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side point on your note of GMs that dont read the rule book and saying they should. I've never read the rules, I don't own any books. But, I know the rules better than any of my mates. My type of learning is experiencing them. So, playing the game, or listening/watching games on podcasts or twitch. That's how I learned the rules, I look them up after sessions if I need too.
I had a player in my D&D campaign who wanted to play a homebrew race called a "wolfborn". I was hesitant because I wanted to run a more traditional Forgotten Realms game for Rime of the Frostmaiden. As it turns out there's a clan of Reghed Nomads called the Wolf Clan. I told him that if he can work it into his character's backstory he could be one of the wolf clan's rare blessed who are born with a wolf like appearance. He gladly did this. The payoff came many sessions later when the party infiltrated Auril's fortress, Skellige. There's a chamber that has 4 doors and each of them lead to a random location in the Reghed glacier. On pure chance he was transported to his home village of the Wolf clan where he witnessed the horrible massacre of his clan by the cult of the beast god. He got his epic revenge on his clan's slayer and it was one of my favorite DM moments.
1:37 What does it mean to be an Arbiter? 3:40 1 - Learn the Rules 5:04 Understand the Intent of the Rules 6:30 Read the Rulebooks, + most occurring Rules 9:37 2 - Adjudicating Rules 11:20 Making up Rulings 14:07 3 - Determine Limitations (of Rules' Intents and Options) 15:33 Limited Options 17:55 4 - Teaching the Rules 19:28 Resources 20:05 5 - Drawing a Hard Line
One of the tougher calls in my last campaign was whether or not rot grubs are considered a "disease" since the party had a paladin that was immune to disease. After a few minutes of deliberation, I finally decided to leave it up to the fates and let the paladin roll a die. He rolled high and as a result was able to tank multiple rot grub infested mummies for the combat. It was a good time.
Ah yes, the vague distinction between a disease and a parasitic (or viral, or bacterial) infection. Generally speaking, these organisms can cause disease when they mess with the host's body. But not always. That's also why many infections go unnoticed, because there are not obvious symptoms - of disease. And much like how a wolf biting a chunk out of your arm doesn't constitute a disease, neither would parasites eating their way through your body. So, if a player is adamant about some aspect of rot grub being a disease... Sure, you're fine, up until the point they start nibbling on your spleen.* :'D *Unless you consider having only part of you spleen a disease...
Another good thing about learning rules as a dm is learn the language syntax. There are a lot of games where the wording is consistant through the game and applying it quickly is important. Think of the spells that state things such as “save at the end of your turn” and things like that
Restricting playable races, or classes, or available gear or options is perfectly fine, as long as it is included in the initial campaign pitch. The rules are simply a framework for you to use to build your game. They lower the learning curve for your players, and solve the basic game loop and balance for you. If you then want to make your own setting using those rules, that is perfectly fine. If no one could play around with what options exist in a setting, we'd have never gotten Dragonlance or Eberon. A player complaining that they cannot use an option not in your setting is no different than a player complaining you are using Faerun instead of Eberon. And just like your initial campaign pitch should say "this is set in Eberron" if it is, if you are using a custom setting, you need to name and describe the setting so players can decide if they like the campaign concept.
The only problem I have with his channel lately is that he seems to be doing more promoting. Can't really blame him though and he is not the only one who does it.
Having post session discussions about the game and DM feedback really helps the game in the long run, especially if the DM encourages feedback and takes criticism well.
My dnd group has a person can be pretty creative in how they approach certain problems or situations. They also tend to go into hyper focus on that solution, without considering the broader implications. This tends to cost a lot of time because they will continue arguing for their own idea, regardless of its validity. This is especially frustrating when it's about things they could have obviously looked up beforehand, during the game (or off their turn), or that they should have discussed with the dm before the session. Because I have also been a teacher, I decided to take the pedagogic approach. Instead of telling this particular player what not to do, I instructed the entire group on what you could or should do, as a player. That included preparation: long term, short term, and off-turn. I explained about balance, and how the rule of cool can be applied, but only ever by the gm. Basically, it was a class on how to be a good player. It went as expected with the troubling player (they brought up exactly what I found undesirable behavior), and another player seemed to have had an epiphany or two. All in all, a good result. To be clear, I'm a player in this group, and I'm consciously making an effort to support the dm, in this case, while also solving a problem that I personally experience with another player.
Ok, here is a question that lingers within my dnd groups. I am probably the cause of it even existing. About a year ago, as a new DM, I was watching a lot of videos on how to be a good DM, many of your videos being particularly helpful. In fact, a video from yourself and one from the dungeon dudes said similar things, and that is that rolling a 20 does not necessarily guarantee an automatic success. If the DC of a task is so high, (the jumping over the moon type scenario) it just isn’t possible, even if you do roll a 20. That very night , I used a gelatinous cube in a fight. The cube has an AC of 6. One of my players had a plus 7 to hit. It wasn’t possible, mathematically, for them to fail to hit. And of course, they rolled a 1, a critical fail. That really bothered me. I thought about it for days. I concluded that by any sense of logic and rational thought, you can only have a critical hit if you hit, and you can only have a critical fail if you fail. I can’t, in good conscience, enforce a critical fail if they actually succeeded. And I can’t award a critical success, if they didn’t succeed. In a recent game with a new player at the table. I had determined before the game that a certain task would be really hard. I gave it a DC of 35 if the players attempted before a certain condition was met, a dc of 25 once the criteria was met. Of course this player attempted the task before the conditions were met, using a skill for which they had no proficiency or modifier, and they rolled a 20. He was visibly disappointed that I didn’t grant him an automatic crit success. I explained that despite a high roll, he had not even come close to matching the DC. He claimed the 20 overrides the DC. I said no it doesn’t, I can’t award a critical success if you didn’t succeed. I recognize I am in the minority in this opinion, and it goes against long standing tradition if not the actual rules as written. but I contend it is the only cohesive and logical way to view it. What do you think?
