Avatar's Perfect D&D Adventure || The Library as a 5 Room Dungeon
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- Опубліковано 3 вер 2020
- Avatar is great for a lot of reasons, but in this video I look at how "The Library" episode works as the perfect DnD adventure. There's an intro in a tavern, a 5 room dungeon, and a cliffhanger that get's the players unable to wait for the next session.
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This was absolutely brilliant... acting like this episode was a game and talking about them and the DM... so smart and so interesting!!
yeah dude, there is probably room for a whole channel doing this format: video essays as DnD tips (seen my Indy vid??)
Zipperon Disney you also just made me think of a series to combine it with World of Warcraft. Turn boss fights THERE into combat encounters with cool mechanics! I’ve done that for years, but it’s a great video topic! You play WoW?? There’s our Collab if so!
I just started watching this show and have now gotten through this episode and oh man did I get the same vibes. I like this format quite a bit
@@ZipperonDisney I hope you will do more like this! It's fantastic!
@@christinaanne3045 thank you! ❤
Now I'm thinking about how Avatar in general might work as a D&D campaign. Aang's player is actually a bit of a power gamer, using some interpretation of the rules to master all of the elements even though it's generally accepted that you're not supposed to be able to do that. Some quick thinking from the DM leads to them weaving this into the backstory of not just Aang but the setting as a whole. Sokka's player is the opposite, playing a pure melee build in a setting where even the melee fighters are supposed to have some magic. They're the one that would be playing a barbarian in every other campaign. Katara is a roleplayer, spending a lot of time focusing on their character's feelings and trying to set up big emotional scenes. Toph's player might be a bit of a munchkin. Taking the disadvantages of short, young, and blind to make an incredibly powerful earth-bender. Zuko's player is one who joins late, but is really enthusiastic. Some of the other players are getting busy with school and such so Zuko's player does a bunch of sessions without the full party and instead partnering with whatever's available. Sometimes he's literally the only one that can make it so he does a few one-on-one sessions with the DM to fill out Zuko's backstory. The Ember Island Players serves as a clever way for the DM to get the party members that have been largely absent for a few sessions caught up on things for the finale.
YES YES YES!!! (can I post this on my twitter? I love it too much not to share)
@@ZipperonDisney Go ahead
I'm SO happy someone made a video about this because the ENTIRE time I was rewatching avatar I was thinking about how much every episode reminded me of just a really well-written D&D campaign
Happy to be of service 😎
Zipperon Disney: Avatar’s Perfect D&D Adventure...
Me: Okay, fine. I’ll subscribe.
Welcome aboard!! I have a video about Indiana Jones that is along this same format -> ua-cam.com/video/z9P9nmbGu0E/v-deo.html
😂😂😂
Yup, me too. I'm running an RPG elective next semester and while I don't think we'll be dealing with dungeon design this year... we'll see.
@@HandforthsStudyHall what will you be teaching?
Whenever I rewatch Avatar I always marvel at how every episode could be a retelling of a dnd session. Another example that springs to mind is 'The Water Whip'. Glad to see other people share this opinion and love the content as always my guy.
don't you mean "The Waterbending Scroll"? I can't find an episode named "The Water Whip"
Ptaku93 Oh my, you are correct. That is indeed the episode I mean. Thanks for checking up :)
Yeah, I hate it when Sorcerers like Aang decide they're just going to innately know waterbending spells better than my wizard Katara. Learning was meant to be her character arc, the DM put Water Whip on a scroll and everything!
Maybe that's why the DM decided to homebrew Bloodbending and make it only available to wizards. Not the progression I had in mind for her, but I kind of got railroaded into learning it or the other PCs would die.
I honestly think the whole Avatar story would make for a fantastic campaign. There are moments of exciting combat, lore and even moments where the party splits. The only change I would make would be to have the whole party fight the final boss instead of one of the party being essentially Aang and needing to do it on their own.
This was really insightful and I enjoyed the way you described the episode as an adventure. Just watching this episode would help translate other episodes and story arcs as adventures
Definilty! Avatar is one of the best adventure stories ever. Period.
