Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master | The REAL DM's Guide

[@BobWorldBuilder]

🌟 Return of the Lazy DM (DriveThruRPG): www.drivethrurpg.com/product/251431/Return-of-the-Lazy-Dungeon-Master?affiliate_id=1987166 🌟 Return of the Lazy DM (Amazon): amzn.to/30j32F2 ❤️ Subscribe on KZbin: kzbin.info

[@SigurdBraathen]

Nice video, Bob! The book you're showing in this video, is it the softcover/paperback version?

[@TrueMrE]

Made my purchase thanks to you

[@stevemanart]

My old man used to say the difference between Laziness and Efficiency is how much you get done in the end.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

"Efficient DM" is a better title, but probably not as good for book sales lol

[@liammontgomery1825]

@@BobWorldBuilder There's an old story that goes that Bill Gates would find the laziest person to do a job because he knew that person would find the most efficient method of accomplishing a task.

[@markhunter3533]

That is why lazy people are useful if you know how to use them. Give them a process to follow, see what they would cut from the process and analyze why they would do it. You will see that a lot of the process can be easily shortened to basic components. Now, do never get a lazy person to do non flexible jobs, that usually winds up being the worse mess possible.

[@SlyFlourish]

Thank you so much, Bob!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

My pleasure, Mike! :)

[@victorbaptista5088]

My favorites ❤️

[@quantum_ogre]

"When in doubt, start with a challenge" is how I would personally phrase it. Throw in a skill check, a challenge to a character's integrity or history, or even an amusing inconvenience to get them interacting with environment.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

That's a great adjustment!

[@mr.pavone9719]

I started a few sessions with my kids (see my other comment) with them finishing their shift as security guards for a storage facility. They'd punch the clock and then hit the mean streets of Silver City to go find some action.

[@digitallurke7710]

💯 I was gonna comment that starting w combat or as you state a challenge anything thing to get the players warmed up rollin 🎲. It kinda takes the edge of a seems they relax a little and pay better attention once the 'call to action' is somewhat sated.

[@quantum_ogre]

@@digitallurke7710 Exactly. I find it helps to diffuse awkwardness at the table (I'm much the same when I play), get people who have been hyped all week to burn some of that energy, and give people a topic to roleplay about after the fact.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

I come from a screenwriting background. I recognize that there are major differences between these two entertainments, but there are a few key screenwriting concepts that can be very useful when running a game. My formulation of this suggestion is “Grab your players’ attention and get them involved and invested in the first five minutes”. A fight is one way to accomplish this, but a chase, a rescue, or any type of emergency that requires immediate response will work. Even better, this first scene can set the stage as the first clue or hook. Who set the tavern on fire? Why was the village idiot kidnapped? Where did the rampaging monster come from? The worst thing you can do is start the game with a 10 minute debate between the players as to what they want to do next. Second worst is the tavern opening, where players seek rumors from the bartender and clientele (which then often leads to the 10 minute debate).

[@snifflindrake3283]

The only reason I’m at this channel is because Mike Shea/Sly Flourish said, in one of his videos, something akin to “and when I’m not sure, I just go watch Bob World Builder.” So, I guess this is full circle.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Hahah it all comes back around :)

[@SlyFlourish]

Yes! Bob's the best.

[@skullyimp5032]

I've been DMing with this book for about 2 years now and I have players who are convinced I'm thinking like 5 session in advance. Usually only prepare 1-2 hours before and then just sit down and talk with them before the game starts!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

True mastery!

[@Tharrel]

The only problem I have with this book is that as an ultra lazy DM, I really don't want to spend time reading it :D

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Hahah you’ve already reached peak efficiency!!

[@SlyFlourish]

Ha! The first chapter actually covers this! It tells you how to skim the whole book to get what you can get with whatever time or effort you can give!

[@TonyCrenshawsLatte]

@@SlyFlourish My god, you've thought of everything, haven't you! (I too should get around to reading my copy)

[@Tharrel]

@@SlyFlourish That's pretty cool!

[@youtigee]

@@SlyFlourish I bought the dead tree version but turning pages is sooo hard so I got the audio book version as well

[@fufu1405]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: this book should be core. Player's Handbook + Lazy DM Guide would give a total beginner everything needed, from understanding the core mechanics, races & classes, to learning how to even DM. With this approach you can take any Module you want and as you read, you build your session the Lazy DM way. You use the Module as a inspiration and can easily run with like 70% true to the book and 30% your own flair.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

That's definitely my top two as well!

[@byronkooper]

My favourite thing about this book is that in the music area, they've listed Conan: The Barbarian at the top of the list 😃

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Classic!

[@thisism3xd]

I don't know how I've never come across this channel before. I had never heard of Bob or even the Lazy DM book(s). This review was incredibly thorough, informative, and articulate. Instant sub! Well done, sir!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Thanks :D Welcome aboard!

[@doctorlolchicken7478]

Many many years ago, us lazy DMs would have a map, some notes on key locations, religions and politics, a list of random encounters and a list of random NPCs. That last one was the most important. Then you would have some starting situation and go from there. Absent of anything the players try to do, the story was mostly driven by random encounters, with the DM tying the random encounters into whatever was going on. It worked really well and required little effort. Since I was mostly a world builder, I had a world primed with factions, characters and locations, but no actual story. The story was supplied by the characters and/ or random rolls.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I love that. And I totally agree that the list of NPCs is one of the DM's greatest tools

[@heather9130]

I've been wanting to get this book. This was all I needed to pull the trigger. I'm very new to dm'ing, and I've been over prepping like crazy.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Yeah, I wish I had this earlier. For the price, it’s totally worth it! Can’t over emphasize what a good tool it is because it actually guides you to find your own style 👍

[@SlyFlourish]

I hope you dig it!

[@robertduckworth1490]

Hey Bob! Convincing video. I went out and picked up the book. Glad I did. I recall you having reservations about the “when in doubt, start with a fight” part. I think here we can safely substitute “fight” with “conflict” in terms of the “strong start” he’s calling for, and then support that idea with either the other two pillars of the game (social or exploration) if we wish, while aiming for an “in medias res” start. That’s my take. Please keep the great videos coming!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I love that interpretation! Presenting challenges for the party is a big part of the DM’s job!

[@mr.pavone9719]

I kinda figured a lot of this out but it's nice to hear it from a more polished perspective. Funny as it is, I figured it out with my 9 year old kids. They wanted to play some sort of TTRPG so I whipped up a simple system and took them through a cyberpunk story arc. I only made set pieces and left the city around them up to the whims of the dice and a few random encounter charts. There was a helpful NPC, a few reoccurring NPCs who may or may not be helpful and an NPC team of mercs after them. It all worked pretty well when I let them do what they wanted (which was usually pretty silly) and I'd railroad them when it came time to move the story along.

[@Atmoseeker]

I have been using the sly flourish fill in sheets for a while, but this has convinced me to pick up the book. Fantastic review, thanks Bob!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Good to hear! Thanks for supporting Sly, and for your kind words about the video :)

[@SlyFlourish]

Thank you!

[@EternalDM]

"So if I wanted to start every session with combat as was recommended here..." but it's not, it's when in *doubt* start with combat...

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Yeah I was a little heavy handed on that point

[@DrunkenDweorg]

Great video Bob, and thanks for the recomendation. Will be ordering this book tonight. Am i the only one that feels like Bob World Builder is the Bob Ross of DM'ing?

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Hope you enjoy it! And nope, you are not the first to say that, and you won't be the last :P

[@johnnypeaches4042]

Greetings from Finland Bob! Your channel is among my favourite channels for learning DnD. You've helped me so much as a totally new player/DM, thank you for your efforts! Totally going to finally get this book. Solid review 6/5

[@BobWorldBuilder]

You are very welcome! Thank you for the support :D

[@Daniel-Strain]

For some reason, it's really hard to find a detailed review of the first book on KZbin. Thanks for this!

[@DubioLNL]

Nice review! I am a big fan of the "lazy dungeon master"-method and prep every session this way. It is a pretty efficient way of doing things and it helps you stay focused and allows you to prepare in an flexible manner. The DMG is a rule book and an inspirational book. It helps you, if you are drawing a blank when trying to get an idea for the next campaign, quest or magic item, but it does not offer you much in terms of how to plan - it is missing a plan for planning. In the ideal world, chapter two of the Lazy DMs Guide should have been chapter one in the DMG.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Yeah, preparing to improvise is the key!

[@sev705]

I bought this book and almost instantly became a better dm. I recommend to everyone that asks for dm advice. I will say I disagree with your assessment of the fast start and the recap section. I don’t necessarily start with combat, but I do try to create a sense of urgency. Even with my long flowing campaign, the sessions where I use the fast start have generally been more productive and rewarding. As for the recap, I found that letting the players each give a one or two sentence recap with me filling in the rest works best. It lets me know which parts are truly sticking with them from session to session.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Yeah I think I do want to at least start doing player recaps more often!

[@kloekegels3345]

Bought it because of your recommendation as a beginner dm. Been using it for 3 months already. Perfect for beginning dms. It really simplifies prep and doesn't make it as chaotic.

[@JoshDurelofIOW]

I have learned over the past two years, much to my disappointment and satisfaction at the same time, that WotC are just never going to be able to make resources as good as professional homebrewers/DM's. (Professional meaning well reviewed sold books)

[@BobWorldBuilder]

And that is a pretty counterintuitive idea! You'd think by bringing any writers together with lots of time and resources all dedicated to the same project, they'd be a win every time. I guess it's a little unfair if we judge every WotC product against the very best 3rd party products, but yeah, the 5e DMG missed the mark in my opinion. It's more of worldbuilding book (which I'm fine with of course) than a guide for DMs

[@ANONM60D]

As controversial as it may be, I love playing into the DM's hands just to progress the story and experience what they put together. I like my characters but I'm really at the table for the story/group experience

[@hatefuldisplay]

I tossed it on my Amazon wish list to pick up in the near future. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@jcmartin1978]

I agree 100%!! My games have gotten so much better and my prep time has cut in half since I adopted the lazy dungeon master approach.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Awesome to hear that!

[@troyalgood6780]

This and the original Lazy Dungeon Master are both fantastic checklists for running a D&D game. I've gone through the audio books for both of them a number of times and they're very useful for running D&D with minimal prep.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Glad you like them!

[@wiggletonthewise2141]

I have bought this book after watching this, and it’s great! I have had it for a few months and it has been very useful

[@bertiewise306]

Thanks this was a great video I’m buying this book now hah! Keep up the good work loving the content!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Thanks for the support! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I do!

[@JasonJohnsonInProgress]

Absolutely LOVE “Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master” and it’s whole approach to game prep and play. Thanks for sharing Bob, fantastic videos!!

[@guyman1570]

I've been on the fence for quite some time on whether to buy this book or not, but after watching you go through this book... I've finally got myself to go and order a copy! Appreciate it, thank you for taking your time examining this book and creating your video, Bob!

[@cha0sunity]

I've used this for over a year now. Can confirm it's worth getting and using.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Great to have your testimonial! :)

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

The Lazy Dungeon Master was my primer for how to DM when I started, and this Return was an amazing read as well and a wonderful reminder...this has been the single best resource I have found as a DM. Also, I highly recommend a strong start, just not necessarily with combat. Just an evocative sentence to remind everyone of the theme and the situation can be wonderful for kicking off a great session!

[@bluetrace3778]

Great stuff Bob. Totally agree with you on NOT ‘starting with combat’. I do appreciate MS’s philosophy here of course, he came from a time when D&D was all about the combat so this isn’t necessarily bad advice. Instead I have redefined ‘Strong Start’ as the only time in the game where as GM you have full control of what’s going on, so a strong start in fact means to me ‘how are we going to get the game moving? What questions are we starting with’ etc and as such is a (the most?) important aspect of the game. I rarely use combat.

[@CitanulsPumpkin]

The first book is also useful for very different reasons. Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master is a system agnostic guide to campaign prep. It's got a lot of great tools for running games in any system or setting. The first book, Lazy Dungeon Master, is not that. It's a condensed collection of all the tables, guides, and lists that are scattered throughout the DMG. It's very much a 5e only book, but if you're playing 5e and need a specific table from the DMG you will find it faster by flipping through the lazy DM's guide. It even has a few pages of random names.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Ahh, thanks for making that distinction!

[@elvensongprettymusic6473]

I have the 1st book and this 2nd book. Both are great. These 2 books really help you run a game as a first timer DM. I look forward to my first chance to DM in a few weeks. These books are helping me organize my adventure. My family & friends can't wait. D&D is a great hobby!

[@shawnfaison5118]

I second how good this book is for a new DM like myself , it really made a big difference in my games immediately . they were more fun and i was a bit more confident in running games .

[@j.rinker4609]

I really like the idea that this will work for other rpgs, not just D&D.

[@Sensorium19]

Thank you for the review. I had been eyeing this book for a long time because of all the recommendation. It turns out it conflicts pretty strongly with what I was expecting or what I would want to buy.

[@thomaspetrucka9173]

Wow. I did all this without having to be told it! 😂 Universal things are universal.

[@denzelpanther240]

"Never Unprepared: The Complete Game Master's Guide to Session Prep" is really worth its weight in gold though., not only for D&D but also for roleplaying games

[@MatthewBosk]

Wish it was sold in stores. Don't want to purchase from Amazon, but the shipping on DMsGuild cost $5 and will take a month. Would love to see it at Bullmoose stores in New England! They are my go to for D&D products.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I imagine some FLGSs might order a handful of copies if a few people recommend it or they see how popular it is. I'm not exactly sure how that works, but you'd think they would WANT it on their shelves!

[@ChrisinOSMS]

The last game I played was my middle kid’s first time in the dm chair. His older sister started the game by trying to pickpocket an old adventurer, natural 1, so the poor kid had his opening blow up into a bar brawl. He worked hard on his campaign and I felt bad that it went that way.

[@ChipAltmanxD]

For summarizing sessions, I get the players to do it right after we finish. We walk outside of the game store, I pull out my phone to record audio, and they tell the story of what just happened.

[@brianfroeschner6644]

I would argue that good scene expositions are very important in an immersive world. There are more embellishments, such as, creating non linear dungeons (with many loops possible); outlining the desires, goals, and relationships of not only NPCs but factions creates layers in a world. Create a count down clock where factions accomplish certain things without the intervention of the PCs makes time dynamic over the course of playing. Monsters are not just things that wait around in a 10 by 10 room until attacked. They have lives they are trying to live as well.

[@TheOriginalDogLP]

I think the strong start is not always meant to be a combat, but only if you can't think of something better. I often use a surprising story beat as a session start or when we are in a dungeon, the story starts with something changing in the dungeon and/or the room the party is in, maybe some apparatus activating, some monster walking in but without direct initiative roll etc.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Yeahhh I might end up doing a video just on this topic to really dig into the details of how this step can be approached

[@TheOriginalDogLP]

I would love that:)

[@cxk7127]

The books by Sly Flourish are so amazing! I completely agree that it is a better DM guide than the actual one.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Gotta do my own review on this. GREAT book!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I'd love to see your take on this book! :)

[@michaelpuglia2407]

Best campaign I ever ran- w/"Atlas of the Land". Two new players and i was great at fake it till you make it DM -with 1st edition rules PHB DMG MM no other supplements- only dragon mag modules from 80's -old loose leaf binders by the 90s- Great review!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I have yet to dig into dragon magazine, but when I occasionally research popular modules or monsters, it seems that many are rooted in those articles! Happy gaming!

[@dionysuswinecult1495]

the NPC’s from characters thing is something i use all the time. i like to take a page from the comedia dell’arte (thank you to brian david gilbert for introducing me) so that if i introduce a character my players immediately know how they act from their physical description. big sword? honor-obsessed dual gladii? self-obsessed shirtless? insane masochist big armor? big softie

[@greglensink5265]

You sold me Bob! I hope it stands up! (Used your link too)

[@allenyates3469]

I start new campaigns with combat always. We discuss why they are here and what's going on while the combat is happening. You can skip the meeting at the tavern, finding a quest giver, "why are we traveling together?", Etc if you just start them at the moment s**t hits the fan during their first quiet and explain things retroactively.

[@markgnepper5636]

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Thank you for the support :D

[@ShonicBurn]

I'm currently planning a campaign that's going to be played outdoors in sand and I'll only be allowed one not book to carry with me. This might get it done to read this first.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

That's an interesting way to play dnd!

[@lindarkknight4044]

To emphasize the lazy part they should have made him napping in that chair on the cover.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Haha that would have been great!

[@ryrocks9487]

This is a great book. Although I don't think any dm should be without the dmg, this book rocks. The prep checklists allow you to get the most out of it.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Yeah, if I had to choose, I prefer this book, but both are useful!

[@ryrocks9487]

That is definitely up to the dm style. What I like most about the lazy dmg, are the checklists. They are the best for getting the most out of your prep time. Still, it doesn't have the world building etc. tips of the dmg...

[@solarisdevorak]

Awesome review video! But I would like to say, to be fair, he does say when in doubt use combat. Even in his own videos he says to use it sparingly and that creating a strong start could just be creating something memorable something that really grabs their attention.

[@Dinotk421]

Second video I've watched of this channel today...and again...never so peacefully disagreed with the information provided in a video

[@edathompson2]

The book that changed my life

[@brittanyhamlin3945]

This is amazing! Thanks so much for sharing! I'm sending this video to our DM!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Whoa! Thank you for sharing it!

[@eriklundstrom1336]

Thanks for the review! I bought it using your affiliate links!

[@BrazenBard]

Ah, sod it, got distracted and only heard halfway as I was preoccupied, and made it to the NPCs chapter. Buying now anyway. :P I know most of this stuff after nearly two decades, but nevertheless, handy stuff to cross-reference from time to time.

[@siddall6]

Another good resource I found was encounters for the master

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Hmm I’ll have to check that out!

[@h347h]

I have to interject and say PLENTY of people still play the "old" way of dungeon crawls, episodic adventures(think like monster of the week X-Files style adventures.), and sand box PC ambition driven style games. I call modern 5E campaigns "Marvel Style" as it kinda reminds me of the Marvel superheroe movie formula.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I agree!

[@MarcosElMalo2]

Back in 1980-81, we were playing narrative non-dungeon crawly campaigns. Sure, we did some delving in the deeps, but there was a lot more to it than “go to dungeon, fight monsters, get treasure and Xp, repeat”. We had entire sessions with few-to-zero dice rolls as the party got entangled in palace intrigues, went in search of information, and solved puzzles. I’m not saying this is the best way to play, but it wasn’t ALL dungeon crawling back in the day.

[@Piqipeg]

And another vid in my list! *to the tune of "another one bites the dust"*

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Not sure if you mean me or the DMG biting the dust! Haha

[@Piqipeg]

@@BobWorldBuilder nothing of the sort, just that it's another video on my ever growing rpg playlist here on KZbin 😀

[@Kittsuera]

EVERYONE'S HERE TO HAVE FUN PLAYERS DONT CARE AS MUCH AS YOU THINK PLAYERS WHAT TO SEE THEIR CHRACTERS DO AWESOME THINGS YOU ARE NOT THE ENEMY PLAYERS LOVE BREAKING THE GAME these are good things for game developers to know. not every bug needs to be squished

[@BobWorldBuilder]

The core messages for sure :D

[@keiser5225]

Great! Another D&D book I ordered...

[@johnscotto5045]

General Eisenhower is reported to have said “plans are nothing, planning is everything“. I believe that adage actually sums up a very good approach to DM preparation. The plan you make WILL fall apart because players are independent actors who will not do what you want or what you think they should do. However, the preparation and familiarization the DM gains from the planning process will make him better able to flex as needed in the dynamic environment of DM and players. IMO an unprepared DM makes for a boring play. On the other hand, a DM who is so wedded to his plan that he cannot or will not change as needed and adapt on the fly is far worse as that winds up being a struggle between the will of the DM and the desires of the players, which is the death knell for an interactive game like dungeons and dragons.

[@markporter3522]

Just ordered the book.

[@warrendourond7236]

What the??? Nerdarchist Ted must have found the fountain of youth, he looks 20 + younger. Perhaps this guys a simulacrum! Or doppelgänger?

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Just some fey trickery! Ted and Dave are inspirational!

[@cavicchiolipaolo]

Wonderful!! Thank you very much for all these tips!

[@benjaminchild3227]

This is great, just bought the book!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

That's awesome! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

[@simounobrien9096]

Come on now, You have to be "Lazy" to read this book as the DM..... XD!!!! Great Review as always :D!!!

[@rolanejo8512]

Great channel. And yes, independent content will always be better than the stuff Hasbro published which is bloated, expensive and unoriginal. 5e feels like a superpowered video game that uses 3.5 rules and 2nd edition settings. I have not purchased a WOTC book in decades.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Well said! I actually have a short video about this idea coming later this month

[@jcmartin1978]

I agree and disagree with you on the strong start, but I also think that we have a little bit of a different understanding of that step is. I always try to think of an interesting way to start each session. Spending a little time thinking of an interesting way to start each session, even if the last session ended on a downbeat, will drastically improve the entire session and get it off on a good note. It doesn’t need to be combat at all... I think Mike’s point about combat, is that if you can’t think of any other way to create a strong start, throw a combat at them. I rarely run out of ways to create a strong start and it’s only a combat scene if that’s what makes sense at the time.

[@joedude202]

Hey Bob, have you got any tips for balancing encounters as best as possible? I find my encounters are far too easy for my party but I’m apprehensive to give them a much harder challenge I don’t want to TPK lol. Thanks :)

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I like to lean on the side of encounters being more than I think they can handle, because they usually come up with ways to make stuff easy! Noting this as a future video topic

[@SlyFlourish]

I have a video on that! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zma5iKKcnbOAfqs

[@Cesoide_]

The strong start could be some intersting happening not related to combat just to engage the players a little faster on the game.