I agree with this, it just makes sense. The only thing is, since you are making that change and had a new player, that information should have been disclosed as part of session 0. Better for the player to be informed before it comes into effect than after. Then again, thinking about this using your slime example: “You have this thing in your sights. It's slow, it's weak, it's pathetic. You're all-but-guaranteed to succeed… what happens that causes you to miss?” Giving the player the opportunity to explain the extenuating circumstances that lead to snatching failure from the jaws of victory could be fun, too.
@davidgratton8869 I have a rule where 1s and 20s are only critical in combat. A nat 20 on a save that is DC22 is still a fail, but a nat 1+6 on a DC5 is a success. Its really the only way to make things work when players want to attempt some crazy stuff lol. I do use degrees of success or failure though, like if you fail by 10 the damage is increased or something like that.
Consistency is the most important thing when adjudicating and/or adjusting a rule. I like to write the seldom used rules in situations where I know that it will come up, [like a sidebar to my adventure]. This saves me a lot of time. I include page numbers in case players want to review it. [this usually doesn't happen but I like to be prepared.] I game on VTT's [FGU specifically]. Read the rulebook is the best advice you can give. I played AD&D 2nd for decades, and became interested in Pathfinder 1st. I was told that it was a souped up version of AD&D so I did not read the rules and began playing, big mistake. I have never done that since.
If you make contact with the ball first, you can be as physical as you want within reason. If you go shoulder to shoulder to someone and they go down, your good as long as your clear intent was the ball.
I realized almost a year in to DMing that my most critical mistake was making things too easy. I changed that, and people actually cheered at the first character death.
I can confirm that you are not allowed to shoulder barge another player in soccer/football. Depending on the severity and intent it is most likely a free kick, but it could get you removed from the game and banned from up to 3 subsequent games with a red card.
@anthonyj-mss3050 this makes sense for balancing but doesn't for the role playing unless the flying character recently got their wings, this is unless you also apply disadvantage to walking/any other natural movement.
Great call on EL BOOTO. Had a player who was Rule Lawyer. Saw everyone else continue to just glass over and reading body langue. This is no fun. I am not coming back. You have to do it.
In our game we practice restraint so not to OP everything..I am playing a paladin rpg game and our Dm introduced different sci fi for us (Babylon 5 and Stargate). I came across an Interstellar aurora ship and an outpost with a lab .Needless to say I kept the tech to myself and refused access to the technology to my Insane teammates. With Great power comes great responsibility as the saying goes. The game is going great and we are having lots of fun with it . Thanks for all your hard work giving us all these info bits .Wish us luck surviving (drone power is awesome!!)
I have a player at my table that I constantly have to reign back because I'm a new DM, and I have a bunch of brand new players... except two. I have one player that powergames, and one experienced DM who is a player. The power gamer causes problems. The experienced DM is a fantastic player. Yeehaw.
You are correct. Those of us with a "gifting" of teaching are better at GMing than those with a "gifting" of mercy; and we enjoy GMing more than playing. Unless GMing becomes a chore due to inappropriate expectations or the game system piling on the fiddly bits we are supposed to keep track of.
Unless it’s on attack rolls and Sally’s a level one rouge. Level one rouges can’t get advantage easily enough consistently enough. Other than that, yeah.
6:55 The most important rules for Pathfinder 2e or D&D 5e are conveniently laid out on the DM or GM screen. And yes, most of them do pertain to combat.
If the system doesn't have an official screen or you don't feel like paying roughly $20 to get the official issue screen, start compiling a few pages of the most frequently referenced rules and charts for quick reference. For instance, how many HP inanimate objects and materials have may come up surprisingly often.
If I'm not sure, in game I rule leaning towards the PCs win. Easier to tell them next week: The gods seem to have smiled on you. This is how it should have been. Instead of Fighter shouldn't have died.
I'm not sure which game you're referring to, but at least in D&D 5e you apply your ability score modifier to both attack and damage, but apply proficiency only to attack. So a 10th level character with maxed strength gets to add their modifier of 5 to their proficiency of 4 for a total bonus of 9. When they land a hit, they get their strength bonus of 5 on the damage, but don't get to add their proficiency.
What the DM says goes. If he says enough stupid stuff the players go too. A player who continuously disagrees with a DM is not necessarily a bad player. It could be innocently just a case of non-compatibility. The player may even decide to leave on his own. Depending on the situation both the player and DM might self-righteously dismiss the other, but it could be an amicable parting.
