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Dan Bronson

Let the games begin.   No matter what version of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) you play, there are times when you may wonder "what would a veteran player do here?"  I have the answer.   Do you learn well by example?  This course contains scenarios that show good, better, and great tactics for you to consider.  We'll consider a variety of scenarios and consider them from the player and dungeon master perspective.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Have more fun playing dungeons and dragons.
  • Learn the creative approaches of a veteran player.
  • Tackle real-world problems that may disrupt your games.

Syllabus

There are so many ways to play D&D, how can one be better than another?  Let's look at some basic approaches and some great ones and we'll see if you agree that there are levels of player out there.

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Introduction

A quick overview of this course!

Check out the next 2 videos for more details...

Check out various types of game presentations and I think you'll agree that some approaches are more engaging and would be more fun to play in!

A deeper look at what a great player might do.  We want to quickly develop a lot of ideas and share them with the team.  There is no limit to our potential!

Some monsters are just really cool, even if they are too powerful for most parties to battle directly.  Power gamers may face them, most will battle their minions.  Other foes are unique to D&D and worth remembering.  Then there are those that I was glad I learned about BEFORE facing them!  (Let's be realistic, if a rust monster existed in an area, all the armor-clad warriors would be talking about it.)

And thus this 2-part video was born to let players in on some useful know-how.  Veterans may know most of this but newer players will likely learn something.

Part 2 continues covering more D&D monsters of note!


No need for a spoiler alert - any dungeon master worth their salt can easily still surprise and trick players with monster variations.  Not to mention we are only covering a very small subset of all the monsters out there - just to give new players a leg up.

The D&D world is full of many wondrous items!  If you don't know about them, how can you ask your dungeon master where to find one?  Knowledge is power!  Let's cover some of the classic items that I think every player should be aware of...

Yet more items that should help you become a great player!  Some items are helpful in combat, others are useful for puzzle solving, and some are great at both.  Let's explore some more items in dungeons and dragons...


If your favorite item wasn't mentioned feel free to discuss it in the forums.  Tells us what your character does with it, and why you think it's great.

Creative Play

An overview of the common situation where the players attack a enemy base or stronghold.  We'll be looking at it from 3 perspectives and trying to think creatively!

How do we break into the fortress?  Let's discuss creative choices for the players!

How might a non-player character (NPC) get involved in this scenario?  Here we discuss some options. 

The dungeon master (DM) has a lot of choices for challenging the players.  Let's investigate some possibilities.

Scenario: The Great Turtle - Good, Better, Great!

The Great Turtle?  What is that about?  Let's see!

A good approach for solving this scenario.

We can do better!  Let's see what else might work...

A great player would have lots of ideas, so let's look at some.  And what can you think of?

Scenario - THE WAR

Oooh, war is coming...what will we do?

Let's explore some details which the players might seek (and the dungeon master will have to supply) for developing THE WAR scenario.

A deeper dive into what may be the motivations behind THE WAR and how the players might handle it!

Handle real-life problems that can arise in your gaming and be trickier than any monster.

The biggest problem in getting a game together?  People get busy in and don't have time to game...let's see how we might address that.

Distractions can totally disrupt a great game, so how do we avoid them?

An experienced player can sometimes be tough to play with a newbie, what might go wrong and what could we do about it?

Is one player doing too much of something that breaks the flow of the game?  Let's take humor as an example and see how we might increase the fun for everyone by addressing the problem.

The wrap up!

A few more example scenarios are included in this wrap-up!

Given all we've seen, do you feel you can be a better player?  Thinking creatively?  Will that lead to more fun playing?  I hope so!

A quick look at the D&D courses I've created in case you - or someone you know - may be interested!

COURSE COMPLETE!


Thank you for watching, and I welcome your questions.

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Dungeons And Dragons (D&D) become a better player! with these activities:
Review the Player's Handbook
Solidify your understanding of core D&D rules and character options.
Show steps
  • Read through the character creation chapter.
  • Review the combat rules and action economy.
  • Study the spellcasting section and available spells.
Explore the Dungeon Master's Guide
Gain insights into the DM's perspective and improve your strategic thinking.
Show steps
  • Read the sections on worldbuilding and adventure design.
  • Review the encounter balancing guidelines.
  • Study the optional rules and variant systems.
Character Creation Practice
Practice creating characters with different classes, races, and backgrounds to understand the mechanics and options available.
Show steps
  • Create three different characters using the Player's Handbook.
  • Focus on different classes and races for each character.
  • Consider how each character would approach a specific scenario.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Scenario Roleplay
Participate in roleplaying sessions with other players to practice creative problem-solving and teamwork.
Show steps
  • Join a D&D group or online forum.
  • Participate in a roleplaying session as a player.
  • Focus on creative solutions and teamwork.
Write a Character Backstory
Develop a detailed backstory for a D&D character to enhance roleplaying and decision-making.
Show steps
  • Choose a character class, race, and background.
  • Write a backstory that explains the character's motivations and goals.
  • Consider how the backstory might influence the character's actions in the game.
Design a D&D Encounter
Design a D&D encounter with monsters, traps, and challenges to improve your understanding of game mechanics and encounter balancing.
Show steps
  • Choose a location and theme for the encounter.
  • Select appropriate monsters and challenges for the party's level.
  • Write a description of the encounter and its potential outcomes.
Contribute to a D&D Community Project
Contribute to a D&D community project, such as creating maps, writing adventures, or developing new rules.
Show steps
  • Find a D&D community project online.
  • Contribute your skills and knowledge to the project.
  • Share your work with the community and get feedback.

