I personally really enjoy using verbs like "stop" because it gives the players options. Verbs like "rescue" means go find the girl and save her from danger. However, when I told my players "you must stop the war" it immediately made them think "So how should we stop the war? Win the war? Resolve the issue that caused the war? Choose a side or go against all of the participants? Give them a greater enemy?" and so on.
@@junderlandgames1186 Sure! Instead of kill or defeat, you might say remove. Sometimes it's more interesting to make a puzzle out of an adventure so rather than "find" you can say discover!
I"m not sure how to describe whats missing in this video, It is a great point I think grasp but it seems to be kind of suffering from some of the problem the video is trying to alleviate. At 2:45min-ish it hits a kind of iffy example that clouds the "avoid this common problem" idea. "Find" is mostly bad? it never balances out to hammer home what's bad, as clear as some good examples are. Maybe that's why it felt it was missing something. Most of your videoss are " This is bad and why, here are some things you can do that are good and why" It just feels like the "Find" bit takes a slight left turn into ambiguous. Your early advice mentions making bullet points. Would this fit better to that advice, or is it different? Is it choosing how to tell your players what their next goal is may need better wording, or if your wording is dangerously vague add more bullet points? You know and maybe how to tell what is dangerously vague? I rewrote this so many times and I don't think you'll even read it.. it's just off, and that has always been a big warning sign to me. I should say something, try to articulate the thought or feeling, :) in the positive side award inspiration, XP or both!
May I suggest a topic for a video that I've been struggling with as even a longtime GM? I've come more and more over the years to realize that all my games that have become amazing and talked about years later have only had one thing that was true for all of them, a very strong sense of tension that underlined the entire tone, even when the tone was lighthearted or funny when the players or character weren't at threat of death during downtime or just the breaks in between combat. You touched on it here in the video but I think it deserves its own. What kind of things can build tension and how can you build it without feeling overly harsh or bending the narrative just to keep it there. I've been really struggling to recapture the tension that marked and improved some of my best games with my current one because I don't think that just having the threat of dropping to Zero hitpoints and dying can alone capture that feeling that drives so much good Roleplay.
Well, golly gee, I just realized that this is what I was doing wrong in my past few sessions. The adventure as written includes a spooky old house, and there was stuff in the spooky house that I wanted my players to find. But the adventure seems to follow the old idea that the existence of the spooky old house is enough incentive to get the players there. Realizing on some level that that wasn't gonna cut it, I had an NPC tell them to go to the spooky old house, but didn't offer any further directions. When my players asked what to do, I suggested, "explore!" They did, but one of my players complained, "What are we doing? Why are we here?" and I just kept referring back to the mysterious NPC. Eventually they found the stuff I wanted them to find, and there was a moment of, "OOOOooh, that's why we're here." So I guess my point is, for some groups, vague verbs like explore will work just fine, but if not, having that stronger verb can be the difference between having fun and not having fun.
Just a random thought reading your story: If, for example, there's a magic ring you want them to find in the house, what if they go into the house and there's a rat with glowing eyes and a ring in its teeth that glares at them balefully then bolts? What PC *isn't* going to chase that? :) Matthew's video drew an analogy to video games. And the interesting thing about video games is that they sometimes do give you quests that are 'explore location X' - but as soon as you get to location X something quickly happens that sets you on the right track. You have to find the Sword of Bob, and the first random person you ask goes "Isn't that the thing that the crypt monster stole from the palace last week?". Or whatever...
I do get your point but I feel the need to defend the action (if not necessarily the verb) of investigation. This might not apply to D&D as much, but in games like Call of Cthulhu, where PCs are refferred to as "investigators", just telling them at every step what to do and who to talk to might not be a good idea. Finding the right person to talk to and the right action to take is in itself a puzzle to be solved by the players, the GM just needs to make sure, that they have all the pieces. I do understand that saying "investigate this" is not a good way of phrasing it, as there is no goal tied to it, but I'd argue that "talk to that specific NPC" might be a bit over-correction in some instances and a "find out whodunnit" might also suffice. I am pretty interested in what other GMs might have to say for or against this argument.
I was just thinking about that! I think players can stumble easily on the word "investigate", but not necessarily the actual clue-finding, and it comes down to their motivation. Finding and following leads is definitely a fun and engaging adventure, as long as the players aren't set loose with no clear reason for doing what they're doing. The answer might just be good setup. In the discovery of there being a mystery, there are people and probably places involved, and players go off of the information that's embedded in the question first. And if, like Matt was saying, the players know why they're bothering in the first place or what they intend to do with what they find (even if they end up doing something else or something isn't as it seemed), they will push past roadblocks more fervently since they have a goal in mind. Find out whodunnit so they can stop that person and turn them in to the authorities, or enact vengeance themselves, for example. Just a roundabout way of saying the setup of the mystery often informs the players of where to look first, without just telling them "this NPC has more information." Find out whodunnit totally suffices because if the storytelling is good, there's already more to it.
"Find" is a good verb (in the context of the video). Even as investigators, if the only direction you are given is to "Investigate the town of Cantenbury", the players will stumble around not doing anything of value. But, telling them "The mayor of Cantenbury was murdered under suspicious circumstances. Find out how he was killed," gives them the direction they need. If your verb doesn't give them a goal, it is a bad verb. Other bad verbs would be "scout", "observe", "explore", and "help". Help can work sometimes, but generally telling them to "Help the farmers" leads to more questions than actions.
I agree with you guys. In my opinion Matt's advice is by no means universal this time, it depends a lot on your players. Like for instance in my group; all of my players in the group I DM do need and are more comfortable with "good verbs", by I got a really creative one (he's a writer and a better storyteller than myself) who thrives in situations where there's no clear direction of action. A couple of times I've thrown them the "bad verb" investigate and now they even stop and look to him for ideas of how to start and what to do and he always comes up with stuff that's even better than the possibilities I may have thought of, so I take cues and run with what I think will be better or what I think I can twist a little for surprise effect. Maybe I shouldn't say this because you're supposed to like all your children the same, but by the gods he's my favorite player to dm. He isn't even the face or leader of the group, he most of the time likes to support other pcs and let's them have the spotlight even though I know he's capable of alpha-gaming most of the stuff I throw at them. And that is awesome. If you have players like that, "bad verbs" like investigate are ok if you think your players can handle them and may even make for a better story, like the whodunnit-mystery types, methinks :) (edit: copy-pasted answer to another similar comment)
Do you think the verb "discover" might be more useful in this situation? The statements "We investigated something" and "we discovered something" are very different. I think what Matt was talking about here is using verbs that imply success. You can "find" someone, but they may be dead. But "rescue" means that you succeeded in returning that person to safety.
@Aaron I totally have a player like that too, by Matt's definitions from a video a while back: an actor, not an audience member. But even past that, she likes to be a leader and usually speaks to NPCs for the group, being the most confident and outgoing. As is the case in my game and sounds like in yours, it's not a bad thing at all. It's ok for a player to take a fair bit of spotlight if they support the other PCs too, and it takes a lot of weight off a DM to have a player that runs with ideas or offers guidance. Geek & Sundry recently released a GM tips video about having another GM at the table, and how that can be super helpful, and although my player has never actually GM'd the dynamic is similar to what they describe.
From a small book called Backwards and Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays- Always ask yourself, What action leads to the next action? This benefits the playreader in two ways. First, he is constantly propelled forward by the sequence of these actions triggering, resulting, triggering and so on. Through this, he is better able to visualize the activity of the words. (Plays are meant to be viewed, after all.) Second, his understanding of the present situation is deepened by fully knowing the course of events that led up to it. Of course, D&D is not as structured or predictable as a play. But, it couldn't hurt to keep both forward motion and causal factors in mind (alongside appropriate verbs) when considering what steps the players may take. These are just some thoughts shared in the hope of helping others. I recommend the book.
Hey Matt! I think this is my first ever UA-cam comment and it's in your honour! I ran my first ever D&D session this Saturday gone with nothing but your advice ringing in my ears. Spent 4 hours being terrified I would mess something up but at the end all 5 players had nothing but good things to say and are clamouring for a second session. Thank you so much for every video, every piece of advice and every hilarious obscure movie reference 😝 keep up the awesome effort! And good luck with the top secret project!
