becomingDM: Recent Episodes
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Wow, there was a lot that was going on with both John and Danielle to get this episode out, but it's here now! John is joined by special guest Robert Spann to discuss something we have briefly touched on in other episodes: adding music and sounds to your games. They talk about things to consider when adding this aspect to sessions as well as some of the technical aspects of how they implement this in game. Join us!
Have you got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM? We'd love to hear about it! Share your ideas at becomingDM.com/ideas
In the second part of our two-part episode on Illness and Disease, John and Danielle talk about implementing diseases into your games and some things to be aware of as you do so. Join us for this episode!
If you've got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM, make sure to go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas and let us know!
Not only does adding illness and disease to you game provide additional flavor, it can provide a challenge by temporarily impacting the abilities of characters, especially higher level ones. In the first part of this episode on Illness and Disease, John and Danielle talk about how to justify disease in a world with magic, the types of disease, and start talking about how to implement them into your game!
We want to hear from you! If you have an idea for a future episode of becomingDM, make sure to go to https://becomingDM.com/Ideas
It's episode 100!!! Join John and Danielle as they take a look behind the scenes of the first 100 episodes of the show. You can find out how the show actually got started, how Danielle was selected to be co-host and you can even get a look into the gear that's used to record the show. Thank you to all of the listeners that have joined us for this ride, we're excited to reach this milestone and plan to continue recording new content for you!
Don't forget! This is the last episode that you will have a chance to win one of our two prize packs. Go to https://becomingDM.com/100 for details on prizes, and how to enter!
Throughout the course of your game you will have players that will occasionally not show up from time to time. Preparing for handling those missing players and how the character, story, and treasure experience changes as a result are really important to define before this happens so players and DM are all on the same page with what to expect. In this episode of becomingDM John and Danielle go through some of the questions that you should ask about the missing player experience to help you define what works best for your table.
Don't forget that we have a contest going on as we approach episode 100! Go to https://becomingDM.com/100 for details, prizes and how to enter!
Chases! Whether the party is trying to get away from the town guard or trying to prevent an enemy from escaping they can add a sense of excitement to the game. But how do you make a chase more exciting for everyone at the table? In this episode of becomingDM John and Danielle talk about the as written rules for chases in both D&D as well as Pathfinder 1st edition. Additionally, they provide suggestions on how to take those rules and expand on them to make chases an edge of your seat thrill ride!
Don't forget that as we count down to episode 100 we are getting ready to give away some prize pack for lucky listeners. Go to https://becomingDM.com/100 to see the details, prizes, and enter today!
Do you find yourself wanting to encourage certain behaviors in players? Whether it's roleplaying, heroics, or something different adding the Inspiration optional rule to your game may be just what you're looking for. Join us as John and Danielle talk through on the episode requested by listener Ryan Ross! We talk about some of the official rules as well as tips and tricks that we have for implementing it and customizing it for a better fit for your game.
And don't forget that as part of our approach to episode 100, you have the chance to win fabulous prizes. Check out https://becomingDM.com/100 for details!
Part 2 is here! If you were waiting for the second half of our episode on running games for large groups, this is it! Join Danielle, John, and Robert as they continue the discussion and touch on skill checks, combat, and more for large parties at the table. Also learn why Danielle is a monster and John is a slacker!
Don't forget that as we get closer to episode 100 we are giving away prize packs! There are three easy ways to enter an win, you can find all the details about the prizes and how to enter here: https://becomingdm.com/100
Our episode about running games for large groups was so large we had to split it into two parts! In the first part of this discussion, Robert Spann joins John and Danielle to talk about whether you really need to have such a large group and some tips and tricks to keep players engaged if you have a large group at your table. Don't forget our contest as we go to 100 where you can win some fantastic prizes. Make sure to check out https://becomingdm.com/100 for details on the prizes as well as information about how to enter!
Heists can be a great way to add a sense of intrigue. But how do you add them to your game in a meaningful way? And how do you do so without it ending up being "the rogue show". John and Danielle talk about working backwards from the objective to plan out a heist adventure for your table.
And don't forget, we are counting down to episode 100! If you would like to learn more about the prizes we are giving away and how to enter, make sure to visit: https://becomingDM.com/100
Join us as John and Danielle discuss this topic that was suggested by listener Robert Spann!
If you're getting new players to your table, they probably don't know or understand the differences between the various classes that they can choose from. In this episode, we discuss different strategies and techniques to help players settle on a choice while still having it be their decision. Join us!
Have you got an idea like Robert did? Let us know! Submit your idea for a future becomingDM episode topic by going to https://becomingDM.com/ideas
At some point you may need to end your campaign. Maybe you've come to the logical conclusion of the story for these characters, maybe people are needing to move away. Whatever the reason, how you end your game can have a big impact on how people look back on the game and you as a DM. Join John and Danielle in this episode as they talk about some of the questions to ask when a game is ending and some strategies to use to make the most memorable game possible!
As always, we want to hear from you! If you've got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM, let us know by submitting an idea at: https://becomingDM.com/ideas
If you think about the world that your characters are moving through, there is probably some sort of legal structure that says what is allowed and what's not allowed. Within communities of the world there may be a moral structure that is in line with or counter to the laws of the land. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about defining laws and moral structures for your game to add depth and flavor to the experience. Join us now!
If you've got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM, let us know! Go to https://becomingDM.com.ideas to submit your idea today!
In part 2 of our Running Large Scale Combat episodes we continue the conversation digging deeper into what happens when the party members take on leadership roles in the military. Join us as John and Danielle further explore this topic!
Got an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear it! Go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to let us know!
Are there large armies clashing in your world? If so, then eventually you may have the party getting involved with fighting them, so knowing how to run large scale combat is a useful skill for DMs. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about some options for how to run large scale combat scenarios and what to consider before you get yourself into this fun situation. Join us!
We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what you'd like a future episode of becomingDM to be about by submitting it at https://becomingdm.com/ideas
Sometimes you don't have time to create a map for your combat encounters. Sometimes the players do something unexpected and get into a fight that you weren't prepared to put on the table in front of you. Sometimes you just don't have enough space to run the combat that you would like with minis and everything. Whatever the reason, running theater of the mind combat is a great way to add a different perspective to you game. Join John and Danielle as they discuss the things to consider when running theater of the mind and find out why Danielle is so infatuate with bees!
We'd love to hear your ideas for new episode topics! Let us know by going to https://becomingdm.com/ideas
We have seen several people curious about how long it actually takes to plan out a session lately. In this becomingDM side quest, John looks at the factors that can influence how long session planning takes and then reveals his average prep time. Join us for the side quest!
