### Why conflict?

The basis for drama, having to overcome, having to decide, bringing change.

### No conflict (2:23)

One of the first things that newbie improvisers and GM do when they feel there isn't enough excitement is to add a conflict to create drama. Do not be afraid to let an encounter play out without a conflict. Let the heroes be pleasantly surprised by the old count that is happy to cooperate and offer them tea and biscuits. A session of polite and engaging conversation is an excellent chance for character development, world building and ideas generation.

["When in doubt, have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand."](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChandlersLaw)

Our episode on [Pacing](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/35d6a449eb83ba/).

### Social conflict (5:25)

In [Fate](https://www.evilhat.com/home/fate-core/) there is no difference between a brawl and a social conflict. In both you roll attacks and deal damage. The only difference is that a social attack can be a snide remark, a condescending glare or a well thought-out argument. And the damage may be a blushing of the cheeks, a teary eye or gasp etc. A defeat may result in a sob, running away from the scene or a even a faint.

[Mistborn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistborn), [Eran's Mistborn Adventure Game review](https://www.eranaviram.me/review-mistborn-adventure-game/)

[City of Mist](https://www.cityofmist.co/) also resolves all types of conflicts in similiar ways.

### Make something else the field of battle (8:45)

Our episode on [Better Battles](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/35a558edec85c6/)

### Metaphorical combat (14:25)

### Making a choice (15:30)

Making a choice can be a great conflict - simply choosing between two alternatives where there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to each choice.

### Internal conflicts (16:47)

Our episodes on [Personal Plotlines](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/361e1967b5d5c4/), [Make Your Character Come Alive](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/364fbcb535fe1a/)

### The importance of mechanics (19:16)

Using an advancement tracker, placed in plain sight in front of the players, to allow everyone to sense what’s happening in a mechanical way. How close are we to bring a resolution to this scene.

The players need a sense of success, of the stakes, and of what constitutes a failure.

[Savage Worlds](https://www.peginc.com/product-category/savage-worlds/), [learn the basic rules in 2 minutes](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/savage-worlds-rules/)

### Creating/adapting mechanics for conflicts (23:15)

Provide interesting choices.

Maneuvering: changing topics or approaches.

Timing: Different time scales for different conflicts. Mistborn does this very well with the “beat”.

### Summary (30:13)

### Take the Load off (32:00)

Uri: my inspiration for this episode was from the last session I ran. A satyr was performing in a comedy club and he challenge the party to a stand up comedy face off. Every good joke gave a point to one side.

Eran: I got to play [Grimm](https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/grimm-rpg/) with Bill Roper ([Happy Jack's RPG Podcast](http://www.happyjacks.org/)), haven’t had a chance to test out the system fully, but I was intrigued.

-----

Email us at [email protected] with questions, topic suggestions, and comments on this episode.

[We have a Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast), in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion.

[Our Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dwarfpodcast)

(Most links to [DriveThruRPG are affiliate](http://drivethrurpg.com/?affiliate_id=29668), which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you)

Organisations are among the most useful fictional entities you can have in your game.

They have reputation, history, motivations, style - all of which can be easily passed to each of the members.

### What’s an organisation (1:30)

Actually when we say “organization” we may not mean what you think. What i mean is “support system”. Anyone who seek to go on a great endeavour need a support system and that support system have some sort of a structure. A leader of a magician guild have the resources of the guild behind them but don’t limit yourself to the obvious: a politician may have a party behind him, or a mafia boss that he gets bribes from or a cult or a secret drug cartel that he meneges. Each of these is a different organization with a different structure, history, code of conduct etc.

CGP Grey’s [Rules for Rulers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rStL7niR7gs)

### Forming organisations (4:25)

Who decides?

[Syn, from Crystal Heart](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/comic/1-campaign-pitch/)

How are they structured? (hierarchy? Federated? Anarchy? Cells?)

[The Harpers](http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Harpers)

What generates response from them?

What are their motivations?

What commands their respect?

### Lieutenants (17:30)

Specific people who represent the organisation in various ways.

“Right Hand Man”, This is the man who actually does the mundane work of making sure the organization runs smoothly.

In [Fate](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/114903/Fate-Core-System?affiliate_id=29668) there is a great concept of “places and faces”.

In [City of Mist](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/241823/City-of-Mist-RPG-Core-Book?affiliate_id=29668) there’s the Iceberg model.

### Mismanagement (25:10)

They never think of everything, underestimate the PCs.

Human error.

Upgrading is hard.

Annoying bosses, failing upward.

Schisms

Survival at all costs, even if the original reason for existence is no longer relevant.

### Summary (34:25)

[Reign](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/79955/Reign-Enchiridion?affiliate_id=29668)

### Taking the load off

Uri: Was in [Draconicon](http://www.dragoncon.co.il/), a great roleplay convention in Israel. Taught a workshop on how to improvise.

Eran: Got [that article](https://www.eranaviram.me/introducing-new-people-to-our-hobby/) up finally!

-----

Email us at [email protected] with questions, topic suggestions, and comments on this episode.

[We have a Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast), in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion.

[Our Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dwarfpodcast)

(Most links to [DriveThruRPG are affiliate](http://drivethrurpg.com/?affiliate_id=29668), which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you)

The Enemy Within campaign for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.

Defining “Mystery” (3:10)

We’re not discussing Ontological Mysteries. In a mystery campaign you’re trying to solve a case, in order to uncover a piece of information.

Whodunit? One-shots are usually set in a closed location, like a ship or a museum. Mystery-enabling systems: Gumshoe, Fate, Call of Cthulhu, Shadowrun

One player should be a note taker. The sort of person who *loooooves* taking notes. The player characters should be related to what’s going on. Have a stake in it.

Play by the rules of the setting (8:10)

In Shadowrun, it’s a dragon that wants to take over a corporation. In Cthulhu, it’s someone trying to summon an ancient god. In modern times, it’s anchored in realism. Maintain the internal consistency of the world. Subversions are important, because we’re all genre savvy these days. But subversions shouldn’t exist for subversion sake - make sure the revelation is dramatically satisfying.

The malleability of facts (11:50)

If the players came up with something better, change it accordingly. Subtle Railroading 

Releasing information (14:40)

Super saturation of details; the players need to figure out which are relevant (and you might need to decide on it yourself). Don’t hold the cards too close to the chest. Being stuck is frustrating, they should always have some lead, pushing them somewhere new.

City of Mist. Last few days of the new Kickstarter!

The 3-clue rule. Give information that is correct, but not necessarily relevant. Let the players decide what is relevant. Describe the shirt she was wearing, the emblem on it - is it important? It’s up to them.

Creating details (18:40)

Immerse yourself in the genre. Imagine the physical location, with all senses. What’s unusual about it? Scaffolding on the side of the church, the suitcase is bent, the wall is two meters to the left compared to the original blueprints. It could all be innocuous. The old lady’s portrait looks similar to someone we talked to a while ago. The phone’s battery ran out, the tube was late, there’s a strange smell of dried paint. Roses grow really well in the garden. Red herrings are dangerous in roleplaying games, because the players won’t let go.

Redirections (24:20)

Embed the mystery in politics, to increase the number of possible motivations. There should be lots of characters around.

High stakes (27:55)

Correction: "There’s always another secret" is a saying by Brandon Sanderson, and NOT one of Sanderson’s Laws, which relate to magic systems (and are very good read)

Summary (31:00) 

Taking the load off (32:50)

50 Fathoms

Email us at [email protected] with questions, topic sugg

If you don't like "Railroading", think instead about tour guides, or theme park rides.

### Is this a form of manipulation?

Definitely. So it should be done by consent. “Guys, I’m going to be using all sorts of subtle techniques to help guide the story, a bit like a director, but only on occasions when I think a specific direction will be more entertaining to all of us. If you trust me to do what's best for our game - which is what most players trust their GMs to do anyway, and see every other episode we did on details of why and how - then everything will be great.”

### The point of this (5:17)

Encouraging players to make a specific choice, without imposing the choice on them.

### Brute force railroading (6:40)

AKA: Fast Forward, cutscene, Walkthrough or Statement

[Setting the scene](http://www.uptofourplayers.com/2017/09/setting-up-the-scene/).

### Negative reinforcement (9:30)

### Positive reinforcement (10:45)

### Consultation / delay (11:25)

Consult the rule books.

Try to remember/pretend to try and remember a specific detail.

### Schrodinger's Dungeon (14:30)

[Extra Credit, the illusion of choice](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45PdtGDGhac)

### RailRolling (18:45)

### Guiding questions (20:50)

[Priming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priming_(psychology))

### Specificity, giving extra details (26:10)

[The law of conservation of details](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheLawOfConservationOfDetail)

### The player’s perspective (28:25)

Don’t be a cynic.

### Taking the load off (33:05)

Uri: “Have I added to the sum of goodness in the world”?

Eran: Savage World's 50 Fathoms: arrived at a city, didn’t want to spend 3 weeks, so let’s take the tension off and let them feel relieved.

[Pacing](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/35d6a449eb83ba/)

-----

Email us at [email protected] with questions, topic suggestions, and comments on this episode.

[We have a Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast), in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion.

[Our Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dwarfpodcast)

(Most links to DriveThruRPG are affiliate, which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you)

If you don't like "Railroading", think instead about tour guides, or theme park rides. 

Is this a form of manipulation?

Definitely. So it should be done by consent. “Guys, I’m going to be using all sorts of subtle techniques to help guide the story, a bit like a director, but only on occasions when I think a specific direction will be more entertaining to all of us. If you trust me to do what's best for our game - which is what most players trust their GMs to do anyway, and see every other episode we did on details of why and how - then everything will be great.”

The point of this (5:17)

Encouraging players to make a specific choice, without imposing the choice on them.

Brute force railroading (6:40)

AKA: Fast Forward, cutscene, Walkthrough or Statement

Setting the scene. 

Negative reinforcement (9:30) 

Positive reinforcement (10:45)

Consultation / delay (11:25)

Consult the rule books. Try to remember/pretend to try and remember a specific detail.

Schrodinger's Dungeon (14:30)

Extra Credit, the illusion of choice

RailRolling (18:45)

Guiding questions (20:50)

Priming

Specificity, giving extra details (26:10)

The law of conservation of details

The player’s perspective (28:25)

Don’t be a cynic.

Taking the load off (33:05)

Uri: “Have I added to the sum of goodness in the world”?

Eran: Savage World's 50 Fathoms: arrived at a city, didn’t want to spend 3 weeks, so let’s take the tension off and let them feel relieved.

-----

Email us at [email protected] with questions, topic suggestions, and comments on this episode. We have a Patreon page, in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion. Our Facebook group. Most links to DriveThruRPG are affiliate, which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you.

### What’s interesting about taking away the obvious?(1:30)

The interesting question is what happens when one of those things are gone.

On a global scale - the gods disappear, no divine magic.

Scarcities - things that you need, yet you don't have.

[The Quiet Year](https://buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-quiet-year)

[Legacy 2nd Edition](http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/237393/Legacy-Life-Among-the-Ruins-2nd-Edition?affiliate_id=29668)

[Honey Heist](https://gshowitt.itch.io/honey-heist)

On a small scale - one-off problem, in a session or an encounter.

### What do we usually take for granted (7:07)

Environmental conditions: Gravity - stronger/lighter? An adventure in total darkness?

Changing the climate. Athas or Dune are deserts, Hoth is an ice planet, why not have an adventure on Mars? Underwater? In the air? On the moon?

The key here is not to cancel out the difficulty but use it in novel ways.

