Encounters

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[Music]

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hello and welcome to thinking critically

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a d and d discussion a podcast where we

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deep dive single word concepts or ideas

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within the dungeons and dragons 5e

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framework

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my name is danilo and i like all kinds

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of games and the crunchy mechanics that

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make him tick you can find me on twitter

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facebook and instagram and i'd really

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appreciate a like or a follow today i'm

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joined by sean go games thank you ever

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ever so much for joining us today can

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you tell us a little bit about yourself

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yeah sure so my name is shango games i

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am a creator on the dms guild i also

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have been a long time player well

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probably not as long as some but i've

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been playing d d and dming since 3.5

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took a break and then picked it back up

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with uh

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fifth edition and so i also produced

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stuff on dm's guild but my goal is just

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to

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create games and

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share games and talk about game design

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awesome well you come to the right place

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then in that case

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so the topic of today is encounters so

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what does that term mean to you yeah i

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think encounters is something that with

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d d

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i think a lot of people think of his

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counters as just combat and when i think

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of encounters i think of it as really it

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can be a variety of different things

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and it kind of is focused around a

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dramatic question of what the pcs have

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at stake what they want and you know the

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possibility of having a cost or

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expending some resources in order to

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progress through that encounter

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um when you when you said that what is

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it a uh

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oh you said a term and it literally just

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escaped my mind right the beginning

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there but about a a balancing act

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between you know having to get them to

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expend a resource a difficult question

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almost a dynamic encounter kind of thing

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yeah the dramatic question that is a

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really really

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elegant and eloquent way of defining

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what an encounter is in d and d because

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it's you're absolutely right

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the first point of my notes here is

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non-combat encounters

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he's actually sitting right at the top

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for that exact reason so

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why don't we start with

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the non-combat encounters then and maybe

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leave the

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meat of combat encounters for the

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the second half yeah sure i think a lot

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of the published materials and a lot of

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the official material kind of really

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drives players and dms towards thinking

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about encounters as only combats and i

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think that by doing so it really limits

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a lot of a different exploration of

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different parts in d and i think in a

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way combat can often be

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less interesting than the other kinds of

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encounters out there so there's a whole

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bunch of different ones you could come

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up with skill challenges are a great one

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you know a skill challenge where you

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have to use your skills and abilities to

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make a certain number of successes

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versus dc

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before making a number of failures can

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be really interesting because you have

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all these characters who are really

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geared for combat and then when you

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throw these sort of bizarre

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or different challenges at them it's

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kind of fun to figure out okay how do i

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take these combat abilities and apply it

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to

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solving a problem that is

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not within my regular scope and those

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kinds of issues where you're coming at

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things from a different angle is where

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it requires a lot of creative thinking

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and that's kind of where i feel like

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there's a lot of

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room to explore what your abilities can

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do

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and one example of this was recently i

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was playing a high level campaign where

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i think we're level 11 or so and our

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cart broke we have a cart we're

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traveling with and we have to cut down a

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tree and like repair the cart well we

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have all these swords and things and you

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know we have powerful spells but we're

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like looking at these big oak trees and

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we're like well how how the hell do we

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cut these down without breaking our

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stuff and so you know for a lo most of

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you know i could disintegrate the tree

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maybe that would work but then no tree

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to you know use for wood so i think

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there's a lot of kind of different

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interesting ways where

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you can challenge the parties through

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skill challenges uh you know you could

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have something where it's

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diplomacy where you have to maybe

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impress a people to dinner party or deal

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with a mudslide or rock slide there's

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all kinds of fun things you can do there

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yeah that diplomacy we want is a good

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show because as you were talking i was

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thinking about the martial characters

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so

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fighter barbarian are typically

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typically have less utility shall we say

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outside of combat due to the nature of

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the design of the class yes they you

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know barbarians are stronger could lift

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things

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nine times out of ten fighters know how

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to fight

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but

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i think when you said diplomacy that

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immediately hit me as

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that is within some fighter subclasses

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ballpark right that okay there's a tense

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situation here i am a seasoned

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professional

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in tense situations you know let me try

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and mediate almost uh as an alternative

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to just everybody

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freaking out and either mind controlling

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or

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teleporting away or doing all the other

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sorts of weird and wonderful stuff yeah

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yeah and i think that uh you know it's

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kind of funny when you mention sort of

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what what do the marshals do here what

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is the utility they provide because

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that's a big question i have with the

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upcoming candle keep mysteries coming

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out where it's you know going to be

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about solving problems solving mysteries

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and i think it'll be interesting to see

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how they handle how does the barbarians

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level mystery you know mr rage where he

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wants to just smash everything

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and

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i think that also many of these skill

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challenges by providing your players

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skill challenges it actually gives your

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marshals a chance to shine particularly

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if they have to use their brute strength

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or they can use an ability because they

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can expend more

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the spell caster resources in some of

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these instances for example let's say

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you have a chase where you are uh you

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know this isn't exactly a skill

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challenge but it's similar where you

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have you know the parties chasing an

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individual well if a cart falls in the

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way of a wizard and the party goes to

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you know vault the cart yeah sure the

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wizard can use fly and fly over it but

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then he has to use you know a spell slot

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resource to get over that whereas the

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mar you know your fighter can just

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athletics over the cart or whatever like

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that so i think it is actually also a

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great way to um by providing different

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kinds of challenges it's a good way to

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uh

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equalize

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across the different kinds of encounter

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types the the resources used in the

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power level of the different classes

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yeah i think that's a good point there

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and a good tip is that

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certainly i did struggle with that

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almost need for however many encounters

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per day it is

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six seven i can't remember how many it

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is but there's it's basically a lot

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which you might be able to get away with

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in a dungeon

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but when you're out and about

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in town or something it's not quite as

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easy to crowbar in oh there's more

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bandits

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seven times in a row so what i'm getting

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at is having those

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skill checks that use up resources is

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another way to bridge that gap so maybe

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you only need like three encounters but

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in between those three encounters

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you've had a diplomacy thing that's

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required yes maybe somebody to charm

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another person you've had

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the fly they've had invisibility so by

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the time they get to that third

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encounter

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the casters are going oh actually i am a

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little bit tapped out despite only

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fighting one group of people yeah yeah

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no i think you've highlighted a couple

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really good things there's um one if you

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just think of combat encounters as

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combats and then

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you know you only have one combat per

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day your characters are just going to go

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nova on the combat and or it's just not

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going to be realistic you know how many

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times can you be stopped and mugged in a

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day you know exactly water deep

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and the other thing is it helps to

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really

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it can also tax other resources when you

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introduce other encounters for example

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if you have social encounters uh you

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know you might need to bribe or use

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potions and you might you need to use

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those spell slots and like enhance

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ability like you're saying uh like you

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mentioned with invisibility or charming

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that could be another one

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so

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the other thing too is by adding all

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these different kinds of encounters it

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provides a lot of variety and i think

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that

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having too many combat encounters in a

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day

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can really kind of take away from the um

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you know it goes it harkens back to that

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dramatic question where if you know

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you're just going to have six combats in

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one day it kind of devalues the dramatic

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question of how dangerous is this combat

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if you know that there's going to be

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more combats to follow than this one

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can't be as dangerous

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so having the variety there

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what i tend to like to do is i tend to

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like to amp up the

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danger of individual combats and have

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you know above the normal cr

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or have enemies that you know are more

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threatening and then kind of have lower

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stakes lower cost uh kind of

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you know the social the skill challenges

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to kind of switch it up and then it also

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makes that dramatic question of is this

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combat dangerous more intense and so

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each combat feels like the stakes are

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higher and there's more at stake the

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other thing too is if you are you know

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if you are in a situation where you are

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gonna you know have

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situations where you're not gonna have

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as many combats in a day you can't

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switch the gritty real resting system

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especially for travel that's a good time

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to do that that way each combat does

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feel more impactful when you're

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traveling

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yeah i was going to say that i think a

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00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:27,680
lot of people do what you suggested in

282
00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:30,080
terms of i know i do of ramping up the

283
00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:32,959
difficulty of an encounter but having

284
00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:37,360
fewer of them now there's

285
00:09:32,959 --> 00:09:39,040
definitely some impact to economy and

286
00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,240
that obviously hurts some classes more

287
00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,600
than it does others i don't know the

288
00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,560
details of the top of my head but just

289
00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,160
the way

290
00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:45,360
resources are get you know some things

291
00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,360
come back on a short rest some things

292
00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:50,080
come back in a long rest so

293
00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:52,320
it's it's a really tricky one to get

294
00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:56,080
right the spread of encounters over an

295
00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:57,519
adventuring day and i don't think that

296
00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:00,080
you know any kind of

297
00:09:57,519 --> 00:10:02,000
normal dm like you or i could ever you

298
00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,320
know you'll always be refining that

299
00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:06,480
skill you'll always be saying oh that i

300
00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:08,640
pushed it a little bit too far that time

301
00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:10,480
let me wind it back in oh no wait they

302
00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:12,399
they just stomped that fight because i

303
00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:14,240
didn't realize that it had you know that

304
00:10:12,399 --> 00:10:15,360
creature had vulnerability to the magic

305
00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,959
that they've got

306
00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,480
and then you know you just just threw

307
00:10:16,959 --> 00:10:20,480
that iterative process

308
00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,519
but i am very much in the same school of

309
00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,920
thought of

310
00:10:21,519 --> 00:10:25,200
i like my universe and my setting to be

311
00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:28,160
to make sense

312
00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:30,000
yeah and uh a little while ago one of

313
00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:33,040
the players was was like

314
00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:34,480
we we don't have a lot of combat and uh

315
00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:36,399
maybe maybe we could have more he was a

316
00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:39,040
bit you know a bit hungry

317
00:10:36,399 --> 00:10:40,800
for it uh he's a sorcerer first time

318
00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:43,440
ever playing so he's

319
00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:45,760
very much in a or whatever

320
00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:48,160
yeah exactly like combat like i'm here

321
00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:50,079
to kill things and i'm a bit confused

322
00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:51,920
that we've just been talking to nbc's

323
00:10:50,079 --> 00:10:54,000
three sessions in a row unfortunately

324
00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:55,360
for him he missed he missed a session

325
00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,440
which happened to have combat in that

326
00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,880
was almost shoehorned in for his benefit

327
00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:02,800
so he ended up going like another three

328
00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:03,760
sessions but um i said to him i said

329
00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,000
i can

330
00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:07,839
put some in and i ended up doing it but

331
00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:10,160
i i said like it doesn't it doesn't make

332
00:11:07,839 --> 00:11:12,480
sense i can't it's kind of just boring

333
00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,360
if you get attacked again

334
00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:15,279
by

335
00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:17,279
people or creatures come out of the

336
00:11:15,279 --> 00:11:19,519
ground or and yes i know

337
00:11:17,279 --> 00:11:22,000
you can spin it into a side quest this

338
00:11:19,519 --> 00:11:23,600
that and the other but when they have

339
00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,120
some existential threat looming over

340
00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:27,760
them

341
00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:29,760
why are bandits attacking this town it

342
00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:31,680
doesn't yeah it isn't very interesting

343
00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,440
but they won't care

344
00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:35,519
yeah and that dramatic question is

345
00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:37,760
something that i think whenever a combat

346
00:11:35,519 --> 00:11:40,079
starts you know and it ends up being

347
00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,680
boring i think that most of the times

348
00:11:40,079 --> 00:11:42,560
that dramatic question isn't being

349
00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:44,000
answered

350
00:11:42,560 --> 00:11:46,320
and i think there's ways you can kind of

351
00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,360
um sneakily infuse that dramatic

352
00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,519
question

353
00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,880
back into each encounter so one thing

354
00:11:49,519 --> 00:11:52,959
that i like to do

355
00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:54,320
is whenever you know if the pcs are

356
00:11:52,959 --> 00:11:56,639
going to be attacked by

357
00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:59,279
bandits like just make them have some

358
00:11:56,639 --> 00:12:01,680
sort of hook that circles back to the

359
00:11:59,279 --> 00:12:03,279
main plot and then the players will feel

360
00:12:01,680 --> 00:12:05,360
really clever or feel like they've

361
00:12:03,279 --> 00:12:08,000
gotten a clue for from defeating this

362
00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:10,320
party of bandits for example i had an

363
00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:12,240
encounter where i decided you know the

364
00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,279
pcs were traveling in a carriage and

365
00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,920
they were getting chased by these

366
00:12:13,279 --> 00:12:17,360
bandits and uh they managed to get a few

367
00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,839
of them and they had some knives that

368
00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,720
had a certain insignia that led back to

369
00:12:19,839 --> 00:12:22,639
some

370
00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,800
shadowy group and then they feel like oh

371
00:12:22,639 --> 00:12:26,480
like suddenly this this fight has gotten

372
00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,079
much more interesting and

373
00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,920
you know just infusing

374
00:12:28,079 --> 00:12:31,600
that question back in is why are we

375
00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,440
doing this how is this important keeping

376
00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:36,079
that at top of mind is i think really

377
00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:38,880
really important yeah for sure and like

378
00:12:36,079 --> 00:12:41,600
if you just have those boring in quotes

379
00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:44,000
encounters it can promote you know

380
00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:46,000
murder hoboism of just oh well there's

381
00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:48,160
another seven bandits to kill killed

382
00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,839
them cool moving on oh there's another

383
00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,440
seven to kill around the corner okay

384
00:12:49,839 --> 00:12:53,360
kill them move on and suddenly you're

385
00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:54,639
not really in dnd anymore you're in

386
00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:56,399
diablo

387
00:12:54,639 --> 00:12:58,639
yeah the dramatic question is important

388
00:12:56,399 --> 00:13:00,560
both in terms of why are we doing this

389
00:12:58,639 --> 00:13:03,040
and also what is the cost so if you know

390
00:13:00,560 --> 00:13:05,120
if like once you get to level five you

391
00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:07,440
can just pretty much wipe any group of

392
00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:09,200
bandits and it's not interesting anymore

393
00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,560
so nothing's at risk nothing's that you

394
00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:13,440
know what are we going to lose if this

395
00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:15,040
goes badly it's like well nothing really

396
00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,959
and so that's why it can be useful to

397
00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,399
put your characters on a time crunch too

398
00:13:16,959 --> 00:13:20,560
because then when they do expend

399
00:13:18,399 --> 00:13:22,959
resources you know there is a cost to

400
00:13:20,560 --> 00:13:25,040
that where they lose time

401
00:13:22,959 --> 00:13:26,560
the bad guys plan advance you know

402
00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,160
happens in a month and if they lose a

403
00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:30,079
day where they have to rest suddenly

404
00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:32,000
that has a real cost to it some groups

405
00:13:30,079 --> 00:13:33,360
will respond to that some won't you know

406
00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,800
a lot of this i think a lot of

407
00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:36,160
encounters and understanding encounters

408
00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,000
is understanding

409
00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:40,880
um what will work for your group and

410
00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:42,880
your campaign and your tone yada yada

411
00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:44,560
yeah i wanted to talk about resources

412
00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:46,240
the expenditure of those resources in a

413
00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:47,040
moment but the one anecdote i wanted to

414
00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,959
share

415
00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:51,360
specifically to do with bandits funnily

416
00:13:48,959 --> 00:13:53,360
enough is in my campaign and this is

417
00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,959
okay because this episode i think the

418
00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,560
lag of this episode coming out will have

419
00:13:54,959 --> 00:13:58,720
caught up with when it actually gets to

420
00:13:56,560 --> 00:14:00,839
happen in my campaign so it shouldn't be

421
00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:02,399
any spoilers he says

422
00:14:00,839 --> 00:14:04,320
um

423
00:14:02,399 --> 00:14:06,160
is throughout the

424
00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:08,079
couple of years we've been playing

425
00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:10,720
the guys in my game have

426
00:14:08,079 --> 00:14:12,560
obviously of course have come up with

427
00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,600
mercenaries or

428
00:14:12,560 --> 00:14:15,120
bad

429
00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:18,240
humanoids

430
00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:20,959
who were on the face of it unconnected

431
00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:22,320
seemingly unconnected now

432
00:14:20,959 --> 00:14:24,720
as they're just about to wrap up this

433
00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:27,040
chapter and this dungeon a little in

434
00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:28,800
between chapter fun i've got planned is

435
00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:30,720
they're going to be heading back to the

436
00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:34,560
main town their hometown

437
00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:35,760
and will be stopped by a large number of

438
00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,519
high women

439
00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,519
essentially who they're going to go oh

440
00:14:37,519 --> 00:14:40,880
it's bandits again

441
00:14:39,519 --> 00:14:42,399
but this time

442
00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:44,720
it's going to be hey

443
00:14:42,399 --> 00:14:46,399
you you don't know us well you might

444
00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,839
know this guy and i'm gonna have you

445
00:14:46,399 --> 00:14:49,600
know they they

446
00:14:47,839 --> 00:14:51,920
accidentally let one bandaid run away in

447
00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,959
one of the encounters they they fled

448
00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,320
remember their lives and they couldn't

449
00:14:52,959 --> 00:14:56,160
chase them down

450
00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:58,399
and they're gonna go hey we want you to

451
00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:00,240
work for us now because clearly you

