Jeebus! I've heard often about how much if not most of the DM's work goes unnoticed but it makes such a difference actually seeing it all laid out! I now look forward to these videos as much as the videos of the actual campaign!! Well done Rob!
I absolutely love behind the screen. As a GM myself I sometimes think I overprepare my games, but seeing Rob planning that much in advance as well is not only reassuring, it's also really instructive. So thank you Rob for being amazing!
Thanks, Rob, these BTS videos are brilliant, they are not only instructive or impressive, but also add so much to the campaign itself! Hope you'll consider doing such BTS videos on regular basis - about all the important and interesting moments in all the sessions (if you have the time for it, of course). I just love to see your BTS and wait for the new ones as much (and sometimes even more) as for the new campaign episodes. :) And great respect for all the work and the dedication you're putting in D&D, for me it not only deserves admiration, but also sets high standards and is a wonderful example to learn from. And Yarris Goldhorn was a great character, with charisma, depth and history, one of my favorite, I'll miss him. :)
Your ability to plan for this stuff is incredible. Because I have wondered, because I just re-watch the Supercuts all the time while working or listening to them I should say, what would’ve happened because I expected the party to have to break into his house and not be let into his house. And for as many times as they have derailed the campaign or messed with what you’ve got going I probably would’ve killed bodger with that level five spell just for spice
It is always interesting to see how a fellow dm uses his mind to come up with interesting paths, and sometimes it really does come down to just letting ppl play
Trying to railroad people into a chosen path is sometimes the worst thing someone can do as a GM, ya have to plan for the as we used to call it: "The exploding lotus formation"...where players will just go off in random directions and do unexpected shenanigans.
I run two games myself and no matter how humbly you state your planning tech in this vid Rob, this kind of balanced planning is crazy good and well thought out. Great work!
Loving this series! I gm’d for a very short period and it’s SUCH an under-appreciated part for how much prep goes into it. Very cool to see how you’ve prepared some of these epic battles
Being someone that has been into D&D for years I enjoy this openness, recently I was in a chat with another DM/GM and they seemed to become annoyed by my questions on how he developed a adventures and just finally told me I make a plan they die than that's it.. no planning no what if . It's great to see here the way to truly enjoyable D&D adventure.
Thank you very much for these. I have not dm'd in 30 years, (since first edition), so I really love your explanations on how you prepare for a campaign, or fight in this case.
Rob. Do you purposely go easy on them? So that the series continues. Just curious. XD. Because after seeing the behind the scenes footage, seems the bosses are so much powerful than they actually were in the episodes. Anyway fantastic work guys. Up the VLDL!!.
A little, at times. Depends on the circumstances. These days, they've requested I loosen their plot armor as they're getting more familiar with the game.
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD haha I get it. Things should be more interesting now then. Thank you Rob and VLDL team. Can't wait for tomorrow's episode. Im a big fan of DnD and I have seen the hardcore groups play on other channels, but I enjoy this the most. Best content for DnD
I want to asked Rob, what would happened if after they attacked by the assassin they choose to go to the dirt league instead of going to the voracious quake?
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD ahaha... I mean they got teleported to the death frost after the dirt league, will the battle with voracious quake skipped? will eldwina get teleported too? or maybe you prepared another boss fight in dirt league? sorry, I'm just curious...maybe it could be another episode of behind the scene 😁 and I love your works Rob 🥰🥰
i am a DM for a group of 4, 2 of them are new. I keep running into issues where they do things i dont expect or have anything written for, or they see right through little things im trying to do. how do you get around this? I had the group enter a desert 3 sessions ago, as soon as they were in the desert, they decided to tie themselves together to prevent them from getting lost, i had plans to separate all of them and run mini questline tell they regrouped. I go 2 of them alone, this is just an example of what i mean.
As a side note, I'm currently playing with an unexperienced DM and since he's new, he doesn't understand the game at all. Every time I want to try something, like a different approach, he doesn't even let me throw a dice. In the last session we went in a dungeon full of "traps". Every room was just "roll a dexterity check", and he even said "if you fail there's nothing I can do for you". And of course, no room for freedom at all - the traps were like "a giant blade you can't escape in the middle of the room" or "a pit full of spikes and you have to jump over it". That's the worst way of handling that. Of course I rolled a 1... the DM said that another character, who rolled a 20, saved me. But what he really saved me from was from the DM. If the game would literally be the same if the players weren't there, then you're making a mistake. If the party would have been separated in the exact same way if your players hadn't been there, then it would have been a mistake. There should almost always be room for the creativity of the players. Your job as a DM is to imagine the situations (obstacles, enemies, puzzles) encountered by your players that could lead to different situations as a consequence for what the characters do. Like, if you really want to separate the characters, imagine a fight against enchanted blades and a sand elemental during a sand storm. Your real goal would be to cut the rope and isolate characters from each other. But it would happen as a consequence for your players' choices. And if it doesn't happen, well, you just had a desert encounter, and they earned the right to stay groupped.
