Get organized, adventurer!

At least, I hope you're more organized than the battles I run when I play D&D.

We'll be resuming our Strahd campaign soon.

I'm really looking forward to it!

But there's something I find very difficult to deal with.

And although I don't have the definitive solution, I've found several ways to improve it.

Keep reading and I'll tell you all about it.

Which wolf’s turn is it now?

There's a lot to keep track of when you're running a D&D combat session.

Especially if you're running combats with lots of minion enemies.

If you've ever run a combat session, you've probably thought about a question like the one above.

At that moment, two things usually happen:

Some player calls you out to correct you.

Other times, no one notices the mistake, and you roll as if nothing had happened.

It's not a big deal when it happens once.

The problem is that it never happens just once.

The game slows down, your mental load builds up, and you get stressed.

“The wolf with the scar over his eye”

This was a solution I stumbled upon by chance.

The characters were camping in a tower and were attacked by wolves at night.

But I was feeling creative that day, so they weren't just “some wolves.”

It was a diverse and distinct pack.

“Five wolves are approaching you. One of them is clearly the leader, with a scar over its eye.”

As the wolves attacked on their first turn, I gave them aesthetic qualities.

“Despite the pain of its bite, you can't help but notice that its fur is as white as snow.”

“The wolf growls menacingly, baring rotten teeth. Its gaze is as intimidating as its stench.”

This created a situation where it was easier to remember each enemy.

The specific traits not only differentiated them and gave them personality.

It also allowed both the players and me to develop an emotional involvement that helped us remember them better.

It's easier to remember something when your chart says “One-Eyed, White, Rotten” than “Wolf 1, Wolf 2, Wolf 3.”

I'm not going to say that my players didn't correct me throughout the fight.

But remembering each wolf's unique trait became part of the game.

Something tedious gained a narrative point that made it more intuitive and enjoyable.

Typical problems of DMing

As I said, we'll be continuing our Strahd campaign soon.

A “season 2,” if you will.

And I've been thinking about the problems that tend to arise at the table.

You know:

What was my players' passive perception?

Excuse me, could you check the DC for my spell saving throw?

How did an unarmed strike work?

All those points that cause friction and, little by little, break the immersion in the game.

Today I told you about one of the biggest ones for me.

What are your biggest problems when DMing?

If you tell me, I'm sure I can give you some advice on how to solve it.

Also, I'll let you take a look at some sketches I'm working on...

Bountiful quests and successful rolls!

🦉 Irene the Wizard

🦃 Saúl the Bard

P.S: If you're not a master because it intimidates you, let me know. I have a few tips to get you started.

P.P.S: Yes, I also have tips if your players are constantly looking at their phones. (Hi, Sito 😘)