Dungeons & Dragons (D&D 3.5) - Dungeon Master's Guide

328 Pages·18.518 MB·English

C R E D I T S
DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE DESIGN DUNGEON MASTER’S GUIDE REVISION
Monte Cook David Noonan, Rich Redman
D U N G E O N M A S T E R ’ S G U I D E D & D R E V I S I O N T E A M
D & D D E S I G N T E A M Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan,
Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Rich Redman, Skip Williams
Skip Williams
DEVELOPMENT AND EDITING
A D D I T I O N A L D E S I G N Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel
Peter Adkison, Richard Baker, Andy
Collins, David Noonan P R O O F R E A D E R S
Bill McQuillan, Cal Moore,
Katsuyo Nagasawa
E D I T O R S
Julia Martin, John Rateliff
M A N A G I N G E D I T O R
E D I T O R I A L A S S I T A N C E Kim Mohan
Duane Maxwell, Jeff Quick
CORE D&D CREATIVE DIRECTOR
M A N A G I N G E D I T O R Ed Stark
Kim Mohan
D I R E C T O R O F R P G R & D
CORE D&D CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bill Slavicsek
Ed Stark
A R T D I R E C T O R
D I R E C T O R O F R P G R & D
Dawn Murin
Bill Slavicsek
C O V E R A R T
V I S UA L C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R
Henry Higginbotham
Jon Schindehette
I N T E R I O R A R T I S T S
A R T D I R E C T O R
Dawn Murin Matt Cavotta, Ed Cox, Lars Grant-West,
Scott Fischer, John Foster, Jeremy
D & D C O N C E P T U A L A R T I S T S Jarvis, John and Laura Lakey, Todd
Todd Lockwood, Sam Wood Lockwood, David Martin, Raven Mimura,
Wayne Reynolds, Scott Roller,
D & D L O G O D E S I G N Brian Snoddy, Arnie Swekel, Sam Wood
Matt Adelsperger, Sherry Floyd
G R A P H I C D E S I G N E R
C O V E R A R T
Dawn Murin
Henry Higginbotham
C A R T O G R A P H E R
I N T E R I O R A R T I S T S
Lars-Grant West, Scott Fischer, John Todd Gamble
Foster, Todd Lockwood, David Martin,
GRAPHIC PRODUCTION SPECIALIST
Wayne Reynolds, Arnie Swekel,
Angelika Lokotz
Kevin Walker, Sam Wood
P H O T O G R A P H E R
G R A P H I C D E S I G N E R S
Sean Glenn, Sherry Floyd Craig Cudnohufsky
T Y P O G R A P H E R VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLISHING
Victoria Ausland, Erin Dorries, Mary Kirchoff
Angelika Lokotz, Nancy Walker
C A T E G O R Y M A N A G E R
C A R T O G R A P H E R Anthony Valterra
Todd Gamble
P R O J E C T M A N A G E R
P H O T O G R A P H E R Martin Durham
Craig Cudnohufsky
P R O D U C T I O N M A N A G E R
B R A N D M A N A G E R
Chas DeLong
Ryan Dancey
OTHER WIZARDS OF THE COAST
C A T E G O R Y M A N A G E R
Keith Strohm R&D CONTRIBUTORS
Paul Barclay, Michele Carter, Jennifer
P R O J E C T M A N A G E R S Clarke Wilkes, Bruce R. Cordell, Mike
Larry Weiner, Josh Fischer Donais, David Eckelberry,Skaff Elias,
Andrew Finch, Jeff Grubb, Rob Heinsoo,
D I G I - T E C H S P E C I A L I S T Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Christopher
Joe Fernandez
Perkins, Charles Ryan, Michael
Selinker, Jonathan Tweet, James Wyatt
P R O D U C T I O N M A N A G E R
Chas DeLong
S P E C I A L T H A N K S
S P E C I A L T H A N K S Mary Elizabeth Allen, Stephen Radney-
Cindi Rice, Jim Lin, Richard Garfield, McFarland, Liz Schuh, Alex Weitz, Andy
Skaff Elias, Andrew Finch Smith, Mat Smith, Jefferson Dunlap
Contents Miscellaneous Features . . . . . . . . . 63 Class/Race Restrictions . . . . . . . 171
Cave-Ins and Collapses . . . . . . . . . 66 New Races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Illumination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Monsters as Races . . . . . . . . . . 172
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Traps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Elements of a Trap . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Modifying Character Classes. . . 174
Chapter 1: Running the Game . . . . . . . 5 Sample Traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Creating New Classes . . . . . . . . . 175
What Is a DM?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Designing a Trap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Prestige Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Style of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Dungeon Ecology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Arcane Archer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Example of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Dungeon Animals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Arcane Trickster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Running a Game Session . . . . . . . . . . 10 Wandering Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Archmage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Random Dungeons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Assassin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Chapter 2: Using the Rules . . . . . . . . . 19 Dungeon Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Blackguard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
C
More Movement Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 The Map and the Key. . . . . . . . . . . 77 Dragon Disciple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 OT
A
Movement and the Grid . . . . . . . . 19 Random Dungeon Encounters . . 78 Duelist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 NB
Moving in Three Dimensions . . . 20 A Sample Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Dwarven Defender. . . . . . . . . . . . 186 TL
Evasion and Pursuit . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Statistics Blocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Eldritch Knight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 EE
N
Moving around in Squares . . . . . . 20 Wilderness Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Hierophant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 O
TF
Bonus Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Getting Lost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Horizon Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 S
Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Forest Terrain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Loremaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Line of Sight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Marsh Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Mystic Theurge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Starting an Encounter . . . . . . . . . . 22 Hills Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Red Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
New Combatants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Mountain Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Shadowdancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Keeping Things Moving . . . . . . . . 24 Desert Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Thaumaturgist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Combat Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Plains Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 How PCs Improve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Attack Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Aquatic Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Learning Skills and Feats . . . . . . 197
Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Underwater Combat . . . . . . . . . 93 Learning New Spells . . . . . . . . . . 198
Effect of Weapon Size . . . . . . . . . . 28 Weather. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Gaining Class Benefits . . . . . . . . 198
Splash Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Random Wilderness General Downtime. . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Area Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Encounters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Gaining Fixed Hit Points . . . . . . 198
Big and Little Creatures Urban Adventures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Creating PCs above 1st Level . . . . . . 199
in Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Weapon and Spell Restrictions . . 99 Special Cohorts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Skill and Ability Checks . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Urban Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Familiars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Saving Throws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Urban Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Mounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Adjudicating Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Animal Companions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Describing Spell Effects . . . . . . . . 34 Chapter 4: Nonplayer Characters . . 103 Epic Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Handling Divinations . . . . . . . . . . 34 Everyone in the World . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Creating New Spells. . . . . . . . . . . . 35 NPC Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Chapter 7: Magic Items. . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Rewards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Adept. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Handling Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Experience Awards. . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Aristocrat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Magic Item Descriptions . . . . . . . . . 215
Story Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Commoner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Character Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Making a New Character . . . . . . . 42 Warrior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Potions and Oils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
NPC Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Chapter 3: Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 NPC Attitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Rods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Fleshing out NPCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Scrolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Staffs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Site-Based Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Chapter 5: Campaigns. . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Wands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Event-Based Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Establishing a Campaign. . . . . . . . . . 129 Wondrous Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
The End (?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Maintaining a Campaign . . . . . . . . . 130 Intelligent Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Characters and the World Cursed Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Tailored or Status Quo. . . . . . . . . . 48 around Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Artifacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Challenge Ratings and War and Other Calamities . . . . . . . . 133 Creating Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Encounter Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Other Campaign Issues. . . . . . . . . . . 134 Masterwork Items . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Difficulty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 World-Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Special Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tougher Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Building a Different World. . . . . . . . 144
Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Adventuring on Other Planes . . . . . 147 Chapter 8: Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Rewards and Behavior . . . . . . . . . . 50 Plane Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Special Abilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Treasure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Creating a Cosmology . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Condition Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Bringing Adventures Together. . . . . . 56 The Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Between Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Chapter 6: Characters 169
The Dungeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Ability Scores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Visual Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Dungeon Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Subraces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Modifying a Common Race. . . . 171 List of Sidebars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Changes through Addition List of Numbered Tables . . . . . . . . . . 320 3
Corridors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 and Subtraction . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Introduction
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
This is the DUNGEONS& DRAGONS®Roleplaying Game, the game Noone expects you to read this book cover to cover. It’s not a
that defines the genre and has set the standard for fantasy role- novel. Instead, we arranged this book into topics that you can refer
playing for more than 30 years. to when you need them. Plus, an extended glossary at the back of
Specifically, this is the Dungeon Master’s Guide.This book con- the book provides quick reference to DM-related topics.
tains information that every Dungeon Master (DM) needs to set Based on those portions of the game that you control, you’ll find
up adventures, narrate the action, run the monsters, and referee chapters that deal with running the game, adjudicating play, writ-
the DUNGEONS&DRAGONSgame. This book, the Player’s Handbook, ing adventures, building a campaign, awarding experience, and
and the Monster Manual comprise the core rules for the D&D® finding or creating the right magic items to stock your dungeons.
game. Refer to the table of contents and the index to locate the specific
N topic you need at any given time.
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I THE DUNGEON MASTER
T PLAYING ON THE BATTLE GRID
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U We’ve distilled our knowledge of the D&D®game into the mate- The D&D game assumes the use of miniature figures, and the
D
rial that follows. Whether you need to know how to design an rules are written from that perspective. This book contains a battle
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R adventure, a campaign, or an entire game world, the material in grid and other tools to help you visualize the action.
T this book can, and will, help you. The poster-sized sheet in the back of the book has a 1-inch grid
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I You’rea member of a select group. Truly, not everyone has the cre- on one side, and a collection of rooms that can be used to repre-
ativity and the dedication to be a DM. Dungeon Mastering (DMing) sent areas in a dungeon on the other side.
can be challenging, but it’s not a chore. You’re the lucky one out of The last 12 pages of this book (just ahead of the index) present a
your entire circle of friends who play the game. The real fun is in variety of visual aids that you can use to set up and play out
your hands. As you flip through the Monster Manual or look at pub- encounters and adventures on the grid:
lished adventures on a store shelf, you get to decide what the player —Six pages of diagrams that show the squares contained
characters (PCs) take on next. You get to build a whole world, as well within areas of different sizes and shapes, and graphic depictions
as design and play all its nonplayer characters (NPCs). of space and reach for creatures of varying sizes.
It’sgood to be the DM. —Six pages of illustrations that represent various dungeon
The DM defines the game. A good DM results in a good game. features, sized to fit the 1-inch grid, that you can photocopy, cut
Since you control the pacing, and the types of adventures and out, and place on the grid—enabling players to actually see
encounters, the whole tenor of the game is in your hands. It’s fun, what lies before their characters as they make their way through
but it’s a big responsibility. If you’re the sort of person who likes to the dungeon.
provide the fun for your friends, or to come up with new ideas,
then you’re an ideal candidate for DM.
FINAL NOTE
Once your group has a Dungeon Master, however, that doesn’t
mean that you can’t switch around. Some DMs like to take a turn The power of creating worlds, controlling deities and dragons, and
at being a player, and many players eventually want to try their leading entire nations is in your hands. You are the master of the
hand at DMing. game—the rules, the setting, the action, and ultimately, the fun.
This is a great deal of power, and you must use it wisely. This book
shows you how.
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WHY A REVISION?
