The B Plot | Running the Game

[@mcolville]

Pretty happy with the audio/video here. We'll make small improvements in the future, but I think the new Running the Game set is working.

[@M4nicH3dgehog]

Looks and sounds great!

[@russmcmurtry5413]

Matthew Colville ya looks awesome Matt! Giving me some serious “OG Office” vibes! Stoked for you!

[@magmatoad7235]

Congrats on shorter videos! I always watch the video at some point but now I can be the first here!

[@thanasisgeronimos9124]

how much clearer do you want??? !!!! the audio is very good...

[@Stafarns]

congrats this is amazing

[@jimmurphy1591]

Thanks Matt and great you gave a shoutout to Liz also. Looks like things are going great. We miss you, hope to see you soon

[@esteinworth]

Big surprise! It's so exciting as Matt was a huge inspiration to publish!

[@SpielKnights]

The clock is always ticking.

[@Thoughtsmith]

That clock, the one in San Dimas.

[@EnduringFrost]

But does time run through town? That is the question.

[@euansmith3699]

Is it three Orcs to Attack O'clock!

[@jacobbishop577]

But it does not always tell the time

[@Cpruett]

@@jacobbishop577 OooooO stealing.

[@adamscholtes]

"Orks Attack" should be then next MCDM book. B-Plots you can inject into your D&D campaign and the value of the sub-plot

[@grahamharrington9085]

Adam Scholtes that’s genius. Along with mini adventures like the old dungeon magazine ones

[@Maskenken]

Cool B plots feel integrated. Just tacking on generic content seems a little ... cheap

[@adamscholtes]

Right. Let's call it "Trolls attack". More integrated into this context. :)

[@Maskenken]

@@adamscholtes :|

[@AlbarionRed007]

B Plot is where the PC backstories start paying dividends.

[@EndyHawk]

Best advice I've ever read was Chris Perkins talking about how he structures his campaigns around 3 different simultaneous arcs, each with a different 'genre'; war, intrigue, politics, apocalypse, plague, etc. Cooking in three arcs to the campaign from the start adds depth to the world, complexity to the players' problems (any time spent on one arc is time that the other two arc antagonists have to their own), and a handy solution to 'spruce up' dull moments or throw interesting curveballs at your players; e.g. What happens when the secret mind flayer masters of the kingdom and the fallen Solar seeking to Ascend both need the Secret Serum the party wizard's mentor has made?

[@Wanderingsage7]

Then there is the C plot: shenanigans.

[@dragatus]

Trust me, players will do that on their own.

[@Wanderingsage7]

@@dragatus agreed. That's why its plot c :)

[@pivs]

C-nanigans

[@tylerpeck9754]

@@pivs I C what you did there!

[@Razzrazz90]

I like to lean towards the “Mass Effect 2” style of A-plot/B-plot structure. While the A-plot has this BBEG looming over the party, making their presence felt through minions and monsters and whatnot throughout the campaigns, I interweave the B-plots as side missions that ALWAYS directly connect to the backstory of one of my players (we have a big 7-player team) like your companions’ loyalty missions in Mass Effect 2. That way, every mission has some level of personal stake involved, and the players’ characters grow as a team and as individuals We’re a pretty role play heavy group that’s in it for the long haul, so the system has worked so far, but I know this won’t always work for more casual, combat-oriented player groups

[@jeroenimus7528]

Razzrazz90 I love mining players’ backgrounds or whatever they just happen to pick up.

[@nickwilliams8302]

It's a really good strategy. It allows for long range planning in the "A" plot (since that's dependent upon what the BBEG wants and what they're doing to get it: all stuff under your control) while the "B" plots can be much more responsive to PC character development that happens during play (ie. the stuff that _no one_ planned for: the player who wants their PC to open a bar; the player who wants their PC to romance the Duke's daughter/son; the player who decides their PCs sibling married into a local family and that they'd better check in to see what's up*). It's your opportunity to reward players who invest in their characters and your world. *Because _something's_ up. Duh. Not always bad though. Definitely resist the urge to make players regret creating a PC with a family. Because that's how you end up with a table full of people playing orphaned loner PCs.

[@Razzrazz90]

@@nickwilliams8302 Thank you, it's a lot of hard work but it ultimately leads to a lot of fun. We've actually incorporated player families into the story pretty heavily. For example, one player's character is a high elf wizard of noble lineage living in his father's shadow. His estate is now treated like a de facto home base, but the party''s high jinx puts a strain on their father-son relationship, and he's been put into situations where he had to play damage control between the adventuring party and his influential family. We once even played a 5-hour session after a long campaign that was nothing but an in-game drunken dinner party trashing his dad's house. No combat or anything, just roleplay and party banter. All of it player-directed. But that's just one of many. We have an Elven Sorcerer "father looking for his long-lost son", "banished royal" Loxodon barbarian, and a "tabula rasa" Warforged looking for clues to his past just to name a few. Deep background stories have really only worked when the players know ahead of time what they're getting into, and if they are willing to play along. But hey, we all have disaster stories too I'm sure lol

[@tylerpeck9754]

great idea incorporating character backgrounds into overall main storyline!!

