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Good advice for DMs old and new alike
(files.catbox.moe)
Edit: Spleling
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this post was submitted on 02 Dec 2023
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I don't understand how cereal box puzzles would translate over to DnD.
I also don't know about ripping off movie and TV characters and just swapping out the names. I suppose it depends on the character, but I feel like this is the easiest one to tell that it was "stolen".
Using Pokémon descriptions for monsters is aces though, even if you use the older mons. I think Monster Hunter monsters would also translate over pretty well.
During a game of Star Wars d6 rpg i ran a group through basically the train job episode of firefly (that was in solo 12 years later) and they did not realize it until we were watching firefly together. I also ran them through the cloud city plot from ESB while they were on cloud city.
That's what I mean though. If they are even somewhat aware of the characters you are borrowing from, they'll know the NPCs are rip-offs, regardless of a name swap. I feel like you would have to do more than just change their name. Perhaps combining characters to make 1, or modifying character traits so they're not 1:1.
I suppose it also depends on whether or not your players care about that sort of thing though, and if you as the DM don't come clean about your shenanigans when caught.
I think the prior reply explained it best though. You're not literally copying and pasting a fictional character into your world and just changing their name. You're using good characters from fiction and copying their tropes into your world. Because those tropes work and they exist for a reason.
In any work of fiction, including building a TTRPG world, it is assumed you will be borrowing inspiration from other sources. I can't imagine having to try to come up with 100% unique characters and ideas to run for my players. I've had lots of instances too where I come up with something I think is original and a player asks "oh wait, is this inspired by X?"
Point of the ramble being: everything has been thought of to some degree—it's how the applications are used in your world that make them unique. Plus when we encounter a character that reminds us of an existing really good one, I think it makes it easier/more comfortable to get into a good RP mood with them. And even more fun when you do subversions of their existing character.
Yeah, after reading all of the replies, I get it now. I took the original post way too literally. I can see how recycling popular character tropes would be a good idea.
Mazes, riddles, color coordinated pictures, I think the cereal boxes point is actually a good idea for a kernel of a puzzle.
This post just made it very real to me how I could DM a game.
Cool cool cool
As a forever DM, it's pretty fun to DM and I think everyone should give it a shot
Especially if you enjoy the roleplay aspect, you get to roleplay so much
I do like roleplay, I write stories for fun already.
How did you get started?
Basically I just figured out what I needed to know for the bare minimum to run a game
Then my friends and I discussed it and that I was really new at it so things might be rough, and the DM screen is basically a quick reference guide for things you'll need to know
That was back in the days of DnD 3.5
With the new group I've got we decided to do 5e (which I had never ran before) so I picked up a starter set and ran it from there, which was really easy to do
A few quick tips for you: don't be afraid to improvise, don't be afraid to ask for a moment to look something up, don't worry about doing different voices for everyone you roleplay as it ain't necessary, and most of all have fun
Basically the biggest hurdle for DMing was getting past my nerves to actually commit to a date
Very cool, thank you for taking the time to explain.
It does sound really fun.
I'm going to be traveling for a while, I wonder how popular d&d is abroad
Not to just keep replying to you but it's also very doable online if you can't find players where you are
Oh! That's a great idea. And actually fits my lifestyle better, I travel a lot so another problem would be getting into a group and then leaving them high and dry when I moved.
I appreciate the thought and the replies, thanks
Not the person you asked, but another forever dm who likes it.
I fell into it because I wanted to play and the best way to control scheduling was to run the game.
If you like to write stories that's wonderful - take a look at some of the pre generated adventures in any system to understand how the different components work in pen and paper games. Just remember that no plot can survive contact with the players unscathed (after all it's group story telling)- and some level of improve skill will help the overall experience. After that just have fun.
Makes sense, I think I can roll with the punches.
That's also really good point about being able to keep a consistent schedule. I think I'd prefer to be able to have the adventure on time.
You can't. You can do better sometimes but there will still be hiccups. As far as I'm aware the groups most likely to be actually consistent have been playing together since they were in school.
This isn't meant to be discouraging at all! The opposite in fact. Don't let those hiccups, common or rare, stop you. Just be aware of their possibility and ready to adapt. Ability to adapt is the most useful tool in the GM toolbox at the table and approaching it.
Haha, yea that's rings true as well, good reality check.
Thank you
You wouldn't put them wholesale into a game. For example, you'd mentally label an NPC as a 'Spock' and play him as intellectual and logical. Another as a 'McCoy' and play him as compassionate, emotional, and a bit of a catastrophiser. Obviously, you wouldn't use them together as the crew of a ship (along with a 'Kirk' and a 'Scotty'), that would be a bit on the nose. And you wouldn't steal characters' history or catch-phrases, you would just use the core of the character as a shorthand for personality, as a guide for how they might present themselves, think, and interact with others.
There's no reason, say, a fantasy city council couldn't be run by:
Ah, now I get it! Thanks for spelling it out for me.
That being said, I straight-up stole Dr. T'Ana from Lower Decks as a ship surgeon.
While reading this comment I had the thought of a stoic warrior type that was very much an outsider to the society he was mostly operating in but very open to learning about the things that are new to him. Occasionally he would really embrace some part of that culture and make his own references to it.
I'd probably call him Jaxson and get away with it until he said indeed.
Did you memorize all the Dora the Explorer plotlines? Should they switch to Go, Diego, Go?
I never mentioned anything about the Dora the Explorer plotlines. That one actually sounds like a pretty good idea. And yes, they should get some from Go, Diego, Go while they're at it lol.
Yeah the puzzle one might be tough but the rest are pretty good
The TV characters thing is also one that's kinda meh
See I think the tv characters idea is great. You’re not going to literally imitate them. But you also don’t need to build every single NPC from scratch and method act lol. Sometimes I’ll go “alright this dude is basically Barney Stinson” or whatever in my mind and then just let it roll.
And even if you do create "original" characters, it can be extremely helpful to imagine your fantasy casting for them to aid in your roleplay. This big guy is John Goodman, that suave rogue is George Clooney, the gnome over there is Jim Carey.
Exactly. Just because you’re inspired by something doesn’t mean you are being unoriginal. And honestly, you’re just playing pretend with your friends. Who cares if you lift some ideas?
The most important thing is that everyone is having a good time.
I'll make it all even simpler.
Go to tvtropes! Copy and paste.