I've been saying for years that the library is basically just an amazing D&D adventure, glad I'm not the only one that thought so.
I’ve literally wanted to make an adventure based on this! Yes
Awesome! what changes would you make to make it more D&D high fantasy?
Man the DM was really hard on Zuko's player. He faced a penalty for switching sides.
rewatching avatar right now and i swear another fun d&d session episode would be that fight on the drill train
I literally created something called Owlkin specifically to run a dungeon like this one. Thanks for doing all the hard work for me ❤️
That's awesome!
I completed my first Avatar marathon a few weeks ago, my new campaign has warforged hiding in an underground labyrinth and after watching this episode I was like, yup, it's a library now with a Beholder. This gives me a lot to think about since the party, most likely has a while before discovering it. Thanks as always!
A beholder in an underground libary sounds awesome!
Worth the wait! And it gave me enough time to finally finish the series for the first time :)
Glad you liked it man!
Avatar truly epitomizes so many forms of writing 😭👏 brilliant man
it's an absolute masterclass ❤️
I've been watching Avatar for the first time, and the entire time I've been watching alongside my GF, and pointing out moments that remind me of TTRPG storytelling. It's basically every episode.
Any one moment/idea you know you'd like to steal for a game?
having the world go from being either hostile or neutral to being enthralled by the PCs is something players can strive for.
wow, i was rewatching ATLA and I JUST watched this episode and now i got this in my youtube recommended videos
Always wanted to run an Avatar-themed adventure!
This was so great. Smiling throughout the video, because I remembered that episode and got *a lot* of ideas and technical info how to make them real. So happy right now. Subscribed.
Also, I love how you talk through this video. Never a boring moment. Bet you are a great DM. :)
SUPER glad you enjoyed it! My channel is branded for 'advanced DMs', I try and go beyond the basics and give DMs a deeper, more conceptual ways of looking at the game :)
Absolutely love that episode. But I never thought of it as a five room dungeon. Brilliant analysis. Thank you}
Wow! For such a small channel this was really interesting and well put together content! I'm surprised you don't have at least 100k subs yet
Welcome aboard! You might also like my video on Making Combat Flow, it really tends to change the way folks think -> ua-cam.com/video/z2d1gceeAPw/v-deo.html
I saw Avatar for a second time now that it’s on Netflix, and it was difficult not having a dnd lens most of the time.
Its surprising & yet of course we can find these Inspiring examples of RPGs in fantastic & beloved shows like Avatar. Thank you for sharing this in such a concise & fun way 🙌
You should do more of this, I feel as though a lot of episodes of Avatar and Korra could be compared to DnD.
I've recently come across your channel and I've been binging them all day while writing! I really love your ideas, structures, and opinions and how you share them! Keep doing what you're doing man, the videos are great!
Awesome! Thank you! ❤️
When that picture of Wan Shi Tong’s VA popped up I was like “Hey that’s Joe from Princess Diaries!”
This was an interesting video. Glad it popped up in my recommended.
Nice stuff! I watched that episode about a month ago and it also struck me how it was a perfect D&D sesh.
Great video!
Any other episodes stick out to you?
I've seen quite a few videos about the 5 room dungeon, but they've never really clicked. This is really well explained and with a clear example of what each room represents.
Thank you!
Ever heard of Darths & Droids? It is a web comic that uses screen caps from the Star Wars movies, depicting a D&D group. Now I want that but with Avatar.
Watching ATLA all the way through for the first time, definitely excited for this episode now
Aggg! SPOILERS!
@@ZipperonDisney Spoiling is in the details, not the rough "this is what this episode is about"
I had THE EXACT same thought when I rewatched this episode. Great video
Wow, thanks for this amazing video. Put two of my favorites together was unexpected for me.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great episode. Great example of the five room dungeon. Great video. Thank you
Your show just popped up randomly and this episode is an instant follow! Thank you for making good content!
Great breakdown! Great episode.
