The Dungeon | Running the Game

[@7734jojo]

Next video: "The Dragon"

[@SuperSpinko27]

Followed shortly by "The And"

[@kyler3035]

I think this would be a good video

[@tomfoolery7797]

Dungeons and exceedingly long explanations on why we are doing this again, also dragons.

[@nerdblender69]

Followed by "Dungeons and Dragons III: Tokyo Drift"

[@arloroster6389]

Would totally watch!

[@ketchupguns]

Dear Matt, There are a pair of little boys at my house who now eat, breath, sleep: monsters, character sheets, weapons, dungeons and beholders...half-orc barbarians, teams of fighting giraffes, and poison-clawed Tabaxi thieves - thanks to you, teaching their dad how to DM.

[@RashidMBey]

I just accepted a job in my hometown- Kansas City- and what I'm most anticipating is bringing D&D to my community, my preteen niece and nephew, and my mid-40s father and godfather. I grew up in the ghettos of KC and since coming to college, I now am a D&D fanatic and I can't wait to infect everyone around me with the same bug.

[@Shane-The-Pain]

If I could add a heart to this comment, I would. Please understand that someone you never met and may never know, also feels that joy of passing on this hobby. :)

[@kyngosiris6868]

They'll appreciate it, it definitely brings families together. My father was my DM years ago now I'm his DM #FeelsGood

[@natethetoe386]

I can't wait for my boy to be old enough for D&D. Good job being a good Dad.

[@ThunderBirdTheGreat]

This brought me to tears, congrats on that. My dad and I connected over D&D and fifth edition in general.

[@Calebgoblin]

I jacked up the volume thinking I wasn't hearing the audio at first and then "LOOKS GOOD DOESN'T IT" blew my brains out through my nose

[@nualahalpin6119]

my immediate thought wasn't "oh he put his initials there", my immediate reaction was "he wrote 'egg' in his dungeon? good to know meme culture was around back in the 70s"

[@Humorless_Wokescold]

Meme culture goes even further back. WWII era soldiers were scrawling "Kilroy was here!" across random buildings.

[@zandernewson9933]

Julian Francisco In the Middle Ages, artists kept drawing snails around seemingly unrelated texts and painting for...memes !!

[@disnagburnazog9552]

There are writings in Pompean shitters that declare friendship of dudes who were there

[@ink7761]

@@Humorless_Wokescold not just ww2. In the crypt of canterbury cathedral theres a pillar that has chiselled: "Iohn, 1493" and a bunch of other names over a span of a few centuries

[@undeniablySomeGuy]

friends@@disnagburnazog9552

[@CritCrab]

"Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good" Matt dropping pearls of wisdom that apply both in and out of game yet again.

[@storbo451]

CritCrab hey I didn’t know you watched this channel p.

[@sapphic_sophie]

“Players never miss what you cut.” “Starting is 80% of finishing.” Serious wisdom!

[@brandonfaddis7443]

How are you not verified yet?

[@aliciaballeza9592]

I just came to type the exact same thing.

[@IrontMesdent]

My favorite Trap: A pitfall that is being moved 10 feet forward by an illusory terrain spell. Players jump over the fake hole to end up jumping in the real hole that looks like terrain.

[@ronanslattery1549]

I love it

[@Elitekross]

My favourite trap was a scary looking rock that looked like a giant spider. The players had a time limit and it was only there to slow them down. I was counting real time due to what they were tryimg to accomplish, and the spent 10 minutes debating how to deal with it before finding out that they could just walk past it

[@nateatavares4268]

That is so devious. I love it.

[@MoonLight-zj8iu]

Oh that's just evil :0

[@kyzer42]

And they said _hallucinatory terrain_ was a bad spell.

[@abefroman81]

I ran into Matt in Indianapolis on my way to work during Gen-Con. He was super cool and nice and asked me about my game. It totally made my day. Love this guy.

[@arloroster6389]

Lucky!

[@janfransdevries8032]

😎 cool

[@darkdragonsoul99]

Gonna be honest I have no idea how I got here I know nothing about dungeons and dragons other then it exists and there are alot of video games that take from it. Yet this was rather interesting.

