5 Reasons Your Players DON'T Give a S*it (And What To Do About It) | D&D | TTRPG | Web DM

Sometimes it seems like your players just don't care. You might be right. And there might be something you can do about it! Watch and find our solutions to this common D&D problem.
This episode is sponsored by MONTE COOK GAMES and their new Kickstarter for The Devil Made Us Do It - play the best heist game of your life with no prep! www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
Time Stamps:
0:00 Intro
2:19 What can DMs do to help? It may not be on you!
3:22 Problem: Lack of Agency or Influence
6:47 Solution: Let your players do things, even if it has consequences
9:03 Get over 200 exclusive podcast episodes on Patreon now!
9:27 Problem: Confusion or bewilderment
13:11 Solution: Ample clarification, let players recap, make notes accessible
14:58 Problem: Mismatched play styles
17:18 Solution: Talk about how everyone engages the game, and vary up styles in each session
21:07 Problem: Boredom
23:42 Invest in your relationship with your players, GMs and players be flexible, try not to take it personally (it might not be about the game!)
25:09 Problem: Lack of direction or urgency
26:57 Solution: consider pacing and how much the players’ decisions matter
30:56 Pre-Order Worlds of Web DM: Weird Wastelands now!
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Written & Hosted by Jim Davis and Jonathan Pruitt
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[@WebDM]

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[@TheJacobv1992]

Dd

[@jameswarner1928]

Jim's points on boredom and reckoning with it as a DM were really moving. It's something I dread as a dungeon master and I'm grateful you approached it with such authenticity and vulnerability.

[@WebDM]

Thank you!

[@karatekoala4270]

In our games, who ever gives the recap gets a luck point (inspiration) but the fun part is that we usually tell it in the frame of mind of our character similar to how Luiz in Ant-Man does.

[@cohoverthrower3670]

That's awesome! Great idea!

[@nicholasromero238]

Maaaan, I like doing that, but I got "punished" for it, in a way, but getting mocked as trying to overembelish by the DM and now I feel kind of insecure doing a player side recap

[@mirthfulArtist]

We do that recap=inspiration thing too, but everyone forgets to use their inspiration once they've got it. 😅

[@karatekoala4270]

@@mirthfulArtist 🤣🤣🤣 classic!

[@brianclarke3727]

Great video as always! Just came here to say: sometimes your players are having a great time even if your brain tells you they aren't. I struggle with this a lot. I'm worried that no one cares about all the stuff I put my heart and soul into when I don't get the reactions I imagined. But my players are happy at the table and they get excited to play again, so sometimes the engagement problem is also imaginary.

[@WebDM]

Excellent point Brian!

[@itzybitzyspyder]

I feel this.

[@moonbeholder]

I’m happy Jim got a new microphone. his voice sounds kind of lifeless sometimes compared to Pruitt’s, and I think it’s just been his mic quality

[@Wyrdnairon]

The issue I run into often with several groups, regarding "hiding/keeping secret information", is that the players have neither notion nor motivation to pursue that information. There's something to be said about rewarding your players generously for investigating, but they have to actually INVESTIGATE first, and that's where the "players don't give a shit" dilemma rears it's head. Too many players expect to be spoon-fed the plot, told where to go, what to do, with no investment of their own, as an audience member, rather than a driver of the plot.

[@Wyrdnairon]

@@mogalixir I feel like you might have hopped over my initial point; to elaborate, it doesn't actually matter if you, as a DM, hide results behind a roll or not, if the players don't bother to investigate in the first place. Put another way, opening the gate to a baby-brained obstacle course that only requires forward momentum to complete is meaningless, if they choose to not move from the starting line. Ease or transparency doesn't matter, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. DMs may grant agency, but the players are the ones who have to use it once they're given it, and in the end, it's the player who needs to decide if they want to play a game, or simply be front-row popcorn guests at a RenFaire. If I have to drag my players through a story of my own writing and their only responsibility is to hit what I want them to hit and go where I want them to go, I might as well write a novel. I'd have less resistance that way, at any rate.

[@matthewleahy6565]

yeah, people have different expectations of how to play D&D. Meta communication about this stuff can hopefully prevent DMs from turning bitter and players from being bored.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

This 'players as passive audience members' problem definitely seems like a recent trend. Young people more and more are being trained not to think, not to take initiative or be decisive, and to accept things with no motivation to change. Almost all "activities" involve very little actual action.

[@Wyrdnairon]

@@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself More like, 'nerdy' activities were always measured by hardcore dedication to a thing. And recent years have been so inundated with media options, clamoring for audience, that by now everyone feels as though the media has to EARN their attention. The big part of TTRPGs is, they take a long time, and aren't always that transparent. DND especially is bad, in that few people learn how to play it from the book, and instead learn from their friends or from watching podcasts. They don't even REALIZE they're being apathetic, because they don't even know that the product doesn't work without their investment.

[@WeShallLoveOn]

A thing that's great to do to foster engagement is to give your players "jobs". So I have one person who is The Notetaker, one person who keeps track of items, a leader, a ruleslaywer. The important thing is that these are player roles they don't necessarily correspond to their characters. Now it doesn't mean only one person can take notes, but the important thing is to have a point of contact for these things. It helps keep the game moving. The jobs could really be anything your group needs. It's really helped in my games. Campaign pitch doc has also helped a lot. Don't keep secrets about what the campaign is about. Tell them a dark lord is the bbeg so when they see the grim portents they don't just go "okay cool dead birds let's keep going". They will be more scared if they know what's coming.