The new DUNGEONS& DRAGONSgame debuted in 2000. In the three years
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since the d20 Game System energized the roleplaying game industry,
we’ve gathered tons of data on how the game is being played. We
consider D&D to be a living game that constantly evolves as it is THE PURPOSE OF SIDEBARS
played. Using the gathered feedback, we’ve retooled the game from the You’ll see blocks of text that look like this one frequently throughout
ground up and incorporated everyone’s suggestions to improve the this book. The information in these sidebars is not part of the rules per
game and this product. se, but you’ll find them useful and interesting in their own right. Most
If this is your first experience with D&D, we welcome you to a wonder- sidebars in this book serve either to introduce rules variants or to give
ful world of adventure and imagination. If you played the prior version of you a glimpse “behind the curtain” into how some aspect of the D&D
this book, rest assured that this revision is a testament to our dedication game was created.
to continuous product improvement and innovation. We’ve updated Variant:Togive you an idea of some of the ways in which you can
errata, clarified rules, polished the presentation, and made the game alter the D&D rules for your own campaign, some sidebars suggest
better than it was. This is an upgrade of the d20 System, not a new edition variants that you can adopt or modify to suit your game.
of the game. This revision is compatible with existing products, and these The basic rules presented in this book—that is, everything not iden-
products can be used with the revision with only minor adjustments. tified as a variant—apply to the baseline D&D campaign. If you are
What’s new in the revised Dungeon Master’s Guide? The entire book has playing in an RPGA®Network event, that event uses the basic rules in
been polished and refined, all in response to your feedback and to reflect this book. Establishing a standard set of rules makes a worldwide
the way the game is actually being played. We’ve revised the encounter gaming network possible.
tables and magic item creation rules. We’ve expanded the movement Behind the Curtain:Some sidebars provide a further explanation of
rules, increased the number of prestige classes, added dozens of new why the rules are the way they are—a look “behind the curtain” into
magic items and magic item special abilities, and provided plenty of tools how the game’s designers make decisions about the rules. If you’re the
to help promote the three-dimensional experience. sort of DM who likes to tinker with the rules of the D&D game, these
4 Take a look, play the game. We think you’ll like how everything turned sidebars offer some advice and inspiration as you customize the game
out. for yourself and your players.
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n your role as Dungeon Master, you’re the focus of the game. If the Using Purchased Adventures
game’s fun, it will be to your credit. If it’s a failure, you’ll get the Many published adventures are available for you to pur-

blame, whether it’s deserved or not. Don’t worry, though—run- chase if you don’t want to write one of your own, or if you

ning a D&D® game is not as hard as it may seem at first. (But don’t just want a change of pace. In a published adventure, you’ll
tell the players that!) get a pregenerated scenario with all the maps, NPCs, mon- C
sters, and treasures you need, and an adventure plot
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designed to make the most of them. Sometimes, when
WHAT IS A DM?
you use a published adventure, you’ll see that it presents a
Dungeon Mastering involves writing, teaching, acting, referee- challenges you would have never thought of on your p
ing, arbitrating, and facilitating. Described below are the different own. t
duties of the DM. You’ll find that you like some more than others. Remember, however, that you’re the one who has to
e
As in any hobby, focus on what you enjoy the most, but remember run the adventure: Anything you want to change, you
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that all the other duties are also important. can. In fact, you will often find you need to make at least

small changes to fit the adventure into your ongoing
PROVIDING ADVENTURES campaign and to get your players into the action. You O
Your primary role in the game is to present adventures in which can have a great deal of fun replacing the villain of an n
the other players can roleplay their characters. To accomplish adventure with one the players have already heard of
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this, you need to spend time outside the game sessions them- in your campaign, or changing the background of the
selves, preparing. This is true whether you write your own adven- adventure so that it involves your players’ characters
tures or use prepared adventures that you have purchased. in ways that the module’s designer never could have
possibly imagined.
Writing Adventures
Creating adventures takes a great deal of time. Many DMs find TEACHING THE GAME
that they spend more time getting ready for the game than they Sometimes it’s going to be your responsibility to
do at the table actually playing. These same DMs often find this teach newcomers to the game how to play. This isn’t
creation time to be the most fun and rewarding part of being a a burden, but a wonderful opportunity. Teaching
Dungeon Master. Making up interesting characters, settings, other people how to play provides you with new play-
plots, and challenges to present before your friends can be a great ers and allows you to set them on the path to becoming
5
creative outlet. top-notch roleplayers. It’s easier to learn to play with
Writing good adventures is so important that it receives its someone who already knows the game. Those who
own chapter in this book. See Chapter 3: Writing an Adventure. are taught by a good teacher who runs a fun game
are more likely to join in the hobby for the long haul. Use this final arbiter of the rules within the game. Good players will always
opportunity to encourage new players to become the sort of recognize that you have ultimate authority over the game mechan-
people you want to game with. ics, even superseding something in a rulebook. Good DMs know
Here are a few pointers on teaching the game. not to change or overturn a published rule without a good, logical
Read the Player’s Handbookand know the character creation justification so that the players don’t rebel (more on that later).
rules so you can help new players build characters. Have each of To carry out this responsibility, you need to know the rules.
the newcomers tell you what sort of character he or she wants to You’re not required to memorize the rulebooks, but you should
play and then show them how they can create those heroes with have a clear idea of what’s in them, so that when a situation comes
the D&D rules. If they don’t know what to play, show them the up that requires a ruling, you know where to reference the proper
player character races and classes in the Player’s Handbook,briefly rule in the book.
describe each, and let them choose the one that appeals to them Often a situation will arise that isn’t explicitly covered by the
the most. Another option is to keep a few simple characters rules. In such a situation, you need to provide guidance as to how
:
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TNIGA you’ll have “old friends” who adventure with the party when • Look to any similar situation that iscovered in a rulebook. Try
PN newcomers play them. to extrapolate from what you see presented there and apply it to
A E
UH Once the PCs are created, don’t worry about teaching the play- the current circumstance.
