Love this idea.

• 🎯 Zone combat and zone terrain are advantageous alternatives to grid-based combat in tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) and Pathfinder.
• 🔄 Zone combat is faster, easier, and more flexible compared to traditional grid-based combat.
• 📏 Grid-based combat, using tape measures to calculate distances between opponents, is commonly used in miniature war gaming and strategy games, but it can slow down gameplay and is less suited for collaborative storytelling and character creation in RPGs.
• 🧩 Zones in RPGs, such as Fate, Conan, and 5E Hardcore Mode, simplify movement and combat by dividing the playing area into specific zones or areas with defined rules and limitations.
• ⚔️ In 5E Hardcore Mode, there are typically two zones: melee combat and ranged combat. Movement and attacking are different within each zone, and there are limitations on who can attack whom.
• 🌟 The use of zones allows for abstract representation of various terrains and environments, offering flexibility in the game's setting.
• 🔥 Spells and abilities in zone combat have specific ranges and areas of effect, providing strategic options and considerations for players.
• 🏰 Ultimate Dungeon Terrain (UDT) is an example of terrain design that supports zone-based combat. It offers practicality, versatility, and the ability to reveal the terrain as the game progresses.
• 🎭 The use of UDT and zone-based combat draws parallels to live theater, where the focus is on the main characters in the center of the action, while the surrounding elements provide context and support.
• 🖼️ UDT strikes a balance between detail and simplicity, enhancing immersion without slowing down gameplay. It can be supplemented with pre-made 3D terrain pieces from various manufacturers.
• 📐 UDT can represent diverse settings, from castles and taverns to wizard studies and mad scientist laboratories.
• ✂️ Crafting UDT does not require extensive skills or supplies, and there are resources available to learn how to create it.
• 💰 Additional resources, such as Facebook groups and Patreon pages, provide access to related content, games, and tutorials for a small subscription fee.

• 💡 "You can certainly try": Encourages players to be creative and take risks, reminding them of the limitless possibilities in the game and the potential consequences of their actions.
• 💡 "What you don't see is": Adds suspense and mystery by providing players with information their characters are unaware of, enhancing immersion for those who enjoy role-playing and can separate player knowledge from character actions.
• 💡 "How does your player feel in this situation?": Puts the spotlight on individual players, allowing them to explore their characters' motivations and backstory, while also engaging players who may not have had much to do recently.
• 💡 "How do you want to do this?": Celebratory phrase marking the defeat of a significant enemy, giving players the opportunity to describe their character's finishing blow and fostering collaboration between DM and players in shaping the narrative.
• 💡 "What does it look like when you do this?": Encourages players to visualize and describe the visual aspects of their character's spells or actions, promoting player immersion and creativity, while also enhancing the overall atmosphere at the table.

• ✏️ Mistake 1: New DMs often make the mistake of planning an epic game with grand plots and expectations. It's recommended to start with more modest plots and expectations, focusing on basic elements and getting comfortable with the rules and mechanics.
• 📚 Mistake 2: Using pre-published modules is a great option for new DMs. They provide guidance on writing descriptions, creating stat blocks, pacing, and balancing encounters. Modules like the Starter Set's "Lost Mines of Phandelver" and Goodman Games' "Into the Borderlands" are highly recommended.
• 🏰 Mistake 3: Dungeons are recommended for new DMs because they provide a closed circuit and limit player options. Wilderness settings can be overwhelming as players have more freedom to do anything.
• ⚔️ Mistake 4: Starting with first-level characters is advised for new DMs. Beginning at a higher level with powerful spells and abilities can be overwhelming. It's important to ease into the game and learn the mechanics before handling more complex elements.
• 📺 Mistake 5: Planning a mini-series of four or five sessions is preferable to planning a long campaign. Most D&D campaigns end before reaching high levels, so it's better to have a concise and satisfying conclusion within a shorter time frame. The DM can decide whether to continue the series based on the players' feedback.
• 📜 Mistake 6: New DMs often struggle with understanding story construction. The two essential elements are characters (brought by players) and conflict (brought by the DM). A conflict consists of an objective and a time limit for achieving it, which creates a narrative drive and engages players.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Mistake 7: Having too many players can be challenging for a new DM. It's recommended to restrict the number of participants, with three players being the ideal number. This allows for a cohesive group dynamic and quick turns, preventing long waits between player actions.
• 📖 Mistake 8: New DMs often attempt to use all the optional rules in D&D 5th Edition. It's advised to stick to the basic rules, especially for beginner DMs, to simplify the game and reduce decision overload.
• 🎭 Mistake 9: Avoid comparing oneself to famous celebrity DMs like Matt Mercer or Chris Perkins. Each DM has their own style, and it's important to focus on having fun and enjoying the game. Playing with new players who have no expectations can be a great experience.

