Second Star Show brings Kolb’s Neverland Setting to life

Second Star to the Right (SSTTR) is a Dungeons and Dragons actual-play show developed by Second Star Productions and led by professional Dungeon Master and WizKids RPG Producer Joe Nuzzo. Airing bi-weekly on Fridays at 7pm CDT, SSTTR boasts a glorious line-up of seasoned TTRPG players: Faeforge Academy actor and Into the Motherlands star Michael Sinclair II, psychology expert Desirée Strother, who explores relationship dynamics through D&D, creative producer for The Initiative Order and ambassador for Jasper’s Game Day Breanna Flaim, host of Roll for Persuasion and Head of Marketing at Dwarven Forge Andrew Strother, and TV producer, voice actor, and 20 Sided Stories cast member Emily Ervolina.

The Neverland Setting

SSTTR follows Andrew Kolb‘s Neverland setting, a feature-length hex crawl campaign intended for sandbox exploration published by Andrews McMeel. Kolb takes inspiration from the classic world of Peter Pan’s adventures, adding a unique twist that makes for a more appropriate, and perhaps more interesting, environment to wade through for mature TTRPG players. To this, Second Star Productions affix Nuzzo’s many years of pro DMing experience and distinct hands-on narrative style. As the players are guided through an at times comical, at times emotional journey to retrieving a fallen star, each hex of the map reveals new aspects and components of Neverland’s island, championing its characteristically spontaneous setting.

Fantasy London

Before exploring Neverland however, SSTTR does a great job in its first episode at making its community feel immersed in the setting of Fantasy London. Dipping its toes into WWII England, the show makes a point to mention the “cool crisp air”, the “loud bells”, Big Ben, and Whitehall Street. Imbuing the city with magic, the players are introduced to a mystical version of the British Museum, as the DM paints an upgraded picture of what the world might look like right around the corner of the Darling’s household, had they been NPCs in a D&D campaign.

An honourable mention to the show’s vibrant, fairy-tale style art by Lucas @laserlazuli.

Complementary, self-reflective acting

SSTTR’s acting is both genuine and funny, not to mention consistent. As a native South West Londoner, I’m a harsh critic, but the English colloquialisms are there when they need to be. The cast have no qualms when it comes to making fun of themselves, highlighting their lack of a repertoire of UK accents: “I’m gonna put on my worst British accent because I don’t know how to do that.” (Michael Sinclair II, playing Dante).

Each party member adds an invaluable layer to SSTTR’s story, with well-balanced pairings. Genevieve is a careful, intelligent, and poised Wizard. Sharing some of those characteristics, Dante embodies the more serious and forthcoming persona any adventuring team needs to accomplish their goals. Despite this, he often finds himself in the most unlikely of comedic situations, sometimes spearheaded by nonchalant, mysterious, happy-go-lucky Talith. Finally, leaving a memorable impression are investigative Síofra and strongwoman Helen, two opposites of a sorely-needed spectrum; small ball of energy meets fount of knowledge, and buff Hollywood one-punch wonder.

Face to face with the dead, the Second Star players consider their options.

Dedicated to an upward path

The campaign moves at a slower pace than some TTRPG productions, but the storytelling and person-to-person synergy are especially captivating. This is no easy feat for the podcast format, as seen in SSTTR’s first episode, but the cast and crew managed anyway, eventually switching to incorporate video as well. From there on out, the sessions begin to benefit from both the added imagery, as well as intro music by Travis Reaves and recently acquired gameplay music by Alexander Nakarada.

A stand-out quality of SSTTR’s production is the considerable progress it has been dedicated to since first airing, fixing any sound issues, upgrading camera quality, working with sponsors, and at times weaving audience suggestions into their canon.

Second Star Show’s new camera quality.

Sharp comedic quality

SSTTR is all laughter from the get-go. The big bad behind the missing pixie dust is the British Museum, and brief introductory filler baddies include a guy with “Tattoos all over his face, not that there’s anything wrong with that!”, described in the wokest of ways.

The comedy has a skilfully improvised feel, and the humour of the least carefree characters finding themselves in the unlikeliest of situations is not lost on the audience. None should be so bold as to discount the fun in Dante being assailed by both husk dolls and water in equal measure. An opinion piece would also be remiss if it didn’t mention the meta-level anachronisms and self-referential material that has the show’s Twitch viewers in stitches. We love a Walt Disney name drop and a fantasy OSHA violation warning.

Maps and minis

DM Joe Nuzzo drops his players onto the map.

True to his style, Nuzzo did not disappoint when he showed up with a mini terrain. Customising these builds and making minis for D&D gameplay is time-consuming and sometimes difficult to arrange (camera placement, lighting, perspective), and even more so when the game is remote. Although the players can’t directly interact with the field, it gives them an idea of their exact surroundings, as well as offering viewers some nice visuals to look at.

Teamwork makes the dream work

What I love most about SSTTR is that every player cares about the next. There’s nothing worse than a tabletop game where everybody cuts each other off, no one pays mind to anyone else’s backstory, and characters don’t pick up on subtle cues to play off of. The total lack of disrespectful roleplaying edgelordery is a breath of fresh air. Without a shadow of a doubt, it seems that the cast are both professionally and emotionally in tune with what it means to be a good and considerate TTRPG player.