Are you finding that you have trouble scheduling games with your group and no one seems to be available at the same time? Or maybe you don't have the time to dedicate to a single long session. If that's the case, consider running play by post games. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about the benefits and challenges of pbp as well as things to consider if you're getting involved in a pbp game.
We'd love to hear from you! If you have an idea for a future episode of becomingDM, go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas and let us know!
Having trouble trying to figure out where to look for players for your game or where to find a game that you can play in or run? In this becomingDM side quest, John talks about some of his favorite places to look for people for local games. Join us to find your next game!
Got an idea for a future side quest or main line episode? We want to hear about it! Go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to share your episode idea.
There is a lot of stuff that happens in your games every session. If you don't stay on top of managing your campaign, you could end up with players asking to revisit an NPC that you haven't thought about in months and don't really remember anything about. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about what sorts of things you might want to include in your campaign management as well as three common ways of performing campaign management. Join us to hear all the details! That, and Danielle's love of paper.
Got an idea for a future episode? Let us know all about it! Submit your episode ideas at https://becomingDM.com/ideas
Spend enough time getting people together for game sessions and they're going to want to have some food. In this becomingDM side quest, John talks about the things to consider for food at the table and goes through some of the items that he has found have gone over well with the table. Join us for a feast!
Got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM? Or Maybe a side quest? Make sure to go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas and let us know all about it!
This week we continue our discussion about getting your game unstuck. Whether you are still stuck on setting, your players are being an issue or anything else, we'll cover it and strategies to get yourself and your game unstuck. Additionally, John learns the term, "faffing about"! Join us for this week's episode!
Got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM? We'd love to hear about it! Go to becomingDM.com/ideas and let us know all about it. Want to submit an idea for a side quest? Use the same form!
In this becomingDM side quest, John talks about a new game that you can use to play something different! Get ready for a game that mimics 80s style text-based computer games, but needs no computer with the game Parsely. If you want to get a copy of Parsely for yourself, make sure to go to https://memento-mori.com
If you've got an idea for a future side quest or main episode of becomingDM, let us know! We always want to hear what you want to hear. Make sure to go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to submit your episode idea today!
Is your game filling you with a sense of dread when it's coming up, or even when you're running it? Do you find that you or your players just aren't having fun? In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle discuss the ways that DMs (and players) can get stuck in the game and how you can work towards getting unstuck! Join us for the first part of this two-part episode!
Got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM? We want to hear about it! Let us know by going to https://becomingDM.com/ideas
In this becomingDM Side Quest, John delves into optional rules for D&D 5e and talks about flanking. One of the standard rules that was left out from older versions of D&D and even pathfinder was how to handle when the party (or enemy) flanks their opponent. Check out this episode to see how the optional rule resolves that.
The age old question of whether you, as a DM, should use as a DM screen. What are the benefits? What are the drawbacks? What are some neat cool things you can do with them? In this episode of becomingDM we dive into the topic of DM screens with two different viewpoints: Danielle who is a staunch advocate of DM screens and John who has never used one in four decades of running games! Will John be convinced to start using DM screens? Join us to find out!
We always want to hear what you'd like for us to talk about on our next episode, let us know by going to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to submit your episode idea today!
In this becomingDM Side Quest, John talks about playing something different with the game I, Toaster. This will be a quick overview of the system with some highlights of the game play without getting into the nitty gritty details of the system.
We're introducing something a little new here at becomingDM. Over the past several years we have found that there have been several topics that have come up that just didn't warrant a full episode. An introduction to a new game system, niche or custom rules, and a number of other topics have all fallen into this. Usually that meant that those topics just didn't get addressed. becomingDM Side Quests aims to cover those topics in a shorter form episode than our standard main episode format! We've got new episodes of the Side Quest coming soon and they will appear in your same becomingDM feed with an episode prefix of "SQ"
Tabletop role-playing games rely heavily on rolls to determine if characters are able to accomplish a task. Unfortunately, that can sometimes mean that DMs can be overzealous on asking for rolls for actions. In this episode, John and Danielle talk about some of the questions to ask yourself to determine if you really need that skill check before asking for a roll.
Got an idea for a new episode topic? Let us know! Go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to submit your idea for a future episode today!
Whether it's a unique tool, a specialized non-magical weapon or something entirely different adding the custom crafting to your game is way to better engage your players in your game. Join Danielle and John as they talk about things to think about when you look at adding crafting to your game from both the DM and player perspective.
Got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM? Let us know! Go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to submit your episode idea today.
Have you found that your players deal with the enemies you set up a lot more easily than you would expect? Maybe it's just a matter of how you're reading the enemy stat blocks and incorporating them into your game. In this episode of becoming DM, John and Danielle walk through and show how decoding the stat block can lead to much more challenging encounters for your players. Join us!
We'd love to hear your ideas for a future episode. If you want to hear us talk on a specific topic, go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas and let us know!
If you spend enough time around a group of people that play tabletop RPGs, eventually you'll find yourself in a situation where a variety of jargon is being used that you may not understand. This is especially prevalent in online forums where people talk about running games. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle spend some time decoding and explaining some of the more commonly used jargon in the rpg space. Join us!
Got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM? We'd love to hear from you! Go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to let us know!
Running games with another DM can be a fun and exciting way to split up some of the work of a tabletop RPG. But how do you make sure that both you and your co-DM are on the same page? Or that you have an acceptable division of the work? In this episode of becomingDM John and Danielle explore the things to consider before entering into a co-DM situation. Join us!
If you've got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM, let us know! You can submit ideas at https://becomingDM.com/ideas
Have you been a player for awhile and decided that you wanted to give it a shot and move to being a DM? Whether it's looking for things that you didn't think about in the "job" of being a DM or just wanting some guidance on where to start, this episode is for you! Join John and Danielle as they talk about making the transition from player to DM.
This episode topic was submitted by a listener like you! Got an idea for a future episode? Let us know, go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas and tell us what you'd like to hear about!
After the thirtieth miss rolled by both you and the players you decide to end combat for the night because it just keeps dragging on. It doesn't have to be this way! In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle explore strategies to make combat more interesting. Whether it's adding to your descriptions, thinking tactically about your monsters or joining Danielle in her love of spreadsheets we've got ways to make combat less of a slog and more fun for both you and the players!
Got an idea for a future episode of the show? Let us know! We'd love to hear what you' want to hear about. Just go to https://becomingDM.com/Ideas to let us know!