[@mcolville]

Welcome to the boundless world of Dungeons and Dragons! Go tell your friends you're playing D&D this weekend!

[@darkdragonsoul99]

@@mcolvilleain't got non that's how I ended up a gamer in the first place no one to play with but mario.

[@WesHartgrove]

@@darkdragonsoul99 hey friend! if you'd like to try it (and I heartily recommend it!) try to find a local game shop- many usually host a game or two a week and newbies are welcome. barring that, groups will form online all the time to just play over skype/discord and that can also be an incredible experience, even without irl friends

[@kyler3035]

This, this is literally how I got started with dungeons and dragons. Stumbling on Matt Colville randomly on KZbin.

[@digdude64]

Never hurts to check out MeetUp.com for gaming groups. There's probably a group that plays near you. Or you could do some research and organize a group yourself!

[@azuraben5128]

"Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." 15:19 I'm going to save that quote, helps me deal with past depression and perfectionism!

[@spacesandshark2418]

"We're not done, but we've started. And starting is about 80% of finishing." 19:44 Matt with the great quotes today!

[@MrGiantSwede]

This is so funny, I literally wrote it down when he said it and added it to my wall :D

[@emmet_harris]

@@GoblinUrNuts if we are to believe Wikipedia, it is an Italian proverb, attributed to Voltaire, which he had included in his Dictionnaire philosophique in 1770: "Le meglio è l'inimico del bene".

[@bordenfleetwood5773]

Ah, outlines. I hate them. HATE THEM. And cannot live without them. I use outlines every day, for all of my gaming, writing and crafting. And I hate them all, even as I use them continuously. And the product is so much better for it. Listen to this man when he says build and outline, and play things kinda loosey-goosey, but know the outline.

[@zombiepete]

Yes. Outlines are absolutely key. The cool thing is that as you get more experienced and better at improv, you get to start being lazy and ONLY prep the outline. That's all my notes look like these days: an outline and some links to monster stats. I get three hours of session a week out of about half of a page of a google doc.

[@kyngosiris6868]

Definitely gotta play it loosely because the players will have you scratching your head if you aren't open to their ideas and are trying to stick to a strict script.

[@LowPolyPixel]

Yeah my notes are generally just outlines of things I have planned. Which worked out well for me in my last session when the players went to the barracks to help out and ended up getting locked up instead.

[@kyngosiris6868]

MooseZybort I like that

[@DPadGamer]

I'll be DMing my very first proper campaign in a couple of weeks. I'm excited, but nervous. Your videos have been fantastic, keep up the great work Matt

[@Mukjus]

I hope the best for your campaign, and if anything goes wrong just remember; the goal is to have fun!

[@DPadGamer]

@@Mukjus :]

[@dirus3142]

Do not fear making mistakes. Half the time the players wont even know it.

[@TheSoling27]

good luck -- it's great fun -- from a 50yr old DM since 1986

[@rafaelferes4362]

If u really get stuck in something say "then You see..." And call for a 10min break

[@zacharyharwell351]

"Don't let the perfect, be the enemy of the good." As a compulsive perfectionist with anxiety, I feel simultaneously attacked and inspired. Vicious Inspiration?

[@connor712]

It's not even December yet and Colville is already giving us gifts.

[@RashidMBey]

#facts Jolly old Saint Matt rolling a nat 20 on sliding down the chimney.

[@wanderinghistorian]

He is a river to his people...

[@ChrisJohnson-du9zc]

Roll for Santa

[@specs6637]

My first time dming, I made everything up on the spot. It was sort of an accident, I didn’t fully intend to dm like that, I had a plan for a dungeon crawl, but then the players started saying things about how they had goals. So I thought, “let’s go with that”. We ended up making an entire campaign, that lasted for 6 months, and the players fought and died, loved and lost, in order to find and complete there goals. At the end of it, they asked me, how did you create such an amazing story? And that’s when I told them, I didn’t. You all did. I just went along with it. Of course I didn’t give them all that they wanted, they failed, a lot. But it was fun, and entertaining. And it really forced me to be constantly thinking on my toes. Some how, some way, I made a cohesive story where almost everything fit perfectly. At least that’s what my players say. But yeah, I don’t recommend dming like this. I had nothing prepared so I constantly had to be making things up on the fly, and flipping to random pages in books for fights and such. Luckily I’m a nut for puzzles and riddles so I could throw those at them on a whim in order to buy myself some time to think. All in all though, I’ve never ran a game as fun as that. And I think I’m gonna do another campaign like that again. Let the players create the world, and I’ll just roll with it.

