Hey @matthewmercer , just curious. With the success of critical role do you feel pressure to take more “external” advice from others than what you would do in a normal game?

— Michael Johnson (@Michael97095609) August 20, 2018

Honestly, one of my fears was ever letting the outside elements affect how I ran and enjoyed our game. I’ve worked very hard to keep an influence minimal. While it may have led to less-than-optimal presentation at times, ultimately I don’t care. I want to keep it our game. 🙂 https://t.co/NzKSteLbG7

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) August 20, 2018

I'm developing a new style of DMing for myself, riffing off my earlier tweets about railroading. It boils down to this – in a game of D&D, the DM provides the foundation of energy and action for the session, but NOT the direction. I'll explain using combat as an example.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

I've been putting a lot of work into my combat management and presentation over the last few months, especially as streaming is something I do more of and, honestly, really love doing. It has made DMing into a true skill you can watch grow. I love that.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

In combat, my job as a DM is to provide forward energy, narrative opportunities, and quick pivots to avoid dead spots. The bad news is that doing this well is hard and burns a lot of energy. The good news is that if you hit a 5 on a 10 point scale, you're still doing fine.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

You can break combat down into three basic informational nodes:
1. A player's turn
2. The DM's turn
3. The system's turn

As a DM, you have a different job at each node.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

On the player's turn, your job is to prevent interesting framing elements and narrative opportunities that help a player form an action.
On the DM's turn, your job is to resolve NPC/monster actions in a way that delivers both narrative and system information.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

The system's turn is all the bookkeeping stuff you need to do that interrupts the narrative flow. It pokes up everywhere. Your job is to make that stuff as painless as possible. Ideally, the rule set itself steps in to make that a breeze.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

In D&D, on a player's turn your job is to set up the player's choice. Don't just say, "What do you do?" Consider the player, their character, and then drop in a call to action. Let's say Kate is about to take her turn. She's playing a tiefling wizard.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

Situational awareness is key. Kate is low on HP after the kenku archer tagged her a few times. So, play into that:
"The pain from your injuries seems to make the world spin, but all settles into place as you lock eyes with that kenku archer. He winks and takes aim at you."

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

You've done two things here – given the player an obvious path to decide around and you've also given the rest of the group insight into her situation. That might remind the cleric to get a healing spell ready on his next turn.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

You've also saved some time by providing key info without the player needing to ask. Embedding that in the narrative keeps things moving by cutting down on questions.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

On our monster's turn, this is your chance to inject personality and roleplaying. You can prep notes ahead of time, use random tables, or build on things as they arise due to the vagaries of the dice. Let's take that kenku archer as an example.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

I might suspect he'll be a key part of the fight, so ahead of time I pick one of the backgrounds from the PHB and use its tables to generate his personality. I know that he's a bandit, so I use the criminal tables. I'll pick or roll a thing from one table – don't need all three.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

I get "Never tell me the odds." I think Han Solo, so I think of this guy as a swashbuckler kind of guy. When he attacks, if he hits I throw in little quirks – he winks, he makes the sound of someone gasping and dying, he toys with the characters.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

I want him to be imposing, so I highlight the player's skill or his bad luck of he fails. The fighter gets his shield up just in time, and the arrow pierces the shield and stops a fraction of an inch away from his throat.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

The dice be damned, I'm making this guy a star! And now, both I as DM and the players have a hook to work around. The players start thinking about cover, I bounce back to him even as I describe other creatures' actions.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

The thugs close in to attack, but I describe how they keep a clear alley for the sniper to fire. Repetition is super useful here, as it frames things consistently and keeps your information flow clear and easy. Less is more. Not every monster or NPC is a star.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

What's important here is that I'm framing the scene, but it is all within my domain as DM. The players can make choices as they wish. They can take cover, they might see this kenku as someone worth recruiting, etc. But, absent that initial push he'd just be a bag of HP.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

This approach is all about keeping roleplay an element in all aspects of the game, and I've found that it helps keep that shared, story space flowing even while dice are flying and people are tracking numbers and doing math.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

And that brings me to to my final point – RPGs are descriptive rules sets. They describe a thing that we naturally do, rather than tell us how to do it. In the ideal world, the rules are just part of the flow. But sometimes, they can bring things to a halt. That's, obviously, bad

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

Easy fixes – take good notes, bookmark the rules, use @DnDBeyond for quick lookups (#WOTCstaff), but also keep an eye out for when you just make a ruling up on the spot to preserve the narrative energy and immersion.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

My rule of thumb – does looking up the rule increase or decrease tension? It can cut both ways – the group holds its breath as we check to see if the sanctuary spell works on that critter that's immune to being charmed.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

That's a big, juicy moment where the rule reference causes us to linger on a big turning point. Don't underrate the potential for the rules' intrusion to add a compelling beat to the action.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

Opposite situation – do I have +1 or +2 to this damage roll? Really, unless the target is down to its last HP it is irrelevant. Err in favor of the players and keep things moving (NPCs don't argue and insist on looking up rules).

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

Taken as a summary – pick a flavor point or two to build your combat narration around, and hit it over and over gain. Lead into each player's turn with a narrative challenge, look up rules only when doing so makes things more tense or exciting.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

Your main skills – read a LOT to build your vocabulary, remain focused on the game and take note of the details, and remember that the game is personal. Make each player the star of their turn.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 2, 2018

Loved the thread. That’s a lot of note-taking – any tips? I was using @ChrisPerkinsDnD 2-sided page format by now, but this require more..how do you do it? I use an over-sized graph paper pad I found at Staples – can fit a map, along with notes for a session.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) August 3, 2018

So at the Founders & Legends event this weekend, I had the chance to take the DM’s chair normally occupied by @matthewmercer and OMG people, that table is the perfect set up for DMing. I wish I had brought a tape measure to take the dimensions and shamelessly steal it.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) July 31, 2018

I found it much, much easier to manage the action than with a standard table. It’s configured so that the DM sits at an inset corner. That means the players sit at the two opposite, facing sides. I only need to pivot my head 30 degrees to see the entire group.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) July 31, 2018

I had no idea this would be such a big deal until I ran a game in that set up. I think this added a 10%, free upgrade to my DMing skills.

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) July 31, 2018

Thank youuu!! I designed it myself!! <3

Glad you enjoyed it, and wish I could have been there to celebrate with you guys!

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) July 31, 2018

Patent it and sell me one!

— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) July 31, 2018

would be interested in selling the Critical Role table to streamers and gamers with a dedicated space for it galore. They took a brainchild, worked through the difficulties, and did an INCREDIBLE job bringing it to fruition. I am ever thankful for their team and their super talented work.

— Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) July 31, 2018

It's out in the world! The Creature Codex for 5e #dnd from @KoboldPress is now available! https://t.co/saMEbId1kI pic.twitter.com/dUbEfhG3kk

— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) September 3, 2018

It's—ALIVE! Behold the Creature Codex, a frightful tome of over nearly 400 new monsters for 5e #dnd.

Don't worry, they won't bite… unless it's listed in their stat block.

Creature Codex in print and PDF: https://t.co/6p2pQE1v3v
Creature Codex Pawns: https://t.co/jc3vpcDVBI pic.twitter.com/GU9bk81ceZ

— Kobold Press (@KoboldPress) September 4, 2018

So, I designed a bunch of monsters for the Creature Codex, but the one that captured my heart was the giant carnivorous ground sloth.

Look at this nice creature.

I'm going to write a short adventure dedicated to it. #dndhttps://t.co/qq6CBCsY0P pic.twitter.com/tEjoSIdQUq

— Jon Sawatsky (@JonSawatsky1) September 3, 2018

This is but one of the nearly 400 monsters in the brand-new Creature Codex! Gaze upon the dark majesty of the Nightgaunt. (Art by @claudiopozas.) #dnd pic.twitter.com/HIcBVmwKAt

— Kobold Press (@KoboldPress) September 3, 2018

Future March Mammal Madness match up from @KoboldPress's Creature Codex? Albino Death Weasel vs. Ratatosk Warlord pic.twitter.com/IC0cnWcBHq

— 🏆Joshua Drew🏆 (@Drew_Lab) September 3, 2018

@JeremyECrawford Speak with Animals spell: "You might be able to persuade a beast"
What is the intent here? A Druid, that casts it, must make an Animal Handling (Wisdom) check OR a Persuasion (Charisma) to "persuade" the beast? (RAI and not Variant: Skill with Different Abilites)

— Draconis (@DerynDraconis) July 31, 2018

If you're able to talk with a creature, you can try to convince it to do things. You do so through roleplaying, ability checks, or both.

For guidance, see the "Social Interaction" sections in the "Player's Handbook" (p. 185) and the "Dungeon Master's Guide" (p. 244). #DnD https://t.co/2r0JTBNy4O

— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) August 1, 2018