452
00:14:58,399 --> 00:15:02,720
don't care about killing people you

453
00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:04,079
don't really ask as many questions

454
00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,680
you'll just do whatever you want for

455
00:15:04,079 --> 00:15:07,680
money so

456
00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:09,680
come join our bandits and then there's

457
00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:12,079
gonna be a few grumbles from like the

458
00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,839
guy they let live who's like oh yeah but

459
00:15:12,079 --> 00:15:15,360
boss they killed my brother

460
00:15:13,839 --> 00:15:17,040
kind of thing

461
00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,800
um just to really

462
00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:21,120
to to kind of tie it up a little bit to

463
00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:22,480
say hey those weren't just

464
00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,920
nameless moocs they were part of

465
00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:26,240
something bigger and that something

466
00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:28,079
bigger is taking notice of your

467
00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:30,320
sociopathic actions

468
00:15:28,079 --> 00:15:32,240
yeah yeah no i love it you find yourself

469
00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:35,360
yeah what a great way to instill sort of

470
00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:37,440
a level of consequence into uh the

471
00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:39,440
players and you know show that their

472
00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,720
actions matter i think that's awesome i

473
00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,560
think um

474
00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:45,199
another thing that i enjoy sometimes is

475
00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:47,680
you could always infuse role-playing

476
00:15:45,199 --> 00:15:49,199
into your combats and you know i think

477
00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,079
one of the things that makes people feel

478
00:15:49,199 --> 00:15:52,800
like

479
00:15:50,079 --> 00:15:54,560
murder hobos is that the consequences of

480
00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:57,600
their actions you know don't really

481
00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:59,600
matter or they are always positive and

482
00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:02,079
so you know i think if you want to make

483
00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,440
things it's kind of dark and but if you

484
00:16:02,079 --> 00:16:05,759
want to make them really feel when they

485
00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:07,040
do kill that bandit you know take a

486
00:16:05,759 --> 00:16:08,560
moment to say

487
00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:10,160
when you you strike down you cut down

488
00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,079
the bandit your sword

489
00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:14,399
you watch them collapse onto the ground

490
00:16:12,079 --> 00:16:16,320
the the bandit boss looks over and uses

491
00:16:14,399 --> 00:16:17,680
his reaction to scream

492
00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,519
smith no

493
00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:22,320
and suddenly these these things start to

494
00:16:19,519 --> 00:16:24,399
have you know um repercussions and then

495
00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:27,519
the other thing too is having enemies

496
00:16:24,399 --> 00:16:30,000
uh run or surrender to during combat is

497
00:16:27,519 --> 00:16:32,480
a great way to um you know infuse that

498
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:34,000
role playing into the combat and also

499
00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,519
once the dramatic question what's the

500
00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:38,399
dramatic question of is there still

501
00:16:35,519 --> 00:16:39,920
danger in this combat is over once that

502
00:16:38,399 --> 00:16:41,839
that's already been answered you know

503
00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,920
we've all fought the monster where we've

504
00:16:41,839 --> 00:16:45,279
killed all the guys except for two when

505
00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,519
they're low and then we you know we have

506
00:16:45,279 --> 00:16:50,639
to go through the brigham a role of

507
00:16:47,519 --> 00:16:52,240
having a couple rounds where we you know

508
00:16:50,639 --> 00:16:53,600
yeah and it's like boring because we

509
00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,680
know okay we've got this combat in the

510
00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:57,600
bag just have it end just you know have

511
00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:59,600
them surrender have them run or

512
00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,759
depending on your dm style you can

513
00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,199
always say oh hey they're at a hit

514
00:17:01,759 --> 00:17:05,199
points now your your players don't know

515
00:17:03,199 --> 00:17:06,000
how many hit points they have so but

516
00:17:05,199 --> 00:17:07,679
really

517
00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,199
making it so that

518
00:17:07,679 --> 00:17:10,480
you know those consequences are there

519
00:17:09,199 --> 00:17:12,240
and like you said with the with the

520
00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,799
bandit and having them join that bandit

521
00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:16,799
group i i think that's awesome

522
00:17:14,799 --> 00:17:17,679
thank you yeah looking forward to

523
00:17:16,799 --> 00:17:20,240
because obviously they're going to be

524
00:17:17,679 --> 00:17:22,400
like oh god here we go again i cast

525
00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:24,720
magic missile i like us fireball but the

526
00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:26,720
guy is going back no no i wanna i wanna

527
00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:29,840
i want you to help us like

528
00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:31,600
you guys are evil like come and

529
00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:34,320
come and work for us and you'll get

530
00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:36,720
money and this that the other so then

531
00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:39,600
lean into that part of them which is

532
00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:40,480
like okay i don't mind being

533
00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,160
a bit

534
00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:45,360
outside of the law

535
00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:47,760
talking of earlier on resource

536
00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:50,720
uh we we talked about a few like potions

537
00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:53,440
and spell slots being the obvious one

538
00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:54,400
but then also class abilities

539
00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:57,039
time

540
00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:58,720
as a resource now i talked about it a

541
00:17:57,039 --> 00:18:01,280
lot funnily enough in the episode of

542
00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,799
called time but you and i talked already

543
00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,000
about it of how it's

544
00:18:02,799 --> 00:18:05,520
you know if they fight something and

545
00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:08,799
they have to rest that's an hour that's

546
00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:10,880
gone do you think that time is always

547
00:18:08,799 --> 00:18:12,160
part of that dramatic question always

548
00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:14,799
part of that

549
00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,640
you know there's always something that

550
00:18:14,799 --> 00:18:18,559
is important to the players

551
00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:20,400
and and needs to be

552
00:18:18,559 --> 00:18:22,080
heavily considered and it's

553
00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:25,200
is is almost important enough that it

554
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:26,720
can be a resource cost in of itself yeah

555
00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:27,919
it really depends on the group in my

556
00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,919
opinion because you know different

557
00:18:27,919 --> 00:18:31,440
players of games have different things

558
00:18:29,919 --> 00:18:33,679
that they're that they want to pay

559
00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:35,440
attention to and are important to them

560
00:18:33,679 --> 00:18:37,200
interestingly um

561
00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:39,120
there was some game design study where

562
00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:41,679
they they looked at time pressure on

563
00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:43,600
people and some people just absolutely

564
00:18:41,679 --> 00:18:45,600
hate being time pressured particularly

565
00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,559
when somebody's a new gamer or is new to

566
00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,559
the table

567
00:18:46,559 --> 00:18:50,000
that level of time pressure really

568
00:18:48,559 --> 00:18:52,960
grates on people

569
00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:55,200
so you know i dm for a group that is a

570
00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:57,760
little bit newer a little bit uh

571
00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:59,440
more inexperienced and for them i

572
00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:01,440
wouldn't put that kind of time pressure

573
00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:03,760
on them because that would make them

574
00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:05,679
feel stressed out in the group i play in

575
00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,960
right now or differently in the group i

576
00:19:05,679 --> 00:19:09,280
play in

577
00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:11,520
that group the time pressure is more

578
00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:14,160
meaningful for them for us because we're

579
00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:16,640
kind of more more gaming kind of uh a

580
00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,160
little more experienced however in early

581
00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:20,880
on before i joined i joined the campaign

582
00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:22,480
a little bit later on and in the first

583
00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:24,559
you know few levels that they had there

584
00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,240
was the dm put a time pressure on them

585
00:19:24,559 --> 00:19:27,679
and they actually skipped past a lot of

586
00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:30,400
stuff that the dm kind of had wanted

587
00:19:27,679 --> 00:19:32,160
them to go and uh do which they just

588
00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,919
kind of totally blew past because they

589
00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,600
were like oh we can't waste time for

590
00:19:33,919 --> 00:19:37,840
this right now yeah and so though it

591
00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:39,520
kind of it can give a think and take it

592
00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:41,679
i think it really depends on the tone

593
00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:43,360
you're shooting for and what you

594
00:19:41,679 --> 00:19:45,280
you know thinking about what's important

595
00:19:43,360 --> 00:19:47,039
for your group and what mix of things

596
00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:49,919
you want to bring in to get that level

597
00:19:47,039 --> 00:19:52,400
of tone is really important

598
00:19:49,919 --> 00:19:54,559
yeah good that's a nice balanced

599
00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:56,799
response there and uh

600
00:19:54,559 --> 00:19:57,760
what a balanced segue into my next

601
00:19:56,799 --> 00:19:58,720
question

602
00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:02,159
was

603
00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:03,679
balancing non-combat encounters so i'm

604
00:20:02,159 --> 00:20:05,200
sure most listeners are aware that

605
00:20:03,679 --> 00:20:07,760
obviously combat encounters are balanced

606
00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:09,840
by their kind of very nature by

607
00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,880
challenge rating and xp and so on but

608
00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:13,039
obviously

609
00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:15,520
social encounters

610
00:20:13,039 --> 00:20:16,480
are obviously a bit trickier to balance

611
00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,880
so

612
00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:20,400
what school of thought are you

613
00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,960
when it comes to balancing social

614
00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:25,360
encounters are you the school that says

615
00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:28,000
oh that's about 15. does he roll

616
00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:29,679
persuasion and does he beat 15 or are

617
00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,159
you the one that says

618
00:20:29,679 --> 00:20:35,280
okay no if he rolls you know five lower

619
00:20:32,159 --> 00:20:36,880
it pushes the disposition of the person

620
00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:38,720
one step away and if he rolls five

621
00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,000
higher it pushes the disposition closer

622
00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:41,039
and that kind of stuff how do you deal

623
00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,200
with

624
00:20:41,039 --> 00:20:45,039
judging and balancing and setting

625
00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,480
non-combat encounters

626
00:20:45,039 --> 00:20:47,760
yeah when i think of non-combat

627
00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,280
encounters there's also a number of

628
00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:51,039
other things that i think of as kind of

629
00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:53,679
non-combat encounters but for social

630
00:20:51,039 --> 00:20:55,600
things in particular what i like to do

631
00:20:53,679 --> 00:20:58,000
is i uh

632
00:20:55,600 --> 00:21:00,880
it's kind of a series kind of of

633
00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:03,039
arguments that get somebody to either

634
00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:04,280
believe or disbelieve and then having

635
00:21:03,039 --> 00:21:07,760
those

636
00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:09,520
persuasion checks kind of at a critical

637
00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,840
moment you know there might be three of

638
00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:13,919
them during a during a conversation or

639
00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,360
two of them because i don't think you

640
00:21:13,919 --> 00:21:17,280
should have a conversation and then kind

641
00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:19,200
of just roll a die

642
00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:21,200
and then see you know does he does this

643
00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:23,120
person believe you kind of thing yeah i

644
00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:25,039
think the thing to do is kind of see

645
00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:26,960
during the conversation how it's going

646
00:21:25,039 --> 00:21:28,400
especially if it's a longer critical

647
00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:29,760
conversation

648
00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,440
or convincing a group of people or

649
00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,799
something like that because it just

650
00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:34,799
makes it feel more

651
00:21:32,799 --> 00:21:36,240
i think realistic to me

652
00:21:34,799 --> 00:21:37,760
although the thing i would warn against

653
00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,520
is having the same character roll that

654
00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:41,120
same persuasion again and again and

655
00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,039
again which sometimes parties will want

656
00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:44,720
to do to min max um

657
00:21:43,039 --> 00:21:46,880
you know and if that happens i would

658
00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:48,080
probably change the strategy but you

659
00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,320
know i think it makes it feel more

660
00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:52,799
dynamic and the other thing i would say

661
00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:54,720
is when you do these persuasion checks

662
00:21:52,799 --> 00:21:57,200
one of the things i would make i would

663
00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:59,520
try to lean on more heavily is rather

664
00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,679
than saying this is how persuasive you

665
00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:04,400
are when you have a role

666
00:22:01,679 --> 00:22:06,960
is to say this is how the outcome

667
00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:09,520
falls on this person because one thing

668
00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:12,400
that is not fun in dnd is to have the

669
00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:15,280
characters abilities be limited by the

670
00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:16,320
dice they roll it's very undercuts how

671
00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,159
they feel

672
00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,559
so you know having it be the outcome

673
00:22:18,159 --> 00:22:22,159
based on the other party like oh you

674
00:22:20,559 --> 00:22:23,280
talk to them and you're very persuasive

675
00:22:22,159 --> 00:22:25,280
but they're having a bad day so they

676
00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,880
don't listen to you as much um or you

677
00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,960
know you i wouldn't say it like that

678
00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:30,559
they would say something like that where

679
00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:34,000
it doesn't undermine the players yeah

680
00:22:30,559 --> 00:22:35,679
you flipped the blame almost yeah on to

681
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,240
put it on this you know

682
00:22:35,679 --> 00:22:40,400
person yes npc rather than their beloved

683
00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:42,720
player character yeah and in a similar

684
00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,640
fashion and this is i've been tangenting

685
00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:47,520
all over but to continue that theme when

686
00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:48,480
i have a player in my combat my players

687
00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:50,960
never

688
00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,400
miss an attack like they very rarely

689
00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:54,640
actually miss

690
00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:56,799
when i describe an attack you know you

691
00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,880
swing to attack the goblin but he raises

692
00:22:56,799 --> 00:23:01,200
the sword and blocks it in time or you

693
00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:02,559
know that's so much more interesting and

694
00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,880
it makes the players feel less

695
00:23:02,559 --> 00:23:07,200
undermined when you know or you you

696
00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:09,679
would you hit the goblin but your swords

697
00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:12,720
uh hits his scale male and slides off

698
00:23:09,679 --> 00:23:14,640
unable to score uh you know unable to

699
00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:17,840
strike his flesh kind of thing yeah the

700
00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:20,320
word miss is shorthand for doesn't deal

701
00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:23,120
damage or doesn't it doesn't affect the

702
00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:25,600
creature because of course hp isn't

703
00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:27,520
really a numerical figure it's fighting

704
00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:30,400
energy yeah and in the same way i would

705
00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:33,600
just encourage that uh if a persuasion

706
00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:35,679
check fails it's you know you haven't uh

707
00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:37,039
you know it just he doesn't believe you

708
00:23:35,679 --> 00:23:38,640
she doesn't believe you for whatever

709
00:23:37,039 --> 00:23:40,000
reason or they they have a different

710
00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:42,799
approach rather than you weren't

711
00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:44,799
persuasive so yeah i'm

712
00:23:42,799 --> 00:23:46,000
need to get better at personally for me

713
00:23:44,799 --> 00:23:47,360
you know saying

714
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,520
to use the combat

715
00:23:47,360 --> 00:23:50,559
encounter yes i usually thematically

716
00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,000
describe

717
00:23:50,559 --> 00:23:54,080
how they you know they bring the shield

718
00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:56,480
up or it hits the armor and and just

719
00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:58,400
misses a major artery or something but i

720
00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,760
still just out of habit say

721
00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,200
you know when they say there's a 16 here

722
00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:03,200
and i go that's not good enough i need

723
00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,440
to get out of the habit of saying that's

724
00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:07,679
not good enough because it really sets

725
00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,679
the wrong kind of theme and feel so

726
00:24:07,679 --> 00:24:11,919
that's uh something i need to work on

727
00:24:09,679 --> 00:24:13,760
but it's in the same school of saying

728
00:24:11,919 --> 00:24:15,360
they don't miss they're still here it's

729
00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:18,159
just this person has kind of outwitted

730
00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:19,600
them in this particular instance yeah

731
00:24:18,159 --> 00:24:22,240
and it's okay for them to miss if it's

732
00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:24,000
like uh you know once in a while like

733
00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,679
especially if they roll very low you can

734
00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,600
also have that person narrate how they

735
00:24:25,679 --> 00:24:29,200
miss can be a fun way for them to say

736
00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,799
you know how do you miss and then they

737
00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,200
say oh i can almost shoot an arrow next

738
00:24:30,799 --> 00:24:35,360
to grogar's head and you know then they

739
00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:38,640
can kind of play take more ownership of

740
00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:39,760
it um but either way yeah

741
00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,840
the same

742
00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,799
breath as you're alluding to earlier on

743
00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:45,679
around

744
00:24:42,799 --> 00:24:47,440
social encounters and the dice basically

745
00:24:45,679 --> 00:24:49,840
saying what happens dictating what

746
00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,760
happens i absolutely agree it's no fun

747
00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:53,679
especially if you have like the

748
00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:55,760
character who's been built to be the

749
00:24:53,679 --> 00:24:58,559
face of the party and they step forward

750
00:24:55,760 --> 00:25:01,200
all ready ready to rock and roll and

751
00:24:58,559 --> 00:25:02,000
they just go please give us a discount

752
00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,000
now

753
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:05,200
and because the dice of dicta you know

754
00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,559
have said that

755
00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,000
they're they've fumbled on their

756
00:25:06,559 --> 00:25:10,720
persuasion check

757
00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,000
so yeah i it's much better to say they

758
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,559
were still eloquent and they still

759
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:16,559
politely asked for a discount but the

760
00:25:14,559 --> 00:25:18,720
store owner has said actually taxes have

761
00:25:16,559 --> 00:25:19,679
just risen so i can't give you discounts

762
00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,840
because

763
00:25:19,679 --> 00:25:23,760
my profit margins are being squeezed

764
00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:24,960
yeah and by the same token you know when