[@TheNerdySimulation]

My favorite thing to tell someone when they are first getting into D&D as a GM is, "A more appropriate name for this game would be Structures & Opponents, but that doesn't sell as many books."

[@eternalwatcher3628]

"They don't know X isn't as cool as you wished it would be, they're just gonna be exited playing." - that hit my soul HARD.

[@andrewcoutinho9318]

I've been saying for many, many years that 5 minutes of DM work can last the players 5 hours and 5 hours of DM work can last the players 5 minutes.

[@julianb4157]

And the problem is knowing which prep will end up being the 5min vs. the 5h...

[@mikegould6590]

Dungeons, though seen as cliche, give players something that grand landscapes do not. Focus. Clear goals. Even if your campaign is a sweeping epic, the occasional bite sized dungeon style content is a nice pallet cleanser. Thanks Matt.

[@THEPELADOMASTER]

Dungeon is a generic word. Whenever the players need to enter a place, you've got yourself a dungeon. Even in a sweeping epic, at some point a conflict is gonna happen indoors

[@CrazyConnor2]

It's always a good day when Matt uploads

[@deujales6029]

Yep. Everything feels a little bit better when he puts up a new video. :)

[@Kugo]

My players measure progress by how many NPC's they've killed

[@storbo451]

That’s rough.

[@dcharris555]

Sounds like the NPCs of your world should start training to protect themselves against roving gangs of adventurers ;)

[@koboldhasasword9440]

Mine do by how many companions they've collected

[@dremoralorde5215]

I haven't killed anyone in months!

[@thehikingviking2049]

@@dremoralorde5215 have you killed anyone new recently?

[@ProjectMouthwash]

So much agreed with setting limits. Creating the illusion of a living world and creating an actual fully functional expansive world are on two entirely different scale of difficulty and tedium, and are only about equally useful. I find knowing what major events are happening outside the scope of game-play while having basically just the area the players are capable of exploring ready is more than enough, and hopefully one can get a sense ahead of time where your players are interested in exploring and plan readily. Having good players who aren't there to sabotage the game helps of course.

[@professorgrimm4602]

"Starting is about 80% of Finishing" ...this right here is important life advice. Getting started often is the hardest thing.

[@DaBezzzz]

"Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." Well I rolled a nat20 on sleight of hand so I'm sooo gonna steal that

[@willnonya9438]

I convinced some friends to play dnd again. after a small intro adventure we moved into Cult of the Reptile God. They are loving it, and I appreciate all the info you are putting out there. In the Golden Grain inn the PCs immediately start asking too many questions about a specific halfing who disapeard, the Sorcerer ate the poisoned food, and passed out. When pressed even further the bartender says he should change the name to "The Cooked Goose" and half a dozen chairs slide back as men armed with knives and clubs rise to deal with the curious party. there is some tripping and fumbling, and the bard puts most of the room to sleep. Their apparent victory is stolen from them when the bartender grabs the unconcious sorcerer by the hair and puts a knife to his throat. When they finally escape one of my players said, that was the most intense combat he had ever been in.

[@ponds91st]

I used that dungeon as my first ever session. Almost a year later we've gone on wild adventures and it's amazing. Thank you Matthew.

[@Dilettante15]

Thank you Bugbear Daddy I have missed you

[@lanxreedalenlum3706]

im going to make a bugbear dungeon lead bug the mighty bugbear Coville

[@Zomburai45]

Gods dammit, I can't unsee it

[@Calebgoblin]

I didn't want to like that but I did

[@zawizardman]

This is by far the best advice I've ever heard for a new DM. I've been DMing weekly for 2 years now (one ongoing campaign) and by far the most enjoyable, intense and memorable sessions was the exploration of a dungeon I built (a mindflayer spaceship that took only 2 sessions to get through but almost wiped the party). An important distinction to me is that a dungeon doesn't have to be just rooms and corridors. It can be any situation in which the options the players have are limited. It is a way to railroad the players and make sure that your preparation is not wasted without ever having to say "no" to them. The feywild can be used quite creatively in this way for example. But by far the most important point Matt made is: it's fun to run dungeons! It's easier, far less stressful, requires less improvisation, and goes much more smoothly. It's the perfect way to get used to DMing. Thank you for this video Matt, and to any new DMs out there: dungeons are your friend.

