DM Tips Twitter Archive: March 2012

by Mike Shea on 6 April 2012

Below is an archive of all of the Sly Flourish DM Tip Twitter posts for March 2012. Get daily DM tips at http://twitter.com/slyflourish!

Fascinated by this excellent analysis of damage per level and what it SHOULD be: http://t.co/ZAJ2INKR #dnd

Problem is, a damage expression of (25+5 per level) *.34 isn't exactly easy to figure out. #dnd

At level 1, a monster drops a PC by 1/3 its hps in a successful hit. Why does this not happen at level 25? #dnd http://t.co/ZAJ2INKR

Here's an easy brutal damage chart. Just convert the numbers to appropriate dice. #dnd http://t.co/YQnL7lcj

Level 25 monster should do about 4d8+30 or 4d10+26 damage on a hit. #dnd Brutal!

By the way, special thanks to @cstevenross for that great look at "proper" #dnd damage expressions. http://t.co/ZAJ2INKR

Dice games from @DaveTheGame in this month's Dragon! I can't wait!! http://t.co/MGlZ9Ish I love having mini-games in my #dnd.

Here's a quick #dnd damage chart for "mean damage" when you're feeling mad. http://t.co/P1sztAac

#dnd tip: Keep NPC portraits handy on your laptop or iPad and save yourself the cost of all that ink.

Some cool #dnd epic-tier genies posted recently to #ddi: http://t.co/3QfjtsAe from Doug Hyatt (twitter?)

I've turned over ten #dnd articles so far and still had no idea exactly how the process worked until now: http://t.co/0Pd2vXJV

Awesome #dnd DM advice from Chris Perkins: http://t.co/nNj6wjr9

Now THIS is a #dnd setup!! http://t.co/MqFswa05

#dnd tip: Use a single mini like the rat swarm or kobold to represent a pack of minions on your battle map.

From @TheHydraDM: A level 30 fighter has 65 options compared to the 15 he or she has at level 1. http://t.co/jd2113c3 #dnd

So, using science, we learned that level 30 PCs are 4x more complicated than at level 1 and take 2/3 of the damage they should. #dnd

"Whats important are the decisions you make, not whether something is right or wrong." Good advice for any game: http://t.co/tztoii64

#dnd Troll and Toad Tuesday minature, the Half-Orc Barbarian. An excellent PC, orc chief, or even a feral vampire miniature....

RT @wotc_rodney: In Rule of Three this week, I get a little long winded. http://t.co/L98gJIPR

How about an actual link for that #dnd Troll and Toad Tuesday Half Orc Barbarian mini. http://t.co/xDV81mqa

#dnd tip: Consider layered traps. Maybe the pit trap has a falling pot of pitch trap right on the other side.

#dnd tip: Use minis like the kobold or rat swarm to represent a number of small or tiny minions on your battle map.

"Bioware hasnt told a story with the Mass Effect trilogy ... it has allowed you to create one" A key to a good game: http://t.co/yX4kNrnV

Very interesting results from the survey in today's #dndnext article on character death: http://t.co/o4BNM0mO

Looking back over old articles, I still love my demilich rebuild on #ddi: http://t.co/0TfxhNC9 #dnd

#dnd tip: Use a handful of D6s to determine which player hordes of monsters might attack.

More on Stephen King and how he helps you DM #dnd from Chris Perkins: http://t.co/I4muNAry

Some great thoughts on Save or Die by @TheAngryDM : http://t.co/y0LvlN42 #dndnext

Random 1d12 weird shit http://t.co/8T5F0bpX Thanks @MonteJCook #dnd

#dnd tip: Write up a seating chart on a note card in front of you to remember character names associated with each player oriented by seat.

Built a prototype 4e #dnd damage dice calculator. Give it a try and let me know what you think: http://t.co/ok1k2Grg

Check out @sarahdarkmagic's latest "Joining the Party on DDI. http://t.co/uPzokx8r Thanks for the link, Tracy! #dnd

#dnd tip: A quick and easy way to add flavor to an NPC is to associate them with a character in a movie or TV show you like.

Excellent article on thieves' cant. Print it out and keep it in your back of DM tools: http://t.co/nicDXhdn #dnd

I wonder how many people at WOTC use dungeon tiles themselves. Chris Perkins was all about the erasable maps. http://t.co/J93JbKgA #dnd

I find the time spent constantly flipping tiles to find the right one would be better spent on NPC development and encounter design. #dnd

Really digging the looks of the new set of #dnd Pathfinder minis: http://t.co/cXpXxlHV

#dnd tip: don't fight the knowledge your players bring to the game. Incorporate their knowledge into their PCs.

#dnd tip: Always keep your game moving. If players can't decide what to do, call a vote on two or three options.