### Tools and weapons

Material components or special oils for regular powers. Can also become a regular upkeep cost.

### Common resources

Having no access to things that were considered “normal and fair” before can create an atmosphere of being anchored in the real world, can go toward grim and gritty.

### Replenishing supplies (19:00)

Having no other civilized people around (think of a journey into a land totally inhabited by monsters), or having a steep price increase.

### Having time/ability to heal

### Lasting injuries

[Fate](https://www.evilhat.com/home/fate-core/)'s consequences. Raising the stakes, making the game more interesting without a threat of imminent death.

### Being able to simply go around whenever (26:20)

In [50 Fathoms](https://www.peginc.com/product-category/50fathoms/) you get cabin fever if you spend more than 30 days at sea; you need to go carousing on shore for a week, and spend money.

[Midnight](http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2718/Midnight-2nd-Edition-Core-Rulebook?affiliate_id=29668)

[Spire](https://rowanrookanddecard.com/product/spire-rpg/)

[11 ways to be a better roleplayer](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/35dc2e1458f9c0/)

### Being able to win a fight/challenge (32:05)

They just keep coming; pulling the annoying artifact.

### Summary (36:00)

Do not surprise your players with this.

### Taking the load off (38:11)

Uri did an “Invisible Railroading” workshop for the GMs of Israel’s Pathfinder Society organised play and the D&D Adventure League organised play.

Eran is going to play Ruth Ben David, because it’s super easy.

-----

Email us at [email protected] with questions, topic suggestions, and comments on this episode.

[We have a Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast), in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion.

[Our Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dwarfpodcast)

(Most links to DriveThruRPG are affiliate, which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you)

### Eran and Uri have different KPIs (1:45)

KPI stands for Key Performance Indexes and it literally means how do you measure if you have done something well or not. Or “what is the key by which you determine how well you performed”.

### Uri’s method (7:00)

The full article: [How Uri runs an Introduction Game](https://dwarves.podiant.co/how-uri-run-intro-games/)

### Designing your own format (23:10)

[Eran's full article](https://www.eranaviram.me/introducing-new-people-to-our-hobby/).

Dig dipper: [Running an Inclusive Game (episode 16)](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/35f7c8624a1e54/)

### Before the death (1:35)

Should we allow death? Under which circumstances should we allow death?

Set expectations. Personal example: Uri don’t allow random deaths, except on critical moments or on player decision.

What can the player whose character just died do for the rest of the session?

[Dungeon Crawl Classics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon_Crawl_Classics)

[Dusk Barrens after-death rules](https://dusk-barrens.obsidianportal.com/wikis/advancing-your-character) for D&D.

[Fate](https://www.evilhat.com/home/fate-core/)

### At the moment (13:20)

Didn’t feel resentment toward the GM. “That’s on us” - meaning, we agreed to that.

Ask yourself: Was it a good death? Was it significant?

Give the moment room to expand. Don’t rush forward, don’t metagame, don’t think about how to fix this.

In a way, that’s why we play with dice, to be surprised.

Make a big deal out of it, respect it.

[The Death and Return of Superman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PlwDbSYicM)

### After the death (31:32)

Let it have repercussions, from the GM side (effects on the worlds around you) and on the players side.

What Dassi originally planned for Telemachus, and how she might change it now: becoming obsessed in finding more radical solutions - elemental magic has failed me.

-----

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[We have a Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast), in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion.

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(Most links to DriveThruRPG are affiliate, which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you)

We talk about [Aviv](https://twitter.com/AvivOr) and [Ev](https://twitter.com/evyatron) behind their backs! HOHOHOH

Actually we just regerutate some advice that they gave us.

### Player's perspective (3:00)

Choose a character class/playbook/concept that can stand on its own - has enough power to influence the story/combat, can survive alone, has some ability with communications.

Avoid min-maxing, go broad. Play to whatever strengths the system, and world, call for. Talk a lot with your GM - if they’re not into doing matrix runs in a cyberpunk game, there’s no point in aiming for a hacker.