Great video! And I loved your showcasing of the Delian Tomb ;)
Thanks! 😀
A fan of Dnd, a fan of Avatar, and a fan of roleplayingtips (John Four). Now, I subbed because you made a fan of me as well. Excellent content and explanation. Looking forward to more
Welcome aboard!
I don't often homebrew but the 5 Room Dungeon will be a valuable tool when I do - thanks for putting this together!
Glad it was helpful! The 5RD is a super useful concept for adventure design
Dude, I don’t know how you don’t have more subscribers. You are my favorite DM UA-camr I have found!
I have been playing in two games for the past year and haven’t played since high school before then. One player was out last night and I had the chance to run a one shot (last time I DMed it was AD&D 17 years ago). Looking back, without even realizing it I totally made a 5 room dungeon. Also, I listened to your video on “zen and the art of dming” like three times yesterday to psych myself up. Props to your work my man.
🙏 I'm really glad you find these vids useful and inspiring!
Yeah agreed, one of the best DnD channels out there. Some of the smartest content out there.
My dm did pretty much exactly this in our edge of the empire campaign, super cool to see a video about it
I'm a fan of both Avatar and D&D. This is the first video of yours I've watched, and, seeing that you have more D&D content on your channel, I chose to subscribe.
Great video man, thanks for droping such knowledge. You have a very nice way of thinking and sharing ideas, and kinda different aproach from every other rpg yt channel. You're helping me become a better DM, thanks!
That's my goal! ❤️ I try really hard to put out a content that is unique from other DnD channels!
Holy shit am I happy I watched this video! I've been trying to find a way to structure my sessions for like a year now and finding out about the 5 room dungeon is a life saver.
I'm happy you found this helpful!!
This is exactly what I thought, when rewatching that episode
A lot of other Avatar episodes are great inspiration for adventures too!
Fantastic video. Great highlighting of information, great narrative. Loved your excitement. Definitely subscribed and being notified for the next.
Glad you enjoyed it! Welcome aboard!
What a Great idea man thank you for the inspiration.
Oh my... YOU WERE THE ONE!!!! Watched this maybe a year ago and it inspired me so much, but as I was catching up on other stuff, I missed looking into you... now I have been subbed and binging your content for a week at least.
Sorry, but this video actually first hit right after watching Zee's video about the countdown room and, even before playing my first campaign, got me thinking of a 5 room dungeon of my own. So I got excited about finding this video again.
Loved it, I learned so much from this video!
Glad it was helpful!
1st of your content im seeing, loved it and well done sir! After a 5month hiatus my 5e campaign is gonna be starting up again next month, so this is good inspiration
Sounds great! Thanks for watching ❤️
This is great. Thanks for breaking it down.
My pleasure!
Absolutely fantastic, I don’t know if there are other shows/episodes you can break down or need to but I found this highly entertaining
Great video! I’d love to see more content like this on other movies or tv shows that work as D&D adventures. Congratulations on the 21K views!
More to come! I think you might like my Indiana Jones video too
@@ZipperonDisney Oh yeah I watched that one. Raiders is a perfect example of a series of D&D encounters.
Awesome job!
Thanks for the visit!
Awesome video i love this idea
This video was so great, I'm glad UA-cam recommended it to me! Hope you break down more media in this way.
That's the plan! In the mean time, I have an Indiana Jones video that is along the same lines as this one -> ua-cam.com/users/videoz9P9nmbGu0E/
I see the Delian Tomb I press the Like-Button! - But for real, great Video! Very evocative and helpful!
Glad you liked it 👍
I am planning my own homebrew world and this is a real eye-opener. While I love creating dungeon maps and in-general maps for the world and other locations, I tend to have difficulty coming up with true adventures. I recently bought a book titled "The Monsters Know What They're Doing." in an attempt to make the battles feel more life-threatening even in a high-fantasy setting. Part of my plan has been to find ways to incorporate every one of my supplement material into one world (GGR, The Planeshift Articles, RftLW and Ghosts of Saltmarsh) since what I intend to do is turn each of the different D&D settings into one super-setting that starts in a smaller region and eventually has PCs travel to those other locations and possibly get replacement characters that would fit from those regions... Backups, if you would, in case the characters meet an untimely or particularly violent death. Even going so far as to encourage the PCs to make characters that are not optimized on purpose so they have specific weaknesses and character flaws (aside from the character generation ones) to work past.