765
00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:27,440
the the

766
00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:29,120
eight persuasion barbarian walks up and

767
00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:31,919
says give me a discount please sometimes

768
00:25:29,120 --> 00:25:33,600
it does work and so you know uh you know

769
00:25:31,919 --> 00:25:35,520
i've had that happen in real life where

770
00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,840
you know once in a while you'll ask for

771
00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:39,200
something and you miraculously you'll

772
00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,279
get it and it feels like you crit that

773
00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:43,520
situation and you know sometimes you

774
00:25:41,279 --> 00:25:45,760
just hit the person on the right day

775
00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:47,279
so that's that's after all of that your

776
00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:49,679
answer was basically a little bit of

777
00:25:47,279 --> 00:25:51,919
column a little bit of column b uh

778
00:25:49,679 --> 00:25:53,360
yeah a nice nice political answer

779
00:25:51,919 --> 00:25:55,360
yeah unfortunately i think a lot of

780
00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:57,760
these will probably be that but i think

781
00:25:55,360 --> 00:26:00,000
the the i think why that's an exciting

782
00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:02,720
answer for dms is because it really lets

783
00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:04,799
you design as you play and it lets you

784
00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:07,520
take ownership of

785
00:26:04,799 --> 00:26:09,279
the process like dming is so much more

786
00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,720
game design and has so much more room

787
00:26:09,279 --> 00:26:12,400
for game design than i think people

788
00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,400
realize like i think people think of

789
00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:17,679
game design as this thing where you have

790
00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:19,840
to go out and make an rpg or you have to

791
00:26:17,679 --> 00:26:22,480
like make a board game or make a video

792
00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:24,960
game even small you know

793
00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,760
even a one one-on-one dnd session that's

794
00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:27,919
you

795
00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:30,240
being a game designer in real time and

796
00:26:27,919 --> 00:26:31,840
so uh you know i think i think it's

797
00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:34,159
it actually provides

798
00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:36,159
a lot of opportunity for you to sort of

799
00:26:34,159 --> 00:26:38,720
choose and craft it to be perfect or you

800
00:26:36,159 --> 00:26:41,440
know maybe not perfect but to be better

801
00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:44,559
yeah it's that in-situ dynamic

802
00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:46,960
balancing act that is one reason i'm

803
00:26:44,559 --> 00:26:49,200
attracted to dming it's that

804
00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:51,440
having the macro and the micro

805
00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,640
like it's like a million micro decisions

806
00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,240
are happening

807
00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:56,880
in a very short space of time which all

808
00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:58,720
impact the macro around it like

809
00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,799
okay they raw persuasion was it good

810
00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:02,320
enough yes or no yes okay but how does

811
00:27:00,799 --> 00:27:04,080
it affect and how much does the price go

812
00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,279
down and what does that mean and so on

813
00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:07,279
and so on and so on then how does that

814
00:27:05,279 --> 00:27:08,720
affect the other players and the other

815
00:27:07,279 --> 00:27:10,240
character wanted to roll for persuasion

816
00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:13,039
and should i let him roll again all of

817
00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:14,080
that stuff is is the juicy bit that

818
00:27:13,039 --> 00:27:16,720
really

819
00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:18,720
excites me when i'm yeah the ending

820
00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:21,600
and is obviously some of the trickiest

821
00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:23,600
stuff to get right of course

822
00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:25,600
yeah i mean i think that's one of the

823
00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:27,679
fun things about the craft is that uh

824
00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:29,679
you know it's something that has almost

825
00:27:27,679 --> 00:27:31,120
infinite depth and so it's it's really

826
00:27:29,679 --> 00:27:32,080
fun to uh

827
00:27:31,120 --> 00:27:34,159
think of

828
00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:38,159
game design in a way of itself as a game

829
00:27:34,159 --> 00:27:41,919
for the dm so um and so it's it's it's a

830
00:27:38,159 --> 00:27:43,840
uniquely human experience dnd as well

831
00:27:41,919 --> 00:27:46,399
but you can't yes the framework's been

832
00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:48,480
designed at a computer you know probably

833
00:27:46,399 --> 00:27:50,240
helped by spreadsheets to do some of the

834
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:52,240
numbers and stuff but

835
00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,600
the moment-to-moment gameplay again the

836
00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:55,760
difference between this in video games

837
00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:58,080
is that it's only ever

838
00:27:55,760 --> 00:28:00,799
one way aside from multiplayer games for

839
00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:04,559
an example but it's always this this

840
00:28:00,799 --> 00:28:06,159
this permanent two-way flow of

841
00:28:04,559 --> 00:28:08,240
human emotion

842
00:28:06,159 --> 00:28:09,760
essentially so one thing that really

843
00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:12,080
that i have to consider with doing a

844
00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:13,679
non-combat encounter to definitely bring

845
00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,279
us back on topic

846
00:28:13,679 --> 00:28:16,640
is

847
00:28:15,279 --> 00:28:17,919
is what i was talking about earlier on

848
00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:19,520
of of like

849
00:28:17,919 --> 00:28:21,279
if one person's been doing a lot of the

850
00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,279
talking and maybe they don't want to

851
00:28:21,279 --> 00:28:25,200
having to be like

852
00:28:23,279 --> 00:28:26,399
as the npc well what about you over

853
00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,559
there in the corner why aren't you

854
00:28:26,399 --> 00:28:31,919
talking to kind of bring in other people

855
00:28:28,559 --> 00:28:33,760
who might need a bit of a springboard or

856
00:28:31,919 --> 00:28:35,440
to stop people from rolling and rolling

857
00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:37,840
and rolling you know introducing other

858
00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:39,760
things or if they've been you know

859
00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,799
there's just a number of so many

860
00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:42,799
different things you need to consider

861
00:28:40,799 --> 00:28:44,640
about the impact of on not just the

862
00:28:42,799 --> 00:28:46,480
player that's making the role how that

863
00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:48,320
affects not only the other characters

864
00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:51,919
but also the other players at the table

865
00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:55,360
who are just like every human subject to

866
00:28:51,919 --> 00:28:58,720
envy or frustration or jealousy

867
00:28:55,360 --> 00:29:00,799
so it's it's super tricky

868
00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:02,880
yeah or boredom when you know they sit

869
00:29:00,799 --> 00:29:05,200
and the party face goes but if we think

870
00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,799
about you know a conversation if there's

871
00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:08,640
you know a group of four people walks up

872
00:29:06,799 --> 00:29:10,559
to one person and starts talking to them

873
00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:12,399
it's not like the one person just stand

874
00:29:10,559 --> 00:29:14,159
you know sit there and talk so the other

875
00:29:12,399 --> 00:29:15,840
three people just stand there waiting

876
00:29:14,159 --> 00:29:18,080
for five minutes you know how natural

877
00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:20,240
would that be no no i was just gonna say

878
00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:21,840
like you could just imagine if like if

879
00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:23,200
that was me i'd be like

880
00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:25,279
who are the other two guys and why are

881
00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:27,600
they here

882
00:29:25,279 --> 00:29:29,360
yeah and it's a great opportunity to

883
00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:31,120
force like uh you know earlier i was

884
00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:32,880
saying that dnd i think it's really

885
00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:34,640
interesting when you have to

886
00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:36,480
kind of apply your skills in a way that

887
00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:38,080
don't work like if the the bard world

888
00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,480
you know let's say the bard has a plus

889
00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:44,080
10 persuasion or plus 12 persuasion

890
00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:45,279
which you know not too far-fetched um

891
00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:47,039
social encounters aren't going to be

892
00:29:45,279 --> 00:29:48,480
interesting when he just walks up and

893
00:29:47,039 --> 00:29:50,480
says you know

894
00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:52,559
hey i'm the bard give me a discount and

895
00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:54,399
then he rolls you know at 25 or whatever

896
00:29:52,559 --> 00:29:55,919
every time it's like okay you know yeah

897
00:29:54,399 --> 00:29:57,679
that ceases to be interesting but when

898
00:29:55,919 --> 00:29:59,919
that conversation happens

899
00:29:57,679 --> 00:30:02,720
and the barbarian has to make those

900
00:29:59,919 --> 00:30:04,720
choices or the barbarian has to go

901
00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:06,799
you know seduce the person to the ball

902
00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:08,559
or get the invitation to the party or

903
00:30:06,799 --> 00:30:10,240
convince the king of something that's

904
00:30:08,559 --> 00:30:11,520
when d d gets much more interesting and

905
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,679
so i think really

906
00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:15,360
involving the characters who aren't in

907
00:30:13,679 --> 00:30:17,919
the social situation and challenging

908
00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:19,279
them to be social in certain situations

909
00:30:17,919 --> 00:30:20,840
is a great way to do that you can either

910
00:30:19,279 --> 00:30:23,120
have the character

911
00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:25,840
address you know the people who aren't

912
00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:27,200
speaking you can have a second npc

913
00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:29,279
approach and start engaging some of

914
00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:32,799
those characters there's all sorts of

915
00:30:29,279 --> 00:30:34,480
things you could do to get them involved

916
00:30:32,799 --> 00:30:36,720
before we move on to combat encounters

917
00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:38,880
then is there any anything else you want

918
00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:41,760
to talk about around everything but

919
00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:43,360
combat yeah i um i mean honestly i feel

920
00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:45,039
like we could spend a whole a whole

921
00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,640
session on each

922
00:30:45,039 --> 00:30:48,159
different one uh you know there's all

923
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:49,120
kinds of different things that could be

924
00:30:48,159 --> 00:30:50,559
um

925
00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,000
like we've touched on skill challenges

926
00:30:50,559 --> 00:30:53,840
we've touched on social

927
00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:56,080
one other one especially for low-level

928
00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:59,120
parties that i really enjoy is

929
00:30:56,080 --> 00:31:00,480
exploration or environmental encounters

930
00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:02,640
it's kind of odd to think of these as

931
00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:04,480
encounters sometimes but they do use up

932
00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:06,640
resources particularly for low levels

933
00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:09,279
you know when players are level

934
00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:11,360
one to five you know that first tier

935
00:31:09,279 --> 00:31:13,840
they don't have access to flight even

936
00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:15,440
things like dark vision you know dnd 5v

937
00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:17,760
gives dark vision to everybody but if

938
00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:19,120
you didn't have it trying to explore via

939
00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:20,559
torchlight

940
00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:21,600
that has a cost but i think there's a

941
00:31:20,559 --> 00:31:23,440
number of things that you can do in

942
00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:25,200
encounters you can build that really

943
00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:27,120
will engage your players and especially

944
00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:28,799
players who are newer and are more

945
00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:30,320
tentative around combat

946
00:31:28,799 --> 00:31:32,000
this can be a great way to engage them

947
00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:34,399
so during a dungeon quarrel i would

948
00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:36,960
really recommend having exploration

949
00:31:34,399 --> 00:31:38,320
segments in there so one example of this

950
00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:40,480
would be um

951
00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:41,440
uh i added my players exploring a jungle

952
00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:44,960
dungeon

953
00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:46,399
and they come to a shaft where it's a 50

954
00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,440
foot tall 10 by 10

955
00:31:46,399 --> 00:31:49,600
room

956
00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,760
at the bottom there's sand there's two

957
00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,760
vines hanging down and so they look

958
00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:55,760
there's a uh there's like a doorway up

959
00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:58,559
at the top so they'll need to get across

960
00:31:55,760 --> 00:32:00,640
this big pit and then climb up the other

961
00:31:58,559 --> 00:32:02,000
side this gives them an opportunity to

962
00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:03,519
really try to

963
00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:05,360
use their abilities

964
00:32:03,519 --> 00:32:07,039
to sort of get through this because you

965
00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:10,000
know if they fail and fall then that's

966
00:32:07,039 --> 00:32:11,440
going to have consequences and

967
00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,440
when this encounter happened when i kind

968
00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:15,120
of threw this at my players first of all

969
00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:16,559
one of the vines was a snake so you know

970
00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,559
the player went to go grab it it was a

971
00:32:16,559 --> 00:32:20,480
snake they drop into the quicksand

972
00:32:18,559 --> 00:32:22,880
but they use you know they try to use

973
00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:24,960
enlarge to try and grab onto the wall

974
00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:26,720
better in large reduce the in large part

975
00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:28,799
and so that used a spell slot a second

976
00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:30,720
level spell slot for a you know fourth

977
00:32:28,799 --> 00:32:32,559
level party or whatever that has a real

978
00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:34,399
cost yeah um

979
00:32:32,559 --> 00:32:36,399
and then also when you present these

980
00:32:34,399 --> 00:32:37,360
challenges to players it lets them sort

981
00:32:36,399 --> 00:32:39,200
of

982
00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:42,960
tackle it however they want rather than

983
00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:45,279
combat where it's very uh you know you

984
00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:46,960
have a series of skills you can use and

985
00:32:45,279 --> 00:32:48,880
you have to use one of these particular

986
00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:50,720
skills so i think those kinds of

987
00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:52,640
exploration environmental encounters can

988
00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,919
be really great higher level parties you

989
00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:56,159
know once you get to level 11 and

990
00:32:53,919 --> 00:32:58,000
everybody can fly and shoot lasers and

991
00:32:56,159 --> 00:32:59,519
do all sorts of things it's not as

992
00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:02,159
challenging but i think for lower level

993
00:32:59,519 --> 00:33:03,440
parties that's where that really shines

994
00:33:02,159 --> 00:33:05,360
that's probably one thing to talk about

995
00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:07,440
later on is how to

996
00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:08,799
keep challenging elements in there

997
00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:11,279
because

998
00:33:08,799 --> 00:33:14,320
at lower levels just just talking your

999
00:33:11,279 --> 00:33:15,760
way into a city can be a challenge just

1000
00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:17,760
the guards might not be as you said

1001
00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:19,279
earlier having a bad day and just you

1002
00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:20,320
know them being like

1003
00:33:19,279 --> 00:33:22,000
what the hell are you doing with all

1004
00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:23,760
these weapons on you

1005
00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:26,240
is you know could be challenging enough

1006
00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:28,399
when they're as we said like level 11 up

1007
00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:29,679
basically all

1008
00:33:28,399 --> 00:33:31,919
trivial

1009
00:33:29,679 --> 00:33:34,399
day-to-day activities are just

1010
00:33:31,919 --> 00:33:36,720
not pointless but just mean very little

1011
00:33:34,399 --> 00:33:38,559
to the party characters because

1012
00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:41,200
at certain party characters because they

1013
00:33:38,559 --> 00:33:42,880
are just so easy to to brute force past

1014
00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:45,200
with the dice so

1015
00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:46,159
trying to i don't know what i don't know

1016
00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,000
really

1017
00:33:46,159 --> 00:33:50,080
where i sit like should you just accept

1018
00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:53,039
that it's the fate of an adventuring

1019
00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:54,559
party and just say yeah like they're

1020
00:33:53,039 --> 00:33:56,240
gonna walk into a bar and everyone's

1021
00:33:54,559 --> 00:33:58,240
gonna know them and throw free drinks at

1022
00:33:56,240 --> 00:34:00,559
them because they're level 15 and that's

1023
00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:03,039
yeah what it means to be level 15 or do

1024
00:34:00,559 --> 00:34:03,039
you say

1025
00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:07,039
the bars the bars full of monsters now

1026
00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:08,560
that

1027
00:34:07,039 --> 00:34:10,480
yeah how many dragons are there in the

1028
00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:12,800
kingdom just like yeah

1029
00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:14,720
it's a great question um i think that

1030
00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:16,879
there's there's sort of three things

1031
00:34:14,720 --> 00:34:19,679
about this topic the first of which is

1032
00:34:16,879 --> 00:34:21,520
kind of a kind of a sad point but the

1033
00:34:19,679 --> 00:34:23,839
honestly the answer for a lot of these

1034
00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:26,480
is that most campaigns don't get there

1035
00:34:23,839 --> 00:34:29,280
um and so to worry too much about it in

1036
00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:32,159
advance is something that uh

1037
00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:34,320
you know most something like 90 of

1038
00:34:32,159 --> 00:34:37,119
campaigns wizards has published data on

1039
00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:38,879
this like 90 of campaigns don't get past

1040
00:34:37,119 --> 00:34:42,000
level 10 or something like that yeah

1041
00:34:38,879 --> 00:34:44,000
i've seen i've seen a similar chart yeah

1042
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,760
yeah i mean i don't remember the details

1043
00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,839
off the top of my head but you know so i

1044
00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:50,560
think that sdms it's really easy for us

1045
00:34:47,839 --> 00:34:52,720
to really worry about um those sorts of

1046
00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:55,359
situations but then how often do they

1047
00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:57,119
happen uh the other so you know to some

1048
00:34:55,359 --> 00:34:58,160
extent i guess you know the answer is

1049
00:34:57,119 --> 00:35:00,000
especially when you're starting off

1050
00:34:58,160 --> 00:35:02,000
don't don't sweat it too much the other

1051
00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:04,000
two answers i have is one changing the

1052
00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:05,760
rest like i said changing the resting

1053
00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,680
mechanic especially as they get higher

1054
00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:10,160
level and putting that time crunch then

1055
00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:12,160
that expenditure of resources becomes

