappointing. Epic monsters needed the most help. #dnd

#dnd tip: Running a high-level one-shot adventure? Try sticking to just #dnd Essentials characters to keep it balanced.

#dnd tip: The heroslayer hydra mini might stand in well for a Tiamat aspect.

Awesome article on #dnd DMing and bodylanguage by @dmyax on @criticalhits: http://bit.ly/b3sdSz

#dnd tip: Do you have your adventure builder checklist in hand before you start building adventures?

My Gods. How can you not love a half-balor tarrasque mummy? http://bit.ly/b3kTZZ It sounds like a @jaredvonhindman nightmare! #dnd

Sorry, wrong URL: How did I miss this hardcore #dnd adventure for so long? Save vs. Death: http://bit.ly/dflSdU

Want to sharpen your #dnd DMing skills? Check out another Chris Perkins game you might not have seen: http://youtu.be/MefGEUkxud0

#dnd tip: The Stone Giant miniature in Lords of Madness (an inexpensive uncommon mini) makes a great statue or stone golem as well.

Here's an awesome gamma world adventure seed - the zombie survival ship on the Mississippi! http://bit.ly/d8cu7J

I suppose I can just surf Fark and get a gamma world adventure from there.

The party of 30th level Shieldbashers faces @brucecordell's Timesus the Black Star in the Heart of the Abyss: http://flic.kr/p/8Sz7oS #dnd

Love this article by @psychopez on 4e #dnd and Smash TV: http://bit.ly/aLfGnJ

My 5 favorite #dnd monsters: Lichs, Beholders, Balors, Demilichs, Dracolichs

#dnd tip: Use the old-school feel of Essentials characters to convince your group to try an Essentials-only mini-campaign.

#dnd tip from @thadeousc: Give tough minions a saving throw to avoid damage. No tracking needed and tougher minions.

@DaveTheGame MM3 and Demonomicon are pretty packed full of epic-tier but yeah, I wish there were more in the vault

Regarding Skill Challenges. I try to fill in the details of the situation, success and failure criteria, and a general difficulty. Thats it.

I don't know about you guys but when I write up a skill challenge, it's very brief. Are you detailed or do you leave it open?

Very much enjoyed listening to the session planning 4Geeks 4E: http://bit.ly/cCky0k Worth your listen. #dnd

#dnd tip: Let players roll for their treasure using the new treasure rewards in the Rule Compendium.

Good review of the #dnd Dungeon Tile City set: http://bit.ly/9hM0NP and pics http://bit.ly/bbrjUE

Trying to figure out what the environment is like around the Heart of the Abyss. So far "it's not good".

#dnd tip: Steal stories, encounters, and puzzles liberally from your favorite games including Final Fantasy or Dragon Age.

#dnd tip: Re-skin environmental effects from the Dark Sun Creature Catalog for use in any campaign.

#dnd tip: Consider using Essentials-only characters for higher level one-shot adventures.

So Orcus dropped in two and a half rounds in my lvl 29 game tonight. He killed one, dropped one, and bloodied 2 though. Two games left!

#dnd tip: When restrained and teleported, the restrain goes away if it was physical but stays on you if it was mental. Rules Comp p 214

#dnd belated Halloween Tip: Scare your tactical players with dominates and forced movement. They hate losing control.

#dnd tip: With Halloween over, it's time to go pick up your fake spider webbing and other props at your local party store!

.@ObsidianCrane @newbiedm @nupperibo I will houserule it so that the eye-ray trigger doesn't trigger marks. It's a disco ball of pain!

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