After all, all the D&D monsters have their challenge rating set based on the idea that the PC's have no access to the special items or magic needed to efficiently defeat these monsters, which only makes them more deadly when you play them to proper intellect rather than just doing what Total War Shogun 2 does and turn everything into a mass-battle brawl-blob
My homebrew world is similar; each region is a "flavor" of fantasy. Want Nordic myth? head to the Northlands. Renaissance high fantasy? Mer L'Orain. Wuxia? Shademedow
@@ZipperonDisney that is so cool. I think that I'll start my players off in an area that has just Humans, Elves, Dwarves and halflings which opens up with more options as the game progresses.
Oof, this is a perfect one shot idea. Don’t tell your players that this is based on ATLA and see fans of both dnd and atla light up when the realize.
Do it!!
Great analysis of an Avatar episode applying the Five Room Dungeon model! This will have me examining other media and adventure narrative to look out for this construction behind the scenes. And it gives me ideas for my own game where I was feeling stuck!
Awesome - have you thought of any any other examples in media?
Love this so much! Great video, good sir. I look forward to watching many more
Excellent! You might want to check out my vid on Rival Parties, it's one of my favorites -> ua-cam.com/video/ymeT73N-ka4/v-deo.html
@@ZipperonDisney Will do!
You should legit adapt this as an adventure for D&D and put it together on DMs guild or the likes.
This was a great video!
Glad you liked it!!
Loved this video. The details for each room was good.
Thanks!! Have you heard of a 5RD before this?
@@ZipperonDisney Yeah, I have. I've been playing D&D for a while. I just thought the detail you put into talking about each room was great, as I have a hard time thinking of details when I build rooms in dungeons outside of their "real-life" use.
The 5 room dungeon is actually a re-imagining of a standard W-point story structure.
*The Guardian* (Trigger Event)
_---(Setting up the problem)-->_
*The Setback* (1st Turning Point)
_---(Recovering from the problem)-->_
*The Twist* (2nd Triggering Event)
_---(Deepening the problem)-->_
*The Boss* (2nd Turning Point)
_---(Resolving the problem)-->_
*The Treasure* (Resolution)
More of this at www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/w-plot.html . It's a really good site for anyone trying to design a compelling story in a more tactical way, btw.
That's an interesting observation! Thanks for sharing!!
So the origin of both the Avatar plot and the five dungeon room was good writing!
Had to sub after watching this! Great video! I actually started to re watch Avatar after seeing this posted on /r/dnd for the first time since I was a kid. You should pull from more TV shows/movies/more Avatar for examples of DND adventures. Really opens your eyes for inspiration
Welcome aboard! I also have an Indiana Jones video you might like -> ua-cam.com/users/videoz9P9nmbGu0E/
I loved this. Just watched ATLA for the first time (and currently watching Korra) and I can’t help but reimagine certain things as a D&D game
Right?! Got something in particular that stands out to you?
Zipperon Disney I think just in general ATLA shows good examples of fun pacing. There is a pattern of the group making a plan to overcome a challenge, something in their plan doesn’t go quite right, and suddenly the intensity of the moment escalates as the group has to improv under a more intense situation.
I also love having a high magic fantasy world, where artificers and basic magic change how a society or culture functions. The Earth Kingdom is one of my favorites, with how earth-benders literally shape the town and provide transport.
Well played.
Avatar is just the adaptation of Michael and Brian's really cool Dnd game, lets be real here
This was awesome & helps give me ideas for my players. Thanks!
Also, all these years & I now realize the Professor is Carth Onasi from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic!
Oooo what would you think of a KotoR video?
Really great video.
Thanks for the visit!
Nicely thought out and put! Giving me ideas on the next big bad my group has to fight to save the sister of a player... very inspiring ^.^
Excellent! What do you think you're going to do for the boss fight?
@@ZipperonDisney Well I think I'll incorporate the sister into the fight itself somehow... as an mc'd hostage kind of thing. It might be fun to add other hostages before they reach the big boss. Maybe some npcs they've met before and liked or others they don't. Moral dilemma!
Good video. Like your stuff. I subscribed!
Thanks for the sub!
Me and my DM are actually working on an avatar setting RPG
Cool! I really, really want an Avatar RPG! Let me know how it goes!
excellent!
Glad you think so! ❤️
This was super interesting! I'm only an aspiring DM but I have already seen a few videos more videos I want to watch
Thanks, Anne! Let me know which kind of vid you like best!
Hey, this makes me think of series that I want to do with city of mist when I get enough subscribers so this is really good reference material
Okay, but Sokka should get advantage for using the spyglass from way up high tho.
Just reclicked the vid to let the ads roll😉😏
lol thanks! All the ad rev goes to the book - and all the book sales go to charity
Zipperon Disney I love it, man. You’re one of my favs.
Zipperon one again proving he's got the biggest brain in RPG youtube
Have you seen the pizza video? ;P ua-cam.com/video/7M7vciD_Ykg/v-deo.html
@@ZipperonDisney to be honest I skipped it as I didnt think you could teach me anything i didnt know. I was wrong.
I just had a realization: Carth Onasi!
Really great video, it was cool to see it the episode dissected like an adventure. Very often tv shows and movies feel like a DnD adventure. This was a great format.
Side question, do you have any comments or insights into using your techniques (or the sponsored adventure) into a more rules-lite/osr type game? I found your channel from your sword and sorcery video and thought it was brilliant. I prefer a more low power/magic setting with lower type stakes. Where the party isn’t saving the world, but rather looking for treasure, fame, and glory - which sort of connects to the theme of this episode.
I’m sure there’s a question in there somewhere.
This particular video is kinda' rules ambivalent - more like story structure. In general, I'd say the lighter the rules, the more the challenge has to lie with the particular narrative of a scenario. Like, you can't challenge the by stacking conditions if there are no conditions, but you can always challenge with something in the fiction.
Hope that helps!
DUDE! DUDE! DUDE! 🤘
🙏 🙏🙏
that's brilliant ive never thought about atla like this
Do you think there is another episode that would make a good adventure?
@@ZipperonDisney the boiling rock adventure is a great prison break
The swamp could be a good one, though its a example of the DM forcing the hook.
The fortune teller could be a good example of downtime.
The puppet master is a brilliant horror adventure.
Fantastic breakdown. hitting the bell. :)
Oh yeah! ❤️ Have you watched the channel before?
@@ZipperonDisney New here! Letting it Playlist while drawing.:) listening to the exploration discussion atm.
@@killfear super happy to hear you like the channel!! 😁
This kind of thing is my style of art & storytelling -- my IG account is abstractions of different forms of narrative into alternative stories -- so the title hooked was an instant YES
Funny enough tho, I stayed for the Biochem book. Not watching it the whole time ahaha, but I happened to go to a Savers/Value Village and received that one as a freebie/bonus. The weird little yesses are good too :3
Happy you stayed. Voet & Voet is a classic ❤️
very usefull video nice
Glad you think so!
So awesome I did that we were playing essentials and they went to dragon barrow before loggers camp with the supplies and had to leave the supplies outside with no cover out in the open. They went down to do the dungeon. My thief went the the supplies after all his attacks did nothing to the boss. So checked the supplies and we rolled the white dragon to show up and attack all the while ( roaming goblins) stole the supplies while his back was turned busy with the dragon. And they had to follow the tracks to the goblin hideout. But then it turned into a oceans 11 heist needless to say it turned out awesome.
Watching that episode, all I could think of is how great it would be for D&D.
Does another episode stick out in your mind?
@@ZipperonDisney Probably the assault on the Fire Nation for a good war/battle session and/or the giant blind moles episode! Also, we sent you a message on Twitter!
I would like more of this sort of video, please. Tell me you have more Avatar D&D?
Not yet! I have an Indiana Jones one though :)
Great analysis.