1056
00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:13,359
more impactful to some extent they

1057
00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:14,960
should earn it you know if they come

1058
00:35:13,359 --> 00:35:17,200
into a bar and they're the best part in

1059
00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:18,400
the world you know like if david people

1060
00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:20,079
people are gonna know

1061
00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:21,760
yeah yeah exactly i mean can you imagine

1062
00:35:20,079 --> 00:35:23,599
if you were at a bar and lady gaga

1063
00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:25,040
walked in you'd be like okay here's some

1064
00:35:23,599 --> 00:35:26,400
free drinks lady gaga

1065
00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:29,119
please sing like it would be you know a

1066
00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:31,760
whole event the other thing too that i i

1067
00:35:29,119 --> 00:35:33,599
think i like to put in my games is uh

1068
00:35:31,760 --> 00:35:35,520
in my current campaign my players i

1069
00:35:33,599 --> 00:35:37,599
don't think are there yet but

1070
00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:39,440
the players who are high level aren't

1071
00:35:37,599 --> 00:35:41,280
the first players in the world to be

1072
00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:43,599
high level and there's all sorts of

1073
00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:46,640
crazy broken stuff that players that i

1074
00:35:43,599 --> 00:35:48,480
you know pcs at high level can do and i

1075
00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:50,000
think thinking about

1076
00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:51,599
what the heroes who have treaded the

1077
00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:53,119
world before and the villains who have

1078
00:35:51,599 --> 00:35:54,400
been in the world before have done to

1079
00:35:53,119 --> 00:35:56,720
the world

1080
00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:58,400
and what power they've accumulated and

1081
00:35:56,720 --> 00:36:00,079
what they've left behind

1082
00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:02,400
are really interesting ways to think

1083
00:36:00,079 --> 00:36:03,839
about how to challenge the players i

1084
00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:05,760
think you know i think if there is a

1085
00:36:03,839 --> 00:36:07,040
truly a mundane event that the players

1086
00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:08,079
are dealing with yeah they should be

1087
00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:09,920
able to just

1088
00:36:08,079 --> 00:36:11,200
roll past it they've become a certain

1089
00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:13,040
level where they're the heroes of the

1090
00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:15,520
realm they're in third tier you know

1091
00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:17,440
yeah bribing the guards or telling

1092
00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:19,920
getting a discount or you know slaying

1093
00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:21,920
the goblins not a problem but then i

1094
00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:23,680
think that's where having those kind of

1095
00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:26,720
high level play

1096
00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:28,640
uh higher harder encounters there are

1097
00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:31,200
still a lot of opportunities for that to

1098
00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:32,560
still be interesting and they should be

1099
00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:34,640
you know the challenge at high level

1100
00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:36,160
definitely does the the challenges

1101
00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:37,839
differ for sure

1102
00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:39,839
but i think something you can do in

1103
00:36:37,839 --> 00:36:41,440
advance is hey don't worry about it too

1104
00:36:39,839 --> 00:36:42,880
much would be put just a little bit of

1105
00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:45,440
thought in advance about what those kind

1106
00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:47,280
of will look like in your campaign and

1107
00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:49,119
then you know start to prepare for that

1108
00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:50,240
especially if it involves going to uh

1109
00:36:49,119 --> 00:36:53,280
dangerous

1110
00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:55,119
areas uh you know tasha's has a bunch of

1111
00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:56,880
great stuff about dangerous dangerous

1112
00:36:55,119 --> 00:36:59,200
magical environments those are great

1113
00:36:56,880 --> 00:37:02,000
ways to challenge the players

1114
00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:04,079
you know going through deserts trying to

1115
00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:05,440
travel to distant locations those are

1116
00:37:04,079 --> 00:37:06,880
still challenging things for high-level

1117
00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:09,440
players especially before they get

1118
00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:10,960
teleport but even with teleport you know

1119
00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:12,640
if you don't know where you're going

1120
00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:13,760
that's going to be kind of tricky so

1121
00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:15,839
there's still definitely ways to

1122
00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:18,240
challenge those parties

1123
00:37:15,839 --> 00:37:19,680
yeah those those in texas i really want

1124
00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:21,200
to try and incorporate in some way i

1125
00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,720
think that's nice

1126
00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:25,119
interesting way as you said a different

1127
00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:26,720
way of challenging and

1128
00:37:25,119 --> 00:37:28,160
you know it's because it's almost brand

1129
00:37:26,720 --> 00:37:29,760
spanking new i know it's been home

1130
00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:31,200
brewed probably in a million different

1131
00:37:29,760 --> 00:37:32,400
campaigns but

1132
00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:33,680
it would also

1133
00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,520
work against

1134
00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:37,040
the players that know what a boulette is

1135
00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:38,079
and know what a basilisk is and know

1136
00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:39,119
what

1137
00:37:38,079 --> 00:37:41,200
you know

1138
00:37:39,119 --> 00:37:43,280
black oozes and stuff they'll go oh what

1139
00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:45,280
the heck is this i don't even

1140
00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:46,880
and it helps them to embody their

1141
00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:48,240
character a little bit more who's also

1142
00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:49,760
going

1143
00:37:48,240 --> 00:37:52,640
what is this

1144
00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:55,200
yeah yeah i i actually really and that's

1145
00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:58,240
that that variety is really important

1146
00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:59,599
because it's important to have variety

1147
00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:01,200
of your encounters you know have

1148
00:37:59,599 --> 00:38:03,119
different types of encounters but also

1149
00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:05,839
having a variety of monsters

1150
00:38:03,119 --> 00:38:08,079
that your players fight both your pcs

1151
00:38:05,839 --> 00:38:10,079
fight and your players fight that way

1152
00:38:08,079 --> 00:38:12,160
your players aren't bored when they say

1153
00:38:10,079 --> 00:38:14,560
okay it's another basilisk i know don't

1154
00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:16,640
look it in the eyes um you know and i

1155
00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:18,880
think that can be a really fun place for

1156
00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:20,720
dm's to homebrew and change things up is

1157
00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:22,640
monster abilities and you can go online

1158
00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:24,720
and there's plenty of materials you know

1159
00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:26,640
stuff online to find about monsters that

1160
00:38:24,720 --> 00:38:29,599
put people put out there and then having

1161
00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:31,119
those kinds of different challenges

1162
00:38:29,599 --> 00:38:32,880
can be really ways to make things you

1163
00:38:31,119 --> 00:38:34,400
know that variety is the spice of life

1164
00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:35,839
and so i think that you know when

1165
00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:38,810
designing combat encounters is just

1166
00:38:35,839 --> 00:38:42,119
something to keep in mind

1167
00:38:38,810 --> 00:38:42,119
[Music]

1168
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:52,640
thank you for that perfect segue into

1169
00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:55,599
combat encounters then so

1170
00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:57,280
let's talk a little bit about those so

1171
00:38:55,599 --> 00:38:59,839
i guess as a starter for 10 we've

1172
00:38:57,280 --> 00:39:03,520
mentioned the word 101 times already so

1173
00:38:59,839 --> 00:39:05,359
balancing combat encounters and again

1174
00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:06,560
this is a bit of a political statement

1175
00:39:05,359 --> 00:39:08,240
in that it's

1176
00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:10,000
it depends on

1177
00:39:08,240 --> 00:39:12,079
so many different circumstances in the

1178
00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:13,760
context and the group at the table and

1179
00:39:12,079 --> 00:39:15,520
so on and so on but

1180
00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:18,800
obviously i use

1181
00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:20,079
uh encounter builders for mine um

1182
00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:21,599
because there's no way i'm doing that

1183
00:39:20,079 --> 00:39:24,240
maths

1184
00:39:21,599 --> 00:39:25,599
i attempted like twice and just thought

1185
00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:27,280
man this is

1186
00:39:25,599 --> 00:39:28,880
there's got to be an easier way

1187
00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:31,119
to do this than yeah at the

1188
00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:33,359
multiplication divided by the players

1189
00:39:31,119 --> 00:39:34,720
but there's more enemies and

1190
00:39:33,359 --> 00:39:37,200
it's a

1191
00:39:34,720 --> 00:39:39,680
an accountability basically relieved all

1192
00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:41,200
that pain yeah it's definitely an art to

1193
00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:42,480
building encounters because there's so

1194
00:39:41,200 --> 00:39:45,440
many different

1195
00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:47,200
there's a million different um levers

1196
00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:49,040
there that i think that especially when

1197
00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:51,280
you start out and

1198
00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:53,040
you just think okay i'll throw two bug

1199
00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:55,599
bears at them or something but there's

1200
00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:57,680
so much more um there's a lot of other

1201
00:39:55,599 --> 00:39:59,359
tools you can use in balancing

1202
00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:00,640
encounters and you can also do there's a

1203
00:39:59,359 --> 00:40:03,200
lot of tools and tricks you can do to

1204
00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:03,920
kind of live balance encounters i think

1205
00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:05,760
when

1206
00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:07,760
starting out from sort of the monster

1207
00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:09,839
angle there's a couple things i would

1208
00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:12,640
recommend for dms to really think about

1209
00:40:09,839 --> 00:40:14,800
which is one having a variety of enemy

1210
00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:15,599
types is really important

1211
00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:16,880
and

1212
00:40:15,599 --> 00:40:18,560
number two

1213
00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:20,160
when you're building an encounter

1214
00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:22,400
thinking about how those monsters work

1215
00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:24,800
together and what how dangerous those

1216
00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:26,800
can be to the players in concert i think

1217
00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:29,520
is really important you know if you have

1218
00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:31,520
like a single basilisk that can just

1219
00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:34,160
petrify a person and so that can be a

1220
00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:36,720
really dangerous thing for a party

1221
00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:37,920
almost more dangerous than uh you know

1222
00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:40,160
let's say i don't remember what a

1223
00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:43,040
bachelor's cr is i think it's two um you

1224
00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:44,960
know that might be more dangerous or

1225
00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:46,640
deadly to a party because you know if

1226
00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:48,960
you have a level two party they can't

1227
00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:50,880
really deal with petrification very well

1228
00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:52,880
versus you know two bug bears which i

1229
00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:54,560
think are you know let's say an albert's

1230
00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:56,079
a cr2 i don't remember without having it

1231
00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:59,040
in front of me but if you know two

1232
00:40:56,079 --> 00:41:01,280
outbears is a very challenging encounter

1233
00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:03,280
but that's a more controllable encounter

1234
00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:05,760
in some ways yes

1235
00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:07,520
yeah where it's not just gonna you know

1236
00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:10,000
one-shot the players a lot of those kind

1237
00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:12,079
of save or die spells uh effects can be

1238
00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:13,680
very dangerous uh banshee whales and uh

1239
00:41:12,079 --> 00:41:16,079
being another one that yeah i think

1240
00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:18,400
people overlook this is something that

1241
00:41:16,079 --> 00:41:19,760
jamie and i touched on in mistakes was

1242
00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:21,839
due to the mistakes who made building

1243
00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:24,000
encounters for the exact reason that

1244
00:41:21,839 --> 00:41:25,119
you've just described and i i remember

1245
00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:27,520
when i read

1246
00:41:25,119 --> 00:41:29,599
the dungeon masters guide and the

1247
00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:31,839
player's handbook and i don't ever

1248
00:41:29,599 --> 00:41:34,319
recall it making a bigger deal it was

1249
00:41:31,839 --> 00:41:37,119
all very much like here are the numbers

1250
00:41:34,319 --> 00:41:39,200
cr2 is 500 xp

1251
00:41:37,119 --> 00:41:41,920
a medium encounter is a thousand and it

1252
00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:43,359
all seems very black and white

1253
00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:44,560
quite easy

1254
00:41:43,359 --> 00:41:45,760
okay well that would be that'll be a

1255
00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:46,560
challenge

1256
00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:48,720
and

1257
00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:50,240
it has never been a challenge like i

1258
00:41:48,720 --> 00:41:52,560
can't think of a medium encounter that's

1259
00:41:50,240 --> 00:41:54,160
been what i would consider

1260
00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:57,520
medium difficulty combat and it's

1261
00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:59,280
because of those other facets that the

1262
00:41:57,520 --> 00:42:01,680
example jamie and i use is the strength

1263
00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:04,079
drain that i think it's shadows get yeah

1264
00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:05,680
that can also just kill an npc i don't

1265
00:42:04,079 --> 00:42:07,200
even think they get a save apart from

1266
00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:08,560
the save to reduce their strength but

1267
00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:10,000
when it hits zero

1268
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:10,800
they just die

1269
00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:12,640
yeah

1270
00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:14,000
like i think they're like cr half or

1271
00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:15,599
maybe one and a half or something but

1272
00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:17,520
it's it's just

1273
00:42:15,599 --> 00:42:19,440
it's just like oh that that that was an

1274
00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:20,480
easy encounter but i've killed two

1275
00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,920
players

1276
00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:23,920
yeah well especially

1277
00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:25,680
when you get into um you know the more

1278
00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:28,319
monsters with because of bounded

1279
00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:30,160
accuracy in the d20 system uh generally

1280
00:42:28,319 --> 00:42:32,319
if you want to make encounters easier

1281
00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:34,240
having less monsters makes it easier for

1282
00:42:32,319 --> 00:42:35,760
the players and having more weaker

1283
00:42:34,240 --> 00:42:37,760
monsters can make it harder for the

1284
00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:40,240
players just because of bounded accuracy

1285
00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:41,599
so you know you might have eight shadows

1286
00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:43,440
attacking a party of level two and i

1287
00:42:41,599 --> 00:42:45,680
think they're cr one fourth or something

1288
00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:47,359
and you know yeah yeah very difficult

1289
00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:49,760
encounter so the

1290
00:42:47,359 --> 00:42:53,040
there's really kind of a lot more depth

1291
00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:54,560
into developing encounters than just

1292
00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:56,560
even when starting just looking at the

1293
00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:57,520
cr numbers there's a lot to play around

1294
00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:59,200
with there

1295
00:42:57,520 --> 00:43:00,560
you know something that i like to do in

1296
00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:02,880
order to

1297
00:43:00,560 --> 00:43:04,880
attenuate this is i do

1298
00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:06,960
like to give some of these monsters

1299
00:43:04,880 --> 00:43:09,119
different abilities so for example uh

1300
00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:11,040
for shadows i think they can be very fun

1301
00:43:09,119 --> 00:43:12,480
to use but having them use strength

1302
00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:13,280
drain every turn is probably a little

1303
00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:15,040
much

1304
00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:17,200
um one thing that i recently did with my

1305
00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:19,680
party is i had the shadows

1306
00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:21,760
touch the player's weapons and have them

1307
00:43:19,680 --> 00:43:23,440
become immaterial like they'd be turned

1308
00:43:21,760 --> 00:43:24,880
into shadowy weapons that like fell to

1309
00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:27,520
the floor and they couldn't use their

1310
00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:30,079
weapons you know it's probably honestly

1311
00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:31,520
not as strong as a strength drain attack

1312
00:43:30,079 --> 00:43:33,280
but that variety

1313
00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:34,720
can surprise players especially

1314
00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:36,720
experienced players when you give it a

1315
00:43:34,720 --> 00:43:38,480
monster a new ability like that it makes

1316
00:43:36,720 --> 00:43:40,240
it a little less deadly

1317
00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:42,000
and it actually scared the crap out of

1318
00:43:40,240 --> 00:43:43,440
some of my players particularly the

1319
00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:44,800
newer ones who thought that that was a

1320
00:43:43,440 --> 00:43:46,800
very large threat

1321
00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:48,560
um so that's also something where you

1322
00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:50,480
can do where you know harkens back to

1323
00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:53,680
making sure that there's a variety

1324
00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:57,119
is you can change monster abilities in

1325
00:43:53,680 --> 00:43:59,280
order to up or lower the cr a bit

1326
00:43:57,119 --> 00:44:00,640
yeah absolutely i agree and i really

1327
00:43:59,280 --> 00:44:02,880
like the idea of making the weapons

1328
00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:05,040
immaterial because it makes a

1329
00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:06,720
i mean the strength drain is i guess

1330
00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:08,960
equally a bigger deal because obviously

1331
00:44:06,720 --> 00:44:11,760
for the marshall classes that's i'm sure

1332
00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:13,839
a rogue that's gonna directly impact how

1333
00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:15,440
effective you are but then also for the

1334
00:44:13,839 --> 00:44:17,520
caster classes their strength is

1335
00:44:15,440 --> 00:44:18,800
typically gonna be a lot lower anyway so

1336
00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:20,480
they've got

1337
00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:23,280
they've got a lower distance to fall

1338
00:44:20,480 --> 00:44:24,800
before they die anyway so um yeah so

1339
00:44:23,280 --> 00:44:26,160
having that immaterial thing especially

1340
00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:28,720
if the caster's

1341
00:44:26,160 --> 00:44:30,000
focus is is a weapon like a staff or a

1342
00:44:28,720 --> 00:44:31,040
mace or something then they're doubly

1343
00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:32,720
screwed

1344
00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:35,119
yeah well what i had happened was um

1345
00:44:32,720 --> 00:44:36,960
there was a cleric who's using her long

1346
00:44:35,119 --> 00:44:39,040
sword to get the shadows and then you

1347
00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:41,280
know she still has her cantrips uh i

