Oh this is a great point! I also love making a point of having wealthy characters offer the heroes incredible meals or fine wines just to showcase their wealth and power!
Some of the best roleplay moments in my games have revolved around the flavors and culture of the food/drink. This is an underrated aspect of immersion for sure.
Man, you are completely right! Everybody understands what food is. And making some weird foods really gives players understanding - that's another world. It sets the tone!
This is such awesome advice!!! I'd put some thought into things like "luxury foods" and other things like that, but I rarely describe the food in the context of setting the scene. Even though I write a fair amount of these details in my notes, I often forget to include these kinds of things in our sessions. I will soon be starting my group on a new campaign (some folks needed to take a break due to health issues), so I will be keeping this in mind.
@@EmergentGM I will also just say, I think the strength your videos have over a lot of other D&D content creators is how accessible you make them. You give solid examples as well as context for the subject you are talking about. I am always looking to improve my DMing skills and you do a great job.
I love using food as a worldbuilding tool. A 'dungeon', or any area of your world has a local ecosystem that most food will be made from. What will farmers grow in a forest or underground? What beasts or monsters are pests for those things in that area? What larger thing eats those pests? It really helps worlds feel lived in, and your combat encounters don't feel random either. Running into wolves in a forest makes sense. That wolf pack that you rolled up for that underground encounter, not so much.
@swbrett I was thinking on exactly the same lines! What would monsters be eating? Would that make them more ferocious or docile because of what they ate? Very very cool!
@EmergentGM I recently ran a scenario where the players were helping a goblin clan clear out their home from a dangerous creature. It had been a few days, so a few other opportunistic creatures had also invaded. The goblins were raising giant rats, creating feed from cultivated mushroom farms, and underground insect colonies. They were 'domesticated', but the giant wolf spiders that came around to prey on them were not, and neither were the giant badgers that now had access to those insect colonies without being challenged. All decent encounters for a level 1 party, and all making a lot of sense within the context of a cramped, underground burrow. It really helps player immersion!
Great piece of advice. Food is a relatable experience to everyone, no matter where you are from. I'm currently running Curse of Strahd. The RAW module comments on the importance of wine in the valley, but with a chef character in the party and me intent to expand on the worldbuilding, I've really highlighted how limited and stunted agriculture is in Barovia.
I love learning about real medieval food, along with clothing, buildings, lighting, and other details of daily life. And for me, this has always been part of my enjoyment of FRPGs.
Great advice! I like to think that dwarves are really into spicy food because they are resistant to poisons and most other races would consider their food dangerous!
When i am world building, what the farmers grow and the ranchers raise influences the culture of the area and the food choices. The climate, of course, influences what will grow and that influences clothing, buildings, crops, leisure activities, and more. Look at cultures around the world and barrow heavily.
Mmmm. Tasty gruel. Stews. Thin soups consisting mostly of broth. Oats, barley, wheat, corn, maybe rooty tubers if they're lucky. Food in the real middle ages was pretty mopey for peasants.
I love using food to remind the players that our campaigns don't take place in Kansas. ;) And this is a great channel for unusual and historical foods: ua-cam.com/video/mXm8qRT4IcI/v-deo.html
This exact reason made a Dungeon Chef class for both Dragonbane and Shaowdark die. I even had a play-play on my live stream channel. Absolute blast. Especially with people who love food. Fun vid! @erikfrankhousepresents
Oh this is a great point! I also love making a point of having wealthy characters offer the heroes incredible meals or fine wines just to showcase their wealth and power!
@Mystic-Arts-DM Totally! And works as well when impoverished characters willingly share the little they have because it brings them joy.
Some of the best roleplay moments in my games have revolved around the flavors and culture of the food/drink. This is an underrated aspect of immersion for sure.
Man, you are completely right!
Everybody understands what food is. And making some weird foods really gives players understanding - that's another world. It sets the tone!
@SiberianOldPal For sure! It's a very easy way to immerse players.