If you are always at odds with your DM and arguing frequently, you are disrupting the game for the others - making you a bad player. Let your DM know what you find fun, and give them an opportunity to change. Leave if they don't. Disagreements should be brought up after the session. Only argue when the DM flat out gets a rule wrong.
'Read the rules' emphasis on 'read', you don't need to know any of them beyond what a typical player would. But you need to know the rule exists at least. You can look up the exact wording if necessary. A Nat 20 is NOT always a success, natural success/failure is only for combat (attack rolls and such) In the 3rd edition game I was running, the party was fighting a pair of spiders that were using the tree cover to ambush. Eventually we killed one of the spiders, but one of the PCs got poisoned. Most of the party tried to help them recover, but the orc with an axe ran after it. The spider tried to get away, climbing a tree, and the orc had no ranged attacks, so he swung at the tree. I ruled that he felled it, and I, with a little foresight, had gotten to scan the rules for random directions, and both the tree and spider got the same results. I decided to let the player have a little fun and had him make an attack with the tree as an improvised weapon. Three Nat 20, and I told him to stop and roll damage, more than triple it's remaining HP! I told the player he'd vaporized the thing, and the player was good about his character not knowing. I later checked the rules and found it wasn't completely 'by the book', but it's an encounter I think we all still remember and it was the adjudication that made it memorable, not the rules proper
That's really the main one. While you don't have to read all the rule books front to back, you should at least be familiar enough that you can make a good call that doesn't leave the player or whole table confused to the ruling (like understanding how the damaging system works in something like Lancer, the example being how does Bonus Damage work in that game). Mainly because it doesn't feel good as a player being with a DM who doesn't care about the rules they're playing with (and doesn't let the table know of this rule change or won't listen to the players when it's brought up that's not how the system works) or being on the end of a bad call because the DM didn't bother to look into that relevant rule that greatly affects the main game
6. Communicate with your players. Don't be a silent DM who just plops creatures down on a VTT map and rolls dice. If you have to stop to look something up, tell the players you are doing so to keep them from wondering whether you died. Describe scenes before or as the players walk into them; don't wait ten minutes to mention that there is a colossal, glowing statue in the middle of the room. Etc.
If that player is actually fighting for the ball and not just blocking the other guy and if he really is only using his shoulder and not also his arms and hands, you might actually be right with your ruling on the soccer example.
Wouldlove to know your opinion on teacher turnover. Have been a teacher for nearly 2 decades, and about to move to TA-rpg counselling. I have seen so many teacher skills being important as an GM.
I was in a group where we did a lot of arguing over the rules with the GM because we did not trust the GM. The GM was always tinkering with the rules to give himself advantages or nerf our abilities.
I don't think I have ever read the actual rule book. To a ttrpg I learn enough to get started and google rules as they come up. Then I notify my DM and tell him thats the RAW but he still has the last call. or I as the DM just make the call.
does anyone have any advice on dming? Ive played for less than a year (7 monthsish) and I dont know the rules great, Ive watched loads of videos and Im still terrified to start :,) Im playing with a few friends many who are new to it but one or two of them have played loads, I dont wanna mess it up D:
1) Remember that your players have their own agency and will almost NEVER do what you're expecting 2) Never write a scenario that can only be solved by a Ayer doing a specific action, unless you drop HEAVY hints about it 3) When writing scenarios, present the situation/problem to the players and then be ready to improv 4) Players view scenarios as mysteries, in the sense that everything you say will be taken into account when trying to figure it out. Basically, don't bog them down in unnecessary information Example: (I play a different game, but it's the same concept) My players are demons that possess humans after the human dies. For the first scenario, they will wake up in the morgue, with nobody else around except the other team members. There will be a quick intro scene, if they stick around to talk to the other teammates, but then they'll leave the morgue. They'll hit the streets in a busy city, filled with assholes and crazy people. There will be an event that leads them to the bunker I want them to end up at, but that's pretty much all I wrote for that scenario Trust that your players want to play the game and experience the story, but also be sure to let them do their own thing from time to time to progress their own story without the group.
@@whocares9033 Hahahaha... Write? Hehehe... I was young once too. The only writing I do is filling out the GURPS Campaign planner form - and then changing it as we go to match the players. Matt Colville has a nice one that works better than the old GURPS one. Know the combat rules and ability check rules. The rest you can figure out. Put your "rules lawyer" Player to work as your look-up person - so you move the game along, and your lawyer can pipe back in later with the "correct" reading if need be. Have one of your other players be your amanuenses, so you don't have to spend time taking notes and tracking dates. The rest is just knowing how to improv and writing down the NPCs they encounter as you pull them out of your head. Let the dice and the players tell the story.
Great advice. No arguing unless I get the rules wrong, then drop it after the ruling. Noses out of books (spells are the exception). Bring up disagreements after the game. Keep the pacing.
One of my friends and I joined another group that had 2 of my other friends in it. As the game went on, they (the other friends) continuously kept correcting the gm and every player in regard to rules. Needles to say, we didn't enjoy the constant interruptions and have never been back. Rules lawyers suck.
