10 Rounds of Initiative: A Terminally Nerdy/GoblinStomper Special

Over this weekend some interesting discussions occured regarding the expectations vs realities of playing DND or other TTRPG's in a post Critical Role world. After reading the post by Goblin Stomper and watching Terminally Nerdy's video (links below) it provoked a lot of thought.

I couldn't agree more that the recent flood of actual play podcasts and content such as Critical Role, Acquisitions Inc etc. could potentially provide an unachievable expectation for new players and future DM's, but for me, without Acquisitions inc and Critical Role I wouldn't have picked up my dice again and invited my friends back to the table to re-kindle the fun we used to have.

Because of this game I see my friends more often than I used too, have made a bunch of new ones, explored new avenues of gaming and have found a community full of creativity and imagination. I agree it's difficult to accept that we may not become as good as Matthew Mercer or Chris Perkins but its still fun to try. As long as me and my players are having fun I don't mind how we get there, and the moment I realised I didn't need to worry about my 'skill level' as a DM happened after a few sessions into our new campaign with my group.

We were a couple hours into our session, the food had turned to crumbs and most of the drinks had once again landed upon our bards character sheet. We took a break to resupply and my group left the table to go outside for a few moments, I finished up with my notes and went out to join them. As I entered the conversation two of my players were halfway through getting our ranger caught up on the last session that he had unfortunatly missed. As I listened to the two of them describe the events with enormous animated passion it became clear to me that they were talking about it as if they were actually in the world that I had built and that they weren't just sitting around a table rolling dice but actually running around the goblin filled cave clad in armour and wielding powerful magic. I felt content that my job was done, I had been able to achieve what I set out to do, I sparked that child-like imagination that I loved about the game.

Playing DND and other tabletop-RPG's to me is the pursuit of emulating the experiences we had playing pretend as children. One of my favourite memories as a child was the time when my two brothers thwarted the giant red dragon spewing hell-fire from its mouth (me standing on a chair in the garden trying to spray them with a hose); but we never talked about the children playing in the garden.

Whenever we talked about it with our parents or anyone who would listen it was always and always will be the time when the fire encapsulated their shields (dustbin-lids) as they pressed forward towards the beast; the heat almost too much to bare under their heavy metal (cardboard) armour, forcing their way closer and closer until they could plunge their Vorpal swords (wooden sticks) into the dragons heart (under my arm) and watched in awe as the gigantic beast fell lifeless to the ground (I tripped and fell off the chair). Their heroic and brave actions led them to rescue the princess (a stuffed bear) from the tallest tower (climbing frame) guarded by the fiendish creature and they returned to the city victorious. The king was so grateful for his daughters return that he held a feast in their honour (we were called in for lunch).

My point is, whenever anyone talks about our games at the table we imagine how the game went in our minds not how it happened at the table and thats good enough for me.

If anyone has ever taken on the role of the DM/GM and I mean really sat in the chair and ran a campaign however large or small, published or home-brewed; you'll know how easy it is to criticise your own performance and to think back over your past sessions and say to yourself "Oh man, I should have said this...or done that". Just remember that your players can't see the mistakes you've made or what should have been.

What I am trying to elude to here is a message to all GM's and DM's, past, present and future; in your players eyes you are the Matthew Mercers' or Chris Perkins' of your game and no one can take that away from you. Play for the fun of the game and the love of this amazing community we find ourselves a part of.

There is so much more I want to talk about but I fear we have already exceeded ten rounds. So it appears we are out of initiative and until next time.... you all earn 500xp.

Thank you for reading!


Find the original article here along with other great content:

http://goblinstomper.blogspot.co.uk


Check out the video from Terminally Nerdy which explores the topic in a very emotional thought provoking 12m29s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdmbLjNzlwI
     















http://goblinstomper.blogspot.co.uk