Community

A few weeks ago, I approached one of my friends at Wizards of the Coast and pre-pitched an idea for a Clockwork Fantasy adventure.  My friend told me that while the idea was good, chances were that WotC wasn't currently looking for mixing technology with 4e, at least not in Dungeon Magazine submission.

I understand that, they run a buisiness according to a plan and I don't have a probleme with that.  Besides, they already have ebberon right?

The thing is, when I meet a barrier like that, it makes me want to do it even more!

So I set to create a new 4e campaign, in a new homebrewed world based on Clockwork Fantasy.  I didn't want to go full steampunk so I created  the basis of a water poor world.

You can see the first design notes of this campaign worlds here.

The world is a ressource-rich/water poor world that was "mortally wounded" by the Primordial vs Gods clash at the dawn of creation.  Left as unusable by the gods, the world lies very close to the Elemental Chaos yet remains intact.  

So rich is this world and so thin are it's planar barriers that it was colonised by the denizen of various worlds, from the Elemental Chaos to other Prime Worlds and the Astral Sea.

So savage and dangerous is the surface of the dying world that most 'Points of Lights" are found on mountain peaks or in the skies in numerous Airship cites.

One of the consequences of the ancient war was to make Magic nearly impossible to channel.  Thankfully, portable clockwork contraptions were created to act as a catalyst for magic, allowing denizen of this world to manipulate it as effectively (if not more) as on other worlds.

You can see my proposed mechanics for the PCs use of clockwork equipment here.

I can't wait to start playing this new campaign.

Over the last week, I posted a 4 part game prep/report series about showing D&D 4e to experienced Role Players who hadn't played the game much yet.

I modified the DMG's Kobold Keep to set the adventure in Monte Cook's Ptolus, replacing the kobolds with Ratmen.  The game was a Smashing Success.  The reports include 5 new D&D 4e monsters.  

Follow the Series here:

Game Prep

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Enjoy!

Dming is not about authority or power, this will come naturally later.

Your very first task is to get the trust of the group.  they need to believe that your main objective at the table is to give everyone a good time.  You need to believe that too.  Otherwise, your game will crash and burn, that's a guarantee.

A few ways to establish trust:

• Explain the rules to the players in little chunk, leaving unimportant details out untill needed.  Helps maintain pace.
• Encourage players to make the charcaters they want with the Charcater Builder (free untill level 3) without you butting in (Don't worry, nothing in the core books and powers books will break your game... except the Monster Races)
• Play your dice out in the open (until trust is established)
• Always find a way to say YES to whatever PCs try to do... request a dice roll if it's highly imporbably and set a hard but achievable DC... they'll love it.
• An easy fight is not a failure on your part... it builds player confidence and sets a good first impression.
• When you are unsure of a ruling, rule in favour of the players but mention that you will check after the game. Build Goodwill.
• Listen to player chatter ans if they mention that 'it would be cool if 'x' happen' or 'I bet that 'Y' is behind it" change your story in the spot and make it so!

Once trust is established (over 2-4 sessions I'd say) you will start having what I call True Authority because it will be given by the players based on that trust and not the traditional convention of the Dungeon Master.  

And that is the sweetest authority because you are considered part of the team that is your playing group.

Chatty DM

I just posted a Blog Post on my Blog about the dealing with the Length of D&D 4e combat.  It was inspired by a great Twitter conversation I had over the last week.

See it Here:

chattydm.net/2009/08/28/friday-chat-the-...

Enjoy!

For those interested in getting my blog's D&D 4e feed, you can find it here:

chattydm.net/feed/4e/

You have a cool feed to share with me?

Hi, I'm happy to have joined the Wizards community sites. 

However, I already have a well establihed blog, so please follow my experiences about being a DM and a father at the following URL:

chattydm.net

Looking forward to see how this whole community thing works out.