[@scottlawley6480]

The sound you made at 2:03 is too delightful

[@seanwick566]

I hit your link like 15 times I didnt even notice it the first time I watched it ^~^

[@crazygermn]

It's Victor Borge's phonetic punctuation!

[@rnormgeek]

N O I C E

[@JustALVGuy]

I was looking for this comment! I couldnt agree more. Someone should make this into a gif.

[@lycanthrose]

The rule of three is a great idea. I am running a post apocalyptic US game in WoD and think that even city engineers used that idea. Grand Central Station in New York has three: staging areas, mechanical areas and admin areas. It's rather simple, but I like that. Thanks.

[@iamsteem6977]

That intro made you the Bob Ross of D&D.

[@TheIrishRev]

Pretty sure that's Will fridel, no?

[@iamsteem6977]

Mike Garcia Shoot man, you’re right! Still, Matt sometimes has a calming voice like Bob however.

[@RashidMBey]

He felt like the Carl Sagan of D&D, patiently, kindly, and thoroughly explaining the fourth dimension to us.

[@WizbizMcBrix]

@@RashidMBey I feel like he's more of the Bill Nye of D&D. Getting excited about it, using metaphor, and encouraging us to experiment ourselves with the concepts he presents.

[@RashidMBey]

@@WizbizMcBrix I love it! As long as he's the wiz who enchants us with enthusiasm, good-spirited counsel, and considerable humanity.

[@thepeoplesamaricuh]

funny, he put his initials in his own dungeon.... what an easter E.G.G.

[@kyngosiris6868]

Andrew Carlson I caught that as well, definitely something I will have to incorporate into my campaigns

[@Dan-sg1ox]

what dungeon was it?

[@kristiangregory4860]

Delicious Egg

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

"May I offer you an obscure reference in a dungeon's architecture in these uncertain times?"

[@soulkutu]

This is so desperately true. Many new DMs try to emulate critical role when they want to introduce people to the game or to try their hand at DMing. However, a dungeon at the start not only is easier to run, but also helps new people get into it, because it introduces them to the game as a simple board game, with amazing depth and then you can slowly ease them into roleplaying.

[@markselorio5837]

Ran the Death House intro to CoH for my friends and they loved it - great example of this

[@Adeptus_acrylicus]

Acquisitions Inc is a very great example of how to run one shots, have fun with it, making with a dungeon

[@fishyjishy2867]

My first game was a very simple and generic D&D adventure. Plot hook. Go to dungeon. Clear dungeon. Reward. We still talk about it to this day. Not because it was the best adventure ever written but because it was fun, and it was fun because it was simple for me to run.

[@Jernfalk]

My latest "dungeon" was a mansion owned by a rich noble who was throwing a higher-class party. Lots of guards, eyes everywhere.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

I love old-style D&D. I've been playing for 30 years, and I still love just having some elves and dwarves and halflings exploring a dungeon, fighting monsters and finding treasure. It's always different and always exciting.

[@StevetheWizard2591]

That bit about the "Why are we doing this?" can actually be a good idea for character exploration, if it's done in-character. Paladin: "Why are we doing this, again?" Sorcerer: "Well, we need to gather the artifacts and destroy them before the other guys can gather them and use them. Apparently, they can only be destroyed when they're all together, which I'm thinking will make it awfully convenient for the bad guys, especially since they know we've got them." Paladin: "No, I know why we're gathering the artifacts, I'm just wondering why we don't just throw them into a volcano or something for storage instead of walking into an obvious trap. Doesn't matter if they can't be destroyed by being chucked into a volcano, the whole 'being in a volcano' thing would make them impossible to get to." Cleric: "Uh... they summon Demons if left in one place for too long-" Warlock: "Last I checked, Demons aren't usually immune to lava. I'm on board with the volcano plan." Paladin: "Good. Now we just need to find a volcano." Fighter: "There's only one known volcano on this continent, and it's inhabited by an Ancient Red Dragon. I think going there would be a bad idea." Paladin: "... Well, then."

