'Realia' in Dungeons & Dragons

          Realia (vis a vis education) is defined by Wikipedia as: objects from real life used in classroom instruction.  So, my classroom lies outside of 'real life'.  Be that as it may, we shall apply the term to Dungeons and Dragons and see what happens.

First, here are some no-quotation-marks-necessary real life objects that my groups and I have brought to the table to spice up our game sessions:

Jones Soda limited edition Dungeons and Dragons line.  Here is a Wired.com post from when they became available. They key bottle is the red one on the left.  A potion of healing, of course.

Stumbled upon this actual flavored rum in a liquor store while on the way to a session of a campaign I called Dragon's Eye.  It included a powerful dragon deity and characters who had various associations to it.  Only players 21 and over can drink it...no problem for elves.

----->

 This is an ordinary envelope getting a coffee bath.  On the right you see it drying.  Crumpling up paper and letting it soak in the dark liquid gives it the appearance of old parchment or old paper.  But then we are moving into the territory of "real".  Also, you can singe the edges of the paper with a lighter or candle for added effect.

Next, here are some "real" objects I have used:

This is a real toy.  It is an egg that when submerged in water for a while morphs into a slimy toy in some other shape.  It was symbolic of a 'dragon stone' the players found. (I have used this multiple times.)  I colored it to match a campaign detail.  We have never gotten to the submersion/transformation...

These are some terrain tiles, maps, and accessories I have made using various jury-rigged color printing and arts and crafts.

These are goggles I made to use as a character prop one of the last times I played a PC and was not dungeon mastering.  They are made from toy binoculars.  They are wearable, but one cannot see anything through them.

What do you use at your table or bring to your game?


Comment below!


-DM Josh

Low Magic for "Noobs"

         When I first ventured into bringing new players to the gaming table it was partly out of necessity.  I was a player with no DM, and at most a newbie DM with no group.  Once we got the 'pregen' adventure out of the way, I introduced my first attempt at a campaign 'setting' to the players and we commenced character creation.

         A concept that I recently read about in Dave Noonan's blog reminded me of one of the key elements of the campaign.  I decided to have our world be 'low magic', going so far as to limit access to arcane spell casting classes and all non-human races.  Think first season of Game of Thrones (low magic) vs. Return of the King (high fantasy).

I did this for two reasons:

         1.  I wanted the world to feel feasible for new players who may not be well-versed in all of the fantasy tropes and commonalities.

         2.  I didn't want to deal with the planning, improvisation, and easy monster slaying issues that being able to cast fireball presents (this was AD&D aka 2nd Ed. rules).

     In retrospect I might have done things differently.  I don't think I gave my new players enough credit for their imaginations and willingness to take flights of fancy.  I mean after all, they were sitting down to a D&D table.  And I  have to say, there were one or two cool unintended side effects that we can also learn from.  We'll cover those another time.


Do you prefer low-magic,  high-fantasy or some other flavor for your campaign settings?  Comment below!


Thanks for reading.


-DM Josh

Teaching High School vs. DMing

    In honor of 'back to school' week here in Colorado, I will share some of the similarities between teaching and dungeon mastering.


Round One, Fight!

• I am judge, arbiter, and jury.

        This is not one of the aspects of teaching or DMing that I enjoy.  It is painful to post that grade book knowing students earned an F for the semester.  It is also difficult to create tension in a D&D adventure if the players know you are a softie who won't kill their characters.

• Differentiation.   

       In education, this is the idea that students will learn the most if instruction is as individualized as possible. Students all learn differently, have different interests, and about a million other differences that speak to the need to teach them in the way that best suits them.  Well, this may be the most important similarity between the two disciplines.  

       A DM must cater to each of the players at his/her table.  Has Johnny's character been the focus of the last few sessions?  Does Angelica like role play heavy adventures?  A good mix of types of scenes/adventures that appeal to your various players' tastes is important.  So is giving the various players at your table the opportunity for their character to be in the spotlight from time to time.  (more on how this relates to 'player types' in a later post)

• Social risk-taking and the silent period

       As a language teacher I see students who are reluctant to volunteer to answer questions in class.  Sometimes it is because they are afraid they will make a mistake or sound silly in front of their peers.  Some students who are new to a country, culture, and/or language experience what linguists call the "silent period".  The student will literally sit silently in class, perhaps comprehending some of the new language, but basically refusing to produce it for a period of time until they feel more comfortable.

     Who has not seen this with players new to RPGs.  Especially if they are in a group of experienced players.  They may have trepidation about their ideas being silly or their contributions being rebuffed at the table.  They may literally not understand how have their character interact with the game world through the DM.  It is something that I believe is unique to pen-and-paper RPGs, so the inexperienced can be truly baffled by the concept.  Explain it, demonstrate it (model it), rinse and repeat, or send them this link:         

                         http://dmjosh.blogspot.com/2013/08/one-may-ask-what-is-d.html

Round Two...