[@kayvee256]

I've got 5 players, and they've self-divided into three groups: A married couple, two friends, and the lone-wolf Paladin. Each group has their own B plot and I use the B plot to fill in gaps in the main plot pacing, and I try to fold them into the pain plot wherever I can so that we can have an A plot and a B plot moment at the same time whenever it fits organically.

[@PhileasLiebmann]

A video under 9 minutes? It's the Faceless Guard!!!

[@GaaMacgfx]

Matt, just wanted to say you are the best. I started watching the Running the Game series from the beginning again and they never get old.

[@mandodelorian4668]

I told you the light was real!

[@lostgrampa6945]

In my campaign (now 2 years running strong thanks to you I took the leap of faith) the A plot is a slow simmer that the players know about and uncover more about through the various B plots. I built B plots around player backstories and each time they resolve one of them, another piece of the A plot puzzle is revealed. For me, it's just a simple way to break down the big ol' quest into more managable chunks!

[@BenXu1]

Man rewatching these videos helps so much. I can run any old hacked-together campaign and players will still have fun, but this stuff just makes the game so much better. Thanks!

[@austinpoor5217]

Stronghold and Followers is absolutely worth it guys. I started running a mercenary themed game as soon as it came out and it's great.

[@toddnichols6153]

Videos like this are exactly why I subscribed and continue to support MCDM. Thanks, Matt!

[@vadaritis]

Though I do agree it is always good to have multiple threads going. In my personal experience however, I have found that if the pressure is always on, my players will grow frustrated that they cant do the things they want to do, because something that is more pressing, is always robbing them of an opportunity to do those things... like build a stronghold for example. In short, yes it is helpful to have these things in place for proper tension to resolution, when things slow to a crawl. But never forget that sometimes the players need time to smell the roses. I would argue it is more important to recognize when a dm should or shouldnt intervene. The solution i came up with was to make a calander, and give it to my players. I tell them, when you are doing things, so are the badguys, this is a small nudge that they usually forget about until i ask what day it is and they start to panic. Some amazing rp at my table has resulted not when saving the world, but when they are sitting around a campfire.

[@thastygliax]

Thanks for going back and numbering the last several RTG videos! It makes it much easier to check if I missed any.

[@fowlfables]

Totally used this concept in my campaign. Going through Storm King's Thunder, and needed to drive up the action, so spun up Waterdeep Dragon Heist halfway through. Ties together nicely.

[@denniscastello504]

My players went on one of those Triboar side quests in SKT where they robbed an evil sorcerer. They got in, took the stuff, and got out. And ever since, that sorcerer has been sending assassins after them to get her stuff back. It's been a fun recurring "B plot" and has the PCs constantly looking over their shoulder. I think the best B plots arise out of the PC's own actions.

[@baconmints2432]

Great video Matt, appreciate the amount of work you put into this channel for us!

[@XanothAvaeth]

"Now six players" does this mean Leech got a promotion to be a more permanent member?

[@Gildagnir]

Yes please!

[@kiruppert]

I am in favor of this.

[@jeroenimus7528]

More likely The imp got promoted and is allowed to keep its familiar 😜

[@CABerlitz]

I believe that is is only related to OD being currently a player, even if not permanent he is playing with them for the time being

[@sebrussell]

@@CABerlitz OD's been upgraded to permanent cast member. Matt was talking about trolling him in a livestream a couple of days ago. He'd checked with each of the players individually to see if they were OK with OD joining permanently. After they all said yes, Matt went to OD and said that unfortunately one of the players, and he couldn't say which, said he couldn't join. When OD showed up in chat later, Matt started trolling him again with how sad they were that OD couldn't be a permanent member of the Chain because he was too busy while OD bemoaned the 'cruelty' he was enduring and calling Matt a mean liar.

[@poormansrpg8702]

Sub-plots are great to give your players some individual attention! You can explore and grow personal aspects of their backgrounds, or even create new side quests to enhance their entire experience! And like Matthew said, they can be added at any time!

[@uncledungeonmaster1617]

I have the notification bell on for one out of the hundreds of channels I’m subscribed to. This one. This is that one channel.

[@kevinm3428]

I've added Dungeon Craft to my notifications; I highly recommend Professor Dungeon Master.

[@uncledungeonmaster1617]

Kevin M I have enjoyed some of his videos too.

[@kylehausmann4847]

Great video MCDM. Very good advice. Not something I’ve heard discussed by other D&D you tubers.

[@solomongrundy9735]

The B-plot was great in Babylon 5 where each episode earlier in the series had a main plot, but a few scenes here and there would slowly introduce the Shadow War until it became the A-plot.

[@jeremygriffin620]

I love when I find out I've been doing something all along, and now I have a name and a concept for it.

[@alexas1173]

It's like he's grooming us all to be an army of badass DMs

[@TheArcturusProject]

Nice profile pic. I see you too are a man of culture.

[@wanderingshade8383]

I've missed Law and Chaos. It's like Law and Order, but better.

[@JustGrowingUp84]

I wonder what spin-offs Law and Chaos might have...

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

@@JustGrowingUp84 Florida prob'ly. ;o)

[@josiahbanks6534]

DUHN DUHN

[@wanderingshade8383]

@@JustGrowingUp84 Demon and Devils, Elves and Humans, we have options.

[@Gildagnir]

I ran Curse of Strahd and the 3 nighthags provided a great "B plot" for that adventure; they slowly over time begin to siphon off health in the night from one of the players. By the third night they knew they had to do something about it.

[@BakerPeter]

The Return of the Numbers! Huzzah! Also, very in love with the B-plot. I have sections in all of my notes now called "B-Plot" and "Orcs Attack!". Very good advice.

[@beemoney19]

As an example of a "B Plot" to steal, I recently used a "bounty placed on the party" subplot in my current campaign, and this turned into such an easy way to add combat to a slow session. A random group of bounty hunters tries to ambush the party as they screw around in town. As long as they don't deal directly with the front that posted the bounty, SOMEONE is gonna come try to collect.

[@ΘανοςΡουσόπουλος]

Been gone for a year. I'm glad I came back to watching you!!!

[@citricdemon]

Thank you for producing good videos. You have taught me so much about how to run an appropriate campaign. Interestingly, you have also taught me a lot about leadership. I guess that's what a DM's job really is.

[@stephenbateman9776]

This reminds me a lot of, and seems to go well with the theory of fronts from Dungeon World/ PbtA games. Having one front being what the group is currently working on while B plot front is the countdown clock you’re in control of. Cool stuff!

[@gregritter6834]

Not sure how I missed this before, but noticed that you've got a copy of Our Universe in the background - my favourite book when I was kid! The two page spread of the great red spot always scared the bejeezus out of me.

[@glorfendell2967]

Great advice! I now have a b and c plot running. It keeps them busy

[@jeroenimus7528]

Bill Kenerson just popped in a similar response, happy to get a D plot in as well. How do you come up with the he extra plots? In a similar organic way or? Just curious...

[@glorfendell2967]

I have the players write character backstories and weave them into A adventure. During the main adventure I have small mini adventures based on side quests.

[@GTRichardson7]

my 2 cents on what makes a good B story/plot in regards to cinema (my wheelhouse), a good B plot should play counter to, or offer an alternate view to the A plot. For example in "When Harry Met Sally" the B story, that of the relationship between Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher, offers an alternative perspective on love and relationships while the A story couple dance around each other. Similarly at some point a good B plot folds in to the A plot (sometimes being wrapped up and sometimes harmonizing with). Towards the end of Act II in "When Harry Met Sally" we have the wagon wheel coffee table scene which both puts our B-story couple in a different place emotionally than our A-story couple, but also the two cross into each other in such a way that the B story adds to and increases the intensity thats going on in the A plot (that being Billy Crystal having just bumped into his Ex). Or if romantic comedies aren't your thing, maybe an example from Yojimbo. There are actually a few B plots in Yojimbo and each one does what i said above. Amidst the story of Sanjuro the mercenary-esque samurai who is pitting two factions of a gang against eachother to clean up the town, you have the side story of the casket maker who like Sanjuro is making money off the waring factions (read a different way of viewing the same conflict) and then ultimately the casket maker's story and Sanjuro's become one as the cacophony in town builds to the point that "they don't bother burying the bodies when theres this much killing". the casket maker eventually becoming one of the hunted Sanjuro's only escapes from the town. Likewise there is a B story of a man who gambled away his house and his wife, a different vantage point than just the physical pain Sanjuro could get himself into but one that rings true all the same. again this story comes crashing into the A story when Sanjuro makes a risky move to save the wife and reunite them and send them on their way, an act of charity that will ultimatly get him beaten and almost killed.

[@j_gross]

This just helped the adventure I'm making. I'm making an adventure that has a game of thrones like story, where empires are fighting for ultimate power. I wanted to add monsters in some way and this helped me click a very bad monster lair to one of the major powers

[@ThomasGiles]

- He’s certainly in the top 2 DM’s I’ve ever played with. One weekend the players were off sick and I played a little solo adventure in front of a mirror.

[@FaoladhTV]

That is a good suggestion. I've always been fond of the thug with the gun bursting through the door, but this does help provide a framework for that.

[@alexas1173]

Matt, every time we get another Running the Game video I feel like I'm adding a new tool to my DM "tool box of holding". Every bit of advice influences my campaign in a positive way, and more fun is had as a result. THANK YOU

[@ChaoticCaveman]

I just wanted to thank you I haven't started DMing yet but I bought the three main books I've been listening to yours dming series on my way to work and back and it's been quite inspiring I just reached your first your first Q and A eps 20 (i think) after maybe a week of watch/listening and the original story that I was running for my players has drastically changed due to your influence I'm more excited about what I'm writing now but been geeting suck in places perhaps the more I watch the less stuck ill become

[@aleksanderk6765]

Thank you so much Matt- this gave me an unexpected solution to my current campaign !

[@BassRacerx]

I love this advice! you can make your world feel so much more expansive by just giving the players more to deal with!

[@esteinworth]

Heyyy! Thanks for the shoutout for Asunder Matt!!!! Awesome video too! I LOVE those subtle subplots that really play a big role in the overall story!

[@zaccaustin]

I just realized that info this without thinking about it! So that's cool. I just introduced a B plot in which one the main Antagonists of the campaign has revealed that he has clones of himself in some stronghold somewhere, and no matter how many times the players kill him he is going to keep coming back. They now have two options, both of which are pressing, and there will be some neat consequences for whatever they choose.

[@alarin612]

There's a piece of Lost Mines of Phandelver that I watched a DM alter, dress up, and use in a way that shows how Orcs Attack can become a pretty cool B plot all its own.

[@gavinkidder1317]

I like to use my players's personal quests to be a b plot. Right now I have a githzerai ranger in the party who used to be a pirate on a ship and they are trying to find/recover it. I gave them a journal that resonates and adds a new entry whenever they get close to a clue. Still working out what I should do for my other PCs but the player loved to get a prop journal and read it out loud to the group

[@Belgand]

Only two plots? I think my current game has about six or so major ones going on at the moment. All roughly of equal importance, but without the ticking clock on most of them. Instead the leads come and go forcing the players to shift focus. Meanwhile things are still happening out in the wider world. Politics are continuing. Conspiracies are conspiring. Pieces are being moved into place. Ongoing villains are working on their goals. And over time disparate threads are revealed to be related. Instead of constant tension, the effect is one of a big world that keeps moving.

[@clanmcstump]

A good expansion on the Orcs Attack vid! Thanks again, Matt!

[@Yasac]

Evil Wizards, fiends and fey are probably my favorite B plots. Mischievous enough to be annoying and able to ambush the players mostly anywhere. In my own campaign I had a group of wizards inspired by Scott Pilgrim vs the World lead by a wizard that discovered a way to cast Wish infinitely. Dangerous and difficult to end permanently but not world ending.

[@LeChaosRampant]

Very interesting. I wonder how the players feel about it. From a viewer perspective, the moments of the game I liked the most, because of player involvement and decision-making where moments where there was only a single task at hand (chasing the changeling for instance), whereas I felt that on some other moments (somnium tenebris & Nails) the players were sometimes confused and a bit out of character. I see the benefits of moving things along and unbalancing the players dynamic with impromptu encounters / B-plots, but I also see the benefits of letting the players have some decision making / roleplaying / hesitation moments.

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Consider it more that this is a tool for your box, and that every Table full of Players is going to have a somewhat different particular attitude about it. Colville's Players are relatively used to him GM'ing and/or Playing at a more sophisticated level... Some Players are reluctant to embrace more than one plot at a time, unless there's a significant tie to their PC's... like backstory references and intrigue/drama... whatever. AND some of us just don't really care how many plots (or how few for the matter) as long as we're still having a great time and bashing nasty things with large instruments of destruction... Probably the MOST important tool in your box (as a GM) is the ability to "read" your Table, the whole thing... From the hooks most often picked up, to the looks on the faces of Players around you while you describe the next scene, castle, bad-guy, minion, NPC, jerk or seductress... That "Reading" skill is going to serve you more than any other tool, because it is how you know WHICH other tools to test and WHEN to employ them. ;o)

[@deadwoodlake4718]

I always try to make my B Plots have a reward that will aid the adventurers in the A plot, but isn’t necessary to the A plot. For example, freeing an NPC that then decides to aid them in their A plot or has important information about it, or finding a magic item that will be helpful for the A plot...even something as simple as finding needed spell components or gold they need.

[@granttrain3553]

I tend to have a sub-plot per PC background and 3 Stand alone plots. One main Plot at "B" plot as you describe and a "C" plot that dosent have a real imidate theat and often a foil rather than a villain. It makes for a complex story and there are always twists to throw at the Party when they are running out of steam.

[@JimCullen]

A slightly different way of managing the B-plot idea that I prefer to go with where possible, and which is explained really well by the Angry GM, is to treat it a bit like a TV show. You've got your main overarching story, the A plot, but then you also have a number of different side stories which get focus at various times. The ideal, under this paradigm, is to have each session correspond to an episode of a TV show. Each session will focus on one of the plots, and preferably not the same plot as the previous session. If you can, it's especially good to have the main overarching story plus one side plot focusing on each of the characters. That way you get each player to feel special and have their character and the backstory they wrote up for them get a chance to shine in the spotlight. If you can pick some detail from the character's backstory and design a plot thread around that, it's a great way to reward the player's effort and investment in their character. If they don't give to enough to work with it's a little bit trickier, but maybe come up with something based on what they seem to engage in at the table.

[@JimCullen]

theangrygm.com/a-plot-b-plot/ The Angry GM article mentioned.

[@JeremiahCrow]

This just CHANGED MY GAME

[@OtepRalloma]

This video taught me how to pronounce denouement

[@nickovergaauw7893]

The new set looks great, Matt! The lighting and sound are perfect!

[@audreyseddon9749]

Great advice. When my players decided to pretty much bypass my A plot altogether I had several others waiting in the wings for that purpose.

[@jeroenimus7528]

Audrey Seddon always good to have an extra set of players at hand, keeps the originals on their toes... (pretty sure that’s not what you meant, but sometimes deliberate misunderstandings can be darn fun)

[@audreyseddon9749]

@@jeroenimus7528 Yes, I meant several other plots. This is what I get for trying to juggle too much at once.

[@gidkath]

For me, I usually have two B plot possibilities on hand. The first is to build the backgrounds of the various NPCs that gradually build up in the campaign, giving them a chance to interact with the players, and for the players to do stuff for them so that the NPCs, then, can do more stuff for the players. This often ties in with the second B plot, which is politics and real estate, or in other words, the PCs' overall place in the world, which will change based on the fallout from their various adventures, and gradually require them to do more of the work of running kingdoms (or the campaign equivalent) as they become more successful.

[@johankarlson1590]

Would you say the Nazgûl were a B-plot? They do show up every now and then when the pace slows.

[@PrimordialNightmare]

Soo. I have that campaign that I started 5 Years ago. The first campaign that I've ever run.Took the basic approach of There's a big badass necromancer that will eventually doom all, unless the heroes do something about it that is. After going through a timeskip and character cast exchange and shenanigans there was a new player needing introduction. Her motivation was finding her missing brother. So while I haven't too much to advance the necromancy issue and the characters weren't too interested in, the B Plot was Orcs gathering bards to offer to their demon god thing, among them the aforementioned brother. And after the dramatic rescue we basically have another orc war at hand. I don't know why, but everything tends to spiral out of control and escalate into world shaping problems.

[@Seirra72]

I think this was a really good one. Always have a couple plates spinning so you can keep your players entertained. Could you do one on journeying though? I always seem to have trouble making moving between towns interesting.

[@jonnylee5000]

Journeying is where several things can happen. This is where Random Encounters occur. Additionally, it's a great place where you can set up details for what's ahead. Example 1: Players don't know, but the next town has a curse on it involving werewolves. Not everyone is a werewolf, but the town keeps outsiders away as they live in a bit of "harmony" While journeying toward the city, they see an overturned cart with blood leading into the forest. If they follow (they will, they're PCs), they find bits of shredded clothing and claw marks on trees. They could find the body or not. They find a diary, a locket, a red sock... whatever. Something that belongs to a villager to give them a reason to ask around town. Example 2: Use "campfire time" to trigger char talking about their backstory. Perhaps they see a shooting star, or a howling wolf. During the night watch where you'd roll a d20 for an encounter, just whisper one of the players and explain they had a nightmare about something in their past. Gives them a reason to talk about it when they wake up screaming the name of their mother's killer, the name of the bakery they were trapped in as a child that caught fire... whatever. Example 3: It doesn't have to be story driven at all. They meet an eccentric art dealer who will bargain for your Bard's pair of boots and is willing to pay anything, or perhaps trade some strange item for it. A Billowing Cloak (Xanathar's Guide). They meet a small child who can more than take care of herself. Her face is scarred and she will misty step during the conversation and giggle. Eventually she teleports away and leaves behind a ragged toy dolly. I hope theses examples can give you some ideas on how to turn traveling into memorable sessions.

[@enochromeropress]

Great Video thanks matt

[@JJSijbesma]

my campaign has an A-Team, a B-Team and a bunch of kobolds. The main plot is done by the A-Team, the main characters. The players backup\side characters are taking on an adventure related to the main plot in a distant city. and the kobolds are doing whatever the heck it is kobolds do, something involving watermelons.

[@jonnylee5000]

I've run an Alt Campaign within my Main one. It actually culminated in the Alt Party wiping due to a 2x Nat 1 on Religion checks to summon the fire of Kussuth... But, what their Alts did, their Main Characters saw the effects of a week later. Sessions before, their Mains came upon the Crossroads and it was empty... somehow damaged by three types of fire... they moved along. IRL 2 weeks later, Alt Campaign events coincidentally led to that village being burned by: Dragonborn Fire, Fireball, and Divine Flame... We all had forgotten about the "three types of fire" I mentioned... but the DICE didn't... was a funny coincidence, and that Party Wipe was actually one of our best moments.

[@33sheih]

reminds me a bit of the concept of fronts in dungeon world

[@MrPtrlix]

The B Plot type I often use is a love story (typically forbidden) between two not-too-important NPCs of different factions that the players have shown an interest in. In a homebrew campaign based on Rise of Tiamat, my players were trying to persuade some Lord to let his daughter marry a bard.

[@thefreindlywolf]

This video was so extremely helpful to me.

[@romantheflash]

Having a B plot is gonna be very important for the campaign I'm about to run, so thanks for this :)

[@jeroenimus7528]

I like adding a C plot at times, sometimes even a D plot. For those I often mine my players’ background and/or simply stuff they pick up on in the world. Are they, for whatever reason extra interested in the bunny I had hopping across their trail (simply because I wanted to describe the place more immersive than ‘there’s a trail’) that bunny might well become part of plot C.

[@GameJade]

On 4/20, my players managed to accomplish setting fire to a winery, destroying the building with a massive earthquake causing 200 casualties and vented a hallucinogenic drug in their submarine that they're using to search for ancient tech (insert yellow submarine here), which has now left me kinda baffled on how to proceed. Would be a shame if the drug had some more..side effects. Insert plot B..or like F at this point.

[@matteobeninifraiese40]

my campaign started exactly one year ago with a session that is having proper repercussion on the party just now

[@Caitlin_TheGreat]

Making sure that your players can't advance the B-plot is nice advice, but not something you can really control. Some players may wind up "at your mercy" so to speak, you spring a problem on them that's going to be an ongoing thing and they will not really know what to do about it until you feel the time has finally come to _allow_ them to face it head on. But, you may have some very clever and proactive players at your table. I know of one, who I really enjoy playing with. And I have sort of adopted some of my DMing style around his playstyle (enough so that when I'm running for a group he's not part of and I don't spot another proactive too-clever player, I have to consciously adjust things). I might be able to keep him on his toes for a session or two, but eventually he'll reason out some way to at least _attempt_ to deal with whatever b-plot is harassing the group. And even if he's wrong the first time, he'll adjust, take note of things, and have a new plan ready to go for next time. But I've gotten to the point where I count on that to drive things forward. So the b-plot and a-plot of my games can become entangled at times... and with luck the players wind up a bit unsure about whether there's a connection or not and I can sow some paranoia/uncertainty. And I also know that as long as there's some logic to the flow of events, at least one player at the table will find a way to deal with things. But I will often try to have two side stories going at once (and maybe a couple "c-plots" that are little more than gossip until they mature during the course of play, or get forgotten as far as the players are concerned, they never existed in the first place). But the two side stories I go for typically revolve around the two characters with the most developed back stories.. or at least some element that clues me in to them being interested in having their own character arc. Of course, I do my best to have these character-based b-plots be something that at some point draw in the whole party, either because everyone's in danger because of it, or because there's some hinted at treasure or reward others would also want. And in my experience, there are usually two players at my table who are totally invested in some roleplay and story, while other players are more just about being present and "going along for the ride" more or less. As long as they get occasional moments to do something cool, be in a pivotal position during a fight, or just be flippant to some important NPCs, they tend to be happy. And some players really want to have a key role in some of the "detective" work, but aren't so keen on being in a starring role. Whatever the case, though, I try not to have my side plots be entirely out of my players' hands. Sure, things will be happening because other actors in the world have their own agendas and needs, but there's always _something_ the players can do to affect things. And there are certainly times when I actually _want_ that downtime to drag out a bit. I might have something occur that causes a player who thought they knew what to do next start to question themselves. And, if I'm _really_ on my game, I can have the session conclude (where players have been researching or plotting or doing recon and questioning what they know) with something to spur on action at the start of the next session. Finding out that a surprise attack is imminent ("we'll role initiative at the start of next session"), that The McGuffin was just stolen and the thieves are on the move, that the friendly NPC they rescued and are letting sleep in the HQ just screamed for help, whatever. Some of these things you can even retroactively connect to a side plot (at times because a player at the table hypothesizes the connection outloud).

[@allfonelric2860]

Great video!!

[@tearstoneactual9773]

Why did I not get a notification about this? The bell is clicked.

[@kly8105]

Yes and no. 1- Most players are like what you say, but not all, some help the narrative along and make even downtime interesting. 2- Writers can actually employ people to quickly bounce ideas, there are even replays out there that are so good they got made into animes and movies. 3- It is all in the crew.

[@davewilson13]

Kly see the gellman amnesia video

[@deltaphant_]

I'm glad you've got the new setup working well!

[@geoffreychance9770]

B plot is the thing I struggle with the most as a DM tbh. I always have a bit at the start of a campaign but I can't find a good way to introduce more plot as the PCs finish off whatever I had to start with

[@edwardthompson3377]

Try thinking through the consequence of what they did achieve. Did they slight someone on their quest? Maybe that person has more powerful friends and holds a grudge. Then you can start thinking about those powerful friends, what they might want. If the adventurers defeated a evil hold over an area, then other powers would want to swoop in, good, evil, and neutral, to fill the power vacuum. Some of these influences might even want to use the adventurers to clear out more dungeons to help them expand their own influence. That's one idea anyway. There are others, some of which might work better for you.

[@ShadowWolf289]

I love this idea and I'm already doing in my game. And just like you mentioned at the end of the video, it looks like my players are turning what I thought was going to be my B-plot into the A-plot. Queue two weeks of semi-mad scrambling as I work to get the newly minted A-plot more fleshed out before game day. 😂

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Maybe just "a note for the future" but somewhere in the pre-planning or "pre-staging" territory of Campaign creation, it can really help to have just enough notation on (all) the plot-points so you can readily switch the A and B plots (primarily) back and forth from that "back burner" or "simmer" steady position. That doesn't mean you absolutely have to settle into "table-servitude" as a GM, but to have the ability at various points is a net help... Sometimes you can't trust dice, and a few "off putting" rolls can get a crew of Players truly Sour... and inadvertently derail Plot A for their rampage right into Plot B... or vice versa. ;o)

[@JosephEMercado]

Does anybody know what that large, maroon-colored book is beside the three white books?

[@thor30013]

Just checked out Liz's book, and I noticed there's a town called "Colville" on the map. Could just be happenstance, but it's still cute.

[@esteinworth]

Haha! Yes that is in ode to Matt! He was a huge inspiration for me that I could write my novel!

[@AshAquamarine]

as always Matt, a fantastic video :D

[@ZeKiwiOfTheNorth]

New set is looking good!

[@WolfmanXD]

The B plot is also a good chance to add character background elements into your story. Probably what I'm gonna do when I start my new campaign.

[@TheLampie]

Ahhh it is thou, Master. I shall be silent and learn.

[@LucaPariah]

I made a B-plot in my game where Bullywugs attacked the town, except these Bullywugs had mages who could summon terrible monsters and they were looking for a way to summon one in particular, hence the attacks. They needed an item that was in a crypt, and that item is guarded by a ghostly guard dog, so they summon a fiend to fight it! ...Except the fiend kills the summoner, and now the players have to fight a cambion.

[@OstravaTheBrave]

Finally! A new running the game!

[@Cogito2Ergo2Sum1]

Considering a major theme of the MCDM Book Club's Book of April was Law vs Chaos, excellent timing....or is this not coincidence....

[@yannickdellaert1616]

Great video Matt keep it up

[@michaelmyers3205]

Anyone know what that National Geographic book is in the background on his shelf? The one with the spaceship and planet? I used to have a copy as a kid back in the 80's - 90's, but can't remember the name

[@nekoali2]

The B plot has an issue that Matt brushed up against briefly at the end. What happens if the players decide to pursue the B plot. If everyone is on board with it, then that's fine. Things proceed as laid out. But I've run into the issue several times where the players want to try and pursue both plots at the same time and wind up stretching themselves and the DM to far by trying to do do many things at once. Or the group is split on what they think is more important with some wanting to do A and others wanting to do B. I've found that the larger a group is the more likely this will happen. Which can really come to a major issue if the plots involve travelling to different areas. I've had this happen several times in my campaign. Where instead of the game stalling out because the players don't know what to do, it stalls out because the players are arguing which plot to follow.

[@KeeperofMolgera]

A Plot: the party is trying to capture an escaped convict, a warforged with unique abilties; stealing bodies of other constructs, using constructs like zombified minions to further its own ends B Plot: rising tensions between warforged and organics as events unfold, the party must try to maintain the peace while backing the political side of their choice and making connections with various powers in the city, including gangs, cults, and crime lords. this was a scenario i ran my own group through and they did a great job navigating their characters through the mire of politics as they got to know their opponent via conversations in public places where he couldnt be touched

[@Ruxinator]

It seems as though Liz Steinworth has thrown in a nice reference to Matt in setting of her novel, as well! Awesome!

[@esteinworth]

YES! Matt is a good friend and he helped encourage me to write my novel and publish!!! How could I not have a town of Colville!