[@imsoquirky8370]

One of my favorite dungeons I ran was “the temple of Tiscus” a temple to the bard god Tiscus. Each floor was themed by a music genre.

[@ViniciusLuiggi]

I particularly love one piece of advice form this video paraphrasing "sometimes a player starts building a world and never finishes, because the task he set himself up to is a impossible one" i've come to the point i had several adventures set in a single world, stuff i started writing when i first started as a players, enough to expend the next 2 years just expanding on it and yet i did not feel like i had even a fraction of the world built, i was completely burned out of world building, so we just started playing, right now doing a very sandbox style of game, and going to our 4th session that should close the first adventure, the one that brings that party together, and after that i will drop my players into a city with a lot of hooks and let them open to choice, now let me say that seeing people play knowing where in the world they are and what they want to do makes world building 10 times easier.

[@matthiashavrez]

This is horrible. It is 2:20 AM here in France. I HAVE to go to bed. So I will. And I will watch this tomorrow. Have a nice evening / night everyone.

[@RashidMBey]

@Rex Ligini, I've met a lot of homosexuals, both men and women and even those in between, and they have been, for the most part, pretty fucking lit. Matthias Havras , it is a horrible coincidence, but it isn't a horrible video. I'd be interested in your take.

[@kyngosiris6868]

It's worth it, I won't say any spoilers but you're in for a treat as usual.

[@Austin-kh1sv]

Looks like the French lost again.

[@Shepper99]

@Rex Ligini +1

[@Borme22]

Thank you Matt--your enthusiasm about D&D gets me re-excited about playing and DMing! It can become monotonous to keep crafting stories every week, but this was a nice reminder about why I enjoy playing.

[@toddnichols6153]

I think this is my favorite video. I believe this concept is the foundation of this whole hobby, and this video hits a lot of key points like how to not be overwhelmed, how to start, how to improve, and how to have fun.

[@frost_dias]

"No adventure advertises how many sessions it will take." I just finished a homebrew adventure in which I stated up front at session 0 "This will be anywhere from 10 to 12 sessions, no more." It was the best adventure of our lives.

[@oz_jones]

How many did it take?

[@professorgrimm4602]

@@oz_jones Probably 50 xD

[@stuartwatkinson528]

The tapestries comment is so true. A little flair often turns into a major plot point/hook that has to be weaved (haha) in on the fly.

[@comradeshmoo]

Literally every time.

[@stuartwatkinson528]

@@comradeshmoo Players are just paranoid detectives that think everything is a clue

[@WookieeRage]

I love the advice. But I also find my mind considering the perspective that EVERYthing is the dungeon, including those things outside of it. All based on encounters and choices. That a city can be viewed the same as a dungeon once my perspective is shifted, the myriad npcs in a city are a lot like that tapestry in the dungeon that didn't mean anything, while the more important npcs are like the lever that will change the pcs path depending on how they chose to interact with it. Shifting perspective takes the "over" out of overwhelmed. I really appreciate this video, thanks for puttying your many years of experience into it.

[@ToxicGnat]

I love how you make me excited about every aspect of the game. Every new video, I feel like I'm rediscovering D&D all over again.

[@TeaPea102938]

15:20 - "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good" Incredible advice

[@AlabasterJazz]

My trick for making the beginning of an adventure portend to some element of the ending, is to just toss in a few random details in your descriptions. In the first sessions the players will pick up on something you didn't even think was important. Then all you have to do is spend some time working that element into the final sessions, building upon it. It is a cooperative game, so building onto the player's expectations and imagination is part of what makes it fun. Twist and turn their expectations once in a while to keep them on their toes makes it interesting.

[@DancingJersey]

Listening to this series for probably the dozenth time, and every time I gain something new. These gave me the confidence to start DMing during the pandemic. So from the bottom of this forever DMs heart, thank you for all the love and care you put into these videos!

[@DaishoChikara]

Everyone, new or old to DMing, should watch this video. One of the best breakdowns of the process I've ever heard, and I've been playing (and DMing) for over 30 years. Thanks Matt!

