Customize 5e on the GM Side of the Screen

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[@xzanman]

Mike is wiser than a large sack of Owls.

[@justinblocker730]

Player side: Decisions, Character Inventory, Character abilities Shared side: Story, Dice, Combat Manager side: Encounters, Travel, Rulings, and Loot.

[@satiricalbard1]

Great video Mike. I love your approach of treating 5e as an ecosystem rather than ‘official vs homebrew’. On your last comment about being clear with your players when using new mechanics - Flee Mortals explicitly advises DMs to explain minion rules at the start of combat so that players can have the most fun engaging with them (that being the whole point of minions!)

[@gabrielcardoso8732]

Funny thing is on FM! the red dragon has a very atomic bomb-like villain action - fire and radiant damage on a huge AOE that melts non magical metal and blinds you

[@RustedParadox]

I usually use weird fantasy OSR stuff for D&D and my players had no idea. I use 5e compatible non-monster manual books as a go-to for enemy templates. That way you just reskin an enemy and it's compatible, somewhat balanced, and the players can't go "oh wait, is this just a Roper stat block?"

[@RustedParadox]

As a GM exercise, I ran a Mork Borg module on stream and let players choose characters from any system. I made a conversion cheat sheet I could reference and it was hella fun. We had a Animal Aventurers 5e cat, a cat from a PbtA game, a character from a card deck resolution game, and a grunt from 40K's Wrath & Glory. It was hectic but such a good time.

[@orkcol]

I need to see this

[@SagelStrider]

That's what I've been saying for years, cheers

[@nateng6430]

I’ve thought about doing this . Using Five Torches Deep as the players guide , index card rpg and 5E Hardcore Mode and Shadowdark as the GM’s guide , and Revenge of the Horde as the monster manual

[@orkcol]

This guy gets it☝️

[@zionich]

I highly agree with sharing it with the players. I am going with the Epic Boss Design from Dungeon Dudes for the end of my campaign. First thing I did was sent them the video explaining it so they can come up with strategies.

[@sewinlove_co]

I love that my players can use whatever 5E sources work for them. One is brand new and she's most comfortable with the basic, free content from D&D Beyond, and the rest use the PHB + Zanathar and Tasha. I wish they would try something different, but I get that they have invested in the 2014 books and they want to use them. Like you, I use bits and pieces from a variety of sources. Just yesterday I had a player who wanted to enchant his staff, and I'm looking through all available sources for a good system that does more than +1, 2, or 3. We're in an amazing time to have so many choices that all work together!

[@ivancarabano]

I LOVE all your videos. Forge of foes and flee mortals are so good that I use them in other fantasy games as inspiration for my monsters.

[@dustincoopermusic]

What is funny is I personally think D&D 5E has too many rules. So, I just use the PHB, and the free "basic rules" from online (DM's section) and making it more player focused. I originally was trying to run Shadowdark, but my players wanted more options and more power, so here I am with 5E. So, I'm running the game in a lite way and making it more player centric since I really don't care to add even more rules to our 5E game. I'm sure there are people out there that might be like "OMG, why play 5E then?" but my players wanted to play it, and I was like "I'll run it my way or we will go back to Shadowdark or Tiny Dungeon!" lol

[@RelentlessCookout]

Great vid, Mike! I'm just a few minutes in and your point about playing two different games is such a good way to look at it. I've been trying out some new RPGs, but there's something about 5e where I can come back to it, refreshed and ready to implement some new monsters or player ideas and tell whatever story I want, without feeling like mechanics get in my way. Not only that, but I'm way more comfortable and confident tweaking 5e than any other game system and know it will work. I don't think it's because I am more familiar with the system, but because the system leaves room for the GM. Of course, you've made these points in other videos, but I get it now!

[@BuppGuy]

You should love your book. It's a great book!

[@Satori2046]

Thats excatly why I got rid of a player who was always discussing and debating rules. My table is healthier now :)

[@AJBernard]

Good stuff. =) Thanks!

[@TypicalDM]

Wonderful video, as always. Super valuable for anyone running any ttrpg

[@MrToastOmnomnom]

FINALLY! Dang I've been trying to find help and what is the purpose of being a GM because I've been playing for so long and lost the fun I used to have.

[@arrow4721]

How to tell sublime stories in DnD? The kind of inspiring moments from a great book or movie that drops you on your ass and you just have to lean back and soak it in. Or the philosophical ideas that can change your perspective on life. I have previously been a die-hard fan of the lazy DM game format, especially for starting the session with a bang (combat) to draw players attention into the game. However, this may be the incorrect bridge from the real world into DnD to create sublime stories, that necessitate an emotional vulnerability and introspective inquiry from the players into their characters. Combat makes them defensive.

[@sortehuse]

Thanks for making inspiring videos. After I started using the check list from Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master during preparation I have become more confident and less insecure as a DM. I would be great if you could make a video about confidence and and insecurity at some time. I think insecurity and lag of confidence is what stopping many people from becoming a DM even though they would like to try it.

[@LUZ_TAK]

As my group is VTT only, I need our VTT to help me do this pick and choose between 5e publishers.

[@1979fsa]

Great video and great recomendarions!

[@cedricklemay8785]

Hey Mike, i was wondering, about Truths, do you think it could also be used as some kind of goal for a campaign? Like " X and Y are at war since REASON HAPPENED" and the adventurer kinda solve that problem during the campaign at some point.