[@adamkaris]

Especially for the item tracker. Then the dm just looks at them and lists the things off. And you don't have to wait for 5 different people with different writing speeds to take notes as they decide, on the spot, who gets what

[@WeShallLoveOn]

@@adamkaris yep it's so much easier. Plus you have fewer disagreements like different people having different records or what the group has. Because we have one master copy that's what we go with.

[@Karina-Loves-Andreas]

I'm playing with a new DM, he's an experienced & motivated player, 3 of 4 players are brand new to D&D, the 4th has moderate experience. We've had trouble with pacing, I think (at least I'm struggling, not having as good time as I could). All five of us really like each other as people, they're WONDERFUL guys (2 are friends of mine for decades). So we're all giving each other slack, understanding that there's a steep learning curve. This video was helpful! I think I've figured out some of the issues from this, and hopefully it will help me explain to the DM some things we might change up a bit. Even just the recap idea alone was worth watching this video for-- thanks!!

[@davidrose7938]

My wife takes notes from the point of view of her character. She recaps the past session at the beginning of each session and if her character wasn’t involved its not there. We love her for it. We happen to have 9 players and it’s several pages of recap each time.

[@geoffdewitt6845]

This is eerily well-timed.

[@Wimikk]

I thought it was just me… *thought all the people reading this*

[@bohemianprince7944]

They do that all the time haha. I asked them for a topic and they said "we filmed it, it will be out in 2 weeks"

[@MrSilvUr]

That music bot in your Discord server? Actually just Pruitt.

[@MrGameadd1ct]

Yeah same XD

[@kaleidoslug7777]

It always is

[@JustMelsie]

"I didn't kill anybody, I just made 'er shit" Truly a line for the ages

[@CircusYT]

Huge procrastinator checking in, listening to you guys always gets me to start my weekly DM prep!

[@Swedishdest]

In one campaign I do the recap somewhat in character as my gnome wizard using minor illusion and mage hand as a PowerPoint presentation for the other characters. Sometimes it’s odd since obviously we aren’t stopping on the top of a volcano for 10 mins to talk about what we just did. But other times it’s added role play when the Dragonborn threw my gnome and I got knocked out and the next session my gnome had come up with rules surrounding when and how gnome tossing should be conducted. (With permission first)

[@O4C209]

I like the giving XP for doing the recap. I think I'll give Inspiration for it though.

[@michaelmcgee8189]

I give a flat 25% XP bonus on every session for writing recaps and I do not regret it. Inspiration seems too small for handing out homework.

[@seymourfields3613]

My DM is running milestone levels, and tells us we each have one inspiration to award another player with. We never do. I got inspiration once, it was from the DM, because I ordered coffee with breakfast at a tavern. I like your idea.

[@skelitonking117]

yea idk, i don't think you should be rewarded that heavily for simply playing the game and being a good player lol

[@michaelmcgee8189]

@@skelitonking117 sure that makes sense, but on the other hand it doesnt take much of a squint to decide almost every thing about the game is being rewarded for playing the game and being a good player. to put it bluntly, XP is what tells the players what to do if they want to level up. if you give out XP for killing things, that's not only what they'll do, that's how they'll engage with the world. if you only give XP out for murder hoboism, you generate murder hobos. if you also hand out XP for roleplaying, you'll generate roleplayers. if you also hand out XP for note taking, you'll generate note takers. i wanted killers and roleplayers and note takers, and thats why i hand out XP for all of those.

[@Karina-Loves-Andreas]

@@michaelmcgee8189 Your table sounds great!! Can you have a chat with my DM?🤣

[@theforkster1]

I’ve had issues like this in my own campaigns. How I fixed it: I talked with my players and asked them if they were enjoying D&D, it turned out that D&D wasn’t their kind of game and they just wanted to hang out with the group. So we changed up to biweekly games and on the off weeks we played other games so everyone in the friend group could be happy. The current campaign was a 6 player homebrew game then turned into a gestalt game with a total of 3 PCs, and it has been the best campaign I have run so far. And still enjoy hanging out with the other guys on the off weeks!

[@WebDM]

Great solution!

[@theforkster1]

@@WebDM Thanks! And thank you for the content that you have been making for us. It has certainly helped me out with my games. Keep up the good work!

[@skelitonking117]

yea idk about that; DM'S put in way to much time and effort to continue doing that for a group that legit just doesn't care about the game and just wants to hang out, at that point save yourself the effort and just, hang out

[@theforkster1]

@@skelitonking117 Forgive me, it seems I didn’t express my comment clearly enough. About 3 players in my group just wanted to hang out and play board games, they enjoyed D&D, but they weren’t as invested as the remaining players. So the D&D game turned into a biweekly game with 3 players and we hang out with the other guys on the off weeks. The other guys know that if they want to play D&D they are still welcome at the table. Like Jim said in the video, DMs play host and are there to entertain those they invite. But if some players are not having a good time and are not invested in the game, but others are enjoying the game and having fun. I found that if I wanted to have a game where people were invested that I just needed to find players who wanted to be invested and find another solution for the remaining friends. This worked for my friends and I, the others enjoy hearing about our game, but they would rather play For example, Munchkin, Boss Monster, Magic: The Gathering, etc. And this worked out for everyone and we’re having fun with this new schedule.

[@t2acre]

Pruitt is your questionnaire publicly available anywhere. I am prepping for a new campaign currently and would be interested in looking it over and potentially giving it to my players.

