Our current DM (whom I am sharing the campaign with–we swap DMing about every six months) started doing something right away that I really liked: teasers. A day or two before each game, he’ll send out an email with a quick recap of where the party was at the end of the last session and a little tidbit of what is to come for the next session. Such a small and simple thing but the level of excitement it builds in our group, and in myself, is awesome. We all look forward to our D&D weekends but when we read those teasers, we start to imagine our characters in their environment again, speculating on what they will encounter and how it will go.

This weekend, our group is taking a one-night hiatus from our normal game so our current DM can take a break after travelling for business the past week. I offered to run a one-night Gamma World adventure–our group could use a night of silly escapism away from the norm, anyhow. After consulting Twitter for ideas and getting some awesome ones from @dazedsaveends, @johntoenjes, and @ericnsamuels, I put something together last night that I think will be fun. No one else in the group has ever played Gamma World so I was inspired to send out a teaser email to let everyone know what to expect… for the most part. Since it was a one-night adventure, I gave a little more info in the teaser than I normally would but in this case, I feel it was necessary. Here’s what I sent out:

Welcome to Gamma Terra, or Earth after the Big Mistake. One hundred and fifty years have passed since the Big Mistake. Fluctuating time lines, lingering radiation and toxins, and strange creatures and technology transposed from alternate dimensions have combined to create a unique setting that any of the Ancients would think the height of unrealistic fantasy. But to the inhabitants of Gamma Terra, our fantasy is their reality.

In a quiet corner of New Boise, at the base of the foothills, an underground genetics laboratory has spawned new life as an unknown entity has brought power once again to its facilities. The lab has been autonomously working for nearly a decade now and the advanced artificial intelligence that runs it is determined to rebuild humanity… but there’s something wrong. Not only have the internal systems been corrupted, the only reference material that the system has are old DVDs of television shows from the 1950s. Locals around the north end of New Boise are reporting an entire community that is being built… one that seems perfect on the outside, but something is awry. Locals are also reporting that friends and family members are going missing in the night. Others say they have seen glimpses of a huge furry beast who calls itself, ‘Cleaver’.

What is going on in New Boise? Who, or what, is behind the resurgence of this ancient laboratory and what is it’s goal?

Such a simple email and yet I’ve already received several responses from everyone about how cool it sounds and how they can’t wait. Sometimes it’s the little things that add the most to a game night.

What are some of the little things that you do before, during, or after your game sessions? What has worked? What has not?

Thanks for reading!

So I have been a 4e convert from 3.5 edition now for approximately 6 months. I play a bi-weekly game with three of my co-workers, one of the guys’ wife, and a couple personal friends. One of the things I really enjoy in 4e are the powers that each class has. A fighter doesn’t just have, “I hit the beholder with my broadsword,” and then just rolls some dice. A fighter now has abilities like Crushing Surge which is described in the provided flavor-text as:

The feel of your weapon crunching against the enemy puts your heart back in the fight.

Now THAT is what I call fun! Here’s the problem, though. Party enters a battle. Herod the fighter, what do you do? “I step forward up next to the goblin and use ‘Crushing Strike’ on him.” Not bad, but a little mundane and mechanical sounding. So a couple rounds later, Herod the fighter “uses Crushing Strike on the Ork.” Next round: “I use Crushing Strike again.”

No, it’s not a good idea to just use the same power over and over–you want to shake it up and use what is tactically the best in the given scenario. But if you are using this verbal method to describe what you do, how boring and mechanical does that feel over time? Takes the imaginative connection away between player and character. Yeah, I may be dealing out a lot of damage with the powers but it just isn’t FUN.

Power Descriptions – Making Them Interesting

So, you’ve got these cool powers and abilities. Why waste them by just announcing the name of the power and throwing a d20? To do so not only wastes the spirit of the power itself, but the overall spirit of the game being played. Very quickly people’s minds turn from the amazing fantasy spectacle in their minds to a turn-based set of rule mechanics for virtual battles. A game is a game but the mindset is a very important difference here. Half, if not more, of the fun in D&D is the imagery that the DM and other players paint in your mind about what is going on during the game.

Why not work to make them more interesting? Here’s an example:

Infernal Wrath – Tiefling Racial Power

This power causes damage to an enemy who hits you in combat. The flavor text reads as follows:

You call upon the hellfire burning in your soul to punish your enemy

Already sounds good but what most people end up saying in-game is:

“Oh, he hit me. I use Infernal Wrath and inflict… *rolls d6, adds modifiers*… 9 damage.”

Alternately, the player can say:

“Upon being struck, hellish rage boils up from within me, tapping into the roots of my dark heritage and I unleash burning flames on the Kobold, letting it feel the wrath of my retribution.”

Now, which one is more interesting? Which one conjures up a more clear image of the character, the feelings he is experiencing, and the resulting attack that is unleashed. Which one makes the game more fun?

Finding Inspiration

So how do you come up with these descriptions? Start with the flavor text of the power for inspiration. Look over what the power actually does, what it is called, etc. Then try to envision, in your mind, what it would look like to use such a power in a real-world battle. Be creative, inject some of your character’s personality into it, inject dialogue if need be. Whatever you can think of to make playing that power more fun and vivid, use it. If you are still figuring out your character’s personality, this could be an opportunity to flesh that out.

Watch movies, read comic books or novels for inspiration. Every movie/book hero has a demeanor… the badass who keeps it cool under pressure, the arrogant bastard who KNOWS he’s better than his enemies, the clown who cracks jokes even when he’s taking a beating. How would YOUR character use his powers–take that, and run with it.

Final Suggestions

Now, this level of gaming is not for everyone. No matter what, there will be players who are just to shy/self-conscious/whatever to use such descriptions. That’s okay. Don’t pressure them, just focus on your own character. If you are that player, think about it, watch others in the group who may be doing it. Eventually, though not always, most players will start joining in, to some degree or another. One player fully immersing themselves in the game can bring the entire group deeper into the game.

What about you? Share examples of how you have described your powers in the comments section below and thanks for reading my blog!