If you're worried about new potential DM's being buried under content, perhaps make a "Running the Game" playlist with just the essential basics, and then a separate playlist for taking your DMing to the next level?
good verbs I Use: Reclaim, Assault, Discover, Waylay, Sabotage, Extricate, Inebriate and Reconnoiter (this bugs my Military buddy who doesn't think it's a word)
Such a great video! Especially useful for me since my members just finished an arch in their campaign. They ended up in a new city that I had them "investigate", right before the session ended, so I'll make sure to give them a good "verb" before we next meet up! thanks again for the great video.
This is one of the more universal videos you've made and I think it's going to help me so much. I'm running PotA and so much of it is "investigate this town, find out about big baddies, find what happened to these people" and I've definitely seen my players being unsure and in fact too cautious because they just weren't clear on the goal of being wherever they are.Thanks a ton Matt!
As an actor and gamer, I can say verbs are quintessential to character and motivation. Understanding verbs and how to use them for descriptive purposes solves a lot of the hard questions. Great video!!
My mom said I couldn't watch this video after the warning so I would like to ask youtube comments to please summarize it in a PG13 friendly way. Thank you in advance. :)
This isn't the full video, but I think it's the core idea: When it comes to running games, there are good verbs and there are bad verbs. Bad verbs are open-ended, while good verbs are imperatives / directives. Bad example: you need to find a place. Good example: you need to steal something.
J T Your DM will usually make it obvious what you need to steal, not just something, but the Artifact, the Treasure, the long lost sword of king Earstwill the Greathearted, etc.
in my mind, "investigate" is a great way to keep a section mysterious. usually it calls for a perception check and then you can get into more specific instructions.
I have been listening to the "Running the Game" series while I work on a new campaign world. Sometimes I pause the video to write, or pause the creation to listen. I am pleased with the way things are going, and some of your videos have had a serious impact on what goes in to this world.
THIS IS INSANE! I have (with the rest of the players in our group) have spent the last THREE WEEKS doing exactly what you were just warning DMs against..we have spent 12+ hours searching through the same woods "investigating" the disappearance of some local towns children going door to door tree to tree being told time and time again " I know nothing.." it was the most mind numbing and aggravating sessions of DnD...thank you for this video Matt I just wish I saw it three weeks ago. lol
Wow Matt, thanks for a great way to thing about VERY specific word choices in game. I am currently playing a couple characters who I have given a specific speaking intonation, but was less concerned about word choice. Something that I will rectify shortly. Also congrats on basically sitting at 90k subscribers. You are well on your way to 100k and I am excited for the continued growth of this channel!
These video have really helped my DnD campaign go amazingly. My players have actually complimented me on how well I'm able to immerse them into my world; and they all seem so into their characters, unique artifacts, the NPCs they've met, and most importantly the lore and story of my world. Everyone actually asked me how I do it so well and I told them about how I got a lot of pointers from your channel, and reccomended all 5 of them to watch your content. Thank you so much Matthew Colville!
Matt, thank you. I started watching you a couple weeks ago and started at " Running the Game #1" and am all the way here now. I love the way you explain things. I have been playing since the late 70's and most of that time, I've been the DM. You POV has given me a huge wealth of information. Again, thank you.
This Sunday will be our 1 year anniversary game of Night Below. There have been times when I felt like ending this campaign. There have been times when I knew I had learned how to be a better DM. There has never been a time I wasn't glad I started DMing and I have you to thank, Matt.
I've said it before, but THANK YOU MATT! I've had a slag here and there, but every time you upload a new video, the next session I run goes great; the players' enthusiasm gets renewed and they look forward to the next time they get to play DnD. Creating new hooks is one of the struggles I face as a DM, and it's amazing how a quick video on the simple concept of what verbs to use helps me break through that plot wall.
This is one of the best episode so far. Clear, with good examples, and extremley relevant for everybody who writes their own adventures. Well done sir :)
Short and straight to very good point, I love it. My directives Bring someone or something Capture someone or something Kill someone/Destroy something Start rebelion / uprising / prisonbreak Rescue someone (Bring and) activate/apply something somewhere Get me (specific piece of) information Steal something from somewhere Stop some activity "Bad" verbs like investigate, find or disrupt can be changed to good if there is clear additional condition, typically time. So "Investigate as much as possible about cult during next three days before our forces arrive so we are not surprised" is ok as it gives clear stakes and resolution - any hidden information might cost additional lifes. Then there are tricky ones "Find traitor before he will manage to leave city" - although stakes are clear, resolution is not - what will happen when traitor flees? How will characters know they failed and should go for other adventure?
I played once an rpg (which was very old school and simplified and I used a premade adventure with slight tweaks) with 2 of my friends who were new to it, and even if it then went smoother, I think this video really pinpointed the early issues. Their mission was basically "find out what this prophecy could refer to and try to fullfill the steps of it" which was way too vague and they were too unfocused at the start and I had to lead them a bit. I think for a starting mission it would've been better to be more obvious. I'm starting my first D&D 5e game, first time DM for that (the old system is the only one i've done before and then mostly one timers), with the same 2 people and a third new person, and I'm really gonna take this to heart. I think simplifying it like this at the start will help A LOT. Glad you highlighted this topic and made me more aware of it. Great video as always!
This really helped me. I just realized, while running the hoard of the dragon queen, the players were given the big exposition moment where they were given their main quest which I was unfortunately vague about. Now rather than gathering information to bring back, my players are trying to stamp out any existence of the evil cult of the dragon. I'll try to remember this going forward. Great video as always Matt.
I think this might be the best, most actionable advice you've ever given, and speaks to just the issues I recall having in the few sessions I've run as a DM. Thanks!
is this an actual 'short video'? Really informative and thank you for pointing out how language (even the simplest words) can really steer an adventure in the right direction.
Super cool video! This really illuminates what I think was maybe a slight problem my group had when I myself first ran Against the Cult of the Reptile God - I stumbled into the minor trap of giving the players "investigate" rather than anything clearer, and in retrospect, it showed a bit. My players, when they got to town, didn't really know what to do, and they sort of ambled about until they bedded down for the night in an inn. Things got a lot clearer when they had better goals. When they had "steal our stolen gear back," they were very focused and strove forward relatively confidently, even if they didn't know exactly how they were going to do that. Something that I think was very interesting happened when they went to the Temple of Merrika. That was a moment where "investigate" could've come back in a less than helpful way, but the players didn't experience that problem because they THOUGHT the verb was "go kill the reptile god" - they expected Explicitica to be in the temple, because they didn't know the Rushmoors lair existed! So, perhaps, there is a small window of opportunity for your players to "investigate" by tricking them into thinking they need to do something else. Then, they can discover that's not the true mission once they have successfully "investigated" the information that Explicitica's not really here - she's over THERE! And, of course, when they decided to go after the reptile god, that was the moment of greatest clarity. They really didn't know what to expect, but they knew what they had to do, and they knew they would be able to tell when they had done it. They needed to "kill the reptile god."
Just wanted to say thank you Matt. Your work in helping all of us get started DMing and being the best DM we can has been instrumental in my friends and my game nights.
Hey Matt, I'm running my first (kinda second, only ran a test game using the stormpeace One Shot) Session on the 27th(my birthday wooop) and I wanted to thank you for this series, it has made me much more prepared to run a campaign. Also I'm sure you'll be happy to know Against the cult of the reptile god will be my starting adventure.
*Wakes up at **5:30** AM* "Oh, sweet! New MC video!" *Watched by **6:00** AM* *6:30** AM rolls around* "Well, I still got a half hour before work. Might as well watch the Colville video again!"
Thank you very much for this. This is an example of a topic I would never know to ask for a video on. Looking for that "second" verb was the salient point that really made it clear for me.
Thanks for these videos, have been helpful,adding bits to my Gm style I have been doing it 35 years but with videos like yours and watching shows like Critical Role I have added many a new arrow to my quiver and done a lot of tweaking. Also the differing Gm style made me realise that practically all the DM in my gaming circles came at it though my games and have a similar style to me. This is not a problem as we all like playing in this style but a number of players have either tried to dm (not liked it) or think it is not for them. I have tried to tell them over the years just to go with what they feel is the best for them (do not have to do my style which is very complex for the GM and very easy for players in terms of rule but also promote a open game which requires a lot of improve as well as prep). With your videos and others I can get people to watch and see there are other styles (even if only in a few things) and happily we have 3 new DM's in our circle playing different game styles (and hey a few more games I can play in never hurts for a change :) ).
In these older videos, going through them as an aspiring DM - You notice: There's always a new painting on the wall in the background. Also, The 'Running the Game' playlist is phenomenal, and I am, after far too long, starting up a group and campaign, with thanks to this series.
When a really good friend of mine ran his first campaign, I think he really struggled with this. For the last arc, he basically just put the end of the world in front of us and said "do something". But he really didn't tell us what was happening, or why, or who was doing it, or any sort of direction on how to stop this. And he kept us busy by putting different obstacles in our path, but none of them really pertained to the end of the world, the central conflict we were all supposed to be working on. He just kinda padded the time until it was time for the grand finale, in which an npc basically told us "do this real fast and it'll stop the end of the world" without any real prompting. If you don't have good verbs for your players, it just might completely kill their enjoyment of the game
Hey Matthew, I just wanted to say thank you for all the advice and help you have given me and our community. I'm happy to say that I will be DMing for my friends this upcoming Monday. It's a homebrew world and setting that I took inspiration from some anime and the Eberron setting. I've talked to 3/4 members of the party about what they want, what they expect, and my own variants on rules and such. Luckily for me, the campaign idea I had for this game works perfectly as 2 people want to be (more or less) demon hunters and the third person just likes being an audience member who can sneak around in the shadows. I am currently bingeing your entire playlist of "Running the Game" to get be prepared for this adventure. I just wanted to personally say thank you because without you I would not be DMing for my friends. I'm super excited and ready to through everything out the window in a moments notice. Wish me luck!
I really enjoy your tips and advices on the game. Not just the game, but also how to make good narrative choices, how not use the correct words as you explain in this video, etc. I know this may not even be read nor my congratulations would mean much, but "good job" and i hope you enjoy making this videos, and they are not just a money income, because we really enjoy watching and learning from them
Not quite a linear comparison but interesting nonetheless; in the foundations year of my acting degree a huge amount of emphasis was put onto choosing the right verbs. It was kind of hammered into our heads that we had to have a **transitive** verb in mind for any action our character was taking, and to also be constantly changing the strategy/verb we were using. The intended effect was that instead of the sort of two-dimensional exchange of a plain verb, the transitive verb approach would create impact and deliberate change between characters as they interact.
That Bogart quote is ridiculous. ^^ Even as a relatively seasoned GM, this actually really helped me getting past a major block in my sandbox game. Sending the players to "explore" an area is even worse than telling them to "investigate" a situation. The default goal when they don't have any specific plans needs to be something much more active and compelling.
that's why I love this channel, these tips are very useful and, at the same time, not obvious, it's not something that you'd eventually think about it by yourself
Matt love your content !!! You have inspired me to get behind the DM screen! Tomarrow will be my groups first session. Thank you! Also I love watching the shelf in the background change throughout all of your videos.
I had this problem myself when I started running the 5e version of the A series of modules. The A0 (a recent introductory addition) suggests the players investigate the town of Darkshelf. the group took three sessions to enter the nearby mine. I had to invent a now recurring character who acted at that time as a "talking head" to get things rolling in the right direction.
Thanks for the video Matt. I made this mistake during my first campaign. I was shocked when my players said they didn't know what to do, when in my mind I had prepared and given them hooks into 4 complete quests. Looking back it's obvious that "hearing of a blight in the High Forest" or "Dwarves have begun to muster under Bruenor Battlehammer's banner to reclaim Mithril Hall" are not very helpful to the players without more specific verbs.
This is my favorite video you've done so far, Matt. In true good advice fashion it seems incredibly obvious on its face, but the more you think about it and the more you reflect on whatever you're currently writing, the more you realize, "Oh man, I think maybe I've missed a trick here and there..." It's useful advice to so many disciplines as you pointed out. I have a very eclectic group of creative friends, but there's something here for just about everybody. I'm going to put at ton of eyes on this video, not just Dungeon Masters.
Good video. I think we often get a little tunnel vision because we, as DM's are 'in the weeds' so much that, from our perspective, it seems the story/adventure flow is obvious, but then when players play through, we realize that we've disconnected a little. Being mindful of how detailed we make the scripted components of the adventures (i.e. quest giving, prepared dialogue, etc) is the kind of attention to detail every good DM should have. That said, it is usually much harder to do when you are creating in the moment, without a great deal of practice and experience.
Investigate is a "bad" verb for a DM to. If you have a person who knows what it takes to actually "investigate", you talk to many people, create leads, follow leads, gather evidence, and analyze evidence found. Actual investigations take weeks possibly months before anything substantial comes around. As a DM you probably don't want to take that long so you take the TV crime show route and give a lead right from the start and from there you could make it more dramatic. I think that's why the "investigation check" is one people shrug at if they're not real sure how to use it. Some use it to track, but that's Survival because investigating isn't tracking. Though one or the other could be good at the other job in different degrees. Taking a lot from this one from a writer's stand point. Great stuff!
Matt, everything you've put out so far has been quite enjoyable. You actually introduced me to critical role (Even though I've been DMing for over 3 years now) Keep doing that which you do. You're a pretty swell guy.
Hey Matt! I started DM'ing recently. I always wanted to, and the oportunity came, and since i didn't actually own any books or anything DnD related i've been binge watching your channel and some others. I'd like to thank you for all the hard work you put in, the great references you give for online tools and for physical acessories. And as i'm catching up to this latest video, i think you would like to know that you've helped provide a group in Portugal a great Monday Night Gaming help! Looking forward to have and adapt your rules and stats in running keeps and armies! Subscribed
I’ve been doing a lot of introspection on how to prep and run the game and an epiphany struck me. I kept saying the PCs need a goal but it felt vague and empty and once a wrote out a few goals it hit me! The goals are actions or verbs! And then this video came to mind, it’s funny how new perspectives can bring previous learned things to a new level of knowledge or a more nuanced version of the idea. I never realized just how important this video was until now
Great video! It really helped identify what went wrong in my last session. I definitely committed the "go Find" error last session with my group, and was about to go commit it again in the hook I left them at the end of our last session. Going to get my group to "Go rescue this guy, he's found the next piece to the macguffin we're after." Love the whole series Matt, and I'm glad to be DMing with my friends. Session #3 this weekend!
This upload was extremely well timed. I'm working on an adventure this very moment and now realize how vague my verbs are. I knew something wasn't 100%, but now I know exactly what. Thanks Matt!
I have been running games since the early 80's or late 70's. I have told my players to "investigate" it never works well, it is unclear. I have also recently stumbled on your videos, and you do have over 100 videos. Not at all worried about it. It is pleasant to listen to as I work and play.
So, I'm actually only 17 videos into this series, but wanted to check to see if you are still doing this. I'm loving it so far and want to say thanks! Little backstory: I've been playing for a year, but joined a group that has been together for 9 years. I've agreed to DM the next campaign and went very ambitious with my idea as the experienced players in my group would be bore with something run of the mill (they have all been home brew campaigns), but I got to the point that I've intimidated myself. Your tips have been a great help and I look forward to catching up in the series. Also, I want to play in a game you DM.
Come to think of it, a lot of verbs can be replaced. If something mysterious or harmful is happening, instead of investigate you can say "stop" or "halt" to act as a goal. "Seize" a place would be a good verb instead of plain "explore". I can now see that by changing the word, you can instill action to your players. Providing a clear goal is what drives them. Kudos Matt, had not thought much about this.
I have been DMing a looooong time. I find Matts videos extremely useful. He gives me new ideas and ways to look at things that DIRECTLY improve the quality of my games.
ive rewatched that scene four times now and still come across the reaction of marlin listening to squirt in "finding nemo".... "hes trying to speak to me, i know it!"