[@EndyHawk]

I’m one of two DM’s in my group, and it has been really difficult over the past year to realize that my interests are leaning more and more OSR in style and tone, and the other DM’s goes more and more superheroic high fantasy. It makes it really hard for my tastes to feel like anything in his campaign is plausible, and difficult for our players to even understand HOW to approach a game like mine that de-centralizes dice in investigation/interaction and isn’t bursting with the “single big fight per day”. But we’re good enough friends that we can just accept that we each have our style and learn from it.

[@robertsnell734]

as someone also leaning heavily towards osr lately, i understand

[@DaDunge]

12:40 We used to offer inspiration for that. But some players never wanted to do it so we dropped it eventually.

[@utahgetme2461]

You guys make great content, thank you. Being said, it's time to take your show to the next level and that responsibility falls solely on Pruitt. It's about time to grace your face with an epic mustache. Next level.

[@WebDM]

Your request has been noted

[@utahgetme2461]

@@WebDM look no further than the movie tombstone for inspiration. Or Tom Selleck

[@acaeleus]

Our game has swollen with players and keeping everyone invested can get difficult, so these episodes are always appreciated from you wonderful people. ❤

[@hawkeyesblue9254]

Always good to get some dm tips...keep us learning to be better

[@Izandaia]

Love the use of timestamps here.

[@Doughy_in_the_Middle]

Thanks guys. Timely. I'm clipping a section and sending this to my table tonight.

[@travisc2127]

great advice as always guys

[@LuvLikeTruck]

Pruitt is looking like Sir Elton John with his glasses today

[@AmarothEng]

Here with another issue with pacing and investment we have recently been dealing with in our campaign: too much urgency. In a way. We got into position where a lot of things felt like irrelevant, because there was this main quest to be on and deal with BBEG ASAP. So, we found ourselves skipping through content on the way, not paying attention to it, and not caring about it at all, because we were effectively speed running towards something what was just disproportionally bigger than what was on the way to it. Due to some other designes in the campaign, we also felt, at many times even knew, that places we are going through are actually completely irrelevant and us stopping in them wouldn't really do anything. Now, I am putting some things into a bit of extreme and siplifying a way more complicated and complex matter, as there were way more issues involved we are currently working on fixing, but I just wanted to say that too much of urgency or too much of focus on the main quest can be just as dangerous as no urgency at all, because it effectively undermines the importance of everything on the road to the objective and franky, the players and their characters as well. The players end up railroading themselves and removing their agency on their own, as ironic as it sounds.

[@rayquinn1974]

@Amaroth Agreed, I hear you on this. As a new player in the 'Princes of the Apocalypse' campaign, finding out afterward that much of the content was stripped out was a bit disappointing, as I wanted an immersive D&D experience. That 'stuff' is setting and world building, on top of being fun even if not always Deadly encounters, and possibly even a bit of lore and loot… Early in the game imagine the party stopping by a town for a night and moving on to then find out - *because* of our visit - a night or two later on our journey that town is now a smoldering crater, all inhabitants nuked. You know, to set the appropriate level of desperation to try and prevent the rest of the world from ending soon after. We never felt free to go anywhere that wasn't critically important as the next step, even without plausible preparation, since the clock wasn't just ticking, we were watching a bomb count down for the next target… A similar situation applied to our 'totally open world sandbox, no railroading like the last adventure module had' campaign of our DM's creation. We could be or do anything we wanted and the game would be made to fit us. Yet we started in very compromised positions, already condemned and forced to be on the run for reasons we never discover. We quickly find ourselves having to save a city of thousands from torturous demise where none realize it, or that they are saved. Plunged next into desperately skirting world war we then embark on saving the world from being obliterated… so yeah, things escalated quickly. I feel like their is an unspoken and dire pressure on DMs to force-fit games to be an epic tale with the tension of the most dire scenarios in LotR, etc. As a player it just feels heavy-handed, unnecessary, and honestly stressful after most sessions. And that is on top of any other issues that arise separate to the deadly burden of plot progression…

[@AmarothEng]

@@rayquinn1974 Yeah, that's exactly it. Too much is too much, too little is too little. This is just one of many topics where one actually has to focus on seeking reasonable balance.

[@mirthfulArtist]

How to keep me engaged: Don't play past 10:30pm. I don't get bored...but God do I ever get *tired.*

[@jcmartin1978]

The best way to fix this is to build your campaign around your characters story and not your own story… since I adopted this approach, all of my players have been engaged every game.

[@skelitonking117]

that legitimately doesn't make sense unless your using a premade setting; how do you make a story around the characters; if the characters don't have a world to act in yet lmfao

[@jcmartin1978]

@@skelitonking117 You work with your players to come up with a backstory, motivations and goals for their characters and you build your campaign and adventures around them- I don’t understand how that doesn’t make sense to you.

[@jcmartin1978]

@@skelitonking117 another novel idea… the backstories that you and you players work on together can help you design the world for them to act in.

[@VinStJohn]

If that's what your players are looking for, definitely! I actually prefer it, as a player, when my DM doesn't do this. I like simple plots, and a group of 4 PCs usually have 4 different plots. I like when the adventure has a plot and my PC's "story" is just what's written on my character sheet.

