Every campaign has monsters and treasure.  Even the most plot driven campaign will have things to kill and loot to grab.  That doesn’t mean that combat is the only thing.

 

A part of Dungeons and Dragons is the story.  For many players and Dungeon Masters the story is the big part.  It is the reason they started playing in the first place.

 

As greed sets in, however, many players lose sight of the story.  While the story does not necessarily need to be the center of the entertainment, for many players it is still very important.  One of the most common complaints I hear is that one player or another refuses to play to the story.

 

While there is no need to cling blindly to any DM’s plot, it is a good idea to pay attention to and find enjoyment in the story as it unfolds.  What are the clues that are being given away early on?  Where will they lead?  Often the story elements are tied closely to the most powerful magic items and most interesting NPC’s.

 

When the DM introduces a particularly interesting person, sit up and pay attention.  Take a moment to enjoy a good role-playing exchange.  If you can, try to step outside of yourself a little and play your character as well.  As you get into the story, the events of the campaign will have more meaning for you as a player, and the long journey up the level ladder will become more enjoyable.

 

Watch out for players who want to enjoy the story.  Pay attention to their needs.  For these people, combat encounters can be drudgery.  Even the reward of loot doesn’t mean much.  When their moment to shine comes, usually in town and outside of combat, give them the time they need to play up their character.  Most of the memorable moments in my role-playing career happened outside of combat.  These moments can help cement friendships, and often are what keep players coming back in-spite of other poor outcomes in the game.

 

As always, enjoy your next Dungeons and Dragons session

Technorati Profile

Welcome to Dungeons and Dragons Corner.

You can find Character Sheets Here.

You can enjoy more of my work by subscribing to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Feel free to make a Paypal Donation to support Dungeons and Dragons Corner!

Did you like this post? Want More? Then subscribe to my RSS feed!

Telling the story in a role-playing setting is tricky business.  When you pick up a book, you understand that the author is in complete control.  You will go where she takes you and have no control over any of the action or characters.

 

The DM/Player relationship is not the same as an Author/Reader relationship.  Some of the same principles apply, and some are completely different.

 

The elements of a good story include (but are not limited to):

• An interesting plot
• Memorable, multi-dimensional characters
• Interactions between those characters

 We’ll get to plot in a minute.

 

By definition Dungeons and Dragons and pretty much any other role-playing game will have characters.  If the people you play with are as much fun as the people I play with then those characters will be memorable.

 

But the players are only a handful of characters in a rich world that can have dozens even millions of characters.  As a DM you have to make those characters memorable.  This means giving them personality and depth.  Does that innkeeper just automatically bring what is ordered or does he do it with a snarl?  Is he racist against elves?  Is he in love with dragonborn?  Does that shopkeeper always talk that way or are those allergies?  Why does she keep a vase of violets on the counter?

 

Once the characters are interesting, they have to interact with the players.  This interaction can be physical, verbal, emotional, etc.  Don’t be afraid to spend time dialoguing with the players in-persona.  Don’t be afraid to avoid a combat altogether so that the cowardly goblins can back out of a combat.  If everyone the bad guys all jump to the attack and the good guys all act as money-changers the game can grow stale quickly.

 

The players will remember the story element of that goblin who talked his way out of a fight long after they kill his buddies.

 

Finally, a word on plot.  Plot is far less important in a role-playing setting than in a novel or short story.  If you have interesting characters and interesting interactions, the thinnest of plot lines will engage your group for hours.  In fact, some of the least memorable and least interesting sessions happen when the DM tries to bury the players in the plot rather than letting them grow into the story.

 

Have a great game!

Did you like this post? Want More? Then subscribe to my RSS feed!