Questions tagged [narration]
For questions primarily about narration, the act of describing the events that unfold in the game world, either as player or gamemaster.
90
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How to design and run cinematic combats that move between zones?
I've been running D&D for a few years now, and I just want a little more from my combats. I've already got a very solid handle on designing environments to make combat more dynamic, but what I can'...
22
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10
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Am I allowed to cut away from the player characters to show things happening elsewhere?
Instead of focusing solely on the protagonists (aka the players), would it be permissible to cut away from what they're doing to show (out of character) what else is going on in the world, ...
13
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2
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Are there guidelines for how to narrate different degrees of success/failure?
I find myself getting caught up in a story and sometimes when players roll skill checks I give them the information or allow for a success depending on several factors(their description, their ...
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0
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Searching for adjectives about weights [closed]
I'm making a small RPG game and I'd like to not put the precise weight up for display, at least for non identified objects.
The problem is I know of only two words, light and heavy, that describe ...
3
votes
2
answers
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How would you describe a character in heavy armor taking damage? [closed]
In order to properly describe combat Id like a clearer understanding of what it look like when a player in plate armor takes damage.
PHB 5e. Plate consists of shaped, interlocking metal plates to ...
5
votes
3
answers
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How can I efficiently convey different perceptions of the same thing to different players? [duplicate]
I'm building an encounter around illusions, but this works for other similar situations.
The party moves along the narrow corridor. As they turn the corner, they see just another regular corridor.
...
46
votes
9
answers
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How to improve my descriptions of the health status of monsters
A bit of background; I'm a new GM to two players, one of whom played a bit of 3.5e and 4e while the other is a complete newbie. The veteran is used to knowing when creatures are "bloodied", as per 4e, ...
3
votes
2
answers
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How should Monk's Slow Fall class feature be narrated?
Visualization of feats, effects, spells and abilities in D&D is generally somewhat straightforward:
Paladin's Smite Evil - your weapon glows with holy energy and is unleashed when you hit Evil™ ...
8
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3
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What information does the GM provide players when dealing with a monster? What do they have to roll for?
A monster may have similar stats to a PC, e.g., Armour Class 10, Spear as a ranged weapon, etc.
When an encounter occurs, what part does the GM actually tell to the players? I suppose something like "...
8
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4
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How do I narrate a failed damage roll?
When you hit someone and then roll for damage, you cause damage, which should be narrated, such as "You cut him in two with a single strike! He falls down and is going to die soon!", "You chop his arm ...
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How do I narrate a player's PC's actions without causing unintended consequences for the PC?
Daxius: "I'd like to roll an investigate check on Statue 1." Rolls. "Solid... 19."
DM: "You walk around the statue, gliding your fingers along the rough outlines of it's crisp, defined ...
5
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1
answer
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Narrative Explanation of Wand Creation Cost [Pathfinder] [closed]
I am a GM looking for a narrative explanation for the wand creation costs (and by extension other simple magic items: Potions, Scrolls, etc).
I know the RAW formula (375 gp × the level of the spell ×...
5
votes
2
answers
276
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Narrating a lopsided combat vs. rolling it out
If the PCs are so overwhelmingly more powerful than their foes and it wouldn't make sense for there to be backup / higher level foes around from a story standpoint (no "deus ex machina" for the ...
6
votes
2
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How do I encourage more character movement as part of the narrative during combat?
For a long time I've been having a problem with most Tabletop RPGs: They feel way too static during combat, and it gets reduced into an exchange of who hits harder until everything is dead.
Recently, ...
2
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0
answers
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How to Add Lore while Engaing the Senses to my Narritive? [closed]
How do I engage my player's senses as a GM, so as to provide an immersive experience for my players, without going into too much detail?
How do I add a sense of lore to my world during prep, and ...