In response to two reasons teachers quit teaching, I’ve heard from my cousin, a teacher here, that the two reasons teachers quit are the entitled parents and entitled students lol. Seriously though, teachers need more respect, resources and better pay.
1) Workload increasing due to red tape and 2) pupils being Aholes due to the lack of consequence and management not supporting staff for fear of the parents, would be my guess. I remember a friend telling me that if he got dragged home by a police officer my friend's mum/dad would have said "I'm so sorry officer, I'll make sure he doesn't do it again" and ground him for a month with no computer, nowadays the parents are as likely to respond "How dare you accuse my angel of that, it can't be true" and then let the kid off without any punishment. So if disrespecting teachers doesn't bring any punishment then why not?
Correct! That is the point! Its the GM's table. If the rule says "You die at 0 HP", the GM can say - "Make a Save vs. Death to be "Mostly Dead""... especially in a completely random encounter.
@@TheCastleKeeper that isn't consistent, and that is a problem. Player count on the DM to be consistent and fair so the game runs smoothly. If you can't count on a rule being the same from game to game, then the group will not last long.
That's why whoever runs the Bank (usually the person who owns the house/game) gets to be the arbiter, at the end of the day "Screw you guys I'm going home" only really stops the game when they're taking it with them, or else you keep playing without them.
If one of my players want to play a flying Race, i let them start with broken Wings or something like that, so they have to heal and cant use the flying speed at level 1. its also a nice early charakter quest. maybe they have to learn to fly again, so they cant use all of the flying speed.
Disagree that you need a reason to ban certain species or classes. The game world simply is what it is. In my setting orcs have purple skin, and sometimes players get confused cause they thought orcs had green skin like in Warcraft. But I'm not gonna stop the game to justify my choice, since it's based on a mix of subjective (but the nonetheless extremely important) creative decisions and certain lore elements which it would be a major spoiler to reveal at this stage of the campaign.
Go cry in the corner because I am going to correct you. Timestamp 16:50. Pushes Glasses up on nose. :) "Excuse me. Adventure League now allows Flying races at level 1." I think this change was late 2022.
Sorry this is a test as my messages dont seem to be getting through on youtube. Well at least on the political ones. Thought Id try your gaming channel.
Rule 1. The GM is always right. Rule 2. If the GM is wrong refer to rule 1. Rule 3. No electronics at the table. (Exceptions can be made for pacemakers. Not for phones)
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How was this 3 days ago if the video went live 10 mins ago?
side point on your note of GMs that dont read the rule book and saying they should. I've never read the rules, I don't own any books. But, I know the rules better than any of my mates. My type of learning is experiencing them. So, playing the game, or listening/watching games on podcasts or twitch. That's how I learned the rules, I look them up after sessions if I need too.
You were a teacher, Luke? That's cool. Now I want to know what subject you taught.
no.
I had a player in my D&D campaign who wanted to play a homebrew race called a "wolfborn". I was hesitant because I wanted to run a more traditional Forgotten Realms game for Rime of the Frostmaiden. As it turns out there's a clan of Reghed Nomads called the Wolf Clan. I told him that if he can work it into his character's backstory he could be one of the wolf clan's rare blessed who are born with a wolf like appearance. He gladly did this. The payoff came many sessions later when the party infiltrated Auril's fortress, Skellige. There's a chamber that has 4 doors and each of them lead to a random location in the Reghed glacier. On pure chance he was transported to his home village of the Wolf clan where he witnessed the horrible massacre of his clan by the cult of the beast god. He got his epic revenge on his clan's slayer and it was one of my favorite DM moments.
1:37 What does it mean to be an Arbiter?
3:40 1 - Learn the Rules
5:04 Understand the Intent of the Rules
6:30 Read the Rulebooks, + most occurring Rules
9:37 2 - Adjudicating Rules
11:20 Making up Rulings
14:07 3 - Determine Limitations (of Rules' Intents and Options)
15:33 Limited Options
17:55 4 - Teaching the Rules
19:28 Resources
20:05 5 - Drawing a Hard Line
Definitely some great role-playing moments in soccer whey you ACT like you got hit by another player.
Roll 6 times on the ground for deception!
I remember my AP Us History teacher kept savaging Soccer Fans, it was like watching a rogue trying to hold a door close. 😂
One of the tougher calls in my last campaign was whether or not rot grubs are considered a "disease" since the party had a paladin that was immune to disease. After a few minutes of deliberation, I finally decided to leave it up to the fates and let the paladin roll a die. He rolled high and as a result was able to tank multiple rot grub infested mummies for the combat. It was a good time.
Sounds fun. I think I might have gone with a compromise and made him resistant to the grubs' damage.
Ah yes, the vague distinction between a disease and a parasitic (or viral, or bacterial) infection. Generally speaking, these organisms can cause disease when they mess with the host's body. But not always. That's also why many infections go unnoticed, because there are not obvious symptoms - of disease. And much like how a wolf biting a chunk out of your arm doesn't constitute a disease, neither would parasites eating their way through your body. So, if a player is adamant about some aspect of rot grub being a disease... Sure, you're fine, up until the point they start nibbling on your spleen.* :'D
*Unless you consider having only part of you spleen a disease...