Haven't gotten enough evil yet? That's ok, we're not done! In part 2 of our discussion about running evil campaigns, Daniell and John continue talking about factions in evil games and about how to make sure that things are staying fun. Join us for the conclusion of our discussion on running evil campaigns!
We want to hear from you! If you've got an idea for a future episode, make sure to go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas and let us know today!
Sometimes your players are tired of being the good guys. Sometimes they just want to create a little mayhem and ignore the plight of the villagers. Sometimes they event want to BE the plight of the villagers! In this episode of becomingDM we're going to be talking about Running Evil Campaigns and the things that you might want to consider. We had a good time talking about this topic, so this is part 1 of a two part episode. Make sure you come back in two weeks to hear the rest!
Got an idea for a future episode? Let us know! Submit your ideas to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to let us know!
Whether it's helping to create a stat block for an NPC you hadn't anticipated being part of your campaign or generating a list of items that the party found in a Goblin's pockest, AI tools allow DMs to add things to their game that would normally require a large amount of effort. In this episode, John and Danielle talk about AI in general and how Generative AI tools can take some of the DMing burden in your game.
If you've got an idea for a future episode of becomingDM, make sure to go to https://becomingDM.com/Ideas and let us know!
There's so much information to share with players about your world, especially with a new campaign. It may be tempting to just give players a massive document to get them up to speed, but don't do it! It's just as important how you deliver your exposition as it is what is in it. In this episode, John and Danielle talk about some of the techniques they have used to make exposition fun in their games. Join us!
Got an idea for a future episode topic? Make sure to go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas and let us know all about it!
There's a lot of different ways that you can increase and add to immersion in your table. In past episodes, we have made reference to a table that John built with a TV in the middle. In this episode, Danielle takes on the MC role and interviews John about questions she's always wanted answered when it comes to building and running games with a digital table. Don't forget to check out the episode page on our website at https://becomingdm.com/ep71 to see pictures of the finished table as well as some high level guidance on how it all comes together.
Whether it's time, money, food and water, or other resources, running a resource restricted game can add a new dimension at your table. In addition to making player choices matter, restricting resources can cause combat to be more challenging. Join John and Danielle to hear about the ways you can add restrictions into your game! Don't forget about our contest to win a 34.5x48 battle mat. You can enter to win by submitting your idea for a new episode at https://becomingDM.com/ideas
When players don't get along, it can make your session take forever to get anywhere. Whether it's simply buying in that everyone is on the same team or having a decision mechanism when players don't agree on something, encouraging player collaboration is critical. In this episode, John and Danielle talk about the tips and techniques that they use to get players to work together.
Don't forget! We want to hear from you! If you have an idea for a new episode topic, go to https://becomingDM.com/Ideas and let us know!
Join us for another episode of our occasional series, My Favorite Monster. In this episode we're talking about good-aligned monsters that you can put against your evil party. Whether it's the always classic Unicorn or the lesser known Guardian Naga, we've got something that you can challenge your players with. So join John and Danielle for this latest episode of becomingDM!
As hard as it may be to believe, D&D isn't the only tabletop roleplaying game around. So it's possible that you'll end up in a place where you want to play something different at your table. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle discuss the things to consider when changing game systems. From the why you're changing to the aspects of the new game you might consider, we're covering it, so please join us!
We'd love to hear what you'd like for us to talk about in a future episode! Go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to let us know your idea for a new topic!
Eventually you will have a situation where players need to leave the table that you're running a game at. Whether it's because of life changes that don't give them as much time for games or because of a personality conflict or one of the many other reasons, when a player leaves there are several things that you need to plan for. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about working through player departure, what to do with their character, how to handle the player leaving, and much more.
If you've got an idea for an episode, we'd love to hear about it! Go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to let us know what you'd like us to talk about in a future episode!
Want to add a little more variety and challenge as the players move up to the final encounter of a dungeon? Adding a trap, or more than one, to your dungeon can increase immersion, and cause your players to think twice about where they step. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about the different aspects to consider when looking to place traps.
Got an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear about it! Go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to share your ideas and let us know what you'd like to hear about!
Maybe you've had some co-workers that you've been trying to get to play a game with you for some time. Or maybe some friends knew that you run games and just recently watched something that raised their interest in tabletop gaming. Whatever the reason, if you're running games for first time players there are a number of things that you need to consider. Join John and Danielle as we discuss how to let new players know what to expect from a game, how to build a character, how to talk about rules, and so much more!
Got an idea for a future episode? Let us know! Go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to submit your episode idea today!
Gobble gobble! It's the time of year when many DMs think about running Thanksgiving Themed Games! In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle discuss some things to keep in mind if you're wanting to create a themed game as well as suggestions of possible story themes. Whether it's helping to save dinner or having a rousing game of football, we've got something to help add flavor to your Thanksgiving themed game.
We would love to hear your ideas for future episodes! If you've got an idea for a future episode, please go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas and let us know!
Sometimes you'll end up running a game where the players want to have some intimate encounters. Whether this is because they are trying to flirt with the local governor to get their way or dealing with a succubus or maybe they have tried to start a sexual relationship with one of your PCs this is something to approach with a level of caution. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about suggestions on starting games that may have intimate encounters as well as things to consider when implementing them in your game. This episode was suggested by one of our listeners and you can submit your ideas too! Simply go to https://becomingDM.com/ideas to submit your idea for a new episode now!
Eventually, your characters will get enough money that they want to do something with it. Rather than figuring out how much an army costs, you can redirect them to look at buying property. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about what happens when characters buy property. We go over a number of resources, including Danielle's most favorite RPG book of all time, and help you as a DM start to think about what needs to be addressed if this happens in your game.
As always, if you have an idea for a future episode of becomingDM, please let us know! Go to https://becomingdm.com/ideas and let us know what you've got!
Rule zero gets quoted a lot for role playing games: where the rules aren't in charge, the DM is. But is that really the case? In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle discuss homebrewing rules: when you shouldn't homebrew, when you should consider it, as well as other things to consider when changing up the rules for your game. Whether you've never changed a rule before or you've changed so many you've practically created your own game, this episode is for you!
If you've got suggestions for a future episode topic, let us know! Go to: https://becomingDM.com/ideas to submit your idea!
We'd also like to hear what you think about this episode, you can contact us through one of the following:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/becomingDM
Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
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From a listener suggestion we are hosting an episode on running games for neurodiverse players. Guest co-host Adam Kabatoff joins us to discuss the topic and we give tips and suggestions to consider. But be aware, there is no one size fits all advice for any player at your table, this episode is designed as a starting point to stimulate thought for your game.