CHRT ers all the rules ahead of time. All they truly need to know are the • If you have to make something up, stick with it for the rest of
basics that apply to understanding their characters (how spells the campaign. (This is called a house rule.) Consistency keeps
work, what AC means, how to use skills, and so forth), and they players satisfied and gives them the feeling that they adventure
can pick up most of this information as they go along. Remember in a stable, predictable universe and not in some random,
the most basic rule: To attack, make a saving throw, or use a skill, nonsensical place subject only to the DM’s whims.
roll a d20 and hope for a high number. • When in doubt, remember this handy little rule: Favorable
As long as you know the rules, the players need be concerned conditions add +2 to any d20 roll, and unfavorable conditions
only with their characters and how they react to what happens to penalize the roll by –2. You’ll be surprised how often this “DM’s
them in the game. Have players tell you what they want their char- best friend” will solve problems.
acters to do, and translate that into game terms for them. Teach If you come upon an apparent contradiction in the rules, con-
them how the rules work when they need to learn them, on a case- sider these factors when adjudicating.
by-case basis. For example, if the player of a wizard wants to cast a • A rule found in a rulebook overrules one found in a published
spell or the player of a fighter wants to attack, the player tells you adventure, unless the rule presented in the published adven-
what the character is attempting. Then you tell the player which ture deals with something specific and limited to the adventure
modifier or modifiers to add to the roll of a d20, and what happens itself.
as a result. After a few times, the player will know what to do with- • Choose the rule that you like the best, then stick with it for the
out asking. rest of the campaign. Consistency is a critical aspect of rules
adjudication.
PROVIDING THE WORLD
Every Dungeon Master is the creator of his or her own campaign PROPELLING THE GAME EVER FORWARD
world. Whether you use the GREYHAWK® setting (the standard While all the players are responsible for contributing to the game,
D&D campaign setting) or another published setting for the D&D the onus must ultimately fall upon the DM to keep the game
game, such as the FORGOTTENREALMS®Campaign Setting, it’s still moving, maintain player interest, and keep things fun. Remember
your world. that keeping things moving is always more important than search-
The setting is more than just a backdrop for adventures, al- ing through rulebooks to find the exact details on some point or
though it’s that too. The setting is everything in the fictional world spending time in long debates over rules decisions.
except for the PCs and the adventure plot. A well-designed and Even a well-run game can bog down sometimes. Perhaps the
well-run world seems to go on around the PCs, so that they feel a players have been at it a while and are growing a little tired of the
part of something, instead of apart from it. Though the PCs are same old thing. Maybe a playing session falls flat for no apparent
powerful and important, they should seem to be residents of some reason. Sometimes this can’t be helped—you’re only human. In
fantasy world that is ultimately larger than they are. fact, occasionally you will find it’s better to cancel a playing ses-
Consistency is the key to a believable fictional world. When the sion or cut it short rather than have a poor experience that may set
PCs go back into town for supplies, they ought to encounter some back the whole campaign.
of the same NPCs they saw before. Soon, they’ll learn the bar- However, an average playing session can be turned into a mem-
keep’s name—and she’ll remember theirs as well. Once you have orable one, or a poor session can be spiced up. For example, props
achieved this degree of consistency, however, provide an occa- can bring new life to a game. You can make fake parchment from
sional change. If the PCs come back to buy more horses at the sta- normal paper, “aging” it by wetting it slightly with coffee or tea
bles, you could have them discover that the man who ran the place and then letting it dry to an uneven yellow. Toss in a few creases or
went back home to the large city over the hills, and now his small rips, and later when the PCs find a map or a message you can
nephew runs the family business. That sort of change—one that actually hand it to them. Old coins, tarot cards, a battered book in
has nothing to do with the PCs directly, but one that they’ll a foreign language, and the like all make wonderful handouts to
notice—makes the players feel as though they’re adventuring in a get players into the spirit of the game.
living world as real as themselves, not just a flat backdrop that Another kind of visual aid is artwork. In all D&D game prod-
exists only for them to delve its dungeons. ucts, you’ll find wonderful fantasy illustrations. Look through
For much more on running a campaign, see Chapter 5. those products, or find a book cover or some other art source to
provide you with a picture that fits something the PCs will
ADJUDICATING encounter. Then, when the encounter comes to pass, pull out the
6 When everyone gathers around the table to play the game, you’re picture and say, “This is what you see.” While players’ imagina-
in charge. That doesn’t mean you can tell people what to do out- tions are fertile, sometimes seeing a depiction of something they
side the boundaries of the game, but it does mean that you’re the encounter in the game—a character, a monster, or a place—
makes the experience all the more exciting or real. Sometimes you walks, stand up and show the players exactly what you mean.
can find illustrations in odd places. Jewelry catalogs can provide When the ceiling above the PCs begins to collapse, slam your fists
visual aids for some magic items or treasure, and sometimes a his- upon the table to simulate the sound of falling rocks. If someone
tory book or encyclopedia with illustrations is just as good as a fan- holds out his hand and offers something to a PC, mime the
tasy book. action—almost every time, the player (assuming the character
Of course, you can’t always have a prop or a picture of some takes what’s offered) will follow your cue instinctively and reach
monster, NPC, or place that you have created. That’s when you out, miming the character’s grasping whatever it is. You could
rely on an evocative, exciting description. Pepper your descrip- even make a player whose character is invisible sit under the table
tions of what the characters see with adjectives and vivid verbs. to remind everyone that they can’t see her, and her voice just
Remember that you are the players’ eyes and ears. “A dank, dark comes out of nowhere. Keep in mind, though, that this sort of
chamber with moss growing in cracks in the stone walls” is much activity can quickly get out of hand. Don’t act out your combats, or
more exciting than “a 10-foot-by-10-foot room.” Throughout the someone could get a black eye!
C
game, continually ask yourself: What exactlydo the characters Finally, every once in a while, really surprise your players.
TRH
see? Do they hear anything? Are there any noticeable odors? An The NPC they thought was a villain turns out to be a HUA
unpleasant tang in the air? Do they feel the chill wind against shapechanged unicorn with only the best of intentions. The ENP
theNiro spkliany?e Irs w thilel ifro rhgaeirt ato tuenslseed b baytt hleo ot,n d aa mcrpu mgubslitns?g bridge in the chleurer itnhge.y I tfh tohueg PhCt lse adr teo i nth ae dtruenasgueroen v arouoltm tu, rannsd o au tf itroe bgeia an rte ids GAMNINTER
middle of a thunderstorm. The best way to get the players’ atten- about to storm into the room and attack, keep your voice at a EG 1
tion is with gripping action. While not every encounter needs to moderate or even soft level while describing the room. Then, :
be life-threatening or earth-shaking, keep in mind how it would suddenly, raise your voice and leap to your feet as the giant
all seem in some action movie or exciting book. Villains shout epi- enters. That’ll get their attention.
thets as they fight, and monsters roar menacingly. If a fight against
gnolls is exciting, imagine how much more exciting a fight would
STYLE OF PLAY
be against gnolls on a ledge around a lava pit.
Some DMs enjoy creating just the right atmosphere for their The DM provides the adventure and the world. The players and
playing sessions. Music is often a good way to accomplish this. It’s the DM work together to create the game as a whole. However, it’s
sort of like having a soundtrack for your game. Not surprisingly, your responsibility to guide the way the game is played. The best
those who enjoy using music in their games often use soundtracks way to accomplish this is by learning what the players want and
from adventure movies, although classical, ambient, or other figuring out what you want as well. Many styles of play exist; two
styles work well. Keep in mind, though, that some players may that sit at opposite ends of the playing spectrum are detailed
find music distracting. Be receptive to what your players like—an below as examples.
atmosphere in which they can’t hear, are distracted, or aren’t enjoy-
ing themselves is never a good one. Other ways DMs can create an KICK IN THE DOOR
atmosphere are with painted miniatures and dioramas, specially The PCs kick in the dungeon door, fight the monsters, and get the
adjusted lighting, and even sound effects. (If the door to the room treasure. This style of play is straightforward, fun, exciting, and
you are in squeaks, you may want to use that when the PCs open a action-oriented. Very little time is spent on developing personas
dungeon door.) for the player characters, roleplaying noncombat encounters, or
Another element many DMs employ and many players enjoy is discussing situations other than what’s
for the DM to use different voices when speaking “in character.” going on in the dungeon.
Practicing several different accents or
ways of speaking and assigning them
to different NPCs can be a striking
way to make those characters stand
out in the players’ minds.
Occasionally, a little miming of
actions can supplement a game
that otherwise exists only in your
imagination. If an NPC is shriv-
eled and stooped over when she
The kick-in-the-door
style of play.
7
In such a game, let the PCs face mostly clearly evil monsters Overall, it’s recommended that you play things straight. Don’t
and opponents and meet clearly good helpful NPCs (occasion- intentionally insert jokes into the game. There’ll be enough josh-
ally). Don’t expect PCs to anguish over what to do with prisoners, ing around at the table already to keep the game fun. The in-game
or whether it’s right or wrong to invade and wipe out the bugbear action should remain fairly serious (although an occasional funny
lair. Don’t bother too much with money or time spent in town. Do moment is fine).
whatever it takes to get the PCs back into the action as quickly as Naming Conventions:Related to how serious or humorous
possible. Character motivation need be no more developed than a the game is, character names should be fairly uniform in style
desire to kill monsters and acquire treasure. throughout the group. Although any character name is fine in and
Rules and game balance are very important in this style of play. of itself, a group that includes characters named Bob the Fighter,
If some characters have combat ability greater than that of their Aldorius Killraven of Thistledown, and Runtboy lacks the consis-
fellows, unfair situations may develop in which the players of the tency to be credible.
overpowered characters can handle more of the challenges and Multiple Characters:You need to decide if each player is
:
R 1NG ME tahdujus dhiacvaet imngo rreu fluens .a Inf dy otuh’rine ku slionngg t hains ds thylaer,d b ea bvoeuryt caadrdeiftuilo anbso ourt ganoidn wg htoe tbhee lri ma iptleady etor iosn ael lcohwaeradc tteor a ocrt ucaalnly h rauvne mmoorree tthhaann oonnee,
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TNIGA changes to the rules before making them. character at the same time. Generally, it’s best if you keep to one
PN character per player. However, when players are few, you might
AUHE DEEP-IMMERSION STORYTELLING allow them to run more than one character just to get the group
CHRT The Free City of Greyhawk is threatened by political turmoil. The size up to at least four characters.
PCs must convince the members of the ruling council to resolve
their differences, but can only do so after they have come to terms THE BOTTOM LINE
with their own differing outlooks and agendas. This style of gam- You’re in charge. This is not being in charge as in telling everyone
ing is deep, complex, and challenging. The focus isn’t on combat what to do. Rather, you get to decide how your player group is
but on talking, developing in-depth personas, and character inter- going to play this game, when and where the adventures take
action. A whole game session may pass without a single die roll. place, and what happens. Thatkind of being in charge.
In this style of game, the NPCs should be as complex and richly
detailed as the PCs—although the focus should be on motivation
EXAMPLE OF PLAY
and personality, not game statistics. Expect long digressions from
each player about what his or her character will do, and why. A DM guides four players through their first adventure. The play-
Going to a store to buy iron rations and rope can be as important ers are playing Tordek (a dwarf fighter), Mialee (an elf wizard),
an encounter as fighting orcs. (And don’t expect the PCs to fight Jozan (a human cleric), and Lidda (a halfling rogue). These four
the orcs at all unless their characters are motivated to do so.) A adventurers seek the ruins of an abandoned monastery, drawn by
character will sometimes take actions against his player’s better rumors of a fabulous fire opal, supposedly hidden there by the
judgment, because “that’s what the characterwould do.” Adven- abbot when the place was attacked.
tures in this style of play deal mostly with negotiations, political After passing through the lifeless aboveground ruins of the mon-
maneuverings, and character interaction. Players talk about the astery, the adventurers find a rubble-strewn staircase leading down.
“story” that they are collectively creating.
Rules become less important in this style. Since combat isn’t the Tordek: Let’s give these upper ruins one more quick look.
focus, game mechanics take a back seat to character development. DM: [Making some rolls in secret, but knowing there’s nothing to find
Skill modifiers take precedence over combat bonuses, and even in the burned-out shell of the monastery.] You don’t find anything.
then the actual numbers often don’t mean much. Feel free to What are you going to do now?
change rules to fit the player’s roleplaying needs. You may even Jozan: Let’s go down!
want to streamline the combat system so that it takes less time Lidda: We’ll light a torch first.
away from the story. DM: Fine, but I’ll need the marching order that you’ll be in.
Atthis point, the players arrange their miniature figures, each repre-
SOMETHING IN BETWEEN senting one character, in the order in which they will march down the
The style of play in most campaigns is going to fall between the two stairs (and walk down corridors, and enter rooms). Tordek goes first, fol-
extremes just described. There’s plenty of action, but there’s a story- lowed by Jozan (with the torch), then Mialee. Lidda brings up the rear, her
line and interaction between characters as well. Players will develop player noting that she will be watching behind them occasionally.
their characters, but they’ll be eager to get into a fight. Provide a nice Ifthe players didn’t have miniatures, writing down the marching order
mixture of roleplaying encounters and combat encounters. Even in on a piece of paper would suffice.
a dungeon, you can present NPCs that aren’t meant to be fought but Tordek: Fortunately, the torchlight won’t spoil my darkvision—
rather helped out, negotiated with, or just talked to. that’ll help us navigate in the dark down there.
Jozan: Okay, we go down the stairs.
OTHER STYLE CONSIDERATIONS DM: You descend southward, possibly 30 feet laterally, and at
A few other style-related issues are worth your consideration. the end of the stairway you see an open space.
Serious versus Humorous: How seriously you take things Tordek: I enter and look around.
sets the standard for how seriously the players take things. Jokes Jozan: I come in behind with the torch.
and silly remarks can make the game more fun, but they can also DM: You are in a chamber about 30 feet across to the south and
detract from the action. If you make funny comments during the 30 feet wide east and west. You see 10-foot-wide passages to the left
game, expect that the players will, too. and right as well as straight ahead, each in the center of its respec-
Likewise, if you design adventures that are lighthearted, create tive wall. Looking back, you see the stairway by which you entered
NPCs that are slightly silly, or introduce embarrassing or humor- the chamber in the center of the north wall.
ous situations into the game, realize that it changes the tenor of Lidda: What else do we see?
the game. If the king of the land is a talking dog named Muffy or DM: The floor is rough and damp. The ceiling is supported by
8 if the PCs have to find abrassiere of elemental summoningrather arches that probably rise to meet in the center, about 20 feet above
than a brazier of elemental summoning, don’t expect anyone to take you—it’s hard to tell because of all the webs. Some moldering old
the game too seriously. sacks are lying in the southwest corner, and some rubbish is jum-
bled in the center of the floor—dirt, old leather, scraps of cloth, DM: The webs burn quickly. As they do, tiny burning husks of
and some sticks or bones. smaller spiders fall from the ceiling, but nothing the size of the
After a short discussion and the formation of a plan, each player creature that attacked.
announces an action for his or her character. Tordek looks down the south Tordek: [On lookout.] What do we see down the passages?
passage, Mialee investigates the rubbish in the middle, Jozan looks at the DM: The south tunnel runs straight as far as you can see. The
old sacks, and Lidda looks down the west passage. The players position west corridor ends in a door at about 20 feet.
their figures on a floor plan the DM has sketched out on paper. Tordek: Okay, I’ll also glance down the east passage.
Since no one paid the webs any attention, the DM doesn’t worry about DM: You see the east corridor goes straight for about 20 feet and
Spot checks to see the spider. then turns a corner to head north.
DM: Okay. As two of you are looking down the passages and Lidda: Let’s check out that door. [Everyone agrees.]
Jozan starts looking at the sacks . . . [The DM rolls a touch attack for DM: Okay. You walk down the west passage. The door is a great,
the monstrous spider in the webs. He knows a 14 indicates success because heavy thing with a huge ring of corroded bronze in the center.
C
he wrote down everyone’s AC ahead of time and knows Mialee’s AC is 13.] Tordek: Mialee, your Listen modifier is better than mine. Why
TRH
. . . Mialee, you feel something land on your shoulder—it feels don’t you listen at this door? HUA
hairy and moves toward your neck! Mialee: Okay. I move forward to do so. [Rolls.] I roll a 13. Do I ENP
MToiradleeek:: YIfik Ie sh!e Warh haet ri sc iatl?l out, I’ll turn around. What do I see? heaDrM an: yYtohui nhge?ar a faint moaning sound—you can’t really tell what GAMNINTER
DM: Wait just a minute. First, Mialee, roll for initiative. it is—that rises and then fades away. The door is hinged on the left EG 1
Mialee: [Rolls.] I got a 19! and looks like it pulls inward toward you. :
DM: [Rolls initiative for the spider, and gets a 9.] Everyone else Mialee: I hear moaning on the other side. Let’s get ready for
should roll for initiative as well. Tordek, you heard Mialee gasp, action! And, by the way, I move to my position toward the back. . .
and you turn to see a large, hairy spider on her neck. Tordek: [Laughs.] All right, I’ll open the door while the elf
Jozan rolls a 10, Lidda an 8, and Tordek a 4. scrambles to the back of the line.