@@Ezullof that sucks. I'm all about freedom, my ranger cast entanglement then my sorcerer asked if he'd be able to lit it on fire...I thought that was a dope idea. So now it's lore that entanglement can be burned. My comment was more on the lines of not being biased towards my players and give them a challenge where a few, if not all, may die(drop to zero hp).
As a dm I have multiple ways my players will eventually end up in my next plot point & always plan at least 6 ways that session can go....I always have a couple random encounters planned when they throw me a curve ball & do something totally unexpected that circumvent my planning completely that way the session isn't ruined & I can figure out how this new development can work into my story. Player freedom & ingenuity is the best part of playing. If they come up with super inventive or cool ways you want to encourage that because it makes it more fun as players realize almost nothing is off the table and they get more into the role. I have had players trap bad guys in houses & burn them down, totally go away from the story hook, trip a big bad giant to falling down a hill, smother a baddie with a magic rug...whatever they come up with that could actually work (or iffy but just fantastic idea) I roll with it. So as a DM the biggest part is having the big baddie story line kind of roughed out and casually leading the players in the story direction & have mini baddies to misdirect their attention from the real bad guy or just the minions. This is a heros story .... the players are building and you are providing the danger. I have had to put away about 5 sessions of story sub plot (actually more cause he would have come back)because my players never went after the baron who was a Racshasa... they never stopped ...they stayed in the forest & bypassed the whole town....could i have forced them into that town ...yes...but then its just a dice/battle game not a role playing adventure & the players stop trying to make decisions & just wait for you to tell them where to go. This is your world as a DM let them explore it in their weird way & just learn to over prepare. Have your story & let them discover this fantastic world of mystery, danger & adventure you built. That great plan of splitting them up might not have worked this time but in 3 sessions ramp up the difficulty & boom you got them separated because they got lost in a magically trapped filled town/sewers. Or a town magican got mad at them for something and teleported them to those areas you had planned...Stuff you prepare is never lost but sidebarred until you might need to pull it out when they do something unexpected like splitting up the party to talk to different NPCs. The next advice is while planning a session try & think of your different players solutions to a puzzle or obstacle you planned ...is one reckless & one super cautious...put yourself as a player what would you do in that situation? Then try & cover all those senerios & of course a random encounter pulled out of thin air because they did something you never expected can save you & maybe lead the story somewhere else. That is the fun thing about being a DM is seeing the players get more into their roles as you let them & their decisions choose paths....slowly become immersed in the world you built and vested in the storyline. Last advice don't be linear in your plans...they do this then that then that...having to complete this area before going to the next....don't let it be running from battle encounter to battle encounter (again then just a dice game)..This is an open world game...they can go anywhere anytime even if it's not smart or prepared for blizzard conditions or battling the ancient red dragon in the mountains. One group I had discovered my lvl 20 vampire/necromancer big baddie at level 5...all my story clues, intrigue & plot hooks blown into dust....I had to change my whole plot points to them now trying to survive until strong enough to beat him & he knew who they were....it ended up a fantastic campaign of hide & seek...trying to find out ways to destroy him before he destroyed them....they felt him breathing down their necks the whole campaign...the danger was everywhere....it was great. Yes sometimes you have to force them to this pivotal story point or weapon but make it feel like they choose it not you....if it takes 5 sessions to get that magical book from the hill giant instead of 2 so what ...did they sneak in & steal it instead an epic battle great!...again it's your world the hill giant can become a fire giant cause they went to the mountians..... town they need to visit now instead needs heros to save them from orcs for gold instead of the visiting it. Once they players start getting invested in your story & game the easier it is to lead them to plot points because they need to figure out what your hinting at or want that treasure. The chaos & their choices on the way is the funnest part.
The fight would have gone differently had not Baradun made about a half dozen saves in a row.. Adam and Rowan seem to be sucking all the luck from Ben.
Your level of preparation shames me. 🙇 The few times I've DM'd I'd make up a range of possibilities in my mind and have them roll a percentage. While it allows for creativity, a lot of players don't like things that aren't expressly written in the rules for some reason...
Only now I'm beginning to realise the enormous amount of math that goes into preparing for a session... Rob, you really are a professional (as if that wasn't clear from the start!😅). My respects!
Years back I was lucky enough to meet Ernest Gygax that was involved in the beginning of D&D and how they came up with the randomness of it and how a simple adventure can alter on personal reactions and dice, Rob really has the insight into so many levels of what the origin of D&D is suppose to be and not just someone pushing a group into a adventure that has a predicted outcome.
I know that preparing in advance for things to potentially happen is a huge job in itself but I honestly LOVE seeing how much thought goes into the story and into all the possible things that could happen! ^_^
Love how you emphasized that Barudun's fireball was going to be a "distraction". So was Yarri a 100% gonna be a fight no matter what or was Alan right and they could have reasoned with him?
Yarris was one of those characters one is loath to leave behind, he was so well-written! He had a history long before the events of this campaign and was really ingrained in world and story, he was a villain who didn't feel replacable by some other enemy just to get a fight. It's hard to imagine now that Baradun & the Dickheads might have chosen another quest in place of Yarris. Alas, he had to go with a bang, rest in pieces!
I'd never heard of _Steel Wind Strike_ before this. Had to look it up! "So, it can only be used by Rangers & Wizards (two classes I haven't gotten to play yet), and HOLY SHIT THAT IS A LOT OF DAMAGE."
@@VivaLaDnDLogs bob had 36 hp. If he had been healed prior to SWS being used, the only chance he had for survival was if he rolled the dice himself. Nat 1's all the way.
As it s a multi target spell, it makes more sense for a NPC to use it than a PC, as it's often very few NPC vs a party. Also the downsides are: - quite short range - you are finishing your spell in melee of one of your target. Not ideal for a wizard.
I am rewatching the entire series and just watched this part. Only an excellent DM can prepare voor Bob's cursed rolls, the recklessness of Bodger, Baradun's overconfidence and Greg's sudden impulse to reason with an evil wizard. I love these behind the scenes vids!
But did you prepare for a peaceful resolution? If Baradun hadn't blundered out his name a fight with Yarris might not have happened at all. How would the campaign have progressed from there?
I prepared in case they tried to do an all-out assault, siege him in his tower, or, alternatively, if they tried to stealthily sneak and deceive their way in.... As it turns out, they tried neither of these, and decided on the peacefully-walking-in-the-front-door-and-being-honest approach... which I wasn't expecting.
So a 1/20 chance that a wild magic roll would trigger anything, AND a 1/50 chance of hitting 7 or 8 on the wild magic surge table... (multiply for probability of both happening)... *1/1000* chance of that fireball when Rob called for Baradun's roll. Yes, I very much want to hear "Behind the Screen" for that!! (Mind, Rob is so damn prepared, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he's got a 'fireball contingency plan' too... REALLY looking forward to hearing about that one!)
@@BlueCanary7 Maybe 50% less damage because it's a damp swamp ... unless they roll that 1/1000 chance again of the fireball finding an open oil fissure in the swamp.
I am not an expert in D&D but I've dabled and by far this is one of my favorite DMs. I like how he prepares for different scenarios and not force his parties into a linear structure.
I really liked the Yarris Goldhorn arch. Besides preparing really well, Rob created and impersonated the character really well. I laughed sooooooooooooooo much
Yarris is definitely a bad guy, created to be defeated, but I feel sorry for him. So well written and played, that I want more interaction with main characters, specificly Baradun. At least players don't attack straight away and have a little chat with Yarris. And all that character creation work is magnificent 😍 I absolutely love that episodes!
How great it would be if in actual VLDL game videos there was this kind of short inserts now and then? Kind of "This could have happened" or "I thought that they would do this way but" or "and here is what they did totally bonkers" ;) . Sometimes I wish that I would know then and there what DM was thinking :)
I find it very difficult to do on the fly if you are not a seasoned DM who know very well the spells on top of your head, because change the balance of the fight to quickly. I did however for bosses like Yaris introduced legendary resistance/lair action on the fly as they are not as many to "choose" from
I'd never be able to set this level of encounter up, they'd find a way to skirt any plans or contingencies so i just make the world and they do what they need to.
Great vid, showing the multiple outs that were available in order to balance fights (yes not all dm's want party wipes, only some, or most when party is being a**holes). The Big'Bs hand as my group calls it is always a win though (mainly as it often does silly things with my dmpc)
I've always wondered though if the party could've actually settled matters peacefully with Yarris? Was there ever a chance the party could've gotten Yarris as an ally, having potentially pardoned him, against Laethil with Baradun getting a full translation of Yarris's notes?
I have ultimate respect for Rob. He puts way more details into being a DM than I ever thought was needed. I love watching these to see exactly how many scenarios he has for every choice the guys can possibly make. He does an insane amount of work and before Behind the Screen I had an idea of the importance of the DM, but generally took Rob for granted. Now I see he is an integral part of the team. The most important part possibly. Without him there would be no narrative and consequences, but still, without the players there would be no character, no twists and turns that force Rob to have to account for every possible situation and outcome. I'm so thankful for this series, and for how above and beyond Rob goes for all of this to come together.
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD You're most welcome. Just trying to share my love for everything you guys do, since your videos on the main VLDL channel and on the D&D channel always brighten my day, and have helped me laugh even at times I didn't think I could.
So I totally stole the Yaris Goldhorn encounter for my game, they choose diplomacy and did a small job for him but he was chased away by angry dwarfs before they concluded their business.
Loving these behind the screens Rob. I have never been into the game so had no idea what kind of effort and thought goes into it. As a whole you guys have shown people like me how entertaining it can be.
I don't think most people have any idea just what goes into being a DM/GM, especially in a campaign as epic as this one so I'm LOVING all the "Behind the Screen" stuff! Robert explaining what goes on in the mind of the Game Master, how things are planned out, and how players inevitably turn those plans to shit is SPOT ON.
Thanks, that's really interesting. I DM for my nephews, and I find the fight balancing the hardest thing- I don't want to kill everyone and finish the game, but there has to be a real sense of jeopardy otherwise what's the point? Nice to see how a pro does it, you are super prepared!
Just discovered this... This is really cool, I really liked this breakdown. Would LOVE to see one for Skabatha, how you think it might have played out of the moth plan had somehow succeeded and all that. That was such a great fight, so much fun to watch... kinda glad it's over now though. lmao
Looking with new eyes at all the times The Dirt League decides to do something "crazy" and Rob just gives a wry smile, because he had already planned for that... Kudos sir, job amazingly well done! Ps. How many times did you plan an awesome Scenario and they just totally missed it? Do you nudge them often?
At 1:20 you said if Baradun had used fireball it would have gone into initiative order....wasn't the group already in initiative order after Bob got hit?
I know this is an old video, but on the off-chance someone who knows sees this… Yarris asked Greg if Grinn had access to “Speak with Dead”. What was that about?
As I happen to be at EP 42 on my NPC DnD rewatch , it gets totally my What if senses tingling. Would have loved to see how Baradun and The Dickheads would ruined all the other carefully crafted plans xD
Jeebus! I've heard often about how much if not most of the DM's work goes unnoticed but it makes such a difference actually seeing it all laid out! I now look forward to these videos as much as the videos of the actual campaign!! Well done Rob!
The body popping followed by "victory" gave me genuine chuckle
Clap Trap is cool
"It all works out for the good guys"
@@mikeesplace good.... them? I think they missed a comma.
"It all works out for the good, guys."
Ben's delivery of the line really sold it for me
@@michaelkreuter8732 it's the look of pure joy in his eyes that gets me haha
I absolutely love behind the screen. As a GM myself I sometimes think I overprepare my games, but seeing Rob planning that much in advance as well is not only reassuring, it's also really instructive. So thank you Rob for being amazing!
Rob: the DM we all want to be XD
Thanks, Rob, these BTS videos are brilliant, they are not only instructive or impressive, but also add so much to the campaign itself! Hope you'll consider doing such BTS videos on regular basis - about all the important and interesting moments in all the sessions (if you have the time for it, of course). I just love to see your BTS and wait for the new ones as much (and sometimes even more) as for the new campaign episodes. :) And great respect for all the work and the dedication you're putting in D&D, for me it not only deserves admiration, but also sets high standards and is a wonderful example to learn from. And Yarris Goldhorn was a great character, with charisma, depth and history, one of my favorite, I'll miss him. :)
Your ability to plan for this stuff is incredible. Because I have wondered, because I just re-watch the Supercuts all the time while working or listening to them I should say, what would’ve happened because I expected the party to have to break into his house and not be let into his house. And for as many times as they have derailed the campaign or messed with what you’ve got going I probably would’ve killed bodger with that level five spell just for spice
It is always interesting to see how a fellow dm uses his mind to come up with interesting paths, and sometimes it really does come down to just letting ppl play
Trying to railroad people into a chosen path is sometimes the worst thing someone can do as a GM, ya have to plan for the as we used to call it: "The exploding lotus formation"...where players will just go off in random directions and do unexpected shenanigans.
Yarris Goldhorn open up !!!
I want to see "Behind the SCREAM - Bob's DIEce" episode
I run two games myself and no matter how humbly you state your planning tech in this vid Rob, this kind of balanced planning is crazy good and well thought out. Great work!
Could you guys please make a couple hundred more episodes of this? Kthx.
I love Yarris! He’s awesome! I hope to see him again in the story somehow!
"The good guys". Who wants to tell him :p
Danggg,, all that scenarios wouldve been great..
Loving this series! I gm’d for a very short period and it’s SUCH an under-appreciated part for how much prep goes into it. Very cool to see how you’ve prepared some of these epic battles
Being someone that has been into D&D for years I enjoy this openness, recently I was in a chat with another DM/GM and they seemed to become annoyed by my questions on how he developed a adventures and just finally told me I make a plan they die than that's it.. no planning no what if . It's great to see here the way to truly enjoyable D&D adventure.
Thank you very much for these. I have not dm'd in 30 years, (since first edition), so I really love your explanations on how you prepare for a campaign, or fight in this case.
you do such an amazing job, rob
My Favourite DM.
This series always gives me a lot to think about! Very interesting!
Love all your stuff even the locked down stuff!
Carnival portel next plz
Is there anyway we can purchase your Campaign?
Not yet...
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD *follows this post*
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD Please please please please please - make this possible e.g. add it as a kick starter, with minis, monsters, spell effects etc..
I've never been into did but I absolutely love these videos I find myself cheering the idiots on and laughing alot great content my dudes.
30 hours till the next episode!
Rob. Do you purposely go easy on them? So that the series continues. Just curious. XD.
