Creating and Running Factions | 5e D&D | Web DM

Factions are fantastic for generating adventure hooks and creating a world for your Dungeons and Dragons or any TTRPG game that feels alive. Jim Davis is here to tell you a story about how he thinks about and implements them.

Time stamps:

0:00 Storytime
7:45 How to Run Factions
16:48 Jim’s Dice Oracle
21:16 More tools to Use to Create Factions
24:24 Our Annotated Index for running Factions in 5e

RESOURCES:

#dnd #dungeonsanddragons #ttrpg

Instagram - web_dm

Written & Hosted by Jim Davis
Produced and Directed by Emma Lambert
Edited by Brandon Fraley
Web DM was created by Travis Boles, Jonathan Pruitt, and Jim Davis

[edwinbergeron]

Loving your updated format, keep it up Jim! Also really into the background music / art slides

[mathewfrance]

This episode was very smooth. Im into the new format. Well done WebDM team.

[eminentbishop]

I was really sad about Pruitt stepping down though mad respect for a man who's not willing to sacrifice their health, mental or otherwise, at the altar of suck-it-up, but I gotta say I really appreciate this softer more intimate approach. That oracle stuff was genius thank you

[animelemon]

(Obligatory 1st)

But also I appreciate this video because it's an often underexplained part of the game! The background music and your anecdotes are wonderful

[IanBoyte]

Running factions? This is the type of content I come to WebDM for!

[MrSilvUr]

MFW: I'm about to shout out Blades in the Dark and Stars Without Number as resources for factions, but Jim already has them in the video.

[coopermckinlay]

I've rewatched this video several times now, I love this video.

[elrathor]

Unexpected style change? Yes. Do I like it anyways? Oh yes! Great work, keep it up.

The music gives it the feeling of a cozy fireside chat, so one has to ask the question what fantastic beverage one would combine with it? Besides that: As a mostly Vampire: The Masquerade storyteller, creating stories in a game with a couple of prewritten factions at it's core, I found it very helpful to have look back after each session and determine at least one way the player actions touched their goal and how it changed the path forward.

[RJ_Ehlert]

A Lich separating itself into two halves that fight each other is so sick!

[MrRawryorawr]

Your dice oracle is officially my favorite thing! I enjoy factions and don't go into too much depth but have a tendency to let them just disappear from the world until I go "crap that was a thing." Fantastic!

[MrLightmass]

Seeing y'all in game stores around town (in the before times that is) is still crazy, having been following y'all since close to the start of this whole endeavor, keep it up!

[BrokeGoblin]

The Oracle dice! Ah such a cool feature and tool

[lukewilson]

Two thoughts:
1) This is one of the most brilliant and utilitarian videos y’all have ever made. I love the dice-as-faction concept. I think it will be an extremely helpful worldbuilding tool in my future.
2) Thank you, Jim, for continuing to make these videos after the resignation of your onscreen collaborative partner. I remember Pruitt introducing you as “my DM” at the beginning of the first video of yours I watched, and since then, you’ve sorta become our DM as well. We appreciate everything you and the Web DM team do to bring these videos to us.

[moltenbrisingr]

Thanks for the awesome video! I can’t tell you how much better these videos have made me as a DM. I look forward to watching them for years!

[Xplora]

16:48 this is absolutely genius, combined with Professor DM’s d20 army conflict resolver could be just showing different groups fighting and succeeding against each other. I like conflicting groups but it’s really hard to show that happening in the day to day. Excellent.

[joshuamcconnor]

Loving the format you're moving forward with as a team at WebDM. Been with you guys since before I can remember, change doesn't have to herald woe ♡ Great video

[stephenfetterusso]

Web DM got me back into the hobby! Thank you for always inspiring with content. Definitely enjoying seeing Jim experiment with the new format✌🏼

[Barquevious_Jackson]

This is the best video I've seen from your channel is a long time. You're clear and give good advise straight to the viewer with no thrills attached while still maintaining a slick presentation.

It's stylish and yet informative in a way many videos on YouTube struggle to be. I think this new direction is fantastic and I can't wait to see your next video.

[Heimal]

"everything you do should be focused on giving choices and hooks to your players" (paraphrased).

This. I'm drowning in building a setting and this really helps. It's not about me building a setting that runs by itself, or fits within "the canon", or something so huge and complex that people tell me I'm good. It's about providing a good game for my players, and that means adventure hooks and cool choices. Thanks WebDM.

[geoffdewitt]

Just got off like 12 hours of travel. This 100% the chill content I needed.