What do you think? Let us know how you feel about this or any episode by contacting us through one of the following methods:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
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In the part 2 of our getting paid series, John and Danielle continue the discussion around things to consider when becoming a paid DM. This time we continue the discussion around choosing your pricing model and venture into topics like setting expectations with customers on what you will and won't tolerate in a paid game. Join us as we wrap up this two-part series diving into the details on running paid games.
What do you think? Let us know how you feel about this or any episode by contacting us through one of the following methods:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
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They always say if you love your job then you'll never work a day in your life. So if your job is being a DM, what does that mean? In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about the details of getting paid as a DM. Whether it's understanding what it means to be a paid DM, determining how you price your offering or what things you may want to consider including as part of an paid DM engagement,we're covering it. Join us for part 1 of this two-part series!
If you have something that you'd like us to know about this episode or any suggestions for future episodes, please reach out! Contact us from one of the methods below!
Web: https://becomingDM.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
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We're continuing our deep dive into travel! If you're players have been considering going to another plane or dimension, or maybe you have plans for time travel, then this is the episode for you. John and Danielle talk about how players can participate in dimensional travel as well as get into a brief discussion about the different types of planes. Then we wrap up with a discussion on time travel and there is lots of conversation around paradoxes!
We'd love to hear what you think. If you have any comments on this or another episode, let us know with one of the following methods:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/becomingDM
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In this episode of becomingDM, we're talking more about Travel. You may recall that in episode 19 we talked about how to make travel more interesting. In this episode, the first of a two part episode, we talk about the nuts and bolts of travel and how it can work in your game. Whether you're looking for discussions around overland chases, using mounts or a sea voyage we're covering it in our episode about more travel!
We always want to know what you think. If you have a suggestion for this or any episode or you have an idea for a future episode topic, let us know! Contact us with one of the following methods:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/becomingDM
Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
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In our latest episode of our occasional series, "Dealing With", we're digging into what makes Clerics tick! If you're looking for better ways to challenge your cleric players, or simply want to make them more tightly integrated with your story, then join us! John and Danielle discuss it all as well as their individual experience in games with Cleric player characters.
We want to know what you think! If you have a comment about any episode or an idea for a future episode, please reach out! You can find becomingDM at one of the following locations:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
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If you're wanting to understand what a new group of players hopes to get out of the game. Or maybe you've never played with someone before and need to know if there are topics that they won't play in a game with. Possibly you just want to set the scene before you start playing so that everyone understands what they are getting into. Whatever the reason, running a session zero can help ensure a smooth start to your next campaign. Join Danielle and John as they talk about some of the topics that you may want to bring up in this session of your game.
We want to know! Let us know any suggestions you have for the show or if you've got ideas for future episodes! You can reach out to becomingDM one of the following ways:
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Finding yourself not to do when a creature provides an effect of petrified? Or maybe you're just looking for a way to put a different twist on combat by introducing blindness. Whatever the reason, conditions can be a good way to challenge your players, whether in combat or out. In this episode, John and Danielle talk about the different types of conditions that can be added to players and how and why to use them.
If you have a suggestion for a future episode, let us know! You can reach out to us using one of the following ways:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/becomingDM
Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
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It's time for another episode of My Favorite Monster! In the fourth episode of this series, we are talking about Dinosaurs and Cockatrices. Join us and John and Danielle talk about some of the specifics of these monsters and how you might use them in your game.
We always want to hear feedback! If you have comments or suggestions for us, please use one of the following contact methods below:
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Whether it is a character feature that grants players the ability to have a familiar or an animal companion or you have players that just want to befriend every potential pet they encounter, the game you run can change significantly with these additions. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Danielle talk about how to integrate these creatures into your game, as well as the differences between familiars, animal companions, and pets.
If you have a comment about this or any other episode, please let us know! You can find becomingDM in the following locations:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
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In the second part of our two part series, John and Danielle continue their discussion on running games with little or no prep. In this part, they cover how to get out of trouble you may have created (overpowered magic items, unintended plot lines) as well as some additional improv tips. Join use for more!
Let us know if we have missed anything. If you have suggestions for additional content for this or any other episodes, please reach out one of the following ways:
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Sometimes you don't have time to put together a plan for your next session. Life gets in the way, or maybe you even got writers block. Whatever the reason, if you're a DM, at some point you will find yourself needing to run a session with little or no prep. In this episode, John and Danielle talk about their suggestions for successfully running games this way. Whether it's John's experience gradually reducing the amount of planning time that goes into his well established world or Danielle's style where she runs entire campaigns with little to no planning, there is sure to be some advice to help you better run games with little or no prep.
Let us know what you think! If you have comments about this or any episode, please reach out using one of the following methods:
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Let's face it, your adventurers can't go from quest to quest indefinitely. Eventually they are going to find a town where they need to take a little break, recover, maybe even do some research or build their own business. Adding downtime to your games is an important piece of making your world feel like a living environment instead of a place that the characters just travel through to get to the next dungeon. Join John and Danielle as they discuss some tips, tricks, and ways to implement downtime into your games!
We love to hear from you! If you have suggestions on this or any other episodes or ideas for future episodes, please reach out! You can contact us with one of the following ways:
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One shot adventures can be a great way to break up a campaign if you need some time off from the main story line. They can also be a good way to introduce players that haven't played together before or just try out a new type of adventure with your group. But how do you keep a one shot to actually only take up one session? How do you structure the story so it can be completed in that time? In this episode of becomingDM John and Danielle will talk about how to structure the story and time for running a one shot to not only make it fun but to try and keep it time bound within one gaming session. Whether you're just thinking about running your first one shot or you've run plenty there's something for you, so join us!
If you have comments on this or any episodes or if you have ideas for a future episode, let us know! We want to hear from you. Please use one of the following ways to contact us:
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Whether it's the dark spooky forest just outside of town or the raucous bar that the characters find themselves in, having the right description so that players understand what's going on around them is extremely important. That's why, in this episode of becomingDM John and Danielle are talking about tips and trips to guide you in improving your descriptions. They talk about things to consider for each of the senses you can use to describe a scene as well as tools and resources to improve your descriptive abilities!
We always want to know what you think! Reach out to us on one of the following methods and let us know!
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Do your players yearn to lose some money at a casino? Or maybe they are just looking for an illicit back room card game. Do they want a game of chance or would they prefer to use their skills at a gambling to win some money? In this episode, John and Danielle talk about implementing games of chance and gambling into your world. We will cover locations where gambling might happen, types of games to include, as well as other things to consider when deciding to put gambling games in your world.