[@jcmartin1978]

@@VinStJohn 100% bro! I’ve been playing this game for about 30 years now,. I started with BX and AD&D, so old school role playing with simple location based adventures still hold a special place in my heart. However, there’s definitely been a shift towards story for modern gamers… today, I try to include both in my games and strike that balance. In my current 5 player party, 3 of them want to be heavily involved in the story and the other two are mostly along to kill some monsters and have fun… the trick is to make sure the adventures based around your PCs have a nice motivation for the guys who just want to show up, roll dice and have some fun. It’s really not that hard to do either with a little effort.

[@JamesIntrocasoMCDM]

Awesome video! I can't imagine which PC in that game escalated things so quickly with the cake shop NPC.

[@WebDM]

A PC who loves cake enough to disrespect the baker and/or commit a crime! A noble ideal when you think about it...

[@JamesIntrocasoMCDM]

@@WebDM Truly an upstanding citizen.

[@ttprophet]

nice vid, but we need to get you two besties back at the same physical table for recording. i can feel the sense of longing.

[@itzybitzyspyder]

I'm from the future....they break up.

[@RJ_Ehlert]

Jim's volume needs to be turned up in the mix.

[@jamesblevins1445]

Ok I have these awesome hosts of Web DM nailed down. Sage wizard Mr French (dateing myself ) lol and Pruit purple eyes the Lore bard, layin down the wisdom/ knowledge. 100 thumbs up 👍👍👍

[@HobbylessWolf]

The fact that one of the tables I'm on right now has all 5 of these problems plus a couple of others is kinda terrifying to me. At least this video can help me potentially address this woth my DM in a calm and eloquent matter, cuz so far I just didn't know what to tell the DM without sounding backhanded :(

[@bohemianprince7944]

Thanks Mr. Men. I appreciate it each one of you more than I do the other. ;)

[@RobKinneySouthpaw]

18:00 good point Pruitt

[@nunya5424]

I've had one player out of like eight ever sit around and play on their phone. I had a really sensitive and understanding way to handle it. I stopped inviting his ass lol.

[@drewkimball9346]

I would be interested in hearing tips or your experience with teaching new and especially younger players, like in the 8 - 10 age range.

[@nunya5424]

I'm about to do a digimon campaign for a couple new players. Real simple motivations/character arcs. Bravery, smarts, etc like digimon. They also have a little buddy who has their own personality making it easier to roleplay, at least with the critter I literally made for that purpose.

[@finnianquail8881]

had a first sessioning GMing today and this is what i see

[@simmonslucas]

My biggest issue I have playing is just scheduling.

[@benjaminfrost2780]

A layer of complexity is when you have a bored or disconnected player or players but half or more of the table are super engaged with the campaign and liking it. Especially when the players are adamant they don't want to split the group into two different campaigns.

[@WaltRBuck]

Different player types can indeed play together. But they all have to choose to do so. Something I've not had luck with. I have a playstyle. My experience is that when at the table with different playstyles, people consider me a bad player. It got to the point where I was so miserable that I finally just stopped. Covid made it easy.

[@matthewleahy6565]

Hopefully you find a new game. If you have time, try out DM-ing. Create the kind of game you want to play!

[@TheLastWhiteKid]

Hey guys, PLEASE cover tips for running and writing a Last Stand session! I have a last stand coming up at the end of this 3 year campaign (all of my players are totally in) and it is DAUNTING! Using these as inspiration: 300, 13 Assassin's, Dirty Dozen, The Last Samurai, The Raid, Saving Private Ryan.

[@BH-wh2vo]

Check out Assault on Precinct 13, either one is good for RPG purposes.

[@Raphir]

Interesting challenge, that one. I worry that the inspiration list you pulled suggests that a very high lethality is part of the genre/trope... would your players be up for that? Otherwise, seems like there's a few common beats that take place: - Training non-combatants to protect their way of life - Setting traps, choke points, and squeezing every bit of advantage out of the terrain (usually with an implied ticking clock) - The battle starts with the traps working and the heroes gaining an advantage, then the stronger numbers of the opposition start to turn the tide, significant casualties ensue, but each protagonist death is heroic and serves to stall the enemy enough to slowly even the odds again, until finally a showdown is had with the big bad commander (if any is available) That last bit is the one that seems will rely on your encounter design. The first two probably depend on your players being proactive, and your job would be to ensure that the decisions they make there are made to be significant

[@TheLastWhiteKid]

@@BH-wh2vo that's a great one too!

[@TheLastWhiteKid]

@@Raphir I have talked with my players on end about the likelihood of their player characters dying. They have expressed multiple times that they are okay with the idea of a last stand. In addition they have spoken about the prospect of dying and a final stand several times and character. All of their characters have come to accept that their actions are culminating into a final stand with the big bad and his forces. They have even gone as far as to discuss how they would divide themselves up to best hold out for as long as possible. I would not be considering this as a possible final session if they had not made it very clear that this is what they want! All that said, you are definitely right.

[@Raphir]

@@TheLastWhiteKid Cool, sounds like you've already done a lot of the prep needed for it, then! I have, once, run a defense segment (not a final stand). It was pretty much just a battle map I threw 3 separate encounters in succession, so nothing fancy, but it worked well enough. Making the enemies come in waves mitigates the problem of the action economy turning completely against the players! In your place, I would set up the waves such that they have dynamic difficulty, making sure it starts easy enough (specially by making sure tougher enemies get softened up in the traps the players set up), to make sure players only start dropping once they have made a significant difference in the battle. Also, if it's not too much extra work, make lower level NPCs the players can run once their characters die? That way no one is just sitting in the sidelines in the climax Anyway, I think you're gonna nail it!