This is a somewhat entertaining concept for me, because one of my players' favourite games that I ran for them was what I called "CSI: 40k", In which the players were a group of detectives who were relegated to solving crimes and meting out punishment/capturing the wrongdoers (or lawbreakers)
This is very good advice, not just for dungeon mastering but for all storytelling. The players/readers/audience need to immediately get a sense of why they should care about the stakes of your story. Best way to start that is to establish, as early as possible, a definite imperative or motivation that the characters must succeed at, that is unambiguous. Destroy the One Ring. Use the Foundation to create a Second Galactic Empire. Put an end to Dio Brando and his Stone Mask. Rescue the captured dwarf trader from the Mines of Phandelver. That kind of thing. You can change priorities or introduce twists all you want later, but the audience must, basically at all times, know what needs doing, and thus what the tension is built over.
This is good advice across the board, not just necessarily for DMs, writers and game designers. I taught legal writing for a number of years and I taught my students to use dynamic, active verbs rather than passive voice whenever possible.
Your explanation about vague direction reminded me of Perfect Dark Zero during the early days of focus testing. They realized that "average players" were running into dead ends and couldn't figure out where to go next to kill bad guys. So they gave up after a while and put an arrow in that just tells you which direction to go. Hey, it was probably a better game for it. But that leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to level design :)
Hey Matt, new DM here and have watched all your running the game videos and found them to be a brilliant guide! Your lessons have so often steered me in the right direction (away from my newbie instincts) and after my first two sessions of running the game, although there are SO many things that I feel could have gone better, my players are all having a blast playing my homebrew campaign! This video reminded me of the one you did on railroad vs sandbox and I definitely felt the same wave of dread wash over me that I experienced, being half way through planning (what would probably have been a really boring) railroad campaign, when I saw it. I think I've messed up again! The problem is that at the end of the last session, I did exactly what you warn against in this video, i set them up with a bad verb: investigate! They're in a new city and they are investigating a crime, which they themselves were wrongly accused of the session before. The city has various pieces of information which can be found out if they talk to the right kind of people or look in the right kind of places but how can I give them a push in the right direction to explore and talk to people or visit places without just giving them the answers or telling them out of character where to go and who to speak to? Is it permissible to just say to them as the DM, "hey guys, you should start talking to passers by and see if they know anything," or should I just have a random NPC come up to them and offer a lead or piece of information? What verb can I give them to get them on the right track and replace 'investigate' with? Also I'm aware that, even though I've kind of addresed this to Matt, he's probably way too busy to read or respond to comments like this, so if ANYONE ELSE reading this has any experience or advice I'd be delighted to hear it! Please help! Thanks!
Hey! Here's what I would do in that situation: while the PCs are out exploring (or even in the beginning of the session) have an NPC come up to them who has the information they need - where to go and who to talk to. Who is this NPC? Maybe it's a trap? Why does he/she want to help the party? There's lots of opportunities there to sew some tension or create a new ally. Use Matthew's advice in this video and maybe the NPC just runs up to them, and shakily sputters out "I don't have much time! You need to FIND and TALK to ___! They can help you!" And runs away after looking over his shoulders and throwing up the hood of his cloak. Then, since you know where the PCs will go to next, you can easily control the flow of information and which clues they discover in what order. Good luck!
People gossip in the streets, the bars, the markets - anywhere. If you think it's reasonable that two people are discussing the matter (the dead princess, the Tyrian Falcon...) then allow a Perception or Investigation check. If the people are whispering then make the DC fairly high or apply Disadvantage because of background noise. If a PC has the Observant feat, then either you make a check versus their passive Perception/Investigation or let them roll without Disadvantage. Once they've got the hint that they can do this, then they'll be off. In the AD&D days, you would create a Rumour Table. You could list rumours and tales and let them start with an Investigation check. Then get them to roll a d12 or d20 (about the number of rumours on the list). Some of the rumours might have something to do with the matter at hand; others may not. In the old days, some of the rumours would be True or False. You can do it that way or decide on the spot whether a rumour or story is true or false. Let them splash some gold around in taverns, paying for drinks and information. You can roleplay the whole lot (makes things a bit long), rely on dice (not very interesting), or a mixture (much more fun). Really, if they've read any fantasy (Feist springs to mind), or watched some film noir or TV detective series, they should understand what needs to be done.
As a DM who has used the word investigate, especially with new players or even good role players playing inexperienced characters, I think letting them stumble around to gain the experience of what investigating is is a good thing. It adds a level of verisimilitude, and that's what this is all about as a DM isn't it?
Very helpful video... I have noticed that this is inherently true for player behavior. Im my game i have given the players a multitude of different problems that they need to solve, that all tie into the story. These amongst others include the verbs: ''Investigate'' and ''find and save the girl.'' The players always choose the path of least resistance in terms of ''what are we doing?'' And chose to find and save the girl. Why? Not because it is easier in terms of what they have to go through, but because the action of finding and saving the girl is simple, while investigation is not. Something worth keeping in mind, when you give the players a multitude of options: They will always choose the path of least resistance.
Yo Matt, first time GM here. Just wanna say thank you for helping me give my players a good time by teaching me all this great stuff. I really wish I could talk to you about my campaign, I think it's pretty cool and full of possibilities. Looking forward to the next video!
You perfectly described my players reaction to the investigation part of Against the Cult of the Reptile God - not sure what they should be doing and a bit bored. Wish I'd had this video in my back pocket then!
When I told my players to 'investigate' something they 9 times out of 10 would scan an area from a distance, or the surrounding area and map it out. One time the Sorcerer even hired a small band of mercs to walk up to a building they staked out to see them get mind controlled and abducted by hags. To give the player an objective like 'investigate' is to let them loose and see what they can come up, see how creative they can be. If they struggle they can always ask the quest giver and try to get some information out of him cause as I say and I told them "The only dumb question is the one not asked." and that stuck with them.
Awesome video. I had some problems just recently with some bad verbs and my players weren't understanding what they were supposed to be doing, and it pulled them from the experience. You live and you learn right? This helps me understand the root of the problem. Thanks Matt!
VADER: "FIND me those plans - and BRING me the passengers - I want them ALIVE!"
Or. . . FIND my detonators ! (Then B LOW UP Nakatani towers - floors 28-31 )
Isn't ALIVE an adjective?
@@josephringhofer613
It is, but it was stressed in the movie which is why I think they capitalized it too. I do see how that could be confusing.
“Alive” adds specificity to the action verb, reinforcing its strength as a goal.
youtube when the video ends: "would you like a collage of matthew colville making weird faces and pointing?"
I asked my mom if I can watch this video and she said, “You’re 31... move out already!”
ah yes the first requirement to be a DND player
You out yet?
I personally really enjoy using verbs like "stop" because it gives the players options. Verbs like "rescue" means go find the girl and save her from danger. However, when I told my players "you must stop the war" it immediately made them think "So how should we stop the war? Win the war? Resolve the issue that caused the war? Choose a side or go against all of the participants? Give them a greater enemy?" and so on.
Oh nice. Any other examples?
@@junderlandgames1186 Sure! Instead of kill or defeat, you might say remove. Sometimes it's more interesting to make a puzzle out of an adventure so rather than "find" you can say discover!
My goal is always to make sure my players understand through my words that they can do more than fight or skill check their way through something
Sorry, the first version of this had a bad edit. I took that video down, fixed the edit, and reuploaded it. You didn't miss anything!
Yeah, what this guy said :)
Matt, GO TO BED!
Matt if you ever want an extra editor. Let me know. I'll show you some stuff.
I"m not sure how to describe whats missing in this video, It is a great point I think grasp but it seems to be kind of suffering from some of the problem the video is trying to alleviate. At 2:45min-ish it hits a kind of iffy example that clouds the "avoid this common problem" idea. "Find" is mostly bad? it never balances out to hammer home what's bad, as clear as some good examples are. Maybe that's why it felt it was missing something. Most of your videoss are " This is bad and why, here are some things you can do that are good and why" It just feels like the "Find" bit takes a slight left turn into ambiguous. Your early advice mentions making bullet points. Would this fit better to that advice, or is it different? Is it choosing how to tell your players what their next goal is may need better wording, or if your wording is dangerously vague add more bullet points? You know and maybe how to tell what is dangerously vague?