#dnd Troll and Toad Tuesday miniature: The Gnoll Claw Fighter. A great gnoll mini that works well as a werewolf! http://t.co/N5LX3cqX

#dnd tip: Don't save up that good idea for later, use it as soon as you're able. From Perkins: http://t.co/LtSLf4E3

Though I haven't run it yet, I think Gardmore Abbey is the best designed #dnd 4e adventure I've seen. http://t.co/9eYzwSy2

#dnd tip: Keep an idea journal around for those adventure or story ideas you aren't quite able to use yet: http://t.co/LtSLf4E3

#dnd tip: When developing your story, consider the wise words of Kurt Vonnegut and start close to the end: http://t.co/3lwsa2em

#dnd tip: Go crazy at the dollar store for some gaming props and terrain: http://t.co/ljtGbUp4 from @markmeredith

Great article by Perkins on your less than great nights: http://t.co/GwCjYYW8

I'm 100% behind the design tenants @mikemearls writes about in today's Legends and Lore: http://t.co/qFiaPEDM #dnd

My only worry is that players will feel they have too few options and too little impact in combat compared to 4e. http://t.co/qFiaPEDM

#dnd tip: Mark and remember the map drawing tips of Chris Perkins. http://t.co/kGYg2EJo

"The types of things that players want are bad for the game". Interesting hypothesis by @StvWinter: http://t.co/tKFzhNv1 #dnd

Reminds me of Borderlands testing - players wanted a custom gun but if they got it, the game would be over. http://t.co/vIEQXXcI

One thing I disagree with in @StvWinter's article: The most broken 4e elements were in the Players Handbook, not supplements. #dnd

Troll and Tuesday mini: the Fiendish Snake - http://t.co/apwh2mcd - A great useful miniature for many situations and cheap at $2. #dnd

#dnd tip: Use flashbacks, maybe even a flashback encounter, to share a richer and deeper story.

This cartoon resonated with me. When you start thinking like a designer, it's hard to stop: http://t.co/hEd7kmLA #dnd

Pretty good list of the Twitter people to follow in the #dnd community: https://t.co/6KooqbNP

Fun with javascript: the top #dnd tweets geolocated on google maps: http://t.co/StTpwa8U

For those who missed it, the #dnd board game, Lords of Waterdeep, came out yesterday. It's a lot of fun. https://t.co/atePI4wb

Also fascinating to hear about the Lords of Waterdeep prototyping: http://t.co/l4CQRCyA #dnd

#dnd tip: When building or running a monster, ensure your players get the true feeling of what makes that monster different.

A member of my group is running the playtest of an article I wrote. Very humbling to hear my words. #dnd http://t.co/yqw8lqvT

#dnd tip: The Cathedral of Chaos tile set includes a sheet of tokens for conjurations, walls, and other useful things. http://t.co/G0eL40ul

I dig the assassin in Black Blade of Raam. http://t.co/KuReVVVk Interesting to see new ways to deal with status effects. #dnd

I would love to write a whole adventure around the Black Blade of Raam. #dnd http://t.co/KuReVVVk

#dnd tip: For your heavy tactical gamer players, incorporate roleplaying as a part of combat.

#dnd freelancer Steve Townshend (@thetownshend) is on Twitter. Listen to the talk we recently had: http://t.co/OezFQ417

Another fantastic article by @TheIdDM on Save or Die. http://t.co/sN4oVZ7h

Check out @loganbonner's fantastic fresh look in published adventures with "Blood Money" on DDI: http://t.co/8XB8DVUK #dnd

My "open a door" skill workflow. Who knew it was this hard. http://t.co/AGUvftSR

My biggest hope for #dndnext is that it goes through extensive mechanics testing. The most annoying 4e stuff is in the original PHB.

If you haven't seen it, Paul at http://t.co/uzneSl0c has an excellent Random Dungeon Generator Kickstarter: http://t.co/s7sV4B6t #dnd

If they hit $20k, my adventure, "Valley of the Crypt Things" will go out to all $17+ pledges: http://t.co/s7sV4B6t #dnd

#dnd tip: Learn to be comfortable with changes in your story based on the decisions of your players, the actions of the PCs, and the dice.

Some great #dnd tips in this article on Story Games. http://t.co/kx1hsOg0

Congratulations to @sarahdarkmagic on her accomplishments over the past three years! http://t.co/JDi1byej #dnd

#dnd Troll and Toad Tuesday. Need some good cheap Gamma World minis? Check out these Star Wars minis: http://t.co/KtkKlnrJ

#dnd tip: Really ask yourself if you need to do all that monster tweaking. Just play from the Monster Vault and have fun.

#dnd tip: When things slow down at the table, fall into character of the villains and bring things back to life with some flavor.

Understanding Self and Other | The Id DM http://t.co/JVEjsXeI

Not sure I agree with the idea of reducing monster hit points but there is some very interesting analysis here: http://t.co/NNzmyZ8t #dnd

@Reg06 it's a great analysis. A very interesting article.

If the Random Dungeon Generator Kickstarter receives $20k, $17 pledges get my epic adv, Valley of the Crypt Things #dnd http://t.co/yCirYZUk

#dnd tip: Spend your time planning for a dynamic world instead of a static story.

#dnd tip: Reinforce the aspects of your game world that tie closely to its theme. Buildings should hate the PCs in Gloomwrought.

Flame, the Demilich Dragon is freaking awesome. Great job, @shawnmerwin! #dnd http://t.co/3HI7Lq7F

If you enjoyed these tips, take a look at Sly Flourish’s Dungeon Master Tips book or Sly Flourish’s Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also use these links to purchase the Heroes of the Fallen Lands, the Dungeon Master’s Kit, or the Monster Vault or bookmark this link to buy anything from Amazon.

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Send feedback to mike@mikeshea.net.