[@steveblunden2295]

Definitely one of Matt's best videos. And not just because he states so clearly and simply my own conclusions that I've finally reached after spending too long over thinking how to begin my own adventures !!

[@cooldog646]

This has to be the best channel I ever subscribed too. The way Matt talks and the tips he gives not only give me advice, but set my imagination off to design my own adventures and dungeons.

[@UltraZethos]

Matt you may never see this comment, but I want to thank you for saying that you don't have to think out the entire world; I needed to hear that. I've been DM'ing my first campaign with a group of friends who're all new to D&D. I've been so focussed on making my world believable, making all the npc/villain motivations make sense in a plot revolving around a murder mystery, working out the guilds, the taverns, the goals of a demon worshipping cult, of the nobles and the neighbouring kingdoms, of the thieves guild, of a group of assassins, the three main overarching vilains of the plot, world maps, city maps and so much more, that it has now been two years since the first session, and we're only about to do the fourth in a few days. It's gotten so bad that one of the group members started to DM his own campaign for all of us to fill up the hole I left. It's not that I've spent all that time on my campaign itself - I wish - but I've been stressing myself out about on working out every single detail so much that the work has become offputting and looking like a chore. Sometimes I forget that this is 'only' my first campaign as a DM, and that not everything has to be perfect. Honestly this has calmed my nerves quite a bit, so thank you for that.

[@Ephemeral_Inspiration]

I have been struggling to make dungeons for a while now, and just that tip to add something I like to it cleared my creative block. Thank you Matt. :)

[@wisemoon40]

How interesting that you put out this video very shortly after the release of Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage! Dungeon of the Mad Mage is a master class in designing a mega-dungeon. But mega-dungeons can be as overwhelming as building an entire world. Your videos make the big overwhelming things easier to digest and understand. That's why we love your videos. Thanks, Matt!

[@KirbyMoyers]

THIS is what Matt does SO WELL. My friends and I owe hundreds of hours of fun to his mighty powers of de-mystification. That first night, when I ran the Delian Tomb for my friends, I was hooked forever. Thanks Matt, a thousand times, thanks.

[@benjaminfrost2780]

Amazing video and I will be honest Matthew Colville, I have been DMing for over a decade and this video literally got my creative juices flowing for dungeons and have in the time the video took came up with the premice for 3 new dungeons across the 2 campaigns I am currently running. Thank you so very much for this.

[@christopherturnley2157]

Thank you Mr Mat Colville for giving me the tools to create a One Shot DnD game for my family and friends. I've watched and re-watched this Playlist of videos and keep on finding the inspiration to add and create more and more. I may have come late to this game but my spin off of the Delian Tomb is The Chamber of the Blue Flame and its my first experience creating a game. Thank you mate, for giving me a nudge in the right direction!

[@kameronhughes884]

Matt thank you. I've been having a bit of writers block for my last session before I leave on a religious mission for the next two years this really helped. I'm going to miss these videos they have helped me with more than just Dungeon Mastering. Keep up the good work I look forward to seeing what the channel is like when I get back.

[@Pseudo_RNG]

My mother-in-law was telling me today about a dungeon a friend created for them back in the 80's. Whenever the players moved with pace they could hear sounds coming from a distance. If they ran for long enough the sounds turned out to be a song playing. It turned out they were in the grooves of a giant record and were turning it as they moved. What an idea!

[@DonkeyDoormatDrive]

Matt Coleville, you always succeed in getting me out of my creative ruts. I cannot thank you enough for keeping me going all this time! You are a true Gem, you are truly rare! Thank you.

[@magesrpg2793]

Every video is filled with good advice and I try to use it all.

[@shadowverse5864]

I love this video, way back when I made my first campaign my players were sent down into a dungeon that connected them to other cities to send a message. It was 20 levels, about 10 rooms a level, and a large underground city my players could stumble on. I made it a few levels a week, and now whenever I introduce new players it is my go to, my signature. In other words, it is amazing to see Matt talking about them.

[@RyusaiTheHunter]

I've been running Castle Amber in Pathfinder for a small group and the dinner table has been one of the highlights for me so far. Great video as always!