I rewrote this so many times and I don't think you'll even read it.. it's just off, and that has always been a big warning sign to me. I should say something, try to articulate the thought or feeling, :) in the positive side award inspiration, XP or both!
May I suggest a topic for a video that I've been struggling with as even a longtime GM? I've come more and more over the years to realize that all my games that have become amazing and talked about years later have only had one thing that was true for all of them, a very strong sense of tension that underlined the entire tone, even when the tone was lighthearted or funny when the players or character weren't at threat of death during downtime or just the breaks in between combat. You touched on it here in the video but I think it deserves its own. What kind of things can build tension and how can you build it without feeling overly harsh or bending the narrative just to keep it there. I've been really struggling to recapture the tension that marked and improved some of my best games with my current one because I don't think that just having the threat of dropping to Zero hitpoints and dying can alone capture that feeling that drives so much good Roleplay.
That connection between the directive, and knowing when it's completed, is one of the most important things I've learned since I started DMing.
hey! it's Dungeon Dad! I love your vids!
Well, golly gee, I just realized that this is what I was doing wrong in my past few sessions. The adventure as written includes a spooky old house, and there was stuff in the spooky house that I wanted my players to find. But the adventure seems to follow the old idea that the existence of the spooky old house is enough incentive to get the players there. Realizing on some level that that wasn't gonna cut it, I had an NPC tell them to go to the spooky old house, but didn't offer any further directions. When my players asked what to do, I suggested, "explore!" They did, but one of my players complained, "What are we doing? Why are we here?" and I just kept referring back to the mysterious NPC. Eventually they found the stuff I wanted them to find, and there was a moment of, "OOOOooh, that's why we're here."
So I guess my point is, for some groups, vague verbs like explore will work just fine, but if not, having that stronger verb can be the difference between having fun and not having fun.
Just a random thought reading your story: If, for example, there's a magic ring you want them to find in the house, what if they go into the house and there's a rat with glowing eyes and a ring in its teeth that glares at them balefully then bolts? What PC *isn't* going to chase that? :)
Matthew's video drew an analogy to video games. And the interesting thing about video games is that they sometimes do give you quests that are 'explore location X' - but as soon as you get to location X something quickly happens that sets you on the right track. You have to find the Sword of Bob, and the first random person you ask goes "Isn't that the thing that the crypt monster stole from the palace last week?". Or whatever...
I do get your point but I feel the need to defend the action (if not necessarily the verb) of investigation. This might not apply to D&D as much, but in games like Call of Cthulhu, where PCs are refferred to as "investigators", just telling them at every step what to do and who to talk to might not be a good idea. Finding the right person to talk to and the right action to take is in itself a puzzle to be solved by the players, the GM just needs to make sure, that they have all the pieces.
I do understand that saying "investigate this" is not a good way of phrasing it, as there is no goal tied to it, but I'd argue that "talk to that specific NPC" might be a bit over-correction in some instances and a "find out whodunnit" might also suffice.
I am pretty interested in what other GMs might have to say for or against this argument.
I was just thinking about that! I think players can stumble easily on the word "investigate", but not necessarily the actual clue-finding, and it comes down to their motivation. Finding and following leads is definitely a fun and engaging adventure, as long as the players aren't set loose with no clear reason for doing what they're doing.
The answer might just be good setup. In the discovery of there being a mystery, there are people and probably places involved, and players go off of the information that's embedded in the question first. And if, like Matt was saying, the players know why they're bothering in the first place or what they intend to do with what they find (even if they end up doing something else or something isn't as it seemed), they will push past roadblocks more fervently since they have a goal in mind. Find out whodunnit so they can stop that person and turn them in to the authorities, or enact vengeance themselves, for example.
Just a roundabout way of saying the setup of the mystery often informs the players of where to look first, without just telling them "this NPC has more information." Find out whodunnit totally suffices because if the storytelling is good, there's already more to it.
"Find" is a good verb (in the context of the video). Even as investigators, if the only direction you are given is to "Investigate the town of Cantenbury", the players will stumble around not doing anything of value. But, telling them "The mayor of Cantenbury was murdered under suspicious circumstances. Find out how he was killed," gives them the direction they need. If your verb doesn't give them a goal, it is a bad verb. Other bad verbs would be "scout", "observe", "explore", and "help". Help can work sometimes, but generally telling them to "Help the farmers" leads to more questions than actions.
I agree with you guys. In my opinion Matt's advice is by no means universal this time, it depends a lot on your players. Like for instance in my group; all of my players in the group I DM do need and are more comfortable with "good verbs", by I got a really creative one (he's a writer and a better storyteller than myself) who thrives in situations where there's no clear direction of action. A couple of times I've thrown them the "bad verb" investigate and now they even stop and look to him for ideas of how to start and what to do and he always comes up with stuff that's even better than the possibilities I may have thought of, so I take cues and run with what I think will be better or what I think I can twist a little for surprise effect.
Maybe I shouldn't say this because you're supposed to like all your children the same, but by the gods he's my favorite player to dm. He isn't even the face or leader of the group, he most of the time likes to support other pcs and let's them have the spotlight even though I know he's capable of alpha-gaming most of the stuff I throw at them. And that is awesome. If you have players like that, "bad verbs" like investigate are ok if you think your players can handle them and may even make for a better story, like the whodunnit-mystery types, methinks :)
(edit: copy-pasted answer to another similar comment)
Do you think the verb "discover" might be more useful in this situation? The statements "We investigated something" and "we discovered something" are very different. I think what Matt was talking about here is using verbs that imply success. You can "find" someone, but they may be dead. But "rescue" means that you succeeded in returning that person to safety.
@Aaron I totally have a player like that too, by Matt's definitions from a video a while back: an actor, not an audience member. But even past that, she likes to be a leader and usually speaks to NPCs for the group, being the most confident and outgoing. As is the case in my game and sounds like in yours, it's not a bad thing at all. It's ok for a player to take a fair bit of spotlight if they support the other PCs too, and it takes a lot of weight off a DM to have a player that runs with ideas or offers guidance. Geek & Sundry recently released a GM tips video about having another GM at the table, and how that can be super helpful, and although my player has never actually GM'd the dynamic is similar to what they describe.
From a small book called Backwards and Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays- Always ask yourself, What action leads to the next action? This benefits the playreader in two ways. First, he is constantly propelled forward by the sequence of these actions triggering, resulting, triggering and so on. Through this, he is better able to visualize the activity of the words. (Plays are meant to be viewed, after all.) Second, his understanding of the present situation is deepened by fully knowing the course of events that led up to it.
Of course, D&D is not as structured or predictable as a play. But, it couldn't hurt to keep both forward motion and causal factors in mind (alongside appropriate verbs) when considering what steps the players may take.
These are just some thoughts shared in the hope of helping others. I recommend the book.
I studied with Mr. Ball. As good as the book is, he is that and more.
Dude your hair is on point in this video.
Alexander Golemis what are you talking about? his hair is always on point
It's always sickeningly on point.
Hey Matt! I think this is my first ever UA-cam comment and it's in your honour! I ran my first ever D&D session this Saturday gone with nothing but your advice ringing in my ears. Spent 4 hours being terrified I would mess something up but at the end all 5 players had nothing but good things to say and are clamouring for a second session. Thank you so much for every video, every piece of advice and every hilarious obscure movie reference 😝 keep up the awesome effort! And good luck with the top secret project!
same
how's it going 5 years later?
If you're worried about new potential DM's being buried under content, perhaps make a "Running the Game" playlist with just the essential basics, and then a separate playlist for taking your DMing to the next level?
I would also appreciate this.
"Find ... and fulfill your destiny."
- Zeus
good verbs I Use: Reclaim, Assault, Discover, Waylay, Sabotage, Extricate, Inebriate and Reconnoiter (this bugs my Military buddy who doesn't think it's a word)
I'm stealing these. Want you to know that XD
Such a great video! Especially useful for me since my members just finished an arch in their campaign. They ended up in a new city that I had them "investigate", right before the session ended, so I'll make sure to give them a good "verb" before we next meet up! thanks again for the great video.
This is one of the more universal videos you've made and I think it's going to help me so much. I'm running PotA and so much of it is "investigate this town, find out about big baddies, find what happened to these people" and I've definitely seen my players being unsure and in fact too cautious because they just weren't clear on the goal of being wherever they are.Thanks a ton Matt!
As an actor and gamer, I can say verbs are quintessential to character and motivation. Understanding verbs and how to use them for descriptive purposes solves a lot of the hard questions. Great video!!
My mom said I couldn't watch this video after the warning so I would like to ask youtube comments to please summarize it in a PG13 friendly way. Thank you in advance. :)
This isn't the full video, but I think it's the core idea: When it comes to running games, there are good verbs and there are bad verbs. Bad verbs are open-ended, while good verbs are imperatives / directives. Bad example: you need to find a place. Good example: you need to steal something.
PigeonFodder Lmao that’s a terrible example they’re both so open ended
J T Your DM will usually make it obvious what you need to steal, not just something, but the Artifact, the Treasure, the long lost sword of king Earstwill the Greathearted, etc.
are you 13 yet?
have you got to watch the video all them years later?
in my mind, "investigate" is a great way to keep a section mysterious. usually it calls for a perception check and then you can get into more specific instructions.
It's a starting verb that leads to "talk", "find" and possibly "arrest" or "kill"
I have been listening to the "Running the Game" series while I work on a new campaign world. Sometimes I pause the video to write, or pause the creation to listen. I am pleased with the way things are going, and some of your videos have had a serious impact on what goes in to this world.
This was way more eye-opening that I think it should've been. Thank you so much Matthew Colville!
Great video! Verb quality is not something I would normally think about, but now that we’ve discussed it, it’s quite obvious how important it is!
Matthew Colville when you aren't being a dungeon master, what character do you play as?
Obviously he plays the Human Cleric Matthew Colville
THIS IS INSANE! I have (with the rest of the players in our group) have spent the last THREE WEEKS doing exactly what you were just warning DMs against..we have spent 12+ hours searching through the same woods "investigating" the disappearance of some local towns children going door to door tree to tree being told time and time again " I know nothing.." it was the most mind numbing and aggravating sessions of DnD...thank you for this video Matt I just wish I saw it three weeks ago. lol
Ah. The "know-nothing cult".
lol I'd probbaly throw you a bone after about 1 hour of mindless searching. 12+ hours seems like the DM was just punishing you or stalling for time.
Wow Matt, thanks for a great way to thing about VERY specific word choices in game. I am currently playing a couple characters who I have given a specific speaking intonation, but was less concerned about word choice. Something that I will rectify shortly. Also congrats on basically sitting at 90k subscribers. You are well on your way to 100k and I am excited for the continued growth of this channel!
These video have really helped my DnD campaign go amazingly. My players have actually complimented me on how well I'm able to immerse them into my world; and they all seem so into their characters, unique artifacts, the NPCs they've met, and most importantly the lore and story of my world. Everyone actually asked me how I do it so well and I told them about how I got a lot of pointers from your channel, and reccomended all 5 of them to watch your content. Thank you so much Matthew Colville!
Matt, thank you. I started watching you a couple weeks ago and started at " Running the Game #1" and am all the way here now. I love the way you explain things. I have been playing since the late 70's and most of that time, I've been the DM. You POV has given me a huge wealth of information. Again, thank you.
Every now and then I get the itch of re-watching this specific video again, and I do! :)
This Sunday will be our 1 year anniversary game of Night Below. There have been times when I felt like ending this campaign. There have been times when I knew I had learned how to be a better DM. There has never been a time I wasn't glad I started DMing and I have you to thank, Matt.
I've said it before, but THANK YOU MATT! I've had a slag here and there, but every time you upload a new video, the next session I run goes great; the players' enthusiasm gets renewed and they look forward to the next time they get to play DnD. Creating new hooks is one of the struggles I face as a DM, and it's amazing how a quick video on the simple concept of what verbs to use helps me break through that plot wall.
This is one of the best episode so far. Clear, with good examples, and extremley relevant for everybody who writes their own adventures. Well done sir :)
Short and straight to very good point, I love it.
My directives
Bring someone or something
Capture someone or something
Kill someone/Destroy something
Start rebelion / uprising / prisonbreak
Rescue someone
(Bring and) activate/apply something somewhere
Get me (specific piece of) information
Steal something from somewhere
Stop some activity
"Bad" verbs like investigate, find or disrupt can be changed to good if there is clear additional condition, typically time.
So "Investigate as much as possible about cult during next three days before our forces arrive so we are not surprised" is ok as it gives clear stakes and resolution - any hidden information might cost additional lifes.
Then there are tricky ones "Find traitor before he will manage to leave city" - although stakes are clear, resolution is not - what will happen when traitor flees? How will characters know they failed and should go for other adventure?
you said "I get my thing in action" with a sultry expression and then pointed right at me and I just kinda need a minute to sit down and breathe
I played once an rpg (which was very old school and simplified and I used a premade adventure with slight tweaks) with 2 of my friends who were new to it, and even if it then went smoother, I think this video really pinpointed the early issues. Their mission was basically "find out what this prophecy could refer to and try to fullfill the steps of it" which was way too vague and they were too unfocused at the start and I had to lead them a bit. I think for a starting mission it would've been better to be more obvious. I'm starting my first D&D 5e game, first time DM for that (the old system is the only one i've done before and then mostly one timers), with the same 2 people and a third new person, and I'm really gonna take this to heart. I think simplifying it like this at the start will help A LOT. Glad you highlighted this topic and made me more aware of it. Great video as always!
This really helped me. I just realized, while running the hoard of the dragon queen, the players were given the big exposition moment where they were given their main quest which I was unfortunately vague about. Now rather than gathering information to bring back, my players are trying to stamp out any existence of the evil cult of the dragon. I'll try to remember this going forward. Great video as always Matt.
School House Rock was so my jam. XD
Finally! Someone else noticed! :D
I think this might be the best, most actionable advice you've ever given, and speaks to just the issues I recall having in the few sessions I've run as a DM. Thanks!
is this an actual 'short video'? Really informative and thank you for pointing out how language (even the simplest words) can really steer an adventure in the right direction.
Super cool video! This really illuminates what I think was maybe a slight problem my group had when I myself first ran Against the Cult of the Reptile God - I stumbled into the minor trap of giving the players "investigate" rather than anything clearer, and in retrospect, it showed a bit. My players, when they got to town, didn't really know what to do, and they sort of ambled about until they bedded down for the night in an inn.
Things got a lot clearer when they had better goals. When they had "steal our stolen gear back," they were very focused and strove forward relatively confidently, even if they didn't know exactly how they were going to do that.
Something that I think was very interesting happened when they went to the Temple of Merrika. That was a moment where "investigate" could've come back in a less than helpful way, but the players didn't experience that problem because they THOUGHT the verb was "go kill the reptile god" - they expected Explicitica to be in the temple, because they didn't know the Rushmoors lair existed! So, perhaps, there is a small window of opportunity for your players to "investigate" by tricking them into thinking they need to do something else. Then, they can discover that's not the true mission once they have successfully "investigated" the information that Explicitica's not really here - she's over THERE!
And, of course, when they decided to go after the reptile god, that was the moment of greatest clarity. They really didn't know what to expect, but they knew what they had to do, and they knew they would be able to tell when they had done it. They needed to "kill the reptile god."
Just wanted to say thank you Matt. Your work in helping all of us get started DMing and being the best DM we can has been instrumental in my friends and my game nights.
Hey Matt, I'm running my first (kinda second, only ran a test game using the stormpeace One Shot) Session on the 27th(my birthday wooop) and I wanted to thank you for this series, it has made me much more prepared to run a campaign. Also I'm sure you'll be happy to know Against the cult of the reptile god will be my starting adventure.
*Wakes up at **5:30** AM* "Oh, sweet! New MC video!"
*Watched by **6:00** AM*
*6:30** AM rolls around* "Well, I still got a half hour before work. Might as well watch the Colville video again!"
I like it when you open singing. :D Thanks for being yourself, and sharing with us.
Thank you very much for this. This is an example of a topic I would never know to ask for a video on. Looking for that "second" verb was the salient point that really made it clear for me.
Thanks for these videos, have been helpful,adding bits to my Gm style I have been doing it 35 years but with videos like yours and watching shows like Critical Role I have added many a new arrow to my quiver and done a lot of tweaking.
Also the differing Gm style made me realise that practically all the DM in my gaming circles came at it though my games and have a similar style to me. This is not a problem as we all like playing in this style but a number of players have either tried to dm (not liked it) or think it is not for them. I have tried to tell them over the years just to go with what they feel is the best for them (do not have to do my style which is very complex for the GM and very easy for players in terms of rule but also promote a open game which requires a lot of improve as well as prep). With your videos and others I can get people to watch and see there are other styles (even if only in a few things) and happily we have 3 new DM's in our circle playing different game styles (and hey a few more games I can play in never hurts for a change :) ).
In these older videos, going through them as an aspiring DM - You notice: There's always a new painting on the wall in the background.
Also, The 'Running the Game' playlist is phenomenal, and I am, after far too long, starting up a group and campaign, with thanks to this series.
When a really good friend of mine ran his first campaign, I think he really struggled with this. For the last arc, he basically just put the end of the world in front of us and said "do something". But he really didn't tell us what was happening, or why, or who was doing it, or any sort of direction on how to stop this. And he kept us busy by putting different obstacles in our path, but none of them really pertained to the end of the world, the central conflict we were all supposed to be working on. He just kinda padded the time until it was time for the grand finale, in which an npc basically told us "do this real fast and it'll stop the end of the world" without any real prompting. If you don't have good verbs for your players, it just might completely kill their enjoyment of the game
Hey Matthew, I just wanted to say thank you for all the advice and help you have given me and our community. I'm happy to say that I will be DMing for my friends this upcoming Monday. It's a homebrew world and setting that I took inspiration from some anime and the Eberron setting. I've talked to 3/4 members of the party about what they want, what they expect, and my own variants on rules and such. Luckily for me, the campaign idea I had for this game works perfectly as 2 people want to be (more or less) demon hunters and the third person just likes being an audience member who can sneak around in the shadows. I am currently bingeing your entire playlist of "Running the Game" to get be prepared for this adventure. I just wanted to personally say thank you because without you I would not be DMing for my friends. I'm super excited and ready to through everything out the window in a moments notice. Wish me luck!
I really enjoy your tips and advices on the game. Not just the game, but also how to make good narrative choices, how not use the correct words as you explain in this video, etc.
I know this may not even be read nor my congratulations would mean much, but "good job" and i hope you enjoy making this videos, and they are not just a money income, because we really enjoy watching and learning from them
Not quite a linear comparison but interesting nonetheless; in the foundations year of my acting degree a huge amount of emphasis was put onto choosing the right verbs. It was kind of hammered into our heads that we had to have a **transitive** verb in mind for any action our character was taking, and to also be constantly changing the strategy/verb we were using. The intended effect was that instead of the sort of two-dimensional exchange of a plain verb, the transitive verb approach would create impact and deliberate change between characters as they interact.
That Bogart quote is ridiculous. ^^
Even as a relatively seasoned GM, this actually really helped me getting past a major block in my sandbox game. Sending the players to "explore" an area is even worse than telling them to "investigate" a situation. The default goal when they don't have any specific plans needs to be something much more active and compelling.
that's why I love this channel, these tips are very useful and, at the same time, not obvious, it's not something that you'd eventually think about it by yourself
It´s amazing how even little things like verbs and how you use them can change the whole game. Thanks again Matt
I hope you know that I've had that verb song stuck in my head for over a month now.
Matt love your content !!! You have inspired me to get behind the DM screen! Tomarrow will be my groups first session. Thank you! Also I love watching the shelf in the background change throughout all of your videos.
I had this problem myself when I started running the 5e version of the A series of modules. The A0 (a recent introductory addition) suggests the players investigate the town of Darkshelf. the group took three sessions to enter the nearby mine. I had to invent a now recurring character who acted at that time as a "talking head" to get things rolling in the right direction.
Thanks for the video Matt. I made this mistake during my first campaign. I was shocked when my players said they didn't know what to do, when in my mind I had prepared and given them hooks into 4 complete quests. Looking back it's obvious that "hearing of a blight in the High Forest" or "Dwarves have begun to muster under Bruenor Battlehammer's banner to reclaim Mithril Hall" are not very helpful to the players without more specific verbs.
This is my favorite video you've done so far, Matt. In true good advice fashion it seems incredibly obvious on its face, but the more you think about it and the more you reflect on whatever you're currently writing, the more you realize, "Oh man, I think maybe I've missed a trick here and there..." It's useful advice to so many disciplines as you pointed out. I have a very eclectic group of creative friends, but there's something here for just about everybody. I'm going to put at ton of eyes on this video, not just Dungeon Masters.
Good video. I think we often get a little tunnel vision because we, as DM's are 'in the weeds' so much that, from our perspective, it seems the story/adventure flow is obvious, but then when players play through, we realize that we've disconnected a little. Being mindful of how detailed we make the scripted components of the adventures (i.e. quest giving, prepared dialogue, etc) is the kind of attention to detail every good DM should have. That said, it is usually much harder to do when you are creating in the moment, without a great deal of practice and experience.
Honestly, this makes clear for me why I find so much communication from upper management so vague...
This is a video I find myself coming back to a lot. I think it's super helpful. And shows clearly how to solve so many problems. thanks matt
6 years later and I'm still wondering if Liam ever got his mom's permission to watch this video.
Investigate is a "bad" verb for a DM to. If you have a person who knows what it takes to actually "investigate", you talk to many people, create leads, follow leads, gather evidence, and analyze evidence found. Actual investigations take weeks possibly months before anything substantial comes around. As a DM you probably don't want to take that long so you take the TV crime show route and give a lead right from the start and from there you could make it more dramatic. I think that's why the "investigation check" is one people shrug at if they're not real sure how to use it. Some use it to track, but that's Survival because investigating isn't tracking. Though one or the other could be good at the other job in different degrees. Taking a lot from this one from a writer's stand point. Great stuff!
Matt, everything you've put out so far has been quite enjoyable.
You actually introduced me to critical role (Even though I've been DMing for over 3 years now)
Keep doing that which you do. You're a pretty swell guy.
Hey Matt! I started DM'ing recently. I always wanted to, and the oportunity came, and since i didn't actually own any books or anything DnD related i've been binge watching your channel and some others. I'd like to thank you for all the hard work you put in, the great references you give for online tools and for physical acessories.
And as i'm catching up to this latest video, i think you would like to know that you've helped provide a group in Portugal a great Monday Night Gaming help! Looking forward to have and adapt your rules and stats in running keeps and armies!
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I’ve been doing a lot of introspection on how to prep and run the game and an epiphany struck me. I kept saying the PCs need a goal but it felt vague and empty and once a wrote out a few goals it hit me! The goals are actions or verbs! And then this video came to mind, it’s funny how new perspectives can bring previous learned things to a new level of knowledge or a more nuanced version of the idea. I never realized just how important this video was until now
Great video! It really helped identify what went wrong in my last session. I definitely committed the "go Find" error last session with my group, and was about to go commit it again in the hook I left them at the end of our last session.
Going to get my group to "Go rescue this guy, he's found the next piece to the macguffin we're after."
Love the whole series Matt, and I'm glad to be DMing with my friends. Session #3 this weekend!
This. This is the sort of GM/DM/ST advice I need. I wish I could like this more than once.
This upload was extremely well timed. I'm working on an adventure this very moment and now realize how vague my verbs are. I knew something wasn't 100%, but now I know exactly what. Thanks Matt!
YESSSSS!! NEW VIDEO!!! Thank you Matt! I needed something to listen to during Monday morning emails.
Thanks Matthew. I have been writing and running D&D for a fair while now and I think this will help me a great deal.
I have been running games since the early 80's or late 70's. I have told my players to "investigate" it never works well, it is unclear. I have also recently stumbled on your videos, and you do have over 100 videos. Not at all worried about it. It is pleasant to listen to as I work and play.
