Be sure to check out these sources: * Angry GM, Manage Combat Like a Dolphin: theangrygm.com/manage-combat-like-a-dolphin/ * Matt Click, Call Out Your Players: kzread.info/dash/bejne/haWOo7efZqicZLQ.html * Nerdarchy, Live Chat #28: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pmaB1MGwcpCnps4.html

@jackal7610

2 жыл бұрын

What did you do in the Marines?

@ZipperonDisney

2 жыл бұрын

@@jackal7610 infantry

@Fantasyscaping

16 күн бұрын

These are all super helpful.. Really like the philosophical and practical approach to DM advice that is offered on all three of these videos.. Will keep following your feed for more advice!

Players have to participate in making the combat "flow" DM can not do it alone.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Yup! Positive reenforcement - thank you players for keeping the game moving!

@twilightgardenspresentatio6384

4 жыл бұрын

F Huber yup

I’ve been dm’ing for a few months with a veteran group (but it’s my first time). I base all of my DMing of the tips you give in these videos. In particularly the idea of exigency. The 4 players have all told me individually that my table is the best d&d experience they’ve had and swear that it’s all down to the tips you’ve given me about flow and exigency. So thank you, it’s hugely appreciated. Cheers from Australia.

@ZipperonDisney

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you like it!! AND found it useful! Using transitions+exigency is 1000% the best thing I've done to improve my DMing

Narration transitions between turns is ingenious and I never would have thought of it. This is an extremely underrated dnd channel.

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! ❤️❤️❤️ Like they say 'share and subscribe' 😎

@EricMeyer9

Жыл бұрын

Totally agree!

You packed a ton in here. What other channels do in 3 20 minute videos you did in one 10 minute. For that I subbed and I will watch this video every Wednesday night before my games to keep it fresh

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad you found it helpful! And despite what youtube wants, I try to pack my vids with content and not pad them with rambling. Hopefully, longterm, people will appreciate it :)

@valentinpoix1727

2 жыл бұрын

Same answer ! It is a sub!

@joeperk24

Жыл бұрын

@Zipperon Disney long term has happened, and I've yet to be disappointed in one of your videos. Still going strong.

AJ Pickett suggested I come here. Omg he was correct! Great video. This is what I was looking for!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Awesome! Might I ask where he sent you from? I'm getting a lot of his viewers sent here right now :)

@foxunix101

5 жыл бұрын

Zipperon Disney another aj viewer here. Great stuff man.

@michaelbeal1400

3 жыл бұрын

Same.... another great lead from AJ. This channel kicks ass. Thos is a great vodeo

Where the hell was this video 18 months ago? Great advice. Every new DM should watch this.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Shucks! I've only been on youtube for a year! We can fix this. We only need to solve the age-old problem of time travel! Shouldn't be hard ;) I'm so happy you found the vid helpful!!

I've been a DM for over 7 years now and in all that time this is some of the best, most unique advice I've ever seen. Definitely worth my maybe-once-per-year KZread comment

Hey, I've been watching for a while now and I can't wait for this channel to blow up with popularity! I really enjoy your videos and they truly help in a lot of situations. Anyways I just wanted to say thanks for all your time and effort!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@mitchellblau7954

5 жыл бұрын

One day later... :)

This is my first time watching a video from you, but god damn it if I’m not going to continually keep watching them. Great content. I appreciate the effort you put into breaking this all down in terms that were easy to understand for a new player.

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Sean! You might also like my consumable items video or the 'keep a session engaging' vid :)

Great advice! I love how synergistic the concept of exigency is with legendary actions. I like to give legendary actions to any story-driven bad guys. Having their actions prompt a reaction from the following player is beautiful.

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

YES! That is a great synergy- thanks for pointing git out :)

I know this vid is old, but my god I just happened to stumble upon, and it is a lifesaver. So much info and knowledge packed into a nicely paced and edited video. You my friend are what other DM youtubers strive to be :D

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it helped! I try to make vids a bit different than the standard DnD Tube, happy you think so too!

Dude, this video is awesome. It made me realize what I’m doing wrong with my combat. Keep it up dude!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I'm happy you found it useful!

Hey! Great video! I've been watching dnd video for years, running for a decade and now run professionally and I've never heard it explained that way. I tend to naturally do those techniques in big moments of drama, but you've put words on it and it helps me internalize it. I think it's going to help me have better control and for that I thank you! Great job!

@ZipperonDisney

2 ай бұрын

Thanks!! I'd glad you found this vid valuable :)

What a _fantastic_ series of videos on pacing combat and Theatre of the Mind (well, maybe they weren't part of a series, but they're the order in which I watched them). Concise, bite-sized videos just _packed_ with excellent, useful tips and virtually zero filler. I want to emphasize that last bit: I will _never_ understand why so many KZreadrs think they need to spend an hour describing something that could be explained in ten minutes. You, on the other hand? _No_ filler. I took notes and nearly ended up writing down everything you said verbatim :P You, sir, just became my favourite D&D advice guy on the Internet. Mercer who? ;)

@ZipperonDisney

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! This is a really nice compliment because I try really hard to give succinct and next-level tips. I hope you can join my Discord and meet some other like minded folks 👉 discord.gg/yvWdJ7Tt

I must state that exigency is an amazing word. Thank you for bringing it into my vocabulary.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Now you know how to describe one-day-only sales!

I'm trying to learn how to be a DM as I want to lure more of my friends into D&D in these complicated times. I've looked at what it feels like a TON of advice for new DMs and how to be a DM and I just find that your stuff really delivers what I need to know right from the beginning. Thank you so much for all the great content!

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help!

Binging your videos while waiting for my players to be ready to play in an hour or so, and WOW. Each video gives me bare minimum two incredible ideas for running better games. THANK YOU.

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

@CoryCee Glad you like them! Have any of them really worked out in practice for you?

@CoryCeeTV

4 жыл бұрын

@@ZipperonDisney I switched from "what do you do" to "what are you doing?" And that alone has had a huge impact on ease of roleplay and smooth flow in combat. Also bringing in the transition description instead of over-describing the current turn has been so cinematic and fun for everyone!

Your suggestion of, "What are you doing?" got me thinking about one of my pet peeves with a common thing DM's do when characters show up in a new town or location - Don't just put characters in a town and ask, "What would you like to do?" Honestly? I'd like to chase a minor baddie across the rooftops to tackle him into a horse cart where I pummel him into submission to gain The Clue from him. But I'm pretty sure that's not an option. Don't make players start poking things randomly until they find the adventure. Ask "What are you doing?" in town to just set the scene for where they are at when the adventure finds them.

Great information packed into 10 minutes. Other channels make 35 minute mini podcasts pondering the idea of making combat better where they disagree on topics and the video leaves you with mixxed feelings.

Rewatching some of my favourite videos of yours and "Narrate the transition between turns" is one of the things that's been at the top of my session outlines since I watched this vid the first time

@ZipperonDisney

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

As a new DM, I have been struggling to engage my players. Your videos have been a tremendous help! More people should know about your channel - subscribed!

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Please share :)

The narrating transitions between turns reminds me of the battle in Avengers. Hawkeye is sniping Chitari then Ironman flies bye and the camera follows him to the next action.

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

Yes! That's exactly what I try and convey!

@moogamooga2100

3 жыл бұрын

Kelsouth that’s a VERY good way to put it!

Great work! Loved the idea of narrative the transitions between player turns! Brilliant.

Dude! This video is a gem! Wow. Most videos we watch are really just the same old regurgitated ideas, but this provided some new information, new concepts, and it's very much appreciated! We subscribed!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I don't spam out videos because I try really hard to only put out new and interesting content - subjects rarely talked about elsewhere. Which is hard for a game people have been writing about for 40 years!

Really great tips! I manage a group of 6 players and I've often struggled with making combat flow. I think incorporating some of these suggestions is really going to help. Thanks for the great content!

This is such an amazing video. I've been DM'ing for the past 20+ years and I picked some of these from experience, but there are so many new ideas I just learned from you now... I can't wait to play again soon 💕

@ZipperonDisney

9 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful! That's something I love about the hobby: there is always more to learn!

Dude! why am I just finding this guy!!!! This is very helpful, and presented very professionally. Thank and keep it coming!!!

@ZipperonDisney

2 жыл бұрын

You're about to have a good week 😁 there's a whole backlog of vids, none of it filler content

The transition advice from 3-4 minute mark is brilliant.

@ZipperonDisney

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! 😊 It's a tip that I use every session

@xanderwilliams6767

Жыл бұрын

@@ZipperonDisney I just put it to use for an all-session encounter, and it never dragged and felt so cinematic. Thanks again.

Wow. Great job on the content. Best explanation of flowing in game I’ve came across. Danke Teufel Hunden!!!

Well done this is a must watch at least 3 or 4 times at the very least.

Just found your channel through reddit, and as a newish dm who has been running games for a little over a year now, i found your advice to be very useful and something that i wish i was told before. Great video, you got my sub!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Great! Thanks for subbing!

While the GM can make or break the pacing, it never hurts to have a rockstar player or two at your table, that can help the GM engage dwindling players as a peer rather than having to come from "the leader". It is a group effort after all. Having the right group, with the right chemistry is so crucial to having good flow at the table.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Both good points! Thanks for sharing!

Great video and fantastic tips at the end. I used minions before but never considered two hit minions.

This is a fantastic video. First I've seen of yours. You're adding some real great value for us. viewers. Seriously, ever tip is killer and I have them all in my DM notes for combat

@ZipperonDisney

5 ай бұрын

Welcome aboard! Got a whole playlist of Advanced DM tips and Shorts on encounter design

Great video, dude! I was actually working on my own combat video for compelling combat. I love that there's so many different approaches to improving how you run combat!

This is phenomenal advice! Absolutely subscribed

This is such a cool message! And your focus on the Present Continous is immaculate! Love from Barcelona :)

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!!!!

I'm just learning to DM right now and this was some great advice. Thank you

Cool, I actually already do this! I often recap the previous turns in a narrative form. "Elias has just felled the orc and his rolls in front of you. What do you do Tippy?" or "You just watched Castor get launched past you by the troll, you're able to duck out of the way at the last moment. You're up" EDIT: You also ask for the DC ahead of time like me. I like you, you're a good DM :)

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Recapping is clutch!

Amazing video, very valuable advice. Thank you!

I'm really looking forward to your next videos on pacing! It's something I'd really love to hear tips about Great content man!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Here is a sneak peak: I think that DMs should work on abstracting most of the session to the nearest interesting design point.

Probably one of the most useful videos I've watched in my time as a DM, thank you

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

I'm glad you liked it! Keep an eye out for part two. I'm going to talk about session rhythm and abstracting to the nearest interesting decision.

Thank you so much for posting this video! You brought up some great pointers for keeping the mood going despite having to roll dice and do some quick math at the table.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

That's another weird dilemma about D&D: people love rolling dice, but rolling dice slows play, and people hate slow play. I guess it's all about finding balance :)

Excellent video. I learned a lot, and I've watched and read a lot of DMing tips, so that is saying something. I'll have to watch this a couple of times to get everything, it is so jam packed with good stuff.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I try really, really hard to make videos on subjects that aren't well covered elsewhere. Glad you enjoy it!

Hey man just wanted to say Awesome video! Very informative and I'm gonna see how I can implement ur points into my combat. U brought up some very interesting points and I do love how u keep most of the core mechanics intact whilst making everything flow so much better!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!! It's all in the narration and your frame of mind as a DM

@Reydarth

5 жыл бұрын

@@ZipperonDisney No problem! I wrote a few bullet points for my next session and am running some test scenarios and I really hope my players like it! Granted the campaign world on its own is having some difficulties as of recently hahaha

Oh man! "What are you doing" was something I noticed but couldn't put my finger on it. Hearing you say it ties my observations together. I had organically started using it out of combat but didn't think about it in combat out of habit.

Love the advice, excited to try it out at the table tomorrow! 😊

That's some really good advice here. I'm like "Ahaa! That's what I was missing all the time!" Informative and condensed. I'll watch it several times probably. And definitely going to try this in my games. Thank you!

@dmitryb6051

2 жыл бұрын

Actually tried this toady. And the results were much better than expected. Everyone absolutely enjoyed the combat. Subscribed!

Your videos are really good and have a lot of good advice in them. Keep it up!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks! That means a lot to me :)

Thanks for the video! You’ve opened my eyes to how my descriptions lagging behind the action because I am describing things that have already been resolved does not serve to build tension or engagement. I’m going to give it a try at my next session and see how it changes things. Also, looking forward to more videos and great tips 👍🏻

@ZipperonDisney

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

An absolutely excellent video! I really appreciated your examples. Instead of "do this rather than this" you actually explain what you mean and how to do it like in your Evil Sorceress Fireball example. I think that's super important and you nailed it :D

@ZipperonDisney

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!! I aim for a good mix of theoretical and practical advice in these vids, and I'm glad you dig them

I just discovered your channel, and oh boy I'm so glad I did, Thank you for the great content !

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! I don't put out a lot of videos, but I try and make every one of them matter!!!

Really enjoyed this video... fantastic tips and tricks! Well done!

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it @Wally D.M. you might also like my consumable items video, it might be right up your alley

Your doing a great job man :) can't wait for your channel to explode!

Dang dude, fire advice! Bookmarked this one, thanks!

Great advice! Thanks for sharing!

Good video! Focusing on transition made my combats go from good to great. Any time I have a combat that I feel like was kind of flat, I realize that I forgot to focus on transitions. It really is that important.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

It's so easy to implement too!

These are some big brain ideas. Love it

This is brilliant! So simple yet profound I'm sitting here wondering how I've never really figured any of this out even after nearly 2 decades as a DM

I need to watch this like three or four more times. Thank you!

Amazing vid! Gonna be rewatching this several times!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!! Please share it with your DnD buddies if you think they'd like it too :)

Absolutly knocked others out of the park. Will be recommending this to all my GM friends.

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the shares! I'm glad you're digging the channel 😁

Great video. I’ll be trying out this advice in my next session.

Great tips, thank you!

Hey dude. Your channel is awesome. You got me so hyped to get my next session ready !

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

I'm so happy to hear that! ❤️ Have fun!

I have been a DM for 13 years. It is the only thing in my life that I think I am good at. And your videos are not only compressed and a joy to consume, they inspire the green and veteran alike. Thank you. I think my game will be better because of your videos.

@ZipperonDisney

2 жыл бұрын

Happy that you like them Milan! I put a lot into them and I'm glad you get something out!

Fantastic advice (probably the best I have found on YT so far)

@ZipperonDisney

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!! 😁

This is hella good advice dude, keep up the good work

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it! New vid out today :)

Absolutely wonderful advice! I'll definitely be working some of this into my own combat encounters, especially the narration of the ending/start of turns.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks mate!

Ask to players "what are you doing?" seems that will not work in my language that is Portuguese, but since I got the spirit in this advice I will think in how to use this. Thank you for the video.

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Interesting! Thanks for sharing that tidbit and for watching!

Man I wish I had found this video before I started DM'ing a game last year. Thankfully, I'm still DM'ing a game so I can try to implement this stuff, along with the Theatre of the Mind combat tips. Great stuff!

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help! Have fun!

I come back to this video time and time again, truly 1 of the best DMing 201 level video series out there.

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul! That means a lot to me!!

I've found nothing but intuitive advice from a DM that I can't relate to 100%! Keep up the good work and keep these videos coming!

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

Glad you like it!!

So I'm just randomly finding this video from suggestions from KZread....WOW these are amazing tips! I've made some notes for my next game session to try them out. Thanks!

@ZipperonDisney

2 жыл бұрын

Happy you're enjoying the channel 😁 Lucky for there's a whole backlog of content

Why have I not found you yet? Fantastic material bro! Keep it comin

Nice video. Informative and lots of stuff I can use. Thanks. 👍

That was actualy really helpfull with new information and examples Thanks!

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Really enjoyed this video and will trying to implement as much as possible into my game this weekend. Thanks a lot!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Yes! I ran D&D last night, and I told all my players I better not let them down because now the internet knows I think I know how to run combat ;)

This was really helpful! Thank you.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad you found something to help make your game better!

Thank you for this, dude. Late viewer but I was always wondering how to make combat a little bit more cinematic. Great insights!

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! I hope it changed the way you run combat for the better! Like, share, and subscribe :)

only D&D video I've ever sought out to re reference!

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

I, of course, recommend a few of my vids for re-watching 😜 kzread.info/dash/bejne/qHiZpKSBqdSaj5s.html

Glad to be a subscriber. Watched twice to absorb this great info. Cheers.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

Fantastic advice. Subbed!

Thank you for giving me a new outlook on my combat! 🤘

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Excellent!