• Homework.   As a teacher and/or DM, you'll be the only one doing it.

    

•  Minimal financial compensation

       Only people at Wizards of the Coast get paid to DM.  And, I suppose convention DM/GMs.  Most of us are lucky to get pizza bought for us at a gaming session.  Just like teachers, we do it because of our passion for it and the satisfaction derived from helping others (when not killing their characters).

• Improvisation

       One never knows what will happen at his/her table or in their classroom.  One must be ready to think on his/her feet and adapt on the fly.  Going with the flow is key in both areas.

Round Three, Differences:

• Players are not legally mandated to be at your game.

• (Therefore,) Confiscating players' personal electronics is probably frowned upon in most groups.  

What did I leave out?  Comment below!

Location, Location (Where You Do It)

     We could talk about fantastical locations for your campaign including bloodcurdling castles, dank dungeons, and all the rest.  I am going to wax nostalgic and put forth arguments for some fun gaming locations where I have played D&D.

    

• My DM's backyard....well, screened porch.  My high school gaming group and friends had among us one stalwart Dungeon Master.  We played a lot during the summer, so I have fond memories of the trees around, birds chirping and then crickets/secadas in the evenings.  We would sit, snack, and play  at the tables lined up end to end.  We were covered from the elements and well-guarded but able to see all the summer greenery and afternoon storm clouds... not to mention easy access to the kitchen.

• A defunct game store in Lakewood, CO - Lots of game stores have play space and I encourage you to use it at your whim and will as well as to support your "friendly local game store" in any capacity you can.  There is one store in particular that failed despite my D&D group's meager support.  Part of their play area was styled and built out and painted to resemble the facade of a castle over looking a medieval village.  There were stairs up into the castle turret where one found a private room for rent complete with a gaming table and various paraphernalia/equipment/accouterments. 

• My apartment - this brings all the advantages of playing at home, plus some because I get to make the rules!!  As a DM I can dictate when PCs encounter traps and fight hordes of monsters, but as host I can decide how much I am going to drink, how much and where to smoke, I can be a mess, and in general indulge in all the luxuries of home.  Not everyone has the space for a table let alone space for a group to gather round said table, but what a gas if you do!

   

And the winner is...

My Apartment!   

      Congratulations, "My Apartment".  You're the winner because you are the most new player friendly as I can create the perfect environment for the people I am having over.  Are they craft beer enthusiasts?  I will have a growler from a local brewery (that is not a D&D monster).  Do they hate air conditioning? I will have it nice and toasty.  If they want to game into the night, I can stay up with them.  I also have a bit more control over who gets invited and the various distractions.  I keep the TV off, I have no kids or pets, and generally can create the type of environment I feel might be welcoming to the people I am going to play with.  Of course, someone else's house/apt is almost as good depending on who that person is.  

       

       Finally, as much as I love a good FLGS, they are not conducive to introducing new players to the game.  The overly nerdy culture can be off-putting, the noise and other games can be a nuisance or distraction, and a lot of time you can't even bring your own food and beverages. When you have experienced players and you want to move off the grid and play with tape measure on sick War Hammer terrain you can go to the game store.  

Til next time,

DM Josh

Intro Adventures & New Players

          I always enjoyed adventures in the beginning of campaigns where characters from disparate backgrounds find themselves sharing a common goal or up against the same foe.  This requires a bit of role-playing on the part of the players, careful planning on the part of the DM, and just the right touch of paprika for it to be exciting and satisfying at the table.  A great example of this in fiction is the anime pictured here:

                                                   (make sure it's this one and not the one with the red cover)

         A fledgling DM, or one who is introducing new players, might want to stick with the tried and true, "You already know each other. Figure out how together."  Possibly even, "You are an adventuring party based out of [insert town name from adventure], and have been working together for some time."  That being said, there can be something fun and interesting about watching a party come together and having the players showcase how their characters become a party.
        
       I encountered a bit of a snag when I tried this with the "introductory friends' wives group" I have mentioned in previous posts.  After we ran an adventure with pregens, the two males and three females all made their own characters. 

        The opening of the campaign saw two of the PCs venturing to the outskirts of town at night.  As the priest guard and her gnome wizard charge were foraging for a valuable spellcasting component.  Another of my new players was playing a half-elf rogue, thus hiding in a tree.  I had worked it out with her before hand so we could keep it a secret from the other two players, creating a dramatic moment at the table.  The moment never came.

