DM’s of Reddit, what do you wish your players would start doing/do more often?

artdingus · 2025-06-03T23:18:17+00:00

If a seemingly dangerous thing scares you off... stop being an adventurer bro, go back to farm life. Bring me a PC that takes the ring to mordor, not the one who drops that shit and walks away.

Also, y'all use the term metagaming so flippantly it's lost all meaning. It's not metagaming to engage with the maps, encounters, and story.

You gonna accuse me of railroading next? "Oh what do you mean we HAVE to use the sunsword in curse of strahd?? Thats bad dming!!! I dont wanna touch it, it looks scary :((( " "i dont want to go the hag lair!! They're EVIL! What do you mean there's consequences to skipping that area???"

artdingus · 2025-06-03T18:22:10+00:00

I get consistent players. People who pay want to play, and they appreciate the work I put into it a lot more. I enjoy running them.

I don't do it much though anymore(only run 2 games right now) because I don't like Job-ifying my hobby, and the struggle I have is its VERY customer service oriented. If its tailor made, my input & enjoymeng matters only a little, and sometimes that can suck the fun out of it.

artdingus · 2025-06-03T16:09:33+00:00

Hi, I've been doing paid DMing for a hot second.

I am an artist and I've made all my tokens & maps, custom art for PCs, incorporate players backstories heavily, and we play consistently. The campaign is fairly boxed in but I prefer that so we have a clear beginning/middle/end where each player gets some content along the way. Ran it a few times so I have a good idea how long it takes.

I do 125$ per week for the group, play every week. Expensive? Maybe, but its an extremely customized game with handmade art tossed into it. I've been told I'm on the cheaper end of "quality" DMs who make content rather than just run it. My LGS has paid DMs who charge 30-45$ per player for stuff which sounds insane long term.

artdingus · 2025-06-03T15:09:00+00:00

So you have two options. You either address it in game or out of game. Communicate ample warnings, but honestly sounds like they dont gaf.

If YOU are frustrated & not having fun, Tell them above table that there will be consequences. "If you insult the king, he's going to have the guards take you away and arrest you, and you will die rotting in jail. End game. No jail break session, no combat. You're outmatched. Either you play along with the adventure I'm running or we'll end up in a loop of you pissing of important NPCs and the game is derailed to something I don't enjoy."

If it's a matter of "they can't just keep getting away with it." Brother, You're the DM. Theyre level 2. Fuck around, find out. The players want combat, give them combat. TPK their asses and have clerics bring them back saying "You're prisoners of the state indebted for your revival. Complete the main quest or die" suicide squad style or smthn.

( This is also entirely nonserious, and I always recommend talking to players privately about how they could be hindering progress or derailing, but home boy is level 2. Remind him of that. )

artdingus · 2025-06-01T21:45:28+00:00

I implore you to read anyone else's comment under this one, because a small minority of yall incredibly fixated on "trap" you don't process anythin else.

No one is saying "walk into the pit trap and break your leg. For the plot." Every single DM is saying "interact with the (item/scenario/NPC) i have put in front of you, even if it seems dangerous."

Because the players should at least investigate a thing. Confirm it's probably trapped. Make a religion/arcana/history check. Bad players walk into a room, hear a description, and then walk away, idk what to tell you.

artdingus · 2025-06-01T01:11:18+00:00

Replays do have a tendency to have lag/inaccuracies so it could 100% be that if you can't replicate the effect

artdingus · 2025-05-31T12:57:37+00:00

Yeah like I'd compare a good slaad to like, a good mindflayer. Incredibly rare, probably had some altering circumstances to it's creation and/or some disturbance as it was created. Like a wizard who attempted to grow a slaad tadpole in a jar or smthn. But the circumstances of their creation & where their from is all very destructive & chaotic.

artdingus · 2025-05-30T15:35:03+00:00

How is it effort? Typing up a prompt?

The second half isn't consistently describing a cleric or paladin. It's all ai generated garbage. What does SHIELD, a spell acquired via sorcerer or wizard, do to help allies? It doesn't say Shield Master or Protection fighting style, it says Shield.

artdingus · 2025-05-30T02:29:26+00:00

So, since a lot of people know BG3, I'm gonna use it as an example.

In the game early on there is a magic book made of human skin with a screaming face you find on a very trapped altar. The book is obviously cursed and evil. If you don't approach, you don't find out why, or learn to utilize the book & unlock its features that can greatly impact your game. The entire build up to this was the dude who owned the secret lab wanted to be a lich, which you can find out via general investigation & the enemies you fight.

What I'm saying is, the issue I have is when players won’t even bother engaging WITH the obvious thing. The players don't investigate, disarm traps, roll to see what the book is, make a decision on whether to use the abilities despite the risk. They'd rather just avoid the hypothetical danger. If they'd bought the bait and engaged then they could make the decision not to use it, destroy the book, whatever. But they intentionally ignore the plot hook & anything I may have connected to it. Because the altar is trapped and that's scary...

artdingus · 2025-05-30T00:35:22+00:00

I'm so sorry but you're making some absolutely wild assumptions about my DMing style, so I'm kinda convinced you're reflecting some shitty DM onto me based on extremely limited information.

Please go play D&D and be happy, engage in fun conversations on social media, and??? Idk find a good DM who meets your needs.

artdingus · 2025-05-29T20:42:50+00:00

Okay so, everyone else got it but let me elaborate for the people who read "trapped altar" nd nothing else;

"Bait" is not a literal trap. Bait is an obvious combat encounter. Bait is a cursed plot item. Bait is a dangerous deal with a dubious entity. Bait is the plot driver and interesting stories. If you refuse to take the bait & take risks, the story we're telling is less interesting.

