D&D General Your Top Tip(s) for Prepping a Published Adventure

[R_J_K75]

Review your players' character sheets (if you have access to them). Read up on every spell and ability they have, so you know how they work.

Some of the onus needs to fall on the players to run their own characters. Depending on the party makeup reviewing them could take quite a long time. So heres my prep tip: Make sure the players know they are responsible to have a basic understanding of their characters.

 

[The Green Hermit]

Some of the onus needs to fall on the players to run their own characters. Depending on the party makeup reviewing them could take quite a long time. So heres my prep tip: Make sure the players know they are responsible to have a basic understanding of their characters.

Agreed. I don't have time to see what spells my players can do. I'm too busy on mine (small enough group that I have to run one too) and on prepping for the next session.

 

[Tyler Do'Urden]

Some of the onus needs to fall on the players to run their own characters. Depending on the party makeup reviewing them could take quite a long time. So heres my prep tip: Make sure the players know they are responsible to have a basic understanding of their characters.

You don't review their character sheets to help them utilize their abilities better.

You review their character sheets so you're better prepared to have your NPCs kick their backsides if they don't utilize their abilities effectively.

 

[The Green Hermit]

You don't review their character sheets to help them utilize their abilities better.

You review their character sheets so you're better prepared to have your NPCs kick their backsides if they don't utilize their abilities effectively.

I still don't have time for that. As it is, I don't feel prepared enough for what I AM trying to prep for. Being a new DM at the same time as I am learning the game is hard enough as it is. Plus, I am not sure that is necessary. The mobs aren't going to know what they PC's should or should not be able to do, especially the low-level mobs.

 

[R_J_K75]

You don't review their character sheets to help them utilize their abilities better.

You review their character sheets so you're better prepared to have your NPCs kick their backsides if they don't utilize their abilities effectively.

I review them from time to time so I have a cursory understanding of what they are capable of doing but I dont memorize them by any means. I do help them out alot.

 

[The Green Hermit]

I review them from time to time so I have a cursory understanding of what they are capable of doing but I memorize them by any means. I do help them out alot.

That much I do.

 

[jayoungr]

So, PARAPHRASE, don't read, those parts (which implies that you actually read them beforehand).

Do you have any tips to help people paraphrase? Do you do anything special with highlighting or note-taking that helps you paraphrase?

 

[R_J_K75]

Do you have any tips to help people paraphrase? Do you do anything special with highlighting or note-taking that helps you paraphrase?

I usually use a few short bullet points. Paraphrase one to the group, theyll usually discuss it a few seconds, enough time for you to read another and paraphrase again until youve conveyed all the info. Seems to work for me and flows more natural. The key is feed the info over 2 or 3 minutes in a DM/PC back and forth instead of one large dump.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

Do you have any tips to help people paraphrase? Do you do anything special with highlighting or note-taking that helps you paraphrase?

When preparing, identify what is an important info (a clue in a description, anything that will resurface later, in a description, any element allowing assessment of the threat level of the NPC. These elements must be communicated clearly to the players, so highlight them. The rest is color, and you can alter it/deliver it over an exchange with the players, and only as much as they want it. Reading imho breaks the flow as players will just be passive and possibly miss information, while their attention level will stay high if they can act in the description (including asking more detail). If there is a railing in the room, it is an important information in the prospect of a fight. When players will want to jump on the railing, they will ask how high it is, so it can be kept for later.

 

[Li Shenron]

This seems obvious, but you wouldn't believe how many DMs expect modules to run themselves without prep and have barely skimmed the material before jumping in.

Don't be that guy.

Or don't run that module.

If it takes more time to prepare a published module than to homebrew a mostly equivalent adventure, consider the latter option.