Because after seeing the behind the scenes footage, seems the bosses are so much powerful than they actually were in the episodes.
Anyway fantastic work guys. Up the VLDL!!.
A little, at times. Depends on the circumstances. These days, they've requested I loosen their plot armor as they're getting more familiar with the game.
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD haha I get it. Things should be more interesting now then. Thank you Rob and VLDL team. Can't wait for tomorrow's episode. Im a big fan of DnD and I have seen the hardcore groups play on other channels, but I enjoy this the most. Best content for DnD
I want to asked Rob, what would happened if after they attacked by the assassin they choose to go to the dirt league instead of going to the voracious quake?
Then they would have gone to the Dirt instead of the Voracious Quake.
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD ahaha... I mean they got teleported to the death frost after the dirt league, will the battle with voracious quake skipped? will eldwina get teleported too? or maybe you prepared another boss fight in dirt league? sorry, I'm just curious...maybe it could be another episode of behind the scene 😁
and I love your works Rob 🥰🥰
Yarris was by far my favorite character! Don't tell the guys but I was secretly hoping he would win because I fell in love. XD Lol
i am a DM for a group of 4, 2 of them are new. I keep running into issues where they do things i dont expect or have anything written for, or they see right through little things im trying to do. how do you get around this? I had the group enter a desert 3 sessions ago, as soon as they were in the desert, they decided to tie themselves together to prevent them from getting lost, i had plans to separate all of them and run mini questline tell they regrouped. I go 2 of them alone, this is just an example of what i mean.
As a side note, I'm currently playing with an unexperienced DM and since he's new, he doesn't understand the game at all. Every time I want to try something, like a different approach, he doesn't even let me throw a dice. In the last session we went in a dungeon full of "traps". Every room was just "roll a dexterity check", and he even said "if you fail there's nothing I can do for you". And of course, no room for freedom at all - the traps were like "a giant blade you can't escape in the middle of the room" or "a pit full of spikes and you have to jump over it". That's the worst way of handling that. Of course I rolled a 1... the DM said that another character, who rolled a 20, saved me. But what he really saved me from was from the DM.
If the game would literally be the same if the players weren't there, then you're making a mistake. If the party would have been separated in the exact same way if your players hadn't been there, then it would have been a mistake. There should almost always be room for the creativity of the players. Your job as a DM is to imagine the situations (obstacles, enemies, puzzles) encountered by your players that could lead to different situations as a consequence for what the characters do. Like, if you really want to separate the characters, imagine a fight against enchanted blades and a sand elemental during a sand storm. Your real goal would be to cut the rope and isolate characters from each other. But it would happen as a consequence for your players' choices. And if it doesn't happen, well, you just had a desert encounter, and they earned the right to stay groupped.
@@Ezullof that sucks. I'm all about freedom, my ranger cast entanglement then my sorcerer asked if he'd be able to lit it on fire...I thought that was a dope idea. So now it's lore that entanglement can be burned. My comment was more on the lines of not being biased towards my players and give them a challenge where a few, if not all, may die(drop to zero hp).
😂 You have my sympathies. I think you just have to wing it- to be as prepared as Rob I'd have to quit my job.
As a dm I have multiple ways my players will eventually end up in my next plot point & always plan at least 6 ways that session can go....I always have a couple random encounters planned when they throw me a curve ball & do something totally unexpected that circumvent my planning completely that way the session isn't ruined & I can figure out how this new development can work into my story. Player freedom & ingenuity is the best part of playing. If they come up with super inventive or cool ways you want to encourage that because it makes it more fun as players realize almost nothing is off the table and they get more into the role. I have had players trap bad guys in houses & burn them down, totally go away from the story hook, trip a big bad giant to falling down a hill, smother a baddie with a magic rug...whatever they come up with that could actually work (or iffy but just fantastic idea) I roll with it.
So as a DM the biggest part is having the big baddie story line kind of roughed out and casually leading the players in the story direction & have mini baddies to misdirect their attention from the real bad guy or just the minions. This is a heros story .... the players are building and you are providing the danger. I have had to put away about 5 sessions of story sub plot (actually more cause he would have come back)because my players never went after the baron who was a Racshasa... they never stopped ...they stayed in the forest & bypassed the whole town....could i have forced them into that town ...yes...but then its just a dice/battle game not a role playing adventure & the players stop trying to make decisions & just wait for you to tell them where to go. This is your world as a DM let them explore it in their weird way & just learn to over prepare. Have your story & let them discover this fantastic world of mystery, danger & adventure you built.
That great plan of splitting them up might not have worked this time but in 3 sessions ramp up the difficulty & boom you got them separated because they got lost in a magically trapped filled town/sewers. Or a town magican got mad at them for something and teleported them to those areas you had planned...Stuff you prepare is never lost but sidebarred until you might need to pull it out when they do something unexpected like splitting up the party to talk to different NPCs.
