DM Tips Twitter Archive: July 2012

by Mike Shea on 03 August 2012

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

#dnd tip: For powerful solos, let them convert debilitating status effects int damage, vulnerability, or combat advantage.

Holy cow. Not one but TWO articles in Dungeon by yours truly this month. You guys are going to be so sick of me: http://t.co/Fjv0PISk #dnd

#dnd @trollandtoad Tuesday mini: The Human Rogue. Great for a PC or an NPC spy or assassin: http://t.co/cVKloMAT

#dnd tip: For your mini-campaign, work with your player to choose a set of classes and races that makes sense for the campaign world.

Mixing together some Borderlands and Fleetwood Mac for my Revolutionary War #dndnext game today.

#dnd tip: Keep a random loot chart with your copy of the DM Kit to save yourself prep time: http://t.co/GWLJ3Tm4

Broke a three-week no-game streak with a #dndnext playtest today, one this coming Saturday, and a 4e Gardmore game next Wed. Yay!

Did the Lazy DM thing and spent about 30 minutes prepping for the game. @matt_james_rpg did it feel like 30 min of prep?

It pains me to say it, but I really can't recommend Dwarven Forge considering how useful poster maps are at my table these days. #dnd

It's a lot harder for players to break something when you don't have anything prepared for them to break. #dnd

My total prep notes for the game today. Took about 15 minutes to write up. #dnd http://t.co/T78l7AG9

In case you're not getting enough of me, @deadorcs, @Squach and I discuss our games on Behind the DM Screen ep 6: http://t.co/9XuCquL4 #dnd

The latest Perkins article makes me wonder about a rules-lite 4e variant with nothing but companion characters. #dnd http://t.co/AjRqVfvG

#dnd tip: Use the DM Cheat Sheet to make rulings instead of worrying about hard rules for DCs and damage: http://t.co/TcNaIpwN

#dnd tip: Don't be afraid to come up with terrain effects and powers on the fly. Maybe that slime patch grants CA!

#dnd tip from @stvwinter: The importance of your monster is tied directly to the number of rolls below 5 you'll make. Give that guy an aura!

All prepared for my last White Plume Mountain #dndnext playtest today. http://t.co/bkM0nsGf

Guess what room the party just entered. #dnd http://t.co/w3gbYDuU

Finished our White Plume Mountain #dndnext playtest. Great fun and good exploration. Still figuring out pacing but we had a blast.

I hate wet-erase poster mats. They don't clean well, are extremely messy to clean, and are generally impractical. Go with dry-erase.

#dnd tip: What three things do you need to happen in your next game? Keep things simple.

@bensrpgpile: Now On the Pile: Four Heads Are Better Than One: DM prep of Pyramid of Shadows http://t.co/NQLpjGyr #DND

@Kialesse: In #DnD, Thats what she said gets translated to So quoth the wenches also.

#dnd @trollandtoad map of the week: the Town Square. An excellent re-usable map to add to your collection. http://t.co/r5V0YTrj

Interesting look at encounter design vs. monster ecology in this Legends and Lore column. http://t.co/MjFKzSSe

#dnd tip: Tune your lazy DM powers. Force yourself to come up with a random on-the-spot NPC at your next game.

@TheIdDM: #dnd tip: Entice players with other uses for gp through quests.

#dnd tip: Wrap three layers onto your encounter area: What did it used to be? What is it now? What happens to it during the battle?

From @Alphastream: Value of the minis in #DungeonCommand: $75 for Sting of Lolth and $45 for Cormyr http://t.co/PJVRilwD

#dnd tip: Try to break stereotypes in your NPCs. Make the big brute an articulate poet or master of business.

Not sure I agree with Perkins on this. I tend to like d10s and d12s because of swingy-ness. I hate d4s however. http://t.co/FCLqyYxy #dnd

If you want an easy way to figure out damage dice per level, use the Damage Dice Calculator: http://t.co/EiKR7U8t #dnd

Good review of the new Dungeon Command miniatures game by @merricb: http://t.co/PUdZmPEn #dnd

I'm both proud and humbled to have Sly Flourish nominated for an Ennie this year. http://t.co/6qv9U6Bz #dnd

#dnd tip: Let humor flow into your game but don't be afraid to make things serious. Think about how WoW handles humor and drama.

Enjoyed this home brew gaming table article from the new #dnd 4e website, Dicemonkeys: http://t.co/bb2Fgaye

Picked up Masks: 1000 NPCs after reading @DaveTheGames review. Looks like a great lazy DM tool: http://t.co/hGXVdK33 #dnd

Man, @Wizards_DnD needs to reprint the #dnd City of Peril maps. They are fantastic. I use them often: http://t.co/as3eF41W

excellent cartoon video on the Heroes Journey: http://t.co/zkeDbecf

equally interesting video on Power Creep: http://t.co/ZSg14HcS thanks @DreadGazeebo

#dnd looking to figure out how much damage something does at any given level? Use the Sly Flourish Dice Calculator: http://t.co/yzLaYxpa

The internet has dramatically increased global game design knowledge. Extra Credits is one such example: http://t.co/wJNwkWMe

#dnd tip from @stvwinter: Adventure twists you come up with on the spot are often better than those you plan ahead.

My first real problem with the Pathfinder minis. This happened after a couple of trips in a backpack. #dnd http://t.co/MS0tlie2

.@ericfell Pathfinder is more lethal than 4e. Some overly complicated bits. Lots of room for exploration and RP though. It's all #dnd!

#dnd tip: Plan ahead for creatures being dominated. Give boss monsters two sets of actions, one dominated and one not.

It just occurred to me how similar my #dnd Lazy DM ideas are so similar to agile programming methods, even down to the 3x5 cards.