[@Joonatanr]

It's really great advice, though in my game I ended up in an exact opposite situation. The players were in a city trying to find a missing paladin paladin leader and then I threw in a small sidequest that connected with the backstory of one of the characters. It was just a small combat encounter with a couple of dragonborn trying to kill or capture the PC for reward money that some evil emperor from a distant land had put on the PC. Soo combat encounter was pretty OK, the party smoked the Dragonborn... case closed right? Except the Players then spent around 3 hours trying to gather information about these particular dragonborn... They got so invested in the B plot (that was pretty much over by then) that they dropped the Main Story for that session. They tried gathering information in the local taverns, tried to come up with a way to disable the ship the dragonborn had come on, etc. And I just basically said that nobody in the city really knows much about them, they're just merchants travelling froma far. But the more I did this, the more the PCs became convinced that these guys were a part of some massive conspiracy or the beginning of some huge sidequest, so they kept looking for clues and information that really did not exist. At one moment one of the PCs became frustrated actually and asked like why aren't there anymore plot hooks about these guys? :D So in the end they gave up and went back to following the main storyline. I'm almost afraid that in the next session they're gonna come up with new ideas on how to discover the "massive dragonborn conspiracy" and keep up on it. This B plot mess really got me confused, because usually when I make mistakes as a DM, I can pretty much come up with ideas on how to do things better next time or at least learn how to do it better. But the "stuck in meaningless B plot" situation really goes over my head. I can't come up with a good way to communicate a message to the PCs that the line they are following is leading nowhere. If anybody has a couple of thoughts on this, it would be greatly appreciated.

[@RiotKurhein]

In my campaign it's a hexcrawl and the party can do or go wherever they want but many of them are part of the same faction that gives them missions. The church they are a part of has sent them on a mission to deal with necromancers but in the background the church has had a schism and a group of fanatics is out their crusading without the churches permission. One player's mission is to capture the necromancers, another is to assassinate the zealot leader, and a third who's mission was to return the zealots to the fold are all in the group. Again they are to capture the necromancers but they learn that the church extremists are nearby. They can choose to continue their march to capture the necromancers or engage the extremists to see if they have a chance at ending the schism through death or reconciliation.

[@minivergur]

What if they want to have down-time though or some of them?

[@adamjchafe]

Well, Matt is saying that you (the DM) choose when the B plot happens. So if you get the sense that they really just want a rest or downtime? Let them have it. But when you feel the tension is lacking and the pace is allowing, you can throw in the B plot. As a further thought, downtime is the perfect time to include the B plot in small ways!

[@turquoiseknight]

I use this all the time! However, it doesn't help when my players are down in a crypt, after they killed baddies down there, and are investigating the murals on the walls, tiles on the floor, even the freaking MORTAR like its an archaeological dig!

[@iChupacabraTube]

I ask all my players for some kind of backstory - it could be a few pages long, or simply a 2 sentence "justification statement" to put them in the world. When they're not sure, I advise them that maybe they have amnesia, and the player and I can work on the story together so it can be revealed to the party later in a satisfactory way. I use all of these backstories to form B plots - nothing complex, often a "single adventure" sort of deal, but it's personally tuned to each player's character. Maybe a warlock's studies take the party to a cavern in search of a cursed artifact; maybe a fighter's family heirloom is up for grabs and their childhood rival stole what is rightfully theirs, protected now by a gang of thugs. Having a strong-running A plot, and 5-6 loose B plots which can be expanded at any time, with or without the player's decision, which are personally tied to them, seems to fit the pacing well as everyone is eager to see if an unfolding event is tied to someone in the party. And of course, these side plots can indirectly link back to the A plot through information gathered, contacts made, weapons and items earned.

[@TheSaintMystic]

A few things. 1. I would be careful not to overwhelm players with multiple plots. I've been there, it can be frustrating as hell trying to solve one issue while being assaulted with several others. 2. I would be careful about trying to fill in time and make it dramatic and never let the tension go. Sometimes a fun night in the tavern needs to be just that. Never letting the tension go is a bad idea, as many horror games have learned. It just gets exhausting and unfun if there is no break in tension at all. Carefully placed, breaks can amplify future tension. 3. If the players are ruining your tension and dramatic pacing, I would argue to just let them if they are having fun. The plot doesn't have to progress every session. Players like dicking around with stupid ideas sometimes.

[@Jabberdoodle]

Heya MAtt, Thanks for the video. Im sure itll be good to think on as I design my campaign. Are you still planning on making a video on hot starts? Could really use advice on how to do one. Thanks!

[@joshuacurrey4722]

Hey MATT. What do you think of players knowing and "metagaming" Legendary Resistances? I am in a game as a wizard and I have a plan to cast the 9th level imprisonment spell on a vampire rival. This would be done in the cover of stealth and as a divination wizard I can force him to fail the save, however I as a player suspect that he has legendary resistances and am wondering about how to play tactical but avoid metagaming, SPECIFICALLY in this instance.

[@conradwerner2615]

Isn't trying to avoid metagaming sort of metagaming to begin with? Would your character know about Legendary Resistances? If you specialize in divination, couldn't you divine any unknown defences? If your character would want to ensure it's success, could always hire another wizard or cleric that specializes in such quarry to attempt to nullify or otherwise mitigate such things... Not Matt, but my proverbial two cents on your query.

[@joshuacurrey4722]

@@conradwerner2615 Thanks, that is helpful. My group ended the campaign and I ended up sending the vampire into orbit.