We would love yo hear your thoughts! If you have thoughts on this or any other episode of becomingDM, or if you have an idea for a future episode, please let us know! You can reach us at one of the following locations:
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When you have players that stop paying attention when it's not their turn, that's a problem. But if they aren't following the storyline at all and have been checking out, that's a huge problem! Join Danielle and John in this episode of becomingDM where they talk about strategies for keeping your players engaged and excited about your game and sessions. With incorporating player back stories, setting rules for digital devices, and streamlining combat there's a lot of stuff to cover!
We always want to hear thoughts from listeners! If you want to let us know what you think of this or any episode or if you have ideas for a future episode, let us know! You can reach us at one of the following locations:
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Eventually your players are going to get to the point where they are interested in leveling up their characters. But maybe you have questions on how they get to that point or even what happens when the character is ready for the next level. Join Danielle and John as we discuss options for leveling up. Whether you go old school and use gold as a way to get experience, more modern with milestone leveling, or somewhere in between we've got suggestions and tips for how to up your leveling game.
We always want to hear from you! Make sure to contact us via one of the following methods to let us know what you think of the show or ideas for future episodes:
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Holidays and calendars? No, we're not talking about creating homemade gifts, it a new episode of becomingDM! This time John and Danielle talk about using holidays to create unique experiences within towns and also to represent the passage of time. They also talk about calendars and determining whether or not creating a calendar makes sense for your game. So whether you're looking to create a harvest festival or a day of the dead for your RPG, join us as we discuss the options and pitfalls for adding them to your game.
Let us know what you think! If you have any comments on this episode or suggestions for future episodes, please let us know! Contact us in one of the following ways:
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Are you feeling unmotivated when it comes to planning out your games? Do you get more frustrated with your players than usual? Have you stopped caring about the outcomes of your game sessions? If so, you may be experiencing DM Burnout. Join us in this episode of becomingDM as John and Danielle talk about identifying the symptoms and causes. Additionally, they will talk about how to avoid burnout or cure it if you're in the middle of a funk.
We always want to hear from you! If you have ideas for a future episode or comments on this or any other, please contact us through one of the following methods:
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Maybe you've been stuck and all of the shops in your world look the same. Or maybe you skip over the shopping experience altogether. Whatever the reason, John and Danielle are ready to help you create more interesting shopping experiences for your world. Join us as we talk about everything from creating the shop itself, to the patrons of the shop, the shopkeep, and even the merchandise that they carry.
If you would like to contact us about this or any episode, please feel free to reach out! You can find us at:
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We've said our farewells to Felicia, now let's get acquainted with Danielle and the show! becomingDM is a podcast devoted to tabletop role-playing games and helping DMs and GMs have a better experience in their game. In the trailer we'll talk about the qualifications of our two hosts, John and Danielle and have a little fun while we do it. We hope you'll stick around for our every-other-week show! To find out more about the show, check out one of the links below. Stay nerdy, friends!
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If your players stay in an area long enough, chances are they will become known for something. That something could be for their good deeds or for doing bad deeds as well. The consequences of gaining notoriety is sometimes something that DMs don't include when building out their world. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about notoriety and how to leverage notoriety in your game to create a more enriching experience for your players.
As always, we want to hear from you! Contact us in one of the following ways to let us know what you're thinking or ideas for future episodes:
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Whether they are using their kung fu skills or mastering the mystic forces of Ki, a good number of DMs have not had the experience of running games for Monks. So if a Monk joins their game, they may be at a loss for how to better integrate them into and challenge them with their campaign. In this episode, we are continuing our Dealing With series to talk about Monks and how to make them a better part of your game! Join us for the conversation!
As always, if you have comments about this or any episode or if you have ideas for topics for future episodes, let us know! You can connect with us in one of the following ways:
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Are your players tired of finding short sword after short sword? Has it gotten to the point where gold doesn't even excite them anymore? Then maybe you need to look at upping your treasure game. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about treasure that your players can discover that isn't just weapons, gold, and armor! Join us for this episode!
If you've got comments for this episode or you had ideas for different episode topics that you would like to hear, please let us know! You can contact us using one of the methods below:
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In the latest release of our Dealing With series, we're talking all about Fighters! Even though they have been a part of role playing games since pretty much the beginning, fighters can sometimes stump DMs when they start to blow through your carefully constructed combat scenarios. Or sometimes DMs are looking for additional ways to integrate a fighter into their storyline or highlight their fighter skills. In this episode of becomingDM John and Felicia cover it all! We talk about challenging fighters as well as giving them opportunities to shine.
We'd love to hear from you! If you have a comment on this or any episode, or you'd like to submit an idea for a future episode, let us know! You can contact us through one of the following methods:
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In this episode we continue our conversation with Malcolm about adding factions to your game! We get further into faction creation in discussing how the factions are organized, creating methods by which players can attempt to join factions, and even touch on how to create storylines that rely on your factions. Join us to hear the exciting conclusion of this two part series!
We'd love to hear what you think! If you have comments on any of our episodes or have ideas for a future episode, please let us know! Reach out to us with one of the methods below:
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The players in your games don't have to be the only ones that bond together for a common cause! Adding factions to you game allows you to create groups that can have goals that align with or counter to the goals of your party. Whether it's a government, a criminal syndicate, a mages college, adding factions to your game can be a great way to add depth to your games and create a launching point for new storylines. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk with special guest DM Malcolm about the things to consider when adding factions to your game and how to implement them for maximum impact.
We'd love to hear about what you think about this episode! To contact us for thoughts or suggestions on other episode topics, please use one of the following methods:
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The first episode of becomingDM in 2021 features a listener requested topic of running published modules. Join us as John and Felicia cover choosing the appropriate published module to run, what to do when you first get started, key things to look out for in your modules, and even how to deal with missing elements in the module. Whether you're running a module for the first time, or you've run several before, there's likely some info here that will be useful to us. so join us!
We always want to hear from listeners. If you have any comments on this episode or suggestions for a future episode, let us know! You can contact us one of the following ways:
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Are you looking for that next monster to populate your dungeon with? Maybe you need something to throw at your players as they are traveling across a wooded area. In the latest episode of becomingDM we are continuing out series on My Favorite Monster where John and Felicia discuss many of the monsters they have found and used in their games. In this episodes they will cover Shambling Mounds, Trolls, Black Pudding, and Displacer Beasts. Grab your bestiaries and monster manuals and join us!