I always treat it as a disease, since cure disease removes the grubs from your body
Another good thing about learning rules as a dm is learn the language syntax. There are a lot of games where the wording is consistant through the game and applying it quickly is important. Think of the spells that state things such as “save at the end of your turn” and things like that
YES. YES> YES. LEARN THE GAME'S JARGON and SYNTAX. and why are we taxing sin. I like sin.
Then there is dnd 5e. Wizards need a real life lawyers degree in english to be proficient
@@jopestus No, just a basic understand of the english language.
@@jopestus It's literally one of the simplest TTRPGs there is to play....
Just started my first campaign as a DM last week, your content has been incredibly useful! Thank you!
Restricting playable races, or classes, or available gear or options is perfectly fine, as long as it is included in the initial campaign pitch. The rules are simply a framework for you to use to build your game. They lower the learning curve for your players, and solve the basic game loop and balance for you. If you then want to make your own setting using those rules, that is perfectly fine. If no one could play around with what options exist in a setting, we'd have never gotten Dragonlance or Eberon. A player complaining that they cannot use an option not in your setting is no different than a player complaining you are using Faerun instead of Eberon. And just like your initial campaign pitch should say "this is set in Eberron" if it is, if you are using a custom setting, you need to name and describe the setting so players can decide if they like the campaign concept.
You know I don't care if I agree with DM Lair or not the dude is genuine. Keep making great content.
The only problem I have with his channel lately is that he seems to be doing more promoting. Can't really blame him though and he is not the only one who does it.
@@jamesrizza2640 get sponsorblock
Having post session discussions about the game and DM feedback really helps the game in the long run, especially if the DM encourages feedback and takes criticism well.
My dnd group has a person can be pretty creative in how they approach certain problems or situations. They also tend to go into hyper focus on that solution, without considering the broader implications. This tends to cost a lot of time because they will continue arguing for their own idea, regardless of its validity. This is especially frustrating when it's about things they could have obviously looked up beforehand, during the game (or off their turn), or that they should have discussed with the dm before the session.
Because I have also been a teacher, I decided to take the pedagogic approach. Instead of telling this particular player what not to do, I instructed the entire group on what you could or should do, as a player. That included preparation: long term, short term, and off-turn. I explained about balance, and how the rule of cool can be applied, but only ever by the gm. Basically, it was a class on how to be a good player. It went as expected with the troubling player (they brought up exactly what I found undesirable behavior), and another player seemed to have had an epiphany or two. All in all, a good result.
To be clear, I'm a player in this group, and I'm consciously making an effort to support the dm, in this case, while also solving a problem that I personally experience with another player.
Ok, here is a question that lingers within my dnd groups. I am probably the cause of it even existing. About a year ago, as a new DM, I was watching a lot of videos on how to be a good DM, many of your videos being particularly helpful. In fact, a video from yourself and one from the dungeon dudes said similar things, and that is that rolling a 20 does not necessarily guarantee an automatic success. If the DC of a task is so high, (the jumping over the moon type scenario) it just isn’t possible, even if you do roll a 20.
That very night , I used a gelatinous cube in a fight. The cube has an AC of 6. One of my players had a plus 7 to hit. It wasn’t possible, mathematically, for them to fail to hit. And of course, they rolled a 1, a critical fail. That really bothered me. I thought about it for days. I concluded that by any sense of logic and rational thought, you can only have a critical hit if you hit, and you can only have a critical fail if you fail. I can’t, in good conscience, enforce a critical fail if they actually succeeded. And I can’t award a critical success, if they didn’t succeed.
In a recent game with a new player at the table. I had determined before the game that a certain task would be really hard. I gave it a DC of 35 if the players attempted before a certain condition was met, a dc of 25 once the criteria was met. Of course this player attempted the task before the conditions were met, using a skill for which they had no proficiency or modifier, and they rolled a 20. He was visibly disappointed that I didn’t grant him an automatic crit success. I explained that despite a high roll, he had not even come close to matching the DC. He claimed the 20 overrides the DC. I said no it doesn’t, I can’t award a critical success if you didn’t succeed.
I recognize I am in the minority in this opinion, and it goes against long standing tradition if not the actual rules as written. but I contend it is the only cohesive and logical way to view it. What do you think?
I agree with this, it just makes sense.
The only thing is, since you are making that change and had a new player, that information should have been disclosed as part of session 0. Better for the player to be informed before it comes into effect than after.
Then again, thinking about this using your slime example:
“You have this thing in your sights. It's slow, it's weak, it's pathetic. You're all-but-guaranteed to succeed… what happens that causes you to miss?”
Giving the player the opportunity to explain the extenuating circumstances that lead to snatching failure from the jaws of victory could be fun, too.
D&D is shit and d20 + number to hit is a shit sytem
@davidgratton8869 I have a rule where 1s and 20s are only critical in combat. A nat 20 on a save that is DC22 is still a fail, but a nat 1+6 on a DC5 is a success. Its really the only way to make things work when players want to attempt some crazy stuff lol. I do use degrees of success or failure though, like if you fail by 10 the damage is increased or something like that.
Consistency is the most important thing when adjudicating and/or adjusting a rule. I like to write the seldom used rules in situations where I know that it will come up, [like a sidebar to my adventure]. This saves me a lot of time. I include page numbers in case players want to review it. [this usually doesn't happen but I like to be prepared.] I game on VTT's [FGU specifically]. Read the rulebook is the best advice you can give. I played AD&D 2nd for decades, and became interested in Pathfinder 1st. I was told that it was a souped up version of AD&D so I did not read the rules and began playing, big mistake. I have never done that since.
I got distracted by the Pathfinder bestiarys being in the wrong order in the background.
You noticed that too, it was driving me crazy. Fix it Luke!!!!
Damn it, now it sticks out....
I keep having to rewind to playback things I missed because of this.
Per PF² Rules: Bestiary order is 2, 1, 3 (pg. 217)
If you make contact with the ball first, you can be as physical as you want within reason. If you go shoulder to shoulder to someone and they go down, your good as long as your clear intent was the ball.
Great advice to help manage your table for efficiency, fairness, and fun
I realized almost a year in to DMing that my most critical mistake was making things too easy. I changed that, and people actually cheered at the first character death.
after watching like 50 hours of your videos i introduced 4 slavs to DnD.
session 1 was done, next is coming
I can confirm that you are not allowed to shoulder barge another player in soccer/football. Depending on the severity and intent it is most likely a free kick, but it could get you removed from the game and banned from up to 3 subsequent games with a red card.
It depends. A light shoulder check during while both of you are sprinting for the ball or both a re jumping up for a header could be fine. :)
My house rule for flying races is that while in flight you have disadvantage on ability checks and attacks because you're focusing on flying.
@anthonyj-mss3050 this makes sense for balancing but doesn't for the role playing unless the flying character recently got their wings, this is unless you also apply disadvantage to walking/any other natural movement.
Great call on EL BOOTO. Had a player who was Rule Lawyer. Saw everyone else continue to just glass over and reading body langue. This is no fun. I am not coming back. You have to do it.
In our game we practice restraint so not to OP everything..I am playing a paladin rpg game and our Dm introduced different sci fi for us (Babylon 5 and Stargate). I came across an Interstellar aurora ship and an outpost with a lab .Needless to say I kept the tech to myself and refused access to the technology to my Insane teammates. With Great power comes great responsibility as the saying goes. The game is going great and we are having lots of fun with it . Thanks for all your hard work giving us all these info bits .Wish us luck surviving (drone power is awesome!!)
I have a player at my table that I constantly have to reign back because I'm a new DM, and I have a bunch of brand new players... except two. I have one player that powergames, and one experienced DM who is a player. The power gamer causes problems. The experienced DM is a fantastic player. Yeehaw.
It seems like a lot of teacher-types are drawn to DMing, though I may be just noticing ones who are teachers more and it's just a coincidence.
I absolutely love teaching and helping others learn and grow, so yeah. Anecdotally, I agree with you
You are correct. Those of us with a "gifting" of teaching are better at GMing than those with a "gifting" of mercy; and we enjoy GMing more than playing. Unless GMing becomes a chore due to inappropriate expectations or the game system piling on the fiddly bits we are supposed to keep track of.
Unless it’s on attack rolls and Sally’s a level one rouge. Level one rouges can’t get advantage easily enough consistently enough. Other than that, yeah.
6:55 The most important rules for Pathfinder 2e or D&D 5e are conveniently laid out on the DM or GM screen. And yes, most of them do pertain to combat.
If the system doesn't have an official screen or you don't feel like paying roughly $20 to get the official issue screen, start compiling a few pages of the most frequently referenced rules and charts for quick reference. For instance, how many HP inanimate objects and materials have may come up surprisingly often.
If I'm not sure, in game I rule leaning towards the PCs win.
Easier to tell them next week:
The gods seem to have smiled on you. This is how it should have been.
Instead of
Fighter shouldn't have died.
The first time I dmed a game I didn't know that mastery bonus added to attack and strength/dexterity was added to damage 😅😅
I'm not sure which game you're referring to, but at least in D&D 5e you apply your ability score modifier to both attack and damage, but apply proficiency only to attack.
So a 10th level character with maxed strength gets to add their modifier of 5 to their proficiency of 4 for a total bonus of 9.
When they land a hit, they get their strength bonus of 5 on the damage, but don't get to add their proficiency.
@@Damini368 it was DnD 5e yes and I learnt from my mistake thx
I had ChatGPT create a DM lesson plan for me, with practice scenarios. I was able to run a game the next day, no problem
What the DM says goes. If he says enough stupid stuff the players go too. A player who continuously disagrees with a DM is not necessarily a bad player. It could be innocently just a case of non-compatibility. The player may even decide to leave on his own. Depending on the situation both the player and DM might self-righteously dismiss the other, but it could be an amicable parting.
If you are always at odds with your DM and arguing frequently, you are disrupting the game for the others - making you a bad player. Let your DM know what you find fun, and give them an opportunity to change. Leave if they don't. Disagreements should be brought up after the session. Only argue when the DM flat out gets a rule wrong.
first 30 seconds is literally every GURPS game. We love suffering, our own at least...
This is awesome! This entire series is perfectly timed.
New bookshelf setup?! I still wanna know what all the stuff I don't recognize is 👀
This is all I can focus on
100% advocate house rule a thing if you don't know the rule, don't stop playing to look up a rule.
There's a lot of nuance to that. You learn much of the game by playing, so stop playing to look up an important rule from time to time is important.
'Read the rules' emphasis on 'read', you don't need to know any of them beyond what a typical player would. But you need to know the rule exists at least.
You can look up the exact wording if necessary.
A Nat 20 is NOT always a success, natural success/failure is only for combat (attack rolls and such)
In the 3rd edition game I was running, the party was fighting a pair of spiders that were using the tree cover to ambush. Eventually we killed one of the spiders, but one of the PCs got poisoned. Most of the party tried to help them recover, but the orc with an axe ran after it. The spider tried to get away, climbing a tree, and the orc had no ranged attacks, so he swung at the tree. I ruled that he felled it, and I, with a little foresight, had gotten to scan the rules for random directions, and both the tree and spider got the same results. I decided to let the player have a little fun and had him make an attack with the tree as an improvised weapon.
Three Nat 20, and I told him to stop and roll damage, more than triple it's remaining HP! I told the player he'd vaporized the thing, and the player was good about his character not knowing.
I later checked the rules and found it wasn't completely 'by the book', but it's an encounter I think we all still remember and it was the adjudication that made it memorable, not the rules proper
Let's hear the teacher tea, Luke! Going into year 8.
Players arguing for 4 hours? That is the Old School "Baileys and Barristers" game. It is the game of choice for Table Top Lawyers everywhere.
*Calls football sakra, calls rugby football, calls rugby rugby.*
Most interesting arc in the video.
That's really the main one. While you don't have to read all the rule books front to back, you should at least be familiar enough that you can make a good call that doesn't leave the player or whole table confused to the ruling (like understanding how the damaging system works in something like Lancer, the example being how does Bonus Damage work in that game). Mainly because it doesn't feel good as a player being with a DM who doesn't care about the rules they're playing with (and doesn't let the table know of this rule change or won't listen to the players when it's brought up that's not how the system works) or being on the end of a bad call because the DM didn't bother to look into that relevant rule that greatly affects the main game
6. Communicate with your players. Don't be a silent DM who just plops creatures down on a VTT map and rolls dice. If you have to stop to look something up, tell the players you are doing so to keep them from wondering whether you died. Describe scenes before or as the players walk into them; don't wait ten minutes to mention that there is a colossal, glowing statue in the middle of the room. Etc.
If that player is actually fighting for the ball and not just blocking the other guy and if he really is only using his shoulder and not also his arms and hands, you might actually be right with your ruling on the soccer example.
To be fair those been replaced by either the dm's romance, prom or kink night or the player's romance, prom, or kink night.
Wouldlove to know your opinion on teacher turnover. Have been a teacher for nearly 2 decades, and about to move to TA-rpg counselling. I have seen so many teacher skills being important as an GM.
Many teachers in the US quit because the pay is terrible.
I was in a group where we did a lot of arguing over the rules with the GM because we did not trust the GM. The GM was always tinkering with the rules to give himself advantages or nerf our abilities.
I love ALL the DM Lair videos!!!! ❤
In my Discord games, while my players have their Character Name as their server display name, as the GM, mins says "Arbitrer of Rules"
you rock!
Plz will you fix Beastiary 1 and 2, i was distracted the whole video lol
Thanks for the video, Luke.
I don't think I have ever read the actual rule book. To a ttrpg
I learn enough to get started and google rules as they come up. Then I notify my DM and tell him thats the RAW but he still has the last call.
or I as the DM just make the call.
I didn't know Wayne Rooney used and American accent and had a YT GMing channel
The dungeon coach.
I love your shirt. Where can I get that?
Useful video. Thanks!
does anyone have any advice on dming? Ive played for less than a year (7 monthsish) and I dont know the rules great, Ive watched loads of videos and Im still terrified to start :,) Im playing with a few friends many who are new to it but one or two of them have played loads, I dont wanna mess it up D:
1) Remember that your players have their own agency and will almost NEVER do what you're expecting
2) Never write a scenario that can only be solved by a Ayer doing a specific action, unless you drop HEAVY hints about it
3) When writing scenarios, present the situation/problem to the players and then be ready to improv
4) Players view scenarios as mysteries, in the sense that everything you say will be taken into account when trying to figure it out. Basically, don't bog them down in unnecessary information
Example: (I play a different game, but it's the same concept)
My players are demons that possess humans after the human dies. For the first scenario, they will wake up in the morgue, with nobody else around except the other team members. There will be a quick intro scene, if they stick around to talk to the other teammates, but then they'll leave the morgue. They'll hit the streets in a busy city, filled with assholes and crazy people. There will be an event that leads them to the bunker I want them to end up at, but that's pretty much all I wrote for that scenario
Trust that your players want to play the game and experience the story, but also be sure to let them do their own thing from time to time to progress their own story without the group.
@@whocares9033 Hahahaha... Write? Hehehe... I was young once too. The only writing I do is filling out the GURPS Campaign planner form - and then changing it as we go to match the players. Matt Colville has a nice one that works better than the old GURPS one. Know the combat rules and ability check rules. The rest you can figure out. Put your "rules lawyer" Player to work as your look-up person - so you move the game along, and your lawyer can pipe back in later with the "correct" reading if need be. Have one of your other players be your amanuenses, so you don't have to spend time taking notes and tracking dates. The rest is just knowing how to improv and writing down the NPCs they encounter as you pull them out of your head. Let the dice and the players tell the story.
@@whocares9033 TYSM I REALLY APPRECIATE IT!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!@@TheCastleKeeper
{Job 22:28 ESV} "{28} You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways."
Great advice. No arguing unless I get the rules wrong, then drop it after the ruling. Noses out of books (spells are the exception). Bring up disagreements after the game. Keep the pacing.
Awesome video.Needs more bacon.
One of my friends and I joined another group that had 2 of my other friends in it. As the game went on, they (the other friends) continuously kept correcting the gm and every player in regard to rules.
Needles to say, we didn't enjoy the constant interruptions and have never been back.
Rules lawyers suck.
In response to two reasons teachers quit teaching, I’ve heard from my cousin, a teacher here, that the two reasons teachers quit are the entitled parents and entitled students lol.
Seriously though, teachers need more respect, resources and better pay.
So... why do so many teachers quit? You've aroused my curiosity.
1) Workload increasing due to red tape and 2) pupils being Aholes due to the lack of consequence and management not supporting staff for fear of the parents, would be my guess.
I remember a friend telling me that if he got dragged home by a police officer my friend's mum/dad would have said "I'm so sorry officer, I'll make sure he doesn't do it again" and ground him for a month with no computer, nowadays the parents are as likely to respond "How dare you accuse my angel of that, it can't be true" and then let the kid off without any punishment. So if disrespecting teachers doesn't bring any punishment then why not?
Were it so easy.
What's going on behind the scenes between the DM and Sally that she's getting special treatment?
I got that exact same shirt LoL
ever heard of how to be a hero? :D i started game mastering this :D the rules a very easy to understand :D
Bacon
Using the "Spirit" of the rules seems to be a way for the GM to make the rule say whatever they want.
Correct! That is the point! Its the GM's table. If the rule says "You die at 0 HP", the GM can say - "Make a Save vs. Death to be "Mostly Dead""... especially in a completely random encounter.
@@TheCastleKeeper that isn't consistent, and that is a problem. Player count on the DM to be consistent and fair so the game runs smoothly. If you can't count on a rule being the same from game to game, then the group will not last long.
Got me bro I bought the book lol
Unless the campaign is themed, I do not like parties that are all the odd races or the kind that would not be accepted in most human cities.
I could not play with people who care _that_ much about the rules 😂 Thankfully, I've never had to.
If you don't want a GM, let alone a GM "enforcing" rules, go play Monopoly - and you'll still end up with the same number of arguments.
That's why whoever runs the Bank (usually the person who owns the house/game) gets to be the arbiter, at the end of the day "Screw you guys I'm going home" only really stops the game when they're taking it with them, or else you keep playing without them.
Luckily ah nope
We have a good group and have been together for over 30 years
Two reasons teachers quit? Kids and parents.
Timestamps!
If one of my players want to play a flying Race, i let them start with broken Wings or something like that, so they have to heal and cant use the flying speed at level 1. its also a nice early charakter quest. maybe they have to learn to fly again, so they cant use all of the flying speed.
Disagree that you need a reason to ban certain species or classes. The game world simply is what it is. In my setting orcs have purple skin, and sometimes players get confused cause they thought orcs had green skin like in Warcraft. But I'm not gonna stop the game to justify my choice, since it's based on a mix of subjective (but the nonetheless extremely important) creative decisions and certain lore elements which it would be a major spoiler to reveal at this stage of the campaign.
67
1.) Learn the Rules
Nope, you lost me there
But why do teachers quit?!
The people need answers
Workload increase due to red tape and lack of support with difficult pupils for fear of the parents complaints
First
Go cry in the corner because I am going to correct you. Timestamp 16:50. Pushes Glasses up on nose. :)
"Excuse me. Adventure League now allows Flying races at level 1."
I think this change was late 2022.
The Lord of the Plate. You are ennobled. You get to clean the King's plate after he done.
Good luck with those contact build up poisons.
Sorry this is a test as my messages dont seem to be getting through on youtube. Well at least on the political ones. Thought Id try your gaming channel.
Looks like Im only having trouble with politics. Keep up the good work Luke. One of my top 5 sites. Cant wait for Lairs and Legends to be fulfilled.
Utoobz will delete any comment that is not following their narrative (TOS). I get deleted all the time. 😁
Yeah shadowbans are pretty common.
@cellphone7223 you mean the toss you agreed to? That "narrative"?
@@Iansco1 Yup.
Stop listening to youtubers. They don't care about you.
Rule 1. The GM is always right.
Rule 2. If the GM is wrong refer to rule 1.
Rule 3. No electronics at the table. (Exceptions can be made for pacemakers. Not for phones)