1348
00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:43,760
think that you know the goal would be to

1349
00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:45,440
disable a player entirely yes but as

1350
00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:47,839
they get to a higher level than forcing

1351
00:44:45,440 --> 00:44:50,000
them to use those backup things

1352
00:44:47,839 --> 00:44:51,359
that can be a better challenge it kind

1353
00:44:50,000 --> 00:44:54,000
of you know once again depends on the

1354
00:44:51,359 --> 00:44:55,520
player group but it can force them to

1355
00:44:54,000 --> 00:44:57,359
think in a different way and play in a

1356
00:44:55,520 --> 00:44:59,599
different way i think in the similar

1357
00:44:57,359 --> 00:45:01,520
situation crowd control effects like

1358
00:44:59,599 --> 00:45:02,720
stuns are something that you want to

1359
00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:04,880
avoid more

1360
00:45:02,720 --> 00:45:06,960
layering on your players but then having

1361
00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:08,640
conditional crowd control effects and or

1362
00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:10,480
limiting effects on your players does

1363
00:45:08,640 --> 00:45:12,240
force them to think out of the box

1364
00:45:10,480 --> 00:45:13,520
yeah i've read recently that basically

1365
00:45:12,240 --> 00:45:15,040
stun is

1366
00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:17,359
a little bit op

1367
00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:19,520
because they lose a whole turn but also

1368
00:45:17,359 --> 00:45:22,400
probably more importantly it sucks as a

1369
00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:24,319
player yeah very anti-fun um you know

1370
00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:26,160
back back in the old days of wow for

1371
00:45:24,319 --> 00:45:28,319
example uh world of warcraft you know

1372
00:45:26,160 --> 00:45:31,040
there were rogues that could uh stun

1373
00:45:28,319 --> 00:45:32,640
look yep and that's that's exactly the

1374
00:45:31,040 --> 00:45:35,680
uh you know i think it's fine when the

1375
00:45:32,640 --> 00:45:38,800
pcs do it to monsters but you know it's

1376
00:45:35,680 --> 00:45:40,880
not very fun it's definitely an anti-fun

1377
00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:42,400
situation when your pcs gets done so

1378
00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:44,240
that's another thing where you know you

1379
00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:46,880
could have a lot of low-level monsters

1380
00:45:44,240 --> 00:45:49,680
that have a cc effect that can be

1381
00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:50,960
another challenge to ramp up you know

1382
00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:53,040
encounters

1383
00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:55,280
it can make the encounter more difficult

1384
00:45:53,040 --> 00:45:56,640
even with the same sort of level of cr

1385
00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:59,839
let's say

1386
00:45:56,640 --> 00:46:02,160
yeah i my main was a warlock in well so

1387
00:45:59,839 --> 00:46:05,040
i am intimately familiar with rogues and

1388
00:46:02,160 --> 00:46:06,480
their stun locks so yeah yes

1389
00:46:05,040 --> 00:46:09,119
yeah i've got a very good example this

1390
00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:11,280
is hot off the presses because i ran the

1391
00:46:09,119 --> 00:46:13,200
session on thursday

1392
00:46:11,280 --> 00:46:15,599
long story short as i was re-running a

1393
00:46:13,200 --> 00:46:16,960
chapter that i'd run in my main campaign

1394
00:46:15,599 --> 00:46:19,760
now when the players went through that

1395
00:46:16,960 --> 00:46:21,200
in my main campaign they were level

1396
00:46:19,760 --> 00:46:22,240
four or five

1397
00:46:21,200 --> 00:46:24,640
maybe

1398
00:46:22,240 --> 00:46:26,400
so i was i stepped in for christmas to

1399
00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:28,079
to run it for another group of friends

1400
00:46:26,400 --> 00:46:30,319
and i said hey let me give the damn a

1401
00:46:28,079 --> 00:46:31,599
break i'll jump in i've got this chapter

1402
00:46:30,319 --> 00:46:33,599
i'll just rerun the chapter if it's very

1403
00:46:31,599 --> 00:46:36,400
little overhead for me i just gotta

1404
00:46:33,599 --> 00:46:38,319
basically redesign the encounters the

1405
00:46:36,400 --> 00:46:40,800
guys in this one uh i said you know have

1406
00:46:38,319 --> 00:46:42,319
have some fun be level 11 level 10

1407
00:46:40,800 --> 00:46:43,920
something like that just to

1408
00:46:42,319 --> 00:46:46,880
have a bit more flexibility

1409
00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:49,200
and for the most part it was okay uh i

1410
00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:51,680
managed to scale up combat encounters

1411
00:46:49,200 --> 00:46:53,599
and still keep it congruent within

1412
00:46:51,680 --> 00:46:55,440
reason and then this is the thing that i

1413
00:46:53,599 --> 00:46:57,280
want people to learn from from my

1414
00:46:55,440 --> 00:46:59,200
mistake and it came to the big boss

1415
00:46:57,280 --> 00:47:01,119
battle so

1416
00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:04,480
my point being is that i managed to

1417
00:47:01,119 --> 00:47:05,520
scale up the cr to an equivalent hard

1418
00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:08,160
fight

1419
00:47:05,520 --> 00:47:11,359
for player characters of twice the level

1420
00:47:08,160 --> 00:47:14,319
but here's the thing i didn't scale the

1421
00:47:11,359 --> 00:47:16,560
encounter the wider encounter yeah so it

1422
00:47:14,319 --> 00:47:17,760
was still quite a two-dimensional fight

1423
00:47:16,560 --> 00:47:19,680
because the players that went through it

1424
00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:22,240
originally were lower level lower

1425
00:47:19,680 --> 00:47:24,000
experience in real life so it was still

1426
00:47:22,240 --> 00:47:25,520
very much like here's a big bad here's a

1427
00:47:24,000 --> 00:47:26,880
couple of mooks

1428
00:47:25,520 --> 00:47:28,960
go to town

1429
00:47:26,880 --> 00:47:30,960
so not only are these players ever so

1430
00:47:28,960 --> 00:47:33,040
slightly more experienced as players but

1431
00:47:30,960 --> 00:47:34,319
also their characters had a whole lot

1432
00:47:33,040 --> 00:47:36,079
more and although the fight was

1433
00:47:34,319 --> 00:47:37,520
technically hard

1434
00:47:36,079 --> 00:47:39,359
they have a lot more ways to make it

1435
00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:41,760
trivial at level 11 than they do at

1436
00:47:39,359 --> 00:47:43,200
level 5. so it was from a dm's

1437
00:47:41,760 --> 00:47:44,559
perspective the players enjoyed it which

1438
00:47:43,200 --> 00:47:45,760
is i guess the most important thing but

1439
00:47:44,559 --> 00:47:46,960
hey

1440
00:47:45,760 --> 00:47:49,119
i'm

1441
00:47:46,960 --> 00:47:50,319
always trying to do better and then it

1442
00:47:49,119 --> 00:47:53,119
definitely felt

1443
00:47:50,319 --> 00:47:55,599
like it had a little bit less

1444
00:47:53,119 --> 00:47:56,480
threat a little bit less dynamism than

1445
00:47:55,599 --> 00:47:58,640
it did

1446
00:47:56,480 --> 00:48:00,960
against level five players just purely

1447
00:47:58,640 --> 00:48:02,960
because it was like oh okay i've got a

1448
00:48:00,960 --> 00:48:05,200
cobalt ranger literally just going toe

1449
00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:07,440
to toe with this bad guy yeah because

1450
00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:10,319
he's got pack tactics and is hitting on

1451
00:48:07,440 --> 00:48:12,000
a plus nine and he's doing 20 points of

1452
00:48:10,319 --> 00:48:14,480
damage oh

1453
00:48:12,000 --> 00:48:17,040
especially if you um you know players on

1454
00:48:14,480 --> 00:48:18,720
min max or you know d d is designed with

1455
00:48:17,040 --> 00:48:20,720
the original way the rules were designed

1456
00:48:18,720 --> 00:48:23,680
at least per my understanding is that

1457
00:48:20,720 --> 00:48:26,160
you know they kind of had planned for a

1458
00:48:23,680 --> 00:48:28,160
pretty limited set of options and so

1459
00:48:26,160 --> 00:48:30,000
somebody's really a min max or two the

1460
00:48:28,160 --> 00:48:32,559
the level of power that their character

1461
00:48:30,000 --> 00:48:34,480
scales with as they level up is um you

1462
00:48:32,559 --> 00:48:36,240
know it's exponential yeah for sure yeah

1463
00:48:34,480 --> 00:48:38,079
and then if you have a single boss

1464
00:48:36,240 --> 00:48:39,599
monster even with a couple of moocs if

1465
00:48:38,079 --> 00:48:40,960
you even if they're taken out easily

1466
00:48:39,599 --> 00:48:43,200
suddenly that boss you know when

1467
00:48:40,960 --> 00:48:44,880
everybody in the party can layer on cc

1468
00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:47,359
you know the monk is stunning strike

1469
00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:49,119
every turn you know the wizards doing

1470
00:48:47,359 --> 00:48:51,760
whatever banishment hypnotic pattern

1471
00:48:49,119 --> 00:48:53,520
autos irresistible dance whatever all

1472
00:48:51,760 --> 00:48:55,520
these layered effects

1473
00:48:53,520 --> 00:48:58,559
it kind of creates kind of another layer

1474
00:48:55,520 --> 00:49:00,160
of combat where yeah above and beyond

1475
00:48:58,559 --> 00:49:03,119
just the challenge rating of that

1476
00:49:00,160 --> 00:49:05,200
situation absolutely yeah yeah um i

1477
00:49:03,119 --> 00:49:06,319
think when that happens you know the

1478
00:49:05,200 --> 00:49:08,640
thing

1479
00:49:06,319 --> 00:49:09,839
to think about is is uh layering in some

1480
00:49:08,640 --> 00:49:11,680
of these other

1481
00:49:09,839 --> 00:49:13,920
encounter effects you know having

1482
00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:16,559
terrain having additional minions having

1483
00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:18,480
environmental effects traps those are a

1484
00:49:16,559 --> 00:49:20,000
great point for when you can throw those

1485
00:49:18,480 --> 00:49:21,760
in because those kinds of things will

1486
00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:24,319
add a lot of variety and kind of keep

1487
00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:27,839
players uh on their toes

1488
00:49:24,319 --> 00:49:28,720
the other thing too is um

1489
00:49:27,839 --> 00:49:30,000
because

1490
00:49:28,720 --> 00:49:31,359
you know you can just certain like if

1491
00:49:30,000 --> 00:49:33,040
you have a

1492
00:49:31,359 --> 00:49:34,400
higher level party throwing you know you

1493
00:49:33,040 --> 00:49:35,920
would think using the encounter builder

1494
00:49:34,400 --> 00:49:38,079
you could just throw uh

1495
00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:40,240
a remarks against them or something but

1496
00:49:38,079 --> 00:49:42,880
even at that when they get to a higher

1497
00:49:40,240 --> 00:49:46,480
level you almost need to uh

1498
00:49:42,880 --> 00:49:48,400
amp up the cr by double just to even

1499
00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:50,319
make the players feel threatened and so

1500
00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:52,160
for a boss fight i think that's really

1501
00:49:50,319 --> 00:49:54,480
where you want to uh

1502
00:49:52,160 --> 00:49:57,599
you know put a lot of extra oomph in

1503
00:49:54,480 --> 00:50:00,160
there are also ways in which you can

1504
00:49:57,599 --> 00:50:01,440
kind of live balance encounters um kind

1505
00:50:00,160 --> 00:50:03,920
of sneakily

1506
00:50:01,440 --> 00:50:06,079
you can have the extra reinforcements

1507
00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:08,319
come in or have staged combats or have

1508
00:50:06,079 --> 00:50:09,839
the boss decide which abilities to use

1509
00:50:08,319 --> 00:50:12,559
or fight intelligently or not fight

1510
00:50:09,839 --> 00:50:15,599
intelligently so that does also give you

1511
00:50:12,559 --> 00:50:18,960
a lot of levers for kind of uh changing

1512
00:50:15,599 --> 00:50:20,160
how the combats work in real time

1513
00:50:18,960 --> 00:50:22,559
yeah you touched on a couple of points

1514
00:50:20,160 --> 00:50:24,839
there and the funniest one is

1515
00:50:22,559 --> 00:50:27,599
about the traps and the

1516
00:50:24,839 --> 00:50:29,440
terrain yeah and i'm i'm

1517
00:50:27,599 --> 00:50:30,800
doubly an idiot because when i

1518
00:50:29,440 --> 00:50:33,040
originally run that encounter for the

1519
00:50:30,800 --> 00:50:35,119
lower level characters i had

1520
00:50:33,040 --> 00:50:37,599
basically the ground where they killed

1521
00:50:35,119 --> 00:50:38,640
some spectral enemies turn into like

1522
00:50:37,599 --> 00:50:41,440
void

1523
00:50:38,640 --> 00:50:43,280
pits you know you slip into the abyss of

1524
00:50:41,440 --> 00:50:44,880
yeah ethereal plane kind of thing

1525
00:50:43,280 --> 00:50:45,920
because they yeah kind of tore a hole

1526
00:50:44,880 --> 00:50:47,839
and really

1527
00:50:45,920 --> 00:50:49,040
for some reason forgot to do that when i

1528
00:50:47,839 --> 00:50:50,720
rerun it with the higher level

1529
00:50:49,040 --> 00:50:52,079
characters and i was like why

1530
00:50:50,720 --> 00:50:54,400
that's that's precisely what that

1531
00:50:52,079 --> 00:50:56,079
encounter needed and

1532
00:50:54,400 --> 00:50:57,040
more so for these players and i forgot

1533
00:50:56,079 --> 00:50:58,720
to do it

1534
00:50:57,040 --> 00:51:01,200
yeah and you kind of have to ramp it up

1535
00:50:58,720 --> 00:51:03,520
too based on the uh the level like for

1536
00:51:01,200 --> 00:51:05,440
example one of the earlier combats that

1537
00:51:03,520 --> 00:51:07,520
i threw at my party one of the traps in

1538
00:51:05,440 --> 00:51:09,920
the room was a rug covering a pit you

1539
00:51:07,520 --> 00:51:11,359
know easily very you know it was that

1540
00:51:09,920 --> 00:51:12,880
was actually a very fun one especially

1541
00:51:11,359 --> 00:51:14,880
for low-level parties because they there

1542
00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:16,720
was a lot of dirt around the room and

1543
00:51:14,880 --> 00:51:18,559
you know there's shovels and there was

1544
00:51:16,720 --> 00:51:20,240
like a rug that was very out of place in

1545
00:51:18,559 --> 00:51:21,520
the room and then they like stepped on

1546
00:51:20,240 --> 00:51:22,960
it during the comic encounter i'm like

1547
00:51:21,520 --> 00:51:24,800
they're like well you know i go over

1548
00:51:22,960 --> 00:51:26,480
here i'm like well you try to take a

1549
00:51:24,800 --> 00:51:29,280
step and you fall into the pit that's

1550
00:51:26,480 --> 00:51:30,960
obviously much more of an of a barrier

1551
00:51:29,280 --> 00:51:32,400
for the lower level parties and once you

1552
00:51:30,960 --> 00:51:34,640
get to those higher level parties you

1553
00:51:32,400 --> 00:51:36,079
know a wall of fire ain't gonna really

1554
00:51:34,640 --> 00:51:37,760
you know or like fire on the ground

1555
00:51:36,079 --> 00:51:39,520
ain't gonna really cut it in terms of

1556
00:51:37,760 --> 00:51:40,640
providing a barrier for them you know

1557
00:51:39,520 --> 00:51:42,800
what are you gonna take when you run

1558
00:51:40,640 --> 00:51:44,800
through fire 1d6 1d10 damage you know if

1559
00:51:42,800 --> 00:51:46,800
you're yeah 10th level you don't really

1560
00:51:44,800 --> 00:51:48,240
care no and i think then is true when

1561
00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:49,680
you have to work on

1562
00:51:48,240 --> 00:51:51,839
scaling up the

1563
00:51:49,680 --> 00:51:54,160
the barriers to the players along with

1564
00:51:51,839 --> 00:51:56,319
the cr to make it you know keep it in

1565
00:51:54,160 --> 00:51:58,880
lockstep yeah as i said the the

1566
00:51:56,319 --> 00:52:00,160
encounter as a whole of which the cr is

1567
00:51:58,880 --> 00:52:02,800
just one

1568
00:52:00,160 --> 00:52:05,200
part of it so you could have

1569
00:52:02,800 --> 00:52:06,640
almost easy or trivial cr encounter but

1570
00:52:05,200 --> 00:52:08,640
because you've got

1571
00:52:06,640 --> 00:52:09,440
seven different layers and rocks falling

1572
00:52:08,640 --> 00:52:11,200
and

1573
00:52:09,440 --> 00:52:12,240
rugs covering holes it's actually

1574
00:52:11,200 --> 00:52:14,160
overall

1575
00:52:12,240 --> 00:52:16,160
a lot yeah and it keeps it much more

1576
00:52:14,160 --> 00:52:18,720
interesting i mean even the distance at

1577
00:52:16,160 --> 00:52:20,559
which your players start from an enemy

1578
00:52:18,720 --> 00:52:22,559
you know if you have like if they're um

1579
00:52:20,559 --> 00:52:24,800
if they're fighting against let's say

1580
00:52:22,559 --> 00:52:26,880
10 cobalt archers uh you know if they

1581
00:52:24,800 --> 00:52:29,440
start that fight in melee

1582
00:52:26,880 --> 00:52:31,760
piece of cake if they are running up a

1583
00:52:29,440 --> 00:52:33,920
set of stairs that are you know in a

1584
00:52:31,760 --> 00:52:35,760
rain slick you know slick stairs and

1585
00:52:33,920 --> 00:52:37,440
when it's raining during a storm and the

1586
00:52:35,760 --> 00:52:39,040
kobolds have cover shooting from the

1587
00:52:37,440 --> 00:52:41,040
castle windows

1588
00:52:39,040 --> 00:52:43,680
that could be four kobold archers that's

1589
00:52:41,040 --> 00:52:45,599
like a cr1 or whatever cr2 that could

1590
00:52:43,680 --> 00:52:46,400
that could be like a almost a huge

1591
00:52:45,599 --> 00:52:48,559
challenge

1592
00:52:46,400 --> 00:52:51,440
for some parties you know even at a

1593
00:52:48,559 --> 00:52:52,960
higher level so uh those kinds of levers

1594
00:52:51,440 --> 00:52:54,480
i think there's just a lot of fun things

1595
00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:55,839
you can do with combat

1596
00:52:54,480 --> 00:52:58,400
something that i like to do occasionally

1597
00:52:55,839 --> 00:53:00,319
is you can throw in even puzzles or rp

1598
00:52:58,400 --> 00:53:01,920
things in combat so just so much

1599
00:53:00,319 --> 00:53:04,079
opportunity you have there to kind of

1600
00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:06,400
mix it up switch it up one fun thing i

1601
00:53:04,079 --> 00:53:07,920
did recently i kind of have a in the

1602
00:53:06,400 --> 00:53:11,040
campaign i run is a little more goofy a

1603
00:53:07,920 --> 00:53:13,119
little more um fantastical

1604
00:53:11,040 --> 00:53:17,760
the players had a combat where there was

1605
00:53:13,119 --> 00:53:20,000
a fire elemental in a like a a glass

1606
00:53:17,760 --> 00:53:21,920
containment system and there were these

1607
00:53:20,000 --> 00:53:23,520
there was like controls like levers

1608
00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:25,280
around the room that were controlling

1609
00:53:23,520 --> 00:53:27,599
these control rods and it was actually

1610
00:53:25,280 --> 00:53:28,880
taken inspiration from chernobyl where

1611
00:53:27,599 --> 00:53:30,800
you know the control rods were being

1612
00:53:28,880 --> 00:53:32,160
lowered and raised and the enemies were

1613
00:53:30,800 --> 00:53:33,280
running around during the combat

1614
00:53:32,160 --> 00:53:34,640
flipping

1615
00:53:33,280 --> 00:53:35,920
some of them were attacking them some of

1616
00:53:34,640 --> 00:53:37,760
them were running around flipping the

1617
00:53:35,920 --> 00:53:38,960
levers you know willy-nilly and so the

1618
00:53:37,760 --> 00:53:40,800
players had to

1619
00:53:38,960 --> 00:53:42,640
deal with this sort of puzzle in the

1620
00:53:40,800 --> 00:53:43,760
middle of combat in addition to fighting

1621
00:53:42,640 --> 00:53:45,760
the enemies

1622
00:53:43,760 --> 00:53:48,720
an encounter where i attack you attack i

1623
00:53:45,760 --> 00:53:50,000
attack you attack the monster dies

1624
00:53:48,720 --> 00:53:52,000
it's really going to be interesting but

1625
00:53:50,000 --> 00:53:54,160
it's really all that set dressing that

1626
00:53:52,000 --> 00:53:56,800
you add in that's where it takes it kind

1627
00:53:54,160 --> 00:53:57,839
of to the next level yeah which is which

1628
00:53:56,800 --> 00:54:00,319
is where

1629
00:53:57,839 --> 00:54:02,400
it takes a lot of planning and prep on

1630
00:54:00,319 --> 00:54:05,040
the dm i think to make it in it to go

1631
00:54:02,400 --> 00:54:07,760
the extra mile and to make those

1632
00:54:05,040 --> 00:54:10,720
engaging encounters that have an extra

1633
00:54:07,760 --> 00:54:12,720
couple of dimensions be it time

1634
00:54:10,720 --> 00:54:13,680
yeah you know the room's filling with

1635
00:54:12,720 --> 00:54:15,280
water

1636
00:54:13,680 --> 00:54:16,880
for example which can drastically change

1637
00:54:15,280 --> 00:54:18,960
how combat works you know rolling at

1638
00:54:16,880 --> 00:54:20,079
disadvantage moving half speed because

1639
00:54:18,960 --> 00:54:21,760
you're wading through water that kind of

1640
00:54:20,079 --> 00:54:22,960
stuff which is something i just made up

1641
00:54:21,760 --> 00:54:24,960
then but now i definitely want to

1642
00:54:22,960 --> 00:54:27,119
incorporate at some point because that's

1643
00:54:24,960 --> 00:54:28,240
pretty interesting and

1644
00:54:27,119 --> 00:54:31,040
yeah

1645
00:54:28,240 --> 00:54:32,480
it's it's tricky yeah there's even

1646
00:54:31,040 --> 00:54:34,640
simple ones you could do though like

1647
00:54:32,480 --> 00:54:36,400
it's not um you know it does it does

1648
00:54:34,640 --> 00:54:38,799
take more time depending you know this

1649
00:54:36,400 --> 00:54:40,079
is kind of where just like the rest of

1650
00:54:38,799 --> 00:54:41,359
dming the more time you want to spend

1651
00:54:40,079 --> 00:54:42,880
the more time you can spend but one

1652
00:54:41,359 --> 00:54:44,640
thing you can do is just have an easy

1653
00:54:42,880 --> 00:54:46,400
quick tool set of things you can grab

1654
00:54:44,640 --> 00:54:48,240
real fast like you could say the room is

1655
00:54:46,400 --> 00:54:49,839
filling up with water there's poisonous

1656
00:54:48,240 --> 00:54:52,319
gas in the room that might explode if it

1657
00:54:49,839 --> 00:54:54,240
gets hit with fire uh another one that i

1658
00:54:52,319 --> 00:54:56,079
did was the characters have to like

1659
00:54:54,240 --> 00:54:58,640
crawl through a tunnel and anybody who's

1660
00:54:56,079 --> 00:55:00,799
medium who's medium or larger has to

1661
00:54:58,640 --> 00:55:02,559
like bend down and have to move at half

1662
00:55:00,799 --> 00:55:04,559
speed and then there were bricks that

1663
00:55:02,559 --> 00:55:06,880
came out so you know one thing you can

1664
00:55:04,559 --> 00:55:09,119
do is just have a document ready of uh

1665
00:55:06,880 --> 00:55:11,280
combat complications you can add in and

1666
00:55:09,119 --> 00:55:12,880
that can infuse a little more life into

1667
00:55:11,280 --> 00:55:14,559
an encounter even if it's something that

1668
00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:16,240
you're trying to come up with on the fly

1669
00:55:14,559 --> 00:55:18,319
and having those different variety type

1670
00:55:16,240 --> 00:55:20,400
of enemies in those encounters too

1671
00:55:18,319 --> 00:55:22,160
really makes it feel alive you might

1672
00:55:20,400 --> 00:55:23,520
have a situation where

1673
00:55:22,160 --> 00:55:25,520
you know mimics are great for this too

1674
00:55:23,520 --> 00:55:26,720
because they can act as traps characters

1675
00:55:25,520 --> 00:55:28,160
might you know one character might be

1676
00:55:26,720 --> 00:55:30,079
being attacked by a mimic one character

1677
00:55:28,160 --> 00:55:32,720
might be being attacked by a gelatinous

1678
00:55:30,079 --> 00:55:34,400
cube yeah you know even that kind of

1679
00:55:32,720 --> 00:55:36,160
simple comment of here's two different

1680
00:55:34,400 --> 00:55:38,799
enemies suddenly can be a situation that

1681
00:55:36,160 --> 00:55:40,000
becomes very memorable where it becomes

1682
00:55:38,799 --> 00:55:41,440
uh you know both of them kind of

1683
00:55:40,000 --> 00:55:44,319
function as traps

1684
00:55:41,440 --> 00:55:45,839
and uh you know how many combats against

1685
00:55:44,319 --> 00:55:47,359
10 goblins

1686
00:55:45,839 --> 00:55:49,119
is memorable it's really kind of those

1687
00:55:47,359 --> 00:55:50,799
more interesting ones that really i feel

1688
00:55:49,119 --> 00:55:52,240
like stick out in our minds you're

1689
00:55:50,799 --> 00:55:53,920
making me feel really good about myself

1690
00:55:52,240 --> 00:55:55,440
because

1691
00:55:53,920 --> 00:55:57,359
well good i mean

1692
00:55:55,440 --> 00:55:59,280
it's not to say that somebody's failing

1693
00:55:57,359 --> 00:56:02,160
when they don't do these things but i

1694
00:55:59,280 --> 00:56:05,200
think it's really exciting for us as dms

1695
00:56:02,160 --> 00:56:06,880
and game designers to be able to uh

1696
00:56:05,200 --> 00:56:08,400
invest more and

1697
00:56:06,880 --> 00:56:10,000
really make things stick out and you

1698
00:56:08,400 --> 00:56:11,440
know i think you had a recent episode

1699
00:56:10,000 --> 00:56:13,359
about adding music and that can be

1700
00:56:11,440 --> 00:56:15,040
another one too there's

1701
00:56:13,359 --> 00:56:17,280
about the value-added stuff isn't it

1702
00:56:15,040 --> 00:56:19,839
it's it's the above and beyond kind of

1703
00:56:17,280 --> 00:56:21,920
just to really put a polish on it yeah

1704
00:56:19,839 --> 00:56:23,839
yeah because um yeah one of the reason i

1705
00:56:21,920 --> 00:56:25,839
said that thing was because the combat i

1706
00:56:23,839 --> 00:56:27,839
had in the same dungeon but the boss

1707
00:56:25,839 --> 00:56:30,640
battle i was just talking about is

1708
00:56:27,839 --> 00:56:33,200
a mimic and a couple of black puddings

1709
00:56:30,640 --> 00:56:34,559
and the mimic in that instance was

1710
00:56:33,200 --> 00:56:36,240
it wasn't basically a chest it was

1711
00:56:34,559 --> 00:56:38,079
basically pretending to be the elevator

1712
00:56:36,240 --> 00:56:40,079
in the elevator shaft so the player is

1713
00:56:38,079 --> 00:56:42,079
like the first time a player steps on

1714
00:56:40,079 --> 00:56:43,599
i'm like oh the floors like it looks

1715
00:56:42,079 --> 00:56:45,680
like wood but it's kind of sticky and

1716
00:56:43,599 --> 00:56:47,760
you're you're having to like it's almost

1717
00:56:45,680 --> 00:56:50,160
pulling your shoes off as you walk and

1718
00:56:47,760 --> 00:56:52,000
then i basically get them to roll

1719
00:56:50,160 --> 00:56:53,359
initiative because the left starts to

1720
00:56:52,000 --> 00:56:54,559
eat the players and then long story

1721
00:56:53,359 --> 00:56:57,359
short they kill the mimic and what's

1722
00:56:54,559 --> 00:56:59,280
left is like this proper rickety wooden

1723
00:56:57,359 --> 00:57:01,760
lift whereas before it was you know with

1724
00:56:59,280 --> 00:57:04,160
like posters and metal and gantries and

1725
00:57:01,760 --> 00:57:06,160
barricades and stuff yeah and then now

1726
00:57:04,160 --> 00:57:07,599
what's left is like hanging by a thread

1727
00:57:06,160 --> 00:57:09,599
[Laughter]

1728
00:57:07,599 --> 00:57:12,000
i love that that's great i'm gonna steal

1729
00:57:09,599 --> 00:57:13,760
that

1730
00:57:12,000 --> 00:57:15,200
they're providing you know value-adding

1731
00:57:13,760 --> 00:57:16,720
in this podcast

1732
00:57:15,200 --> 00:57:17,760
with ideas to each other and the oh

1733
00:57:16,720 --> 00:57:19,119
that's good point actually the other

1734
00:57:17,760 --> 00:57:20,480
thing i wanted to say was

1735
00:57:19,119 --> 00:57:22,960
you mentioned there again the other

1736
00:57:20,480 --> 00:57:24,799
thing that was boosting my ego was

1737
00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:27,200
about having tunnels that characters

1738
00:57:24,799 --> 00:57:29,920
have to move that half speed through

1739
00:57:27,200 --> 00:57:31,440
and i incorporated those into a pretty

1740
00:57:29,920 --> 00:57:32,720
run-of-the-mill cobalt dungeon that

1741
00:57:31,440 --> 00:57:35,119
listeners would have heard me talk about

1742
00:57:32,720 --> 00:57:37,520
before it's probably my magnum opus to

1743
00:57:35,119 --> 00:57:39,839
date a dungeon design

1744
00:57:37,520 --> 00:57:43,040
but my point being is that that's people

1745
00:57:39,839 --> 00:57:44,319
can use that if they have time

1746
00:57:43,040 --> 00:57:46,240
to

1747
00:57:44,319 --> 00:57:48,319
design a lot of those things you were

1748
00:57:46,240 --> 00:57:52,160
talking about a lot of those go-to's

1749
00:57:48,319 --> 00:57:53,839
so i've got the tunnels in there um

1750
00:57:52,160 --> 00:57:56,720
like murder holes traps you know

1751
00:57:53,839 --> 00:57:58,160
explosive traps to attract um

1752
00:57:56,720 --> 00:58:00,079
the cobwebs in this dungeon they have a

1753
00:57:58,160 --> 00:58:01,440
kiln that they were using to build and

1754
00:58:00,079 --> 00:58:03,119
tinker and stuff

1755
00:58:01,440 --> 00:58:05,200
but basically they slam it into

1756
00:58:03,119 --> 00:58:08,000
overdrive so it explodes

1757
00:58:05,200 --> 00:58:09,440
attracting basilisks and the uh little

1758
00:58:08,000 --> 00:58:11,520
insect creatures i can't remember the

1759
00:58:09,440 --> 00:58:13,280
name yeah um

1760
00:58:11,520 --> 00:58:14,559
no the big the bigger ones that are like

1761
00:58:13,280 --> 00:58:16,079
on cakes

1762
00:58:14,559 --> 00:58:18,000
yeah yeah

1763
00:58:16,079 --> 00:58:21,200
yeah there's all sorts of different

1764
00:58:18,000 --> 00:58:23,680
yeah there's a lot of them here um yeah

1765
00:58:21,200 --> 00:58:25,119
and um so people could without the

1766
00:58:23,680 --> 00:58:26,720
restraint of the

1767
00:58:25,119 --> 00:58:28,240
campaign they're building if they just

1768
00:58:26,720 --> 00:58:30,400
want to throw together like their

1769
00:58:28,240 --> 00:58:32,400
perfect dungeon just by doing that you

1770
00:58:30,400 --> 00:58:34,000
can get those oh maybe there's a room

1771
00:58:32,400 --> 00:58:35,280
over here that would be fun if it had

1772
00:58:34,000 --> 00:58:36,640
that maybe it might not make sense in

1773
00:58:35,280 --> 00:58:38,480
that dungeon but then it's given you

1774
00:58:36,640 --> 00:58:39,680
that toolbox as you were saying to to

1775
00:58:38,480 --> 00:58:41,839
pick and choose

1776
00:58:39,680 --> 00:58:44,559
yeah and you can always throw in another

1777
00:58:41,839 --> 00:58:46,640
complication like you can either i think

1778
00:58:44,559 --> 00:58:48,079
this kind of is uh you know sort of

1779
00:58:46,640 --> 00:58:49,520
bottom-up or top-down design you can

1780
00:58:48,079 --> 00:58:51,680
either

1781
00:58:49,520 --> 00:58:54,000
you know you can build a dungeon around

1782
00:58:51,680 --> 00:58:55,839
a key encounter which can be a very fun

1783
00:58:54,000 --> 00:58:56,960
way to do it you can just throw in some

1784
00:58:55,839 --> 00:58:58,880
random

1785
00:58:56,960 --> 00:59:00,240
challenges for you know a very

1786
00:58:58,880 --> 00:59:01,680
run-of-the-mill encounter you could have

1787
00:59:00,240 --> 00:59:03,599
you know if you're fighting goblins in a

1788
00:59:01,680 --> 00:59:05,440
field a lightning storm that strikes

1789
00:59:03,599 --> 00:59:07,440
random tiles suddenly makes this combat

1790
00:59:05,440 --> 00:59:09,920
feel like oh suddenly the characters are

1791
00:59:07,440 --> 00:59:10,880
very you know on edge you know if

1792
00:59:09,920 --> 00:59:12,319
they're swinging you know you can

1793
00:59:10,880 --> 00:59:14,000
describe them swinging their metal

1794
00:59:12,319 --> 00:59:15,839
swords around about in the rain with

1795
00:59:14,000 --> 00:59:17,200
lightning striking in this field i just

1796
00:59:15,839 --> 00:59:19,200
think in a breath of the wild you know

1797
00:59:17,200 --> 00:59:20,319
legend of zelda breath of the wild like

1798
00:59:19,200 --> 00:59:21,760
i can just imagine the players just

1799
00:59:20,319 --> 00:59:23,520
throwing their swords at the goblins to

1800
00:59:21,760 --> 00:59:25,119
be like pick them out pick them up

1801
00:59:23,520 --> 00:59:27,280
so they can get shocked by lightning

1802
00:59:25,119 --> 00:59:29,119
yeah yeah um so you know i think even if

1803
00:59:27,280 --> 00:59:31,599
you don't have the time to you know we

1804
00:59:29,119 --> 00:59:34,079
all are busy lives with a lot to do you

1805
00:59:31,599 --> 00:59:36,319
don't have the time to um flesh out an

1806
00:59:34,079 --> 00:59:38,160
encounter to some you know

1807
00:59:36,319 --> 00:59:39,040
make it exactly perfect you can always

1808
00:59:38,160 --> 00:59:40,799
uh

1809
00:59:39,040 --> 00:59:42,240
just throw in a little thing and that

1810
00:59:40,799 --> 00:59:44,160
will help too

1811
00:59:42,240 --> 00:59:46,480
a small detail that you can just flavor

1812
00:59:44,160 --> 00:59:47,839
it a little bit yeah yeah even if it's

1813
00:59:46,480 --> 00:59:49,839
just you know

1814
00:59:47,839 --> 00:59:52,000
rough terrain you know double yeah half

1815
00:59:49,839 --> 00:59:55,599
movement is tricky enough for some yeah

1816
00:59:52,000 --> 00:59:57,280
or cover half cover full cover traps

1817
00:59:55,599 --> 00:59:58,960
have your bandits have bear traps around

1818
00:59:57,280 --> 01:00:00,880
the woods and then when the you know

1819
00:59:58,960 --> 01:00:03,040
players are skulking through the bushes

1820
01:00:00,880 --> 01:00:04,480
maybe they step on a bear trap yeah half

1821
01:00:03,040 --> 01:00:05,599
a half cover and full cover something i

1822
01:00:04,480 --> 01:00:08,319
don't

1823
01:00:05,599 --> 01:00:10,000
uh utilize as much as i should i've read

1824
01:00:08,319 --> 01:00:11,760
sun tzu any time recently so it's it's

1825
01:00:10,000 --> 01:00:14,000
not really at the forefront of my mind

1826
01:00:11,760 --> 01:00:16,720
to you know have that the people hide

1827
01:00:14,000 --> 01:00:18,240
behind tree trunks or battlements to

1828
01:00:16,720 --> 01:00:20,720
gain that plus two or plus five or

1829
01:00:18,240 --> 01:00:22,000
whatever it is yeah i did a recent

1830
01:00:20,720 --> 01:00:24,559
encounter that i quite liked that i

1831
01:00:22,000 --> 01:00:27,440
called the um the scooby-doo encounter

1832
01:00:24,559 --> 01:00:29,920
where um there was a series of six rooms

1833
01:00:27,440 --> 01:00:31,359
and some of the rooms had uh torches

1834
01:00:29,920 --> 01:00:34,240
that the enemies could pull and they

1835
01:00:31,359 --> 01:00:35,920
were like revolving walls and so the

1836
01:00:34,240 --> 01:00:37,440
players would run into a room like they

1837
01:00:35,920 --> 01:00:39,680
would see the kobold run into the rooms

1838
01:00:37,440 --> 01:00:41,040
close the door and then flip the room

1839
01:00:39,680 --> 01:00:42,480
and they'd run into the room and the

1840
01:00:41,040 --> 01:00:44,160
cold world wouldn't be there

1841
01:00:42,480 --> 01:00:46,079
what the heck is happening so you can

1842
01:00:44,160 --> 01:00:47,599
always have enemies like skulk off

1843
01:00:46,079 --> 01:00:49,920
especially if they duck behind cover

1844
01:00:47,599 --> 01:00:51,520
they could just run to a different room

1845
01:00:49,920 --> 01:00:52,720
and that can be a surprising different

1846
01:00:51,520 --> 01:00:55,119
element too

1847
01:00:52,720 --> 01:00:57,839
oh man i'm definitely using that that

1848
01:00:55,119 --> 01:01:00,799
sounds super fun i mean i've been super

1849
01:00:57,839 --> 01:01:02,559
evil here just to mess with the players

1850
01:01:00,799 --> 01:01:05,200
yeah you well that one too i mean you

1851
01:01:02,559 --> 01:01:07,200
that's another one where you can also um

1852
01:01:05,200 --> 01:01:08,799
you can change it some dms will change

1853
01:01:07,200 --> 01:01:11,040
things on the fly others won't you know

1854
01:01:08,799 --> 01:01:13,119
you could have them and uh run into a

1855
01:01:11,040 --> 01:01:14,799
room and leave an illusionary copy that

1856
01:01:13,119 --> 01:01:16,640
the player fights you could have them

1857
01:01:14,799 --> 01:01:18,319
send an illusion of them running into a

1858
01:01:16,640 --> 01:01:20,480
room and there's a bear trap in that

1859
01:01:18,319 --> 01:01:21,920
room yeah there was a lot of different

1860
01:01:20,480 --> 01:01:23,599
things you can do with that one but the

1861
01:01:21,920 --> 01:01:25,839
revolving walls one is a really fun one

1862
01:01:23,599 --> 01:01:27,520
i i recommend people try yeah and i was

1863
01:01:25,839 --> 01:01:30,079
like oh i'm gonna steal that to a

1864
01:01:27,520 --> 01:01:31,680
flammable gas yeah because as a part in

1865
01:01:30,079 --> 01:01:33,520
my cobalt dungeon it's their like

1866
01:01:31,680 --> 01:01:34,960
mushroom farm where they would get their

1867
01:01:33,520 --> 01:01:36,880
food and stuff and it's not too much of

1868
01:01:34,960 --> 01:01:38,960
a stretch of imagination to say the air

1869
01:01:36,880 --> 01:01:40,880
is thick with like underground gases and

1870
01:01:38,960 --> 01:01:43,280
spores and stuff that make it you know

1871
01:01:40,880 --> 01:01:44,559
flammable or poisonous to a certain

1872
01:01:43,280 --> 01:01:46,880
extent so

1873
01:01:44,559 --> 01:01:49,599
yeah i'm definitely gonna remix that you

1874
01:01:46,880 --> 01:01:51,680
could uh i think there might be in um

1875
01:01:49,599 --> 01:01:54,480
the lost minds of flanders found the

1876
01:01:51,680 --> 01:01:55,920
deviler where there's the um i i'm not

1877
01:01:54,480 --> 01:01:58,400
sure if this is actually in the

1878
01:01:55,920 --> 01:02:01,200
adventure but the mushrooms also really

1879
01:01:58,400 --> 01:02:03,520
spores that are toxic if a player speaks

1880
01:02:01,200 --> 01:02:05,599
or you can have fire effects you know

1881
01:02:03,520 --> 01:02:07,680
make that make them light or all sorts

1882
01:02:05,599 --> 01:02:09,520
of things like that so or loud noises

1883
01:02:07,680 --> 01:02:11,520
cause them to you know send out toxic

1884
01:02:09,520 --> 01:02:13,680
spores yeah yeah i think there's going

1885
01:02:11,520 --> 01:02:15,599
to be a few uh microneeds down there

1886
01:02:13,680 --> 01:02:17,119
which would be a test a moral test of my

1887
01:02:15,599 --> 01:02:18,160
player's mother hope bonus to see

1888
01:02:17,119 --> 01:02:20,960
whether they

1889
01:02:18,160 --> 01:02:23,680
kill them these benign mushroom people

1890
01:02:20,960 --> 01:02:25,200
or not yeah um wow yeah we've we've

1891
01:02:23,680 --> 01:02:26,960
really blitzed through

1892
01:02:25,200 --> 01:02:29,280
just so many different

1893
01:02:26,960 --> 01:02:31,039
ways to embellish combat encounters and

1894
01:02:29,280 --> 01:02:32,319
it's a bit of a shame that as i said

1895
01:02:31,039 --> 01:02:33,520
earlier on that like when i was reading

1896
01:02:32,319 --> 01:02:36,319
the book as a

1897
01:02:33,520 --> 01:02:38,400
a newer dm you're just like oh okay this

1898
01:02:36,319 --> 01:02:39,920
is how you make an encounter you plug

1899
01:02:38,400 --> 01:02:42,000
this monster in and then you plug that

1900
01:02:39,920 --> 01:02:44,720
monster in and it becomes an encounter

1901
01:02:42,000 --> 01:02:46,640
when in reality there's just so many

1902
01:02:44,720 --> 01:02:48,400
more facets

1903
01:02:46,640 --> 01:02:50,720
you you can even have one monster that

1904
01:02:48,400 --> 01:02:52,319
is unreachable and the encounter is

1905
01:02:50,720 --> 01:02:55,119
trying to get to them

1906
01:02:52,319 --> 01:02:55,960
yeah or you can have encounters that are

1907
01:02:55,119 --> 01:02:58,480
uh

1908
01:02:55,960 --> 01:03:00,839
multi-staged you know one one encounter

1909
01:02:58,480 --> 01:03:04,000
i did was i had a kobold playing a weird

1910
01:03:00,839 --> 01:03:06,400
bagpipe and he wasn't attacking the

1911
01:03:04,000 --> 01:03:08,880
players but the music was keeping a hook

1912
01:03:06,400 --> 01:03:11,359
horror asleep and then or you know

1913
01:03:08,880 --> 01:03:13,200
afraid and so then it you know then that

1914
01:03:11,359 --> 01:03:14,960
that becomes an encounter too where they

1915
01:03:13,200 --> 01:03:16,480
you have these conditional encounters or

1916
01:03:14,960 --> 01:03:17,760
something can happen that triggers a

1917
01:03:16,480 --> 01:03:18,559
fight

1918
01:03:17,760 --> 01:03:19,760
yeah

1919
01:03:18,559 --> 01:03:22,079
at the end of the day there's so many

1920
01:03:19,760 --> 01:03:24,720
different ways you can modify and make

1921
01:03:22,079 --> 01:03:26,720
them interesting and i think even just

1922
01:03:24,720 --> 01:03:28,240
throwing in a couple of these things

1923
01:03:26,720 --> 01:03:29,920
will really help to

1924
01:03:28,240 --> 01:03:32,079
add variety and i think that's that's

1925
01:03:29,920 --> 01:03:35,039
really the key to it yeah the uh this

1926
01:03:32,079 --> 01:03:38,559
isn't even my final form trope is uh

1927
01:03:35,039 --> 01:03:40,400
something i have utilized yeah before

1928
01:03:38,559 --> 01:03:42,400
and is is fun but obviously don't

1929
01:03:40,400 --> 01:03:45,119
overuse it because then the players will

1930
01:03:42,400 --> 01:03:48,400
plan accordingly and

1931
01:03:45,119 --> 01:03:49,599
save all their novaness for phase two

1932
01:03:48,400 --> 01:03:52,480
but then that's when you have phase

1933
01:03:49,599 --> 01:03:52,480
three come in and

1934
01:03:53,039 --> 01:03:56,799
yeah i mean depending on how

1935
01:03:55,039 --> 01:03:58,880
depending on how you your personal

1936
01:03:56,799 --> 01:04:00,319
philosophy as a dm you can always uh

1937
01:03:58,880 --> 01:04:02,400
change things live if that's what you

1938
01:04:00,319 --> 01:04:04,160
believe in you know they pull out the

1939
01:04:02,400 --> 01:04:06,240
potion of giant size or whatever yeah

1940
01:04:04,160 --> 01:04:08,000
they just magically add so

1941
01:04:06,240 --> 01:04:09,920
yeah but in in

1942
01:04:08,000 --> 01:04:11,520
in reality i'm

1943
01:04:09,920 --> 01:04:13,839
well it might be unsurprising but i'm

1944
01:04:11,520 --> 01:04:16,559
very much a person who is happy to

1945
01:04:13,839 --> 01:04:20,400
remix things on the fly because i am of

1946
01:04:16,559 --> 01:04:23,039
the school of thought that any encounter

1947
01:04:20,400 --> 01:04:24,720
is there to be

1948
01:04:23,039 --> 01:04:27,920
interesting and fun

1949
01:04:24,720 --> 01:04:30,640
yeah and yes i get it that it is it can

1950
01:04:27,920 --> 01:04:32,559
be fun and of itself to trivialize and

1951
01:04:30,640 --> 01:04:34,960
encounter i get it

1952
01:04:32,559 --> 01:04:36,000
but on the same hand

1953
01:04:34,960 --> 01:04:38,880
like some

1954
01:04:36,000 --> 01:04:41,280
almost need to be threatening or need to

1955
01:04:38,880 --> 01:04:43,119
be a pain in the backside

1956
01:04:41,280 --> 01:04:46,000
and so if

1957
01:04:43,119 --> 01:04:48,000
it looks like it's swinging too much the

1958
01:04:46,000 --> 01:04:49,760
other way because

1959
01:04:48,000 --> 01:04:52,079
the rebels have taken it that way

1960
01:04:49,760 --> 01:04:54,559
essentially then i am very much a person

1961
01:04:52,079 --> 01:04:56,400
who will you know buff you know maybe

1962
01:04:54,559 --> 01:04:59,520
round down the damage that the players

1963
01:04:56,400 --> 01:05:01,520
do to the nearest 10 or you know bump up

1964
01:04:59,520 --> 01:05:03,280
the hp and and just say i could probably

1965
01:05:01,520 --> 01:05:05,119
take another hit i'll let the killing

1966
01:05:03,280 --> 01:05:06,640
blow be the next hit just just to give

1967
01:05:05,119 --> 01:05:08,079
him another round in combat yeah and

1968
01:05:06,640 --> 01:05:10,240
that's that's all it can take like one

1969
01:05:08,079 --> 01:05:12,480
more round can be the can make the

1970
01:05:10,240 --> 01:05:15,200
difference between ow

1971
01:05:12,480 --> 01:05:17,119
this is why we're walking this to oh man

1972
01:05:15,200 --> 01:05:19,440
he really did a big number there and

1973
01:05:17,119 --> 01:05:20,720
that person's nearly dead and can really

1974
01:05:19,440 --> 01:05:23,200
change the

1975
01:05:20,720 --> 01:05:24,240
the flavor of of the combat so yeah

1976
01:05:23,200 --> 01:05:26,720
that's

1977
01:05:24,240 --> 01:05:28,960
yeah i tend to i tend to be more on your

1978
01:05:26,720 --> 01:05:30,319
side of things where i tend to like to

