Including the Three Pillars of D&D Into Your Game

Mike talks about how to include the three pillars of D&D play; combat, exploration, and roleplaying; into just about any situation in your D&D games.

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[explodingsofa]

I thought I had been slacking on the "Exploration Pillar" until I saw this and realized I had been doing this for my players. Injecting all three pillars is certainly a great challenge for a growing DM.

[khpa]

This is great. The exploration pillar is always the one I have difficulty conceptualising because my mind always goes to wilderness travel/hexcrawling. And I love the idea of an illusory Dungeon Clippy: "Hi! I see you're trying to kill a lich...".

[giudalberto]

I won't stop telling you: love your clarity, and all of your pills of advice. I think they are one of the best things out there for people who wants to better their dm's skills. The fact that you can condensate everything into video this short makes it seems SO EASY that I'm not surprised that so many people want to try and start dming! Keep up with your good, excellent work! See you on your next video, and THANK YOU!

[thegivinggrimoire]

Thank you! I love your videos b/c you always give very useable advice without any filler content.

[Luca-wmer]

Handsdown the best DM advice i've ever heard, reagarding dming on an abstract level. Alot advice vidos i've watched focus heavily on one abstract aspect with highly specific examples, without giving aid on how to actually implement the advice given on an applicable level or how the mindset has to work. Thank you!

[PrehistoricLizard]

As Dane said below: "Helpful and clear advice". 👍

[henleydevelopmentalumni]

This is really helpful and clear, especially as I'm now running a second game!

[edwardromero]

An excellent way to think about the 3 Ps.

[Makenai_]

This is a brilliant way to think through your session. Btw starting DiA tomorrow. Wish me luck :D (very nervous)

[zxk]

DM: You see a...
Player: I stab it!

Every D&D group ever.

[richmcgee]

Overlooked but obvious dinner party combat: Drunken/hotheaded guest takes offense at a PC for some reason ("I don't like your tweed, sir.") and a fight ensues. Perhaps it's an impromptu duel at first, and the guest's friend's pile in when they start losing, leading to the whole party (maybe literally, not just the PCs) getting sucked into a free-for-all. Perhaps the guest arranges for his attendant bully-boys to assault the PCs when they step outside for a breath of fresh air (or a quiet word with a patron) in the garden. Perhaps the offended guest is spellcaster who botches a scroll spell meant to embarrass the PC and accidentally summons a few uncontrolled critters and the PCs need to step in to save everyone's skin, earning some gratitude in the process.

And sometimes the PCs do the work for you. I've had players stage fights between each other for various reasons, only for it to go wrong and draw unexpected NPCs into the action.

[elfbait]

I did find it interesting that an obvious "Things don't go right at the party and a fight breaks out" or maybe "somebody's honor is insulted and a duel is called for" didn't come up with the dinner party.

In the case of a fight amongst some or even all the guest, the party might have to quickly take sides. If a duel is called for, perhaps a PC find themselves at the point of a demand for satisfaction or, instead, maybe one or more of the PCs volunteer to fight for one of the parties involved in the duel as a champion.

[AndrewWilson-oljb]

Is there a reason this video is unlisted? I have the bell on and haven't seen this until today

[kevinncr]

content is great! but the audio and video seem a bit out of sync?

[ashleyfourie]

The 'roleplaying' pillar is actually called social interactions... All three pillars are roleplaying... Otherwise good video.