So, I'm actually only 17 videos into this series, but wanted to check to see if you are still doing this. I'm loving it so far and want to say thanks!
Little backstory: I've been playing for a year, but joined a group that has been together for 9 years. I've agreed to DM the next campaign and went very ambitious with my idea as the experienced players in my group would be bore with something run of the mill (they have all been home brew campaigns), but I got to the point that I've intimidated myself. Your tips have been a great help and I look forward to catching up in the series.
Also, I want to play in a game you DM.
Thanks for your videos, Matt, they have helped me grow so much as a DM! I think it would be great if you made a video about retconning!
Come to think of it, a lot of verbs can be replaced. If something mysterious or harmful is happening, instead of investigate you can say "stop" or "halt" to act as a goal. "Seize" a place would be a good verb instead of plain "explore". I can now see that by changing the word, you can instill action to your players. Providing a clear goal is what drives them. Kudos Matt, had not thought much about this.
i need more Matt. Your videos are so helpful. I have watched so many of them.
Very topical. Love it. This is so important to me right now because I'm running 2 games and starting to write my comic. Great job Matt.
Hey thanks for mentioning the repeated clip!
I have been DMing a looooong time. I find Matts videos extremely useful. He gives me new ideas and ways to look at things that DIRECTLY improve the quality of my games.
ive rewatched that scene four times now and still come across the reaction of marlin listening to squirt in "finding nemo".... "hes trying to speak to me, i know it!"
Thanks a lot for making this series, you really helped me start out as a DM. Been running campaign for 3 months so far!
This is something so simple, and yet I've overlooked it. Thank you for another great video sir!
This is a somewhat entertaining concept for me, because one of my players' favourite games that I ran for them was what I called "CSI: 40k", In which the players were a group of detectives who were relegated to solving crimes and meting out punishment/capturing the wrongdoers (or lawbreakers)
This is very good advice, not just for dungeon mastering but for all storytelling. The players/readers/audience need to immediately get a sense of why they should care about the stakes of your story. Best way to start that is to establish, as early as possible, a definite imperative or motivation that the characters must succeed at, that is unambiguous.
Destroy the One Ring. Use the Foundation to create a Second Galactic Empire. Put an end to Dio Brando and his Stone Mask. Rescue the captured dwarf trader from the Mines of Phandelver. That kind of thing. You can change priorities or introduce twists all you want later, but the audience must, basically at all times, know what needs doing, and thus what the tension is built over.
This is good advice across the board, not just necessarily for DMs, writers and game designers. I taught legal writing for a number of years and I taught my students to use dynamic, active verbs rather than passive voice whenever possible.
Your explanation about vague direction reminded me of Perfect Dark Zero during the early days of focus testing. They realized that "average players" were running into dead ends and couldn't figure out where to go next to kill bad guys. So they gave up after a while and put an arrow in that just tells you which direction to go.
Hey, it was probably a better game for it. But that leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to level design :)
I was having this problem with vague verbs, this video improved my last encounter soooooooooo much really thank you
This is only 9 minutes, but this might have been the most helpful video ever! 10/10 love it
Short and to the point. very informative, thanks!
I would love some more of Matt singing
Hey Matt, new DM here and have watched all your running the game videos and found them to be a brilliant guide! Your lessons have so often steered me in the right direction (away from my newbie instincts) and after my first two sessions of running the game, although there are SO many things that I feel could have gone better, my players are all having a blast playing my homebrew campaign!
This video reminded me of the one you did on railroad vs sandbox and I definitely felt the same wave of dread wash over me that I experienced, being half way through planning (what would probably have been a really boring) railroad campaign, when I saw it. I think I've messed up again!
The problem is that at the end of the last session, I did exactly what you warn against in this video, i set them up with a bad verb: investigate!
They're in a new city and they are investigating a crime, which they themselves were wrongly accused of the session before. The city has various pieces of information which can be found out if they talk to the right kind of people or look in the right kind of places but how can I give them a push in the right direction to explore and talk to people or visit places without just giving them the answers or telling them out of character where to go and who to speak to?
Is it permissible to just say to them as the DM, "hey guys, you should start talking to passers by and see if they know anything," or should I just have a random NPC come up to them and offer a lead or piece of information? What verb can I give them to get them on the right track and replace 'investigate' with?
Also I'm aware that, even though I've kind of addresed this to Matt, he's probably way too busy to read or respond to comments like this, so if ANYONE ELSE reading this has any experience or advice I'd be delighted to hear it!
Please help! Thanks!
Hey! Here's what I would do in that situation: while the PCs are out exploring (or even in the beginning of the session) have an NPC come up to them who has the information they need - where to go and who to talk to. Who is this NPC? Maybe it's a trap? Why does he/she want to help the party? There's lots of opportunities there to sew some tension or create a new ally. Use Matthew's advice in this video and maybe the NPC just runs up to them, and shakily sputters out "I don't have much time! You need to FIND and TALK to ___! They can help you!" And runs away after looking over his shoulders and throwing up the hood of his cloak. Then, since you know where the PCs will go to next, you can easily control the flow of information and which clues they discover in what order. Good luck!
People gossip in the streets, the bars, the markets - anywhere. If you think it's reasonable that two people are discussing the matter (the dead princess, the Tyrian Falcon...) then allow a Perception or Investigation check. If the people are whispering then make the DC fairly high or apply Disadvantage because of background noise. If a PC has the Observant feat, then either you make a check versus their passive Perception/Investigation or let them roll without Disadvantage. Once they've got the hint that they can do this, then they'll be off. In the AD&D days, you would create a Rumour Table. You could list rumours and tales and let them start with an Investigation check. Then get them to roll a d12 or d20 (about the number of rumours on the list). Some of the rumours might have something to do with the matter at hand; others may not. In the old days, some of the rumours would be True or False. You can do it that way or decide on the spot whether a rumour or story is true or false. Let them splash some gold around in taverns, paying for drinks and information. You can roleplay the whole lot (makes things a bit long), rely on dice (not very interesting), or a mixture (much more fun). Really, if they've read any fantasy (Feist springs to mind), or watched some film noir or TV detective series, they should understand what needs to be done.
As a DM who has used the word investigate, especially with new players or even good role players playing inexperienced characters, I think letting them stumble around to gain the experience of what investigating is is a good thing. It adds a level of verisimilitude, and that's what this is all about as a DM isn't it?
These are some great clips! Matt, you are a River to your People!
Finally good advice on how to check the quality of your plot ideas.
Very helpful video... I have noticed that this is inherently true for player behavior. Im my game i have given the players a multitude of different problems that they need to solve, that all tie into the story. These amongst others include the verbs: ''Investigate'' and ''find and save the girl.'' The players always choose the path of least resistance in terms of ''what are we doing?'' And chose to find and save the girl. Why? Not because it is easier in terms of what they have to go through, but because the action of finding and saving the girl is simple, while investigation is not. Something worth keeping in mind, when you give the players a multitude of options: They will always choose the path of least resistance.
Aaah, I see Lady Valshea of the Blue Rock Vale from Dragon Magazine #106 cover on your wall. Great choice, Matt!
Yo Matt, first time GM here. Just wanna say thank you for helping me give my players a good time by teaching me all this great stuff. I really wish I could talk to you about my campaign, I think it's pretty cool and full of possibilities. Looking forward to the next video!
You perfectly described my players reaction to the investigation part of Against the Cult of the Reptile God - not sure what they should be doing and a bit bored. Wish I'd had this video in my back pocket then!
When I told my players to 'investigate' something they 9 times out of 10 would scan an area from a distance, or the surrounding area and map it out. One time the Sorcerer even hired a small band of mercs to walk up to a building they staked out to see them get mind controlled and abducted by hags. To give the player an objective like 'investigate' is to let them loose and see what they can come up, see how creative they can be. If they struggle they can always ask the quest giver and try to get some information out of him cause as I say and I told them "The only dumb question is the one not asked." and that stuck with them.
Awesome video. I had some problems just recently with some bad verbs and my players weren't understanding what they were supposed to be doing, and it pulled them from the experience. You live and you learn right? This helps me understand the root of the problem. Thanks Matt!
Something I never actively thought about. Great video with a lot to think about.