3 Steps to Improve Your Narration in D&D (#99)

As a DM, do you struggle to find the right words to narrate the game? Do you over-narrate and bore your players? Or, at the end of your narration do you ask, "What do you want to do?," only to be greeted with confused stares or bizarre actions from the players? Professor Dungeonmaster will eliminate these problems with his three step process to improve narration: 1) paint the scene 2) move the camera 3) lead the players. Watch it and share with your favorite Game Master!


Music:
"Fury of the Dragon's Breath" by Peter Crowley

[isultansultangaliev]

I don't know anything about this man but he looks like the most respectable Dungeon Master I've ever seen.

[GreekGeek]

Two words: Robert Howard. Read his stories. He is the best I know in describing an entire city or a battle with only a few sentences. Much more effective than bloated text.

[thenoble]

When DMing, I bend the rules to what works for our group, so mechanical videos don't help as much, but these RP/flavor videos help a ton. Thanks, DC!

[trouqe]

"Barbarian of Seville, " he says with smooth transition.

[craddockficara]

I love this, but would humbly suggest one important took, the leading question. I often have quirky thinking out of the box players who often have unexpected ideas, so I use the leading question to tell them, "I wasn't planning a stop here, but what about you?". So, for example at the door to the inn, I would say " so you go inside?" And a quick nod and we continue, but it gives the players a chance to jump in and take an action.

[Keaggan]

When you stop and said we can imagine the "large mahogany desk and frills around his collar" I thought damn NOW I see it...now I FEEL it too" which added the next level immersion that makes RPGs so great.

I think you're cutting yourself short. Spending 10 seconds instead of 30 is fine but dropping it down to 3 seconds helps no one.

[bretsheeley]

Not sure why YouTube randomly gave me this video from over 15 months ago, but I highly appreciate it.

[fuzzydragon]

if my players asked for the reader digest version of the city I would pause take a sip of tea and proceed to describe how the city looks as the Roc swoops in and carried off his character evicerating it over the spiraling towers, his blood striking red atop the terracotta tiles of the rooves that overhang the sleepy cobbled streats that wind with serpentine sugjestion across the primordial slopes of the hillside, his pancreas carried off by one of the city's many stray dogs that go unnoticed by those with eyes for the higher concerns and profits of man.

[hedgewizardly]

Your third point is the problem I've been stuck on that NO-ONE else I've found has seemed to address, thank you so so much!!

[johnbruno]

I love all of professor dungeon master’s videos!

[haveswordwilltravel]

I am guilty of over-describing things. I really needed to hear this advice. Thanks Professor.

[duskanddawn]

Huh, interesting. I really like deep description of rooms if my character is looking around, or sneaking in. It really helps me create the room in my head, and see things I can use. For example, how can I say that I will pull the bookshelf down against an enemy if the DM didn't say there was one there? And I noticed that as a DM, I do overdetail a lot. I never had any player complain about it though. I guess it depends from table to table.

[bryankiep]

This has been the most helpful DnD video I have seen on YouTube so far. It demonstrates the art of how to be more clear and concise. I’ve enjoyed immensely. Thank you!

[nswmeeuwes]

These tips are so important, one of the biggest problems in many games is the "What do you do?" When there is no choice to be made: "On your way to the village of Barovia, you come along a fork in the road. A sign says the road to the left leads to Barovia. What do you do?" or the "There's three tunnels, which one do you take?". Being clueless towards the difference between choices or one choice being obviously optimal is really boring.

I think it comes from the fear of railroading, where games become too much of a sandbox. Giving the players information and a goal is not railroading.

[Roulouffson]

I regularly play in a VampireThe Masquerade game where we only have 3 players. Our Storyteller (DM), describes the flow just as the Professor describes here. We roll no dice in our games, save a few for very rare combat encounters and the story moves almost like a play or book.
A brilliant video for beginners and experienced players alike. This should always come before UDTs and worries about initiative.

[Fjuron]

Suggesting the players options of what they could or should do through clever narration is truly helpful.
Not only does it engage them more, but also keep ups the pace excellently.
Especially for newer players; I can tell from my experience with my current group. 😊

[Mannahnin]

Great stuff as usual. Spending all the time and planning effort to burgle the office is something some groups really enjoy, but it's always good to be aware that as a GM you don't have to use all that detail and spend all that time if you don't want to or the pace of the game would suffer.

Some great tidbits about emphasis, focus, and giving players enough info to engage with the world and not be lost, too.

[markc]

You're "crazy guy" minimalistic custom rules are what makes you unique! It's why I subscribed. Keep up the good work.

[briantalbert]

Great vid as always Dan. You've definitely helped me up my DMing skills and I've been playing since '78.

[goyasolidar]

To be fair, having to make a Spot Hidden roll to find your luggage is totally legit.