The next advice is while planning a session try & think of your different players solutions to a puzzle or obstacle you planned ...is one reckless & one super cautious...put yourself as a player what would you do in that situation? Then try & cover all those senerios & of course a random encounter pulled out of thin air because they did something you never expected can save you & maybe lead the story somewhere else.
That is the fun thing about being a DM is seeing the players get more into their roles as you let them & their decisions choose paths....slowly become immersed in the world you built and vested in the storyline.
Last advice don't be linear in your plans...they do this then that then that...having to complete this area before going to the next....don't let it be running from battle encounter to battle encounter (again then just a dice game)..This is an open world game...they can go anywhere anytime even if it's not smart or prepared for blizzard conditions or battling the ancient red dragon in the mountains. One group I had discovered my lvl 20 vampire/necromancer big baddie at level 5...all my story clues, intrigue & plot hooks blown into dust....I had to change my whole plot points to them now trying to survive until strong enough to beat him & he knew who they were....it ended up a fantastic campaign of hide & seek...trying to find out ways to destroy him before he destroyed them....they felt him breathing down their necks the whole campaign...the danger was everywhere....it was great.
Yes sometimes you have to force them to this pivotal story point or weapon but make it feel like they choose it not you....if it takes 5 sessions to get that magical book from the hill giant instead of 2 so what ...did they sneak in & steal it instead an epic battle great!...again it's your world the hill giant can become a fire giant cause they went to the mountians..... town they need to visit now instead needs heros to save them from orcs for gold instead of the visiting it.
Once they players start getting invested in your story & game the easier it is to lead them to plot points because they need to figure out what your hinting at or want that treasure. The chaos & their choices on the way is the funnest part.
i fking love this serie u.u''
The fight would have gone differently had not Baradun made about a half dozen saves in a row.. Adam and Rowan seem to be sucking all the luck from Ben.
Sacrifice for the algorithm
I sacrifice my sense of humour.
@@FaultAndDakranon since I have non of that at hand, I simply offer some keystrokes to Big Al
@@SettesNL Mine has wandered off, I could either sacrifice to summon it, or sacrifice it, and summon the algorithm manually.
Your level of preparation shames me. 🙇 The few times I've DM'd I'd make up a range of possibilities in my mind and have them roll a percentage. While it allows for creativity, a lot of players don't like things that aren't expressly written in the rules for some reason...
We need more of these behind the screens🥲 Why did you guys stop them
You have to love the arrogance of villains who can start out small because they just do not feel threatened. It's surprisingly realistic.
His advice comes from a lot of experience I'd say feels very forever dm to me
*stupid villians :D
To be fair, if you're a wizard limited by spell slots , you don't wanna burn your best cartridges unless you really need them
The 'Yarris' encounter is probably my favourite of the game so far. It felt like it had real weight behind it. Or maybe that was just the acting.
I also think there was a lot more to learn from Yarris than the group did
@@catherine7818 He had entire crates of documents that the left behind.
Yarris Goldhorn open up
Only now I'm beginning to realise the enormous amount of math that goes into preparing for a session...
Rob, you really are a professional (as if that wasn't clear from the start!😅). My respects!
Years back I was lucky enough to meet Ernest Gygax that was involved in the beginning of D&D and how they came up with the randomness of it and how a simple adventure can alter on personal reactions and dice, Rob really has the insight into so many levels of what the origin of D&D is suppose to be and not just someone pushing a group into a adventure that has a predicted outcome.
I've never played D&D and desperately want to learn it, precisely because of the dungeon master's job.
I know that preparing in advance for things to potentially happen is a huge job in itself but I honestly LOVE seeing how much thought goes into the story and into all the possible things that could happen! ^_^
Same, I love how he knows the players too and what to expect
Love how you emphasized that Barudun's fireball was going to be a "distraction". So was Yarri a 100% gonna be a fight no matter what or was Alan right and they could have reasoned with him?
I intended him to be a fight but they coulda avoided it.
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD I guess honesty shouldn't have been policy.
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD So because Greg told him EVERYTHING They had to fight master Goldhorn? That's ironic
@@MrPsych77 I thought it was because Barudun told him he got nerfed is why they fought.
@@theq86 I mean wasn't Greg the one who told him that was the real baradun but I guess it's both their faults for saying too much
This series is a really good addition to the channel. Love these insights.
“Yarris Goldhorn open up” makes me laugh every time I hear Alan say it.
Yarris Goldhorn scan! 🤣
Someone in another post said that Bob should have said that as he exploded him.
Yarris was one of those characters one is loath to leave behind, he was so well-written! He had a history long before the events of this campaign and was really ingrained in world and story, he was a villain who didn't feel replacable by some other enemy just to get a fight. It's hard to imagine now that Baradun & the Dickheads might have chosen another quest in place of Yarris. Alas, he had to go with a bang, rest in pieces!
I'd never heard of _Steel Wind Strike_ before this. Had to look it up!