[@BlindRambler]

I once had a player that kept notes down to the roll by roll, and at some points she thought were important, to the gesture and dialog level. She was so good that they caught the bbeg in a lie and that was how they were able to "cut them off at the pass". I was very specific with the wording I used for the character, she had caught on and let the party know without my knowledge. I don't cheat my players and if they legitimately outsmart my bad guys. They set a few events into motion that ended up weakening the two BBEG and their armies. The party then strolled into the battle field in a pincer attack and utterly demolished both armies with the help of just a couple of people. The party was great at gathering information from the BBEG, people and myself. That isn't to say that I wasn't making things difficult for the sake of the story, but I did nothing to keep them from success. Note taking is important and one should encourage it. I say all this for one reason. Encourage your players, give them XP, items, challenge them and think outside the box.

[@AggroJordan86]

One thing on agency and influence. I believe one of the aspects of players taking a long time to make decisions might be - let's face it, most of us nerds are not type-A personalities and people need a longer time to be comfortable with *making* decisions beyond their own immediate impact. Give them time to get used to it, they'll grow with the challenge.

[@drewkimball9346]

There is a social contract. It can’t be all about the DM’s story/world but the players have to put forth an effort. I gave up on a game because I was putting in 10+ hours for a session and I couldn’t get people to show up within an hour of the starting time. They have to some effort in.

[@skelitonking117]

exactly; Dm's do *ALL OF THE WORK* Anyone who pretends otherwise and honestly believes being a player takes anything just doesn't belong at the table imho; I'm not putting in days of work for nothing.

[@drewkimball9346]

@@skelitonking117 I often think... Gee I am sorry you didn't have time to level your one character up in between sessions mean while I am creating multiple maps and juggling handfuls of monsters but don't worry about me. Your life is so hard preparing for game night.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

Number 1 rule of my table: if you don't want to be here, then you are not allowed to be here. If it seems like you don't actually want to play the game, then you will not play the game. If effort has been put forth to make the experience better, and you still don't like it, leave. I have no more patience for dead weight in my life.

[@consecrated2718]

Looking groomed bois

[@trioofone8911]

Firefly Reference!!

[@nicolaezenoaga9756]

Thanks.

[@nessesaryschoolthing]

Number 6: Clinical Depression

[@kurtoogle4576]

Oh Pruitt, you are already sorely missed. Thank you for all you do!

[@codyschulte9649]

IM UPSET PRUITT SHAVED!!! why did you have to do me like this noooooooo!! (LOL jk your beard will be missed though)

[@WebDM]

It'll be back. It doesn't take long.

[@RobKinneySouthpaw]

My luck is I'm too lazy. I think I know what way I wanted to go, but I didn't prep that far ahead. So whatever they wanted to do, I riff off that.

[@tombratcher6938]

I don't have the problem that nothing I do matters. I have the problem that what I do matters, and I'm bad at it

[@TheRukisama]

I feel oddly comforted by the return of Jim's beard...and even more oddly by the retreat of Pruitt's.

[@x.davidwilliams83]

Huzzah,, i love Firefly!

[@jaredlocke4300]

I have players that are 'lore goblins' and players that are shoot first ask questions never. It creates conflict when one wanted to ask questions while the other one attacks without a thought.

[@WebDM]

That sounds like an issue. Our video last weeks is about they tendency, but when you talk to the trigger happy player, what do they say?

[@jaredlocke4300]

@@WebDM What else? "It's what my character would do." 😂 they must play the same character every time 🤔

[@WebDM]

Yeah that's not cool. You're in charge of your own character. That's a flimsy excuse. Sorry you're dealing with that

[@jaredlocke4300]

@@WebDM I appreciate that. Thanks for responding, love this channel 🤘🏻

[@skelitonking117]

My friend group calls attacking blindly being "Chaotic Stupid"

[@Zyrdrak]

I had a group with a belligerent type of player one time. Just kind of semi-casual type of play at a friend's place. The DM, their partner, me and my partner, another couple, and two other guys we were all friends with. Everything was going smooth for the most part. Belligerent player, one of the people in the other couple mentioned above, realizes his first character was being a detriment to the party and to the game through his actions and being too silly and crazy all the time and just generally causing everyone to have a bad time when that character was around. His new character was related to his first character and he decided this new character would have some goal related to the disappearance of his first character. He came into the party and we started having problems with his new character in the first session. He was being antagonistic toward other members of the party, he was playing to extremes, being disruptive as a player again, etc. I was starting to have a serious issue with this guy as both a player and a person at this point, but I was trying to keep it as calm and cool as possible because everybody else was mostly having fun and I didn't want to ruin their fun. We were all talking in our group chat one day and a disagreement started between myself and the guy about something unrelated to DND. He suddenly started personally attacking me and I responded in kind. It just devolved into insults and me comparing him to a different previous belligerent player we had all collectively decided we no longer wanted to play with. Suddenly, his partner, the DM, and the DM's partner were on my ass about the comparison and were attacking me. The guy started saying I just didn't care about the game or the DM because I had missed a few sessions for reasons I had no control over. The whole group, aside from the two guys we were all friends with, ended up at each other's throats. Then the DM started saying they had issues with my partner as a person and things got even worse. The DM then said that my partner and I can't come back to the group ever again and if they even so much as saw either of us near their place again, they'd call the cops on us. No threats were made, so that was just incredibly unreasonable to begin with. But I'd just had enough. I stopped replying, left the group chat, stopped talking to most of them as a whole, and tried to process how I'd lost multiple friends and a DND group a couple years strong over the course of a couple hours. I reached out to the two guys and they didn't want anything to do with the blow up and they didn't want to comment or take sides. I haven't talked much to either of them since, but still consider them as friendly acquaintances, at the least. That was probably almost two years ago. My partner and I still struggle to this day to find a group to consistently play with.

[@Vogelkinder]

Some of your recent vids have not been "engaging". This was a very good one. Well organized and engaging. Shiny.

[@MB-ui4ec]

video about hard to play multiclass? like druid+warlock(nonfey)?

[@DonFranke]

Well what do you do when you are the combination of all 3 player-types (15:15): Powergame, Roleplayer and Rules-Lawyer?

[@matthewleahy6565]

I'd say: Try to relax at the table and not be the main character

[@kamerona4723]

could you delve more into some of the stuff you brought up in this one i have realized i have some of these problems but im still not sure of how to fix them

[@WebDM]

Check out these videos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6OsdoCYdqmSaJo kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHanqIRmZbODrtk

[@paulpassfeld9747]

Hey Pruitt, what system are you using for your Samurai game? Thanks for the video by the way

[@WebDM]

Legend of the 5 Rings!

[@JPruinc]

This ^. It’s pretty crunchy but awesome!

[@paulpassfeld9747]

Thanks just bought a copy. Been meaning to check out LOFR

[@flysteel288]

This will be helpful, I'm trying to get my friend to mail his shit to his doctor like he's supposed to. Has some kinda ulcers or something. Thanks for the helpful videos like always!

[@WebDM]

Good luck with that

[@TheLastWhiteKid]

@@WebDM hahahaha

[@bahamutalchemist]

Bomb Collars.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

Father Elijah, is that you?

[@theldun1]

Agency is great but when the players get out of control and stupid with it what do you do ?

[@WebDM]

We cover that in this video!! With a fun story in fact.

[@zero11010]

Mind numbing players lull me into a state of apathy at the table. Players who don’t pay attention ever. Who don’t know what other people did on their turn. In a game now that is at level 5 and the cleric doesn’t know how sacred flame works …. Which saving throw? Damage on save? Another thing I run into are spotlight hogs. I’m at a table with a guy who always needs to chime in. 3 campaigns with him and he’s always pure DPS role playing a gruff character who also expects to do all the communication and then complains about charisma based persuasion checks when he doesn’t have proficiency or the attribute … and until the die roll comes up he chases people out of the conversation.

[@matthewleahy6565]

Main Character syndrome

[@blackmoosev6833]

I feel like this video may be in response to some of what I shared in your Patreon. If so thanks so much! If not, I appreciate you directing this at dm's. All "problem players" aren't actually just so.

[@WebDM]

We have heard about this a whole lot lately on Patreon and everywhere else!!

[@theresasbaby]

Long time watcher. First time poster. I’m having an issue with a player in my game. I’d say that he is bored. He is often alt+tabbed when I need him make a roll. He isn’t trying to be super disruptive so he usually knows what’s happening or he asks for a recap. He has missed my last two sessions of the game. One of the sessions we rescheduled because of group wide conflicts. Everyone contributed to trying to find a way we could get together except for this player. He’s not very helpful when asked about anything. If it’s not answered by fine he won’t answer. I’m definitely overthinking this. I mentioned something a month ago about the way he chose to express his poor charisma score by being an ass to every NPC the party meets. This player would self describe as a RP role player. So other players would let him talk with NPCs and several helpful NPCs are being featured less prominently now because of this character’s actions. I made a comment to this player about how I’m tired of all my NPCs being rebuked and treated poorly. I know that’s not the player but the character. Any feedback on what to do? I feel like I’m a bubble I should ignore this player or uninvite or replace this player. But this same group plays another night where I am the player and not the DM. So I don’t want to ruin our other game where he seems much more invested in playing the other game.

[@rogerburkowski357]

Everyone enjoys the game differently. And sadly sometimes those people do not jive with all groups. If it is not dramatically disruptive to the game, roll on. If it is, ask the other players if it hurts their game and take it from there. Players, by nature, disrupt DM plans. Make sure to get the read of the table.

[@theresasbaby]

@@rogerburkowski357 thanks. If it’s not affecting the other players I can let it ride. Didn’t think of that before.

[@ThomasAndersonPhD]

I despise KZbin notifications not working.

[@Mr_GoR_]

Hmm, I'm running Milestone, but I think Inspiration could be a good reward for player recap in lieu of XP.

[@WebDM]

Great alternative!

[@Mr_GoR_]

@@WebDM thanks for the idea -giving incentive for player investment. I mean, it seems so obvious.

[@CamelotGaming]

Jim, Buddy, are you ok? Last couple of years you've sounded kinda depressed

[@Wimikk]

I think Jim mirrors the energy of people around him, and doing the recording from separate locations means we’re seeing him without that studio energy.

[@august4476]

Been thinking this as well, hopefully everything's alright. I know times are tough in general right now, hope he isn't taking it too hard

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

Sounds like a chronic lung illness _of some sort._

[@zero11010]

As a player it’s hard to feel compelled to care about nonsense. If I’m in a town that doesn’t relate to the main quest talking to a person who has nothing to add to the main quest … for a group that is motivated to work toward that main quest the side quests are absurd. It’s the classic trope of the RPG where the main character is told that something major is happening so they spend the next four months of game time cultivating a farm to grow a rare turnip for an achievement. If I metagame then I understand the value. Hey, side quest. We are doing this one thing and also there is this other thing where someone needs help. But, if I’m on my way to slay the dragon that is destroying cities I’m not stopping to clear rats from the tavern cellar. When that dragon isn’t a thing looming over the game then exploring these other things makes perfect sense. So many games have the big looming threat. If that’s on a time table I don’t think it’s wise to add in little side stuff that is unrelated.

[@zero11010]

@@dafdyy2383 I’m not sure if I agree. The issue is handling trivialities when there is something major going on. I’m not saying walk up to the level 99 villain at level 1 because that is the most direct route. I’m saying that if the players are going to care about these side quests they need to tie in to the main quest in some way, or there needs to not be a big looming issue. This isn’t even controversial. This is a thing mocked endlessly in memes about the world being on fire and the player running around collecting butterflies or whatever.

[@dweebicusmaximus]

@Michael Denison (if you have a good DM, they should be doing that already)

[@dweebicusmaximus]

You have no idea what will relate to the main quest if you don't....interact with anything. A good DM rewards good roleplay, simple tasks with things that will help. Even if it's as simple as "The barkeep passes on interesting information now and again" or, you know, money you could use to buy cool things. DND isn't a video game. There's a real live person interacting with the things you do at the table, adjusting the world to the actions your characters take. If you want to play a video game, play a video game.

[@zero11010]

@@dweebicusmaximus let’s try a thought experiment … imagine you’re at work with a major deadline coming up by the end of the week and you have to give a presentation the morning and you need as much time to prepare as possible. Are you going to an optional meeting related to another team where there is likely going to be nothing that impacts you directly and it will amount to you losing an hour of your day for this meeting? No, you’re going to skip that meeting. You have multiple pressing issues. Could there be something useful and great in that meeting? Yep. But, you won’t be there to hear it because you have clear priorities. Your previous suggestion amounts to telling people to jump into every side quest because maybe it will be good for the main mission at some point. That’s a sign of bad storytelling. The immediate hook should tell the players that the new quest ties in to things.

[@DarkadeTV]

Such a serious topic there was no funny introduction

[@seymourfields3613]

As a power gaming, role-playing rules lawyer, I can agree on the trifecta. Almost every week on our Discord game, I pm my DM about a rule he got wrong. Usually a big enough mistake that it needs to be addressed quickly or in real time. Like an ooze making multiple opportunity attacks in a round. Sometimes I call it out in voice chat to help other players, like a baddie not disengaging and stepping out of melee to retrieve a weapon. "Character X can take an opportunity attack if you want to use your reaction" I think rules lawyering and power gaming are pretty hand in hand. But in taverns my Dwarf is always seeking out food to remind himself of home. His backstory pushes into his interactions, how he handled different things, and even the wooden figurines he carves during rests.

[@skelitonking117]

that sounds like nothing but simple metagaming, and it beyond frustrates DM's when players read up on monsters; what if he altered the monster to be able to do said thing? You'd never know, especially not your character; normally it'd be fine-ish, but you're actively giving advice to other players that they wouldn't have otherwise know, I'd penalize you for that if you continued.

[@seymourfields3613]

@@skelitonking117 It's metagaming to ask a DM if he's sure he's got a rule right? It's not as though my character acted with knowledge outside of the game. It's me asking my DM, "Hey, you know an opportunity attack uses your reaction, right?" If he told me he gave his ooze extra reactions, that's that. I'm glad I don't sit at your table. Everybody makes mistakes, and my sending my DM a PM on Discord (We play on Discord voice) is a quick way to get a resolution. Wanting to be infallible and unquestioned is a sign of a power hungry DM.

[@kmoustakas]

Before even watching the video, start by making it about them and not your story.

[@stevesmith4600]

Some people may not want me to bring up this name as he has since been cancelled, but I really liked the system Adam Koebel ran in his Court of Swords campaign. Basically, at the end of each session, the players would identify 3 goals for their PC. The GM would assign a difficulty level to the goal (easy, medium or hard), based on the number of skill checks that the GM estimates would need to occur to fulfill that goal. The session ends, and the GM can then prep based on knowing what the players want to do. At the end of the next session, the players and the GM have a conversation if a goal had been completed. If yes, XP would be rewarded. If no, the players would be asked if they made progress towards a goal (attempted a skill role for it, or may passed one of three skill roles for it, etc.), if yes they would receive a small amount of XP; otherwise, no XP. Then after XP was handed out, the players could replace completed goals or update their goals to drop things that they no longer want (or can do). Additionally, very hard goals would be discussed and broken out into smaller goals. For example, if a player says "I want to become a god.", the GM would be like, "OK, this isn't like pass 5-7 skill checks and you're a god. Your PC needs to first research how one becomes it. Then gather the components / perform certain achievements. Then actually do the thing; etc." The overall concept boils down to tying the game mechanic of rewarding XP (dishing out XP) to players achieving the tasks that they want out of the game they play. The GM is able to then prep so that such opportunities are available to come about via game play. Additionally, you can remove XP from killing monsters, as they can simply have a goal to "kill something" if that's all they want to do. A side benefit to this structure is that it allows the GM an easier way to control the pace of leveling (i.e. I want the PCs to get to level 10 quickly, and then run a slower campaign between 11 and 15, then speed things back up until 20.) With such a system, the only reason people aren't engaged are generally due to either (A) they don't have goals that they really care about / they don't want anything out of the game; or (B) the GM isn't providing opportunities for those goals to be accomplished. In which case, you just have to replace the players or GM. Generally, if folks actually want to play the game, they tend to be engaged when the things that they want to do are tied mechanically to the game play itself.