This consideration bleeds into the crew, with Twitch mods Fluffysnowfall and Drama0890 taking care of the audience, and Twitch producer Ryan Smith from nerd-centric podcast The Chumpcast making sure the actual-play runs smoothly. Backed by a plethora of sponsors (Demiplane, Laser Wolf Attack, Black Oak Workshop, Hero Forge, First Aid Comics Chicago), viewers have also shown their support of the show through its Patreon.

Second Star Show is, in essence, an incredibly well-produced experience tailored to Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasts on the hunt for a light-hearted setting with a beautifully narrated and acted story, full of intriguing turns, and the occasional plunge into the darker, more obscure moments.

Second Star to the Right airs every second Friday at 7pm CDT on Twitch.

Tabletop RGP: How DMs can use Dreams as a Tool

Broken Age gameplay || Broken Age is a point-and-click adventure game developed and published by Double Fine.

Dreams are over-used in fiction, but reconsidered, they present Game Masters (GM) with a powerful narrative tool for tabletop roleplaying game sessions. Whether it’s about adding flavour to combat by ditching your usual fully-awake scenario, or trying to find an organic way to provide your party with that crucial piece of information you forgot to mention last time, dreams are where it’s at 👾

Dreams as (self-)discovery

Just like flashbacks and jumps in time, dreams are another means through which players can discover themselves, and each other. Here they have the opportunity to roleplay and explore game mechanics uninterrupted by their travelling companions, not to mention the whole world around them.

On the flipside, onlookers can delve into each others’ backstories with a bit of meta-game spying, changing the nature of a dream to that of an overheard conversation. Instead of always relying on the awkward “so what’s your quest, adventurer”, others snoop on your subconscious during your back-and-forth with the GM, which also makes for an interesting challenge later on. What do I do with the meta-game information I have gained as a player, and can it shape my roleplaying without completely informing my character’s choices?

Backstories and meta-gaming

• Exploration of emotional and psychological elements of character backstories
• Creative approach to self-discovery and discovery of the other
• DM-sanctioned space for meta-gaming and breaking the third wall
• Uninterrupted and sincere roleplay
• Tool to shape and enhance Player Character (PC) roleplaying

Communicating with the powers above

Dreams are also a medium through which players may communicate with higher powers, much like a séance. Perhaps it’s the first time a player meets their character’s God, or maybe they aren’t religious at all but looking for an excuse to be put on a path of devotion. In some cases, it can work as a space for higher powers to offer second chances; an extra piece of lore with a successful History or Religion check.

Whatever the reason for the apparition, it can often be awkward for a player to directly interact with a being of a much higher status, such as a God or Deity. This was especially the case when I played a low level Cleric of Light with the Acolyte Background, clueless as to how I would casually chit-chat with Apollo. Likewise, many Dungeon Masters (DM), first-time and advanced, feel the pressure of bringing such an awesome event and figure to life. Roleplaying the dynamics of this scenario is difficult as it’s not an interaction humans can simulate and practice in real life. Instead, DMs can use imagery, whispers, and symbology in dreams to represent that which is beyond the material plane.

Religion & Spirituality

• Ethereal portal facilitating bilateral communication for Paladins, Clerics, Warlocks, and the devout
• Tool for DMs who prefer to describe and not embody the religious and spiritual
• Free Commune and Augury for DMs who like to spoil their players
• Discovery of and introduction to faith for the (soon-to-be) devout
• Divine foreshadowing and foresight
• Second chances at succeeding important checks

Combat re-imagined

Combat is so riddled with epic music and big sword swings; we sometimes forget the finer narrative happenings that turn into an initiative roll. Re-imagining combat as something that slowly creeps up on players in their most vulnerable state often makes for a kickass game. Just remember to include such a scenario in your consent form to make sure your party is comfortable with being psychologically invaded. It’s not a given!

• Dream-realm combat is a good alternative to ambush or surprise rounds
• The immaterial, unknown, and óneiros redefines horror and fear
• Control or manipulate player agency as an in-combat scare tactic
• Conversely, provide a safe training ground to test combat on low-level PCs

Fiddling with RAW

When you’re asleep or fighting half-asleep, some Rules As Written or expectations can be ignored or outright countered. Dreams are a good place to, once in a blue moon, disregard the official rulebooks (the Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual). Though many DMs invent their own homebrew rules, you’ll typically want to be consistent so you can offer your players some sort of base to hold onto. Every now and then, you can throw that out of the window.

• Armour or no armour? Do your players sleep with their spellcasting focus? Does it matter? You can make the call
• All spellcasting is currently impossible, and only cantrips and unarmed strikes will do in this ethereal realm
• Invent monsters that can bypass certain mechanics, or thrive in the dream realm
• Tweak monsters to fit your scenario; for example, a variant of an awakened shrub can now call prey from their beds to its location on a failed Wisdom Saving Throw, and force them to be assimilated

Breaking away from your usual setting

You could be located anywhere in your fictional world, homebrew or not, during any season, and swap settings at a whim. This can be done by way of magic regardless of dreams, but it’s useful for the party to hold on to some sense of cohesiveness, and space and time are major contributing factors to sense of direction and understanding. Dreams temporarily suppress this cohesiveness, and make for a fun one-night-only setting.

• The party is no longer constrained to your desert city as they wonder your fictitious astral planes
• Dreams are a fun way for players to explore different landscapes earlier on in the game, as travel takes time and teleporting is reserved for later levels
• If you don’t have time to plan a separate one-shot, but you’re looking to spice up your setting, try a dream
• You can playtest settings on PCs and determine whether or not they gravitate towards them in-game; perhaps your next campaign should be set in space?

No strings attached narration

Too often do good DMs have to prepare the consequences of the fun things they plan. Maybe all you had intended was for a nice looking vase with flowers to be part of the scenery, a narrative detail and nothing more, something to add colour to the story. But you forgot about the Druid who was raised in an antiques warehouse, or the elf with the book detailing every flower in this universe. Now your porcelain needs a backstory. But not always! The subconscious is at your service, because a dream vase doesn’t need context.

• Descriptions don’t require on-the-spot backstories for a fluke Natural 20 roll
• If someone breaks a really important royal vase in a dream, you don’t have to start a war between two nations
• Storytelling no longer calls for (complete) accountability
• Odd happenings do not have to be clarified later on, and not everything is fatalistic
• Go completely off script, because anything goes

Creep out your players 😙 (sorry!)

We are at our most vulnerable when we are asleep. Of course, seasoned players know by now to bunker down with an Alarm spell on, or in a Hut or Tower with weapons nearby, but sometimes it’s not enough. That’s not to say that you should freak your players out to the point of no return, where their characters are afraid to go to bed and will always have an uncomfortable night in their 16 base AC chainmail. But, perhaps it forces them to be prudent, and rethink their strategies when assessing their environment.

Who should they trust, and how should they set up camp, when even the dreamspace is compromised. Because who knows what is lurking beyond the conscious mind…

Session 0: Planning your first D&D Game

The Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Spellbook Cards Cleric, Condition Rings and Dice | Flo | Basic Snitch

New Year, New Dungeons and Dragons Campaign? Perhaps you’re not quite there yet and hosting a one-shot or two is more up your alley. Whatever the motive, planning the first game of any adventure can seem daunting. Luckily, the core event of your session is pre-determined; the heroes have to meet. All you need now are a place, plot, and some people – the definition of a manageable workload. Except, your wizard rolls a Nat 20 Intelligence Check, figures out that her father is her brother, pulls out some bat guano and pulverises your starter BBEG for 96 points of fire damage. Holy shit, sick and rad indeed, but… now what?

Here are some suggestions on how to maximise your chances of running a smooth and interesting first Dungeons and Dragons game.

Playtest or Kick-off

Typically, a session 0 and session 1 of Dungeons and Dragons differ in structure and level of preparedness. Session 0s can act as improvisational games where adventurers playtest class and race combinations, try out roleplay accents that they are unsure of, or metagame and ask questions that might otherwise disturb the natural flow of the session. On the other hand, nothing says that a session 0 cannot or should not be the actual kick-off of your campaign or two-shot. You might well feel more comfortable with a pre-written set of intrigues. What matters above all is transparency between Dungeon Master (DM) and players. Talk to your party about what they expect of a first game – this includes addressing triggers and consent – and being honest with them about the kind of adventure you’re looking to run.

Set the mood

Determining the type of game you’re hosting includes setting the appropriate tone and mood. Whether you tend to rely entirely on theatre of the mind, or have a proclivity for fully-fledged battle maps, D&D is always about immersion. Even diehard metagamers rely on a constant commitment to breaking character. To that effect, there are ways in which a game can be made to feel like quasi-VR madness, where everyone is an actor in the universe woven collectively by DM and players.

Narrative

• Adopt the mindset of becoming your Non-Player Characters (NPCs)
• Adjust your tone of voice to fit the mood of narrative descriptions
• Consider register and mood; for example, formal RP English for a Victorian Era setting
• Consider word choice and mood; “deep dark pit” is serious, and “big-ass hole” is comedic
• Make use of silences and pauses to heighten suspense and punctuate important information
• Rely on fast-paced narrative for (pre-)combat, urgency traps, and timed missions
• Practice accents, timbre, pitch, tone, pace, and linguistic quirks
• Study sound effects and try to incorporate them into your narrative

Audio-visual

• For the hearing and seeing community, audio-visual stimuli can be a crucial step to achieving immersion
• Make use of tabletop audio programmes or cherry-pick your own music and ambience playlist
• Platforms such as Watch2Gether, or bots like Groovy on Discord, facilitate autoplay and looping
• Free battle maps, ideal for combat, can be made on Inkarnate, as well as other platforms
• Online whiteboards like AWW Board provide a backdrop for your session for maps, NPCs, and minis

“The Haven Inn, Calinthia” Battle Map | Inkarnate | Flo | Basic Snitch

First encounters

The mood has been set and the main event is certain: forming a party of people who trust each other enough to venture out on deadly quests together. Though the topic is simple enough, allowing for players to become a cohesive unit organically without engaging in illusionism or railroading is a big question mark DMs often grapple with.

With only two or three players at your table or on your screen, the possibilities of planning a narrative-only session 0 that allows for players to find each other naturally are endless. The story can jump from player to player until they find each other, or follow a linear timeline. The goal will almost always be to end up in the same location with a mission that is, to some degree, shared. Having some plot elements that tie characters together beforehand is helpful, and will have them wanting to work together, either out of empathy, sympathy, or necessity. Although this might give the narrative a “chosen ones” feel, injecting this into the larger picture early on means less railroading overall.

Flashbacks not railroads

Due to the tedious nature of meeting sans Deus Ex Machina and how time consuming it can be, Dungeon Masters who have more than a couple of players might lean towards preparing a session 0 that relies heavily on railroading the players into meeting up at a tavern, palace, shop, or battlefield. Upon arrival, five or more strangers are suddenly thrust into the same situation and must all find time to quickly develop a connection.

Though railroading players in a session 0 is, in my opinion, entirely acceptable and sometimes even necessary for sheer practicality, there are ways of avoiding this. Instead of having players travel to the same location in real time, give them a chance to delve into their past. They could all start off in the same location, together in a room for example, and are in each other’s company already for reasons that will soon be revealed. Cue a series of flashbacks that allow them to snoop on each other, so to speak, and catch a glimpse of what other characters are like without engaging in unreasonably deep and meaningful conversations on day one.

A flashback is also a useful tool for DMs as it provides them with a steerable narrative that is limited; as we are in the past, not much can be changed about where the players find themselves now and what their quest is. However, players can impact the “how”, and some choices or rolls might affect the future, i.e., the present. In tandem with this impact, players are able to develop their characters and roleplay what kind of backstory they intend to embody.

Of course, a more light-hearted approach that handles relationships with humour could erase the need to care about meeting organically, or about bonding as companions altogether. The vibe of your game might just be listen here you piece of shit gnome, I don’t give a hoot about your problems, but you’re coming with me, and that’s hilariously okay too.

The Tavern Trope

First encounters inevitably beg the question of where the party will meet. If you’re a seasoned Dungeon Master, you’ll probably want to show your players something unique, and discount the idea of a medieval tavern entirely. That said, if you’re dealing with a bunch of first-timers, The Tavern™ often fulfils novice player TTRPG expectations, and denying them this so-called rite of passage could be a disservice to their entry into D&D.

The answer to this conundrum is simple enough – ask your players about the fantasy worlds or locations they are interested in. Of course, DMs should take their own preferences into account too – never put forward a proposal that doesn’t speak to you, and always be honest with your table, lest you be unexpectedly stuck for five years in a K-Pop-themed campaign set in outer space. Come to think of it, that sounds kind of interesting…

Nat 20s, Nat 1s, and Flukes

For DMs that prefer to be overprepared like myself, it’s often hard to come to terms with the improvisational nature of D&D, and the very real possibility of having to deal with many unforeseeable events determined by dice rolls alone, or unanticipated Player Character (PC) choices.

Strokes of luck

Beyond making sure you aren’t too set in the story you have in mind, there are techniques you can use to deal with the unplanned, or the improbable. For example, a PC might roll a Nat 20 Intelligence Check on a piece of lore you were hoping would remain a mystery for half of the campaign. This is a stroke of good luck that has the potential to warp any DM’s plans, and yet the best way to avoid feeling defeated is by 1) understanding from the get-go that anything you prepare can be subject to a Nat 20 or a Nat 1, 2) recognising that this is a moment of utter satisfaction for the player and reward them with the answer. After all, there will be other obscure mysteries to come.

Narrating improbabilities

Other times, Nat 20s and Nat 1s have less to do with taking the DM by surprise, and more to do with managing a situation that seems improbable, or virtually impossible. Dungeon Masters and D&D players Brennan Lee Mulligan and Lou Wilson discuss such tactics in detail in Dimension 20’s Adventuring Academy episode Creating Rounded Characters. Other than the by now well-known “yes and” rule of improv that seems to fix any situation, unlikely events can be narrated in ways that make them seem more probable. Here are some examples from my own campaigns and one-shots (hosted and played):

• Half-elf Cleric rolls a Nat 20 on dragging an unconscious polymorphed Firbolg Monk (bear) out of a pit
• Kenku Rogue rolls a Nat 1 Dex Check on tinkering with a lock in a Silverymoon library
• Warforged Druid with proficiency in Perception rolls a Nat 1 Perception Check on seeing a house, twice
• Halfling Wizard rolls a Nat 20 Strength Check on pulling a 6ft Warforged Druid out of a village well
• Fire Goliath Barbarian rolls a Nat 20 on an Acrobatics Check to jump over a dozen fragile tavern stools
• Fire Goliath Barbarian rolls a Nat 1 on a melee attack roll, inside a closed tavern against one enemy

All of these situations seem unlikely, and can be difficult to justify on the spot; however, adapting your perspective to favour each PC’s individual qualities and flaws can help. The Half-elf Cleric was suddenly inspired by God, the Kenku Rogue hasn’t slept for 2 days, the Warforged Druid is lost deep in thought, the Halfling Wizard cleverly repositions her companion so that they may use their own Strength to get out of the well, and the Fire Goliath Barbarian is so strong that his momentum pushes him forward, somersaulting over all the old furniture, unfortunately causing him to mistime the swing of his axe.

Balanced encounters

Fluke rolls can also be tackled with balanced encounters. Preparing beforehand that X amount of enemies at level Y will storm a tavern if the BBEG drops below 50% HP before a specified time can often solve PCs being accidentally overpowered (OP). Balancing also makes combat fairer and more interesting.

Though some might interpret this type of balancing as a form of railroading, relying on logic is enough to support this method; how many times has a superhero or supervillain prepped some backup in the event that they should meet their demise? You know, the whole “If I’m not back in 10 minutes, send in the tanks.” You get the gist.

Remote D&D

Despite all of these pointers, the 2020+ covid-19 pandemic has led to a decrease in IRL gameplay, and a huge shift towards remote Dungeons and Dragons. As Ari would say, when all is said and done, virtual D&D sessions could end up being your biggest challenge yet; your internet might let you down, and awkward silences can stack like Jenga blocks.

Tech mishaps and solutions

• Computers crash; prepare to temporarily join Discord (or the platform you use) via phone if possible
• For cuts in PC audio, the DM can switch to narrative describing scenery, or move on to other players
• Any general technical difficulties with a short waiting time can be solved with a water or food break
• If a single player’s internet connection drops for a long time, narrate the character’s sudden departure
• Discord flops happen; try a temporary switch to Skype, Zoom or Google Meets
• Digital dice page won’t load? Siri rolls polyhedral dice too! Or ask a fellow player to determine your fate
• Frozen or broken battle maps might be your cue to go off-script and engage in theatre of the mind combat
• Silences, they’re unavoidable. Call for a break, load some cricket noises, further describe the scene
• Mistimed music can be humorous; AC/DC combat music on at a romantic date? Narrate the stage bard’s strange take on what a candlelit dinner ambience means. Her manager will be having a word with her…

Rule #1 – Have fun

Although the DM is in charge of gameplay prep and keeping an overview of the direction of each session – especially the first session – the point of TTRPG is ultimately to have fun. In the end, it doesn’t matter how many Nat 1s you roll or how far you stray from the intended path. All that matters is that you’re having a great time at the table, be it a material, or virtual one.

Dungeons & Dragons: Tips for Beginners and Their DM

Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

Happy Halloween! You’ve put on your costume, and finally come to the realisation that what you’re doing is in effect LARPing and cosplaying for treats. In fact, you might even have given in to the nouvelle vague hype surrounding tabletop roleplaying games – perhaps even Dungeons and Dragons specifically!

Alas, you find yourself overwhelmed by the rules, classes, and races. Where to begin? Here are some tried and tested tips and tricks for new players who are being guided by an intermediate level Dungeon Master!

Be clear about your expectations

MasterSarcasm | https://imgur.com/gallery/PMj3uKK

There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a year-long medieval role-play-heavy campaign when you thought you were going to space. Before joining a group, define what exactly it is you’re interested in when it comes to tabletop roleplaying games. Would your ideal gameplay include a lot of combat? Are you expecting everyone to dress up as their character? Do you want music and scenery to add to the immersion, or is detailed narration enough? Talk to your Dungeon Master about your wishes, and conversely, recognise that they might not be able to meet all of your expectations. Of course, this goes both ways; find out how much is expected of you as a player, and ask yourself how much time and effort you are willing to invest in D&D.

Expectations also extend to your level of comfort. Ask your DM whether they plan on providing players with a consent form. It’s a shame to join a group only to realise later on that the story includes scenarios that are traumatic or uncomfortable for you to be put in. This may happen regardless of a consent form, but the DM should try their best to plan ahead. If you are aware of any specific triggers and feel comfortable talking about them to your DM, do so early on, before you start playing.

Agree on edition and core rulebooks

Although most people these days play 5th edition D&D, new players should confirm with their DM what edition they’ll be playing, as it will constitute a good prompt for Game Masters to tell their participants what information will be applicable to gameplay. A lot of blogs or guides online contain content from 3.5e or 4e that is no longer applicable to 5e games, and beginners might have trouble distinguishing which information is valid to them.

Though the game might rely heavily on the Player’s Handbook (PHB), there are other rulebooks that players might already have investigated, keen to incorporate them into their experience of D&D. Have you just discovered Unearthed Arcana? Check with your DM if they’ll allow for it to be included in their world!

Find out what templates you’ll use

With D&D Beyond’s detailed, and by now standardised, character creation template, it’s easy to be assumptive when it comes to what ‘forms’ your DM will require you to fill out; however, there are often easier, simplified versions of character sheets that can be better suited to beginners.

Snippet of homemade template | Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

D&D Beyond’s character sheet fills in a lot of information automatically, which is a lifesaver for experienced players who want to save time and already know what perks come with what class and race. Beginners might be more likely to oversee this information, and could benefit from writing it down themselves, or discussing it with their DM to write it down together.

Start off easy or be prepared to conduct research

You certainly shouldn’t feel forced to play a human fighter with no feats, but if you plan on picking a tricky combination, say, a half-changeling wild magic sorcerer multi-classing as a wizard, you’ll have to conduct some research. Perhaps the most baffling aspect of D&D is its immense corpus of choices upon options upon possibilities. If you’re shocked by the amount of playable races on the web that don’t feature in the Player’s Handbook, then you’ll be flabbergasted at the sight of the long online lists of backgrounds at your disposal.

List of available Backgrounds in D&D 5e | dandwiki.com/5e_Backgrounds

Having so many options can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask your DM for recommendations; they should be prepared to dissect your character, and be able to come up with a selection of possible classes, races, and backgrounds for you to peruse in your own time.

