Epic D&D is Easy

Summary

In this video, Daniel from Bandits Keep discusses the prevalence of epic-scale adventures in tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons, often involving powerful creatures or deities. He contrasts these with 'human scale' stories that focus on relatable, character-driven narratives. Daniel explores the challenges of creating and engaging players in these smaller-scale adventures, emphasizing the importance of character buy-in and compelling NPCs. He encourages the development of stories that resonate with players on a personal level, beyond the traditional quest for treasure and glory.

Takeaways

• 🎲 The script discusses the prevalence of high-level creatures and deities in published adventures, often at the expense of more 'human scale' problems.
• 📚 The speaker mentions their own campaign includes many human-scaled adventures, contrasting with the typical focus on epic stories involving powerful beings.
• 🤔 The reason for the focus on epic stories might be due to their dramatic appeal and the tendency to create memorable narratives that stand out.
• 📘 The script references Conan stories by Robert E. Howard, which are not in chronological order and often feature epic battles, illustrating the common storytelling approach.
• 🏰 The 'Avengers problem' is mentioned, where every adventure has to be bigger and tougher, leading to a continuous escalation that can be exhausting.
• 🌆 The script suggests that human-scale adventures often involve dealing with the world as the 'monster,' such as navigating city politics or social issues.
• 👥 The importance of player and character buy-in for human-scale adventures is highlighted, requiring more setup and motivation for the characters to engage.
• 🏹 The speaker's campaign example involves tracking down slavers, a human-scale problem that requires investigation and strategy rather than just combat.
• 🧙‍♂️ It's suggested that adventures involving human-level foes require strong NPC personalities to quickly engage the players' interest and motivation.
• 🤝 The script emphasizes the need for creating NPCs that players want to interact with, both positively and negatively, to drive the story.
• 🗺 The difficulty of writing human-scale adventures for mass consumption is acknowledged, as they often require a specific player dynamic and table environment to work effectively.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the video by Daniel from Bandits Keep?

The main topic is the contrast between adventures that involve powerful creatures or gods and those that focus on human-scale, relatable problems in role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons.

Why do published adventures often include powerful creatures or gods as adversaries?

Published adventures often include powerful adversaries because they create epic stories that are engaging and can be easily understood by a wide audience.

What does Daniel suggest as an alternative to the 'big bad' creature or god in an adventure?

Daniel suggests creating adventures that deal with human-scale problems and involve relatable non-player characters (NPCs) that the player characters can connect with.

What is the 'Avengers problem' mentioned in the video?

The 'Avengers problem' refers to a situation in a campaign where every challenge has to be bigger and tougher than the last, leading to a lack of balance and potentially unrealistic scenarios.

Can you give an example of a human-scale problem from the video?

An example of a human-scale problem is helping a village deal with unfair taxation by the king, which may involve political maneuvering rather than just fighting.

What is the importance of player buy-in when creating a human-scale adventure?

Player buy-in is crucial because it ensures that the players are invested in the story and characters, making the adventure more engaging and meaningful.

What is the role of NPCs in human-scale adventures according to the video?

In human-scale adventures, NPCs play a significant role in driving the story by creating connections with the player characters and providing motivation for their actions.

Why might it be challenging to create a human-scale adventure for a mass audience?

Creating a human-scale adventure for a mass audience is challenging because it requires a deep connection between the player characters and the story, which is difficult to pre-script and may not resonate with all players.

What does Daniel recommend for creating engaging human-scale adventures?

Daniel recommends creating strong, personality-rich NPCs, ensuring there are rumors and interactions that can draw the player characters into the story, and avoiding the constant temptation of epic battles with powerful foes.

How does the video relate the stories of Conan by Robert E. Howard to the topic of human-scale adventures?

The video uses the stories of Conan to illustrate how epic tales can be interspersed with more personal, human-scale adventures, showing a variety of experiences throughout a character's life.

What is the significance of the city of Lankhmar in the context of the video?

Lankhmar is used as an example of a setting where the city itself is a character, and the adventures of the characters are deeply intertwined with the everyday life and challenges within the city.