by Michael Shea
I was able to bring an entire city to life through the personal stories of these four NPCs. Instead of writing background on a huge number of possible NPCs, I funneled the party to one of the four NPCs above. The players were able to work on their personal goals while learning about other quests available in the world. This approach is not different from the presentation of plot hooks and important NPCs in a published adventure, but thinking about it in terms of a video game really helped me to conceptualize how to use the NPCs at the table.
A primary influence during preparation is the fear that I will not have enough material for a four-to-five hour gaming session. I know each player has a busy life outside of our campaign so I value their time and do not want to waste it. The least I can do is be prepared to have something ready for them to interact with once they arrive. Lately, I have relied more on published content instead of creating my own encounters and adventures. Even though I rely more often on published material, I still spend time reading through the adventure and encounters to familiarize myself with the content. Studying the published modules allows me to react quicker to spontaneous actions from the players; I can allow things to go off track if I know a few ways to get things back on course if need be later in the session. My preparation continues even as I’m driving to the gaming session and preparing last-minute before the players get settled into their chairs - what can I say, I procrastinate!
What are your most useful tips, trick, and tools when preparing for your D&D game?
First I will cover the relevant tools that every DM should experiment with. I discussed the merits of Masterplan earlier, but they are worth mentioning again. It gives a DM of any system - but especially 4th Edition D&D - a wide variety of tools to prepare content and run sessions more efficiently. It also allows you to use the features you enjoy while ignoring those that do not apply. I personally run Skill Challenges in a loose format and ignore Complexity; but for those that enjoy those mechanics, Masterplan allows you to construct a detailed Skill Challenge with adjustable Complexity, DCs and outcomes. It really is a wonderful piece of software and its creator is a terrific guy! A second tool I often use is Power2ool, which allows me to create custom monsters and magic items. The format of the stat blocks takes a bit of trial and error to achieve the desired results; once those lessons are learned, the program allows the user a great deal of freedom in building stat blocks.
The most useful tip I can give is something I mentioned above, and that is to focus your preparation on what lies directly ahead of the party. Planning massive story arcs is fun - I daydream all the time about how the campaign will unfold and all the great things the party will encounter - but that does little to make the next session enjoyable for the players. As much as possible, keep your mind on what you are going to do once the players take their seats and they are ready to begin. How do you get the session started? Your preparation should truly begin there.
I have found it enjoyable to spend time on one prop for an encounter I know will be involved during the evening; this could be a letter the party discovers as a clue during exploration, a unique terrain environment for combat or a potion a prominent NPC asks them to drink during roleplaying. It can be useful to have one physical thing for the party to latch onto during a session. The theater of the mind is wonderful, but a tangible reminder of what is happening in the world can be useful.
If you also have the luxury of Dwarven Forge or other terrain pieces, then consider how you can build out an area that can be used for multiple encounter options during the next session. Perhaps the terrain can be used as a venue for a combat with an evil band of Tieflings in their hideout or a misunderstanding with the town guard in their barracks. It can easy to funnel players into an encounter area you’ve constructed so it’s best to have at least two potential uses for the area going into the session.
The final tips are related to interacting with the players. First, enlist their support! No one says that that DM has to perform 100% of the preparation and world building. Ask players to roleplay through email between sessions. Ask them to develop character background to tie into current events in the campaign. Inquire if they are willing to make props or bring other unique additions to the gaming table. Earlier in the year, I started to ask players to organize the sessions through reminder emails to see who could attend. Previously, I performed those duties but delegating to the players freed up a small chunk of time while engaging them in the campaign. I often conspire with one player regarding plot elements before a session and rely on that person’s character to lead the party in one direction or the other. And if the party disagrees, then it creates a good sense of drama and allows the relationships around the table to develop. In summary, know that preparation does not only need to fall on the DM’s shoulders.
Second, communicate directly with the players. Find out what they prefer in the game. Do they enjoy elaborate props and terrain or detailed interactions with interesting NPCs? Gauge their preferences and this will provide you with valuable information to tailor your preparation for future sessions. Roleplaying games are a group effort; remember that and be sure to share the burden with your players.
Davena Oaks
Davena runs the website The She DM and goes by theshedm on Twitter. Davena has been running D&D games for 11 years.
What D&D game preparation activities have the most positive effect on your game?
Encounter building: a poorly built combat encounter is no fun for everyone and a great combat can make up for a lackluster roleplaying session. It’s not particularly hard to build good combat encounters with a little time, but it’s more than a little difficult to improvise a great encounter on spur-of-the-moment. I’d rather not improvise if I don’t have to.
What D&D game preparation activities have the last positive effect on the game?
Treasure planning. I’ve always been terrible at it in any system that has equipment. I agonize over the task and as a result my parties are chronically under-equipped and my encounters lack that glee of finding unexpected rewards.
Thinking back on your most memorable and enjoyable D&D moments at the table, how often were they pre-planned? How often were they spontaneous?
It’s an interesting question because some of the very best moments have started planned and turned into spontaneous. Its well known no plan survives contact with the players, so it usually starts off with a plan for a good session when the players do something completely unexpected and I have to start improvising heavily. Certainly some planned sessions have been fairly memorable, but the improvised ones are always the ones that stand out to me.
Thinking back on a D&D game that went poorly, how much of the outcome was due to a lack of preparation? What could have you prepared to avoid the poor outcome?
In a game I haven’t fully prepped I can usually manage to improvise enough to keep the session above water. My worst sessions that have failed spectacularly were because of fatigue. Sessions I prepared weeks in advance have bombed because I was running on four hours of sleep in a 36 hour period.
When I’m tired from a long day at work or if I’m sleep deprived, everything suffers regardless of preparation. If I realize how badly things are going I become desperate to do something to “rescue” the bad game and make extremely poor judgements on how to steer the roleplaying - judgements I later suffer for as I have to reconcile any drastic consequences later in the campaign.
As simple as it is to say “be well-rested” its probably the most ignored advice out there. Caffeine doesn’t restore energy, it just blocks the feeling of fatigue. If you’re low on energy then your brain will still show it regardless what you try to do to compensate for it. If I had no option to cancel/reschedule on a day I was lacking some Z’s, I’d choose to take a nap first, prepare later.
If you had only 30 minutes to prepare for a D&D game, how would you prepare?
On short notice I usually whip up ‘creature feature’ type of encounter. I pick a gem of a monster - an elit
e or solo that is interesting, add a few supporting creatures. Lacking preparation, single monsters are easy to drop into most campaigns or situations with very little excuse. Then I focus on a premise for the fight and any interesting hooks I can possibly work in. If I can work in anything particular to the campaign - great! If not, well… random monsters do attack on occasion.
Where do you come up with your ideas for your game? What influences you as you prepare to run a D&D game?
I get my ideas from all over. I read a lot, and watch a lot of Netflix. I also listen to other live-play D&D podcasts, other DM’s ideas can often be re-fitted to suit my campaign.
What are your most useful tips, tricks, and tools when preparing for your D&D game?
Having a third party perspective. I always take a little time to discuss my game with a friend who isn’t involved with my table. It’s easy to get all wrapped up inside my own head and forget to consider an outside point-of-view. A friend can help generate ideas, act as a sounding-board, and know when to tell me “that’s a terrible idea”. Because they’re not involved at my table, I don’t have to conceal anything from them to avoid spoiling their fun, which makes open analysis and feedback much easier.
Listening to recordings of my previous session. This is new for me, but it has quickly become my favorite. Better than reading notes (although I take those too), I listen to my recording while working. Reviewing my session recordings has done a lot to make me aware of many things I’d forget or miss inbetween sessions. I can also scrutinize what my group responded to the most, which players might need some more spotlight time, and what areas of my own DMing could using improving (e.g. “I didn’t describe that room very well, I should work on describing my environments better”).
Steve Townshend
Steve Townshend is a published Wizards of the Coast freelancer with co-author titles on Heroes of the Feywild, Madness at Gardmore Abbey, and the Monster Manual 3. He was also a professional actor with formal training in improvisation. Steve has been playing D&D since 1982 and running D&D games since 1991.
What D&D game preparation activities have the most positive effect on your game?
I ask myself what, in general, I can get done in the session and I’ve tried to narrow it down to basically three parts that form the beginning, middle, and end of the adventure. I do this usually while taking a walk somewhere I’m not distracted, oftentimes on my lunch break. I figure out where I want to leave them at the end of the session and then try to figure out what the beginning should be like (ideally a different feel so that the game feels like it has motion). The hard part is then figuring out what I want to put between those points. Roughly three things happen in the session, with a couple minor things that happen along the way. Having that kind of rough framework helps me keep my mind on the session as a whole and keeps the game moving. In the old days I’d just sort of go and see what we accomplished in a night. There’s a beauty to that kind of slow play, but more often then not, I’d end up letting the players obsess about things that weren’t important or pursue tiny details that were, quite frankly, boring in the scheme of things. Having an idea of the shape of a session in my head has been hugely beneficial.
That’s more heady stuff. The practical things I do are:
The time I tell the players we’re starting is actually half an hour prior to when I plan to start. That way we’re actually ready to start on the schedule I have in mind. Even if people come on time, there’s a certain amount of chatting, catching up, and arranging things that needs to happen prior to play. People need to order food and get comfortable, or do their pre-game ritual whatever that happens to be.
I set up all the stuff I need a half hour to an hour prior to when I’ve told the players to come over. This way, when they come over I can pay attention to them instead of rushing to get my stuff set up. Nowadays, I eat before they arrive. I don’t mind if they eat while I’m running the game, but it can get distracting if we’re all eating at the same time.
What D&D game preparation activities have the least positive effect on the game?
