So you wanna be a Dungeon Master? (Guide to Dungeon Mastering)

This is my guide to how to be a Dungeon Master. For this, you should also read my roll system guide, unless you have a roll system of your own. Here's the link anyway. Click here to see!


What would this be used for?

Well, there are not massive RP PvP wars constantly, and going around fighting NPCs for RP is quite dull, specially with the whole level thing. Either your guildies are getting ganked by dragons, or you kill mobs by farting within a one mile radius of them. Dungeon masters come from old skool "Pen and Paper" style RP. Back in the days where you had bits of paper, you'd draw your characters, draw maps, grab some dice and imagine the rest. Now this might seem like cave man RP to some of you, but I assure you, the style has it's perks. So, you wanna do something else than talk around a fire or watch your character get wasted in a bar, while the drama around you slowly degenerates to the point the place is a med bay, while next to them you have everyone ganging up on some poor soul who's trying to speak to someone who doesn't want to be spoken to, though they are clearly speaking to their friends. Both of which, you don't really want to take part in, but it's all that's going on.. so you try. But all of a sudden it's private RP happening in a public location. Lol, sorry just giving you a mixture situations I've been in, specially back when I used to RP on Argent Dawn. Sometimes even the 'sly' emotes become really spiteful. It's like "Argh, is b**ching at each other like this your idea of fun?!" Why does this happen I wonder? Maybe if all the big armored tough guys should vent some steam by doing the heroic stuff we all got into fantasy RP to do in the first place.. just a thought. Well how do we make that possible? My solution is Dungeon Master, or Dungeon and Dragon style RP.

How is this done?

First you gotta think of a concept, you are the one that is gonna be leading the RP if you be the Dungeon Master. So, what could you do? Well, let's start off with a trivial task. "Ahh, I need to get this shipment to the next town, but the roads are not safe to travel alone." Okay, simple let's go with that, you go find some big armored tough guys to help you. Maybe even offer them some rewards if they help. (Note, you don't have to be one of these tough guys to lead the RP, but you can be too.) Now you form a party, or raid. Use /rw /r or /p as a descriptive channel. I personally make raid groups and use /rw as descriptive channel and /r as OOC channel. But if you just wanna make a party, make an OOC or IC descriptive channel, /join RPevent for example. Think of original names so you don't accidently join some one else's channel. In the descriptive channel, you can describe environmental details/actions, NPCs and what they say/their actions.

So now you are on your way to the next town, having a nice chat with the tough guys. Well, it could go all fine and dandy.. or you can add a twist. That's up to you. But for the sake of the guide, let's say you add a twist. BAM! Bandits ambush you. (Note you have to imagine the bandits.) /rw The Bandits jump from the shadows, they laugh manically, "Argh, looky here, we got some fresh meat!" You then use rolls to fight. (reffer to rolling system guide). Now, if you use a raid group, the raid markers are really handy. They let you mark where the NPCs are, and all people need to do is state which NPC they are attacking in OOC. *Goes to stab the bandit* /r Purple marker You then emote the out come in your descriptive channel which is exclusive to Dungeon Masters, depending on the out come of rolls. Then you emote the NPC attacks in the descriptive channel and roll for them. Now you can do the NPCs individually, but if you feel a mass attack would be better you can say *The bandits throw a small TNT, roll over "x" to not get hurt.* X being any number between 1-100 you feel is suitable for the "mass attack". Anyone who gets hurt loses 1 hp or whatever you feel is suitable for the situation. I often use 1 hp as the norm because otherwise you can end up KOing your fellow RPers really quickly. This goes on till the fight is over. If you feel like it's lasting too long, you can always make the NPCs flee. Remember, it's like a story, fluidity is important. If you don't use mass attacks, and make the bandits attack people individually make sure you state the player being attacked and you roll quickly, and move on to the next one. Try and keep NPC attacks simple for fluidity, we don't need a *And the bandit twists his left leg 45° to the right and bends forwards slightly. Moving elegantly through the air, he swings his blade in a fluid, curved, stabbing motion. Aiming to hit Brettus in the knee, to cripple him by severing his hamstring.* You just need to say, *The bandit aims a sharp stab at Brettus, hoping to cripple his legs.*

Woohoo! You get to the town and everything's cool. Or you all just got mugged by bandits. Either way, better than bar drama, don't you think?

Another example, and this can be used for any environmental dangers, such as traps or hazardous things. *Trix is near a trip wire, roll over 55 to notice it and avoid it.* Or *Roll over 30 to not slip into the acid.*

You need to be able to improvise to the situation. Think of the bigger picture rather than just your own character. I'll probably think of some more cool things to share with you on this subject in the future, but right now it's almost 3 a.m. Just remember, don't plan it too much because you are interacting with other human beings, and they will most likely do anything but what you could fore see. You need a start and a finish. The middle is vague, and the finish might change half way through anyway.

Not all RP has to be dramatic and heroic, just remember, it could have just been a nice lovely walk, talking to some people on your way to the town.

Peace out