DM Tips Twitter Archive: May 2012

by Mike Shea on 08 June 2012

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

Troll and Toad Tuesday #dnd mini: The Spectre! A great re-usable mini for all sorts of magical undead creatures: http://t.co/556E3Bpv

#dnd tip: Large areas of movement hindering terrain can be a royal pain in the ass. Use sparingly.

It's sad that the dungeons mentioned in Infinite Dungeons aren't available except used or bootlegged: http://t.co/pOI5rru6 #dnd

Interesting #dnd Design and Development article by @loganbonner. I look forward to the random dungeon tables: http://t.co/csDVKWfy

#dnd 4e doesn't lend itself to side-battles. They end up taking too long in my games. Dungeon crawls have lots of side battles. Solutions?

Here was @gsllc's method to handle dungeon crawls in 4e #dnd: http://t.co/ZDQ7oMsI

Using a single monster type also makes things faster. Twice the monsters at half the hp might make things fast and dangerous. #dnd

#dnd tip: Write quests down, especially unplanned quests, on 3x5 cards and keep them handy for your players.

In case you missed it: Enjoy my epic-tier #dnd article, Far Realm Fiends, over on D&D Insider (subscription required): http://t.co/WjCD0kUE

Tonight my group crawls through the Gardmore catacombs. I plan to keep it fast with env effects and half hp monsters. #dnd

Our party, the Deckhands, complete a handful of Gardmore quests including killing Vadin. #dnd http://t.co/1Ja3WjVi

#dnd tip: follow Perkins's wise words. Don't build a battle to capture or kill players but prepare for that outcome: http://t.co/YH7UZ0cv

The best thing to ever come out of The Tome Show: Thanks @Squach and @wotc_rodney. http://t.co/roXO2J3D

I must say, I'm surprised @wotc_rodney even knows who Mike Shea is to be wary of his haunting.

Our friend, @TheIdDM, dissects a bad #dnd game of his in this excellent introspective article. http://t.co/yU8ox2Qg

@TheIdDM do you call for votes in your games? It's helped me move things forward without presupposing an answer.

#dnd tip: Set a good example and run a fast turn when the monsters go.

A fantastic read from @TheIdDM on building structure in a sandbox game ala Red Dead Redemption. http://t.co/xBYnyqo7

I particularly like @TheIdDM's idea that encounter areas and story choices are interchangeable. Many choices can lead to the same area.

Listening to the @RuleZeroPodcast. Do published modules save time or end up taking more? http://t.co/29FSGyq0 #dnd

#dnd tip: Not all random encounters need to be battles against monsters: http://t.co/PyHGgDF6 Thanks @StvWinter!

Pretty cool epic-tier #dnd adventure by @dndweekly: The Resurrection of Nerull: http://t.co/0qioEpQE

#dnd tip: Consider using initiative to balance player table time in non-combat encounters and scenes with a split party:...

#dnd @trollandtoad Tuesday mini, the Half-orc Barbarian. Good for a villain or PC, even as a goliath! http://t.co/YZeRRIQx

You can find that #dnd checklist in my book, http://t.co/aTa1doEa

#dnd tip: All good DMs need to sit on the other side of the table. Find a way to regularly play in a game instead of just DMing all the...

Who knew cloakers were real! http://t.co/iFF6B3xy

Chris Perkins on improvisation and good DMing. A great read. http://t.co/1OTerTRN #dnd

#dnd tip: Always keep a blank flip mat available during your game for ad-hoc encounters: http://t.co/pjBRg8AA

Wilfred Brimley's character in The Firm would make for a great right-hand villain to a big boss. #dnd

#dnd tip: get out to some conventions like PAX, Gencon, of SynDCon. It's always useful to watch other DMs run games.

#dnd tip: Bit of a hard movie to grok but there are some great story seeds and NPC archetypes in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy".

Being a lazy dungeon master is hard work. I keep wanting to write / build / prepare things. It takes a lot of energy to NOT do stuff. #dnd

Gencon ends up a lot like #dnd. The less I plan, the better things go. What are your must-go events at Gencon this year?

#dnd tip: Avoid using piles of monsters with the same status effect powers. Too many creatures that grab can be a drag instead of fun.

Now for our @trollandtoad Tuesday Miniature of the Week: The Pathfinder Heroes boxed set. Four great minis for $8! http://t.co/P53YOaip

#dnd tip: Wind power, running waterways, or harnessed heat are great forces to potentially reset mechanical traps over centuries.

I love @TheIdDM's artwork for this article on the challenge of 4e #dnd critical hits (a challenge I faced for years): http://t.co/fpsgoLRZ

There are some excellent comments on @TheIdDM's article on Critical Hits, particularly by @alphastream: http://t.co/fpsgoLRZ

@KatoKatonian The game is broken when they crit 50% of the time and kill Orcus in 9 turns (true story): http://t.co/fpsgoLRZ

Some excellent info on #dndnext in this chat session with @mikemearls and Jeremy Crawford. Thanks @Morrus! http://t.co/ltndkPQQ

Fun game in Gardmore tonight. Lots of fun conversations, karaoke in Wrafton's inn, only one battle with orcs. #dnd

#dnd tip for players: Remember your DM's birthday and buy him or her a gift certificate to Amazon or their favorite hobby store!

Great #dnd map tips for lazy dungeon masters by Chris Perkins! http://t.co/Wq7R30xF

#dnd tip: A good forest flip mat can help a lot for off-the-cuff forest encounters. http://t.co/cm63xbs1

@TheIdDM honestly, I don't think there is a good fix for crit problems other than a nerf.

@TheIdDM the idea that crit trigger effects only happen on 20s might help.

Our group goes through a great maze on our graduation day from the adventurers academy. #dnd http://t.co/oulzHUQU

This mind flyer has a hell of a Dwarven Forge collection. http://t.co/s9E7jy6v

The maze continues to be revealed: #dnd http://t.co/Q7XJkUqi

.@TheWanderer14 the walls are cardboard with binder clip bases. Took him all week to make.

The final maze: #dnd http://t.co/ujkHnuGL

Btw, that maze was not mine but that of the DM of the game I play in monthly.

This is probably the best reason to run a #dndnext playtest: "Why Wasn't I Consulted?" http://t.co/ENz2nFVJ

I felt a great disturbance as if a million nerds cried out at Gencon's bullshit servers and their lack of scaling. Just like every year.

Look what @RuleZeroPodcast did to his AD&D book! I am both impressed and appalled. http://t.co/GSiVbb4n

Great run through the second branch of White Plume Mountain and I even got to set up the Dwarven Forge. #dnd http://t.co/4KuQMtPz

#dnd with one player and one DM as part of core? Awesome! http://t.co/P1wswX6E

#dnd tip: The movie 13 Assassins is full of great character, encounter, and story ideas for your game.

Not that you care, but I very much like the use of hit dice as a healing mechanic in #dndnext: http://t.co/P1wswX6E

Excellent interview with @mikemearls done by @Morrus on #dndnext: http://t.co/K9oh7EJM

Your #dnd @trollandtoad miniature for the week? How about over 700 Star Wars miniatures for your Gamma World game! http://t.co/T0HGpSrR

Good #dndnext questions and answers in today's Rule of Three: http://t.co/4jqh2alZ

#dnd tip: Like good NPCs, you can build the personality of intelligent artifacts around characters in books, movies, or TV that you adore.

#dnd tip from @ianplakias: Use colored stickers to differentiate non-minion enemies: http://t.co/hpff0PAm

BTW, here's @DaveTheGame's most excellent advice for helping playtest #dndnext: http://t.co/L4DIsJOB

Hey #dnd tweeters. Save us the mental bandwidth tomorrow and stop yourself from pointing out jerks who say dumb things you don't like.

Some great thoughts on character generation by @MonteJCook http://t.co/vdOM2R2g

#dnd tip: Sometimes the best and easiest dungeon map to use is the plain-old Gamemastery Flip Mat: http://t.co/GGHEik5a

I'm pretty happy with #dndnext. Battles are fast, DMs empowered, and it feels like #dnd. I want to see how monster bosses are handled.

I want to see how it handles status effect and power glut scaling as it goes to max level, whatever that is. I hate stunlocking. #dnd

I was pleasantly surprised to see some well formatted character sheets that include levels 1 to 3. #dndnext

Thanks to the @OnlineDM1 for an excellent focused article on a specific #dndnext topic. More of this please! http://t.co/yDyhjUHS

So at a target of 11, having Advantage or Disadvantage is the same as having + or - 5 to the roll. Advantage also doubles your crit chance.

#dnd tip: Leave plenty of time to run your big climactic battles. Change things half-way through and make it memorable.

The #dndnext playtest feels a lot like the pre-release of Keep on the Shadowfell. There is a lot of fun gaming in this little pack.

I think I figured it out. Grognard = someone who likes something from the past that you don't like.

Made the mistake of reading the forums. People saying #dndnext cators to grognards without realizing they have become the grognard.

There's merit to the idea that the fighter is much simpler than 4e. A monk or weaponmaster with encounter abilities would be good.

I need a global internet filter for "grognard" and "slap in the face". If you use them, you lose.

Advantage and Disadvantage are growing on me. Assuming they are harder to get, they can act as a universal status effect. #dndnext

There appears to be no apparent bonus for flanking. This removes positioning arguments in non-gridded combat. #dndnext

.@TheIdDM For terrain and gridded combat, a DM can make certain areas give "Advantage" over other areas for fun battlespace movement.

.@ozmills If a battle is taking too long (though in #dndnext this isn't really a problem) you could give the winning side "advantage".

#dnd tip: Don't pressure or cut your group off too short when they're spending a good deal of time discussing a potential decision.

Some great insight into the #dndnext playtest: http://t.co/m5w3XSXX

Your @trollandtoad Tuesday Miniature: the Pathfinder Minotaur. Perfect for your #dndnext playtest! http://t.co/mWDLTF2A #dnd

#dnd tip: Want to add a ready-made town to your #dndnext Caves of Chaos playtest? Add the Keep on the Chaos Scar: http://t.co/3kibIgNq

I recommend @TheIdDM's article "99 Problems" without having read it just for the title and first image: http://t.co/UkpQcjJb #dnd

Two folks are leaving my gaming table in August. I look forward to discussing with @Squach and @deadorcs on how to find replacements. #dnd

By the way, @TheIdDM is one of the best writers in the #dnd blogosphere. If you're not following him, shame on you.

Funny, my twitter stream is filled with tweets about other people being angry about things. We don't have to listen to everyone.

Guess what, someone said something wrong on the internet: http://t.co/r6WE8W9V

Somehow I missed @KatoKatonian's article on building glowing pillar terrain pieces. Fantastic! http://t.co/qMwXGKma #dnd

.@KidKreole good question. I was right on some things, wrong on others. Heres my own rebuttal: http://t.co/AWJJdxtx #dnd

@KidKreole and heres how I feel about #dndnext: http://t.co/gClXu3eU

@Trevor_WotC favorite thing: faster combat that leaves room for more exploration and role playing.

@Trevor_WotC least favorite: I haven't seen a dragon yet.

#dnd tip: It's worth the time to do a quick review of a pre-published encounter before you're about to run it.

Some excellent advice for those of you wishing to begin blogging on #dnd topics by @TheIdDM: http://t.co/UkpQcjJb

@Wizards_DnD I love the two clerics that show off the different sides. I'd like to see a martial character with more options in combat.

@newbiedm @Neuroglyph @Alphastream I love 4e, but it's coming apart at the seams. I think what we'll see is a solid and refined #dnd.

@Neuroglyph @newbiedm @Alphastream For me, the wow moment was running all of White Plume Mountain in 3 sessions and everyone had fun.

@newbiedm @Neuroglyph @Alphastream If you mean 1 minute and 15 second combats, we had those!

.@davethegame is awesome because, though elbow deep in huge RPG drama half the time, he always stays calm and thinks before jumping in.

Chris Perkins has some excellent mundane NPCs to stick into your #dnd game at the bottom of this article: http://t.co/08ndnfSu

It takes a while to get to the meat, but this article on #dndnext sure does grab ya! http://t.co/6FlFzLyG

This article by @mikemearls on DM's making rulings makes me very happy: http://t.co/dtiIdyHb #dndnext

#dnd tip: Keep some random names around to name powerful memorable monsters in your battles.

@Fredrik_S @Wizards_DnD could do a much better job capitalizing off of their back catalog. Right now it's piracy or nothing.

@TheIdDM Im not sure how to handle it. My main game is 4e and I run one-shot #dndnext games on the side. May switch if people want.

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.

Send feedback to mike@mikeshea.net.