        As I shot sidelong glances at the rogue player, and raised an eye brow, and waited expectantly- the player just continued to observe while the other players foraged all around her tree and up and down the nearby brush.  Later her explanation was that she was outnumbered and didn't want to pick a fight.  Reasonable.  Good logical thinking and role playing, really.


So, the lessons here are:

1.  Be aware of the social situation and social risks being taken by new players when handing them the reigns.

2. Sometimes new players feel overwhelmed by the vast number of possible choices, actions, and outcomes the game presents.

It is OK, to guide them, possibly explaining some options or asking, "What does your character do?"


Well, what do you do?




-DM Josh

Bikini Chainmail (for real this time)

                                                    Most of us that have watched old fantasy movies and read through old D&D books have asked ourselves the same question at some point:   "How can that skimpy bit of chainmail protect this woman in the heat of combat?" 

      In a fantasy world there might even be some viable answers.  However, the question at hand is how this is going to impact your introducing women to Dungeons and Dragons.  This probably comes down to the most basic tenet of DMing, which is that it is all about the player/person in question.  Ideally, you are friends with the people you are asking to join your group or that you are showing the game for the first time. 

     I do think that there is a valid concern about the game and/or genre being perceived as overly-masculine, if not down right misogynistic and sexist. The most important thing to communicate to new players is that this game is both about having fun their way and that the collaborative nature of the game allows the DM and players to work together to create the type of environment in which they all feel comfortable.  There sure are people out there who would love to play in a campaign where women are subjugated and the players go around flirting with bar wenches in every town.
    
     Again, the key here is that everyone is on the same page.  The above example is no more a "wrong" way to play the game than if my group wants to partake of adult beverages or prefers to play at a game store versus someone's home.  That does not mean I condone sexism obviously, and I could make the argument that even people who wished to play in such a campaign are not necessarily sexist themselves - as the game in question is one of fantasy, imagination and role playing.
 
    If prospective female players feel comfortable that the people at your table will be respectful and pleasant, both to them and their character, they are both much more likely to be willing to play and to wind up having fun in your game.  That being said, if you prefer sweaty lascivious dudes to comprise the entirety of your gaming group and/or social circle...do as you please.



Until next time. 
   


 -DM Josh

Priests, Females, and Bikini Chainmail

        My schema for 'priests' is pretty much what you see in the movies and at weddings.  So, when I started learning Dungeons and Dragons and saw that one of the main character classes was a priest, or cleric, I started building a new concept from the ground up in my mind.  A D&D priest draws on divine inspiration or literal divine intervention to cast a variety of spells, including healing spells.  They can worship any number of gods and draw different types of powers from these sources.  I read a lot in the Player's Handbook and in this book back in those days:          

      Fast forward to a few years ago when I was introducing my friends' wives to D&D.  I found some pre-made, ready to go characters, and at game time divvied them up amongst the two guys and three girls at the table.  The standard classes were represented, fighter, wizard, rogue, priest.  Shortly after we began play the group ran into problem solving encounter where a girl was struggling to stay afloat in the river while her mother is on the bank calling for help.  After the party returned the girl safely to her mother on the shore the NPC woman said,  "You have my thanks, but I wish there was some way I could repay you."  The player responds, "If you follow the tenets of my god and attend services regularly, it will be repayment enough."

       Well, I thought that was just awesome.  Here it was, her first role playing game experience and she was knocking it out of the park!  In retrospect, it is clear that she was drawing on her own background and experience as someone who grew up a practicing Catholic.  This informed her notion of the types of behaviors and attitudes a priest would assume.  This connection might seem obvious to some people, but I have played D&D for many years, often playing priests and almost always at a table where someone was playing a priest - and I never saw it played in that way.

     It was a great table moment, and there are two lessons in it for us here: 

1. You want to try to tap into your new players' understandings of the world (both game world and real world), their tendencies, biases, predilections, etc. This will allow them to feel more involved in the game and generally to just be enjoying it more.

2.  With new players be prepared for the unexpected.  This goes for always, but especially with new players.  If they are willing to take the risk of engaging with the game and DM, new players are among the most creative people you can game with - which is in itself rewarding for everyone at the table.

Thanks for reading!  I guess we'll have to cover bikini chainmail next time.

One May Ask, "What is D&D?"

        The book pictured below was my introduction to Dungeons & Dragons a long time ago, though I had played some role playing games before.  Any such book will detail the basics of role playing, but I will clear up some common misconceptions and try to give a brief overview here.  Note: I will write "D&D" for ease, but you could supplant "RPG" in most cases.

        One thing people who have not played D&D before often misunderstand is the very nature of the game.  It is an imaginative collective story-telling game with a set of guidelines.  It is not a competitive game, not even in the way boardgames or table top war games are.

       For D&D the game world is one of high fantasy, think Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Conan the Barbarian, King Arthur.  In every group of people playing D&D there is one leader, storyteller, judge and adjudicator of the game world and the outcomes of the actions of the rest of the players.  This person is called the Dungeon Master (though other games give it a different name).  The players each have a character with both a set of statistics not dissimilar from a video game rpg, mmo, etc.  These statistics and attributes tell the players and DM how your character interacts with the game world through the 'rules'. 
                                    

      For example if you have a high strength attribute, you get bonuses to hit things and lift heavy stuff.  Dice represent elements of chance and difficulty.  The players and Dungeon Master roll dice as prescribed by the rules of the game in order to make the plot of the story less predictable, continuously variable, and suspenseful for all involved.  

         Here is  a brief example of play as one might encounter it at a gaming table:

DM:   As you descend the stone staircase into the darkness, you hear scurrying noises from the bleak stone hallway in front of you.  As your eyes adjust, you can see there is a slight shimmer at the end of a short corridor.  Rats cover the floor in front of you, climbing on top of one another and scurrying about.  (What do you do?)

Player 1:   My character really wants to recover this artifact and isn't scared of a few rats. 

Player 2:  Alright, if you want to go for it,  I got your back.

Player 1:  I light a torch and wave it at the rats.

Player 2:  As he does that my character is going step back onto the stairs, notch and arrow and shoot it at one of the rats.

DM:  Alright, roll your attack to see if you hit the rat.  And I will roll for the rats  to see how they are affected by the fire from the torch. 

(interested parties roll various dice, add various modifiers and bonuses, and the players tell the DM what they rolled.  The DM can choose to keep his/her rolls secret)

DM:  Alright, so one of the rats is skewered on your arrow.   And three run back into a hole you notice now that your torch is lit.  The rest fight over one another to back up from the torch creating a few foot radius around you where there are now no small rodents.  You also see that the shimmer is the lock on a treasure chest at the end of the hallway, which ends in a dead end behind the chest.

Rinse, repeat.

     The other part is the role playing part.  Each player decides for their character what kind of person they are, what kind of adventurer they are, and generally what kind of stuff do they get into.  Are you a Dwarven Fighter using an Axe who has a grudge against the clan that shut down his family's mine?  Are you a young one hundred year old Elven Wizard learning dark secrets that allow you to cast awesome magic spells?  And for any of these characters: How did you come to be involved with the other characters in the group and situation you are in?  In the above example the characters may merely be treasure hunters, but perhaps one is after a powerful artifact they have been hunting down to learn a new spell, or to turn the tide in the ongoing war...

Any questions?

Roll For Initiative!

D20 Lollipop (or 'sucker' if you must)

Thought that would be a good way to start things off.  My name is Josh, affectionately referred to (by myself) as DM Josh when  I am running a group or campaign.  Thus, I have decided to use the same moniker here.

The planned focus of this blog will be discussion, inquiry, and analysis around Dungeons & Dragons on two (and maybe three) fronts:

1.  New and Developing DMs honing our chops (Myself definitely included).

2. Recruiting new players for your group and introducing new players to the game (Girls).

3?.  Looking at how 1. and 2. tie in with the upcoming D&D rule set and the current Play-Test.


If you are wondering who I am and why I am writing this:
      I would classify myself as an Intermediate-Beginner DM.  I am on the path to being an intermediate DM but stuck in the beginner stages.  I hope to explore this at greater length in the future here on this blog.  I played a lot of AD&D Second Edition and some other RPGs in junior high and in high school.  I fell out of the hobby for a long while and got back into it when the guys from www.penny-arcade.com recorded podcasts of them playing Fourth Edition D&D a few years ago.  These are the fourth edition ones.   This is the most up to date D&D podcasts, including Penny Arcade and Scott Kurtz playing with the D&D Next Play Test rules.  If you are interested in these latest soon-to-be rules check out The Official Website, and I also recommend the Live Streamed Wizards (the people who make the game) R&D folks using the new rules to play the classic module, Against the Slave Lords.
     When I did get back into the hobby, I wrangled my girlfriend and two of my old gaming buddies along with their n00b wives to start a group.  We had surprising success getting the girls to play, and I had much more fun than I had had playing with strangers at the game store.  Due to some life changes, such as moving 2000 miles across the country, I have found myself needing new groups a few times.  This is how I really started DM'ing more regularly, in order to actually *have* a group at all.  I have had the opportunity also to introduce a number of people to role playing and D&D throughout this process, with mixed results of course. 

Disclaimer:  I presume anyone reading this will know what role playing games are and how they work, what D&D is, and what DM'ing is.  If you do not, please leave a comment or shoot me a message.  I can respond to you or make the basics the subject of an upcoming post. 


Hope you have managed to swallow the introduction and are looking forward to my first real post!