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More things to actually link PCs to the larger world around them.

PC-owned property, membership in established setting organizations, titles, etc.

Stuff that would make PCs a part of Faerun, instead of these eternal mayfly tourists flitting from here to there, meeting people for five minutes before either helping them or killing them.

Reasons for the PCs to actually CARE about these people.



-karma

The things I would like to see:

1. For the modules to be corrected with the updates. many GMs do not know that most of the DCs that they are using in skill challenges are set higher than what they should be. This leads to the skill challenges being harder than what they should be and an increase in hatred of skill challenges. We are supposed to follow the core rules not the module rules. We need more flexibility in the GMs to present a module that is fun for the players at their table. So I guess an article on using DME to increase the players enjoyment. This also follows with what a DM is and is not, namely he is an entertainer not an opponent.

2. For GMs/writers/players to learn that a properly presented skill challenge is fun for some of the players at the table. Not having a skill challenge at a table is like playing with rain of blows boy not fun for everyone. People need to understand that their are players that look forward to skill challenges and role playing and gaining a reward in story and XP. Combative players get combats that reward them in treasure and XP Why not let the RPers have their one encounter. One thing I have noticed is that the hatred of Skill challenges permeates all levels and ruins the fun for some players just like a combat combo that takes out monsters too early and ruins the fun for other combat players.

GMs who do not like skill challenges present them as a grouping of skill checks that must be made. You need 5 success over 3 failures in this challenge you can use these skills who wants to make the first check. My first play of WATE 1-1 was like this and though it was quick it was boring. You should try to not let players now they are in a challenge ask them for checks as they role play and not restrict yourself to the lists in the module. Also remember that the DCs in most early mods are too high and should be lowed this increases the chance of success. If properly presented players will not really look at the skill challenge as a challenge but as a small bit of RP they did with a couple of checks thrown in. My second time through WATE 1-1 was like this most of the players didn't know they had done a SC and they really enjoyed it. It as really well done and part of what I am saying here comes from that game.

Players who do not like SC often shut down during this part of the module making the encounter subject to one or two players. This is a problem player scenario and should be treated as such. It would be like one or two players swooping in and killing all of the monsters so no one else can have fun doing the same. Basic courtesy to the others at the table is needed. 50% of the players you meet love RP and properly presented SCs give them this so help out and don't shut down. Make sure you have one combat related skill, one social and one athletic. IF the correct DCs are used you will almost always have a 50% chance of success at your appropriate level without any bonuses or penalties to any check.

Writers who do not like SCs write weak ones. I can't say this enough more information is needed to help people run good SCs. most SCs can be broke down into tiers that need 1-3 checks to complete at every level and at the level of complexity that Cailte is talking about the entire challenge is over at 2-4 checks. A complexity 1 challenge only needs 2 successful checks and a complexity 2 only needs 4, this should be easy to make at the correct DCs. it should not be hard to break down the SC into 2-4 tiers needing 1-2 checks each. Most of the time this can be done at the table but it should not have to be since some GMs are not as good as others at winging it.

3. A bigger XP budget for writers to make better modules. As Cailte points out the current budget makes a sacrifice to add a SC into the module. A mod should be able to have about 6 scenes and five parts, which are necessary for every good story. Yes I know others exist but I am trying to keep it simple and formulaic. These parts are 1-2 scenes for expose, which sets up the environment, 2-3 for the Rise of conflict, 1 for the climax and 1 for the conclusion. A 2-2-1-1 or 1-3-1-1 is short enough to be done in a 4 hour time slot easily. This gives us 4 encounters and 2 fluff scenes like here is why your are here and this is what happens when it is over. As a graduate of theater arts, focusing on playwriting this is not a bad storyline scenario.

That being said taking XP from a budget that is two respected means that the encounters suffer and these are our bread and butter for gamers. I think the budget should be enough for 1 encounter at level -1, 1 encounters of level, 1 at Level +1 and a climax of level +2. The writer can put a SC in any of the encounters that they like and I think one per mod is sufficient. Since this is a still an XP budget some writers will be able to decrease one encounter to increase or to gain another minor encounter for another scene but this gives flexibility as well as a formula for newer writers to follow that helps them with a template to follow.

Well this is my 2 cents feel free to disagree but please be vocal so we can discuss it since I like to debate and learn allot from these RP encounters.

Red