[D&D] Reactive Plot preparation

[zakarntson]

I'm preparing a D&D adventure using some stuff from the DMG and other stuff from Sorcerer and Sorcerer & Sword. I'm not sure what to call it, so I'm calling it Reactive DMing.

Comments

banging on D&D

[judd_sonofbert]

I'm not thrilled with your bangs, Zak.

What do the PC's look like.

Re: banging on D&D

[zakarntson]

Oop. Yeah. The PCs haven't been created yet. That happens on Tuesday. I was hoping to plan this out before PC creation, so we can get started right then. But I see your point. The bangs are more like "events that happen to open a scene, especially combat."

I'm anticipating mostly combat scenes with a healthy amount of PC death, which is why I took the approach of Adventure Setup w/out much PC input. I'm planning on adjusting things a bit if the party consists of, say, we have a cleric. Or no rogues. The player group has expressed interest in non-railroaded combat, very light on the diplomatic and social PC interaction. In fact, I picture the PC non-combat interaction being, "What does your PC want to accomplish? Roll a check. Okay! Here are the ramifications. Next scene!"

I know you possess gamer mojo out the wazoo, so I really want to know what's not thrilling you.

Re: banging on D&D

[zakarntson]

Hey, I got a good break. We've got too much work to do, so we're just going to make characters today, and probably start playing one or two weeks after!

The PCs will be a new LJ entry, so keep an eye out.

[wahcrysob]

First off, the adventure itself sounds pretty interesting, and I'm intrigued to see how the campaign goes, so I'll be adding you to my friends if you don't mind. Subsequently, I may just steal the basic idea (though I may well use lizardfolk or undead instead of ratlings) for my own campaign I'll get to eventually

[zakarntson]

Thanks! I was introduced to Relationship Maps through Ron Edwards' Sorcerer (specifically, the Sorcerer & Soul supplement), so it's nothing I can take credit for.

As for site-based adventuring, this first adventure will take place almost entirely within a dungeon (the undercity), but I'm making no distinction between the dungeon and anywhere else when it comes to scenes. I'm really hoping that there'll be no need to differentiate from Dungeon and Elsewhere as far as moving along goes. A dungeon crawl changes from:

"You continue down the corridor [consult map], there are two doors to your right, and three to your left. What do you do?

To a scene-based description:

"Scene: You're on one side of a door, wondering what's on the other side. Make Listen checks. [I've already set the stakes to: Do the players avoid/kill the monsters beyond the door]."So my "dungeon" then consists of modular Encounter Locations and Encounter Monsters and Bangs that I can string together into scenes. I'm trying to come up with a good way to track the

[open_design]

Sounds like a really interesting game, and I like the way you're heading in a freeform or jeepform direction with the outline. I'll be very curious to hear how it goes.

The bangs are a classic DM tool. I think it was Raymond Chandler who defined it as "when in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns."