Tips for Neurodivergent D&D Players!

MONSTERS OF DRAKKENHEIM is 300+ pages of eldritch horror inspired monsters for 5e by the Dungeon Dudes. www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
We discuss the many ways Neurodivergent people can struggle or excel in the worlds of D&D and discuss ways to elevate your games.
NOTE: Neurodiversity is a vast and nuanced subject. We are not experts in neurodiversity and this video is merely us sharing our personal experiences, research, and suggestions from our community. We hope many find these tips and discussions helpful for navigating their own games.
Twitter feed: x.com/dungeon_dudes/status/17...
The Neurodivergent Players Hand Book by Caleb Valorozo - Jones: openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/epri...
TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Intro
01:53 - Neurodiversity
06:28 - Clear, Well-Organized Visual Aids
10:27 - Remove Distractions
14:33 - Reduce Mental Load
16:47 - Take Breaks
21:18 - Sharing Responsibilities
24:46 - Have Patience & Empathy
29:08 - Establish Expectations, Routines & Safety Tools
33:14 - Additional Help
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[@GinnyDi]

I'm SO glad to see more people talking about this! 🥰 You guys have some great advice here!

[@c.v.emmans]

A thing I've found helpful to mitigate the "long turns" and especially the "something changed right before my turn" is to encourage my players to think out loud, to communicate the strategies they're thinking about. If the wizard mentions that they're thinking about casting Fireball or Hypnotic Pattern, other players can then go "ok, yeah, let's try to get these minions in a group." Or they can say "hey, can you do this thing you did a few sessions ago? Because if you do, I can do this." To me, it takes the place of/represents the time the party would take to plan ahead, talk, get to know each other's abilities. After a while, I've found that the actual in combat conversations get much shorter, they start to name their combos, they get an actual feel for what other players are planning, etc.

[@3ndlessL00p]

That's great. Gonna try this at my own table, especially since I've been wondering how to encourage teamwork and combos more from my players. And I kinda feel like it makes sense in-world as well, for the reasons you mentioned. It's not hard to imagine the wizard yelling at their teammates to push the enemies into a small grouping.

[@Nexidal]

​@@3ndlessL00pI think that makes a ton of sense and is easily explainable outside of meta gaming. You travel and live alongside each other everyday. During downtime I think it perfectly reasonable that characters would discuss tactics and how to work effectively together.

[@carolxu8315]

Honestly, even as a neurotypical player, I sometimes struggle with things like doing math quickly or deciding what to do on my turn when something has suddenly changed, and getting told to hurry up just makes me feel embarrassed and guilty. Please, please never forget to have empathy, understanding, and patience for everyone at your table and beyond.

[@TMKing_MS]

I feel like a majority of players fall into this camp.

[@thatguymatt5816]

Is this an insult?

[@michaelrabon1189]

@@thatguymatt5816 I mean, you see the crazy stuff we do in games, right? Something's for sure different with most of us. 🤣

[@Zarkness25]

@@thatguymatt5816y would saying that players are neurodivergent be an insult?

[@rachelgilbert3164]

We’re kind of a pack of weirdos💚💙💜

[@Carlteezus]

​@@thatguymatt5816 Not necessarily, I think the complexity of ttrpg rules appeals to certain types of people On the flip side, DnD provides a safe pretense for us socially anxious folks

[@davidtrindle9828]

I love the phone analogy for introversion. So many people don’t understand what being an introvert is like and think that if you are friendly and cheerful that it’s odd when you reach your limit and want to retreat. To make things worse, they sometimes will try to “pump you up” to get you more excited - not realizing this just drains your battery further.

[@katecritt]

I had a job that was super heavy on customer interaction (think call centre) and at lunch I'd retreat to the corner of the lunch room to read a book and try to recoup a spoon or two. I had to get very blunt with the well-meaning extroverts who thought they were nobly rescuing me from my solitude by making inane conversation with me when I was trying to read. Apparently there are acceptable ways to reject conversation, but it took me a while to find those. "Thanks, but I need some quiet time," = Acceptable. "What makes you think you're better company than Terry Pratchett?" = Unacceptable. Wailing wordlessly in frustration and turning to face the wall = Quite Rude, apparently?

[@RichWoods23]

@@katecritt You remind me of an incident in the coffee room at work, one Friday afternoon several decades ago. Me: Four days. Colleague A: Four days? Really? Colleague B: [Quizzical expression] Me: Yes, I think four days is the realistic maximum. A: Ah. OK. B: What are you two on about? Me: The time before your body will be found. A: [Nods] B: B-body? Uhh? Me: It's been a long week. For the ten minutes since the kettle boiled, A and I have been enjoying a companiable silence. No talk. Not a single word. Just silent relaxation over a couple of mugs of tea. Then you came in, saw two quiet people in an otherwise empty room, and chose to break the silence while your coffee brewed. You didn't ask. You just started wittering on about the audio cables you bought for your new hi-fi speakers, a subject that neither A nor I know anything about let alone care about. The most insipid, vapid subject possible. Then, when you sat down at our table and it was clear that you were going to carry on talking even when you were getting no response whatsoever from either of us, A and I looked at each other and realised that we were thinking the same thing: that if we killed you and tipped your body out of the window onto the first-floor ledge, which is barely overlooked by any other window, how much peace and quiet would we get before your body was found? A: Four days. Because of the smell. Me: Four days. B: I... I'll go and d-drink this in my office. A: [Silence] Me: [Silence]

[@AnaseSkyrider]

Pumping up sometimes works just because of hyper fixation. Depends on the person, as always.

[@the.jamie.turner]

4:30 - I wrote my honors thesis on best practices for employing neurodivergent adults (and am autistic myself), and the #1 takeaway was that creating a safe space to openly communicate needs and then collaboratively figuring out how to meet them has a massive impact on the success of ND individuals. But what’s more, those same practices benefit everyone around them because - surprise - everyone has unique needs, communication styles, etc. and talking about them is super helpful. In my experience as both a player and a DM, the same holds true at TTRPG tables. Sometimes I need accommodation because I’m experiencing sensory overload or a shutdown - sometimes I need it because I just didn’t sleep well or work was extra busy. Regardless of the reason, I feel incredibly thankful for playing at a table that prioritizes communicating these things and adapting to whatever keeps the game fun for everyone, whether that’s a short-term adjustment or changing how we play altogether.

[@chowell365]

I'm curious if any companies employ practices like this. In my experience letting your employer know you are neurodivergent is the worst thing you can do. They will find any excuse to replace you as soon as possible

[@the.jamie.turner]

@@chowell365 Personally my results have been mixed, and often more dependent on individual managers than a broader company philosophy/statement. A really effective manager understands that when their employees are playing to their strengths and getting their needs met, their output will be better and reflect positively on the manager. Some work cultures foster that mindset better than others, but you can find good/bad leaders anywhere. Some companies also have dedicated ND hiring programs that come with built-in supports, though those still tend to be pretty narrowly focused on early career people in technical fields. (I’m a mid-career HR professional, so usually not their target demographic.)

[@M_M_ODonnell]

Have you invented a delivery system that would let me beam your thesis directly into my manager's brain? It would resolve a lot of issues. (If only that were a possibility!)

[@sloesty]

YES! I dont see why you would need to dm differently for autism. What applies here applies to everyone. Every person has their own behaviours and needs, regardless of mental problems. Dming for an autist or having and autist as a dm can sometimes be easier than other people depending on how they feel.

[@the.jamie.turner]

@@sloesty To be clear, I absolutely believe that an autistic player likely has different needs than a non-autistic player (or even another autistic player, because autism can look a lot of different ways). But an environment where the autistic player can safely communicate their needs and have them met is also going to benefit everyone else, because they then get to do the same. Which I think is largely what this video boils down to, with the addition of some helpful tips for those who may not realize they’re allowed to do things that make the game easier for them (or even know what those things are) because they’ve only been told how they’re “supposed to” play.

[@CaptainJake224]

I DM a group of neurodivergent teenagers with special educational needs and disabilities as part of my job. I'm really glad to see you dudes talking about this topic. As a DM, it's exhausting, but it's an amazing game for neurodivergent learners. DM tip for anyone with neurodivergent/SEND players: Patience is a muscle. Exercise it, nourish it, but you absolutely must take rest days.

[@carissa7434]

I was inspired hearing about people who do this professionally for ADHD/ASD kids! I couldn’t find a group for my son so learned to dm on my own - it is SO exhausting but very rewarding! I know you mean a lot to them, my kid and his friends love it!

[@CaptainJake224]

@@carissa7434 That's so wonderful that you did that for your son. D&D is as much a life skill as learning any sport or game, and your son will use it to make friends well into adulthood. I've seen it happen. Great job!

[@fishsticxz]

hey, i know both of you mean well, but as a person with adhd i'd like to point out that neurodivergent people who come to read these comments might not want to see ones that say how exhausting it is to play with them. dming requires lots of work regardless of who the players are, so your experiences aren't unique to having neurodivergent players, and if you think running a game for a group of neurodivergent people for few hours a week is exhausting, imagine actually being neurodivergent and having to deal with your own issues 24/7. again, i don't want to seem like i'm attacking you guys, just wishing you were a little more tactful in the comment section of a video where there are bound to be tons of neurodivergent people reading them. thanks!

[@fabienneb6334]

​@fishsticxz Shh, you're forgetting that our needs are so special and that we should be grateful that neurotypical people are so patient, considering how much less exhausting it would be for them if they didn't deal with people like us. Seriously though, thanks for your comment and being polite about it. And yes, I am hurt and don't feel like sugar-coating it.

[@sloesty]

Dming for autists is no more exhaust than for "normal" people. They think different, but unless its very serious it doesn't hinder their ability to play. I found adhd at the table harder to deal with since i myself am on the spectrum, and as a dm i can rly get into the game, so being lenient on somebody with adhd being distracted can be difficult for me, but i try to put myself in their shoes (Im thirty, the older you get the more you are able to deal with your own autistic tendencies lol)

[@BeardedHereticAtheism]

As someone who works for a Learning Disability and Autism charity you guys certainly sound like experts to me. Accessibility, kindness, patience and understanding - this is the whole thing. in my line of work there's something called being "person centred" and these are all the core principles. It's not about the labels, but the needs. And DnD should be fun and that means being person centred about everyone at the table.

[@DungeonDudes]

Thank you for your kind words.

[@BeardedHereticAtheism]

@@DungeonDudes noooo thank you both for continuing to be some of the most ethical, thoughtful, and helpful people on the internet. I'm not lying when I say that the advice in your videos are more than just DnD tips. A lot of them apply to other aspects of people's lives. You're teaching respect and consideration, and that is priceless on a platform filled with content focussed on drama and anger. Plus, you've created an incredible and rich world - what's not to like? :)

[@PMandrekar]

I should tell you that the Monsters of Drakkenheim is something that both of my sons want me to kickstart. We watched the video after your panel discussion at GaryCon. You met me and my younger son at the convention. Both sons are neurodivergent to some degree. Great video topic.

[@lewisgale62]

A Tuesday episode 2 weeks in a row, new Drakkenheim episode, a new kickstarter and a livestream all in one day? I must be dreaming and I don’t want to wake up!

[@freezeburn9875]

Ngl I was in a really bad headspace today thinking about all the hurdles that come with being autistic and then I start doomscrolling and I see this video on my feed. I feel a lot better now, thanks for thinking about us

[@raulllavaneras]

I ran my first game this past Sunday. Lost Mine of Phandelver, session 0 and chapter 1. We took a break after character questions+the Goblin Ambush to have lunch. I needed that bowl of soup and quick break, it gave me all the chill I needed to run the investigation and Cragmaw hideout. I did almost everything sitting down, and it was fine. I stood up when my players ran into the wolves because my legs were tired. Standing allowed me to play the goblins and wolves and stuff with a lot more gusto, and I feel like that improved the game because my fun translated to my players’ entertainment, they got more creative with the environment.

[@raulllavaneras]

I commented before you added pre and post game: I did voice warm ups and was pacing to get me hype pre-game. I needed a cup of ice cream, a smoke, and some quiet afterwards.

[@rachelgilbert3164]

When playing with my friends in person, I used to have to do an extra task like doing the dishes or cleaning while listening to other people’s turns and waiting for my turn. This used to frustrate my friends because they thought I was not paying attention, and this was like seven years before I got my official diagnosis of ADHD. It all makes so much sense now! But sometimes when you’re in it, you don’t know why you need to not just SIT THERE. It’s nice to play with people who are patient with you ❤

[@stephenwells2464]

They think you’re not paying attention until nobody else notices and they hear “you forgot to add a d4 for bless” from the other room

[@rachelgilbert3164]

@@stephenwells2464 Hahahaha soooo true!

[@AceFurryTrash]

We use D&D to help with communication skill building but yesterday it got to the point where I said "I'm playing the bard but it's too much for me to talk right now either I can roll checks or someone else can talk" then I just took a few minutes listening to the background music.

[@Franimus]

Underrated comment here. Being able to sometimes role play and other times roll play is one of the things I really like about d&d.

[@AMoniqueOcampo]

Learning that these guys are neurodivergent adds another reason as to why I love this channel so much. I'm autistic and I've been playing D&D for a couple years now. Having maps for combat helps out so much. I also agree that group size is a major factor. As much as I love Critical Role, having smaller groups works so well for me. Thanks so much for making this video!

[@srvfan17]

Congrats on releasing a video that the autistic viewers (like me) can watch multiple times in a row as a comfort video and feel seen by

[@loganisanerd5566]

I feel the same way, it's so nice to feel accepted and welcome.

[@Sirfinchyyy]

Agreed, for years i was treated like i was broken, when really i'm fine and just needed to find ppl who understand and accept that i'm different❤.

[@mitchevans9685]

This is going straight in my repetition folder

[@sirbagelsworth9463]

My issue is that I get bored if all that is happening is talking and discussing what to do rather than.... actually doing it. I need that stimulation of action, activity, and rolling to keep my focus on the game otherwise my mind wanders and I start thinking about other things, or really hone in on possible ideas on how to do things that never happen. On the bright side, this also means I'm often thinking a lot on how to solve certain problems..... but I end up being quiet and seem non-participative, and that's very hard for people to tell what's going on in online tabletop.

[@romanabanin2216]

I fucking hate prep sessions where you in character waste the whole game session, damn 4 hours, planning how you will break into the corporate building (damn you Shadowrun). I have no patience for people who overplan and GMs who encourage this. Recently I've just said my players in high level dnd campaign "screw your plans guys, no planning, you go in this heist at the beginning of the session, and you have Flashbacks which you can spent". I found some forked system for this built upon Blades in the Dark and it worked. People did things, not preparing and speaking about it, they did things. It was a blast, oh gods I cannot just sit and listening about plans

[@tdarassp]

My wife is similar in that she'll lose focus during less "active" portions of play. She helps mitigate this by taking up some sort of trivial IRL activity, such as cross stitching, where she can keep her hands busy and be *doing something* while still being able to keep her cognitive attention at the table. This obviously is easier while playing virtually, but I think with bit of communication among your table, you could help manage your focus without seeming distracted.

[@rantdmc]

Thank you for saying that as almost your first sentence! Is this why I have been so happy to follow you for about 3 years? NOW I know why this is my favourite D&D channel! I am an autistic DM and I have been running a weekly 2 hour game for teenagers and a 2 hour game every other week for 2 separate groups of autistic adults for 2-3 years. Here are things I found particularly helpful for my groups: Take regular breaks (especially for the teenagers - we find it really helps if they have a 2-3 minute break every half hour) With the adults we break for a few minutes half way through the session and people can get up and walk around outside the room whenever they want Use visual aids - the sessions invariably go better if there is a map (not necessarily terrain). I LOVE theatre of the mind but a lot of neurodivergent people can't keep the information needed for tactical play in their heads Don't use too much sensory input - atmospheric music is great but many neurodivergent people can't cope with too much sensory stimulation Do a Session Zero! and then do session re-zeros! and then ask the groups regularly how they thing the sessions are going, what could be improved etc. Don't forget raising lines and veils, but understand that it might only be when the situation comes up that a neurodivergent person wants to raise it. Distribute cards and allow people to show them when they are uncomfortable, rather than always expect them to say things aloud Offer sensitive advice to inexperienced or anxious players. Many neurodivergent players, even adults, are unused to choosing from a wide range of options, and would like them sensitively narrowed down Allow people who are anxious role-players to say "my character would like to do this" - although as a DM I ALWAYS try to call people by their character name, so that my players get used to it Try and find a simpler version of a D&D character sheet online - focus on the essential character sheet information and use lots of visual aids on it. If you're creative, try making a 2-3 page simplified sheet. The standard D&D sheet is very wordy and overwhelming for many neurodivergent players

[@maybevoldemort8995]

I set up (and was DM for a long time) for a group of neurodivergent players. The biggest barrier initially was using theatre of mind exclusively, some of my players find it difficult (or impossible) to picture stuff in their heads (some of my autistic players) and some got distracted, so missed key facts (ADHD). I’ve found using an app like Roll20 is far more forgiving for neurodivergent players, as it also means you can catch up on what is going on without constantly feeling like you need to ask for updates (which causes some people social anxiety). Really interested to hear your thoughts and thanks for putting something like this out- it’ll leave a lot of people feeling supported/validated and help a lot of DMs who might be struggling.

[@ExplorerFam]

As a DM with two players who are neurodivergent - I HIGHLY appreciate this video! ❤

[@erickingsepp]

I'm so happy to see so much attention being given to the intersection of TTRPGs and neurodivergence (what I call being neuro-dicey). Did you guys know there's a whole podcast about this topic? (ADHD20 at the Pocket Dimension.) And Ginny Di did a video on this too. I hope all the neuro-dicey people end up engaging with each other more and talking about their own experiences. There really are a lot of us, and we never stop needing the validation and advice that others may have. Thanks for posting this video.

[@EnterThePocketDimension]

Yeeeeeees! MOAR NEURODICEY FRIENDS! Thanks for the shout-out 💖

[@alisonkendrick]

This makes my li'l heart so happy!

[@mattural20]

Friend Eadric!! Thanks for this, and absolutely agree about all of us finding the intersection between ADHD (and others!) and TTRPGs and then banding together and taking over the world or whatever. I actually had the honor of playing a game with the Dudes at Gamehole Con (the EXCELLENT Ragnaborg, by Erica Lowe) and we talked for a second about the shocking number of folks that game have ADHD, so I'm really glad that Kelly and Monty made this video of great tips!

[@erickingsepp]

Obviously I wrote my comment before realizing the Dudes *did* mention Ginny's video, b/c I have to pause and comment immediately or I'll forget my comments later!

[@SamLugo]

I'm autistic and struggle with role-playing in real time. It helps me to think about some situations my character could be in and have some lines written down to respond to those situations. It could even be something really vague like "party member does something dumb" or "enemy tries to tempt me." I just like to have some lines to fall back on if I freeze up in the game.

[@SamLugo]

Also, it helps me to have a fidget toy while playing. I've actually started figeting with just two d20s, rolling them around in my hand. It helps me focus when I'm listening.

[@the.jamie.turner]

It’s scripting but for fun! I do this too (as both a player and a DM) and it’s super helpful.

[@Arya-db3yd]

:0 i should try this

[@justabsolutelybeautiful3513]

The thumbnail made me laugh very hard, great vid :)

[@thickums5344]

Y'all disliking this video should do some introspection as to why you feel so negatively about Dungeon Dudes talking about neurodivergent people. It's not "pandering" to acknowledge these players exist and offer specific advice for them, not every video is for you, and that is okay.

[@christianschmid1440]

I like to play characters that are usually not so great in face to face conversations but share their emotions through subtle gestures or actions. I usually am pretty bad at expressing emotions in realtime so describing actions which imply that my character is stressed, agry, sad or happy is usally easier. and it more often then not leads to some fun group dynamics, because the other characters are more or less able to decypher my gestures and act accordingly.

[@c0niferal]

Also this is how stuff is well written e.g., & can create some much more profound impacts with the imagery of it. I do the same with my characters

[@strattonmeyer2870]

As the NT Dungeon Master for a variety of ND players, I really appreciate you guys talking about all of this. The music point in particular was really helpful: for me, music helps to set the scene and get my mind in the action; it helps keep me engaged during combat, and makes things more cinematic. Learning that it could be distracting for players with ADHD helps me to be more aware, and I'll definitely share this video with my players and have a conversation about possible accommodations that I can make to the game. I want to ensure that we're all having the best D&D possible, after all! You are both such excellent advocates for our community; thank you for being a thoughtful pair of voices!

[@TheSasquatchjones]

I have days where I just "can't" and I have days where I'm on fire and can't seem to slow down. I'm all over the place at times. In between it all I try to find ways to decompress and relax. Maybe it's the kids, working nights or just life. I'm 50 years old as of this writing, but have never been officially diagnosed as neurodivergent. But I'm pretty sure I am. Taking breaks when feeling overwhelmed is essential, but so is fueling the fires of inspiration when they arise. I have a kid who has been diagnosed with ADHD and this has helped A LOT dealing with that as well as my own issues. Thank you for this video.

[@theotherone112]

I feel that about the music and flashing lights. One thing I like about Foundry is that I can have music for my players and mute it for myself. A lot of my players like music, so this is great. Everybody gets to experience their preference. Now if only I could configure it so that spell effects only show for players who want them. I don't do spell effects on the vtt as I find it super disruptive to my concentration

[@AnaseSkyrider]

I like effects but they have huge internet delays. Making it feel more and more like a video game is great for me.

[@AceFurryTrash]

My DM has 2 people who are support workers who help clients but also are helping with things like tracking the party inventory and helping with social interactions when people get burnt out and in general keeping the game moving forward.

[@M_M_ODonnell]

A helpful use of a session 0 for me was talking through what each of us as players could use a bit of support with and how we might offer support in turn.

[@brittanyanderson97]

Love that you guys are talking about this. I’ve always appreciated how open you both are about topics like this. Your videos are so easy to listen and watch for my Autistic and ADHD self. I’ve learned so much at TTRPG’s and my self as well.

[@connorharris8611]

I think this is a great video for both neurodiverse and neurotypical people, as patience and empathy is something we should all have for one another.

[@GregMcNeish]

Shout out to my fellow autistic DMs & players! The biggest barrier that I've encountered is how much out-of-game chatter at the table destroys my character immersion. My brain is incapable of ignoring any conversation that happens within my earshot, and while in life I'm perfectly comfortable actively participating in multiple conversations at once (something that weirds out my step-mom, haha), I can't do that while maintaining a character. I need to be able to stay in the scene, or at least have anything external kept to a minimum. I got heavily into roleplaying in college, along with a whole bunch of my friends, and we played in loads of games with different permutations of the group. I love them all dearly, I'm still friends with most 20 years later, and I absolutely adore that we could just chat on and on and on and on... but there are a good chunk of them that I realized I simply couldn't game with, because they wanted a beer & pretzels experience, and I need a focused one. Nothing wrong with that style of game, of course; it just doesn't work for me. And that's an important thing to keep in mind in general, I think. Just because you're friends with someone doesn't mean you are a good fit for a D&D table, and that's okay.

[@elijahmcstotts2871]

My neurodivergent ass realizing that I don't have enough time on my lunch to finish the video so I crank the playback speed all the way up and following along better than at normal speed...

[@kataramoon4533]

I’m a neurodivergent DM who runs a group of all neurodivergent players. The best thing I have found that works for my group is actually turning off the lights. There are some lights that are so harsh It can be exhausting for us. So we have a projector that projects all of our maps on a whiteboard with magnets for tokens and the use of laser pointers so everyone can see and ask questions about what’s going on.

[@DarkSalome]

There is no amount of Thank yous for this video. I can not express how thankful I am for you posting this and making ND seen in Gaming.

[@MizTree]

Wow. Neurodivergent here too. Thank you for coming out and for having this episode. :)

[@Franimus]

An important point is that not only might people not be comfortable sharing their ND condition, they may also not be aware of it or not be willing to acknowledge it due to stigma. ND isn't something that develops later, it's always present. Late diagnosis especially for autism is very common I think.

[@pyromidas]

I have high functioning autism and ADHD. honestly 5 is my limit when it comes to group size. And I have to struggle not to make my characters too powerful, or a more recent idea in dnd, the idea of nerfing myself to let other people shine. In a small group of 3-4, I could fixate and play for 6 hours plus easily. Especially if there's a lot of combat.

[@samuelhawkins3820]

You sound extremely similar to me.

[@AwesomeWookiee]

You absolute legends. Thank you for making the TTRPG space even more inclusive.

[@spinner35]

Hello we are the Divergent Dudes!! I love it and am here for it!!

[@JCinLapel]

I got from amazon years ago what I call my trainer dice they are 6 matching sets of color coded dice. When I am DMing new or young players I let them use a set and i keep a set in front of me so if they are struggling I can start calling out color to help guide them.

[@zimmyyzz9971]

That’s very clever!

[@JCinLapel]

@@zimmyyzz9971 if you like that get these character sheets on the DM guild Color Block Character Sheet by Rebecca Ramsey. It is the standard 5E chatacter sheet but color coded Red Health Ornage Ablity score Yellow skills Green weapons attack and Blue AC Inish and Move. This way i can guide them on the character sheet from across the table

[@Vampster19CockedD20]

It is very helpful for those deeper into the community to talk about these issues and help give options for work arounds for when these things happen. I have found that DMing has helped me soooo much in my life and with work. I'm no longer so shy, I think better on my feet and have used things from the table at my job that help me with management level decisions. Great video my dudes.

[@Invaric]

It's probably my favorite video thus far. Keep up the great work, and thank you for being brave enough to start this dialog!

[@XanceMRevola]

Calling out scented candles is an interesting thing we haven't run into for my group! But we don't use them for specific moods, we use them because ONE of our cats has the most ferociously bad smelling poops. We had a random Twisted Peppermint from Bath And Body Works that worked SUPER well for covering it up. The bad stonk previously and on more than one occasion brought the session to a brief halt while we Febrezed to little effect

[@bobert2999]

Ya know you've hit everything I can imagine. My whole table including me as DM has some form of neurodivergency. We do 2 hours sessions, sometimes even less, and frequent 5min breaks, and ut works wonders. Only think I would add - is check on physical energy. Once I planned a one shot that we were gonna do after ALL DAY at a Ren Fair. On paper, it sounded like a day of amazing fantasy. After the festival, driving, turning hotel room into a game environment - we played like 30 mins and we all hated it lol!!! I think individual levels are important too. Personally, if I have even 1 player who expresses they're exhausted, we usually call it. Golden rule - no DnD is better than bad DnD. Anyway thanks guys! God tier stuff as always

[@judemiller]

I'm glad y'all are doing a video for neurodivergent DMs as well. I'm new to it, and like Kelly, I shut down when things don't go according to plan, so you can imagine what it's like for me when I'm behind the screen🙃

[@erickingsepp]

Very important advice in your Take Breaks section. There's definitely a moment where many of us just run out of steam, and I think for most people, there's really no warning, or else the warning signs are extremely subtle and hard to notice (especially when we're not used to looking for them). But when it happens, it's like a switch has been flipped, and we're just DONE. I'd love to hear if you guys have noticed any signs of that moment coming so you can quickly take measures like telling people you need to break or leave or stop or whatnot.

[@c0niferal]

Ooh ooh, talking about the physical dice calculator - I had this idea before, & figured you could (not too complicatedly) just have some sorta clear dice tray with a camera beneath & simply train it to recognise shape of dice & numbers rolled (& then have tables per die size to work out what the Top number rolled would be from the bottom one that the camera sees). The benefit of the camera being that you can use most any dice sets with it (easy to train by the creators just rolling tons of types, manually flagging what each number & die size are into a learning algorithm). Someone please make this, it'd be sick

[@DankSnail1]

As a DM I always appreciate having my players take notes and read them off as a recap at the start of sessions. Also since it's so easy to forget about starting or changing music I always love when one of my players reminds me about that

[@bodaciusf]

the Venn diagram for neurodivergent people and dnd players is a circle lol

[@Sidekick42]

Great video! I'm so happy you took the time to talk about this topic. It made me realize there's 5 neurodivergent guys at my table (including myself) and although we all obviously see it, accept we're strange birds, and instinctively make accommodations because we all have a lifetime of coping, I've never really stopped and honestly acknowledged it and made an intentional effort. You guys brought up so many great ideas, can't wait for the GM prep! Thank you.

[@jacobyspurnger8488]

Thank you dungeon dudes for this. I just went to an orientation for a new job, and the first thing was IBCCES certification (autism awareness training). As someone who is nuerodivergant it's nice to see more awareness about it.

[@valathor95]

Hey, they are talking about me!

[@corypaine9858]

Lets get distracted talking about our latest hyper-fixation hit me hard.

[@captainthorrek262]

Thank you for mentioning group size! Having autism, I tried big groups and it doesn't work (I can definitely see the appeal, though). With smaller groups (three including our DM) not only do you get more game time in, but the mental "static" of having more people at the table makes it hard to breathe sometimes.

[@peterstrickland8679]

I started watching you guys about 6 months ago, and something about your approach really resonated with me. Your videos helped me reengage with D&D as a hobby for the first time in over a decade, but while that in of itself is awesome, I have never been as big of a fan of your channel as I am right now. Thanks for this video!!!!!

[@theokogod6711]

I'm glad you guys are finally making this video! I feel like you've been slowly building to it for years and it's great to see

[@gustavo3680]

you guys are already my favorite youtube creators and seeing this video makes me so happy. that's a very important discussion that is rarely talked about and one the biggest struggles that some and of my friends (and myself) face when play this beautiful game.

[@StarlitMoss]

That some people can't articulate what they need is so important! But also listening to someone after the game has started and being willing to make adjustments is so important. I often find that I sometimes get slowly more ok with difficult topics after several sessions because I've seen people play. I can sometimes flounder a but with lines and veils at first.

[@S4R1N]

One thing I've noticed a lot is when there's a lot happening and a bunch of dice are rolled, some people's brains just shut down. Like if in any other situation they'd be able to figure it out in two seconds, but amid chaos, 'what even are numbers'. So it really helps if you say what the numbers you rolled are aloud, then everyone else who isn't having remember your character sheet can do the math for you, then all you need to do is add your bonuses. Gets everyone involved and makes the game go faster.

[@goldenknightdrake4158]

gasp, a video for the neuro-spicy????

[@goldenknightdrake4158]

funny comment asside, i'll need to pay attention to this one, i may be neurodivergent myself but on of my friends/players has come to the realization that he's got one of the forms of adhd

[@Katie-mb8zj]

As an online only player, one of the things that helped me most was being able to switch from Voice chat to just Text chat. I can struggle with verbally communicating if/when I start to get overwhelmed so having another option for communication really helped to still participate.

[@vulcorethegreat1220]

Oh no wonder why enjoy your guy's videos. Its because you're my peoples

[@landlightcatcher]

I have a party of 7 and most of them have ADHD. This is a really helpful video!

[@jasongrundy1717]

Maybe you should be more concerned about why everyone in the West has these problems while everywhere else they aren't, rather than focusing on being a better D&Der?

[@corypaine9858]

May the gods bless you child.

[@frankpayne8281]

I appreciate the comments on creative writing. My campaign ideas comes in spurts, sometimes unexpectedly, so I have notepads everywhere to capturing ideas. I can't sit down and just be 'creative.' And I have found that a lot of my best ideas come when I am outdoors, whether hiking in the wilderness, or just sitting in the park in the sunshine. Being away from distractions is a big help, and being outdoors inspires me. And I really appreciate the comments on party size. Having only three players is one of the reason I really enjoy your gaming sessions. The pacing is better, there is more chances for individual players to shine and the combat does not turn into laborious slogs. I never do campaigns with more than 4 players, and in a few cases we have had two players running two characters, and that has proven to be great fun, as well. Great video!

[@JohnvanCapel]

Something I will immediately latch onto, for visual aids: This doesn't *just* mean maps and/or minis. You might find it helpful to consider the following: - An Initiative tracker. - Spell, ability, and magic item cards. - Spell slot/class ability trackers/tokens. - Sketches of (N)PC's for a visual reference. - A flow-chart of your character's combat strategy. - Cards that you flip over to say whether you're concentrating on a spell, currently raging, or even in- or out-of-character. - Cards that show your character's current mood. Also, another tip from me: Write all your notes, backstory, physical description, et cetera in first person. This is a little brain-hack that helps you get into character.

[@jennifergrundy4096]

It took playing 5e with two of my adult children and their friends who are ALL some flavor of Neurodivergent to figure out my husband and I are also Neurodivergent. We always use maps and minis. While I can do TOOM, like when we play Masks, I prefer the physical representation. We keep fidget toys on the toys to help focus. Music would definitely distract at least some of us .

[@aprilshighfantasysoul5891]

NOTE CARDS for your abilities/maneuvers/fighting style/feats! I find that it can be really hard for me to figure out where those things are on a character sheet, so having individual notecards I can lay out around me as I play that have a short description on one side (is it a reaction? how does it activate? is it damage or advantage/disadvantage?) and then the entire, word-for-word description on the other side is really helpful in me 1) remembering what abilities I have and 2) being able to quickly scan the specifics of what it can do. Also, I find it helpful to draw out a minimal character sheet that has everything organized in a way that makes sense to my brain - so I have everything that replenishes on a short rest with a circle next to it that I can check off with pencil (or for things like superiority dice, have x amount of circles I cross out as I use them), that way on a short rest, I can just erase all my pencil marks and we're all nice and rested. I like doing this with spell slots as well because I find physically x-ing out when I use one much more helpful than the dots that are mixed in with all the names of the spells - making the slots more minimal helps my brain process it better. I also add important spell stuff to this as well such as beast companion stats if I frequently use those types of spells. Added to that 'minimal' character sheet is stuff my party can do. We have a twilight cleric with their temp HP, so a cheat sheet of how many HP I get at the end of my turn (as well as an indication if it's on) and also the bard's bardic inspiration and what I can add to my roll if I use it. Having all that stuff on it's own separate sheet instead of interspersed with a huge wall of text I have to scroll through desperately trying to find the right thing is super helpful to me. The walls of text are very overwhelming and I feel like I can never find anything, so abilities are just forgotten and never thought of again - but with the minimal character sheet and note cards, it streamlines the info for my brain and works out much better!

[@eesedesesesrdtsuperjoshuab7907]

I was confused when I first saw the title and thumbnail, for some reason I thought they were writing rules for playing a neurodivergent character

[@MonStarGuy]

Y'all, this is the first time I've seen anyone discuss this topic outside of the D&D Therapy channels. Thank you thank you thank you!

[@di_gon]

I totally agree with a previous comment about creating a Safe Space . Either when playing with friends or strangers, sharing your preferences and needs goes a long way - but it's sometimes hard. So thank you Dungeon Dudes for bringing this up and making everyone aware of how different we all can be ❤

[@elderking2549]

All the tips are great, and even as a non-neurodivergent DM I already use some (player makes the recap) and will probably include others. But what I liked most about the video is the genuine care and affection portrayed between the two of you, all the ways of saying "this is me caring about him", for example the music being more muted if a certain player is present, such a great dynamic. I absolutely love the way you two interact with each other, it makes for such a wholesome watch experience.

[@danielbrenn2070]

Thank you so much for this video. I think it's very important to shed light on this topic. In my experience, playing Pen&Paper can also have a sort of therapeutic effect on neurodivergent players - experiencing social situations of all sorts within a safe space of a group of friends playing a game can make a huge difference.

[@drink.juice.]

honestly hilarious thumbnail guys!

[@asolanara]

So glad that you are making this video as so many players fall into this category. Thank you

[@jakeholmes9296]

This is a great video, so much good advice!!! Thank you for this one. And big congrats so far on the new kickstarter.

[@c0niferal]

Loving this so far. Thanks for leading with your experiences too, makes me feel much more comfortable with mine :)) Edit: just finished it, yup love this video. Thanks for starting this conversation and covering it so respectfully (&with v helpful actionable tips)

[@alexanderoakland2607]

Been following you guys for years and I gotta say, this is probably one of the most important videos that y'all have put out. Great work!

[@derekholden2550]

Bipolar DM here. I appreciate this video, and I feel like being neurodiverse myself allows me to better assist my neurodiverse party. Thanks for making this video.

[@bemommyb]

Yes! As a bipolar player and newbie DM, I feel better equipped to deal with others in similar situations. Getting ready to run my second campaign ever. We should call it the Bipolar Express, but it's really Dungeons of Drakkenheim.

[@nicholasharris4306]

A good video. I'm ND, and most of my games are online. I'm soon to run a one-shot in person, and I reckon a few are also ND. Most things that help ND people heko everyone else :)

[@Wolfog_]

Finnaly got round to watchint this already loving your intro and the way you present this to people

[@logophilelyss4390]

The music thing is one reason why I appreciate online D&D. I can have a music bot play the music. If someone doesn't want to hear it, they can mute it on their end without turning it off for the rest of the table.

[@benjamindavies4960]

The taking a break thing, I totally relate to. Prepping during breaks was something I did when I was a teacher and do while I'm DMing. Burn out is a regular occurrence for me.

[@1manApocalypse_CP]

As someone was diagnosed with Asperger's as a kid, i appreciate the transparency that you guys are taking with topic.

[@stevegunter3838]

Excellent job! Comprehensive, compassionate, and very accessible. Keep up the great work!

[@Seraphina-Rose]

From my neurodivergent D&D family, thank you for this video. 💙

[@baguettegott3409]

For music I find that it works really well in online games where everybody can adjust their own volume on their headset. Different people may prefer the music to be more or less loud over the conversation, and sometimes you just wanna turn it off completely when it becomes too much. This way you can do that without any hassle, without having to break out of character and ask or discuss, and others can still enjoy some background music if they want it.

[@meiofauna2267]

Thanks so much for publicly having this conversation. This really should be square one with most ttrpg groups.

[@brianferreira7277]

I’ve watched a lot of your videos and they are always fun, but this is by far the most useful as an aspiring DM. As I’m learning my role I’m realizing that knowing the needs and wants of each player are as and maybe even a tiny bit more important than me knowing every detail of the game. Videos that give concrete tips that actually make my role easier are incredibly helpful.

[@toplectures]

As a DM with ADHD with severe time blindness and other time management issues; it took me about 4 years until I realised I could probably just ask one of my players to set a timer to make sure we'd be having lunch at a somewhat decent time and to keep an eye on that timer to give me a headsup about half an hour before or so. There's now always someone who'se in charge of that at my table and it's such a relief! The other way around also works; at 3pm I take some meds, and I have had an alarm on my phone with the same sound to remind me of that since... almost 2 decades? So, for all my players and everyone else in my friend group, that timer at 3pm is sort of a pleasant midway mark to the afternoon. Like, someone will ask "what is the time? I have no clue" and someone will answer "I haven't checked but I haven't heard M's alarm yet so at least it's not past 3 yet." It's funny how things like setting alarms and timers can help both ways :)

[@loganisanerd5566]

This is the perfect video for me, my partner, and many of my loved ones into the game. Thanks for making this, you guys continue to be the best!

[@haysmcgee801]

Simply wanted to say thank you for making this video. As someone who is autistic I really appreciate the effort and support you guys are putting out there in this regard. You covered broadly everything that I would have wanted to have said as well as needed to hear said. I think the best and most helpful step that I was able to figure out eventually a few years ago, that you mentioned, was to keep the groups smaller. Playing with anywhere from 1-3 other people has been the most helpful thing I’ve done. Everything else that you mentioned does help, but the biggest impact was going from larger groups of 6-10 players down to smaller 3 - 4 player groups. A video specifically aimed at helping Autistic and neurodivergent DMs would be awesome. Keep up the amazing work guys, thank you!

[@wompusslompus5424]

Thank you so much Dungeon Dudes!! Deciding what to do in combat has always been a struggle of mine. What I like to do is to make a "playbook" of spells and abilities for my character. Its not exhaustive, and it won't cover every scenario, but it helps me have a flow chart or some base to go off of. That way the information is organized based on my intent or the situation, which, for me, is easier to look up and adjust on the fly. This is particularly helpful for when I'm playing a new class or if I have an overwhelming amount of options. It may seem counter intuitive, but it actually helps keep combat interesting. By reducing the mental load, it helps me spend energy towards other creative options I may have forgotten I have! I don't get overloaded just shrug my shoulders and say, "I guess I cast Eldritch blast. Again."

[@calvinmcdaniel4299]

I seriously need this video, I dm for mainly neurodivergent people

[@RabbitFoodFitness]

My biggest piece of advice that has helped me out so much is to make an excellent sheet! Just put everything you character can do on that sheet in a fashion organized for you and pull it out when you want to do something. The situation where I used to take really long turns because I had to dig around a huge mess to try and remember anything I could do.

[@TheMightyFoehammer]

Thank you Monty and Kelly for this video. I definitely will be taking your advice to heart in future sessions. I appreciate your perspectives on multiple levels, and wish you well on your own neurodivergent journeys.

[@AndyReichert0]

looking forward to the prep video!

[@individuo1177]

Thanks for this video Dudes. I'm really looking forward to next week's video on Neurodivergent DMing. I've stopped DMing because of my my ADHD, I would hyperfocus on building the world and scenarios for my players to the point where I would burn myself out, end up losing interest and not want to play anymore. But back to the topic at hand. As far as being a player with ADHD, as well as taking medication for it. My best tip is to be aware of what time you schedule a game and when you expect your mediation to wear off. I take slow release medication, which will last me through the day but then my D&D games will be in the evening so my medication would have worn off by this point, which means I can struggle to stay focused. Speaking to my doctor I've gotten a smaller dose I can take as and when I need it's effects to last that little bit longer.

[@Shane-The-Pain]

Your Patience and Empathy chapter is gold, fellas. Thanks very much!

[@devdylan6152]

key designations and respecting priority order...... when you or someone else is in the middle of a action and that gets interrupted multiple times it can really mentally exhaust and break attention and flow..... a clear outline on the way interactions go and sticking with them is a big one....

[@darktrent182]

As a neurodivergent DM who seems to have one group of fellow neurodivergents, and another group of people who definitely *seem* neurotypical, I'm definitely waiting to see that DM prep video