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Nerdarchy > Game Master Tips  > Dungeons and Dragons Tabletop Roleplaying Games – How to Keep the Game Going

Dungeons and Dragons Tabletop Roleplaying Games – How to Keep the Game Going

Running a D&D game off the cuff – it can be easy
Character Progression - Awarding Experience and Rewarding Players
Several Dungeons and Dragons miniature figures. ...

Several Dungeons & Dragons miniature figures. The grid mat underneath uses one-inch squares. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have been playing Dungeons and Dragons for decades.  I personally have been in more campaigns that have floundered or just stopped.  As noted in the video below I have notebooks full of characters that are not really retired, the sessions just stopped.

Game masters have a number of reasons for wanting to stop a campaign.  Running a tabletop roleplaying  session week after week becomes very taxing not only on the DMs time but on creativity and inspiration as well.  Constantly running also become taxing as some DMs want to play as well.  As a DM running every week while looking through the material can cause inspiration for a character idea that they really want to play.

Sadly a DM might get bored or lose all control with a game.  When you lose focus or control it can destroy your momentum or desire to keep the game going.

As a way of combating this we use multiple dms.  I am currently in 4 groups that meet each once a month, 3 of which are Nerdarchy games that get filmed and uploaded to the channel.  The other is with a group I met though Scott and although he is no longer in the group the other players are happy to have me there. 

By each DM only running one session a month it frees up the time for each DM to put as much thought and time as they feel that they need to keep the story going.  I know that at times the player have had

Dungeons and Dragons Game (1991 boxed set)

Dungeons & Dragons Game (1991 boxed set) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

me on my toes about where they were planning to go or what they were planning to do.  I know that there was at least one occasion where I was stumped for what to do next.

If you are playing every week, or every other week, it can be challenging to keep the game going.  What happens if you get sick or have to work more hours that week?  The time can get away from you.

All it takes is a little diversion and a campaign can be dead.  Over the years anytime a DM wants to take a break, it has never been a break.  We stop the campaign and those characters are never returned to.  It is always lets move on to a new thing.

As players who read and re-read the material as well as getting access to new material there are always new ideas that float out there.  New ideas are bright and shiny and therefore the new is better than the old.  Now this might not be true for your group but 2 decades plus of playing it certain is for ours.

But after playing this campaign for a solid 2 years I still have quite a ways to go with the current campaign.  There might be an end in sight but that is only because the players have struggled to climb the mountain of the campaign and are at or near the top.

They see the goal but it is a long way down the other side of the mountain.

So running a Dungeons and Dragons campaign only once a month has helped me stay focused.  I know there many of you out there play Tabletop Roleplaying games in groups where there is only one person willing to take that seat.  But to you that say you are not, just do it.  Even if you are bad you will get better.  I was like you once.  I had no interest in running stories.  I wanted to play the game and enjoy the work of others.

Now I have run many sessions, I have had the ability to create new and wondrous things over the past decade or so.  I have created or helped create great settings that I take pride in.  There is plenty of advice out there and right here on our youtube channel.

As always thanks for reading and Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!

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Ted Adams

The nerd is strong in this one. I received my bachelors degree in communication with a specialization in Radio/TV/Film. I have been a table op role player for about 20 years 17 of which with the current group. I have played several itterations of D&D, Mutants and Masterminds 2nd and 3rd editions, Star wars RPG, Shadowrun and World of Darkness. I am an avid fan of books and follow a few authors reading all they write. Favorite author is Jim Butcher I have been an on/off larper for around 15 years even doing a stretch of running my own for a while. I have played a number of Miniature games including Warhammer 40K, Warhammer Fantasy, Heroscape, Mage Knight, Dreamblade and D&D Miniatures. I have practiced with the art of the German long sword with an ARMA group for over 7 years studying the German long sword, sword and buckler, dagger, axe and polearm. By no strecth of the imagination am I an expert but good enough to last longer than the average person if the Zombie apocalypse ever happens. I am an avid fan of board games and dice games with my current favorite being Quarrios.

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