1979
01:05:28,960 --> 01:05:32,400
tweak things occasionally normally in

1980
01:05:30,319 --> 01:05:34,079
the player's favor if i feel like a

1981
01:05:32,400 --> 01:05:36,480
combat's going too long but i know some

1982
01:05:34,079 --> 01:05:37,599
dms swear by not you know by trying to

1983
01:05:36,480 --> 01:05:39,200
be um

1984
01:05:37,599 --> 01:05:40,640
objective yeah

1985
01:05:39,200 --> 01:05:42,640
there's definitely a school of thought

1986
01:05:40,640 --> 01:05:44,240
which is like yeah the numbers are the

1987
01:05:42,640 --> 01:05:46,160
numbers and i'm not changing them they

1988
01:05:44,240 --> 01:05:48,799
exist for a purpose and that's one way

1989
01:05:46,160 --> 01:05:51,440
of playing and i get i appreciate that

1990
01:05:48,799 --> 01:05:54,480
the purity of it it just removes so much

1991
01:05:51,440 --> 01:05:56,559
ambiguity i kind of appreciate the

1992
01:05:54,480 --> 01:05:58,799
the yeah the flexibility yeah i think

1993
01:05:56,559 --> 01:06:00,640
even if you are of that mindset where

1994
01:05:58,799 --> 01:06:02,240
you say okay well here's how it's going

1995
01:06:00,640 --> 01:06:05,200
to go for this encounter you can always

1996
01:06:02,240 --> 01:06:06,480
change the next encounter or

1997
01:06:05,200 --> 01:06:09,119
there's there's also other things you

1998
01:06:06,480 --> 01:06:11,599
can do um to change you know if the

1999
01:06:09,119 --> 01:06:13,680
monsters fight smarter or not or you

2000
01:06:11,599 --> 01:06:15,760
know the players don't know what spells

2001
01:06:13,680 --> 01:06:17,760
the monsters have or what abilities so

2002
01:06:15,760 --> 01:06:19,599
there are things you can do to even if

2003
01:06:17,760 --> 01:06:21,440
you set your encounter in advance and

2004
01:06:19,599 --> 01:06:22,559
you say this is the encounter i'm not

2005
01:06:21,440 --> 01:06:24,319
changing the

2006
01:06:22,559 --> 01:06:26,240
statistics there's still a lot you can

2007
01:06:24,319 --> 01:06:28,480
do to actually um

2008
01:06:26,240 --> 01:06:30,079
curve and adjust the difficulty live

2009
01:06:28,480 --> 01:06:31,119
depending on how you feel

2010
01:06:30,079 --> 01:06:32,400
so um

2011
01:06:31,119 --> 01:06:35,200
you know in general i try to have the

2012
01:06:32,400 --> 01:06:36,960
monsters fight smart but um if you

2013
01:06:35,200 --> 01:06:38,079
really are afraid of a tpk coming you

2014
01:06:36,960 --> 01:06:40,799
can always have them play a little

2015
01:06:38,079 --> 01:06:43,200
dumber but or the other thing you can do

2016
01:06:40,799 --> 01:06:45,680
too is you can have your monsters roll

2017
01:06:43,200 --> 01:06:47,280
intelligence checks mid combat to see

2018
01:06:45,680 --> 01:06:49,520
how well they fight that's another

2019
01:06:47,280 --> 01:06:51,039
option too where that way it's more um

2020
01:06:49,520 --> 01:06:52,960
deterministic

2021
01:06:51,039 --> 01:06:54,720
in the game world

2022
01:06:52,960 --> 01:06:57,280
yeah that's one way it's not

2023
01:06:54,720 --> 01:06:58,720
not the way i i would like to run it not

2024
01:06:57,280 --> 01:07:00,240
my way either but i'm just trying to

2025
01:06:58,720 --> 01:07:01,920
provide tools that you know just sure

2026
01:07:00,240 --> 01:07:03,680
yeah i get it again it's something you

2027
01:07:01,920 --> 01:07:04,799
know yeah it's the same as you know

2028
01:07:03,680 --> 01:07:06,640
running it by the numbers and just

2029
01:07:04,799 --> 01:07:08,480
letting the numbers talk yeah that's a

2030
01:07:06,640 --> 01:07:10,880
nice way of doing it actually let me

2031
01:07:08,480 --> 01:07:12,319
rephrase like especially in complicated

2032
01:07:10,880 --> 01:07:14,559
encounters when there's a million and

2033
01:07:12,319 --> 01:07:16,480
one things going off actually i've

2034
01:07:14,559 --> 01:07:17,839
changed my tune because i'm just

2035
01:07:16,480 --> 01:07:20,079
thinking about the last combat encounter

2036
01:07:17,839 --> 01:07:23,039
i ran off my main session that was just

2037
01:07:20,079 --> 01:07:24,079
drowning in numbers and roles and hp so

2038
01:07:23,039 --> 01:07:26,240
actually yeah it's like your thoughts

2039
01:07:24,079 --> 01:07:29,039
yeah just being like okay he runs and

2040
01:07:26,240 --> 01:07:30,400
actually i'm a total huge liar because i

2041
01:07:29,039 --> 01:07:31,839
literally did that

2042
01:07:30,400 --> 01:07:33,760
i just said i don't i wouldn't do it

2043
01:07:31,839 --> 01:07:36,400
that way and literally i've done it that

2044
01:07:33,760 --> 01:07:37,760
way uh in the past so yeah i think i

2045
01:07:36,400 --> 01:07:39,760
think it all depends on your group and

2046
01:07:37,760 --> 01:07:41,680
you can adjust it's your own style your

2047
01:07:39,760 --> 01:07:44,240
group style and yeah at the end of the

2048
01:07:41,680 --> 01:07:45,680
day i think the takeaway is that there's

2049
01:07:44,240 --> 01:07:47,839
just a lot of depth here to do it

2050
01:07:45,680 --> 01:07:50,000
however you want that isn't adjust in

2051
01:07:47,839 --> 01:07:51,839
the monster manual or it isn't addressed

2052
01:07:50,000 --> 01:07:53,440
in the dmg isn't addressed in the

2053
01:07:51,839 --> 01:07:54,880
player's handbook

2054
01:07:53,440 --> 01:07:56,240
you know i'm with i'm kind of more on

2055
01:07:54,880 --> 01:07:57,920
your side where i kind of adjust things

2056
01:07:56,240 --> 01:07:59,359
on the fly but even if you don't do that

2057
01:07:57,920 --> 01:08:00,400
it's uh there's still a lot of options

2058
01:07:59,359 --> 01:08:01,839
out there

2059
01:08:00,400 --> 01:08:03,119
is there is there anything else you

2060
01:08:01,839 --> 01:08:04,240
wanted to talk about well this is going

2061
01:08:03,119 --> 01:08:07,280
to be a stupid question because the

2062
01:08:04,240 --> 01:08:09,039
answer i know already is yes but uh

2063
01:08:07,280 --> 01:08:10,559
for today's podcast

2064
01:08:09,039 --> 01:08:12,799
was there anything burning you you

2065
01:08:10,559 --> 01:08:14,799
wanted to talk about encounters

2066
01:08:12,799 --> 01:08:16,319
i think i have you know maybe maybe we

2067
01:08:14,799 --> 01:08:18,560
can have another one and have some more

2068
01:08:16,319 --> 01:08:21,040
discussion about some of the other sort

2069
01:08:18,560 --> 01:08:23,520
of tips and tricks um

2070
01:08:21,040 --> 01:08:25,520
i guess the only other thing too i would

2071
01:08:23,520 --> 01:08:27,759
throw in

2072
01:08:25,520 --> 01:08:30,080
for people to also think about

2073
01:08:27,759 --> 01:08:33,279
puzzles can be encounters chases can be

2074
01:08:30,080 --> 01:08:34,799
encounters and stealth sections can also

2075
01:08:33,279 --> 01:08:37,040
be encounters

2076
01:08:34,799 --> 01:08:39,040
and you can also weave these things into

2077
01:08:37,040 --> 01:08:41,520
combat to

2078
01:08:39,040 --> 01:08:43,679
keep things fresh you know a stealth

2079
01:08:41,520 --> 01:08:46,000
mission that goes wrong

2080
01:08:43,679 --> 01:08:48,000
where it evolves into combat that you're

2081
01:08:46,000 --> 01:08:49,440
trying to keep stealthy that can be a

2082
01:08:48,000 --> 01:08:51,120
real fun one

2083
01:08:49,440 --> 01:08:52,719
chases where you have

2084
01:08:51,120 --> 01:08:54,880
bandits attacking you on the way as

2085
01:08:52,719 --> 01:08:57,279
you're trying to chase down the person

2086
01:08:54,880 --> 01:08:59,520
that can be also very fun and i would

2087
01:08:57,279 --> 01:09:01,759
just encourage players to

2088
01:08:59,520 --> 01:09:03,679
kind of think outside of the box

2089
01:09:01,759 --> 01:09:07,040
when it comes to

2090
01:09:03,679 --> 01:09:08,799
what an encounter means and or you know

2091
01:09:07,040 --> 01:09:10,319
you're gonna have somebody uh

2092
01:09:08,799 --> 01:09:11,759
a social encounter where you need to

2093
01:09:10,319 --> 01:09:13,920
take somebody alive and you have to

2094
01:09:11,759 --> 01:09:15,600
convince them to stop fighting you those

2095
01:09:13,920 --> 01:09:17,679
kinds of things is there's just a lot

2096
01:09:15,600 --> 01:09:20,400
more variation out there and you can

2097
01:09:17,679 --> 01:09:22,880
always play with the rules and adjust

2098
01:09:20,400 --> 01:09:25,839
the rules as you go to kind of

2099
01:09:22,880 --> 01:09:28,159
uh add a lot of more a lot more variety

2100
01:09:25,839 --> 01:09:29,920
and a lot more interesting plausible

2101
01:09:28,159 --> 01:09:32,000
scenarios rather than high attacky

2102
01:09:29,920 --> 01:09:33,199
attack high tech monster nice oh more

2103
01:09:32,000 --> 01:09:34,480
bandits

2104
01:09:33,199 --> 01:09:36,960
yeah

2105
01:09:34,480 --> 01:09:40,880
what was saying is don't see the rules

2106
01:09:36,960 --> 01:09:43,359
as a an inhibitor yes see them as

2107
01:09:40,880 --> 01:09:45,199
part of your toolkit to generate unique

2108
01:09:43,359 --> 01:09:46,880
and interesting things and the rules not

2109
01:09:45,199 --> 01:09:50,080
just of encounters but of the entire

2110
01:09:46,880 --> 01:09:51,839
game of social interactions of chases of

2111
01:09:50,080 --> 01:09:53,839
this that and the other or vehicle

2112
01:09:51,839 --> 01:09:55,199
control if you're chasing in you know

2113
01:09:53,839 --> 01:09:58,320
horse and carts

2114
01:09:55,199 --> 01:09:59,920
some gta style section you know

2115
01:09:58,320 --> 01:10:02,719
use the tools as

2116
01:09:59,920 --> 01:10:04,159
at the end theft water yeah

2117
01:10:02,719 --> 01:10:06,239
okay there you go you just invented a

2118
01:10:04,159 --> 01:10:08,560
new a new module to it

2119
01:10:06,239 --> 01:10:10,320
yeah perfect for your murder hobos right

2120
01:10:08,560 --> 01:10:12,080
but yeah no i think the other thing is

2121
01:10:10,320 --> 01:10:13,520
that you see other designers out there

2122
01:10:12,080 --> 01:10:15,520
uh like for example there's the matt

2123
01:10:13,520 --> 01:10:17,840
koval has made some action-oriented

2124
01:10:15,520 --> 01:10:19,520
monsters for bosses that um you know

2125
01:10:17,840 --> 01:10:21,440
fight in a story-driven way there's

2126
01:10:19,520 --> 01:10:23,600
nothing to say you know you can go and

2127
01:10:21,440 --> 01:10:25,040
design that sort of scenario yourself or

2128
01:10:23,600 --> 01:10:28,159
have a completely different kind of

2129
01:10:25,040 --> 01:10:30,080
monster uh you know whether it's

2130
01:10:28,159 --> 01:10:31,760
similar to a layer action or it works

2131
01:10:30,080 --> 01:10:34,400
differently and you kind of you can

2132
01:10:31,760 --> 01:10:35,679
remix these things on the fly and um you

2133
01:10:34,400 --> 01:10:37,440
know depending on how much of a war

2134
01:10:35,679 --> 01:10:38,960
gamer you want to be versus how fluid

2135
01:10:37,440 --> 01:10:41,520
you want to be just really thinking

2136
01:10:38,960 --> 01:10:44,640
about how that applies that tone

2137
01:10:41,520 --> 01:10:45,760
applies to what you want to evoke

2138
01:10:44,640 --> 01:10:47,360
i think there's just a lot of

2139
01:10:45,760 --> 01:10:48,960
flexibility there that

2140
01:10:47,360 --> 01:10:50,640
lets people to be designers and lets

2141
01:10:48,960 --> 01:10:52,880
people be creative and i guess that's

2142
01:10:50,640 --> 01:10:54,719
that's my suggestion for folks

2143
01:10:52,880 --> 01:10:55,440
you know what we've basically said is

2144
01:10:54,719 --> 01:10:57,280
that

2145
01:10:55,440 --> 01:10:58,960
encounters

2146
01:10:57,280 --> 01:11:01,520
aren't just combat

2147
01:10:58,960 --> 01:11:02,960
the entire experience is an encounter

2148
01:11:01,520 --> 01:11:06,000
literally every role of the dice you

2149
01:11:02,960 --> 01:11:07,679
could it you know should be approached

2150
01:11:06,000 --> 01:11:09,360
in the mindset of

2151
01:11:07,679 --> 01:11:11,120
resource

2152
01:11:09,360 --> 01:11:13,120
what's the dramatic question what's the

2153
01:11:11,120 --> 01:11:16,719
resource at stake what am i losing for

2154
01:11:13,120 --> 01:11:18,239
this yeah every every single interaction

2155
01:11:16,719 --> 01:11:21,199
almost

2156
01:11:18,239 --> 01:11:23,280
wow cool great that's uh that was really

2157
01:11:21,199 --> 01:11:25,120
really good really really fun um

2158
01:11:23,280 --> 01:11:26,960
yeah thank you yeah thanks for having me

2159
01:11:25,120 --> 01:11:28,159
on yeah um is there anything you would

2160
01:11:26,960 --> 01:11:30,080
like to plug

2161
01:11:28,159 --> 01:11:32,880
yeah i guess uh if you want to follow me

2162
01:11:30,080 --> 01:11:35,679
on twitter my handle's at shango games

2163
01:11:32,880 --> 01:11:37,679
and then also i publish free titles on

2164
01:11:35,679 --> 01:11:39,760
dm's guild i have a

2165
01:11:37,679 --> 01:11:42,080
bunch of magic item supplements out

2166
01:11:39,760 --> 01:11:44,000
there right now and i'll be having some

2167
01:11:42,080 --> 01:11:46,960
uh new releases coming out soon i'm

2168
01:11:44,000 --> 01:11:48,719
going to be releasing a a little

2169
01:11:46,960 --> 01:11:51,040
accompaniment to candle keep mysteries

2170
01:11:48,719 --> 01:11:54,080
when that drops so stay tuned for that

2171
01:11:51,040 --> 01:11:56,159
and i try to post free stuff monthly so

2172
01:11:54,080 --> 01:11:57,840
um you know give me a follow and if you

2173
01:11:56,159 --> 01:11:59,520
do a review is always greatly

2174
01:11:57,840 --> 01:12:01,280
appreciated so let me know what

2175
01:11:59,520 --> 01:12:03,199
everybody thinks and uh let me know what

2176
01:12:01,280 --> 01:12:05,280
you want to see next hmm let's take a

2177
01:12:03,199 --> 01:12:07,600
look at the the reforged magic items

2178
01:12:05,280 --> 01:12:09,199
that you've got up on there and uh yes

2179
01:12:07,600 --> 01:12:10,880
i'm going to be taking a deep look at

2180
01:12:09,199 --> 01:12:12,480
that except it sounds like you've got

2181
01:12:10,880 --> 01:12:14,560
some pre-built side quests in there

2182
01:12:12,480 --> 01:12:16,080
which is yeah always useful

2183
01:12:14,560 --> 01:12:18,159
yeah yeah it's about uh you know if you

2184
01:12:16,080 --> 01:12:19,679
have your uh dagger of venom that you

2185
01:12:18,159 --> 01:12:21,520
want to go upgrade and you know it's

2186
01:12:19,679 --> 01:12:23,760
kind of a an option to go do that and

2187
01:12:21,520 --> 01:12:25,199
really it's that's more to you know all

2188
01:12:23,760 --> 01:12:26,159
these things are tools to get you to

2189
01:12:25,199 --> 01:12:28,000
think

2190
01:12:26,159 --> 01:12:30,400
creatively and to to figure out what

2191
01:12:28,000 --> 01:12:32,320
works in the similar way for your own

2192
01:12:30,400 --> 01:12:33,360
campaign and your own players and

2193
01:12:32,320 --> 01:12:34,800
that one is a great one you can

2194
01:12:33,360 --> 01:12:36,640
extrapolate

2195
01:12:34,800 --> 01:12:38,800
i like the the video gaming aspect of

2196
01:12:36,640 --> 01:12:40,560
that of like you know taking your sword

2197
01:12:38,800 --> 01:12:42,480
taking it somewhere getting the

2198
01:12:40,560 --> 01:12:44,320
something made into it so it's now the

2199
01:12:42,480 --> 01:12:45,840
next the next version up as you said in

2200
01:12:44,320 --> 01:12:48,000
the in the description staff of ada and

2201
01:12:45,840 --> 01:12:48,719
to the staff of the naga yeah and

2202
01:12:48,000 --> 01:12:50,880
there's

2203
01:12:48,719 --> 01:12:52,159
yeah there's all sorts of um you know

2204
01:12:50,880 --> 01:12:53,600
it's just

2205
01:12:52,159 --> 01:12:55,360
i think thinking about how you can

2206
01:12:53,600 --> 01:12:57,120
infuse story whether it's through

2207
01:12:55,360 --> 01:13:00,000
encounters whether it's through magic

2208
01:12:57,120 --> 01:13:02,880
items you know just the more

2209
01:13:00,000 --> 01:13:04,480
personable memorable you can make it

2210
01:13:02,880 --> 01:13:05,679
ends up with a more deep experience for

2211
01:13:04,480 --> 01:13:07,199
your players and a more memorable

2212
01:13:05,679 --> 01:13:10,880
experience so

2213
01:13:07,199 --> 01:13:13,199
yeah cool well thank you again for your

2214
01:13:10,880 --> 01:13:16,640
your input and the thoughts today on

2215
01:13:13,199 --> 01:13:18,640
encounters and uh thank you all at home

2216
01:13:16,640 --> 01:13:21,440
for listening usual

2217
01:13:18,640 --> 01:13:23,600
shout outs to my socials would be

2218
01:13:21,440 --> 01:13:24,719
appreciated otherwise yep thank you all

2219
01:13:23,600 --> 01:13:27,150
for listening

2220
01:13:24,719 --> 01:13:32,300
and good night

2221
01:13:27,150 --> 01:13:32,300
[Music]