Hook Your D&D Players

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[@BanditsKeep]

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[@TheDahaka1]

I'm a great advocate of the "the characters know way more about their world than their players". Whenever a player is talking about making a decision that their character wouldn't do for reasons that only the DM knows or remembers, the DM should intervene and tell them or remind them. This is an extension of helping the players with the notes, since while role playing it's always hard to take effective notes, especially if sessions are very far apart. The DM has a way easier time remembering details that a player wouldn't take notes about, because they would be more preoccupied with writing about the major story beats that the DM obviously already knows. Also, there can be many things that a DM can come up with, especially tidbits of knowledge that the characters should know regardless of dice roll or the player's memory. So yeah, I said the same thing three times with variations XD

[@BanditsKeep]

Indeed

[@reneshible5290]

Quickly becoming my favourite RPG KZbinr, right up there with Seth Skorkowsky. Grounded, practical advice. Incredible.

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks! That is high praise

[@Mr.RobotHead]

Lots of great advice in this video! The technique I use the most, and not just for hooks, is reminding the players of all of the things their characters "know". They don't have perfect memories, and the notes _I_ have are much better than the ones they've taken. I've talked to some GMs who don't like to do it. They've said that if the players missed a clue, that's on them. I don't think that makes for a fun game for the players _or_ me.

[@baumbard]

Similarly, I've taken to keeping a running list of the PCs "pursuits" (questions, offers, and projects). So I have an idea of what to prep a few days before the session, I group text them their pursuits, asking what they want to do next session. A nice bonus of keeping a pursuit log as a DM is that I have an idea of what's caught their attention and how much many threads are out there

[@BanditsKeep]

I agree

[@joeleek9976]

Agreed. My current game has been going for 14 months or so, but only 7 days of time in game has passed.

[@CaptCook999]

I was the Thief in my group and I was usually the one taking most of the notes. But sometimes it would take just a little reminder from the DM to remember something. I might even think, yes, I have a note about that somewhere. Let me check my notes...

[@thoronthol1175]

@@joeleek9976I’ve been in a campaign for 40 years, and the first character I ever rolled up is 27 years old. He was like 24 at 1st level :) At this rate he might turn 30 before I’m dead.

[@Tysto]

My fave is “donate gold to your temple, & get a vision of where to get the magic item you want”. Instant buy-in for the adventure that ensues.

[@BanditsKeep]

Nice!

[@TheDungeonMinister]

Here I am, fussing in the kitchen while listening to Bandit's Keep when...insert Scooby Doo surprised sound. Did he just say Dungeon Minister? 😁 Great advice, as always!

[@BanditsKeep]

😊

[@SimonAshworthWood]

My fave way for a DM & players to agree to the same adventure is to discuss which modules we want to play and find ones that we all want to play.

[@BanditsKeep]

Makes sense!

[@HelotOnWheels]

These are good points: integrating the hook with the world, paying attention to what you know the players want, and reminding them of their opportunities. I would add two other elements: mystery and raising the stakes for the players. The “disappearing high-level spellcasters” plot is an excellent example of both of these. The players’ own curiosity to find out what’s happening to the spellcasters will draw them in, and the stakes become dramatically higher for them as they *become* high-level spellcasters and are now in danger of disappearing themselves.

[@BanditsKeep]

Exactly!

[@timchapman3484]

As always great video, and Daniel is again supportive of the hobby and other KZbin creators, in this case referencing The Dungeon Minister's campaign as an example (and this in addition to recently traveling all the way to Canada to support an inaugural convention organized by said TDM.) I always look forward to episodes from both this channel and the Bandit's Keep Actual Play channel. Bravo, Daniel!

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks!

[@andrewmichaelschaefferXIV]

Most insightful TTRPG channel.

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank You!

[@timothylamont845]

Great stuff! The "how tos" of the basic nuts and bolts of being a DM were rare back in the day. So glad people like you have platforms like KZbin to teach others and share your knowledge. Great content, thank you! Also..... "Bandit's Keep" ;)

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank You!

[@dennislaffey]

Great video, Daniel! It actually aligns with things I've been writing on my blog recently. Thanks for the food for thought.