Career center

Learners who complete Dungeons And Dragons (D&D) become a better player! will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Game Streamer
A Game Streamer broadcasts themselves playing video games to an online audience. This course may provide streamers with a deeper understanding of how to engage their viewers. The course focuses on how to think creatively to enhance an audience's experience, which can help streamers create more entertaining content. Game streamers can learn how to deal with distractions, which can disrupt a stream.
Improviser
An Improviser performs in improvisational comedy shows. This course may boost an improviser's ability to think on their feet and develop creative scenarios. The course focuses on how to assess situations from multiple perspectives, which can allow improvisers to come up with unusual and interesting ideas. They may also learn how to handle difficult situations, which can arise during a performance. A deep look at what a great player might do can quickly generate a lot of ideas to share with the team.
Board Game Developer
A Board Game Developer conceptualizes and creates board games. This course may provide board game developers with valuable insights into game design principles. The course explores how to approach scenarios from both a player and Dungeon Master perspective, which can allow developers to create balanced gaming experiences. Board game developers who have taken this course understand the importance of an engaging game presentation.
Game Designer
A Game Designer conceptualizes and designs the rules, settings, and narratives of games. This course may help aspiring game designers by showing how to approach scenarios from both a player and Dungeon Master perspective. Consideration of player tactics can help the designer empathize with players, leading to thoughtful design. A designer who has taken this course understands the importance of engaging game presentations.
Writer
A Writer crafts stories, scripts, or other written content. This course may help improve a writer's understanding of storytelling, character development, and scenario creation. The course examines various approaches to storytelling, which can improve written works. Those looking to create engaging narratives should consider this course. Gaining an understanding of character motivation can allow writers to produce stories that resonate deeply with an audience.
Content Creator
A Content Creator develops engaging material for various platforms. This course may provide content creators with insights into how to craft immersive experiences. Learning about the different game presentations in the course may improve a content creator's ability to grab the attention of their audience. Consideration of Dungeons and Dragons monsters may inspire creativity.
Drama Teacher
A Drama Teacher educates students in the art of acting and theatrical performance. This course may give drama teachers a better understanding of how to engage students in creative exercises. The course's focus on creative approaches and scenario development can translate into techniques for helping students develop characters and improvise scenes. They can incorporate the course's lesson on developing ideas quickly to share with the team.
Puzzle Designer
A Puzzle Designer creates puzzles for games. This course may provide puzzle designers with useful insights into puzzle creation. The course explores the wondrous items of the Dungeons and Dragons world, which can provide a new way to present challenges. A puzzle designer may also learn how to present a puzzle in an engaging way, leading to a great experience for the player.
Novelist
A Novelist writes and publishes long-form fictional stories. This course may assist novelists in creating a setting that is exciting and engaging. The course explores the D&D world, which can promote inspiration for a novelist working in the fantasy genre. Exploration of the D&D world may help with character building.
Camp Counselor
A Camp Counselor supervises children or teenagers in a summer camp setting. This course may provide them with creative ideas for activities and games. Understanding group dynamics and problem-solving, as taught in the course, can also help camp counselors handle conflicts and create engaging experiences for campers. They will be able to help resolve problems that arise by drawing on concepts from the course. A camp counselor could learn to play a specific role during activities.
Recreation Coordinator
A Recreation Coordinator plans, organizes, and directs recreational activities. This course may spark new ideas for engaging people. Exploring scenarios from multiple perspectives, as emphasized in the course, could enable recreation coordinators to think through an audience's needs. Exploring the Dungeons and Dragons world may help the coordinator discover new concepts for puzzle solving.
Voice Actor
A Voice Actor provides voices for animated characters or audiobooks. This course may help voice actors by broadening their understanding of character interpretation. The course's analysis of character motivations may give a voice actor more options when giving their voice to a character. They may find that the exploration of creative play can help them find the perfect voice to embody a persona.
Creative Director
A Creative Director oversees the creative aspects of projects. This course may help creative directors by teaching tactics for inspiring those around them. Understanding how to handle real life dynamics, as taught in the course, can help creative directors create a welcoming environment. Creative Directors can learn to incorporate elements of successful D&D games into their work.
Podcast Host
A Podcast Host creates and presents audio content on a specific topic. This course may offer podcast hosts useful insights into creating engaging conversations. The course explores the common problem of people getting too busy to participate in games, which is a common obstacle in podcasting. Podcast hosts may learn how to draw from the dungeons and dragons setting.
Curriculum Designer
A Curriculum Designer develops educational materials and programs. This course may help curriculum designers by teaching them how to present information in an engaging way. The course considers different game presentations with the goal of engaging the audience. They may also learn how to handle real life disruptions, which is an important issue in curriculum design.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Dungeons And Dragons (D&D) become a better player!.
The Player's Handbook is the essential core rulebook for Dungeons & Dragons. It contains the rules for character creation, combat, spellcasting, and adventuring. Reviewing this book will ensure a solid understanding of the game's fundamentals, which is crucial for both new and experienced players. It serves as a constant reference during gameplay.
While primarily for Dungeon Masters, the Dungeon Master's Guide offers valuable insights into worldbuilding, adventure design, and encounter balancing. Understanding these concepts can help players anticipate challenges, make informed decisions, and appreciate the DM's perspective. provides a broader understanding of the game's structure and possibilities.

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