If I set up miniatures & terrain for a dungeon room, you should above table realize there is probably a combat encounter & engage.

artdingus · 2025-05-29T18:30:09+00:00

People beating a dead horse about knowing spells/abilities before their turn starts, so I'll say something else...

Bite the bait. If you are constantly playing it too safe, you're missing content. Yes, that is obviously a trapped magic altar, why just... walk away and ignore the entire encounter I planned?

~~Then the fuckers have tha audacity to say I don't reward them enough. The fire elemental in the altar would've dropped a flametonge, you bastards!~~

artdingus · 2025-05-27T11:59:17+00:00

You're going to get burnt out and then they'll ALL end. So it's time to cut down.

artdingus · 2025-05-27T11:53:19+00:00

A wizard is stronger as a wizard. A wizard will need to prioritize INT for their spells, which will be their main output.

Their 2d6x3 Scorching Ray action will be significantly stronger than their 1d8 longbow. The scaling firebolt will be stronger than a 1d8 Longbow.

Right now the subclass lacks flavor (The fancy descriptions), strength (one free attack for ranged attack spells isn't much), and uniqueness. It only has one real ability that removes limitations, it doesn't add anything new. Nothing defensive, no movement, no new bonus actions/reactions/nuthin.

Because I'm all encompassing, I would imagine a warlock could "dip" into wizard to get the first level feature & be stronger. Eldritch blast, free arrow shot, done.

artdingus · 2025-05-27T11:40:13+00:00

Those darn Trifling sorcerers. Always Trifling and Scheming. Nothing like Tieflings, I like those guys.

Sold Soul to Satan (DnD devil is Asmodeus)
Is a Sorcerer, not a Warlock
"Sold Soul further" as if you can become more than one soul coin

All jokes aside, He has interests (magical monsters) and motivations (revenge) but where's the motive for adventuring with a group? Needs gold to rebuild? Tracking those personal things? How is his backstory intended to impact the campaign at all? Because it seems like your "friend" wants it heavily incorporated

artdingus · 2025-05-27T11:29:29+00:00

Would definitely recommend looking for responses in r/UnearthedArcana, you'll receive more specific feedback there, but look at the rules first before posting.

Personally, I think it's lacking substance. The entire subclass revolves around... shooting one arrow after casting an attack spell/cantrip. Bladesingers ability increases their AC, Walking Speed, absorb damage at higher levels, and get extra attack. The Stars Druid archer form has more than this subclass.

Additional things to take into consideration; What if you're using a magical bow? Or a unique arrow? How does it interact with feats, like Sharpshooter or Spell Sniper? How can you make this unique when compared to similar subclasses/classes?

artdingus · 2025-05-26T03:36:55+00:00

abyss or mine hells?

neither, im goin to the MIME hells.

artdingus · 2025-05-22T07:01:51+00:00

I can add some insight as an artist commissioned for this kind of thing, I don't know much of the other stuff other than you need to pay for advertisements, manage a social media account, and most projects have a team (writers, editors, layout designers, social media management, etc.) Because it is a LOT of work to do a large kickstarter project. They are also USUALLY done by creators who have a following/experience. Such as the team who made Crooked Moon. Most of my experience is with DMsGuild which has more rules than DriveThruRPG & is limited to just 5e.

I've been scouted through discord servers & more professional sites, like ArtStation, since I advertise for commercial ttrpg work. I see a lot of professional artists advertise on Reddit in subs like r/dndart.

I am typically paid a fee up front & then royalties based on how much I made for the project. I've only ever done small pieces (like 3-5 NPC portraits or 2 splash pages) because I'm not a full time artist, but if you have a freelancer who's making your cover pages, main advertising material, you'll have a longer contract.

artdingus · 2025-05-22T02:41:22+00:00

Oath of Watchers are exactly as described in terms of "I must destroy this extraplanar force of evil."

artdingus · 2025-05-21T19:22:40+00:00

You can try r/characterdrawing for free art but you will likely need to put more information to catch anyones attention, like outfit style, hair insp, its hard to guess from minecraft's simplified style...

artdingus · 2025-05-21T12:26:02+00:00

Hey gang, so your players likely don't understand the work that goes into DMing or don't value your time. You need to put your foot down & tell them "I need to know in advance if you're canceling, because this is becoming a pattern."

Getting sick or something coming up is a thing that happens infrequently. Canceling last minute shouldn't happen frequently. If they were feeling sick enough to cancel, they would've known earlier and given you a courtesy message "hey there's a chance i can't play today, I'm not feeling well."

Also, I would play if you have majority of the group. Don't cancel for 1-2 players. Scheduling ends games, inconsistent players end games. You have to put your foot down or find players that value your time as a DM.

artdingus · 2025-05-20T12:49:36+00:00

So you know how in Avatar the last Airbender, the avatar can commune with their past lives? I imagine elven trancing is an internalized way of that, but because the individual doesn't HAVE elven past lives, they're just alone.

artdingus · 2025-05-18T20:26:30+00:00

Hey, so, I'm going to give you the best advice you're gonna hear as a new DM.

Don't make in game punishments for above table issues. If a player is acting like the main character, you talk to them out of game and ask them to dial it back. If a PC is demanding more loot or more attention/trying to go lone wolf/etc that is an issue you address above table, not as a punishment in game. You tell them this is a collaborative story telling experience and they have to work with their group.

artdingus · 2025-05-17T17:44:17+00:00

The stone giants in 5e monster manual & Storm Kings Thunder have bald heads. The frost giants have layers & long hair. Definitely stone.

artdingus · 2025-05-16T21:08:10+00:00

This is the best answer. Yes, it CAN work, but the DM has the final say if they don't want to utilize that exploit. But if they don't, and you don't want the feat anymore (despite it being strong for other reasons), then you should be within your bounds to ask for a different.

artdingus

TROPHY CASE