We would love to hear what you think of the show! If you have comments or suggestions for this and future episodes, please reach out to us! You can contact us via one of the following methods:
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We've always said that preparation is one of the best ways to be able to pivot and improv when your game goes an unexpected direction. But what happens if the players make such a radical decision that if feels they've left the map entirely and are forging a completely new way? In this episode of becomingDM we're talking about tips, tricks, and strategies for improvising when your players forge a completely new path that was never expected or planned for.
We'd love to hear back from you! If you have comments on this episode or ideas for a new episode, please let us know! You can reach out to us with one of the following methods:
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Whether you are starting a new game, expanding the group you currently play with, or replacing someone that has left, finding the right player for your game is critical to ensure it's continued fun and success. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about things to consider when looking for new players as well as some tips on where you might look for them.
If you have questions or comment about this episode, please contact us! Use one of the following channels:
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They're always sneaking up on the enemies and sneak attacking them! How do you hide in the middle of combat? What exactly does uncanny dodge do? If you have a rogue in your game, chances are that you may have said one of these things at this point. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia are talking about Rogues, their skills, and how to integrate and challenge them in your game. We dive into some of their skills and really get an idea for the way that the rogue can work. Join us to learn more!
Got questions or comments about this or any episode? Let us know! Contact us at one of the following locations:
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If you run role-playing games long enough, you will eventually experience the death of one of the characters in the game. Whether it's intentional when a player is leaving the game or the result of bad luck on rolls or just simple stupid mistakes, death always brings the question to your game of, "what's next?" Understanding how to deal with character death and what the next step options are for your players is a huge part of being a DM! In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia cover how to deal with death at the table and what the options are for your players in that session as well as sessions moving forward.
We always like to hear back from listeners, so if you have an comments on this or other episodes, please don't hesitate to reach out! You can contact becomingDM in one of the following ways:
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Have you gotten tired of magic always coming to the rescue of your players? Maybe you just want less magic in your campaign because Joe always tries to get a +5 battle axe of head severing. Whatever the reason, running a low or no magic campaign can be a way to change up things from your average role playing game. But there's a lot of stuff that could potentially disappear or change in your game if you go this route! Join John and Felicia as they talk about the things to consider when reducing or eliminating magic from your campaign.
We want to hear from you! Let us know what you think of this or any episode and if you had any ideas for future topics for us to discuss. Contact us with one of the following ways:
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It's that time of year! With Halloween right around the corner, a lot of DMs are thinking about running Halloween themed or horror games. But where does an enterprising DM start? Have no fear, in the first episode after returning from a break John and Felicia talk about the different kinds of games that you can run to get your table in the theme of the season as well as some tips and tricks to set the mood to keep your players immersed and on the edge of their seats. Join us, if you dare!
We'd love to hear from you if you have any comments on this episode or suggestions for future episodes. Reach out to us on one of the channels below!
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You've just wrapped up a session of you're favorite role playing game and you start feeling a sensation of dread. "Did the players have fun? Was my story even interesting? They probably thought that I don't know what I'm doing because I don't know the rules as well as some of the players". If you're thinking thoughts like these, it could be that you're a victim to imposter syndrome! In this episode John and Felicia talk about what DM Imposter Syndrome is as well as tactics to help DMs of all experience levels deal with it when they experience it. Additionally, they wrap up with some tips for players on things they can do to help their DMs avoid encountering the dreaded imposter syndrome.
If you have questions or comments for this or any episode, let us know! Also reach out if you have ideas for future episodes!
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Looking for new monsters to try out in your game? Or maybe you've got that perfect monster and don't know quite the way to use it to make an interesting or challenging scenario for your players. In the latest installment of our every-so-often series, My Favorite Monster, John and Felicia are talking a whole new set of monsters! This time we're covering some all-time classics like mimics and dragons as well as some potentially lesser known monsters. Join us as we talk abilities, stats, and tactics or a whole new grouping of monsters.
If you want to let us know what you think of this episode or you have an idea for a topic for a future episode, we want to know! Feel free to each out to us in one of the following ways:
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Critical success and critical failures can make your favorite role playing game more exciting or nerve wracking, but what does it actually mean to have a critical success or critical failure. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about rolling nat 20s and nat 1s, what the rules say about them as well as potential changes that some DMs make to their games. Whether you're a purist follower of the rules as written that don't allow automatic success or failures for skills on rolls or you like to bend the rules to allow them join us for this latest episode!
If you have comments on this episode or suggestions for a future episode, we want to hear! Reach out to us in one of the following channels:
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Do you know the difference between the acrobatics and athletics skills? What about survival and nature? How about bluff and diplomacy? In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about skills that may give DMs some trouble when trying to determine what's best to use in a given situation. They will go over the nuances that make the skills different and make suggestions on when to use which one. Additionally they talk through some skills that are misinterpreted and make suggestions on changing and adding other skills to work for your game.
If you've got a comment on this episode or an idea for a future episode, we'd love to hear from you! Just reach out in one of the following ways:
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Combat and exploration is a big part of running a tabletop role playing game, so carefully considering how you set the scene for those situations can determine how invested your players are in the game. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about the four main options for setting the scene in your game as well as the pros and cons of using each. Whether it's theater of the mind, using a wet erase grid map, dungeon tiles or a digital option there is no wrong choice as long as you take a moment to determine what the best option is for your game.
Do you have a way to set the scene that we've missed? We would love to hear about it! Make sure to contact us by going to one of the following locations:
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Whether you're running a game of political intrigue or an epic hack n slash campaign, sometimes traveling between points A and B can fall a bit flat. Sure, everyone wants to keep the story going, but sometimes having the story broken up by unexpected trips during travel can make the game that enjoyable.
In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia discuss ways to make your travel more than just, "you travel for a week and make it to your destination." Whether it's by seeding in additional combat, potential story hooks, side quests, or even bizarre occurences that don't have anything to do with your main story line, implementing travel stories can keep your players on their toes and make for an enjoyable gaming experience.
We always want to hear from you! Let us know if you have ideas for future episodes or just want to comment on this one. Reach out to us via one of the following methods:
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You've been waiting for years and you feel like the day is finally here. Your kids have gotten old enough to actually play in your favorite tabletop role playing game! But wait, how do you make sure that their first experience keeps them wanting to come back for more?
This week on becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about things to be aware of and plan for when running games for kids. Whether it's being aware of what subject matter is appropriate, or determining whether or not to simplify the character creation process we've got some great tips for you, many of which were learned from John's experience running games for both of his kids.
