DM Hacks For Beginners

DM Hacks for Beginners

Normally when I get asks about d&d, they’re from DMs who are starting out and aren’t sure about the specifics of how to DM; not necessarily the rules, but rather how to create a good game that’s enjoyable for everyone.

Stability: 

The key to success in any type of creative undertaking is rigorous planning and outlining. I know that this sounds icky, but trust me, having a fixed schedule for writing and playing will make your life so much easier. More importantly, if your players know exactly what times and what day of the week they have to have free, scheduling becomes easy.

Improvising: 

Be flexible. You’re responsible for making their world, not for how they interact with it. If things don’t go as you plan, that’s okay. If your players choose to go off course and explore something you didn’t pre-write, roll with it. You should know your world well enough that you can improvise locations. 

Reading:

Read books. Read books. For the love of god, read some books. The greatest cure for writing block is to read, and you’ll find ideas there that you can build on for your own stories. Read history; see how conflicts work in the real world. The more facts you know, the realer you can craft a world.

Passion:

You’ve gotta care. If you want to tell a good story, you have to be invested in it. How can you expect your players to be interested and engaged in your work if you aren’t? You also need to be invested in their characters and their stories. Make a supportive environment for creativity. 

Collaboration:

Work with your players. Have personal talks with them one-on-one about the story, their backstories, and how they two are connected. Check in constantly about how each person is feeling at the table. Make sure they feel valued, since d&d is a huge time commitment. Be receptive to their feedback, and make sure that there’s a constant communication about how everyone (including yourself) is feeling in the game. 

Tips on getting motivation back?

MOTIVATION IS A MYTH AND WILL NOT GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.

Practice discipline and dedication. Know what you want and be willing to put in the work, even if you hate it.

Relying on motivation will leave your ass on the couch watching Netflix for 5 hours because you “don’t feel like studying/exercising/working” but dedication will tell you “bitch, get it together and get going!”

Esti Ginzburg as Tyene Sand

Inferior Function Fascination

An interesting thing about the inferior function is that it can be a surprisingly noticeable part of a person’s personality.  I think people have a tendency to be fascinated by it.  I’d like to write about how each inferior function can show up in a positive way below.

ENXPs (inferior Si): Those with inferior Si can have a strong appreciation for things that remind them of positive experiences they’ve had in the past.  They can also have an appreciation for aesthetics and have sensory interests such as decorating, dance, etc.

IXFPs (inferior Te): Inferior Te can cause IXFPs to strongly admire efficiency and logic.  It may also cause them to be be good at leading groups of people.

EXTJs (inferior Fi): Inferior Fi can cause EXTJs to be interested in finding their identity and staying true to their values.  They may find that they enjoy emotional stories and making romantic gestures.

IXTPs (inferior Fe): People with inferior Fe may dislike social disharmony and take steps to avoid it.  They may be surprisingly interested in emotional stories as well.

INXJs (inferior Se): Inferior Se can lead to a love of beauty and sensory experience.  It may cause INXJs to have aesthetic or physical hobbies such as painting, dance, etc.

ESXPs (inferior Ni): Those with inferior Ni may show interest in discussing abstract topics and trust their intuition more than expected.  They may be interested in psychology or mystery novels.

EXFJs (inferior Ti): Inferior Ti can cause EXFJs to enjoy solving puzzles and challenging themselves.  They may also find themselves interested in how things work.

ISXJs (Inferior Ne): Inferior Ne may cause ISXJs to enjoy writing, travel, or anything that allows them to be creative and explore.  They may also be surprisingly spontaneous at times.

Awesome risk charts from Smart Sex Resource

Many std/stis are easily treatable and some are asymptomatic, so have your health check often.

Please keep your safety in mind always <3

Sand Snakes {1/8} : Tyene Sand

“Despite the variances in their birthmothers and appearances, they are all said to have their father’s eyes." 

Daughter of a septa. Tyene is closest of all the Sand Snakes to her cousin Arianne. She is known to have skills in herbcraft and poison, and is regarded as treacherous, while maintaining a sweet and pious persona. She is fair, blue-eyed and blonde.