Good work. Been Dungeon Mastering/Game Mastering for over 40 years myself. My kids now play and one DM's. It has been and remains an amazing journey, always interesting, never the same.
Played since '79, DM'ed since '80. AD&D 1E is my realm. Welcome to the status of Old Grognard. Learn the lesson of Peter Pan - never loose the magic of imagination (and don't loose the child in you)
Great points. I think as a DM, especially a new one, there's a tendency to think you have to have everything planned out. But the truth, and the better approach, is you're a player too. You're exploring your world with the pc's and interacting with them and their actions as that world. It's very dynamic and doesn't need to be detailed until you all get there and discover it together. The things I wish I knew...
Welcome to TH-cam. Thanks for the video. Been DMing since 87 and still going. Never left BECMI, never saw a need to. I run 2 campaign groups in a persistent Mystara world. The winter league finished its 3rd year and the summer league is halfway through its 2nd. Dam how I love this game. Looking forward to your future content. Best of luck with the channel. BECMI Forever! Long Live King Elmore!!
Thank you for watching and for your comment. Sounds like you've been playing for quite some time. I've never ran a game in the Mystara setting. What are some of the things you like about it? I need to do more research on that world.
agreed! I've been playing and DMing since the 80's and I cannot recall the last time that we didn't have customized rules at my table. PLUS.. having the flexibility in the rules also helps to acclimate newer players into the game.
Agreed. Many groups have house rules. One of mine was to track the PCs hit points myself to create a more realistic feel during combat. Instead of the players knowing their exact hit point total, I'd describe their wounds, how they feel, and their overall condition. This made them strategize more during combat to ensure they weren't being reckless.
Just came across this video today (9/10/24) and I have been playing since October '79 (1e AD&D) and DM'd for the first time that November as I brought it home from college over the Thanksgiving holiday introducing my brother and friends. My brother DM's as does my daughter. I've played/DM'd 1e, 3/3.5e, and 5e. I have found flexibility on the fly to be a good skill to have.
I have been Playing off and on since 1978. Mostly as a Player, but I did DM some (2nd Edition) THACO. Thank you for the Short Video, it and the Comments made me Smile 🧙♂️🧜♀️
I’ve been DMing since the mid 1970’s. And I totally agree with your video. Outstanding way of putting things and very accurate IMHO. However, with the OGL debacle I’ve moved onto a different system. But my game still uses all the monsters and flavor of AD&D 1E. And a lot of the versions that progressed. I will always love D&D and I still use/do many of the very things you mention in your video. Table top games are a great connection for people to just have fun. Thank you for recognizing this and I’ll be keeping an eye on your channel. Take care.
Thanks for your comment @GameMasterDude230. Yes, the latest OGL got messed up but that was mainly due to several executives at WotC who have departed. All the new 5e news and videos coming out of Wizards has been stellar, IMHO. But, I can't blame you from moving on to a different system. What system did you move to?
@@dnd-and-philosophy I went to Pathfinder Second edition. It has close ties to D&D and I use only what I need to make the game fun for me and my players. I am keeping my eye on what they are doing in D&D so time will tell I suppose. My first love will always be to D&D as that’s where it all started. Keep the videos coming I like your content 👍
@@GameMasterDude230 Very cool. I've read some of the Pathfinder rules but never played. I'm familiar with D&D 3 and 3.5 and Pathfinder "fixed" some of those rules. I'm glad you're adapting the game to your needs.
My tip for being a DM/GM is just to live your world. Make it as real for yourself in your imagination as you can. Know the people, know the places. That makes it much easier to improvise when necessary.
I first started playing in the early 80s with the Basic Red Box and then the Expert Blue Box. My friends and I played during lunch hour at school (one of my teachers was cool enough to let us use his classroom despite the satanic panic). Within a couple of months of playing, I started DMing. It wasn't long before some 1e Advanced D&D books started showing up and we started mashing up both rule books. We obviously were technically "playing it wrong", but we had so much fun with both rulesets (and some house rules) that it didn't matter. We didn't really experience the adversarial "DM versus player" thing at that time, so if the players pulled off a crazy stunt, the DM (sometimes me) cheered along with them. We lived by the mantra: "The rules are tools, but fun is number one." Since those early days, I have always tried to keep that in mind. I have played and DMed BECMI (up to Companion - never played Master or Immortal, sadly), 1e, 2e, 3 and 3.5e, 4e, and 5e and I have enjoyed playing them all (I know it's kind of en vogue to dump on 4e AND 5e, but I seem to have had a very different experience with these editions than most). I have certainly gotten better at using the appropriate rules within each of the editions, but I still borrow rules from all the different editions and I still use house rules that I've had for decades. Thanks for posting! I appreciate your message. :)
Been a player/GM for about 15 years now. The advice that I recommend the most is talking with your players to find ways for them to tie their character to the game. Encourage them to have NPCs that you can put in danger if necessary to motivate their character to action. Encourage them to make characters who actively have a reason to adventure. The key piece of advice that I have been given and keep close to my heart now is this: Don't make Frodo from The Shire, make Frodo from Rivendell. Don't make a character who is waiting for the story to whisk him away, that will just feel like railroading because a person naturally wouldn't want to risk their life. Make the Frodo that says "I will take the ring! But... I do not know the way." Be the character that desires to go on the adventure, but needs the rest of the party to survive. When you have a character with a baked in reason to adventure (a debt, a grudge, the desire for wealth and fame) it becomes so much easier to make a story come to life naturally.
I have a player who doesn't want close NPCs as they are just causing him trouble and force him to do things he doesn't want to do (like setting out to help them). Most of his characters would be happy to just procrastinate alone in their homes. He suffers from severe case of hobbitism.
I’ve been a DM for 40 years too! It’s all about world building and story telling, while, at the same time, allowing your players to do cool stuff that they want to do. Some die rolls are rolled behind the screen, and fudged to a certain extent. Other die rolls are rolled in the brutally open and applied according to the rules. Most of all - enjoy!
Theres never any reason to go beyond the rules. The rules allow for everything you dont need to say no. You just need to know the rules well enough to make it work..
Really great video I enjoyed it a lot. Would love to see more like this
@jamyburke1783 thanks very much. I'll be recording a new video today about hit points.
Good work. Been Dungeon Mastering/Game Mastering for over 40 years myself. My kids now play and one DM's. It has been and remains an amazing journey, always interesting, never the same.
Welcome to my channel and thanks for commenting! Playing D&D as a kid is exciting. Playing D&D with your kids, is priceless!
Great video mate
I agree that the number one rule should be fun. That doesn't always equate to a sense of winning a game, which is also important to remember.
Well said!
Oh! And I love your channel!
I learned that AD&D 2e is the best RPG.
@@darthtc23 I liked many aspects of 2e, especially the d10 initiative.
💯
I believe it was 79 when I got the boxed set. A friend had the Monster Manual and we went from there. Been a DM ever since.
Yes! The memories are strong!
Played since '79, DM'ed since '80. AD&D 1E is my realm. Welcome to the status of Old Grognard. Learn the lesson of Peter Pan - never loose the magic of imagination (and don't loose the child in you)
Happy Belated Birthday.-- Advanced is where I started playing. I didn't run any campaign until 2nd ED. ( My favorite edition ). *Subscribed*
"Yes, and" & "Yes, but" Are 2 of the most useful phrases for keeping the table moving and on track. Great video, love these conversational Vlogs ♥
Great points. I think as a DM, especially a new one, there's a tendency to think you have to have everything planned out. But the truth, and the better approach, is you're a player too. You're exploring your world with the pc's and interacting with them and their actions as that world. It's very dynamic and doesn't need to be detailed until you all get there and discover it together. The things I wish I knew...
Welcome to TH-cam. Thanks for the video. Been DMing since 87 and still going. Never left BECMI, never saw a need to. I run 2 campaign groups in a persistent Mystara world. The winter league finished its 3rd year and the summer league is halfway through its 2nd. Dam how I love this game. Looking forward to your future content. Best of luck with the channel.
BECMI Forever!
Long Live King Elmore!!
Thank you for watching and for your comment. Sounds like you've been playing for quite some time. I've never ran a game in the Mystara setting. What are some of the things you like about it? I need to do more research on that world.
I liked your insight about how we follow enough rules already!
Right you gotta have fun.
Good stuff
Glad I found your channel
agreed! I've been playing and DMing since the 80's and I cannot recall the last time that we didn't have customized rules at my table. PLUS.. having the flexibility in the rules also helps to acclimate newer players into the game.
Agreed. Many groups have house rules. One of mine was to track the PCs hit points myself to create a more realistic feel during combat. Instead of the players knowing their exact hit point total, I'd describe their wounds, how they feel, and their overall condition. This made them strategize more during combat to ensure they weren't being reckless.
Just came across this video today (9/10/24) and I have been playing since October '79 (1e AD&D) and DM'd for the first time that November as I brought it home from college over the Thanksgiving holiday introducing my brother and friends. My brother DM's as does my daughter. I've played/DM'd 1e, 3/3.5e, and 5e. I have found flexibility on the fly to be a good skill to have.
I have been Playing off and on since 1978.
Mostly as a Player, but I did DM some (2nd Edition) THACO.
