I Ditched Running Traditional Taverns in D&D... Here's Why.

Taverns and Inns are D&D adventure staples and this simple but effective trick can turn mundane watering holes into iconic hotspots your players will love.

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==== Timestamps ====
0:00 – Boring Taverns & Inns?
0:57 – Step 1: Go Beyond Names
1:45 – Step 2: Engage Players (Without Fights)
2:33 – Step 3: Add Some Drama
3:20 – The Ace Up Your Sleeve

[XinaTheGM]

Very nice! I find it's helpful to also have a particular class of NPC that regularly spends time at the bar/tavern/alehouse/cantina. It needs to be the type of people who fit in well with the venue's theme. If it's a known hangout for nobles in disguise hoping to experience life on the edge, starship mechanics, retired law enforcers, a wizard's guild, bounty hunters, or something else the party needs to contact at some point, it gives them more reason to go there.

[ERBanmech]

This is awesome too. I had some good ideas but now I can turn them into great ideas with the help of this video, my setting only has one major settlement in it so it’s important to make such meeting places memorable.

[Mr_Maiq_The_Liar]

Twisted taverns has much similar advice. I'm in love with The Grand Shanty, a pirate ship turned inn on the dock where the ghosts of it's former crew haunt it at dawn and dusk, singing sea shanties while they scrub the floors and serve the drinks

[MemphiStig]

I think of it like local restaurants. Not the chains, tho obviously they don't usually exist in D&D-type worlds. They're not all gimmicky and they don't all have unique hooks, as such, but they're all different, in size, atmosphere, and every other way, not to mention how the workers treat the customers, which often leads people to prefer one place over another. And they always have signature foods, or something that you get every time because it's best there. Skin it in magical fantasy, and suddenly your party will only hang out at the Gopnik Ogre Alehouse. And have reasons!

[vesanus]

My guess would be, that by creating more dynamic action instead of static aesthetics the players will start more often to focus on the actions. I think it would cause them to be drawn away from your main-story, engaging fights & dialoques you never planned and then have to improvise and ultimately leads to confusion what to do because no action is "in the focus" to start the scene.

What are your experiences with creating more dynamic action just for ambience? Is it as misleading as I think and your players often get confused or run off track?
Or am I wrong about this?
Because it does sound like a beautfiul thing to do to get more life into your places

[RandyKalista]

I like it. I guess I just needed permission to turn my taverns into flash-bang encounters instead of static locations.