Unusual episode to have as your favorite tho
I assumed it was everyone's favorite! Why what's yours?
@@ZipperonDisney Not a bad episode at all, I would put it in my top 15 for sure. Perhaps top 10. But I think it's a bit overlooked by the community. Or at least that's the impression I get
It's hard to say which episode is my definitive favorite. Probably The Day of the Black Sun pt 2
I want everyone to know the power of the 5 room dungeon
that's why we say ;P
Subscribed because of this video. Great fucking advise man.
Excellent - I try to have unique RPG content. Take a look around the channel and let em know what you think!
I'd love to see you turn your galaxy brain on the the subject of hit points. I feel mechanically they have some issues but are ok. But narrittavly they suck, particularly on the PCs. If the character isn't super tanky in flavour them taking hits regularly ruins immersion, and I'd love that movie feel when everything stops for a moment when the hero is actually hurt. But dealing damage as 'luck' or 'morale' or 'fatigue' seems like the narration is directly at odds with the mechanics.
I also feel like it's narritivly odd that a character on 1hp is just as effective as total hp.
I love the idea of hp reprisienting different things for different classes, with only the last hit being the one that properly connects and does lethal type damage.
I have a wizard character who I have reskinned as a beekeeper and I have her hp represent her defensive swarm taking damage. But if its reduced to 1hp, there are no more bees and she takes the hit and is knocked out.
It also makes rests make more sense. Replenish bees, defensive magic, morale, fatigue or hammer out armour.
I think it's a concession made for a game. Players don't like being in a death spiral. Loved the beekeeper swarm take!! 🐝❤🐝
@@ZipperonDisney oh yeah, I'm not saying do away with hp, they are a useful mechanical device. But I'm wondering how to reskin damage as more generic HP loss, which can be represented as different things. That way I feel like it really matters narritivly when you describe an attack actually hitting a pc.
Sokka's dice are cursed anyway.
Or he and the DM were roommates in college, so he's always getting a hard time ;P
Great video! One question- the object on top of the stack of books. Is that a sandblast?
I think the grooves are deep enough that folks would call it a rustic instead? But yeah, it's briarwood :)
@@ZipperonDisney always nice to spot. I was watching a Nighthawkinlight video and I got really excited when I saw a Czech tool on his project table. ...I think I need to get out more.
All of this was great fun, but there's one aspect of this that actually isn't easily implementable in DnD. The boss fight with Wa Xi Tong in the show is much less a boss fight and much more an escape sequence. That kind of sequence isn't easy to naturally convey within gameplay, especially with how combat works, and that's before looking at how to balance Sokka's and Aang's exploratory sequence with the combat that Katara is engaged in. This is really the biggest weakness in DnD, despite the options you have, it's hard to actually convey something real like this.
'Wan Shi Tong he who knows ten thousand things' is redundant that's literally saying the name twice.
Also known as "translation"
Really?! Cool! Didn't know that - thanks for sharing!
Sorry if I came off mean I'm reading my comment and I think it's coming off of it mean it's not my intention just left facts like that lol.
i noticed your pipe in the back there! what tobacco do you use? and what kind of pipe is it if you know... also love the video, great interpretation!
I haven't smoked in years. The pipe was a gift and I keep it to fidget with :)
Zipperon Disney ahh fair enough but none the less! Thank you for taking the time to reply :) I hope your channel continues to grow ... and maybe just maybe you’ll have time to enjoy that pipe :) might I suggest Hyde park by Peterson (light and floral) .... if you know the make of the pipe that would be fun to know / I don’t smoke too often myself but often enough I’ll have a pipe clenched just for the feel or npc’s :) have a great day
Wait, so ba sing se was a 5 room dungeon?
Was it?? I bet if we tried we could snap it to some kind of "X room dungeon" motif. ❤️ That's why I like structure as a tool fro critical analysis
Are you related at all to Jacob Clifford, the economics youtuber? You remind me of him so much
Not I! But I'll check him out - econ/price theory is a love of mine
@@ZipperonDisney I literally thought you were brothers or cousins or something- maybe loving econ runs in the family!