[@BanditsKeep]

Awesome

[@sleepinggiant4062]

First step: in session 0, you tell them to make adventurers. In my many years of playing RPGs, campaigns end because of DM burnout, not because players loose interest. Non-sandbox games are not railroading. The choice comes from how the players deal with the challenge presented, making it not a railroad. If the DM constantly makes you solve challenges only their way, then that is a railroad (and could be a sandbox game).

[@BanditsKeep]

Indeed

[@williamarnold4803]

Superb advice in this video! Thank you sir!

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank You!

[@nneisler]

I think some of this fits into the what is the overall arc of the total game - or maybe the theme or setting for the players. And maybe that depends on the group that has been brought together. I think you cover this in the video - it is a complicated situation even if you are having fun and each adventure is good you’ve got to keep the ball rolling and in order to do that you have to pay attention to the character. And use NPCs that connect with the players. Thanks!

[@BanditsKeep]

For sure

[@BlackJar72]

Cool. I do sometimes just use feed back for what they want to do, and they largely go along with it because they know that's where the fun will be. Yet, I have been planning an adventure for when they finish or want a break from the Dwarven mine megadungeon: Actually, its mystery (at least the first half is) involving a kidnapping; the NPC who will be kidnapped has already help the party while being memorable.

[@BanditsKeep]

Sounds fun!

[@jackdeth5009]

Interesting video Daniel, thanks for posting

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks!

[@Zr0din]

@11:00 I used Smaug taking the gold out of the economic system as a proxy for explaining the central bank and the effect of rising interest rates as "Lowering the Money Supply" in the economy.

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool

[@rafaeljoseph3951]

Great as usual 👍🏻

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank You!

[@jamesm9560]

Bro, genius.

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank You!

[@worldbigfootcentral3933]

I love this channel

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank You! 😊

[@VengerSatanis]

Good video, hoss! *CHA'ALT*

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks!

[@CaptCook999]

I actually have never had a DM ask me what my characters goals were.

[@BanditsKeep]

Do you feel you would like if they did?

[@CaptCook999]

@@BanditsKeep I would. And I believe that it would give players a goal to achieve. Most especially for new players who don't have a real concept of the game yet.

[@Joshuazx]

STEAL from the player characters. See what they do.

[@BanditsKeep]

Yes

[@justinblocker730]

My solution is easy enough, have a character of your own, I know I know DNPC as a player they'll be OP/cheat... I keep all dice where my players can see them, and the character will be weaker than the player characters. The universal story guide (DM controlled) will run threw the campaign, and the party won't matter too much, have a different group every day if you want. This character presents a quest or two and if the group wanders off then no game. Been tempted to modify this idea further, but will keep working with it.

[@BanditsKeep]

Interesting approach - I prefer to keep the (many) NPCs that travel with the players as “followers” but if that works for you, that’s awesome

[@Drudenfusz]

I watched some of the video of the Dungeon Minster, and I see you talk also a lot about campaigns. But honestly, nothing there is appealing to me. I mean I am glad it works for you, but for me a proper hook is something that have to provide me with more than a sandbox, I need a deeper meaning, an exploration of the human condition. A friend of mine for example run a D&D campaign that was pretty much the Mega Man games re-flavoured as fantasy, but it felt flat for me, since the underlying theme of being the weapon instead of just carrying one, or how the powers one attains can shape how one can deal with the world, all those things simply got not translated into the campaign and thus it felt empty. That you mention Star Wars is interesting there, I think that is why many people in our hobby talk about cinematic games, and then they create just superficial narratives instead of looking at the deeper themes that make Star Wars the mythological masterpiece that resonates on a different level. Too often people provide just meaningless quest hooks, but not the stuff that truly makes the epics we watch and read that memorable.

[@BanditsKeep]

Only the players and DM can create deeper meaning at the table - what resonates with one group is not always going to for another. No quest hook makes something meaningful in and of itself.

[@archersfriend5900]

I hope you have a really smart dm.

[@solomani-42]

+1. Only additional thing I will add is that it is not the DMs job to motivate the players to play the game. That is established by default. So don’t tolerate players who insist on “having a motivation” to do anything.

[@BanditsKeep]

Indeed

[@sanjeevshah168]

Please please play Burning Wheel! It solves all these problems. I’m a player now in a group and the the GM doesn’t have to worry at all because we players are writing our adventure hooks on our character sheets. We get our xp for moving the story along in service that hook and we get a bigger xp bump for achieving it. It is brilliant.

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool.