When you nerf your encounter mid-scene because the players are frustrated: "Suddenly, the animator suffered a fatal heart attack."

Hey Matt. I'm a teacher in training and, as I've been watching your videos, I've been geting the odd feeling that teaching and DMing have a lot in common. A lot of the things you say about tailoring your prepared material to its audience, allowing participants to discover concepts for themselves, giving them individual agency to make them feel valued - and, of course, accepting that things didn't go too well this time and trying to do better next time - resonate very closely with the things I've been learning in my course. I didn't expect to find such a parallel in D&D of all things, but stranger things have happened. I'm having my first real observation today, so I hope it goes well. As always, looking forward to your next video. :)

@davewilson13

5 жыл бұрын

Kaz I never thought DMing in my teens and 20s would prep me for writing exams, but they’re the same thing .

@gidkath

5 жыл бұрын

Wise insight. Being the guy who runs games is exactly like teaching, and you are in a position of equal trust, and equal possibility for helping people...or hurting them. For this reason, taking the role is something that should be done with the utmost seriousness, because games really mean something to the people who play them, something that resonates down on the deepest levels of the soul. Which isn't to say you shouldn't have fun, of course. ;)

@sk8rdman

5 жыл бұрын

I'm an aspiring teacher, but I've also been committing much of my time this last year+ to DMing for a group of highschoolers. In that time I've been seeing a lot of parallels between teaching and DMing. Many of the lessons I've been learning as a DM will help me in the future as a teacher.

@isabellasmith8846

2 жыл бұрын

SAME!

@sannylad9204

Жыл бұрын

ALL THINGS ARE A MANIFESTATION OF THE SAME THING

I have only just realized, after re-reading Dune, that the Boy Baron of Bedegar is literally Paul Seriously-'Sire or my Lord'- fantastic

@mcolville

7 жыл бұрын

Correct!

I totally agree with you. However, I will add that we had this one GM who made really, really bad encounters. Every night the entire group would complain about them and the next session would be worse than the last. This happened for months. If you do one really bad game, it's part of the learning phase. But when they do it over and over again without improving, that demonstrates a lack of respect for the players.

@doctorr4ptor379

3 жыл бұрын

Why the hell is there a comment from puffin forest here that no one noticed? You and Matt are the reason i play dnd today. I love your content man. Keep it up :)

@scullystie4389

3 жыл бұрын

@@doctorr4ptor379 haha this is wild And I'm pretty sure, based on his videos, that he may be projecting a bit 😂

@ericmanley2296

2 жыл бұрын

Why didn’t anyone else offer to DM?

@DarkSideBrownie

2 жыл бұрын

Could the slog be the passive aggressive DM trying to get the passive aggressive player he doesn't like to quit to preserve the "friendship." Find out next week when the passive aggressive player returns for more because he "doesn't want to let his friends down and quit."

@flatline42

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah there is a threshold where you go from "oops" to "Game Extinction Level Event" where your choice is to suspend disbelief a little bit or the game just dead-stops. Those don't happen often but in my experience when the logic of the game breaks down sometimes you have to go in and touch things up. I'd rather have a suspension of disbelief for a part of the session than a game just flat ending. I've been in those games that just imploded spectacularly and they suck.

It's videos like these that make me feel like Matt is that father figure saying, "You did your best, that's all we could ask for". It gives me relief to hear that not only as a DM but also as a player. It's nice and reassuring to hear that we all go through the same things.

I remember that mission, it was an absolute blast!

@mcolville

7 жыл бұрын

Wow! Thanks!

@SolarFlairIsBestPony

7 жыл бұрын

I've a taste that doesn't jump right toward those games and a limited budget, but from what I've heard the parts you've worked on in things like Mercenaries and Evolve were legitimately some of the best parts people have experienced with those games. If I hear a questionable thing about Evolve it's not about things like the writing or the voice acting. Those are the things I've heard nothing but love for. And with Mercenaries it's' those interesting battles that I recall hearing from people about for sure.

@Welverin

7 жыл бұрын

One of the most disappointing things to me about TRS having Evolve taken away from them is that there will be no more lore from Matt.

@tagabundok1

7 жыл бұрын

I definitely found it to be one of the most memorable missions in the game.

I pretty much just come here to hear Matt say doubleydoo

@LeojPies

7 жыл бұрын

sounds like someone needs a ring tone made for them

@mattyule5312

7 жыл бұрын

I now need a ring tone made

@crazygermn

6 жыл бұрын

wierdbob you know he's not the only who does this right?

@nikwaggoner2480

6 жыл бұрын

Joel Seip doubleydoo doubleydoo doubleydoo doubleydoo. click. "Hello?"

@HnZ88.

5 жыл бұрын

It's weird how people are different from one another. I personally cringe whenever he says it.

Takes a few minutes to process the HD version, in case you're a member of the Notification Squad wondering what's up with the quality.

@Messiah38

6 жыл бұрын

Matthew Colville 2:04 if you miss it , why not make own games?

This is the single, best way to describe and discuss this issue I have ever read or listened to. Brilliant.

"Why should an encounter be fair?" Well said sir.

"Thumbs up" for the use of Asymptote. They fell victim to one of the classic blunders - the most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia" - but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never engage a chaotic evil Titan (who just happens to be a swimming nightmare of battlefield control), in its lair, while handicapped by the terrain, with an adventuring party that is historically weak against high magic / high control opponents (See: Raishan)." Great video, Matt! You truly are a river to your people.

@ShengFink

3 жыл бұрын

Was the Titan Sicilian perhaps?

I rewatch at least one Running the Game video almost every week. Came back to this one because I felt like I really let my players down and killed all the momentum tonight after having such an entertaining time last session. As I was running things, I could feel my heart just wasn’t in it and I was underprepared. I’ll persevere though, and I’m already thinking of ways to excite myself and my players next time to break up the monotony! Thanks Matt for being a guiding light to DMs new and old :)

your timing of this video is perfect.. had a slog yesterday :( - the good news is that the first three hours went pretty dam well... unfortunately the last hour had to be completely improvised due to player choices - and i think it bothered everyone that the game slowed down so much in the end :/ good thing is that i know exactly what to plan for next week - the players put them self in a good position

@benjaminpowell2066

7 жыл бұрын

Aka Imba Same happened to me Friday

@kofola9145

4 жыл бұрын

Why not just stop and continue later then?

@flatline42

2 жыл бұрын

Way late to this one but for any DMs wondering my solution to this is to call for a 15 minute break and go and do some thinking on how you're going to handle this. From a metagaming standpoint it lets the players know you're in the part of the map that says "here there be dragons" and just from a mechanical standpoint 10 or 15 minutes to think about where things go next help a lot.

@Jeppezzzful

2 жыл бұрын

@@flatline42 yeah this would have been a good decision - good advice is always better late than never!

God I needed this today. My last game was exactly this and I was feeling real down about it. Looking forward to making next week better for my players!

I was expecting something like this after last week's CR. The premise and the fight and everything therein were done properly and pragmatically but it just didn't turn out well. I even started to feel the slog watching partway through. So, even if I'm not currently in a game, this video does help a lot Matt!

I know this video is years old, but I'm glad I stumbled upon it. I just started DMing for the first time and I did hit a slog session myself. I was tempted to blame my players like you said because they play differently than I do and don't tend to ask questions, take notes, or take charge in roleplay, things I love to do as a player. This made me feel a lot less like a failure and I feel more encouraged to shake it off and make the next session greater. Thanks for this!

Ran my first real slog last week, this is a well-timed video ("sorry guys, those two giant spiders are still alive"). Your advice is heartening to hear! I literally apologised that it was so sloggy to my players after the session. I could've described the environment better but my main regret now is the apology! Broke character too easily.

Hi Matt. Been a DM for about 15 years now and I think I have done well. Players tell me they enjoy the game but I always look to get better. Tonight I ran a game for my two younger brothers. The Burning Plague from 3.5, they havent played before so I did give them pre generated characters. I used your advice from these videos and helped them along instead of with holding information like I would have done in the past. By the end of the night not only were they roll playing with each other, they wanted to play again. Your advice really has helped me become a better DM, even though you geared these videos for new DMs you should take pride in that they have helped an older dm like myself. As thanks and to show my support I bought both Priest and Thief. Im very interested in Heden's past. You have me hooked already. Note* I heavily edited the game since there was two of them, and we are playing 5th edition.

Matt, your references and quotes really help me organize my thoughts. It's good to remember, "The air is the air, what can be done?" and "No, the earth elemental steps on your head, just to be sure."

Touchy subject. Thanks for your thoughts Matt.

Newbie DM here, and I had my first "slog" session on Sunday. Threw me for a pretty hard loop. This was exactly what I needed to hear to help me get back on my feet. Thank you.

"Slog it out, try to make next week better." that's really inspirational mind if I 'adapt' that?

As always, fantastic advise. Thanks for posting these videos. Can't wait for the next one.

Matt, thank you for doing these short videos, we know you are busy. I am craving longer ones but I know at times that is not possible. Keep up the great content and thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

Man, I love your content. It is really helpful to me as I began to play D&D as a DM 4 months ago. Keep it up!

I really like your set up, the way you talk to the camera directly. Makes it feel like a conversation. Keep up the great work Matt.

Thanks for the chat Matt. It felt like a warm fireplace of words.

I feel like that all the time in certain battles. I'm glad I watched this week. I can feel like that sometimes and my players have talked to me about it off the air too. After watching so much of your videos, I am learning to be a much more chill DM than before. And I love to make things for my players to be better in the log run. We actually spent our last game doing a complete overhaul on equipment. Always good stuff when I see a new video from you. Thanks again, Matt.

This channel is everything I need. It seems almost every time I think on something that has happened or may happen at my table, you've got a video that touches on the very topic. Thanks Matt, looking forward to more of your insight.

Thank you Matt. I needed this from my previous session.

Had to come back to this after last night's session. Both of the DMs I usually would vent to were both players in the session, so I have no one to go over it with. It's nice to have you, Matt.

I'd just like to say... This was one of the most motivational dm lessons I've ever heard! Thank you for this! 🙂

I just wanted to say that I think this is your best video, Matt. I come back to it every time I have a so-so session as a kind pat on that back that things will get better. Good work, sir.

Thank you for these videos to help newer DMs like me get better and not get too focused on one mistake we have made.

I know this video is old now, but I come back and watch it every now and again after a game night hasn't really gone too well. Just wanted to say thanks Matt for making content like this, acknowledging that we're only mere mortals and sometimes things just happen. Really makes the rest of us aspiring DMs feel better knowing that these things happen even to the people we look to for advice.

Best video you've ever made. Perfectly succinct and heart felt. I cannot wait for the follow-up.

I have just recently discovered your channel and I am happier for having found it. Your advice is excellent and while much of is not new to me, a seasoned GM, it is good to hear you give voice to it. While I have learned a great deal from you in a short time, the greater service you have provided me is bringing into sharp relief many things I already knew allowing me to think more clearly about what I am doing while designing a session. Thanks very much.

7:14 just hit me as ligit Life advice for when life gets rough and there is nothing you can do about it. I guess it just goes to show how D&D is more like life then a game, and that there is a lot we can learn from playing. "Make next week better" is probably one of my new fave sayings just for when the going gets tough. thanks Matt

Matt, thank you so much for saying this. I had just this experience recently in my long-running campaign and I really felt I'd let my players down. Its a relief to know it happens to everyone and that its not a huge failing of my DMing. In addition I really like the attitude that encounters don't need to be fair, they need to be fun. Some of my players definitely also feel this way but some, I think, see each encounter much like said chess game, and that if its not perfectly balanced to be winnable on average die rolls then its unfair and should be removed. I am still having trouble managing this dissonance in my player attitudes. Your videos have been a huge help in all aspects of my D&Ding and I really appreciate all the time you take out of your day to make these videos. Also I'm buying your books on kindle, if I enjoy them half as much as I enjoyed Mercenaries 1 I'm in for a seriously good time! -George

Thanks for making this video. I found your videos recently and its inspired me to start a 5e campaign, but it also caused me to think a little too much about myself and life. This kind of explains and helps resolve the problems i had with my life.

Thanks Matt, I really needed this. The last session I DMed was one that I had put a lot of effort into planning but still got to a point where no one was having fun. Seeing this I'm encouraged to move on and make sure that the next session will be better for everyone.

Thanks Matt! You had great timing on this video for me! Just this past Saturday I had taken my players through a session that was not my best and was feeling really discouraged, to the point where I almost considered putting the campaign on hold. Thanks for encouraging us novice DMs to keep going!

Great video and thanks for talking on this point. I really needed it. I recently had my own sort of slog and I love how your phrased your resolution of this inevitable situation.

Thank you for this video! Here I am thinking about what went wrong last week, and Matt drops some knowledge on us! Thanks again. I'll make this week better.

Needed this, last week's session wasn't quite a 'slog', but the players weren't completely engaged with what I presented to them and I felt a bit off my game, though the session did end on a good cliffhanger I'm excited about. Need to remember that sometimes a session is just gonna be off, and all you can do is learn your lessons and move on.

The timing of this video amazes me, last night's session felt like that for me. The campaign is relatively early and the players didn't give me the impression they enjoyed any of it to the point I was considering scrapping the homebrew campaign for now and switching to some premade paths. I might reconsider after this, thank you, Matt, for your continued wisdom.

Wise words, Matt. Your advice is liberating for a long-term GM like me who at times feels there's no sense in "crapshooting" it. You're right, thinking of everything as a problem to solve *can* get to become a nasty earworm that we're better off ditching.

Thank you so much for this Matt! I've been DMing 5 sessions for my group for far, and I'm learning new things every week we play, and every time I read stuff on reddit, or watch your videos. Last session was definitely a slog, and I got quite some critique from one of my players after that (nothing wrong, and I actively ask for feedback). Yet I felt I couldn't improve the fight against a mindflayer more than having an alternative win condition, and it might have turned into a slog due to the stun from the mindblast. This made me feel way better

I don't know if you'll read this, but I want to throw some appreciation out into the ether just in case. This video is one of my favorites in the whole of your series and that's because it reiterates a lesson that I've been given many times. That one should learn from mistakes, but not dwell. I am a dweller, it comes naturally to me and I'm very good at worrying away truly staggering percentages of my day. I'm working to get over that, and I think this video helped. Keep doing what you're doing.

This video serves as a great primer for those who are thinking of reading your books. I have never read such interesting stories of endurance. Can't wait for the next one.

This video needed to be released after my Co-DM told me he had one of the most boring sessions in our campaign yet. Thank you so much!

Thanks Matt, I really appreciated this video. I recently killed a player's character in a dungeon delve that I was running and the only response I had for that was, "It was realistic, that is what the dragon would have done." The players understood that what happened was realistic but it didn't make the nature of the situation less frustrating. After the session one of the players told me that had he been running the encounter, he would've done exactly the same thing.

I just want to thank you for this video. I have never thought of it that way, and my last DM experience (even though i have been doing it for some years) felt and went pretty bad. The finally of two part chapter didn't go at all as I planned, in terms of player engagement and also myself. Having you say this really helped leave some weight of my shoulders in this case (as i didnt feel anyone sharing this kind of stressing experience). Now I am really hyped and ready for the next adventure, I know its gonna be better (like you said at the end, very well I might add)! Thank you, keep up your awesome videos :)

Thanks for this video Matt. In the video, The DM Screen, you talked about how you make adjustments and fudge rolls behind the DM screen, and I thought that meant doing something like "nerfing the kraken" that my players decide to fight at level 1. This video cleared that up for me and I thank you.

Had this during one of my last sessions. Love your lessons. Fast becoming my favorite D&D youtuber

thank you Matt im a new dm and had just experienced one of my first slogs, the group didn't like it to much they even told me so after. even if it was the logical thing to happen it was still boring. but instead of looking over the battle over and over im going to take your advice and just make this Tuesday better. this is why im subscribed to you thank you again man

Thanks Matt for the great advice! I've watched your videos six years ago and are re-watching them again! Your content is Evergreen! The Kobayashi Maru was apropos for this topic. Thank you for putting yourself out there, I love your passion, knowledge, and wisdom for the hobby. You're one of my DnD mentors. Thank you BIG!

Happened to me in January. I felt so awful. Thanks for this advice. Also, go back to longer videos please. These tips and talks make my week.

"Try to make next week better" Good words for a DM and players to live by.

You make so many helpful videos, I apply majority of your knowledge towards my sessions. Thank you very much Matt.

Thank you so much for this video, Matt! I am a new DM. So far I have only run 3 one-shots, and just yesterday I ran the first session of my first campaign, which wasn't all bad, but everyone left feeling the experience was sub par. I remembered seeing this video way back and now I have rewatched it. I was kinda down before and I feel a lot better now, so thank you :)

Damnit Matt. This is why we love you!

Just wanted to say "Thank you Matt." I recently ran my first DnD game after years of being a player and I would say that it went really well thanks to your advice. Keep the videos coming.

Thank you Matt. I just finished watching episode 88 and I was extremely frustrated. I logged into Reddit afterward to see if my opinion was shared. In there I saw a link to your video. After watching your video it helped to put things into perspective. While there are still aspects of episode 88 I have issues with, you helped clear up a majority of them. And for that I say thank you. Thank you for your time, you knowledge and your experience.

It seems that the deeper detail you pursue in describing D&D, the subtleties revealed expose parallels with what it is to be alive in what we might refer to as base reality.

I enjoy your long videos very much but I must say I also am happy to have shorter, to the point videos like these. Thanks for shooting one our way even with your busy schedule.

I bought and read your books recently, they're awesome and I can't wait for the next one.

I like listening to this before and after a session when possible to help keep my mind on track. It does help alot.

really needed to here this, had this happen to me a few days ago and this is the best advice I could get.

I really like this video series, watching it has renewed my desire to play the game which I haven't played since advanced d&d. Although I have kept up my knowledge of the rules thought the years your videos have given me the spark I needed to get a game together. Thanks again =)

This video was awesome and really helped me take a step back and stop blaming myself for the slogs my group has gone through in the past, your right the next week we come back "stronger than you could possibly imagine."

literally just came from running a game that turned into a slog i needed this so much

I just recently started DMing 5e and also watching CR. This videos have been a ton of help. My first session as DM in our relatively new group was last week. I spent a ton of time over-analyzing everything and sometimes it's nice to know it's OK if things go south. This is how we learn. It's just really nice to have these resources available.

man I don't know how you do matt, but you always post a video just after a session where what you're resolving is EXACTLY the problem I'm having in my game. Thanks for telling me to put it down after the games over. you're totally right on making next session better, I had a great idea for my group a few days after it finished that would change the dynamic of their current mission. Thanks again!

This was something I needed to hear, thanks Matt!

Hey Matt! I've been watching your videos for quite a while now and I just wanted to say that I appreciate your material, especially the Running the Game series. Your content helps me out a ton when it comes to DM'ing, as I am still fairly new at it. A friend of mine from work introduced me to Critical Role when it just about started and it really got me hooked into wanting to DM my own campaign, and so I did. Although I did learn quite a lot just from watching the show it's videos like yours that gives me the guidance I really need. I'm going on a business trip tomorrow and decided to buy one of your books, 'Priest'. I look forward to reading it during my upcoming flights.

My second adventure I ever DM'd (a few weeks ago) was a total Slog. So glad I have a term for that. I remember feeling so frustrated at watching my players feel helpless and terrified, desperately trying to think of a Deus Ex Machina. Afterward, I intensely analyzed the situation, even calling up each player individually to try to hear what it was that irked them the most. I relistened to my recording of the session (I record all my adventures so I can learn and be a better DM), and I came up with a Lessons Learned document I wrote for future adventures. When I was planning my adventure, I remember thinking: I really want this to be a great Sandbox game, giving my players total agency over what they do next (I had watched a lot of your videos), and now my pre-adventure checklist has lots of planning built into it to prevent a slog, but I'm really glad to hear from a veteran that I didn't really do anything wrong. That was just the nature of the adventure.

I really needed this. I've been DM'ing for a long while and hit a real rut when I thought I was starting to be bad at my role. But you're right. We need to forgive ourselves for regular fluctuations in session content.

Thanks for the video! I felt like this happened to me yesterday when I was dm'ing, and I was having a whole lot of trouble figuring out what had gone wrong and what I could've done better and all that. So yeah, thanks for providing some insight and resolution on that :)

I've never been on the DM side of a slog, but I very much remember an instance on the player end. There were like 8 players and the DM, doing a one shot, and it was a night where the dice hated everyone. With 8 players, it seemed like it took forever between turns, and when you failed 7 rolls in a row...man, that was a rough night. As mentioned in the video though, the next session (back to our normal campaign, with the same DM for both, BTW), was very fun, even if I can't remember the details as to why. It was just better than the slog the week before.

Matt, just to let you know that you achieve what you set out to do: I just came home from a session that was a slog for me at least. There was too much combat in cramped spaces with enemies that did too little damage to threaten the party but had too much health to skimp over and the bits in between were a slew of metagaming and rule lawyering. Even though last session was mind-blowingly tense and exciting. I blamed myself, and the players, even though nobody did anything tangibly wrong. On the way home, I remembered this video and listened to it again. With your permission, I'm letting it go and making next week better.

Thanks so much for doing this, Matt. I know lately you are very busy so even this short video wasn't easy. The gaming community, and myself, love you. I think it's still important to self-review. I will agree that sometimes the reasons a session failed can be almost entirely circumstantial. You did all the "right things" and it just didn't take because of elements out of your control. Or perhaps the things that hurt the session aren't likely to recur, so there's no point in dwelling on it. However, it is important as a DM, and really after you do anything, to be able to self-evaluate and try and get better for next time. I believe everything has multiple causes. After every session I've run (be it good, average or terrible) there was always something I did well (even if it was just ending the session), something I could improve, and at least a few things outside my control that helped or hurt. Maybe it was an awesome session, but I watered down an NPC that would have, with more development, helped an upcoming plot hook. Maybe one of the players who is dating the GM got drunk during the game and everyone was exhausted, but I still finished strong. Regardless, after each session there is something to be learned. And even if nothing can be done, recognizing that was actually the case is very helpful for the future. I actually love the "resets" we sometimes need when things just go down the drain and you just need to start over. Those are learning moments in and of themselves. But we should look still at what worked, what didn't, what you could control and bring what you learn to future sessions.

It's not related to DMing, but I had a presentation in which a woman came up to me afterwards, and she out of the blue told me I should speak slower--meaning, I really didn't ask her, didn't know her, all that, and frankly I wasn't looking for criticism right after I'd done the thing. I was obsessing over it for like, hours, and finally one of my friends was like, "It's okay, dude, it'll be fine," but I wasn't convinced. I kept wondering if I'd done something wrong, or if people just don't GET what I do for a living, but then this video came up on my feed. Even if this is a series largely for DMs, there are a whole lot of wonderful life lessons from these, and this one came at just the right time. Thank you, Matt. You just made me feel a lot less shitty about myself and about my lukewarm presentation.

This was a great topic, and one I hadn't really thought that much about. There have definitely been some slog sessions for my group recently and I was worried the players were losing interest. This past week turned around a bit, so thank you for the timely video and the permission to forgive and move on.

Thanks, Matt. That was a really helpful video to have pop up next for me on a second-guessing sort of day.

This is the video I needed to see right now. Thanks Matt!

your series has always been focused on helping the DM. your insights into a game gone south are spot on. it's refreshing and encouraging to hear. thank you again for doing this channel. I know you've had a tumultuous time so far this year with work and renovations on your house as you've mentioned in your videos. many of us have had a busy year but finding a few moments out of my week to be encouraged to be a better facilitator of fun for my friends is something you don't get often as a DM. your videos and speeches are well spoken well written and genuine. speaking about your passion is something everyone should do. so the next time you read a bad comment or someone gives a harsh opinion, just pull a Taylor Swift. Shake it off and keep slogging on

I really needed this right now. Matt, your series is really a gift that keeps on giving. Next week... next week will be better😕

Really needed this video after my last session. I was honestly dreading my next session since my last one was so anticipated and contained a major plot hook and turned out to be rather boring. Thanks for giving me the will to start planning again!

Heey matthew, I have never actually played d&d before but after watching your videos i decided i'm going to host a d&d game for me and my colleagues (also a game company, hooray for game developing!) with me as the DM. Now I've been following your "Running the Game" videos for a while now and find them incredibly interesting. I decided to use your story as a test game for one evening (the one with the goblins from the first 3 "Running the Game" videos). Now i actually have a request. It would be awesome if you could do a video of a d&d session with said goblin story so people have a reference to build on based on the rest of your videos. This is so people who never played before (like me) can connect the dots between their session and your videos and of course change it to their liking. You're awesome and keep making great video's! Sebastiaan~

This is exactly what I needed, thank you very much man!

Just finished a slog in a haunted forest and came here for advice. Didn't expect this to be the answer, but it's the best answer. Thank you for this, Matt. Stay awesome!

Kinda needed this, last session didn't go to well. Next week WILL BE better! Thanks Matt

I remember playing Mercenaries I in my tent during my deployment, it is one of my favorite games of all time, so it makes me happy to no end that Matt was responsible for part of it.

Needed this one today. Thanks, Matt.

I love your videos, thank you thank you thank you for spending time to make them!

hot damn this is such an important thing to hear. thank you for this matt i really needed this one

Glad this video is here. Had one of my players (someone who I actually started and came up in the hobby with) tell me a little while ago that my game and campaign were boring, during one of our sessions. I laughed it off, but it cut deep. But I came to the same conclusion. Noone's fault. Sometimes that's how the cards fall. Best to hope for better and look to the future.

I just watched this video a few weeks after my lvl 3 group took on a Stone Giant. It was supposed to be an insurmountable fight theyd have to work around using skills. They tried to fight it head on, took one hit, and everyone realized how bad it was. Suffice to say it was a slog, as I had to doctor the encounter a ton to not tpk. Thanks for the video, because you pretty much hit the nail on the head with this one!

Love your videos, very instructive as always. It happened to me yesterday night, it's something that's been deteriorating for almost two months now, i spend hours trying to create intense battle, thinking about the atmosphere, the lore surrounding the enemies but my players seems to get bored really fast apart from two or three individuals. The most frustrating thing is that when they don't empathize with the npcs or the surroundings they tend to play d&d as they would normally play descent or talisman. The encounter is too hard? They get bored and frustrated, mostly because they see it only on a diceroll/characteristics level and ignore completely the ambient and the lore.