This is a great video with some very good ideas in it. I am DMing a campaign for ten middle schoolers currently, and I can use all the flow and cat wrangling tips I can get. Thank you, Devil Dog!

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

Yut! I'm so glad you found this helpful! Big take away is exigency and getting your players to work together to speed things along

This is like natural 20 on the usefulness scale! Thank you.

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

A welcome KZread recommendation - seeing that your channel is still small I rushed to sub and like as this is some quality content. Can't wait to see this channel grow! V

This is brilliant. A lot of this stuff I was doing already but you explain it so well that now I understand why what I was doing was working and it’s given me ideas on how to improve. I’m really enjoying your videos.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Right!? That is one of the reasons why I like doing these vids do much. It forces me to solidify and explain things that I would normally just sort of intuit. And that process helps self improvement

Limit time players have to think about actions in combat! A combat round is 6 seconds. Do not give them 5 minutes each to think about it. I used t make the players (all of them) write down their basic action plan for the round in 1 minute, then resolved them in initiative order. I wrote my NPC/creature planned actions down (ALL OF THEM) in that same minute. No note on time = the character stands confused. You can see what can happen in a 6 second round by just looking at the positions of the minies even without a grid. Resolving the actions, if the indicated target in the note falls before that character's initiative order, just re-target to nearest logical alternate. "Charge the biggest enemy and slash" is an excellent note for a fighter. Simple and easy to deal with. "Cast fireball to catch max opponents without hitting friends" We now know what spell the mage is casting and can quickly hold a targeting circle over the enemies to find the spot. Narration is a big part, but preventing draggy long waits for the player's turns matters too. The current group I am playing with (as a player) it can be 10 minutes for one PC's turn. 2/3 of the players are not paying attention to the combat any more by the time its their turn, so the DM has to go back and tell them what is going on AGAIN, taking even more time, dragging combats out to 1 hour per combat round... (6 *game* *SESSIONS* for one minor combat..) Its a painfully slow game.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

I can see how closing your action ahead could be a good system. The other bite does sound painfully slow. Maybe send the DM this way?

Lots of great advice!!!

This video contains invaluable advice for any GM of any skill level! Great video, my man!

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

I'm happy you think so! Everyone can implement transitions. I also have a whole playlist on advanced DMing techniques if you're up for it

@RusRay

5 жыл бұрын

@@ZipperonDisney I'll definitely check it out and let you know what I think!

Transitions is a genius-level idea. As a therapeutic game master working with neuro-diverse groups it's a great "I'm bringing you into the moment" tool.

@ZipperonDisney

2 жыл бұрын

I bet for ADHD players, tips like that are a game changer when the DM does them

I needed this video. I've got the narrative pacing of a session figured, but combat is definitely something we can work on as a group.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

Glad you like it dude!

Dude, your advice is excellent.

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

So glad you found it useful!! You might also like Part 2: Keeping a Session Engaging :)

@SimeonDenk

4 жыл бұрын

@@ZipperonDisney I'm gonna watch everything!

Hi, Zip! Just catching your channel for the first time and really enjoy your perspective. Thanks! I want to play at your table! These tips will be valuable for me - as a GM, battle is my least favorite part of a game, but this may help me enjoy it way more.

@ZipperonDisney

4 жыл бұрын

I'm glad you like it @Jack_Jeansonne! The bit about exigency and traditions is the part that I try and remember every round, but everything is easier said than done! I think in the "live play of prepped on stream" video there is a bit of me actually running combat... :)

This is fantastic Zip! (Can I call you Zip??) :) There is so much goodness packed into this vid. Saved this one to my "D&D" playlist.

Subscribed by the 2-minute mark. This is a great video.

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

You bring me joy, much thanks!

Fantastic video. Kept your explanations short but packed full of info. Very well done

@ZipperonDisney

5 жыл бұрын

That's what I'm aiming for! A bunch of vids on my channel are under 10 minutes and packed with juicy info (IMO!)

@upsetti6404

5 жыл бұрын

@@ZipperonDisney I know! Spent awhile earlier watching a few. I'll definitely be back!

One of the few Real DM 201 courses right here! Really love your work keep them coming!

@ZipperonDisney

3 жыл бұрын

That's exactly what I'm aiming for! Glad you like them! (See my and very cool dude Jim Murphy's disagreement about this -> kzread.info/dash/bejne/i6Kdz8htaaaYlqg.html )