Thank you for the Short Video, it and the Comments made me Smile
🧙♂️🧜♀️
I’ve been DMing since the mid 1970’s. And I totally agree with your video. Outstanding way of putting things and very accurate IMHO. However, with the OGL debacle I’ve moved onto a different system. But my game still uses all the monsters and flavor of AD&D 1E. And a lot of the versions that progressed. I will always love D&D and I still use/do many of the very things you mention in your video. Table top games are a great connection for people to just have fun. Thank you for recognizing this and I’ll be keeping an eye on your channel. Take care.
Thanks for your comment @GameMasterDude230. Yes, the latest OGL got messed up but that was mainly due to several executives at WotC who have departed. All the new 5e news and videos coming out of Wizards has been stellar, IMHO. But, I can't blame you from moving on to a different system. What system did you move to?
@@dnd-and-philosophy I went to Pathfinder Second edition. It has close ties to D&D and I use only what I need to make the game fun for me and my players. I am keeping my eye on what they are doing in D&D so time will tell I suppose. My first love will always be to D&D as that’s where it all started. Keep the videos coming I like your content 👍
@@GameMasterDude230 Very cool. I've read some of the Pathfinder rules but never played. I'm familiar with D&D 3 and 3.5 and Pathfinder "fixed" some of those rules. I'm glad you're adapting the game to your needs.
My tip for being a DM/GM is just to live your world. Make it as real for yourself in your imagination as you can. Know the people, know the places. That makes it much easier to improvise when necessary.
I first started playing in the early 80s with the Basic Red Box and then the Expert Blue Box. My friends and I played during lunch hour at school (one of my teachers was cool enough to let us use his classroom despite the satanic panic). Within a couple of months of playing, I started DMing. It wasn't long before some 1e Advanced D&D books started showing up and we started mashing up both rule books. We obviously were technically "playing it wrong", but we had so much fun with both rulesets (and some house rules) that it didn't matter. We didn't really experience the adversarial "DM versus player" thing at that time, so if the players pulled off a crazy stunt, the DM (sometimes me) cheered along with them. We lived by the mantra: "The rules are tools, but fun is number one."
Since those early days, I have always tried to keep that in mind. I have played and DMed BECMI (up to Companion - never played Master or Immortal, sadly), 1e, 2e, 3 and 3.5e, 4e, and 5e and I have enjoyed playing them all (I know it's kind of en vogue to dump on 4e AND 5e, but I seem to have had a very different experience with these editions than most). I have certainly gotten better at using the appropriate rules within each of the editions, but I still borrow rules from all the different editions and I still use house rules that I've had for decades.
Thanks for posting! I appreciate your message. :)
I like it, good start and I like where you are going with thoughtfulness and making connections. Subbed
Thanks so much for commenting and subscribing!
Been a player/GM for about 15 years now. The advice that I recommend the most is talking with your players to find ways for them to tie their character to the game. Encourage them to have NPCs that you can put in danger if necessary to motivate their character to action. Encourage them to make characters who actively have a reason to adventure.
The key piece of advice that I have been given and keep close to my heart now is this: Don't make Frodo from The Shire, make Frodo from Rivendell.
Don't make a character who is waiting for the story to whisk him away, that will just feel like railroading because a person naturally wouldn't want to risk their life.
Make the Frodo that says "I will take the ring! But... I do not know the way." Be the character that desires to go on the adventure, but needs the rest of the party to survive.
When you have a character with a baked in reason to adventure (a debt, a grudge, the desire for wealth and fame) it becomes so much easier to make a story come to life naturally.
I have a player who doesn't want close NPCs as they are just causing him trouble and force him to do things he doesn't want to do (like setting out to help them).
Most of his characters would be happy to just procrastinate alone in their homes.
He suffers from severe case of hobbitism.
Great video. Great advice.
Thanks, I appreciate that!
4 year DM here. Great video, subscribed :)
Great to hear. Welcome to the world of Dungeon Mastery!
+1 to your goal. :)
Our custom rules c9me from bleeding from other games
I’ve been a DM for 40 years too! It’s all about world building and story telling, while, at the same time, allowing your players to do cool stuff that they want to do. Some die rolls are rolled behind the screen, and fudged to a certain extent. Other die rolls are rolled in the brutally open and applied according to the rules. Most of all - enjoy!
Sounds like we have a very similar DMing style. Thanks for the comment!
Theres never any reason to go beyond the rules. The rules allow for everything you dont need to say no. You just need to know the rules well enough to make it work..
i didnt learn how to ride a bike....
i wont be a good dm
Being a dungeon master is like being a parent. You will or won't be any good at it, and you likely won't take well to criticism :)
Great analogy!