DM: Mialee, you go first. What do you do? DM: Make a Strength check.
Mialee: I grab it from my shoulder and throw it to the ground, Tordek: [Rolls.] I only got a 10. If that’s not good enough, can I
where I can stomp on it with my boot. try again?
DM: Okay, but your unarmed attack provokes an attack of DM: That’s not good enough, but if you’re willing to spend more
opportunity from the spider, so it bites as you grab at it. [He rolls an time on it, you can keep trying.
attack roll for the spider, and gets a 16.] Ugh! Mialee, you feel a sharp Tordek: [To the other players.] Look, we really want to get through
prick on your neck. Make a Fortitude saving throw. this door, right? [They agree, so the player turns back to the DM.] I’m
The players all gasp in fear. Mialee rolls a die and would add her Forti- willing to spend enough time to take 20 on my roll. With my
tude modifier, except that it’s +0. Strength bonus, that gives me a 22.
Mialee: Fortitude, my worst save! Let’s see—15 plus 0 is, well, DM: Ah, easily good enough. After a couple of minutes, Tordek
15. Is that good enough? forces open the stuck door. Immediately a blast of cold, damp air
DM: You feel okay. But the bite still delivers 1 point of damage. gusts into the passage where you are, blowing out Jozan’s torch.
Mialee: Ouch. Okay, then I roll a 14 to grab it and throw it to the Tordek: Do I see anything with my darkvision?
ground. Do I succeed? DM: Beyond the door is a chamber with rough walls, not blocks
DM: Yes. The spider lands on the ground and looks like it’s of stone like the room behind you. It’s 25 feet wide and extends
going to scuttle away, perhaps back up the wall to the webs above. about 40 feet to the south. A stream spills through the room into a
Jozan: My turn. I run up to it and smash it with my mace! I roll pool, carrying with it a cold, damp breeze. You don’t see anything
a natural 20! With my bonus, that’s 22 in all. moving around, but some old barrels and buckets are here.
DM: Good roll! You can move that far and attack, so make a roll Jozan: I cast lighton a rock, since we’ll never get a torch lit in
to see if that’s a critical hit. this wind.
Jozan: [Excitedly rolling again.] Is a 15 good enough? DM: Okay, now everyone can see.
DM: Yep. Roll damage—twice. Add the results together. Tordek: I look at the ceiling and the floor for any more nasty
Jozan: [Rolls.] Sweet! Twelve points altogether once I add my surprises.
Strength bonus—which also doubled with the crit! Mialee: I’ll look in the barrels and buckets.
DM: That mighty blow smashes the creature to bits. Lidda: Jozan, bring your light over and we’ll check out the pool.
Mialee: Cool. Well, now that all the excitement is over, I’m DM: Tordek and Mialee, make Search checks. Lidda and Jozan,
going to search through this refuse on the floor like I said I would. give me Spot checks, since you can’t “search” the pool without get-
DM: Okay. First, make another Fort save to see if there are any ting into it, but you can look into the water to spot anything that
lingering effects from that spider bite. might be there. [The players comply and tell the DM their results,
Mialee: Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good . . . [Rolls.] . . . a 17! although the DM knows that there’s nothing for Tordek or Mialee to find.]
DM: No problems, then. You feel fine. Looking at the pile of There’s nothing alarming about the ceiling and floor, and the
debris, you’d guess it’s probably refuse from the spider—leftovers buckets are empty. The pool has some small white fish that look
of its victims and its own castings. Amid bits of bone and tatters of harmless—they don’t react at all to your light. The pool looks to be
clothing, you find 19 silver pieces. And make a Search check. 4 to 6 feet deep with a rough and rocky bottom. Jozan, with your
Mialee rolls a 9 and adds her +6 Search modifier for a result of 15—just result of 17 you see that what at first seemed to be a rock formation
enough to notice a hidden gem in the pile! near the center of the pool looks somewhat like a skeleton.
DM: You see something sparkle inside a small skull. Looking Jozan: Cool! Mialee, will you cast your own lightspell so I can
closer, you see it’s a gem—a garnet. toss this rock down into the pool to get a better look at this skele-
Mialee: Great! I get it out and put it in my pouch. We can try ton? It might be something interesting.
to appraise it later. You know, I’m getting a little nervous about Mialee: Okay, I do.
that web. Jozan: I toss the rock that I’ve cast lightupon into the water,
Lidda: Good point. Jozan, why not light the webs on fire with toward the center of the pool. 9
your torch? DM: Your stone falls to the bottom of the pool, illuminating the
Jozan: Okay. I do. What happens? [Looks at the DM.] center. The formation is clearly a limed-over skeleton—it must
have been there for many years. Your stone impacts with it, stir- DM: [Making some meaningless rolls, knowing there are no levers to
ring up dirt and muck, and dislodges what appears to be a cylinder find.] You don’t find anything like that, Tordek.
about a foot long. The current quickly begins to carry it away. . . . Mialee: The only thing I can think of is that the holes are sock-
Lidda: Oh, no! I leap into the water and get it—at least I’ll be ets for some sort of wooden construction.
able to see down there. Better, in fact, because of my low-light Lidda: Sure! How about a ramp or stairs? How high is the ceil-
vision. ing in this place?
DM: Hmmm. Make a Swim check. DM: Oh, about 25 feet.
Lidda: Uh-oh. I don’t have that skill. Untrained, I use my Lidda: How about hoisting me up and letting me search up
Strength bonus, right? Uhh . . . don’t have one of those either. high?
[Rolls.] Hey! I still got a 17! Jozan: Good idea. Tordek, will you help me hold her steady?
