A lot of us will be spending time with people we haven't seen face to face since early 2020. During the pandemic, people started playing their favorite Tabletop RPGs using online platforms like Roll20 or Fantasy Grounds. And people spending more time at home led to increased popularity for DND and other RPGs .
Whether you are a new Dungeon Master 'performing' live for the first time, or a player used to browsing the internet during games... here are a few tips. 1. Dungeon Masters might want to use laptops, players probably shouldn't.
A laptop, for a player, can be a distraction during moments that don't urgently call on them. This temptation shouldn't be a problem for the a DM; unless they are running a very broken game, they are kept busy 99% of the time. Dungeon Masters will want to hide all their notes, laptop, dice, etc.. behind a Dungeon Master Screen . Most of you will know, a DM screen is both a privacy tool and a cheat-sheet of common necessary resources.
2. If you don't have dice, get some. This dove-tails into the last concept. Electronics at the gaming table are distractions and can ruin the fun for everyone (even the distracted person!). Many of us have become reliant on digital dice, which are available on both phone and browser. If your only dice are on your phone you might notice a distracting text, email, or notification that can take you out of the game (immersion!). Dice can be affordable or ornate!
3. Players take turns feeding the group
This might seem like either or no-brainer or even not a big deal. You don't want hungry people at a gaming session; you don't want people scavenging through the host's pantry. If all people aren't being fed together, people will be at different phases of their eating cycles, this can lead to games ending when they didn't have to or HANGRY PLAYERS! Dungeon Masters should never have to provide food and snacks. If you can't afford to feed your entire DND group; maybe talk to another player and make an agreement to cook for both of your turns if they buy the groceries for both. Table snacks are great, but a meal to sustain is most important. Make sure you are being sensitive to both dietary restrictions and preferences.
4. Get a miniature that is exciting to you.
Having a miniature that gets you excited and feels like your character can make you enthusiastic about the campaign, it attaches you. When you take that miniature home at night, part of the campaign lives in your house throughout the work week and between sessions. DND miniatures can be woodchips, marbles, lego figures, or coins, but having a mini you identify with is an absolute treat. Hero Forge allows people to customize their own miniature and either order it or 3D print their design. There are also nice painted and unpainted more generic options 5. Atmosphere
Some people like to go all out with atmosphere. Some people like to game in undressed wood paneled unfinished basements. I've found an easy way to add atmosphere is just using videos. Here is a good list of videos to get you started for background.
Other resources:
Spell cards are a handy alternative to looking through books or search engines for spells.
A dry eras player mat with both squares and hexagons is great for battles (unless you are doing theater of the mind or tape measures, it's almost mandatory.) I use these for both running RPGs and game design testing!
Books. Necessary for keeping people off their phones! Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Player's Handbook, DND 5th Edition Monster Manual, Pathfinder 2nd Edition Core Rulebook, Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master (system agnostic).
Hopefully those of you new to this hobby being played in person will come to see what has made this hobby grow for almost half a century.
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