Consider playing a one-shot

There’s truly no better way to familiarise yourself with the game mechanics of D&D than playing the game itself. It’s very difficult to sit down with a beginner to explain all the variable rules, let alone be able to cover everything in one call.

If your DM doesn’t have time to prepare a preliminary one-shot on top of the one-shot or campaign they already have set up for your party, ask them about the option of hosting a session zero, or a quick run through of an improvised game. Essentially, you’ll be able to test run ability checks and in-combat turns – no strings attached.

Write your backstory in First Person

When a new player of mine recently got back to me with their backstory in first person, I was taken aback and impressed to discover just how much I was able to hear the character’s voice. Often, and certainly in my case, I see a lot of third person narratives, which admittedly can feel very detached. Writing in first person really brings the character to life, and even more so if you choose to incorporate dialect-specific words. For role-play enthusiasts, this further helps players prepare for what they intend to sound and act like when in character.

Know your character to the best of your ability

As a DM, there’s nothing more respectful and helpful than when a player has tried their utmost best to know everything they can about their character. When you have done research on your class, race, and background, and you are adamant about understanding your weapon attacks, spells, and abilities, the game runs smoother for everyone.

If you intend on playing a light-hearted improvised game just for the laugh of it, then showing up unprepared can of course add to the humour of the night. But be sure you’ve understood the tone of the gameplay correctly, as a lack of research and preparedness can be a big sign of disrespect or disinterest to Dungeon Masters that have spent weeks, months, or even years combing through your character to make sure they have a fulfilling time in a fully-fledged fantasy world.

What can you do as a Dungeon Master for new players?

Consent Form

I cannot recommend consent forms enough. The original form was created for the TTRPG Safety Toolkit and is adapted from the RPG Consent Checklist that appears in the Consent in Gaming supplement by Sean K. Reynolds and Shanna Germain, published by Monte Cook Games. The adapted version that I based my adapted version on can be found here.

Consent forms can seem off-putting at first, as there’s a lot of wild stuff on there, but it’s important that you and your players are comfortable at all times (except of course in moments where you have expressly agreed to feeling uncomfortable). Be sure to explain the spotlight method to your players, and convey that ‘enthusiastic consent’ does not denote support of the gruesome things mentioned in the form, but rather denotes an undeniable certainty that the player agrees for these topics to come up in-game. For players that aren’t sure, advise them to always tick yellow.

Dungeon Masters should remember that consent can fluctuate; what might have been all right for a player last week might no longer be. It is your job as a DM to check in with your players, and they should be provided with a safe space in which they can tell you that something feels off.

Questionnaire

Questionnaires are all about exploring and managing the expectations of your players, and finding out how much they already know about D&D or RPG. They are also useful when it comes to worldbuilding and plot expectations. Though most beginners might tend towards being interested in a medieval world that is mostly optimistic in tone, your players might surprise you with their answers.

Snippet of RPG Questionnaire | Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

Questionnaires can help you find out what some participants find essential to have a good D&D game.

Snippet of RPG Questionnaire | Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

And they are extremely useful as an extension to the consent form, for example on the topic of perma-death, of which the emotional side effects are often misunderstood, downplayed, or outrightly mocked.

Snippet of RPG Questionnaire | Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

All in all, questionnaires are always a good idea, and pre-existing templates can be found online for DMs who are stretched for time!

Help Sheets

With so many rules, coupled simultaneously with a huge lack of specific guidelines, it can be useful to have something to refer to that is more condensed than the Player’s Handbook. I had a hard time finding help sheets online that were all-inclusive; 1) colour-coded 2) succinct 3) extensive (includes actions, movement, conditions, environmental effects).

Snippet of Actions in Combat Help Sheet | Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

Snippet of Movement Help Sheet| Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

Snippet of Conditions Help Sheet | Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

Snippet of Environmental Effects Help Sheet | Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

If you plan on being a part-time, long-term Dungeon Master, consider creating your own help sheets, or adapting yours from a pre-existing template. Players will be able to refer to them in-game when you are caught in narration or Non-Player Character (NPC) role-play, and they might just spare you a lot of questions.

Colour-coding and/or semiology

D&D Beyond’s pre-made character templates aren’t very eye-grabbing, which is important when learning rules quickly; when you’re playing D&D, your eyes have to gravitate towards specific information, which is even more important when engaged in combat. This is particularly useful when playing remotely. Don’t know what AC and HP are, or where on your sheet they are located? With colour-coding, your DM will be able to refer to them easily, and you’ll be able to spot them immediately.

Snippet of Adapted Character Sheet | Flo | Basic Snitch | @thebasicsnitch

Of course, it’s the DMs job to make sure everybody is included to an equal degree. Remember to check with your group that all players are able to see colours the same way; if you have a colourblind player, consider semiology instead, and rely on symbols that stand out and can easily be used as visual references. If you have visually impaired players, you will be partly responsible for coming up with a solution that facilitates learning D&D comfortably and quickly.

In-depth Character Creation Discussion

Last but not least, if you’re a high-commitment group, then you owe it to your players to put aside an hour to discuss their character with them. They might have specific backstory questions that will surface in a one-to-one discussion, or be curious about customising something with you. It’s a fun experience that is rewarding to both parties, and will help Dungeon Masters engage in coherent and rich world-building, where characters are tied into the world itself, and where their actions and choices have an impact.