This is such awesome advice!!! I'd put some thought into things like "luxury foods" and other things like that, but I rarely describe the food in the context of setting the scene. Even though I write a fair amount of these details in my notes, I often forget to include these kinds of things in our sessions. I will soon be starting my group on a new campaign (some folks needed to take a break due to health issues), so I will be keeping this in mind.
@avalon1007 Glad to hear it! I didn't realize the impact until I developed this video. Very powerful worldbuilding tool indeed!
@@EmergentGM I will also just say, I think the strength your videos have over a lot of other D&D content creators is how accessible you make them. You give solid examples as well as context for the subject you are talking about. I am always looking to improve my DMing skills and you do a great job.
@avalon1007 Thank you for the compliment! Grateful that you're taking the time to watch :)
This is actually very good advice! *Food* for thought and good ideas to sprinkle in the storytelling!
@RPGCauldron Glad it was helpful!
I love using food as a worldbuilding tool. A 'dungeon', or any area of your world has a local ecosystem that most food will be made from. What will farmers grow in a forest or underground? What beasts or monsters are pests for those things in that area? What larger thing eats those pests? It really helps worlds feel lived in, and your combat encounters don't feel random either. Running into wolves in a forest makes sense. That wolf pack that you rolled up for that underground encounter, not so much.
@swbrett I was thinking on exactly the same lines! What would monsters be eating? Would that make them more ferocious or docile because of what they ate? Very very cool!
@EmergentGM I recently ran a scenario where the players were helping a goblin clan clear out their home from a dangerous creature. It had been a few days, so a few other opportunistic creatures had also invaded. The goblins were raising giant rats, creating feed from cultivated mushroom farms, and underground insect colonies. They were 'domesticated', but the giant wolf spiders that came around to prey on them were not, and neither were the giant badgers that now had access to those insect colonies without being challenged. All decent encounters for a level 1 party, and all making a lot of sense within the context of a cramped, underground burrow. It really helps player immersion!
Great piece of advice. Food is a relatable experience to everyone, no matter where you are from.
I'm currently running Curse of Strahd. The RAW module comments on the importance of wine in the valley, but with a chef character in the party and me intent to expand on the worldbuilding, I've really highlighted how limited and stunted agriculture is in Barovia.
@IFireseekerI Oh that's gonna add some VERY COOL context to the setting! Especially since a villain like Strahd loves a good wine.
I love learning about real medieval food, along with clothing, buildings, lighting, and other details of daily life. And for me, this has always been part of my enjoyment of FRPGs.
@fpassow1 I gotta say it's a rabbit hole for sure. But definitely worth the time.
Yes! I love using food in games
Great advice! I like to think that dwarves are really into spicy food because they are resistant to poisons and most other races would consider their food dangerous!
@YawdroGaming Haha yhy not? racial groups IRL also have tolerances and preferences for food too!
When i am world building, what the farmers grow and the ranchers raise influences the culture of the area and the food choices. The climate, of course, influences what will grow and that influences clothing, buildings, crops, leisure activities, and more.
Look at cultures around the world and barrow heavily.
@JeffBostic-u4y Absolutely! Couldn't have said it better.
ok, glad I'm not the only weird one that cares about food in a setting/campagin 😅
@loganfrandrup6590 I have a much deeper appreciation for it now haha!
Mmmm. Tasty gruel. Stews. Thin soups consisting mostly of broth. Oats, barley, wheat, corn, maybe rooty tubers if they're lucky. Food in the real middle ages was pretty mopey for peasants.
@JeffsGameBox and such great worldbuilding!
I love using food to remind the players that our campaigns don't take place in Kansas. ;) And this is a great channel for unusual and historical foods: ua-cam.com/video/mXm8qRT4IcI/v-deo.html
@trollsmyth Haha that's for sure! ;) And great channel recommendation btw! What a gold mine of inspiration!
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM I wonder who that goblin was :D
@Rathelas he who shall not be named 😂
This exact reason made a Dungeon Chef class for both Dragonbane and Shaowdark die. I even had a play-play on my live stream channel. Absolute blast. Especially with people who love food.
Fun vid!
@erikfrankhousepresents
@ErikFrankhouse Criminally underrated factor for real!