We'd love to hear what you think of the show! If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, please reach out to us and let us know! You can get ahold of us in one of the following ways:
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With all of the news about COVID-19 going around, it's easy to understand why so many in person games may have been cancelled in order to stay in line with social distancing and stay at home orders. But don't fret! You don't have to push the pause button on your campaign! In this episode, we cover moving your game to an online virtual tabletop and running the game with remote players. John and Felicia will cover everything including what to consider when choosing a virtual tabletop system to preparing your users and increasing engagement in a virtual environment. Join us and help keep your game on track!
If you would like to contact us with questions or have an idea for a future episode, please reach out via one of the following methods:
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We're starting a new "every so often" series here at becomingDM called "My Favorite Monster" where Felicia and John discuss some of their favorite monsters to throw against players at their tables. Each new episode in the series will cover new monsters, talk about some specific traits that are important for them and how they like to use them in their campaign. So join us for the first episode! In this episode we talk about Stirges, Owlbears, Wraiths, and Shadows. Don't let the lower CRs on some of these monsters fool you, if used correctly they can still be a challenge for more experienced players.
Got a monster that you would like to hear our take on? Reach out and let us know in one of the following ways:
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Puzzles can be a great addition to you game to get players more involved, unless they aren't. In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia talk about a number of things to consider when integrating puzzles into your tabletop role playing game. They will cover determining whether or not your players will even enjoy having puzzles in the game, different types of puzzles (including riddles and others) and key tips on how to integrate them in a session.
We want to know about puzzles you've used in your games! Reach out and let us know and we would love to talk about it in our next episode. You can contact us via one of the following:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
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Whether you are just starting out running games or you've been a DM for a quarter century there are probably skills that you could identify that you feel are important for running a quality game. Is it the ability to smile during adversity? Or maybe being able to fold origami swans that you can throw at your players. Whatever it is, hopefully there is some overlap with what you and your players think are key skills.
In this episode of becomingDM, Johna and Felicia discuss their top six skills for running a tabletop role playing game. Join us as they delve into those skills and give examples of how to use them and where they might be helpful. And we'd love to hear what skills you think are important for DMs Message us through one of the methods below and we will read out your suggestions on the midroll in a future episode!
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Even though role playing games are times when people come together to create a story together, sometimes it's not all harmony. Some players actively destroy the balance of harmony and can make games take significantly longer, upset other players, and in the worst cases completely torpedo the game. This week, John and Felicia talk about how to work and deal with problem players at your table. Whether you're encountering the chronic metagamer, rules lawyers, flakers, or classic troublemakers we'll delve into why these behaviors sometimes happen and how to deal with them in ways that hopefully everyone is satisfied. Join us as we discuss conflict resolution strategies to deal with each of these types of problem players and more.
We always want to know what you would like to hear more about. Please contact us through one of the methods below and let us know what you'd like a future episode topic to cover!
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It's the last episode of the build your own series! When it comes to building out a campaign, building a nemesis can be a big undertaking. In addition to determining whether your characters will end up choosing their own nemesis because of their own actions, you have to concern yourself with a big personality, back story, and even potentially build out a full character. Join us in this episode as John and Felicia cover this information and more. Whether you're build a nemesis that is evil incarnate or just someone who one-ups your players at every corner, there's a lot of fun to be had with introducing a nemesis to the game.
As this is the last episode of the build your own series, we want to know what you would like to hear about next! We're always open to ideas, just reach out via one of the following ways:
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In the next episode of our continuing series discussing building your own campaign, we cover building your own story. Whether its dungeon diving or palace intrigue, every role playing game has some sort of story, but where do you begin? Whether you need help just getting the ball rolling or you need to understand story progression, this episode is for you.
John and Felicia cover taking the personal goals of the players into account as well as where to start. A favorite topic of both of the hosts is developing stories that are more ambiguous than just good and evil. Plus we take a listener question! We're getting closer to the end of the "build your own" series, but we're not done yet, so join us!
If you've got ideas for future episodes or comments on this one, we'd love to hear about it! Use one of the following channels to reach out:
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Religions and Governments and Races, oh my! Knowing the what the map looks like and some of the other basics in your world is great, but what if you want to get more nitty gritty details that you can build stories with and get your players even more involved in the setting? In the third episode of our series on building your own campaign, John and Felicia welcome special guest Malcolm Richardson to the show to talk about some of the aspects of setting. Whether you're thinking about building our a complex pantheon of gods or creating a government that even the most complex modern day bureaucracies would be proud of, there's a boatload of information in this episode for you.
John, Felicia, and Malcolm discuss many of the important aspects that are involved in creating more immersive detail in your setting like: How many gods will be in your pantheon? What are the relationships between the gods and mortals? Is the king just a figurehead or does he have real power? and What happens when a party of drow elves walks into a bar?
Join us as we continue our series on building your own campaign, and as always if you have questions or comments about this or any episode, or if you have ideas for future episodes, let us know! You can reach us at any of these locations:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
And check out Malcom's show, Street Nerdz TV here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/StreetNerdzTV/
Where your story happens can be just as important as the story itself. If you're planning on running a game in a country, a region, or even just a single city the content of those locations can enrich and enhance the story that your players will be a part of. In the second episode in our series dedicated to building your own and home brewing, John and Felicia start to break down some of the important things to consider when it comes to building the setting. But this is only part one of discussing building your own setting! We had so many things to talk about that it just wouldn't fit in a single episode!
For the first build your own setting episode we talk about determining what the land looks like and building maps. Once that is determined, we plan out the climate as well as discuss the flora and fauna (and more importantly, the monsters!) that are found in different areas of your world. Then finally we discuss cities and the various aspects that should be considered when planning a city, especially if your campaign will be mostly told within a city setting. Join us for the first of two episodes on building your own setting!
If you have comments on this episode or if you have ideas for topics on future episodes, please let us know! You can contact us in any of the following ways:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
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Thanks and we will see you in two weeks!
Whether it's the stories they tell or the worlds that their players exist in, many DMs often decide it's time to build their own adventure. But the question is, where do you start? In this episode of becomingDM we will talk about the things to do before you get started building your own campaign.
John and Felicia discuss what the scope of your planning should be and a little bit about how to avoid overbuilding. Additionally, we talk about session 0 and how leveraging input from your players can not only make your job easier, but also create a world that everyone is sure to have fun with. And finally we will discuss one or two items that John and Felicia consider incredibly important to have before beginning on your journey to build out this world.
