How to Make Your Players More Engaged | D&D | TTRPG | Web DM

[@WebDM]

Thanks for Watching! Get 10% Off Dungeon Fog: www.dungeonfog.com/webdm Help us Make Web DM and get our bonus podcast, discounts, Q&A and more: patreon.com/webdm A sample of Pruitt's Player Survey: docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSq_6Lbl-g5gwzRQSdZBmYlQlMmLkZRts5MoA05MkwQU_LtmVblo6iP5WMysKEIX82yEzhlE8T-0sKv/pub

[@christopherluke9658]

Dnd is a perfectly balanced game with no exploits

[@jayteepodcast]

I am soooooooooooooooo happy for you both, but I need the opposite 😅 how to end a year long campaign. I love my group but... the story is growing too big and they want more. I feel like a Marvel screenwriter after Endgame.

[@wafflingon2651]

Misread this as "How to Make Your Players More Enraged"

[@WebDM]

Most DMs don't really need our help with that.

[@alexanderchippel]

I thought that too and thought the thumbnail was a joke about how Bernie was enraged about how Biden stole his presidency.

[@Mammothbronco]

"How to Make Your Players More Engorged."

[@Antelope2000]

When Web DM responded to this comment, I really felt that.

[@JohnDretired]

@@alexanderchippel Trump is the one who had the Presidency stolen.

[@GaryFromLiberty]

That ring pass though, A+ distance filming

[@Aggarius]

I completely forgot it was distanced watching it lol

[@mme.veronica735]

I can't believe they actually got legally married to eachother for that intro skit

[@sheridanwilde]

I was just thinking - what do other filmmakers pay Industrial Light & Magic for, if such realism can be achieved here?

[@BreDSite]

That intro made me pause and like the video just straight off the bat

[@Kell_of_Kellers]

I liked this immediately when I saw Pruitt "take" the "ring" from Jim. F***ing bravo. That is my favorite intro yet 🤣

[@lanceward5904]

“Great Expectations” 😂 “engagement” Best opening in awhile! I was dying 🤣 Love you guys. Keep on.

[@urzaz]

This opening did not go in the direction I thought it would, haha. Props on the ring handoff over Zoom.

[@ADHDnD13]

Come for the Title, stay for the Proficiency in Sleight of Hand during the opening skit

[@bigfatopinions1338]

Love the new series and direction you’re taking the channel. Such good things that need to be discussed snd just really aren’t in much of the WOTC content. Thank you so much for giving us y’all’s particular take, thoughts, and opinions on it!!

[@WebDM]

Thank you Alexander!

[@clinmaan]

That opening was beautiful. Congrats and hope you have a long and happy marriage!

[@eyflfla]

I'm pro game-marriage

[@polygon2745]

The handoff at 0:44 made me laugh so hard I literally got a leg cramp. Thanks Web DM.

[@allerick]

You guys are great, and I've really grown to love this channel. Never played D&D until 5e, and I've taken a ton of great tips from this channel. Thank you both!

[@consecrated2718]

I saw this title on FB and thought “man there’s a joke there” and guess what, you guys nailed it

[@willtcox]

I really appreciate the "recap moment" at the start of a game to help players jump right back into the game engaged. Where the players all recount what happened during the last session, one by one. And if needed at the end, the DM can remind them of some big moments or decisions in character that the players maybe forgot about. Or maybe clear up some confusion when they out of character got their in character information mixed up. It's surprising how often players will just forget the middle of a session where their character was doing a whole lot of stuff.

[@Comrade2261]

I always love your guy's and Nerdarchy's openings.

[@Partimehero36]

TIDBITS

[@borkware]

(whispers) tidbits

[@rjvaden3]

I just listened to this over on the Patreon podcast twice! Such a good conversation. Thanks for being the most thoughtful RPG talking heads on the internets (again)!

[@najrath0]

Really interesting timing on this video, the last session I dm'd we entirely scrapped the campaign we were doing and turned it into planescape because the players HATED Descent into Avernus

[@olivermeloche2042]

not surprising

[@michaelmitchell8410]

Could you do a video on creature types and why are they way they are or thoughts on it

[@WebDM]

Thanks for the request!

[@Mossmyr]

That intro with the ring was marvelous. Just fantastic. Thank you.

[@geeteejae]

This series is fantastic! An episode on describing in game combat would be amazing to see also

[@heidihurlock06]

Love the thumbnail!