[@Raphir]

Not to bring down this excellent comment with old controversy, but I genuinely didn't know about this: why did Adam Koebel get cancelled?

[@missmyk]

@@Raphir There's a very comprehensive post about the situation on the HobbyDrama subreddit.

[@skelitonking117]

Could you actually imagine caring? Other people's opinions on other people holds zero leeway over the content, or quality, of the work they produce.

[@champvamp]

Could you do a video on apotheosis and the path to becoming a god in 5th edition? I have looked and looked and looked and I cannot find anything on either. It's really been bugging me.

[@WebDM]

Ooh interesting!

[@fishinatube9028]

As a rules-lawyering, power gaming, rules-tinkering, combat-loving, story focused roleplayer, this video really spoke to me.

[@bhatfield1417]

Charmander

[@BH-wh2vo]

Charmander

[@dindomoreno]

Gaming in the age of the pandemic is tough. I lost interest in our games when our GM's fascination with VTT's Dynamic Lighting turned into an obsession. We use it all the time, even when the scene is in broad daylight. I understand Fog of War usage but I feel DL robbed me of my ability to plan ahead since I can no longer see the entirety of the revealed map. Both my PC and myself are literally cloaked in darkness all the time. My vision (and that of my PC) is limited to the geometric corners of the map's obstacles and being Human, not having Nightvision makes my situation worse. Do you guys have a video tackling Dynamic Lighting? Another enlightening video, BTW. Thanks.

[@skelitonking117]

so you're mad that you have to play your character as they are instead of a divine outer realm entity with all seeing vision? Lol K.

[@theresasbaby]

I have a player I would have described as bored. He does not give any feedback when asked even in different ways. He’s missed a couple sessions in a row. About a month ago I made a throw away comment about his character. Basically he is a pain in the butt and rude to all my NPCs because he has an 8 in cha. We all are in a different group too. I’m a player in the other game. This player with the issue in my game is really invested. If it wasn’t for the other game I’d probably kick the player. I’ve tried to engage with him but have seen nothing work. He’d self describe himself as a heavy RP player. Magic items have no real use for him. I made him a custom magic item tried to tie it to his backstory. He left it on the ground 2 sessions later. What do I do for my game? Should I even care if this affects the other game. Or should I just stop attempting to fix what is wrong with this player missing games? Edited for some clarifications

[@WebDM]

Honestly? I'd let them know that if they aren't enjoying my game they don't have to play and that they don't have to worry about it affecting the other game. Or I might give them an opportunity to make a character that they find more engaging. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with the game but the character is hard to get into. Given that the character is rubbing you the wrong way, it's a more than fair thing to ask. It's also possible that this person is enjoying themselves just fine and it doesn't look the same as the other game for tons of reasons that are beyond your control. People who are enjoying themselves get distracted too.

[@theresasbaby]

@@WebDM thanks I tend to forget that last part as a GM.

[@OnlyTwoShoes]

I have the opposite problem. My players care TOO MUCH! Every town: _"Let's explore all the shops."_ Every NPC: _"Let's learn about their entire lives."_ Every animal: _"Let's try to befriend it."_ Meanwhile, the world is being destroyed because they want to help a girl find the perfect dress for the dance instead of defeating the BBEG...

[@nunya5424]

Dude I almost cant let me players be mages lmao. Six weeks of magical and alchemical research later they are ready to leave on their first mission.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

Therefore the villains win: all the shops and NPCs the players care about are destroyed. Don't forget to kill all their pets too. (I'm not being facetious, by the way; decisions must have consequences or else none of it matters.)

[@Thurmanation2011s]

If thats what engages them then let them be engage. Don't get mad because they are playing in the way you don't what them to play.

[@OnlyTwoShoes]

@@Thurmanation2011s That's a terrible take. D&D is like a pizza and if the DM isn't getting their slice that's not fair

[@SpliffingBrit]

Comment for the algorithm

[@WebDM]

Appreciative reply

[@mexicaxadows]

Hawt 😍

[@danielbeshers1689]

Algorithmic Engagement Action.

[@kylewilloughby1983]

Oh great and powerful KZbin Algorithm! I invoke they name, in accordance with the Ancient Pact!

[@CrazyKungfuGirl]

I am a bored player who is thinking of leaving the campaign 😔 The DM gives us few choices and doesn't really engage with us in game in a nuanced manner, it feels a bit like the game is intended for children. The NPCs just sort of talk at us, sometimes for a very long time. He also keeps forgetting my backstory and trying to change it to suit his purposes. Telling him there's a problem never results in any noticeable changes. He keeps insisting it's a sandbox when it's clearly a railroad. Also player turnover is so high that the group never forms a real bond...

[@aquawoelfly]

Where i kellys website? Kelly needs a website. And so does kelly and kelly and kelly and.....

[@atomicnectar]

Feeding the algorithm

[@angryheathen3463]

I tried to stay engaged with this content but their tone of voice and lackluster delivery lost my interest

[@christiandelong6473]

The Idea of giving EXP to a player for giving a recap seems like it could lead to resentment between players, One player could speak up first and "rob" someone else of EXP, and if someone gives a "Poor' recap because they didn't understand the vagaries of a session or got something out of the game that you weren't expecting could be disastrous. You don't spend EXP on spells and Magic Items anymore so why reward EXP instead of some other temporary Meta-Currency like inspiration or whatever you fancy?