#dnd Pathfinder sourcebooks for $7.50 each in PDF: http://t.co/TlkduB8g I just bought these at full price =(

Just did my 3x5 card for Wednesdays game prep in about two minutes. #lazydm #dnd

Another great #dnd article by @theiddm and not just because he quotes me in it: http://t.co/jTkNrzng

#dnd @trollandtoad Tuesday miniature: the Arcane Portal. A great 3d prop for a variety of encounters: http://t.co/2zFbUSmo

#dnd tip: Did your big boss monster get dominated? See where that takes the story!

#dnd tip: Need a dungeon and don't have one ready? Grab one from this huge map archive: http://t.co/KwUbHqFl

Crazy unpredicted stuff going on in my Gardmore game. Eight cards remain. Sir Oakley very likely killed by Gnolls. #dnd

three big battles in one room last night in Gardmore. No rest in between. #dnd

Great #dnd tips from Chris Perkins: Reward good deeds and keep the moral low road dangerous and unforgiving: http://t.co/oXpkWTFK

.@ MonteJCook want's a simpler #dnd: http://t.co/z13TiREQ I agree completely! So far, #dndnext feels a lot like what he describes.

#dnd tip from @squach, @sarahdarkmagic, and @theiddm: Assign duties to your players to keep them engaged in the game. http://t.co/NqLQHeZt

Added the #dnd Vaults of the Underdark maps to my map index: https://t.co/jJTyJGF6

Here's a pic from my #dnd Gardmore game this past Wednesday. Kobolds and a dragon! https://t.co/Myivggry

The 4e #dnd dungeon generator at Donjon is absolutely awesome: http://t.co/RYNcPexn Anyone know who runs it?

Fuel for my next #dnd mini campaign: http://t.co/dypQFEvB

What do you guys think of this elite named boss template for #dnd 4e? http://t.co/qa3yHvM2

In particular, what boss-disabling effects does this #dnd 4e boss template miss? http://t.co/WfWSYjow

#dnd tip: Give your rules lawyer the job of rules mediation to take some of the pressure off of you.

If you haven't seen it, here's my interview on the @Wizards_DnD website about #dndnext play testing: http://t.co/eaf0Qp66

#dnd tip from @Squach: Have your players roll monster recharge powers to engage them in the game and pass the blame to someone else.

I think a general rule of be reasonable and favor the attacker could work for a Theater of the Mind battle.

The game I'm at now had a Theater of the Mind battle. It was fine bit there was still a lot of position discussions. I want Final Fantasy.

Obviously not gridless: #dnd http://t.co/F2ciQfMe

Gimping the solo. -7 to attacks against insubstantial folk. http://t.co/lZgv9u34

.@brunoscheele There's a critical mass of poster maps one needs to acquire before one has enough maps for just about any situation. #dnd

#dnd tip: Focus on building an environment and interesting dynamic NPCs instead of telling a story.

Use this Twitter search for #dnd tagged tweets containing links to get the best daily D&D news: http://t.co/CCnkIIXo

Tuesday @trollandtoad #dnd mini of the week: the Astral Giant. Great for a variety of bosses and NPCs at less than $3: http://t.co/Q9fm4hiD

For my #dnd gencon kit, I'm bringing the red box DM book and map, 6 lvl 1 pregens, the Underdark map pack, and 10 story seeds.

#dnd tip: Think your players know where the story is headed? Maybe it's time to reveal the TRUE villain.

#dnd tip: Things getting too mainstream? Pull a Joss Whedon and kill off some folk. http://t.co/PiOpf6m4

Tonight I'm running an 8th level #dnd game with three controllers. There's going to be some heavy @theangrydm going on.

The PA Report - Dungeon Command is a pleasing mixture of Dungeons & Dragons miniatures and a tactical http://t.co/N922nSLd #dnd

Did we already know about the Curse of Undeath #dnd Dungeon Command set? http://t.co/rA2ZUwqM

#dnd tip: The dungeon and overland poster map from the Starter Set has a great amount of versatility for the lazy DM: http://t.co/8Q2oFGMi

Had a great #dnd game last night. Lots of gnolls in a single dungeon crawl with a climactic rescue of Sir Oakley at the end.

#dnd tip: What makes your locations familiar, fantastic, and functional?

My #dnd insider adventure, The Sword Collector, has been released: http://t.co/iIxrWMAQ Use this with the Vaults of the Underdark maps!

Some very nice comments. Thanks! http://t.co/GasTsTW2

#dnd tip: In the prime of their life, what were all these tunnels, dungeons, or old ruins supposed to be?

In case you missed it, @Wizards_DnD published my epic-tier #dnd adventure, The Sword Collector: http://t.co/KoxHQk3f

Happy birthday Gary! http://t.co/6HNhDmJh

This #dnd name generator seems to have the best results I've found for a lazy DM random name list: http://t.co/pDWAZ4se

#dnd tip: Always have a battle on hand to stir things up in the beginning of your adventure so it doesn't get too slow.

Some very useful AD&D rules near the bottom of this page for those new #dnd collectors books you got. http://t.co/zILuN4xh

For those that remember Everquest, here is my fanfic / editorial site when I wrote as Loral Ciriclight: http://t.co/ylacSwlT

#dnd @trollandtoad Tuesday product, the 1st Ed Dungeon Master's Guide! The random charts alone make it a treasure: http://t.co/hGxEsJgG

#dnd tip: Be prepared to throw your encounter away if your group finds a creative way to get around it.

The PA Report - What we can learn from the re-issued first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rule books http://t.co/bQEj9VK8 #dnd

The best way to not have your players ruin your carefully planned adventure is not to have one. #dnd

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.

Need some battle maps? Pick up some Gamemastery Flip-Maps from Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

Send feedback to mike@mikeshea.net.