[@jerewhere]

"Come on dude you're not an elf" had me laughing out loud 😆

[@Dillonx37andNikkiB]

This is a great talk. It hits home for us small town players/DMs because we only have a few people to play with but need to accommodate everyone or we dont play. Keeping track of everything as the DM is hard and leads to lots of note taking but is rewarding at the end.

[@GMSprinkles]

Really good video Team. It took me a long time to realise that its best if you have 0 expectations for the players and let them roam and provide them with different hooks to get them in the story. As a Gm who creates a lot of their own campaign setting, I always let the player create a part of the world, Whether that is their home town, or a whole country or even a culture. This way I find that it engages them in the world a whole lot more.

[@tomislavmiletic3109]

I am saying this from a personal bias as a philosopher (of AI) and game-board designer. Your talks on the structure (psychology, social agency, interaction) of DnD are absolutely illuminating. I have both learned and corroborated many of my current DnD insights from your talks (and have listened through them all). Thank you Web DM for being the Archwizards of KZbin! :)

[@WebDM]

Thank you!

[@gusg6197]

As always, the timing of topics is perfect for my needs. I’ve been having some trouble recently keeping a particular player engaged. Keep releasing based on what I need, and we won’t have any problems. 😄😄 (oh and good discussion and tips guys)

[@Langston42]

I don't know exactly how, but the intros keep getting better, and I love it.

[@anakinligman3715]

Okay, that handoff was adorable

[@danielplainview8759]

Jim's half deadpan, half cheshire cat acting in that intro was too spot on. Really smart. Pruitt wasn't bad either.

[@SteveBonario]

My partner and I have been together almost 20 years and I still haven't popped the question with a ring. You guys may have inspired me to do it. :-)

[@stevenlindell3249]

Great stuff! Thanks for the notes on engaging the player, versus the character, and which is more important. This will immediately help me with one of my own dilemmas tonight. It doesn't matter if I put his centaur directly in the spotlight if the interaction doesn't interest him as a bro. Perhaps the Wild Hunt will joke with his character using locker room talk, toilet humor, and put-downs rather than immediately taking up arms in a skirmish. As long as the rest of the room "gets what I'm doing" I bet it will draw him in. Then when the insults get too personal, they might brawl (as was the original plan) but the player will be in his element, and not just hanging with the rest of us nerds. And to quote Sir Pat Stew: "Engage!"

[@drivebydnd1183]

Always great watching and listening to your thoughts, guys! Getting a sense of players' expectations and also, as a DM, checking your own expectations, is a great starting place to get a solid campaign going whereby everyone buys in!

[@joswire44]

You got a like from the intro alone my guys! Keep up the awesome work!

[@haste91]

I’ve been with my group for 30 years, since high school and AD&D 2nd edition. I still don’t have them figured out! LOL 😢 😆

[@Taricus]

Same here, but 25 years... I don't have them figured out either LOL!

[@dagonpoint]

50 seconds in and it's already your best video yet! I'm hooked! Nice!

[@CharlesKhan]

I always feel engaged by the comedic skit intros. Some damn fine work boys.

[@beyondfantasy4972]

There is an article by Angry DM about player types. The article breaks down the player types into easier to understand terms. For example, I'm an individual/co-operative player. Basically, I try to make unique characters, and I enjoy the spotlight as an individual player. However, I'm also a co-operative player; I like to work co-operatively, but I'm usually very quiet. As long as I can feel unique, and work co-operatively with the players and the DM to help tell a most importantly fun experience and secondly tell a story, I'm usually pretty happy as a player.

[@SharpTern]

Thoughts as the intro unfolded: "Well, yeah....we all saw this coming!"

[@stevenfranklin1124]

That intro got me! Though it was gonna zig, but then it zagged and was so much better!

[@notorious.scoundrel]

Ugh, I never knew I needed Jim & Pruitt so much! Thanks for the laugh, you made my day, I missed watching your wacky skits

[@TheLeadSuit]

Huge fan of the channel. I'd love to see another class series focused on character concepts. You've done the mechanics and the rp videos. The best content you've done is when you guys talk about character ideas. It's some of the best inspiration.

[@WebDM]

Thank you for the request!!

[@maiapetersen8892]

Both their wives: "ugh finally!"

[@jlh2b]

With that preview image and that opening, the next video might have to be “how to be dank af”

[@jcmartin1978]

That intro was so ridiculous and fun! I love this show

[@imperator_productions]

Kudos for Pruitt trying to do it in-camera.

[@TheHammertime51]

Shared your videos with my brother and sister in law, now we're playing once a week with a few other players!

[@WebDM]

Next week we're releasing a player facing video on how to be engaged! They might like that one too

[@TheHammertime51]

@@WebDM I'll be sure to pass it along

[@theenoogie]

I loved this intro so much I had to comment immediately. That was just so adorable.

[@ultraArcite]

I love the engagement survey idea, decided to start going this in my campaign

[@thejammiestjam]

I was blessed by that intro.

[@tomthewierdodunno]

That intro was amazing, caught me off guard!

[@arnman2093]

The Cliff Notes of the Cliff Notes of 'Great Expectations'

[@NickAnimechan]

The intro is just perfect and the Infos is as always very helpful :D

[@taylataaay]

The FATE system has a core mechanic that allows players to add details to the story and the environment, and I personally think that's a great way to help keep players engaged and also take the heat off the DM.

[@TheMillsAccount]

The illusion was FLAWLESS!

[@blubblubwhat]

a klick for the mittens! stayed for the content;) love to all the bernie supporters out there!

[@scottnicholson3147]

The opening made me face palm in laughter. I love puns so much

[@lebanc571]

My players were always most engaged when tossed something to murder every few minutes. Introducing any sort of npc dialogue or puzzles beyond pushing a big red button to open an obvious door were sure fire ways to see the eyes glaze over or the phones to come out. Most of the campaigns that I ran had to be adjusted into a ceaseless gauntlet of death.

[@monsieurdorgat6864]

This was a nice vid! Something I was hoping might get addressed but didn't was players latching on to very different kinds of engagement, but some of them just not having any patience for what engages others. You sort of know the type - people who insist the party be together even for all social encounters because they can't stand not being involved for even a second? They pull out their phone and start talking amongst themselves the moment another player tries to do their own thing for even a second? It kind of strips character identity for those who want it or the ability for other people to engage in the way they wanted to. Hell this even avoids my own feelings (because DM culture somehow combines toxic masculinity and motherhood) where I just get bored running nothing but murder-hoboing and boring-ass combat encounters with no prior prep or strategizing. Stealth and survival and exploration are apparently too boring for me to include - for the more vocal half of my group it's like pulling teeth. Hell even social encounters turn into "did they kiss the ground I walk on? If not they gon' die" followed by "Ah man it sucks why did you make it so that there's no civilized places we're welcome anymore?"

[@DownToTruck]

Congratulations on the engagement, Pru

[@dndrecommend7993]

You guys are giving the DM Lair a run for his money on the intros here. great intro

[@ThomasAndersonPhD]

I feel the same way about player actions having meaningful consequences in the world. "Actions have consequences" is my #1 core GM principle. That said, I've run into some weirdness where some players really *dislike* that they're actions have consequences. It's like they're used to playing video-games with limited AI and pre-made plots. They seem to be looking to "feel powerful", but to them, "powerful" means that you can do whatever you want without actual consequences. You know, when low-status adventurers start yelling rudely at a Duke, or if they intimidate or kill a bunch of people as if they expected no impact on their reputation. This isn't Skyrim and you can't just say that you're the Jarl's Thane so everybody is okay with you openly murdering random people. I don't want to run a power-fantasy for someone; that's boring to me as it has no depth. I agree that we should take into account what players want, but we also need to take into account what we want as GMs. Sometimes it's okay to say to a player, "Yeah, you might not like this campaign. You might want to sit this one out." or "Hey, I've noticed that y'all have very different expectations than what I'm trying to deliver as a GM, so maybe we need to play a different style of game. I might not be the right GM for this group."

[@EsterlineJ]

Come for the insight & tips, stay for the ham.

[@ttprophet]

One thing I like to do is allow players to control multiple aspects of their story, similar to the id, ego, and super-ego. The players have a champion, but they can also play the role of the Sage, who is their "coach/elder/teacher/lover/etc." This scrying character is sort of the putty that fills the cracks of metagaming. They can discuss their champion as someone else, but still have to maintain the idea that this person talking about the champion exists in the same world. Similarly, they can command a servant (played by me the DM) to deal with the minutia of tracking shopping, downtime, camping, etc. But the player has a very liberal say in how the servant and champion interact. Additionally, Whenever we arrive to a new location or meet a contact, I usually try to set up the most relatable background to have the most knowledge. "you've heard rumors of this person/location in your travels. What is the name it/they go by? And what rumors have you heard about it/them?" Naming a ship, shop, cave, or a local contact... describing a trinket, outfit, etc. These always seem to wake players up.

[@drewkimball9346]

At this point, I would be happy with any engagement or my PCs turning on their cams and not playing video games on other screens during a session.

[@Exphautaz]

Man, you need to get a new party. Cus like. That is literally unacceptable. If you haven't discussed it with them before like, bring it up with them that you put a lot of work into it, but. If they're gonna be playing video games while you're trying to run D&D, you're probably just gonna need a new group.

[@broke_af_games9661]

It's about time, it's been a long time coming. :P

[@Crowen55]

That opening sketch. 10/10

[@WebDM]

Thanks!!

[@ryangudger91]

Haven’t even seen the episode yet but that thumbnail has a like from me

[@queenannsrevenge100]

I just had to upvote for the thumbnail alone

[@R2-DPOO]

BEST. INTRO. YET.

[@RovingJack]

well I didn't expect that opening, well played.

[@ChrisLontok]

That ring switch intro was so awful it made me hit like immediately.

[@acaeleus]

Great topic! Love Wednesdays!

[@jarbuthn]

that intro... well done, boys. /salute

[@Frederic_S]

Ceep up the good work! And keep up the fantastic intros!

[@thomassierp5583]

In a strangely ironic turn, I kept getting distracted and had to restart this clip thrice 😊

[@nihilean]

Contratulations on the engagement!

[@patrickduvall6855]

I'm always trying to engage my players especially new ones. I just gave a group of new/fairly new players each a baby griffon or griffon egg and established this year long training process based on another video on griffons and how to train them. The druid loves hunting with her baby griffon everyday and teaching it while it grows and she knows that like a baby if she ignores it it might leave or get depressed.

[@andrewcardillo5706]

Best opening yet!

[@itzybitzyspyder]

You guys have your fingers on the pulse of meme culture.

[@WebDM]

We have a high speed internet connection on the Web DMiplane

[@jgr7487]

the intro alone got my thumb up.

[@dustinmccollum7196]

Man I love yalls intro.

[@jcmartin1978]

A technique that I now use to ensure player engagement is to completely design the campaign around the characters goals. Prior to session zero, the only decision that I make regarding the campaign is the setting to give the player some interesting locations or events that they can tie their PCs to. Having those goals and backstories from each of your players will tell you clearly what play style they favor, and building each adventure around the characters while making sure the spotlight gets shared equally over the course of the campaign is the best way I’ve seen to ensure engagement.

[@keithulhu]

Pruitt's reading Grate Expectations by Edmund Wells, the well-known Dutch author.

[@WeShallLoveOn]

Omg this is the best intro ever 😂

[@atomicnectar]

this intro is too much LMFAO XD love you guys

[@myownmusic8182]

Web DM's opening skits are absolute cringe, and I adore it. Way to go, guys!

[@TheHonzoh]

Them ring graphix! so good

[@MrZacchery]

Player type can change with adventure context.

[@keithwinget526]

That Bernie meme will never GET old... It's already old... :P Can't wait for my sweater to arrive!

[@bryansmith844]

He said yes! He said yes!

[@Kell_of_Kellers]

Tip for the "Player Types" (NOTE: it doesn't cover 1000% of the ideas) the 4e Dungeon Masters Guide has a great couple pages on player types. I highly recommend that as a starting tool if you want to "survey" your players easily, and don't know ALL the different types (there's infinite)

[@Kell_of_Kellers]

The whole book is very much a "DM Tips" book when you break it down and I recommend it highly EVEN FOR 5e!

[@Trenell83]

@@Kell_of_Kellers I agree. Dungeon Master's Guide 2 for fourth edition D&D is one of the best DM tip book for me.

[@ninecoffees]

Bernie thumbnail is amazing

[@NexusNoxCS]

That intro thou. And all the shippers rejoiced. ;P

[@allisonhomiak2336]

I actually cheered. Quarantine is getting to me.

[@werotan]

Getting flashback for Violet death in the glasses reflection....

[@sachagoat]

I think there's also another "layer" of agency at the player-character level. It goes without saying that players should have agency over their characters but sometimes the mechanics or scenario restrict their character and how they behave/change. I think despite Pendragon's traits/madness rules, it offers a lot of dials on how to play the character due to the classless nature.

[@Josie-th3id]

Thanks so much these videos are so incredibly helpful for me

[@WebDM]

Glad to help!

[@tjpatterson725]

yes, with you two, hell yes.

[@O4C209]

I see the thumbnail, I click the like. I'm a simple man.

[@SirKaibel]

Loved the intro

[@marissadougal5125]

As who plays with a few 40k players, while we love a good combat The social intrigue and puzzles are actually a good break for us. That being said sometimes we just want to kick ass and take names

[@nathan8219]

That starting skit killed me.