"So, it can only be used by Rangers & Wizards (two classes I haven't gotten to play yet), and HOLY SHIT THAT IS A LOT OF DAMAGE."
one of my fave spells
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD 30d10 of damage.... that's unreal....Bob would definitely have died 🤣
@@VivaLaDnDLogs bob had 36 hp. If he had been healed prior to SWS being used, the only chance he had for survival was if he rolled the dice himself. Nat 1's all the way.
As it s a multi target spell, it makes more sense for a NPC to use it than a PC, as it's often very few NPC vs a party. Also the downsides are:
- quite short range
- you are finishing your spell in melee of one of your target. Not ideal for a wizard.
@@WelvereinYT unless they die from the spell!
"Possibly even downed a few of them"
He means BOB Right?
Who else?
Yeah, but remember they had Grinn with them who had Mass Healing Word.
@@wjzav1971 unless Grinn became the BOB again
Baradun also he is very close to 30 HP (33 or 35 ) at that stage so something like 40+% chance to be down on the spot
@@WelvereinYT Worst case scenario everyone but Bodger would go down. if he rolled above a 7 on every die
Ah... a person that knows the spells they have available when playing.
Just like all us guys… right…?
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD Right? ............ tumbleweed rolls past
Love this series! I hope you're planning on continuing it
It's already continuing. New episodes on Thursdays.
@@Jaco_Schutte I mean Behind the Screen series
We will indeed! Not immediately though
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD understanable!
I have played with at least a dozen GMs and Robert is my favorite.
I am rewatching the entire series and just watched this part. Only an excellent DM can prepare voor Bob's cursed rolls, the recklessness of Bodger, Baradun's overconfidence and Greg's sudden impulse to reason with an evil wizard. I love these behind the scenes vids!
But did you prepare for a peaceful resolution? If Baradun hadn't blundered out his name a fight with Yarris might not have happened at all. How would the campaign have progressed from there?
He was never gunna be their friend, really, but might have been a tentative ally
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD At least until one mentioned Baradun's real name and then S would have hit the Fan. lol
My all time favorite fight so far, poor Ben couldn't catch a break. I know how it feels to always consistently row low and just want to give up lol
Same, the only player in my whole group to consistently fail when all I needed was a 2 or above on a d20. Once it was 3 1s in a row.
I prepared in case they tried to do an all-out assault, siege him in his tower, or, alternatively, if they tried to stealthily sneak and deceive their way in.... As it turns out, they tried neither of these, and decided on the peacefully-walking-in-the-front-door-and-being-honest approach... which I wasn't expecting.
Cant wait to see the BTs of the Swamp fireball, it hasn't happened yet but its gonna be a doozy xD
So a 1/20 chance that a wild magic roll would trigger anything, AND a 1/50 chance of hitting 7 or 8 on the wild magic surge table... (multiply for probability of both happening)... *1/1000* chance of that fireball when Rob called for Baradun's roll. Yes, I very much want to hear "Behind the Screen" for that!!
(Mind, Rob is so damn prepared, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he's got a 'fireball contingency plan' too... REALLY looking forward to hearing about that one!)
@@BlueCanary7 Maybe 50% less damage because it's a damp swamp ... unless they roll that 1/1000 chance again of the fireball finding an open oil fissure in the swamp.
@@donkeysunited Would be a methane gas bubble most likely.
I am not an expert in D&D but I've dabled and by far this is one of my favorite DMs. I like how he prepares for different scenarios and not force his parties into a linear structure.
Thanks!
The literal, very culmination of the definition of This video: th-cam.com/video/gmAub3iRWaU/w-d-xo.html
I really liked the Yarris Goldhorn arch. Besides preparing really well, Rob created and impersonated the character really well. I laughed sooooooooooooooo much
Personally I think Yarris was one his best looks. Rob seems to work the goth look pretty well.
@@theq86 So true! 😂
This mini series is seriously so helpful! My turn to DM is coming up in our family D&D game, and I have learned SO MUCH from Rob! Thank you!
I don't think it's a coincidence Rob is talking about the fireball spell right before Thursday's episode...
Yarris is definitely a bad guy, created to be defeated, but I feel sorry for him. So well written and played, that I want more interaction with main characters, specificly Baradun. At least players don't attack straight away and have a little chat with Yarris.
And all that character creation work is magnificent 😍 I absolutely love that episodes!
Another behind the screen i love these first btw hehe
How great it would be if in actual VLDL game videos there was this kind of short inserts now and then? Kind of "This could have happened" or "I thought that they would do this way but" or "and here is what they did totally bonkers" ;) . Sometimes I wish that I would know then and there what DM was thinking :)
Love how he just KNOWS Bodger would've been booking it
As GM, can You just add ad-hoc spells/abilities to NPC? How would they know? Nobody's gonna know...
Yep.
I find it very difficult to do on the fly if you are not a seasoned DM who know very well the spells on top of your head, because change the balance of the fight to quickly. I did however for bosses like Yaris introduced legendary resistance/lair action on the fly as they are not as many to "choose" from
I want to apprentice Rob and just absorb all of his amazing knowledge and skill as a DM.
