Dungeon Master's Guidance 4: Building a Dungeon

[ConvictiveDemagogue]

I'd like to know how you made that map; did you draw and color it by hand, or did you use some computer program to make it happen faster? If the latter is the case, might you tell me what program you used?

[jgtate1]

Im buliding my own dnd rulebook and im having trouble with leveling characters could you give me some tips ?

[d20critsj00]

checking out people's dungeons is rather inspiring.

[YourDungeonMaster]

Hope to see a follow up,possibly wilderness version of this vid

[DukeofBerkshire]

thats 12 years of my sex sex life ill never get back

[repsesper]

@DukeofBerkshire Pesonally, I see no need to divorce my love life from my gaming experiences. If you don't know that "geek" culture is hot nowadays, then you are living under a rock.

[monkeyslapper65]

@DukeofBerkshire you have to first have a sex life before you can piss 12 years of it away

[WagerET]

Hey esper, I recently started DMing - which has been made SOOOO much easier thanks to your DM Gidence videos thank you for posting them - and I was hoping that you could give me some advice. See theres a player in my groupe who isnt all that into emersive gameplay but feels that he needs to know the narative behind what the party is doing, so, my question is; How do I tell the story of the characters with out it seeming to emersive?

[Outlawstar257]

@WagerET I have a similar problem- What i've found is best is to give that person a basic summary of what is going on AFTER you please your other players with immersion. Example: Tell your other players: "The party steps down the spiral staircase, a strange slickness seeps down the stone. Each of you feels like the breath in your lungs is becoming heavy. (Player), You feel uncomfortable going down these stairs." It's not too much, or too little to either kind of player. Hope it helps.

[WagerET]

@Outlawstar257 Thanks, this is probably going to help.

[FilltheStew]

Very helpful

[lobsterohone]

Nice tips, exactly what I was looking for.

[TtheWriter]

Detailed, concise, and generously handled in terms of the steps involved. Well done!

[starshooter7324]

I have a level 3 fighter who's really bulky and slow. I want to create an encounter with foes that can maneuver well, but not actually be TOO hard. What should I do?

[Eldanoth]

What software do you use to build the dungeons? Well done!

[repsesper]

@Eldanoth Well, normally I just draw on grid paper. The digital ones I draw on PS.

[Eldanoth]

@repsesper

I'm also a DM and I use plastic sheet (with pen washable) but the "visual" effect of yours is better. You are talented. I like your maps very much.

I should use the same paper. Mmmmm but where could i find it?

[heatherwind]

Thank you very much for posting such terrific information! I'm trying to build a solo campaign to run for my husband, and though we've both played D&D over 20 years each, we're new to 4th edition mechanics. Also, I rarely DM so it's doubly challenging. What suggestions might you offer for building a fun and challenging Solo campaign (1 player with 1 npc partner)? I'm trying to scale down information from the DMG but would welcome suggestions.

[LordOmnipraetor]

Interesting and enlightening as always. Thank you very much, Esper

[Samwise7RPG]

I had a lot of fun making my Darves Hill Megadungeon with many layers (and levels) of graph paper. I really enjoyed drawing it all up with pen and hatch marks to shade the areas that were not tunnels, rooms, etc. I have multiple story arcs that are running based on the whole dungeon, with many localized stories and NPCs that don't have anything to do with the overall plot. It's a lot of beasties, traps, etc. and it has been a lot of fun with little GM burnout. :)

[Samwise7RPG]

@Samwise7RPG Graph paper just makes me happy, I smile every time I see a pad of it. I just have a lot of fond memories of making dungeons over the years. :) Secret doors are great for NPCs getting behind the players, and then having the players scratch their heads as to how that actually happened. Many times too the PCs can get the drop on monsters by doing the same thing to them. Making up a random dungeon with lots of random charts is a lot of fun too, and surprising to the DM.

[repsesper]

@Samwise7RPG That sounds awesome! I've created some similar adventure sites in the past. It is a lot of work, but is so rewarding. Have you uploaded pictures of the dungeon on here or anywhere?

[Samwise7RPG]

@repsesper I did a pretty bad video of it awhile ago, but you are right, I should do a video where I show each level. I did the levels on really large graph paper (I bought it at a specialty art store) so I will have to scan it in parts because it won't fit on the scanner I have. Thanks for the idea for another video. Have a good one.

[toxicgabz]

I really like your guides. in fact you pushed me to buy the 4th. I likes the shot you showed of your gear and especially your maps. Like your way of talking during the games and you are an exemple for all dms :) keep up!

[Krio]

This will seem like a weird question and I hope I get a response in time, but for Skill Challenges, what's stopping the group from just using the same skill over and over to suceed? Like Nature 4 times for part one? Is there a system you use so it doesn't feel like one person just keeps using the same reliable skill making them easy?

[repsesper]

@Krio Great question. It all really comes down to how you build the skill challenge, and how much of an impact you want each skill to have. A quick and reasonable solution is to put a maximum on how many successes a single skill can accrue. For example, in part 1 of my skill challenge here, the Endurance group check can only gain a maximum of one success; keeping up stamina may help the character's journey, but it does not navigate you to your destination.

[Krio]

@repsesper Yah like I have one for example like that where the group is going through some woods, and I figure it'd be kinda cheap if one person just used nature 8 times and made it all the way. That and should I have others take turns? Whats stopping the team from just having one person make all the checks? Like in your part one, what if one person has History and Nature and just does it all?

[acetraker1988]

Me realy realy wants esper to do another live adventure cause hes the best dm-youtuber

[Azanhour]

Esper,

Could you do a video on "How to Draw..."? It is obvious you hand draw a lot of your maps and you are very good! I have enjoyed everything I have seen. I love making my own adventures, and despite the vast amount of tiles and maps sometimes they just aren't the right item for the adventure. I have a battle mat I use and have the gridded office pad as well. I am not an artist so tips on drawing trees, rivers, water, ruins, etc would be appreciated! Thanks for everything you do!

[LetsPilz]

Hey, can I play with you!? :D

[LordofDragns]

Excelently performed and very insightful Esper! Even if I do perfer cold magic over fire... ;P

[joshmonster94]

Rocks fall, everyone dies. =D

[staplemode]

thanks for the new vid

[GoofyCowProdutions]

these are the best! also, how do you deal with some challenges for high level players?

[repsesper]

@GoofyCowProdutions You just have to think outside of the heroic-tier box. Paragon tier characters don't trek through the kobold woods, they fly griffons through a hurricane, or they scale the tallest mountain in the world and break the magic seal placed by an elder dragon. Epic tier characters don't haggle over paying fines to the town guard, they try to bluff an archdevil out of his position as ruler, persuade a primordial into aiding them, or reconstruct the body of a dead god.

[GoofyCowProdutions]

@repsesper True, your right, i have been using low level quests plus bigger monsters. thank you!

[ruste1]

I just wanted to let you know that i watch your DM guidance videos religiously. They have helped me tremendously. Keep up the good work man.

[communistninja9]

Hi i play in a smaller group, and i was just curious on how to make encounters easier without loosing the scale of the challenge/difficulty?

[repsesper]

@communistninja9 Easier without changing the difficulty? Do you mean making it easier for the DM to run the combat encounters?

[communistninja9]

@repsesper In my group we have 1 DM and three players i was just curious as to how to make it easier for them, without taking away monsters, ( I mean for the first few levels, because it's hard to put more lower level monsters in, and they can find out pretty easily if they are minions). Do i just mod the monsters hp?

[repsesper]

@communistninja9 If you look at the encounter building table, the XP for a given encounter is just the XP for a monster of that level x the number of characters in the party.

For example, a level 1 monster is 100 XP. A level 1 encounter for five characters is 500 XP. From here, you can easily see how to make a 3-person party XP budget chart.

[SdrosstheArtist]

@communistninja9 Are you meaning not overpowering the party, but still keeping it challenging? Well if so with 4E you can use more minions or if not you should lower level or maybe lesset HP monsters. Also my DM instead of making a say 20 minions or lower lever only makes 5 baddies whose power equals that of the 20. Does this help? Also DMing and having a NPC in the party you control can help shapen and direct your players. I feel it give you another hand to stir the pot. Good luck.

[communistninja9]

@SdrosstheArtist Yup! thanks.

[MageforSpades]

I love these!

[PeterStrummel]

Helpful :)

[SimonALa]

Your creativity always amazes me. You make it look so easy to come up with all these ideas. Kudos to you.

[bveld]

Great video! Enjoyed it a lot. It would be interesting to see how to a create a wilderness adventure. While dungeon adventures are more linear, an adventure set outside can be a great challenge for the DM as it has tons of possibilities for the players.

[ChocolateFishBrains]

The videos in this series always inspire me with new ideas. From new maps and encounter ideas to story elements I can weave into my own games. Thank you and keep 'em coming!

[ChocolateFishBrains]

I like the sample skill challenge. Very creative.

[Kratax]

Good ideas you had there, could have used when I played D&D earlier as a DM. There could be more of this stuff in D&D books to help DMs. Skill checks and keeping the desing of dungeon simple, but interesting is important. DM should also know beforehand all the rules how to make skill checks etc.. If encounters become just another ones, then players might get bored. But 4 encs is good for start, and fight / optional / skill / etc type is good to plan out. You can lead parties well, can get tricky

[foxcell]

good advice as allways i like building Dungeons and adventures. :-D

[Pistonrager]

very nice, I like the fire motes especially.

[randombeing95]

another awsome vid...thanks esper :D

[mistiks888]

Esper, is it a girl 1:48 in your party?

[Arbeta10000]

@mistiks888 My guess would be yes, but thats not so uncommon. I'm a new dm and currently have 2 guys and 1 gitl that loves the game. Roleplaying is not that uncommon for girls you know. Its just the slaughter of monsters that not too many likes :/ thats atleast my experiance...

[repsesper]

@mistiks888 Yes, of course

[JKTCGMV13]

A small dungeon might be possible for my group... faved the vid for future refference. :)

[JKTCGMV13]

I love watching all this stuff, but my group sucks...

I guess a bunch 15-year-olds have trouble really focusing on the game

[pitiflauticus]

@JKTCGMV13 It depends what they are looking for from the game... a videogame-like monster killing door kicking dungeon crawl? Or more history-related background heavy deep interpretation adventure? Between the two points there are hundreds of middle points... part of the DM´s most difficult task is to find the balance that keeps him and the group happy... if the group cannot focus, is either because you have too many players, players interested in other type of gameplay, or a non-good enough DM

[JKTCGMV13]

@pitiflauticus Thanks for the advice, I definately will tone-down the number of players and I'll try out a new style of minimal-plot dungeon crawling adventures, such as this video demonstrates. Previously I've been trying to run published adventures, but that doesn't seem to work for my group apparently since they can't rember what happened in the previous session.

[TheMadwizz]

Awesome!