Quick Hacks to Growing Your Imagination

[@HowtobeaGreatGM]

*Thanks for watching!* What colour was the dragon that you imagined? What are your thoughts on growing your imagination? Let us know in the comments below! Take a look at World Anvil, where you can express, store and keep track of everything in your world and imagination! Find them here: worldanvil.pxf.io/rPqPv Find each chapter of the video easily by clicking on the timestamps in the description.

[@perrywmoore9346]

Green dragon

[@gameroxi]

Red tbh

[@Stephen-Fox]

Red. It was specifically Y Ddraig Goch, if I'm honest, rather than even a generic red dragon, because apparently if I'm asked to imagine a dragon without any context I'm going to imagine the iconic Welsh red dragon. On the second prompt, with the dragon, the bottle, and laughter, the dragon was a small purple dragon resembling a seahorse with fairy-style wings laughing with glee at having tricked whoever currently had possession of the bottle, cursing them in the process (Maybe an imp in the bottle style thing, probably something more immediate)

[@11northtexas]

I didn't even have a dragon in my mind by the time you asked what color it was. 😔

[@concrete693]

Same, no color, next time give us a bit of a pause or talk for a moment before dropping the question. 😂 all I can tell you is it was a faerie dragon; Thank you every much AJ pik.

[@xhy720]

My dragon was red, unless I have a descriptor provided, anytime someone says dragon, I think of a red one. I have benefited from this series quite a bit, your videos always inspire me or give me something to think about for my next session. I am really enjoying this series, as it gives me new strategies and methods to plan my adventures and overall campaigns.

[@blahblahghost]

I envisioned a white dragon because i'm currently GMing a Pathfinder AP where the players will eventually face said white dragon, so it's been on my mind.

[@told1652]

Mine was white as well because I read this comment during the adds.

[@sundogfarseer6070]

Mine was the most recent dragon that I used in a game, specifically red, but he used spells to add white and blue to his scale colours (which gave him elemental resistance vs cold & electricity, and more armour)

[@kkme7]

I'm not a GM (yet), but these videos help me figure out how to make my life's experience/story more interesting. Very valuable stuff indeed!

[@jierdareisa4313]

- Green. - Yes, I benefitted. All dry jokes asides, many of your advices have hit home and helped me keep my motivation and continue improving my campaign.

[@chadhinkley7532]

This is the first time ive actually sat through a World Anvil ad

[@pantherace1000]

The dragon I imagined was brightly colored like a tropical bird. The experience section of this really resonated with me. I work in a very technical line of work and have in the past been working on projects for so long without success that my frustration boils over and tools get thrown. I can vividly imagine the NPC building the catapult or contraption and it not working and just the sheer amount of frustration they feel at the stupid thing not working even though they had done it a dozen times before.

[@scottwarren8738]

I would like you to know that I am learning a LOT from your videos, both this series and other videos. I have been playing D&D for the last two and half years and about six months ago I got into DMing and love it. Your videos have not just taught me a lot of practical things but also have given me some peace and calmness by realizing I don’t have to know everything to be good at DMing. Thank you for doing this.

[@thelorewright]

Your videos have really helped me become a more relaxed GM and having loads more fun at the table. I already had a wild and vivid imagination before I started GM-ing, but switching from planning everything to only planning for what the NPCs would like to do (not what they will do, mind you) and the creating a setting, I've found that my imagination and thinking has become faster and more natural. Now the struggle has become having the time to take notes that make sense to me.

[@ZiggyTopp]

I started watching this yesterday at work and had to stop, so I started watching it again. My dragon was red yesterday and today it was blue. Hopefully I'll get past the first minute this time :-) You're such a great inspiration to my games!

[@dragonstryk7280]

I learned to take a different approach to my BBEGs that helped beautifully: HOW. The ancient lich has amassed an army of goblinoids. How did he get the goblins onto his side? The goblins joined his cause as they became pushed out of their own lands, due to a rise in the troll population. How is he providing for them? At first, he uses the wealth that was his from when he was alive, but now, with an army, comes trade, as well as raiding others, and conquest. He raises any who fall as undead. How did no one see him coming? He was sealed away in the tomb he rose in. How did he rise? Careless adventurers were in the process of robbing the tomb, and broke the sealing circle that held him in check when they saw the vast treasures before them, those heroes have now been raised as powerful undead under his direct command. You can keep doing this stage by stage to create a vastly more fleshed out villain, and create a deeper, richer campaign by simply trying to come up with the hows and whys of your main antagonist.

[@badbargainbryce222]

I've just begun work on a new campaign and was looking for ways to make something a bit more off the wall and unusual when I stumbled into the video. I have to say the bits about research are my favorite, and what I've always used for my world building. The random button on Wikipedia leading me down the rabbit hole of events, people, places, etc has been a well of inspiration. However the most useful part I found was your section on free-form association. I've never thought of a method like that, and I had to sit there and re-watch that section several times. After which I was blown away at the sort of leaps and bounds my brain could create. It's an entirely different way of thinking than I'm used to. Overall this video was fantastic, I'm really looking forward to creating a new world with these methods.

[@lukey2501]

Just want to say I love your videos and they have been helping me out greatly with my campaign I’m starting this Thursday!

[@beardalaxy]

How did your first session go?

[@lukey2501]

@@beardalaxy it went amazingly thanks for asking!

[@beardalaxy]

@@lukey2501 good to hear :)

[@FaxeAxe]

Well it was a red dragon. I have benefitted from your videos and fortified my enthusiasm and love for beeing the DM. I have been watching your videos since 2018 and they helped a lot. Thank you.

[@Disappointment42]

You and the folks you work with have been one of the best resources I’ve come across since picking up the hobby. A really insightful, well-rounded, and fresh take on the...massive amount of topics a ttrpg can cover. You’re doing great work out here, and I really appreciate the effort you’ve been putting into the community. 🤘

[@Disappointment42]

And uhhh...my dragon was covered in the blood of thousands. Not sure what color it was.

[@HowtobeaGreatGM]

Thank you very much for this!

[@bluelion922]

I've received great comments from my group this past session. It was my first time using what you've taught. Thanks for helping us improve!

[@benjaminholcomb9478]

Your TV show narrator voice was frighteningly accurate. Well done

[@lindadaheim3412]

My Dragon was red. And I benefitted a lot from many of your videos! I was playing for nearly 20 years before becoming a GM myself and have to say that you helped a looot in developing my skills. I will defenitely get the book!

[@zenthr]

"Sometimes we research too passively" Me, using this very video as audio filler and no intent to ever be a "practicing" DM: Haha...

[@sharkyshark1]

You said to imagine a dragon, and I imagined a band named...

[@pewperclipped3709]

I have been watching your videos for the past two weeks. Coming up on my first time dming and I just want to say thank you for everything.

[@WookieeRage]

I'm getting ready to run a Cyberpunk Red campaign and it has sparked my imagination more than any time in my life playing rpgs. For some reason every book, audio book, movie, and story I've experienced feels applicable as source material in the world I want to bring to life. Pictures, music, and other media have also become fuel for the fire in my mind, becoming the layers in this world. I think this all adds up to finding the right setting that inspires me and connects those things I've pursued for pleasure. However I also appreciate your refence to real life experience and turning it into story telling.

[@llswarts]

Gold Dragon on my side/ Yes, I always seem to be coming back to your series so find inspiration on my own campaign - or just to shake up my thought process. Thanks a bunch Guy!

[@ondrejmrazek8209]

Hello there, My mind generated several various shapes of a red dragon in a quick succession. Also thanks for introducing me to World anvil and Project deios. Loking forward to next mapping it out. Edit: I watched the rest of the video and it is top notch as always. I especialy benefited from the Banana, because I often cling on a idea and get stuck on an insignificant detail :)

[@jasonpcrawfordauthor]

Green dragon, yellowish belly, rearing up. Classical Western style. I have benefited! I’m planning a campaign now and this is so great!

[@RiptornRory]

My dragon was a skeletal one (so technically invisible, minus the bones?), and Guy has really helped me get a better understanding of the finer points that are very often overlooked. He's one of the first channels I suggest to people who want to be DM, when even players can benefit from some of his videos!

[@todd9761]

A green dragon came to mind first. Thanks for all you do. I may be adding a crooked mustached shopkeeper to my campaign. He's trying to find or discover the perfect mustache wax!

[@gaelickledoher4773]

Thank you for this video. Can not agree more with you on the "active listening" part. People in general just do not do that, they do not listen to what the other is saying. To some extent, we can even go into "active watching" and really focus on what we see. So thank you for reminding all of us, this part. Also, for the young generation, please pay attention to this: no watching your phone is not going to bring you inspiration nor Imagination. What I mean by this is that you are watching what others are imagining. If you want imagination, you need to read, you need to be in silence, you need to be bored, and let your mind create for you. If you do not go through this process, then imagination or inspiration will not come to you.

[@daenemarker9027]

Red dragon, adult. These videos are inspiring, I learned so much from them. Keep up the good work, I'm looking forward to your guide!

[@flowflyir]

Yes, I have benefited from these videos. Thank you very much.

[@davidm8371]

14:00 I thought of a leathery old dragon's favorite bottle of laughter. Every time he opens the cork, laughter erupts from the opening.

[@christophermzdenek]

Cobolt Blue, and yes, enjoy. I'm finding myself rewatching often just to spice up my GM thought process.

[@VexxThunder]

Metallic Red Dragon Love this series. I am a new GM who is starting my first campaign in a few days. These have been really helpful. Thanks!

[@CampKillCommentary]

Just want to wish you luck on your first campaign! YOU GOT THIS!!! Wow them and good luck DM.

[@Zalamandar]

How did your first campaign go??

[@jonathansteffen3385]

First though was an adult Red dragon that shimmers, from rich crimson into oranges and browns and shiny ashy grey all in a dazzling array. I’ve really enjoyed listening to your videos. Thank you very much for making them.

[@Thugmun1]

You might be doing a video about great GM , I feel your helping people write a great story/novel! Excellent work sir!😁

[@Thugmun1]

BTW, my dragon was Turquoise and made of gem😁

[@KennethPeters-n4r]

My Dragon was dull-iron, in the very first frame of mental animation. Hopefully not an indicator of a dull imagination. Your advice is easily applicable and self-evident, the sort of stuff that makes me think "why couldn't I come up with that?". When it hits me like that, it lets me know I can have confidence in what I think I am learning.

[@matthewkuehne5480]

I enjoy your philosophical perspective. You're my only link to group storytelling.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

My dragon was green-gold. This is a great series! I've been learning about creativity and imagination using the Tome of Adventure Design. There's so many impressive connections to make...

[@-starrysunrise-2908]

My first dragon was a red dragon on a pile of gold, pretty generic, but I imagined he was a “wyvern-type” dragon whose hind legs were his wings, instead of his forelegs. The dragon-bottle-laughter prompt made me think of a ship in a bottle coming across an unusually happy sea serpent. (Taking on some aspects of DnD’s Copper Dragons) Nay, I hath not benefited, for I hath not… started GMing yet. I’m sure I will benefit later! =)

[@Barkas247]

My dragon was a grey/green crocodile-dragon, since I recently read Lord Dunsanys "The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth" and the image of it stuck with me ever since. Your point about experience also applies to knowledge in general. People love saying "knowledge is power". But it's not. You can have all the knowledge in the world, if you don't use it and don't know how to apply it, then it's not much use at all. As usual, great video. I love the random banana-strategy. Have to try that once in a while :D

[@mclang5932]

I'm not a D&D player anymore, but the first one was still the Larry Elmore's red one from the front of D&D Red Box... It quickly transformed to the Smaug image on the cover of Creatures of Middle-Earth MERP supplement though 😀

[@sharonlarsen3642]

gold, always a gold dragon. And yes your videos have helped me a lot, sometimes just as a pat on the back and others inspire me, make me think and hope for improvement.

[@mathewstoker2131]

Yes, I have benefited. I watch a handful of TTRPG content creators, you are in the top 3rd of them. The Dragon was Black scaled with purplish/blue underbelly belching fire and obscuring smoke.

[@aotnz4055]

My DM skills have vastly improved because of your advice. Funnily enough, my writing skills have also improved, that's besides the point though lol. . .but all my players have expressed how they enjoy my games a lot more since I've been taking your advice.

[@dford4014]

It's amazing where the mind goes after listening to the song....

[@aaronnoisey3754]

Amazingly helpful. Thank you, Guy.

[@dirkulrichson2626]

Yes, i totally benefitted! Thank you!

[@Lunar_Wombat]

my dragon was black because I've been thinking quite a lot lately about my players' future boss battle scene... also, I love this series! just now catching up on the ones I've missed, but they've all been a great help :) thanks guy

[@AvenueStudios]

Haven't finished the video yet but had to say Guy your American TV narrator voice was awesome hahaha that alone makes this video worth watching! -Dan

[@bobhastings6464]

I immediately thought green. Love the content, it has been a great resource Cheers from Canada Bob

[@kariellokwell914]

I love your videos, every time i have a burnout DMing i watch one or two, and i share them with a friend when he is burnout. Keep the good work. And Even more right now i envisioned a white oriental dragon with red stripes, because it's one of the mayor gods in the region of My actual campaing.

[@TheArtist808]

I imagined those crazy black purple green undead dragons because they're so dope. I don't dm but make art and games. your content is great for that. Thanks

[@marcosreed9894]

My mind went to a blue dragon who is the villain in my current campaign. Large horn, domineering sneer and all. I truly enjoy your material and enthusiastically look forward to your videos. Thank you for your efforts. Best regards from Seattle, Washington.

[@n0ze462]

Red dragon, a classic ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Yes, I found your channel when I started formulating how to run a full campaign for the first time, after stepping into the GM chair for a handful of random one-shot sessions. I have now been running an epic campaign for 3 years since!

[@shawnjdouglas]

Green and yes, I've benefitted. Thanks for that!

[@beardalaxy]

My dragon was gray, actually. I am colorblind and have noticed that where people will categorize things by color, I often do it by shapes instead, so perhaps that has something to do with it. I don't only see in black and white, but I get a lot of colors confused with each other so I think my brain tries to filter it out during the thought process sometimes in order to mitigate any confusion. I definitely have benefitted from your videos! Especially the world building stuff. With your dragon + bottle + laughter example, I actually just imagined them all separately, not in the same room or related to each other. When you clarified they were all supposed to be related, that's when I imagined a red dragon with a small empty bottle next to him on a little stool, and he was on a stage while a whole audience was laughing. I suppose the dragon may have been doing some comedy routine and just finished his last joke, having drank all the water from his bottle and with a roaring audience.

[@bobozinkermanlives9553]

Yes, your channel is immensely helpful! Thank you.

[@Aaron-pe2gl]

Purple. I read the title and the word imagination hit me the same time you said dragon. This led me to Figmant the dragon from a Disney World attraction... And now the imagination song is stuck in my head again.

[@captainthorrek262]

Dracolich, covered in ice-blue flames. Your videos are always a delight, and help immensely. ,

[@aidan1R]

that part about research and assuming based on appearance is great, in Sherlock Holmes there is a point in the book about that blue pearl or whatever in the feathers of a duck. He (sherlock) mentions the man has a rich style of hat, about 3 years old showing old money, with ink on the faded parts showing he still has pride, etc.

[@anathema1828]

Nice work on the video!

[@ThymeSplitter]

The dragon was a mix of brown and orange, which I'd associate with a copper dragon :p This helps a lot, and I've actually been more or less doing this subconsciously. Every time I see/watch/hear about something that catches my interest I write it down and add it to my ever growing collection of links and notes. It's kinda nice getting a better idea of how I can actually put that to work more actively :p

[@ardagne3204]

i love your content and i use it constantly

[@Laurabones79]

lol, I got so distracted picturing you getting frustrated over moustache wax, that I had to rewind the video a minute cos I'd missed what you were saying. Great video by the way.

[@VFryt]

Yes we have benefitted 👌

[@viperblitz11]

"Pawn men, just to be clear" Love the self awareness.

[@patrickpersaud3581]

My dragon is Is black-and-white and white and has a zebra pattern on it. She has 6 wings 3 on each side the middle wing is Is quite a bit larger than the 2 vestigial wings. I love your series! My first gm session is in a week and video are a godsend!

[@ericlk47]

Im loving this series and would have purchased the book already if it wasn't for currency conversion. It's currently costing as much as 2 basic books in BRL, so it has to wait a couple years =(

[@Venidlara]

I envisioned a black-like dragon that had neon purple wherever light shined, been working on a Spelljammer-like setting to eventually stream with some friends and this is something I want to be a prominent event like once or twice in the story

[@ovrair6340]

So, like the ender dragon?

[@Shadowkitty360]

My dragon was red. I have definitely benefited from your videos greatly, and this series is one of your best 💖 thank you!

[@ryanbeck6672]

My dragon was charred black from a scuffle in space with another dragon. Their charred skin is the result of returning to orbit with a gashed-out part of their dragon skin. The ability to withstand this might gave this dragon the respect of the other dragons and established it as a queen. Though their skin is now black, small bits of gold are visible underneath, and its eyes still gleam with the same ferocity and youth as the moment that they dueled another atop the clouds for their position of dominance. Yeah, these have helped a bit.

[@lart80207]

IT's a Black Dragon, of course! with horns, claws, teeth and spiked tail! Well that's what's in my current game.

[@dcwar77]

Best dnd KZbinr

[@VosperCDN]

I saw Smaug, but not immediately in any particular colour, just with a fairly vague metallic/shiny look. If I then try to think of a typical D&D dragon, it's a red one that comes to mind - but at the time of question, it was Smaug.

[@vincentbouscarle3523]

Just plain old cliché red dragon from D&D classic arts, probably because I expected a journey about building upon a base ^^' And yes, I benefited from your channel because it's always a joy to see and hear you. Great hair in this one by the way :) Happy to learn you also look at lumberjack-themed media ! For imaginary research, obviously XD Oh, and then, blower competition and big bananas. Sorry Guy but I guess I'm associating a bit too freely :p

[@live4twilight4ever]

I imagined a void/space dragon, probably because I recently saw the (very cool) art of the lampad from Mythic Odesseys of Theros and it stuck with me

[@zacharyspires8271]

Black Dragon. And yes Guy, I have benefitted greatly from your work and this channel

[@seaborgium919]

I have benefited, even if I haven't actually run a campaign and have listened to the playlist up to now within a couple days. (Also my necromancer dragon has been on my mind lately. He's a good boy. He's the color of black emerald, not in the style of d&d dragons.)

[@carlosguardia2852]

Copper dragon! For sure your videos help a lot my friend! greetings from Panama!!

[@alkariane]

It was green, I really don't know why, but it was green and eating tree leaves :) Anyway, this series is the best I've seen and I've benefited it a lot in my games ! I'm eager to nearn a lot more !

[@GUNDAMURX73]

I have neither benefitted nor have I not benefitted yet, as this is the first video of yours I have seen. I think it's a pretty good one though. Also, the dragon was red.

[@ryanjolliffe]

Yes, I have benefited.

[@Wolfsspinne]

My dragon had no color, neither was it big or small, it smelled of nothing and it's roar was silence. In fact it was just the concept of a dragon. Aphantasia is a physical condition, that has nothing to do with wanting or not wanting to imagine. Just as a paralyzed man can't get out of his wheelchair and walk only because he believe enough, I cannot imagine things only because I try hard enough.

[@NoRedFear]

Hey I feel you. Though I do not think we are as helpless as you describe, it is frustrating to think of something that is perfectly clear in your mind and not be able to associate any details with it. "Think of a dragon!" "Yes!" "What color is it ?!" "...you only said dragon !" Reading through the comments after watching the video made me want to consciously add detail to my dragon, so I DECIDED that I WANT it to be some kind of dark/deep blue and to have it's wings partly attached to it's arms. I still cannot really picture it but I can think of it in concept and If my concept is cool it's good for me

[@kokokakanomane]

Profitable every time ! :) Tx.

[@kitsuneraccoon6777]

Yes! Still after 2 years since post. Thank you! :)

[@IrNaLann]

I imagined a white dragon in a glacier, stalking a party between layers in the ice.

[@percivalgrey]

My dragon was golden, not metallic, just colored. When you said add a bottle and laughter. My dragon was opening a blue bottle releasing thick red smoke. It was an evil djinn laughing, because he was rather happy to be out. Good vid.

[@GameInDorf]

A massive grey dragon with cracked scales in some parts and a giant spear made of stone driven through its chest. Poison seeps from the wound, since the dragon has been poisoned for a long time, and its breath is both flame and poison. (I just played Dark Souls 2 and that dragon is called Sinh. Didn't come up with it, but had to battle it again and again till defeating it, so when someone says "imagine a dragon" now... 😁)

[@nicholasromero238]

My dragon: A prismatic dragon whos scales are shards of glass, and has butterfly wings instead of regular leathery wings, and each section is made from stained glass. It cannot fly, it uses the wings to draw light energy, though it is skilled at leaping and gliding. Its main attacks are flinging glass shards from it's tail and a light beam breath weapon. It can bounce the beam off of the shards to redirect it's beam. It's mostly a ranged attacker, though it's claws leave ragged wounds. Instead of an aura of fear, it has a dazzling aura that gives it concealment, and every time it's struck with fire damage, it releases a bright blinding burst; it can use it's own breath to trigger this, and often does as a defense mechanism against people who close in on it, to buy some distance before running away

[@andreacavalli4290]

A dark red dragon flying above. Thanks for the video,I found it very useful.

[@Fox-Paw]

Guy: I want you to imagine a dragon. Me: Imagines a dragon. Guy: What colour is your dragon? Me: ... a colourless dragon? Not colourless as a grey, or transparent. Just a dragon, which does not have any colour. Is that acceptable!?

[@bobbyparker4613]

Yes, I have benefitted.

[@Thrashbog]

Blue Yes I have benefited

[@lwnasidh]

My first image at the word dragon was green, because the WizKids adult green dragon is sitting directly above my eyeline on my desk, because it's just gorgeous. Blue is my favorite dragon, though. I've been GMing since 1979, and I've rarely encountered another GM, whether on KZbin or as a player, where I haven't learned or found a different way of looking at /something./ GMing is a process, and if you ever stop learning, you stagnate.

[@jakeand9020]

I've always had a grand imagination, I could build a fully fleshed nation with history and mythos on a whim. I could create NPCs on the fly, see them, hear them, understand what and why they were. Then, one day, literally overnight, I woke up and it was gone. I couldn't imagine anything, no new scenarios, no new people or places nothing. I could barely force myself to continue DMing a campaign I'd been running, and having fun running, for a few years. I couldn't get into computer games at all, I've enjoyed playing them for nearly forty years. I no longer found books or movies entertaining. Basically, almost everything I'd ever enjoyed doing is boring now. I don't know why, nothing of note happened at that time, there had been no lead up. One day I was fighting between working out the details of an encounter and playing whatever computer game it was that had my interest at the time, then the next day both were boring and pointless.

[@crashcitygames1592]

Black Dragon, Marovra, the keeper of the underworld in my world of Rophira!

[@ZarHakkar]

I pictured that one dragon from WoW: Cataclysm. This is the kind of video that would be helpful to me in theory, but in practice I already do a bunch of these. I suffer from a creative deficit, where I really struggle with coming up with ideas, but I'm really good at developing upon preexisting ideas. However, you can only develop an idea so far before you get diminishing returns. I'm currently experiencing a bottleneck with my campaign world where I have a bunch of super refined sections of the world for the players to go to and interact with them, but massive voids with no content in them to connect the pieces together. I turn to media for inspiration but the rate of consumption to idea generation and recycling is incredibly slow.

[@tonymaurer3588]

Lol the mustache drooping is hilarious

[@jackielinde7568]

To be specific, I imagined the green dragon mini that I bought and had a friend painted. :P Do what you will with THAT bit of information.

[@tylerwhorff7143]

-I pictured a blue dragon! My BBEG for the game I'm running. -Yes I benefited! -Maybe my next session will feature a giant banana? -It sucks that KZbin has declined to the point of begging for engagement but I will fulfill it