[@TheJt52]

The Delian tomb dungeon was the launching point for the campaign that I’m currently running. 1st time dm with 3 out of 4 players being 1st timers and I had no clue what I was doing. But from that little 3-4 room dungeon I got inspired to create a whole world. Thanks Matt. That one video has created and continues to create countless hours of fun for me and my friends

[@roguedm6523]

I have a philosophy for dungeon building which is to start with how many factions exist within the dungeon and build a 5 room/area dungeon for each faction with a linear story. Then I criss cross the 5 room dungeons so they're no longer linear should you deviate from the designed path and then fill in the gaps to finish the dungeon off, usually finishing with patrol routes and cross faction interactions now that the dungeon has its rooms laid out.

[@Hghartung]

I have been watching your videos since I started DMing in early 2017. Your videos are both interesting and informative and I have learned A LOT. But, as a classic over-preparer, I find this video to be the most helpful video I think you have ever produced. It has specific tips that can be applied not only to dungeon building, but also to writing, art and most work in general. I found this extremely motivating and I really appreciate your content.

[@TheLemonFox]

Holy shit! The production value on this is awesome and I'm only a minute in. Always been a fan of your videos Matt but this is like a whole new level. Few things bring me more joy than seeing the creators you love gaining success and being able to make things the way they want.

[@tonbon8514]

When you talk abou old way of playing D&D, it reminds me of the difference between The Elder Scrolls 1, and 5. In Arena, the challange was gettling xp, and loot in dungeons, and once in a while sell it in a city. Now, it is very story driven, and the point of playing it, is completly different.

[@Philerias]

Thank you so much, Matt. You have a neck for laying out your thoughts in a way that is easy and clear enough to follow. This may just instantly be one of my favourite videos of yours and I have a feeling that it's going to improve the experience at my table tremendously.

[@johnmurphy842]

If you want to make a good dungeon add random encounters that you roll for. Have about half be nothing happens in the room. I did this and my players were on edge because I had usually rolled the affect of nothing at all and they were so on edge to see what happens next it made an awesome dungeon. I do it know and then I would recommend that every DM try this.

[@MrGiantSwede]

This is the best video you've ever released in my opinion. It also made me realize how few dungeons I've been using. I'm gonna go make one, thanks so much Matt!

[@AlabasterJazz]

As a long time world-builder and RPG aficionado (that never really DM'd until recently) I can say that the skillset to world build and the skillset to DM are totally different. The dungeon is a Godsend. Even building outdoor encounters as "dungeons" is helpful. I'm sure that as my skills improve I'll be able to create much more intricate and exciting adventures, but the dungeon as a starting point, and as a fallback, is great.

[@mookieblaelocker6504]

This video itself is inspiring hundreds of dungeons. I love your content, bless you Mr Colville

[@lukelofton9619]

Matt returns with spectacular content! It never ceases to amaze me how simple yet profound your DM tips are. Keep up the good work, strongholds and followers and the stream alike sound stupendous and well worth the wait. Thank you!

[@josephgalvez5048]

I really just want to thank you for all the work you’ve put into your videos, I know I’m several years late to this one but I’ve been listening to as many as I can and learning as much as possible. I want to get into DM’ing now that I’ve been a player for several years and your insights and advice on running the game, characters, dungeons and everything else has been invaluable to me, so thank you so much.

[@tommyunreal]

This video really comes in great time xD. Since few weeks ago I've designed 7 room dungeon to straight forward our open world campaign. And with design I took similar aproach to Matt's. I took the place, imgining what was originally used for. I added another storyline to the rooms, what happend weeks before PCs arrived. And then just threw players in. And they are having fun so far, hopefully finishing dungeon next session.

[@johnfraney4268]

So tasty! Love that you're reinvigorating the dungeon side of d&d

[@zan917]

Out of so many great Running the Game videos this is my favorite. Watching it I feel both excited and relieved. Thank you!

[@BaltimoreCaesar]

Brother...keep cranking out the D&D content, because the way your mind processes, then explains to all of us the nuance of whatever topic you come up with is just pure gold. THIS is why we all backed (and continue to back) you :)

[@RyanClaffey]

He’s back!!! So excited for this video! And can’t wait for Strongholds & Followers!

[@DovidStern]

I just ran the epic finale to my first ever campaign last night. I was so nervous I was literally sweating. It went awesome. And it all started by me watching your videos. Great as always. Thanks Matt!

[@jiml9856]

"the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time."

[@Jetwolf]

Matt. Thank you for all you've given to we players and DMs. I've been DMing and writing for decades and I still get so much from your videos. My campaign is better for your dedication and efforts.

[@torpote]

I watch so much videos about D&D, trying to improve my knowledge of the game and see other perspective. After some videos I feel like I learnt a little something, but after a Matt Colville videos it's like a HUGE discovery or tips !

[@mitchelledwards3333]

I've been powering through these Running the Game videos, and have gotten a LOT of great advice. But one of the best moments is the Syd Barrett reference. Purely amazing stuff Matt!

[@danacoleman4007]

Wow! I think this is probably the most densely packed, and excellent, 20 minutes of gaming advice ever produced!

[@gresh1134]

Discovered the joy of dungeons recently when I whipped one up quickly to run for a one-shot. Really fun to put together and run; would recommend 😅👍

[@MiguelAngelGutierrezRamirez]

Thanks for this, bro. I've been so preocuppied with my lore, my world, that I've not felt ready to play for weeks.

[@Patches2212]

Matthew, I have to thank you for all of your invaluable knowledge you so brilliantly share with us aspiring DMs and players. This specific episode hit home hard for me personally. I tend to focus so much on worldbuilding, yet struggled (until now) to create meaningful dungeons. Your advice has inspired me and given me the tools to work on this issue, and thereby become a better DM. I thank you again for all the information you provide us.

[@kevinm3428]

Very good video, Matt. I started playing in the late 70's and my friends and I always had an XP odometer running (we've only cleared X number of rooms, quit wasting time) and hastened to explore more during a session. I'm now running for a group of Millenials and they don't seem to have that hunger, though they enjoy the game and keep showing up, thankfully!

[@roryfriththetraveller4982]

im SO glad i fished around in my watch later playlist i forgot how helpful Matt’s videos are for making me latch onto D&D

[@Wraithing]

Love this. It's the kind of content that got me hooked to watching and listening to your wonderful "Tubes". Thanks, Mr Colville.

[@olschoolgamer1869]

Excellent Video. It is these informational videos with you asking the audience to consider ideas or concept that I enjoy the most. You keep reinvigorating my faith in playing the game.

[@johnkennedy3403]

This is excellent advice Matt. A lot of people in the modern conversation around D&D disparage dungeon play, and this is a great way to highlight the advantages of dungeon structure.

[@CODEFORTYTWO]

Thank you Matt, it may be simple, but this is excellent advice, the way you break it down. It helped me actually plot out and expand two of my game's grand dungeons at the same time!

[@alias7714]

I appreciate this! "Don't let perfect be the enemy of good." So good. Also, side note, while you may not want us to run your dungeon, we kinda do. I recommend MCDM consider creating a compilation of dungeons or pre-made resources for DMs after you get Strongholds and Followers out. We really respect your ideas, Matt. I know you want to communicate that we can create good ones too and it just takes practice. But let's face it, you're a writer. You're a professional idea-man.

[@walkman23]

this ended up being one of the most encouraging and challenging videos i've seen in the series, exactly what I needed for the campaign im writing right now! super thankful

[@ross.metcalf]

Thanks again for another useful video Matt! It was nice to hear your updates on projects at the end too.

[@nekoimouto4639]

A good dungeon tells a story just by its existence. I loved when you said to add rooms like the scribe's copy room, ink mixture lab etc. because just by players seeing these rooms they imagine how it might have looked like before it was abandoned, how the people might have lived there. And maybe, just maybe, find out the story of why it became devoid of its inhabitants. Not because someone told them, but they saw clues and pieced them together into a theory. Whether their theory is true or not doesn't matter, what matters is that they enjoyed doing it.

[@r7erickson]

I find myself more and more reaching for a pen and notebook to write notes from you videos Matt. These are great dissertations on the game.

[@Loki087]

I ran that tomb for my coworkers. They loved it, Thank you Matt!!