I’m not sure how to answer this except to talk about stuff I don’t do anymore. I don’t fiddle with the mechanics too much, just adjust on the fly. I don’t write down whole adventures, just notes. If I overthink a session, more often than not it will be stiff, dry, and boring. When I have a few rough ideas and ready-to-use mechanics, I’m more open to whatever the players want to do.
Thinking back on your most memorable and enjoyable D&D moments at the table, how often were they pre-planned? How often were they spontaneous?
Ah, coming right off the last question! There have been a couple pre-planned bombshells I’ve dropped on them in all our many years of gaming, but by and large the best stuff comes about in the moment and surprises me as well. For me, the best moments have almost always been the spontaneous ones because they have player input and DM input. We’ve all created them together. Only very rarely are the players gobsmacked by my genius (I can only think of twice off the top of my head, and they required extensive manipulation by me).
Thinking back on a D&D game that went poorly, how much of the outcome was due to a lack of preparation? What could have you prepared to avoid the poor outcome?
I’m thinking of a 4e game we played in fall 2011 that was the first time back for the players after a long hiatus. I was on a time table because one of the players only had a few sessions to play before he would have to drop out of the game, so I was rushing things along. There was a relatively minor encounter that turned into an hour and a half of combat. The players spent a lot of time looking at their character sheets trying to figure out what to do. They said they had fun, but I was left with vast feelings of dissatisfaction. It’s hard to say what should have been different. The players should have looked over their character sheets again since it had been so long since they’d played. I could have taken a longer look at how long the encounter would go and made almost everything in the encounter a minion. There was too much grind, grind, grind in that encounter. I wanted them to feel threatened, but it ended up just being slow.
If you had only 30 minutes to prepare for a D&D game, how would you prepare?
End, Beginning, Middle, and 3–5 character sketches of NPCs.
Where do you come up with your ideas for your game? What influences you as you prepare to run a D&D game?
Everything. Movies, books, life. It’s all very organic to what’s going on in the campaign. I look at what each character wants and what would be an interesting way to challenge that character–not physically but emotionally. Any character can kill a dragon given the right rolls, equipment, and abilities. But making damning choices is what I love the most. I’m pretty well aware of what the players think of their characters and who they think their characters are and who they want their characters to be. A lot of times I’ll further those ends by giving them stuff to do that makes those characters shine. But what I really love is to put them in difficult moral circumstances. Character is conflict, conflict is drama.
What are your most useful tips, tricks, and tools when preparing for your D&D game?
All of the above. Plus, as we’ve talked about before, thinking of your group as your team, your source of ideas and inspiration, your fellow storytellers in the incredible tale you’re weaving together. When the players agree to agree, furthering the story threads as they’re laid out, that’s sometimes all the prep one needs.
Randall Walker
Randall Walker is a co-host of the 4 Geeks 4e podcast, co-author of the blog This is My Game, and has been running games since the late 80s. His most recent regular campaign group, the Dead Orcs Society, has been running since 2000.
What D&D game preparation activities have the most positive effect on your game?
Anything that smooths combat along has been best received. Having monsters ready to go, miniatures prepared, terrain or maps prepared. etc.
What D&D game preparation activities have the least positi
ve effect on the game?
It’s hard to say. While it’s not a negative effect, my story prep seems to have little impact on my players. Currently, my group seems to be far more “kill & take their stuff” focused. In fact, most of the impact prep time has seemed to be on my players who are almost never prepared to game.
Thinking back on your most memorable and enjoyable D&D moments at the table, how often were they pre-planned? How often were they spontaneous?
It’s run the gamut. Back in my 3.5 days, I built about 1/2 of the Tomb of Horrors from Hirst Arts stuff. The attention to detail (including working pit traps) was very well received. On the other end of the spectrum, I ran a completely ad-hoc wilderness travel game session where I pretty much had nothing prepared (other than the knowledge that the party would be traveling down a river in a raft). That session was spontaneous and we all enjoyed it quite a bit.
Thinking back on a D&D game that went poorly, how much of the outcome was due to a lack of preparation? What could have you prepared to avoid the poor outcome?
When our group was doing Keep on the Shadowfell, I tried to use as much terrain as possible (in addition to the provided maps). However, the set up for each section was laborious, and it showed in how the players responded in game. Each take-down/set-up of a new encounter completely broke immersion. From then, I learned not to have a terrain heavy session if I didn’t give myself appropriate prep time. Instead, I started to use published maps that I could “hot swap” quickly.
If you had only 30 minutes to prepare for a D&D game, how would you prepare?
Depends on the version, really. For 4e, I’d grab a module (either hard copy or DDI), a copy of the Monstrous Compendium, and a pre-published map and run that way. With any other version, I’d grab a copy of that version’s Monster Manual, Blank Map Paper, and a tome containing a number of random tables. I might also do a brief town adventure with very little prep.