So, what are you waiting for? Halloween is the perfect time to embark on a spooktacular adventure!

Dimension 20 proves that remote D&D is both watchable and thrilling

After releasing the fourth episode of its sixth Side Quest entitled Pirates of Leviathan, Dimension 20 has made clear that playing Dungeons and Dragons remotely is not the confused and disorganised mess some tabletop fans had perhaps feared it would be.

Pirates of Leviathan | Dimension 20 | Dropout

With the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, many in-person tabletop roleplaying enthusiasts, professionals, and hobbyist home gamers found themselves obliged to go on an initial hiatus before implementing social distancing measures. Others decided to play remotely for the first time ever.

When the trailer for Dimension 20’s remote D&D series Pirates of Leviathan was released, many ttrpg community members expressed their worry about whether the virtually played game would be able to run as smoothly as it usually does on set. The overarching concern seemed to be that such a series wouldn’t live up to an in-person, professionally produced actual play Dungeons and Dragons game.

The Geekiary had first admitted they were “a little leery of how our new Side Quest cast was going to handle the virtual game table”. In fact, some Dimension 20 fans revealed that not only had the pirate setting not (initially) appealed to them, but the lack of production, sets, and miniatures would make the series unwatchable.

This may be the first season I don’t watch. (Spoilers for the new trailer.) #spoilers from Dimension20

Strong opinions and disheartened regular viewers expressed their doubts on Dimension 20’s SubReddit; “I think this is the first season D20 has done that I will skip entirely.”

But the apprehension some Dimension 20 fans had expressed towards a remote game, and the fear that disorganisation, cuts in internet connection, and lack of engagement would prevail, has been overthrown entirely. Instead, viewers have been met with a vivacious, incredibly professional, and extremely engaged cast who are committed to showing that virtual D&D is not only watchable, but also very entertaining.

Why is Pirates of Leviathan a D&Digital success?

The cast of Pirates of Leviathan laugh together in a comedic scene | Dimension 20 | Dropout

Of course, that is not to say that all remote play is watchable and deserving of being a D&D series, with many people experiencing or having initially experienced technical issues or lack of enthusiasm from players and DM alike. That said, in-person games can also fail to meet the criteria for becoming a professional D&D series. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to watch a remote D&D game, or whether to watch a game at all, here are some great examples of why Pirates of Leviathan might subvert any negative expectations you might have of virtually payed Dungeons and Dragons.

Theatre of the mind is not synonymous with visually uninspiring

What many viewers enjoy when watching an in-person tabletop roleplaying game are the interactions and banter between the cast. Players react to each other’s physical cues and emotions, either reciprocating or not. Not only does this interaction strengthen in-game bonding, but in the case of Dimension 20, it can be wildly comedic. Alongside these visuals are the incredible sets and miniatures often used for the purpose of combat; however, arranging for this remotely can be challenging when also filming a show, and all combat so far in Pirates of Leviathan has relied heavily on theatre of the mind. No sets, no minis.

That said, the cast has made an incredible effort – seamlessly, might I add – to be visually inspiring to its viewers. Filming several episodes in one day has awarded some continuity to the character’s outfits, which includes Myrtle the Bitch’s stunning makeup and Barbarella ‘Bob’ Sasparilla Gainglynn’s breathtaking dress.

The cast’s commitment to being present audio-visually is unequivocally there, and is mirrored by body language; have a look at how Aabria Iyengar has Myrtle’s death stares pierce through others even as she remains silent, how Matt Mercer has Jack Brakkow tilt his head and hunch his back to make apparent his self-perceived inferiority, or how Krystina Arielle expresses emotion through Bob, by laughing, pouting, crying, and singing. Carlos Luna’s Cheese has eyes that sparkle when he speaks, and a voice that quivers at the sight of danger. Marisha Ray’s Sunny Biscotto flaps about her aarakocra wings in panic and excitement, and shows reverence to her goddess by way of voice acting. Marcid the Typhoon’s threats will send a lawful neutral kind of shiver down your spine, contrasting with his deeply just and almost selfless acts.

It’s also worth saying that maps are not entirely absent from the show, and that Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan does an incredible job at describing scenery and sets so that the usual distances and ranges of D&D combat don’t matter as much to gameplay. But do expect a roleplay heavy series.

Top notch production

Some of the initial concern in regards to this series revolved around a potential lack of production, or conversely, an ‘overly produced’ feel. Luckily, Dropout’s crew has really hit the nail on the head in terms of performing delicate editorial work, and we have David Kerns (Producer), Orion Black (Creative/Sensitivity Consultant), Tyler Schuelke (Editor), and Victor Rosas II (Illustrator) to thank for a huge part of the end product. Ultimately, the crew are in large part responsible for setting the much loved editorial tone of D20.

Other than all the unseen work that goes into Dimension 20, Pirates of Leviathan includes the show’s usual sound effects; always appreciated in on-set games, and now a crucial part of production to add to the immersive experience of watching a remote game. All of Dimension 20’s character art and stats also appear on screen. As an added bonus, initiative rolls figure below the players as extra visual aid, facilitating theatre of the mind combat scenes.