DM: You guys are rolling great tonight. Lidda, even with a Tordek: Sure.
penalty for the weight of the gear you’re carrying, you succeed. Mialee: While they do that, I’ll keep a lookout to make sure
:
R 1NG ME Yiso guo minagn atog es wtoe jeupm itp oinu ta nofd tshwei mro oump t aon tdh ed touwbne jtuhset ausn tdheer gcurorruenndt noDthMin:g L sonoekaks sc luepa rb, eMhiinalde eu.s Lfridomda ’tsh neo wt ahye wavey ,c saom yeo.u guys don’t
E
TNIGA stream. You have no idea if there would be air to breathe if you have to make Strength checks to lift her. You do have to make
PN swam down the dark, narrow passage, which seems to be com- them to hold her steady so that she can . . . What is it you’re going
A E
UH pletely filled with water. to do once you’re hoisted up, Lidda?
CHRT Lidda: Okay, then I try to grab the tube now. Lidda: I’ll scan the stone first to see if markings or some operat-
DM: Make an attack roll. ing device is evident.
Lidda rolls high enough to grab the tube. The DM relays this informa- DM: Okay, how about those Strength checks? Tordek, you’re
tion, and Lidda swims up to the surface and climbs out of the pool with the stronger, so Jozan is helping you rather than the other way around.
help of the others—all of whom announce that their characters crowd If the cleric can succeed on a check against DC 10, he’ll add +2 to
around her to see what she’s found. The DM describes the sealed tube. Tordek’s attempt.
Lidda: I dry off the tube a little, and then open it. The check results are good enough that Tordek and Jozan are able to
DM: Inside is a roll of vellum. hold Lidda steady, so the DM makes a Search check for Lidda. She finds
Tordek: Let’s get out of this room and back into that entry cham- something.
ber where we can light torches again. It’s probably not going to be DM: Lidda, you find some stone projections that seem rather
easy to read a scroll or whatever with this air current. [The other PCs smooth, as if worn by use.
agree, and they return to the first room, closing the door behind them.] Lidda: Then I’ll see if I can move any of the knobs. Maybe they’ll
DM: The tube must have allowed a bit of water to seep in slowly, open a secret door. I’ll pull, push, twist, turn, and slide. . . .
because parts of the scroll are smudged and obliterated, but you DM: Okay. One of the fist-sized projections moves inward, and
can see what looks like a map of the passages under the monastery. there’s a grinding sound. A 10-foot-by-10-foot section of the wall,
You recognize the stairs down and the room with the pool and bar- 10 feet above the floor in the center of the south wall, swings
rels. The eastern portion of the map is smeared beyond legibility, inward and to the right.
but you see that the south passage runs out of the room you’re in Lidda: I’ll pull myself up into the doorway, and then I’ll see if I
now to a blurred area, and beyond that you see a large area with can use my tools to somehow anchor a rope up here to help the
coffinlike shapes drawn along the perimeter. others climb.
Tordek: Let’s head south and see what the map is leading DM: You get up there, and you’re looking around for a crack or
toward. [Everyone agrees. Tordek lights a torch and takes the lead.] something to wedge a spike into, right? Make a Spot check.
DM: You pass down a long passage of stone blocks with an The Spot check is actually to see if Lidda sees the ghouls waiting in the
arched ceiling about 15 feet overhead. The passage stretches for darkness, but Lidda doesn’t know that (although the fact that the DM didn’t
about 60 feet, then opens into the northern portion of an unlit ask for a Search check might have tipped off a more experienced player).
chamber that looks to be about 50 feet by 50 feet to those of you Lidda: Oops. I rolled a 7.
with darkvision or low-light vision. It’s completely empty and Now the DM begins rolling attacks for the ghouls. The players ask
seems to be a dead end. What do you do? what’s going on, and why he’s rolling dice, but his silence adds to the ten-
Lidda: Does this room look like the one with the coffin shapes sion and suspense. The ghouls hit Lidda with their paralyzing touch.
on the map? DM: Lidda, make a Fortitude save.
DM: No. It looks more like the blotched area on the map. Lidda: Oh, no! Why? A trap? [Rolls.] Arrgh—a 1. This is where
Mialee: I bet there’s a secret door here. Let’s check the south our luck runs out.
wall. DM: [To the others.] You see a sickly gray arm strike the halfling
The DM decides to make the Search checks himself, hidden from the as she’s looking around at the floor where she stands, 10 feet above
players so that they won’t know the results. He knows that they can’t find you. She utters a muffled cry, and then a shadowy form drags her
anything; there is a secret door 10 feet above the floor, but he doesn’t want out of sight. What do you do?
them to know that. Finding some holes in the wall requires no roll, so the
DM randomly determines who finds them by rolling a d4. He also makes
RUNNING A GAME SESSION
a Listen check for the ghouls at the far end of the secret corridor—an 18
means they have heard the party tapping on the walls looking for a After everything is prepared, and everyone sits down at the table,
hollow spot. you’reon. It’s your show. Here are some points to consider, while
DM: The wall seems solid. However . . . Tordek, you noticed at the table and before you ever get there, to help the game run as
some strange holes in the wall—square places cut into the stone, smoothly as possible.
each about half a foot on a side and about that deep. There are four
all together. Each pair of holes is 10 feet apart, with one pair about KNOWING THE PLAYERS
3 feet from the floor and the other pair about 6 feet up. You find Normally, but not always, the DM is in charge of inviting players
some wooden splinters in one of the holes. to play in his or her game. If this is the case, it’s your responsibility
10 Jozan: Let’s look at that map again. to know and understand each of these people well enough that
Tordek: While you do that, I’ll feel around to find if the holes you can be reasonably sure that they’ll all get along, work well
have any levers or catches or anything. together, and enjoy the sort of game you run.