How to Run a DnD Sandbox

ABOUT EARTHMOTE:

This channel uses affiliate links, which support Earthmote at no additional cost to you.

______________________________________________
Check out my other Sandbox Videos Referenced:

Chris McDowall's Systems:

______________________________________________
#dnd #osr #sandbox #ttrpg #dungeonsanddragons
_______________________________________________
Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statue that might otherwise be infringing.

[Earthmote]

Check out my other Sandbox Videos Referenced:

Chris McDowall's Systems:

[trequor]

Just started a new campaign as a super-sandbox. I told my players straight up when they chose it (from among several options) that it would only work if it was PLAYER-DRIVEN.

I drove that point home with our session zero that consisted of breaking many bad habits. We built 20 levels worth of backstory for the time travel campaign and it was essentially all up to them to come up with. I just integrated the ideas into the setting. It was broad-scope practice for playing in the super-sandbox and it worked wonderfully.

Now even in our other campaign these players are driven and decisive

[justchica]

I think it’s important to remember that a sandbox campaign should still have a story. The story is set by the players but the dm still has to set things up so whatever the direction they chose can become a story. It’s kind of like you’re wrapping the story around the players

[Marcus-kien]

As a DM look for the player that is more or most decisive. There is almost always a natural leader in the group. Encourage them off line to move the group forward (what ever direction they choose) As a player support the leader or if there are none, step up and try being that leader. This doesn't mean everyone has to do what you say, but rather getting the group to move in a direction.

[Zarion]

OMFG! Your take on sandbox is brilliant! Please keep up the good work. I have watched so many bad DM advice videos lately it makes me sad for the state of RPGs. Your take on how sandbox play works is unbelievable refreshing. Seriously, keep up your good work. Railroad GMs are a dime a dozen, they are a sad edition to the RPG community. As a player, I want to be the hero of my own story, not a side character in the GMs narrative. Your video is inspiring, keep up the good work!

[robertparshall]

With sandbox you have to have things going on in the world. If you expect player's to do everything with no direction the game will fail.
You can make a sandbox and still have direction. If you have a spellcaster then it could be as simple as not giving a focus and having them collect material components. This gives them something to do that's small and a type of job. Then you have to have places to go and find most relatively easy. And places to get rumors about other places to go and things going on in your world that they choose to join in on.
Have a great game

[oettrpg]

Insightful! Wonderful video. I love the ICI framework. Personally, I use the "Adventure & Campaign Fronts" from Dungeon World and create links to the player's backstories within them. It's simple and easy to do, easy to manage, and it creates an immersive world that the players are interested in with a feeling of urgency, mystery, and suspense. Also, the GM doesn't have to do EVERYTHING.... going to a new town? ask the players what rumors they have heard about this town, and use that as the spark of life for this town0. Maybe some of those rumors are true, some of them not and the people of the town are insulted by the stereotype, maybe the rumors are true but the danger is worse than they thought - and check to see if there is a way to connect this town to the overarching campaign front or the adventure front they are currently purueing. They players will track the world events better this way too because contributing to the world makes it easier for them to remember rather than lore dumping on them.

[BDTMack]

Great video! I really appreciate the questions appearing on the screen for us to read along with. The ICI framework is really useful. I must remember it and challenge myself to add more consequences both opaque and clear for my players' actions in my campaign.

[PhilipDudley]

Good stuff! I've also heard the term "Theme Park" as well. Player-driven goals are important as you said too.

[xavierp]

Very helpful for anyone looking to run a sandbox. I’m currently running a sandbox Spelljammer campaign

[mopperl]

I always sandbox with my players, we visit different worlds from time to time when we feel we achived a milestone to get a change of scenery.
My go-to is that I use modified boardgames which I play solo - or with another player like my spouse, which I then translate into happenings in the world the players inhabit, makes the world random and feel alive.

[tantalus_complex]

You have a remarkably high "adjudicate" to non-"adjudicate" word ratio!

Teasing aside, great content!

[freddaniel]

"Stay engaged" is good advice for players and GM. "Doing nothing" is not a good strategy for either GM or players whether in a sandbox or railroad. Jump in, explore, follow up on leads, pursue the mysteries and push at the limits to discover boundaries, this is the way I have found success both in running and playing in a sandbox. When it works, there is nothing in TTRPG better than sandbox play.

[swordsnstones]

pretty much how i play all of my games, i have a story and prepped encounters and i drop hints and subtle pathways to hopefully intrigue the pcs and let them make their choices, and they do go off on their own and i have to find something and drop it in on the fly so little bit of everything as far as game style

[Joshuazx]

I love tips like ICI. Anything that gives me a method or framework to help me better understand and implement a concept is great!

[nathanaelthomas]

Awesome video! I think you gave some great advice and really helped break it down and make it practical and actionable not just talk about theoretical principles and leave us wondering how to implement them. Thanks!

[arturb..]

Thanks for this sandbox series - it came just in time as I'm starting out with my own hexcrawl campaign ;)

[GateKeeperPat]

Enjoying this sandbox series. I’d like to hear about some more examples from your table. What information you prepped, how it was discovered by your players, then the consequence that it created.

[silencioso]

found ur channel recently. Would love a video on tips for a scarface, gta, saints row type modern day campaign! sandbox emergent style

[robertparshall]

I am now personally running a game that all the main characters have been enslaved and sold off from other worlds and brought to this material plane after spending years in gladiator fighting and digging for hours on the elemental plane of earth. They have now made a deal with their Dao master to gain more workers for him. And they have made him think they can get indentured servants by offering jobs to people and have them show up on a certain day to go to the place they will work for their time and be paid a set amount for this time. Problem they only recently found out is time does not move the same in the planes as on the material plane. Well they also found that gathering bandits and cultists and turning them over to the boss helps keep them out of trouble and gives them freedom also, he only wants bodies does not care if indentured or slave. And this is there motivation for doing anything. "They do not want to go back"