The cast has also mentioned the use of a Skype chat private to them which made it easier to produce and come up with certain ideas and tonal suggestions on the fly without disrupting gameplay. The availability of such a chat naturally also made it easier for players to interact with each other regardless of their ability to communicate ideas in person.

A unique audio-visual D&D experience

Overall, the editing of the series is something to commend, as it manages to capture the tone of each cut scene and tidbit of emotion; dramatic pauses cue and follow intense back and forths, and music will at times cut out briefly as a comedic highlight. Krystina Arielle’s Bob regularly goes into song, which perfectly befits her singer-songwriter status as the Goddess of the Gold Gardens of Leviathan, and Brennan Lee Mulligan also graced the audience with a brief DM sea shanty, a rare sight to behold in D&D shows, but much appreciated (a nod to Dashilla’s song in Critical Role). Fingers crossed this turns into a musical by the end of the show with Marcid in the lead.

***SPOILER ALERT EPISODE 1 and 4***:

Roleplay heavy with bold choices and high stakes contains one spoiler in regards to Marcid in Episode 1.

All right, I’m in. But what about the famed Rick Perry minis and sets? contains one spoiler for a non-player character in Episode 4 of Pirates of Leviathan.

Roleplay heavy with bold choices and high stakes

To make up for the lack of in-person interactions, and simply because, Player Characters in Pirates of Leviathan are making some very bold choices, (*spoiler alert*), such as when Marcid picks up future ally Cheese to literally use his child body as a shield. If that is not the raddest and baddest thing you have ever seen within a ttrpg party, then I don’t know what is. Though at times very humorous and lighthearted, the series grants the D20 community with the tone of rivalry and tension that Escape From The Bloodkeep never gave to TPK fantasy-hungry viewers.

Bob, left, played by Krystina Arielle, has an emotional moment with her father, played by Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan, right, in Episode 4 of Pirates of Leviathan | Dimension 20 | Dropout

Roleplay is also heavy in Pirates of Leviathan, with many instances of characters being expressedly overjoyed, anxious, nostalgic, sad, and even drunk!

All right, I’m in. But what about the famed Rick Perry sets and minis?

It’s true, let the record show that Rick Perry’s mind has not equipped this series with his cool miniatures and out-of-this-world sets. It’s no doubt that any D&D series would be vastly improved with the insight and creativity of Dimension 20’s Art Director, a sentiment very much expressed on Dropout’s Discord; however, a remote show might not have done justice to this kind of gameplay. (*spoiler alert*) Of course, we all hope that our plea for a mini of a T-Rex in a tricorn hat will someday be heard. Rick Perry, we’re counting on you. Until then, sit back and enjoy.

Episode 5 of Pirates of Leviathan airs this Wednesday at 7PM EST, 4PM PST, 1AM CET.

Calling All Gamers! Critical Role Launches Non-profit Organisation

Critical Role has just launched its new non-profit organisation, Critical Role Foundation, calling on all gamers to take action and donate to various causes at criticalrolefoundation.org.

On Thursday, Critical Role released a short animated video on their YouTube channel detailing the launch of Critical Role Foundation (CRF). This launch comes after Critical Role’s many successful years as a Dungeons and Dragons-focused company, show, and much-loved ttrpg community. What was once a small D&D game run and played by a bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors is now an independent media company housing arguably the most popular weekly D&D show, with an average of 15K viewers and 600K subscribers. Their increasing popularity within the ttrpg world, and their loyal and diverse fanbase, makes the decision to launch a non-profit all the more important.

Introducing Critical Role Foundation! / Critical Role / Animation by OffStudios.

CRF partners with other non-profit organisations to organise fundraising campaigns in support of various charitable causes. Their current fundraiser asks for donations to revive the Native Youth & Culture Fund for two nonprofits located at Zuni Pueblo and Cochiti Pueblo.

With several long-running shows on YouTube and Twitch, live shows (pre-pandemic), a merch store in the US, UK, and Australia, as well as a soon-to-be released Animated Series, it made sense for Critical Role to continue on its upward path and add a non-profit foundation to its list of accomplished goals.

Critical Role also announced in the caption of their launch video that “10% of every donation, across every campaign, goes toward an emergency relief fund giving CRF the ability to provide donations in the event of a natural disaster or other instance that requires immediate humanitarian aid“. With 2020 having been an inexplicably tragic year; the company’s choice to set aside a portion of donations for an emergency relief fund is crucial. It comes in the wake of the 2020 California Wildfires, an hour or so away from Los Angeles where the cast and crew of Critical Role are based, and the worldwide devastation of the coronavirus pandemic. This year also saw earthquakes in Turkey and the Caribbean, the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer, the mass deadly explosion in Beirut, the Australian bushfires, floods in Jakarta, bloody riots in Delhi, and the ongoing perpetuation of injustices across the board.

Of course; it’s not the first time the cast and crew of Critical Role have used their platform and growth to encourage their overwhelmingly supportive community to donate to good causes. The company has raised money for Red Nose Day, OutRight International, OSD, and Pablove. Critical Role is also an ongoing supporter of 82LA; “a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.”

Head on over to Critical Role Foundation to donate. Keen on supporting but unable to donate? Please help the ttrpg community spread the word, at no cost.