• 😄 Make every combat unique and special by creating interesting situations and timers.
• 🎥 Take inspiration from film director Francis Ford Coppola and aim to create memorable and unique combat encounters.
• 🗝️ Design rooms and encounters that stand out from the typical expectations, adding elements like scorpion fights, hostages, or unique environmental features.
• ⏱️ Incorporate timers and time limits into combat encounters to increase tension and create memorable moments.
• 🎮 Learn from board games like Terraforming Mars and Dead of Winter that use time limits and resource management to enhance excitement and pacing.
• 💥 Consider adding time limits to boss encounters or introducing time-sensitive elements to regular combat to make them more engaging.
• 🤔 Reflect on hit points as both a measure of health and a timer, and consider reducinghit points to increase tension and make combat more exciting.
• 🌉 Utilize environmental features like narrow bridges, sinking ships, or burning rooms to create dynamic combat situations.
• 🔀 Grids are optional, and using zone terrain instead can provide a more fluid combat experience.
• ⏰ Group initiative can work well for larger groups, where players declare their actions before rolling for resolution, creating a more realistic and chaotic feel.
• 🎲 Combat tactics can be influenced by the chosen initiative method, and different approaches can be valid depending on personal preferences and playstyle.
• 💡 Thinking of combat in terms of situations and imposing time limits can make combat exciting regardless of the game system, level, or genre.
• 📚 There are additional resources available in the description of the video, including a Dungeon Craft Facebook group and Patreon page.

• 🎭 Let the audience know what's at stake in the story from the start to create tension.
• ⏰ Use a ticking clock or time limits to add urgency and restrict resources in the game.
• 🏞️ Incorporate the environment to create obstacles and challenges for the players.
• ⏱️ Utilize timers and complications to increase tension during encounters.
• 📝 Prepare concise notes and cheat sheets to avoid interruptions and maintain momentum in the game.

Good discussion on why adv/disadv not in the dice--it's in the impact of the decisions.

Say player wants to climb a steep wall to get to the top.

He can climb by hand. If he fails, he falls to his death.

He can climb using a grappling hook and rope. If he fails, he gets jarred by a brief slip and loses a bit of gear but is able to continue the climb to the top.

The consequences of his approach, the decision he made, impact the outcome, which amounts to gaining and advantage from using the grappling hook.

Mechanics are the same/similar but the consequences might be much better (adv) or worse (disadv) based on how smart or dumb you approach the obstacle. So a fail on a hand climb, you may fall to your death; a fail on a grappling hook climb may be you slip a few feet, jarring your pack and losing an item. Your approach matters, the fiction matters, the consequences of failure should be the difference and reflect how well or poorly you approached the problem.

It's 8...The number is 8. Basically, before bonuses from your main stat, you have to roll an 8, no matter what the level. Because bonuses get higher with level advancement. So basically, the percentage of success remains the same (the chance of rolling an 8).

• 🎲 The difficulty class (DC) in D&D is crucial for setting the right level of challenge.
• 📚 The perfectly balanced DC in 5th edition is around 13, resulting in a 65% chance of success.
• 💪 Character bonuses in 5th edition compensate for the higher DCs compared to previous editions.
• 🧠 Bonuses on character sheets are illusions to make players feel powerful and the game fair.
• 📝 Difficulty classes are determined by the designers and should reflect the expertise of the characters.
• 🎭 The game is inherently arbitrary, so trusting the designers' decisions on DCs is no different.
• ➕ The proficiency bonus and ability scores contribute to determining the target number.
• 🎯 The most common target number in D&D is 8, representing a satisfying 65% success rate.
• 🔢 DCs in D&D typically fall into three bands: 7-8 for experts, 9-11 for skilled, and 13-14 for non-skilled.
• 🛠 Adjustments to DCs can be made based on high armor classes or challenging traps.
• 🗒 The "hard and easy" mechanic in Index Card RPG suggests adjusting DCs by ±3 for simplicity.
• 🎲 Dungeon Masters can rely on gut instincts and make quick calculations for setting DCs.
• ❓ The video encourages viewers to share their thoughts and provides links to additional content and games.

The author discusses the importance of telegraphing danger in tabletop RPGs. This means informing players about the level of danger they are about to encounter, which can prompt them to creatively come up with a new solution to tackle their next challenge. The author also emphasizes the importance of failure in the game and how telegraphing danger can relieve the DM of responsibility for character deaths. The author provides examples of how to telegraph danger to players in the game, such as describing a tough group of mercenaries or a battle between two large subterranean creatures. Overall, telegraphing danger can enhance the gaming experience by putting the spotlight on players to make choices and think creatively.

Kelsey from the Arcane Library walks viewers through her updated minimalist Dungeon Master's kit in a video. Her kit includes a microfiber cloth, an egg timer, index cards, dice, pogs, and minis. She uses the egg timer to keep players moving and create tension, while the index cards are helpful for quick notes, name tags, or drawing out small objects. Kelsey uses flat plastic minis by a company called Arc Knight and has a collection of clear bases in different shapes and sizes. She gives out vintage pogs as luck or inspiration tokens to new players.

SPOILERS!

The speaker discusses the difficulty of handling tragic moments in tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) as it involves balancing the narrative and emotions of the players. The video focuses on a tragic moment in the campaign A Crown of Candy by Dimension 20, involving the character Jet, played by Emily Oxford. Jet is a brash and adventurous princess who wants to explore the world but ultimately dies due to her reckless actions. The video discusses how the consequences of her actions affected the entire table and how the players coped with the loss. The video also features a sponsor, Describe, a storytelling tool for Dungeon Masters that provides professionally written descriptions and sound effects.