I'm surprised you didn't mention Baradun's crazy focus on that grappling spell he had during that battle. He succeeded in what? 4 checks?
You're such a professional, I love your dedication!
I love these videos! Seeing all the effort behind the encounters and solutions to different problems. Great inspiration for DMs! GJ Rob!
I'd never be able to set this level of encounter up, they'd find a way to skirt any plans or contingencies so i just make the world and they do what they need to.
Great vid, showing the multiple outs that were available in order to balance fights (yes not all dm's want party wipes, only some, or most when party is being a**holes).
The Big'Bs hand as my group calls it is always a win though (mainly as it often does silly things with my dmpc)
I love the behind the scenes stuff
I've always wondered though if the party could've actually settled matters peacefully with Yarris? Was there ever a chance the party could've gotten Yarris as an ally, having potentially pardoned him, against Laethil with Baradun getting a full translation of Yarris's notes?
I have ultimate respect for Rob. He puts way more details into being a DM than I ever thought was needed. I love watching these to see exactly how many scenarios he has for every choice the guys can possibly make. He does an insane amount of work and before Behind the Screen I had an idea of the importance of the DM, but generally took Rob for granted. Now I see he is an integral part of the team. The most important part possibly. Without him there would be no narrative and consequences, but still, without the players there would be no character, no twists and turns that force Rob to have to account for every possible situation and outcome. I'm so thankful for this series, and for how above and beyond Rob goes for all of this to come together.
Thanks!
@@VivaLaDirtLeagueDnD You're most welcome. Just trying to share my love for everything you guys do, since your videos on the main VLDL channel and on the D&D channel always brighten my day, and have helped me laugh even at times I didn't think I could.
Was there ever a path they could have taken that would have cleared him of his murder charges?
So I totally stole the Yaris Goldhorn encounter for my game, they choose diplomacy and did a small job for him but he was chased away by angry dwarfs before they concluded their business.
Loving these behind the screens Rob. I have never been into the game so had no idea what kind of effort and thought goes into it. As a whole you guys have shown people like me how entertaining it can be.
What if they didn't mention Baradun?
Could there of actually been another way though, if they had actually convinced yarras not to fight could it of ended differently?
Unlikely but possible.
Im ready for the behind the mask episode
I love these episodes!! I love hearing all the if/and preparations that Rob is making in the background, makes me love the campaign that much more!
Man...the forethought, the talent for story telling, writing, the talent acting, handsome good looks, This mans got it all!
Bob would have DEFINITELY died multiple times if they had pursued with any of the other possibilities.
thanks for the video
Are questions about every character backstory just revenge for details about miserable life old assasin that they killed?:)
I don't think most people have any idea just what goes into being a DM/GM, especially in a campaign as epic as this one so I'm LOVING all the "Behind the Screen" stuff! Robert explaining what goes on in the mind of the Game Master, how things are planned out, and how players inevitably turn those plans to shit is SPOT ON.
But what Rob didn't plan for was the Bob factor
Miss every attack
I Love those behind the Screen Episodes.
The Assassin Episode blew my Mind.
Nothing like charming the barb to do your dirty work lol loved that part.
Was it possible to befriend him though? Like Greg attempted
Thanks, that's really interesting. I DM for my nephews, and I find the fight balancing the hardest thing- I don't want to kill everyone and finish the game, but there has to be a real sense of jeopardy otherwise what's the point? Nice to see how a pro does it, you are super prepared!
Good tips for GMs in here.
KNOW YOUR NPCS' SPELL LISTS.
So you're saying the wizard turned Bodger into Rodney
Fascinating
Loving this take on things! You make an excellent deity, Rob!
Just discovered this... This is really cool, I really liked this breakdown.
Would LOVE to see one for Skabatha, how you think it might have played out of the moth plan had somehow succeeded and all that. That was such a great fight, so much fun to watch... kinda glad it's over now though. lmao
Looking with new eyes at all the times The Dirt League decides to do something "crazy" and Rob just gives a wry smile, because he had already planned for that...
Kudos sir, job amazingly well done!
Ps. How many times did you plan an awesome Scenario and they just totally missed it? Do you nudge them often?
At 1:20 you said if Baradun had used fireball it would have gone into initiative order....wasn't the group already in initiative order after Bob got hit?
I know this is an old video, but on the off-chance someone who knows sees this… Yarris asked Greg if Grinn had access to “Speak with Dead”. What was that about?
I love these, thank you for giving us some insight!
I'm fairly convinced that our band of heroes might still be under the effects of Yaris' confusion spell.
As I happen to be at EP 42 on my NPC DnD rewatch , it gets totally my What if senses tingling. Would have loved to see how Baradun and The Dickheads would ruined all the other carefully crafted plans xD
Funny story, I was on the highway and a Toyota Yaris passed me and my immediate thought was 'Yarris Goldhorn, open up'
It's super interesting to hear about the on-the-fly contingencies.