[The Sprawl](http://www.ardens.org/games/the-sprawl/)

Player motivations - [Why We Play](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/365abc29b5e3c2/)

### GM's perspective (9:10)

Re-plan everything for one.

Everything is personal, there’s nothing else.

Avoid balance, it’s a harmful concept. Give lots of useful items, favours, blessings.

Go wild. You can do the type of things they have in movies and books - throw him to jail, have him escape. Play a whole date with someone.

Tailor the adventure to this specific character.

Relationships are key. Have tons of major NPCs, in various social circles.

Sessions will be slow-paced. If you want to search for something, you can’t do it while the players talk amongst themselves.

### Taking the load off (27:05)

Uri: Pathfinder session. [How Uri records his sessions](https://dwarves.podiant.co/how-uri-records-his-sessions/).

Eran: [Ennie-nominated](http://www.ennie-awards.com/blog/2018-nominations/) and also not Ennie-nominated.

### The obvious (1:40)

Official rulebooks and expansions.

Miniatures and boards, and other paraphernalia.

Dice, dice holder, dice bags, dice towers, rounder dice, dice of unusual size/material or shape.

Personalised dice trays; foldable or wooden. [Crystal Heart's foldable dice trays](https://leisuregames.com/products/crystal-heart-up-to-4-players-dice-folding-dice-tray-all-rolled-up?variant=12102479118409).

### Enhancing your game experience (2:30)

Special software: [Hero Lab](http://www.wolflair.com/index.php?context=hero_lab) for character sheets, different map making tools. (for PC or mobile device).

[Syrinscape](https://syrinscape.com/), [Tabletop Audio](https://tabletopaudio.com/)

Campaign documentation tools like [The Obsidian Portal](https://www.obsidianportal.com/), [WorldAnvil](https://www.worldanvil.com/)

[D&D Beyond](https://www.dndbeyond.com/)

Record your sessions: Audio recorder, video camera. [Uri’s new article explains it](https://dwarves.podiant.co/how-uri-records-his-sessions/).

Using a flat screen TV with [Roll20](https://roll20.net/) or [Fantasy Grounds](https://www.fantasygrounds.com/home/home.php). Buying tons of adventures or maps/tokens on the VTT.

### Shiny stuff for your campaign (10:35)

Design and order custom miniatures: [Hero Forge](https://www.heroforge.com/).

Coins or tokens for bennies or other points. Even more tokens to represent things inside the game (coins, loot, magical items etc)

Purchase portraits for characters/for the party.

Art designers - commission customised character sheets to your campaign.

[Fiverr](https://www.fiverr.com/) - buying theme music; leitmotif for your characters; logo for your campaign.

### Support the ecosystem

[Podcasts](http://rpgcasts.com/) ([like us](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast)!)

Patreons: Paper miniatures (just search for it, there are several), [Dyson Logos](https://www.patreon.com/dysonlogos), [Elven Tower](https://www.patreon.com/elventower), [Warlock](https://www.patreon.com/koboldpress) by Kobold Press, [Ensider](https://www.patreon.com/ensider/posts), [Fate worlds](https://www.patreon.com/evilhat).

Check out [this huge list](http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?4757-Shining-A-Spotlight-On-RPG-Patreons). It hasn't been updated in a while, but it's still comprehensive.

Buy adventures and expansions from DriveThruRPG, search for recommendations of independent creators.

### Upper end luxuries (23:10)

Full gaming table, on [Ultimate Gaming Table](https://ultimategametable.com/) or [Carolina Game Tables](https://www.carolinagametables.com/).

Furbish a full fledge gaming room.

Invest in those insane Kickstarter tiers.

-----

Email us at [email protected] with questions, topic suggestions, and comments on this episode.

[We have a Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast), in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion.

[Our Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dwarfpodcast)

(Most links to DriveThruRPG are affiliate, which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you)