This is the first of a multi-episode series to discuss building your own campaigns. In addition to this episode, the topics that we will cover in the coming weeks are: Build Your Own Settings, Build Your Own Stories, and Build Your Own Nemesis/Factions. We hope to see you back in the coming weeks as we explore this topic!
If you have questions about this episode or suggestions for future episode, we would love you hear from you! You can reach out to us in any of the following channels:
Web: https://becomingDM.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/becomingDM
Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
Do you have someone that plays role playing games and you don't know what gift will really hit the mark? Have you been through year after year of buying crappy gifts that end up in the trash and just don't know what to do? Never fear, dear listener, becomingDM is here to help you roll a nat 20 on gift buying for your RPG playing friends this year.
This week on becomingDM we talk about the trinkets, gadgets, and super gifts that are available for any budget. So whether you're buying for a swag collector, a dice goblin, the consummate host, or the forever GM we've got some gift ideas for any budget. So take a listen as we work to help you to solve your gift buying dilemma.
Have a question for us? Want more information on anything we've talked about? Reach out to us on any of the platforms below and we would love to help!
Web: https://becomingDM..com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
Facebook: https://facebook.com/becomingDM
Whether it's someone that you had planned for your party to interact with or someone that they randomly chose out of the crowd, creating NPCs that help give your story extra depth is important for any role playing game. But sometimes it can seem daunting to tackle the different personalities, backgrounds and motivations that come with every NPC that gets introduced. So what's a DM to do?
In this episode of becomingDM, John and Felicia discuss how to create compelling NPCs that will add to your story without killing all of your time for story development. Whether it's determining what to do when a player chooses to focus on an NPC that was just supposed to be an extra, building backgrounds for the NPCs you plan to integrate into the story, or creating interesting and unique voices for them there's a lot of ground to cover in this episode. Join us as we dive into the psyche of the NPC!
For more information about becomingDM or to contact us, please use the links below:
Episode Page: https://becomingDM.com/ep6
Web Page: https://becomingDM.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/becomingDM
When players create new characters the fill out stats, they add points to skills, they choose weapons and all of these things have specific times where they are called upon again through the course of game play. But with alignment, you fill it out and there isn't typically a specific check for it. With this in mind, do we really need alignment in modern role playing games? This week John and Felicia talk about the pros and cons of alignment and what some potential alternatives to the current alignment system in D&D and Pathfinder. Also this week, mail call! We field a question from a listener that was raised from listening to a previous episode of the show. Whether you're lawful good or chaotic evil, there's sure to be something to pick up from this episode of becomingDM!
If you have any questions of your own or ideas for future episodes, we want to know! Contact us at any of the locations below:
https://becomingDM.com
https://facebook.com/becomingDM
https://twitter.com/becomingDM
Are you having trouble deciding what monsters to put your players up against? Do you struggle with trying to figure out whether or not you'll decimate your players with the monsters you've chosen? Or maybe you're concerned that you're giving out too much treasure when your players succeed. Making the right choices around monsters and treasure can be difficult if you want to make it challenging and rewarding to your players without a guaranteed total party kill.
This week,John and Felicia talk about how to incorporate monsters and treasure into your game to make it challenging and rewarding for players, but not too challenging and rewarding. Whether it's understanding the challenge rating system or making decisions for treasure that is thematically appropriate for your location, we discuss the ins and outs of planning these two aspects of your campaign.
As always,if you have ideas for future episodes, make sure to reach out to us and let us know! We'd love to hear them! Contact us in any of the following locations:
https://becomingDM.com
https://facebook.com/becomingDM
https://twitter.com/becomingDM
Thanks for listening! Check back in two weeks for our next episode!
We've all been there, sometimes you want to bring something new to your role playing game experience to give it that extra bit of special. Whether it's improving your miniatures game, giving your players tools to make their game more enjoyable, or technology and organizational tools we've got something for you. Join us this week as John and Felicia talk about gadgets and tools that you might not know about that will help make your tabletop RPG even more excellent than it already is!
Did we miss something in our discussion that you use to amp up your game? Let is know in one of the following channels:
https://becomingDM.com
https://twitter.com/becomingDM
https://facebook.com/becomingDM
Make sure to check out the episode page for this episode at https://becomingDM.com/ep3 to see pictures of many of the tools that we talk about, and if you're interested in getting something for yourself, check out the linke below!
Source for 3D printed things like the hit point tracker, dice box, minis, landscape and more: https://thingiverse.com
For Arkenforge Tabletop: https://arkenfoge.com
For Trello: https://trello.com
For Combat Manager: http://combatmanager.com/
Your players just killed the NPC that you spent hours creating and now your story's been ripped off track? This week, we'll discuss those times when players go astray with the story line and how to get them back on track, and if that's even the right course!
Is your story broken on purpose because of boredom, or distractions at the table? Has the campaign been overtaken by murder hobos? Or maybe going astray was a complete accident when your players missed or misinterpreted clues. Whatever the cause, we'll talk about some tips and tricks and other suggestions to help you deal with the disruption.
Do you have suggestions for topics in future episodes? We'd love yo hear from you! Contact us through one of the following channels!
https://becomingDM.com
https://facebook.com/becomingDM
https://twitter.com/becomingDM
Thank you so much for listening! Check back in two weeks for our next episode!
You just got invited to a new tabletop role playing session, and guess what? You're the dungeon master! This week we're going to discuss what do do when it's your first time dungeon mastering a game, whether it's your first time with role playing games, the first time dungeon mastering a system you've played before, or you've run a game before but in a different system, there's information here for you!
It's our first full episode and we're going to cover the required gear that you'll need to get yourself started dungeon mastering. More importantly, we will talk about rules! Do you need to know how to roll for a character untying a knot behind their back while being beaten over the head with a fish? Do you need to know every single rule in that massive players hand book? We'll cover how to address the rules and when it's useful to have a rules nerd at your table. Finally, we'll discuss some options to get a bunch of characters to actually turn into a party.
Do you have something to say about starting out as a DM that we might have missed? You can always contact becomingDM at the following places:
becomingDM.com
facebook.com/becomingDM
twitter.com/becomingDM
John and Felicia thank you for listening, downloading, and subscribing to becomingDM. We hope you come back for more dungeon master tips an tricks!
Thank you for considering listening to becomingDM, a podcast devoted to tabletop role-playing games and helping dungeon masters and players to have a better experience. In this episode, we introduce the show as well as the qualifications of our two hosts, John Welsh and Felicia Martinez. We hope you stick around for our every-other-week show. Check out https://becomingDM.com for more info on the show! Stay nerdy, friends!