[@sierrabrew7759]

Ordering NOW. Thanks Bob!! Been waiting for an honest review.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Woo! Hope you enjoy it as much as ido!

[@SlyFlourish]

Thank you!

[@PifWorks]

Great informative video!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful!

[@RPG_Bliss]

Great review just got it with your link 👍🏽

[@F2t0ny]

I have the pdf of this. Gotta finish it.

[@darger3]

You should read for audio books. Very calming voice.

[@jelio123456]

Thanks, its a great book!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Glad you like it!

[@facundoaloi3809]

Idk why but you look so friendly

[@vinfragwarrior]

I feel like the author meant "create a strong start" to the campaign, not every session. But obviously i haven't actually read it and you have

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I kind of think it applies to both

[@CardboardCleric]

don't make me buy more book Bob ... Oh ok this does sound helpful 😅 Involving my party more by having them do the recaps and name things that happened naturally for us and it's great. Some of the other points are new to me - TY for the in depth review!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Haha, no pressure! Glad you liked the review :)

[@SolonarTM]

I spy a Colville quote

[@AxelS]

Hello i found in your short video lot of stuff i found on Dungeon World, is it just me ? Or dungeon world get a lot of advices from the lazy dm ?

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Maybe! I haven't read Dungeon World but I've heard it has a lot of good ideas!

[@evangelosalexiou3605]

What does it mean though to not know how your players will find the clues etc? I don't get that one, maybe it's because i'm a rookie dm but I don't feel as if I can improvise the clues like that

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Just that you don’t plan out any steps for them (they have to speak with THIS NPC or go to THAT location to learn about THIS secret), bc the players never do what you expect!

[@evangelosalexiou3605]

@@BobWorldBuilder Ok now I can see a bigger picture, will practise this for sure, thanks a lot friend!

[@TravelswithRosie]

Have to agree

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Thanks!

[@marathuzula9024]

I love anyone who reminds new DM's that this book is a better purchase than the DMG... the DMG is useful sure... BUT IT IS NOT necessary, and certainly doesn't deserve to be 'core.'

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Bingo! Thanks for the support :)

[@byronjbanks]

Totally new DM here... do I need the 1st book and the workbook?

[@BobWorldBuilder]

You don't need ANY books! This one will help though :)

[@praecantrix]

is this a sequel aka part 2 or a redux?

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I thought it was a redux but I think it's more of a sequel-- but you don't have to be familiar with the prequel for it to be awesome

[@eclatshwartzbaumcybertune2063]

Wheredo I get big D20’s?

[@j.c.denton5193]

I only got to 5:19 in the video. ...because I bought the book at that point. Hope that Amazon link was an affiliate link.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Haha thanks! Yes it should work at least for US purchases

[@bonbondurjdr6553]

Can you review the AngryGM's book? It's also great for DMs! :D :D :D

[@BobWorldBuilder]

I’ll have to check it out! Honestly didn’t know they had their own book! Thanks for the heads up :D

[@bonbondurjdr6553]

@@BobWorldBuilder awesome! You're welcome! And thank you! :D

[@ElderBard00]

Damn... I thot this dude was Datto (Destiny KZbinr) 🤣 Damn Datto ur in D&D now?

[@BobWorldBuilder]

You got the wrong guy! :P

[@ElderBard00]

@@BobWorldBuilder 🤣🤣🤣🤣 you got a fan now bro. Went and got the book. 👍🏼

[@The_CGA]

Sly is potently underwater in the Illusionist School of Dungeon Mastery, where the only thing that matters is how “Razzle Dazzled” the players are. Sly is deep into things like deleting monsters from encounters or fudging down monster HP and other “dynamic difficulty” stuff that some DMs just aren’t all about that. Not everyone sees their role as a DM as an Entertainer. So no, Sly’s “Return of the Lazy DM” is not “better than” the DMG, since it only works for folks ready to go all-in on illusionism

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Great point! No one book is objectively better than another. Everything on this channel is my opinion based on my subjective experience.

[@tomohiro1399]

While this book is certainly useful, the DM guide comes with a lot of really awesome stuff. It’s my favorite 5e book, and I think people running other systems should at least look it over.

[@meinkanal60]

This book helped me so much getting out of the 'my story was so cool but my players ruined it' mindset!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

That’s awesome! I know I’ve been there too!